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Lufthansa: Vacation sun or money back

Sunshine-seeking travelers whose vacations are spoilt by wet weather will be able to claim compensation under a new scheme introduced by Germany airline Lufthansa in a bid to head off the gray clouds settling over the aviation industry. Under the “sunshine insurance” scheme, passengers who book flights to any of 36 destinations on offer will be entitled to €20 ($28.8) per day up to a maximum of €200 ($288) for every day of rain. To take advantage of the offer, passengers must book before August 18 to travel in either September or October

Football: Messi set for bumper new Barca deal

European champions Barcelona hope to tie Argentina star Lionel Messi to a lucrative new contract. The 22-year-old forward is tipped to win the European and World Player of the Year awards after scoring 38 goals to help the Spanish club to an unprecedented hat-trick of titles last season. “Barca will always do whatever is necessary to keep Messi happy at the club and we know that Messi has a complete commitment to Barca,” president Joan Laporta told the team’s official Web site

Arsenal mulling over shock swoop for Vieira

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has refused to rule out a sensational swoop for the English Premier League club’s former midfield general Patrick Vieira. The veteran France international is expected to leave Italian champions Inter Milan, and has been linked with a return to Arsenal following rumors that he is also wanted by north London rivals Tottenham

Airbus will fund third search for crash debris

Aircraft manufacturer Airbus is ready to fund a third search of the Atlantic Ocean if a second search, now under way, fails to find debris from last month’s Air France crash, the company said Friday. Airbus is discussing a payment of between 12 to 20 million euros ($17-28 million) to help pay for a third search, but it is still too early to settle on a figure, company spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said. “We are ready to give a significant share, whatever is needed,” he told CNN

UK Pentagon hacker loses appeal, will be sent to U.S.

The Briton accused of hacking into U.S.

European gang trained for terror

An American who says he went to fight U.S. forces in Afghanistan told interrogators that about the time he became an al Qaeda member he came across several Belgian and French militants.

Contador – I will never admire Armstrong

Tour de France winner Alberto Contador has launched a stinging attack on Astana teammate Lance Armstrong after returning as a hero to his native town of Pinto near Madrid. Contador told a news conference that relations between the two riders were tense throughout the race, making the atmosphere very difficult for the team as a whole

Phelps relay gold as world records tumble

Michael Phelps swam the first leg for the winning U.S. 4 x 100 meters relay squad as the first day of competition in the pool at the world championships in Rome saw six world records tumble

Contador on verge of second Tour success

Alberto Contador is on the verge of winning his second Tour de France in three years after finishing fourth to fellow-Spaniard Juan Manuel Garate in the arduous 20th and penultimate 167km stage to the top of Mont Ventoux. Contador came home alongside his rivals for overall victory as the stage turned into a tactical battle between the race leaders while the two remnants of an early 16-man breakaway group, Garate and Germany’s Tony Martin, battled it out for the glory of finishing first at the top of the ‘Giant of Provence.’ Garate eventually won his duel with Team Columbia’s Martin by three seconds, giving Rabobank their first stage victory in what has been a disappointing Tour for the Dutch team. However, the real story was developing behind them as second-placed Andy Schleck launched a series of attacks in an attempt to distance third-placed Lance Armstrong — with the aim of getting his older brother Frank, who began the stage in sixth position, onto the podium.

10 Questions for Henry Louis Gates Jr.

You recently wrote about the complex feelings Abraham Lincoln held toward black people. Could you expand on that? Bill Bre, BREMEN, GERMANY A fundamental part of Lincoln’s moral compass was his opposition to slavery.