04/03/2012 BBC Weekend News


04/03/2012

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Vladimir Putin has claimed victory in Russia's Presidential election.

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He has thanked thousands of cheering supporters for winning "an

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honest battle". Opponents have accused his party of mass

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intimidation and election fraud. The leader of the Catholic Church

:00:22.:00:30.

in Scotland says plans to permit gay marriage are "grotesque".

:00:30.:00:32.

Libya apologises after men armed with sledgehammers attack the war

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graves of more than 200 British soldiers.

:00:35.:00:38.

Another Chelsea manager gets the boot, this time after just nine

:00:38.:00:48.
:00:48.:01:00.

Good evening. Vladimir Putin has claimed victory

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in Russia's presidential election. He has made a triumphant appearance

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outside the Kremlin tonight, telling thousands of jubilant

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supporters, "We won, in an open and honest battle." Early results

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suggest he has gained around 60% of the vote. However, opposition

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groups have accused Mr Putin's party of widespread intimidation

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and election violations. From With tears clearly visible in his

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eyes, Vladimir Putin appeared in front of a huge crowd crowd outside

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the Kremlin walls. He proclaimed an infatic victory and one that had

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been inevitable, even at the height of the protests.

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TRANSLATION: We have won in an open and honest struggle. I promised you

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we would win and we have won. Glory to Russia.

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He has been running the country for over 12 years and tonne, he has

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confirmed his utter dominance of Russian politics.

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Vladimir Putin has wielded almost absolute power. He has muscled all

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the credible opposition figures out of mainstream politics. As he

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brought his rarely seen wife back into the spotlight today, he could

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not avoid the concerns about the manner of his victory.

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Even his visit to the polling station ended with three half naked

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women being led away shouting, "Putin is a thief." There have been

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thousands of allegations of fraud including this footage apparently

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showing a man feeding ballot paper after ballot paper into an

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automatic voting machine. TRANSLATION: These have not been

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fair elections, but we must not relent. Honest elections should be

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our constant motto for years to come. People shouldn't be forced to

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go out into the streets. This evening, the Kremlin was

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surrounded by thousands of troops and riot police preparing for the

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mass protests expected in the days ahead. Putin has won again, but his

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followers are less enthusiastic than they once were and his critics

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What will Vladimir Putin's return to the clem lin mean for -- Kremlin

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mean for rush Russia and its relations with the West.

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For over decade, Vladimir Putin has been the most powerful man in

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Russia. His supporters say he has delivered stability. His opponents

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maintain, he dismanled democracy, but when he returns to the Kremlin,

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what can Russians expect from this president presidency?

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Certainly a more difficult relationship with the West. It is

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no secret that some foreign leaders feel uncomfortable dealing with

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Vladimir Putin and the the feeling is mutual.

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Mr Putin has accused the West of itching to intervene militarily in

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Syria and plotting regime change in Iran. He blamed America for the

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death of Libya's Colonel Gaddafi. He has warned that Russia will

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create new strike forces on its borders if it is shut out of US

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plans for a missile defence shield. Putin is very suspicious of the

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West. There is a lingering suspicion in the Kremlin that the

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West is out to get Russia somehow. To queez To squeeze it out of its

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neighbourhood, to change the regime. A return to the clem lin may see --

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Kremlin may see Vladimir Putin stabber rattling, but that will be

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the easy bit. Mr Putin will face bigger challenges closer to home.

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Since December, unprecedented anti- Government demonstrations in the

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Russian capital. Victory for Mr Putin in the election is unlikely

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to bring an end to the protest movement.

