Elton John cancels Vegas shows on doctors' orders - BBC News
Sir Elton John has pulled out of three performances of his current Las Vegas residency, after being taken to hospital with a respiratory infection.
The singer was admitted to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre on Wednesday, but released the same day.
Doctors have advised the 65-year-old star against working while he completes a course of antibiotics.
The remaining 11 concerts of his Million Dollar Piano residency at Caesars Palace take place in October.
"Elton developed a serious respiratory infection last weekend while performing at The Colosseum on Sunday, May 20," said a statement by his publicist, Fran Curtis.
"This week the condition worsened, even with medication and rest, resulting in Elton being hospitalised."
The statement added that the singer underwent "extensive tests" and was recommended to take "complete rest" for "approximately seven days... to cure his respiratory infection and prevent any damage".
Sir Elton added his own apologies: "All I can say to the fans is 'sorry I can't be with you'."
"I love performing the show and I will be thrilled when we return to the Colosseum in October to complete the 11 concerts."
Sir Elton was previously forced to cancel two concerts in February, after he came down with food poisoning.
Gibb dedication
The singer, whose hits include Your Song and Candle in the Wind, began his three-year headlining stint in Las Vegas in September last year.
Earlier this week, he dedicated his track Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me to Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb, who died at the weekend.
"The Bee Gees were part of my life when I was growing up; they were a huge influence on me as a songwriter," he told the audience. "Travel well Robin - you were amazing. God bless you."
The singer is expected to perform at The Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace on 4 June, before embarking on a tour of Europe in June and July.
He returns to the United States and Canada for a series of concerts in September, before completing the Las Vegas residency.
Hornets heading to Ireland during pre-season (From Watford Observer) - Watford Observer
Olympic Games creating knock-on problems for Watford's pre-season schedule
8:00am Friday 25th May 2012 in Sport By Anthony Matthews
Watford have revealed they will be travelling to Ireland for their pre-season training camp but the Olympics are continuing to cause problems with regard to arranging two more matches before the new Championship campaign gets underway on Saturday, August 18 - although one slot has now been filled.
Sean Dyche’s men will play one game across the Irish Sea, against Cork City on Tuesday, July 24 (7.30pm kick-off), having travelled out the day before and returning the following Saturday.
The rest of the pre-season schedule has been finalised, with the exception of matches on Tuesday, August 7 and Saturday, August 11.
The Hornets, who are not the only club affected, are looking to play opposition from the London region but it is proving difficult to confirm arrangements for those dates because of the increased demand on police resources due to the Olympic Games.
“The organisation of any football fixture in London and the surrounding areas is proving problematical for all affected clubs,” explained Watford’s football business director Ross Wilson of his club’s failure to so far nail down two final pre-season fixtures.
“We are pleased to have already secured the date for Lloyd Doyley’s testimonial match, and we’re expecting our pre-season schedule to be completed in full very soon.”
Subsequent to Wilson's comments though, the Hornets have now confirmed they will be travelling to Gillingham on August 7.
The Hornets begin their pre-season with the now traditional games at Boreham Wood and Wealdstone on Tuesday, July 17 (7.30pm) and Saturday, July 21 (3pm) respectively.
Following the trip to Ireland, they return to face Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park on Tuesday, July 31 (7.30pm) – a game that could see Chairboys duo Joel Grant and Marvin McCoy line up against the club where they started their careers.
Wycombe boss Gary Waddock told the club’s official website said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to arrange a game with a side of Watford’s quality.
“It’s a good fixture in our pre-season programme and it will test the players’ fitness levels against a Championship team.”
The showpiece of pre-season follows on Saturday, August 4, Doyley’s testimonial match against Tottenham Hotspur at Vicarage Road.
Prior to the match against Harry Redknapp’s side at 3pm, there will be a legends game between past players from both clubs.
Only one development game has been confirmed so far, a short trip to St Albans City on Wednesday, August 1.
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Eurovision: I was misquoted, Spanish entrant insists - BBC News
Spain's Eurovision entrant has denied reports she was asked not to win by her country's public television channel.
Pastora Soler told the BBC she had been misquoted by a "very bad" journalist.
Her comments followed a widely circulated story that quoted her as saying Spain would struggle to host the event if she were to win this weekend.
Speaking on Friday, she insisted that "Spanish public television want to win and me too".
"We want to win this Eurovision," Soler told the BBC World Service. "If we win, Spain be very happy with us."
It is written in the contest rules that the public broadcaster of the nation that wins must host the following year.
"Spain have a lot of place to have the competition," the singer went on. "It's not a problem for us."
Her remarks followed an earlier interview she gave to ABC Punto Radio in which she said Spain's TVE channel would find it "really difficult" to stage the contest.
"If we were to win, it will be impossible because of the costs," she said, in an interview translated from her native tongue.
During the interview she joked that the broadcaster had asked her not to win, but immediately added that "of course" they had not actually done so.
FavouritePastora Soler will sing her ballad Quedate Conmigo (Stay With Me) at Saturday's final, to be held in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku.
