Steel tycoon Lakshmi N Mittal's move to revive and take over the sick steel plant of his brother, Pramod Mittal, in Bulgaria is facing hurdles after a major trade union representing over 2,000 workers raised its opposition.

British media earlier reported that Manchester United had made a $39.53 million bid for the Bulgarian.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization, however, expects the sector to grow at a slower pace in the current year because of the economic crisis facing the world. Fluctuation in tourism demand will be contingent on 'how the economy evolves and consumers react, both of which are directly interrelated to oil and food prices,' said UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli.

Newly crowned European champions Spain have climbed to the top of latest world rankings published by world soccer's governing body FIFA on Wednesday. It is the first time since the introduction of the rankings in 1992 that Spain, who were rated fourth last month, have been listed as the world's best team.

Eleven members of the Bulgarian national weightlifting team, hoping to compete for medals at the Beijing Olympics, tested positive for a banned substance, the national weightlifting federation said on Friday. They were tested during a training camp in the Balkan country on June 8-9 while preparing for the Olympics.

The Ruias of the Essar group have decided to get into yet another takeover battle. And this time they are taking on none other than Lakshmi Narayan Mittal, the owner of world's largest steel maker, ArcelorMittal, to take over the Bulgarian steel firm, Kremikovtzi AD, an ailing steel mill owned by Mittal's younger brother Pramod Mittal.

English clubs will profit from Euro 2008 despite the failure of the national team to qualify for the finals. The squad lists released for the June 7-29 tournament show 44 English-based players from 14 countries will be taking part in the 16-team event. Each of the 17 English sides sending players to Euro 2008 will receive compensation of approximately 4,000 euros ($6,237) per player per day for as long as he remains in the finals.

A round-up of the weekend soccer action in eastern Europe.

Argentina remain top of FIFA's world soccer rankings in an unchanged top 10 following the publication of the latest standings on Wednesday. With none of the leading countries in action, the only change in the top 20 was Cameroon's climb of one place to 16th at the expense of Mexico, despite the Central Americans' 1-0 friendly win over China. Argentina lead the rankings by two points ahead of Brazil, with world champions Italy in the third. India are ranked 151.

The Foundation's report contradicted a recent analysis of the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, which said competition from immigrants had a damaging impact on the low-paid employees and on training for British workers. The report also debunked myths about the impact of migration on employment and wages. It said wages had not fallen because migrants are willing to work for less, including in key sectors such as construction work and hotels.

Steel tycoon Lakshmi Niwas Mittal has intensified efforts to acquire his younger brother Pramod Mittal's ailing Kremikovtzi steel plant in Bulgaria, even as workers of the plant continued to protest over delayed wages. "Around 1,000 workers at Kremikovtzi continued their protests on Thursday over delayed salaries and food allowance payments," the Steel Business Briefing reported quoting a spokesman for the trade union Militzi.

World champion Viswanathan Anand's third successive loss has put him out of the title race in the Amber Blindfold and Rapid chess tournament as he went down 0.5-1.5 against Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in the ninth round in Nice.

World champion Viswanathan Anand suffered defeat at the hands of Alexander Morozevich of Russia in the blindfold game of the fifth round in Amber blindfold and rapid chess tournament in Nice (France).

After drawing with Vladimir Kramnik in the opening blindfold game, world champion Viswanathan Anand defeated the Russian in their rapid match in the first round of the Amber Blindfold and Rapid chess tournament in Nice, France. Anand emerged joint leader in the rapid and combined standings after beating Kramnik.

Premier League leaders Arsenal suffered a comedown from their midweek Champions League win over AC Milan as they were held to a 0-0 draw at strugglers Wigan Athletic on Sunday. Arsenal are two points clear of second-placed Manchester United, but have played one match more. The Londoners have 66 points from 29 games, United 64 from 28 and Chelsea 58 from 27.

The 41-year-old former Soviet Air Force pilot dubbed the 'merchant of death', is accused of supplying weapons to rebels in Colombia and warring sides in several countries reeling under civil conflict in Africa and Central Asia, using the cover of his air cargo business.

"We are targeting the end of June. We will try to make it in the first week of July," a senior scientist associated with the Rs 386 crore moon mission told PTI in Bangalore on Monday on condition of anonymity.

Viswanathan Anand drew with Vassily Ivanchuk to maintain sole lead after the end of the Morelia stint of the Morelia-Linares chess.

The world champion maintained his slender half-point lead after the sixth round of the Morelia-Linares chess tournament.

The CPI-M slammed the government for merely stating that New Delhi was studying the evolving situation in Serbia as there are 'several legal issues' involved in the declaration.

World champion Viswanathan Anand suffered a rare setback with white pieces and lost to Levon Aronian of Armenia in the second round of the Morelia-Linares chess tournament in Morelia (Mexico).

Viswanathan Anand beat Spaniard Alexei Shirov in the first round of the Morelia-Linares Chess tournament.

African Nations Cup hosts Ghana climbed 29 places to joint 14th in FIFA's world rankings following their third place finish at the tournament. India are ranked 144, while Argentina tops the list followed by Brazil.

"They are trying to convince us that all these actions are not directed against Russia on the other hand, to our quite solid concerns, there is no constructive answer," Putin said.

Global Steel Holdings, the holding company which controls the steel and associated businesses of the Ispat Group, has acquired two coal blocks in Mozambique. According to sources, the investment in the blocks would be in the region of Rs 460 crore (Rs 4.6 billion).

World champion Viswanathan Anand delivered the goods when it mattered the most, defeating leader Magnus Carlsen of Norway in a complicated 11th round game of the 'A' group in the Corus International Chess tournament in Wijk Aan Zee.

Venus Williams cantered into the Australian Open third round and second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova also came through.

Unable to break through the solid defenses of Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, World Champion Viswanathan Anand was held to a draw by the Azerbaijani in the second round of the Group 'A' of Corus International Chess tournament in Wijk Aan Zee.

American Grandmaster Gata Kamsky beat Spaniard Alexei Shirov in the second game in the final of the chess World Cup and now needs only two draws to capture the title.

Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran stormed into the pre-quarterfinals of the World Chess Cup defeating Bartlomiej Macieja of Poland in both the blitz tiebreak games of the third round

Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran squandered several chances as GM Bartlomiej Macieja of Poland stretched their third round match to a tie-breaker in the World Chess Cup

World champions Italy were drawn against Bulgaria and England were up against Croatia, who knocked them out of the Euro 2008 tournament, following the draw for 2010 World Cup qualifying made in Durban on Sunday

England's miserable week took another turn for the worse on Friday with the publication of the FIFA world rankings

Stanishev's engagements this week include a visit to the campus of Infosys Technologies Limited.

India lost their last league match 1-3 to Bulgaria in the world table tennis championship

Italy finished level with Denmark and Sweden on five points in Group C but a 2-2 draw between the Scandinavian neighbours put them out.

Henrik Larsson scored a brace in a 5-0 victory in Group C.