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Mr Putin should face much more different problems. Problems that

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he had not faced before. The problems of communication with the

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civil society, the problem of much low popularity and maybe some

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economic problems. Which is why, it is vital for

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Vladimir Putin that he is seen to win an election which is free and

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fair. He can't risk being labelled John Simpson is in Moscow. What is

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your assessment of Mr Putin's presidency? Well, he is going to

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have to find some form of relationship with the western

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powers. It has been useful for him, of course, over the 12 years really

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when he has been the most important figure either as president or Prime

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Minister in this country country. To be able to be labour the West,

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but it is something that does hold Russia back and I suspect that the

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top people surrounding him do understand that. His spokesman said

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to me today first of all, we didn't understand that Mr Putin was a

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liberal. Secondly, he said there was no question for instance of it

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changing its stance on Syria, to please the West. So it is slightly

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kind of contradictory the approaches here. I think really the

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big problem that he is going to have in the short run, this

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election victory has strengthened him in. In the Long Run, this

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country is changing. It is changing very fast politically and people

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are finding it more and more difficult to be pushed around

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politically as they have been and I think that could be his biggest

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problem when he comes to deal with the outside world. He has not

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entirely got the country behind him. John Simpson live in Moscow, thank

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Here, the Government's plans to change the law to allow gay

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marriages have been strongly criticised by the leader of the

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Catholic Church in Scotland. Cardinal Keith O'Brien said the

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proposals were "grotesque" and would shame the UK in the eyes of

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the world. Supporters of gay marriage said his remarks risked

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fuelling prejudice. Robert Pigott reports. Cardinal Keith O'Brien has

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set himself on a collision course with the Government. His outspoken

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Sunday Telegraph article reveals anger and alarm. He said of the

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Government, "Their attempt to redefine reality is given a polite

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hearingment their madness is endullged. Their proposal

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represents a grotesque... ". The Government says marriage should be

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open to couples, whatever their sexuality. David Cameron has given

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the policy his backing. I don't support gay marriage in

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spite of being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I am a

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Conservative. The UK coalition and the Scottish

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Government are holding consultations on gay marriage, but

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both say they want to introduce it. It is about allowing civil marriage

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to take place for same sex couples, not to try and change the religious

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termology of marriage. And the Government has support

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among progressive Christians, including Catholics and Anglican

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groups say it is time to re-think the fundamental purpose of marriage.

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I wonder what the cardinal is so frightened off? Marriage is a

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strong institution which has been around for thousands of years and

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it changed over those years many times. What is marriage about? It

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is not about gender, it is about love and it is about the love

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between two people. Cardinal Keith O'Brien has

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determined allies among MPs. It is just really the definition. I am in

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favour of civil partnerships and equality, but you cannot in my view,

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redefine mar marriage on a whim. Cardinal Keith O'Brien has shown

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himself before to be ready to mobilise Catholics in what amounts

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to be a political battle if the stakes are high enough. His latest

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remarks show that he regards marriage, traditional marriage, as

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critical among a diminishing number of Christian pinicals and it could

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be one that he is prepared to take the Government to a fight to

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The Foreign Office says the desecration of British war graves

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into an attack in the Libyan city of Benghazi is appealing. The War

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Graves Commission says it is saddened by what happened and will

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do everything to repair 200 headstones. The Libyan authorities

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apologised and pledged to catch The attackers filmed themselves as

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they set to work. More than 200 headstones were

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damaged, smashed totted ground by a -- to the ground by a group of

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armed men., "Break the cross of the dogs dogs"one is heard. "there is

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Hebrew writing on this one." Later the men take a hammer and chisel to

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the Cross of Remembrance. The motive for the attack is

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unclear. The Foreign Office today say it did not believe that British

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graves were being singled out. Benghazi's war cemetery

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commemorates the deaths of many nations. A spokesman for the

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission said it was saddened by the attacks

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and the cemeteries would be restored to a standard befitting

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the sacrifice of those committed at Benghazi.

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These incidents highlight a problem of lawlessness here in post-

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revolutionary Libya. Large parts of the country are controlled by armed

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militia groups who operate outside of Government control.

