Soccer Stars Told to Quit Spitting

(NEWSER) - Russian soccer fans visiting Wales next month for their country's World Cup qualifier have been told to avoid swine flu by guzzling whiskey, Reuters reports. The Russian government has cautioned fans to avoid travel to the UK because of the flu outbreak, but those who proudly defy the warning should "drink a lot of Welsh whiskey as a form of disinfection," said the head of a major Russian fan association. That "should cure all symptoms of the disease," he insisted. More»

British newspapers call situation 'farcical'

(NEWSER) - Some 30,000 people—and climbing—have tweeted the identity of a soccer player in Britain who, looking to hush up rumors that he had an affair, got a gag order to prevent the media from revealing his name—meaning those Twitterers may now be in breach. It's an increasingly "farcical" situation that shows the impossibility of controlling information in the Information Age, reports the Independent . Things started to heat up on Saturday when a law firm representing the player announced that "an application has been made to obtain limited information concerning the unlawful use of Twitter by a small number of individuals who may have breached a court order," after a journalist reportedly tweeted the player's name. More»

Wayne Rooney getting 2-match ban for sweary goal celebration

(NEWSER) - British soccer ace Wayne Rooney is facing a two-game ban for cursing heard 'round the world. The Manchester United striker swore directly at a TV camera after completing a hat-trick against West Ham over the weekend and is now expected to miss the upcoming FA Cup clash with arch-rivals Manchester City, CNN reports. Soccer authorities have charged him with using offensive language. Since the outburst was broadcast live to 150 countries, Rooney's not expected to appeal. More»

Officials had taken measures to stop spread

(NEWSER) - The H1N1 swine flu virus has reemerged in Egypt, infecting 1,172 people and killing 56 since Oct. 8, Reuters reports. Some 16,373 have been infected in the country, with 281 deaths, since it was first reported there in June 2009. Egyptian officials last year culled all pigs, shut schools, and stopped sick travelers at airports. Worldwide, 18,450 have died from the virus, says the World Health Organization. More»

Watchdogs accuse WHO of colluding with drugmakers

(NEWSER) - Was the H1N1 pandemic exaggerated? European officials are putting heat on the WHO over its handling of the pandemic, alleging the organization caused unnecessary panic and wasted millions of dollars. Reports released by an EU watchdog and the British Medical Journal go even further: they accuse the WHO of being influenced by drugmakers who stood to profit from unnecessary influenza preparation, the Washington Post reports. More»