Spain last won the competition in 1969, when it shared a four-way tie with the UK, the Netherlands and France.
Thursday saw 10 more countries named finalists in the second semi-final held ahead of Saturday's main event.
Swedish entrant Loreen, considered by some to be the favourite this year, was among the successful acts to go through.
Lithuania, Malta, Norway and Turkey were among the other nations to join the 26 finalists.
The evening saw eight countries eliminated from the competition, among them Bulgaria, Croatia, Portugal and the Netherlands.
Reds push ahead with manager search - Football
Published: 25 May 2012 - 15:17:03
Liverpool are expected to step up the task of appointing their new manager in the coming days with a shortlist taking shape.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has already spoken to principal owner John Henry, having taken a break from a Caribbean holiday to fly to Miami for a meeting on Thursday.
It is expected other candidates will now also be spoken to in a more formal capacity, with Henry and chairman Tom Werner likely to travel to England as Fenway Sports Group go about whittling down their options.
Martinez remains the favourite with the bookmakers, although that could have something to do with the fact he is the only contender publicly confirmed as being in the running.
But having spent just over a week assessing potential candidates FSG are ready to press ahead with the serious business of identifying the man they want to lead their bid to restore former glories at Anfield.
While ex-Porto and Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas appears to have dropped out of the reckoning it is reported the Reds have not ruled out a second approach for Swansea's Brendan Rodgers after he declined their initial invitation to open preliminary talks.
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan, who set his manager a deadline of June 5 to decide his future, is still not convinced Martinez will take the job should it be offered because the structure Liverpool are proposing would take away the all-encompassing freedom he has enjoyed at the DW Stadium.
He told Sky Sports: "A little bit will have to do with the attitude of the owners because I don't think they fully understand the game of football in England. Roberto likes total control, from the youngsters at 16 to the first team. If he doesn't get that I don't think he will take the job."
However, former Wigan and Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland believes the Spaniard would regret not seizing the opportunity should it arise.
"What he'll be thinking to himself is: 'Will I get this opportunity again?'" said the 31-year-old, who had three seasons under Martinez at Wigan. "The Liverpool job is still one of the biggest in the world - and it doesn't get offered to you every day. It's a massive job and it will be a massive opportunity for somebody," he told the Wigan Evening Post.
Related Liverpool News
Upset over special treatment to Gadkari, Advani, Sushma skip BJP rally in Mumbai - indiatoday.intoday.in
The "party with a difference" split wide open and the cracks were evident for all to see as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) patriarch, L.K. Advani, stood firmly against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) support for an extension to the present party chief, Nitin Gadkari.
A day after the BJP passed a resolution to amend the party's constitution to give Gadkari a second term, a miffed Advani conspicuously gave a miss to the party rally in Mumbai at the end of the two-day national executive meet on Friday evening.
Though for cameras the BJP portrayed a pretty picture of togetherness, the party seemed desperately trying to smooth over its own differences. Be it Vasundhara Raje, Narendra Modi or B.S. Yeddyurappa, these strong regional leaders have been raising the banner of revolt from time-to-time.
The BJP would surely find it difficult to sidestep the latest fire that has hit it because in this big fight on one side is the veteran like Advani and on the other is the party's parent organisation RSS. And the man who brought things to a head is Gadkari.
Thanks to the BJP's steps to award Gadkari an unprecedented second term when the current term as party president gets over in December, Advani has gone into a big sulk deciding to skip the rally.
Advani was given company in this boycott by the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj. She too gave the BJP's show of strength, a miss.
BJP sources said that Advani felt aggrieved that he was not consulted on a decision as important as amending party's constitution. He feels that the decisions like this were being imposed on the BJP by the Sangh.
However, on record the BJP rubbished talks of resentment in its fold. They rejected reports of Advani and Swaraj boycotting the rally as mere speculation and attributed it to their "prior commitments".
Party spokesperson Nirmala Seetharaman said, "There is no controversy. I don't know where you can see it. Advaniji has just commenced his address to the national executive. His absence is due to a prior commitment. To link it to something else, there is no connection. Sushmaji has been there since yesterday morning without a break."
She rubbished talks of RSS interference in BJP affairs saying, "I don't want to comment on it. What is the interference?"
Advani's Jinnah praise
Gadkari's proposed re-election might have been the flashpoint, but the Advani-RSS spat was brewing for quite some time. In 2005, Advani made his now infamous trip to Pakistan, where he called Muhammad Ali Jinnah a secular leader.
On June 4, 2005, Advani said in Pakistan: "There are a few people who make history. I believe Muhammad Ali Jinnah was one such person."
From there on, the divide between Advani and the RSS only became more pronounced, signalled by the senior leader's demotion in the BJP's order of importance.
To get Gadkari a second term the RSS brokered a deal between him and Modi. That saw the matter worsen. But the truth is that in the recent past, Advani has been snubbed by the RSS on at least three occasions as his opinion was not sought on crucial decisions. This time, Advani seems in no mood of letting his unhappiness remain hidden.
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