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A series of massive arms explosions in the Republic of Congo has has

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killed at least two people. Thousands of people fled their

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homes. The authorities say the explosions were caused by a fire at

:11:59.:12:08.
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a military depot. President Obama has tonight warned

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against "loose talk" of a war with Iran, ahead of a meeting tomorrow

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with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Addressing an

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influential pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington, the President

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pledged his support for Israel, but said international sanctions on

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Iran must be given more time to work. There is too much loose talk

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of war. Over the last few weeks, such talk has only benefited the

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Iranian Government by driving up the price of oil which they depend

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on to fund their nuclear programme. Mark Mardell is in Washington. This

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might have been loose talk about war with Iran, but clearly the

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White House is concerned? Yes, and tomorrow's meeting is the

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culmination of months of diplomacy where the Americans have been

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trying to find out what the Israelis are up to and dissuade

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them from attacking Iran if that is what is in their minds. You have to

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bear in mind the last time the two men met, it was a disaster, a train

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wreck of a meeting. The body bang is appalling and --ted body

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language is appalling and President Obama is attempting a difficult

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balancing act. He is using language that many Israelis would like.

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America could take military action. Israel should be allowed to

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whatever it needs, but that is wrapping up a message that will be

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less appealing to many of them which is stop talking about war and

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give sanctions a chance to work. Now with the day's big sports news

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including of course the sacking of Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas.

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Here is Karthi. That news hasn't come as a big shock, blue Chelsea's

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owner is looking for his eighth manager in nine years after the

:13:59.:14:09.
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club parted company with Andre Villas-Boas this afternoon. The 34-

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year-old had been in charge for just nine months. Joe Wilson

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reports. Andre Villas-Boas was a project, recruited at vast expense

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to create a new era. So quickly it came to this.

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Chelsea beaten at West Bromwich Albion yesterday, fifth in the

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Premier League and the fire in Andre Villas-Boas's eyes

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extinguished. REPORTER: Will you get another

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chance and is three wins in 12 league games good enough? You will

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have to ask them. Surely he knew what the answer would be. Since

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Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea, he has got through three managers.

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Time is the precious asset. Nearly 25 years ago, a struggling manager

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called Ferguson was spared the sack. He has just just outlasted another

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rival. He is a young guy and young people need time. He is 4 He is 34

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years of age. When he starts up in another club, he will be fine, but

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Chelsea was a big ask. Andre Villas-Boas was confronted

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with a dressing room of established players, strong personalities, the

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relationship with Frank Lampard has been strained. There has been an

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interpretation that some of the team didn't want Andre Villas-Boas.

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The board and the players have to be culpable. The players at Chelsea

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have to realise maybe now they are not good good enough to get in the

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team. Jose Mourhino's most successful

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manager is well backed to return. London, he once said, is his

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Sir Alex Ferguson praised his side's performance after a 3-1

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defeat of Tottenham at White Hart Lane this afternoon, describing it

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as their "hardest away game of the season". Manchester United's

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victory puts them just two points behind league leaders Manchester

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City. Wayne Rooney scored United's first goal on the stroke of half-

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time taking advantage of some dreadful Tottenham defending.

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Ashley Young volleyed in their second before adding a stunning

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third goal. Jermaine Defoe scored a consolation goal for Spurs.

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Match of the Day Two is on BBC2 now with all of the day's goals

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including the five that Fulham put past Wolves, who drop into the

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relegation zone. Newcastle scored in injury time to draw 1-1 with

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Sunderland in a bad tempered match with two Sunderland players sent

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off. Ireland's players admitted to

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feeling disappointed despite ending France's Grand Slam hopes with a

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17-17 draw in their rearranged Six Nations Match in Paris. A great

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start from the Irish saw them take a half-time lead through two tries

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from Tommy Bow, but the French staged a comeback after the break.

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Wesley Fofana with the try and Morgan Parra kicking 12 points for

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a draw. Double Olympic champion, Rebecca

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Adlington was one of six swimmers to book their place at the London

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2012 Olympics by qualifying at the British Swimming Championships this

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evening. Adlington led from start to finish, winning the 400 metres

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freestyle ahead of her close friend, Jo Jackson, who also secured an

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Olympic spot at the Aquatics Centre. I can't believe that tonight me and

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Jo can go to sleep no we are heading for the Olympics.

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You don't understand how hard swimmers work. It is a hard sport.

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We get up at 5.15am and to know we are going to be here this this pool

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and with a whole of GB cheering us, it is exciting.

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Rory McIlroy is on course to replace Luke Donald as golf's world

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number one. He has a two shot lead at the Honda Classic with two holes

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remaining. That's all the sport for now.

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