With Portugal’s New Government, the Promise of Harsh Cuts

It may have been the politician’s practiced habit of emotional concealment, but in his concession speech last night, the smiling outgoing Portuguese Prime Minister Jos Socrates hardly looked like a man distraught with defeat. Nor, for that matter, did his opponent, Paulo Passos Coelho, seem gleeful with triumph

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‘Sick’ Stoner forced out of MotoGP races

Former world MotoGP champion Casey Stoner has confirmed he will miss the next three races in the series in a bid to cure the mystery illness which has hindered his season. Australian Stoner, the 2007 champion, has been suffering from severe fatigue since the Grand Prix of Catalunya in June — and was a dismal 14th in the British round at Donington in his last race. Doctors have now advised the 23-year-old Marlboro Ducati rider, who lies third in the standings behind Fiat Yamaha duo Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, to sit out the next three rounds beginning at the Czech MotoGP in Brno this Sunday

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‘Victoria Beckham look-a-like’ clue in Madeleine McCann disappearance

A new witness in the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann has told investigators he talked with a "Victoria Beckham look-a-like" whose may have revealed clues about the girl’s fate, a family spokesman said Thursday. Investigators would not release what was said in the conversation but the clues have led police to try and find the woman. Madeleine vanished from the family’s holiday villa at the Portuguese beach resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007, as her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, dined in a nearby restaurant

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Mourinho angered by Ibrahimovic decision

Jose Mourinho has admitted he was left angered by the decision to sell Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Barcelona, although the Inter Milan coach reveals he is delighted to welcome Samuel Eto’o to the San Siro. Inter are on the verge of completing a deal which will see them receive 45 million euros ($64m) plus Eto’o for Ibrahimovic after both players agreed terms with their prospective clubs.

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Ronaldo drops stay at Man Utd hint

Cristiano Ronaldo moved to end speculation about his Manchester United future by dropping a clear hint that he intends to stay at Old Trafford. The World Player of the Year has been consistently linked with a switch to Real Madrid and looked set for a move to the Bernabeu last summer before pledging his future to United where he is contracted until 2012. With Florentino Perez pledging to build a new superteam as part of his campaign to be elected Real Madrid club president, inevitably talk has turned to a new bid to sign the Portuguese star.

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