Personality Watch

American Jones’ earnings soar, Russian rouble plummets
MOSCOW: As the rouble plummeted, Marion Jones’s earnings soared during a surreal two hours of athletics in Moscow at the weekend. Jones flew to Johannesburg today to prepare for this week’s World Cup after earning well over half a million dollars at the Grand Prix final while the rouble continued to tumble in value.

She left a country in economic and political chaos and a city from which only 10,000 spectators turned up to watch the world’s top track and field athletes perform in the 83,000 seat Olympic Stadium. Some of the fans booed when Jones, Hicham El Guerrouj and Haile Gebrselassie held up a giant replica cheque of the million dollar jackpot the trio shared for winning each of the their events at the six golden league meetings and the final.

Manchester United Club on Rupert Murdoch’s mind
LONDON: Australian born media magnate Rupert Murdoch is set to spend up to 575 million pounds to buy Manchester United. Murdoch’s BSkyBtelevision company has already negotiated a cash deal with United Chairman Martin Edwards, who is said to be selling his 14 per cent stake in the club for 80 million pounds, according to a report in The Sunday Telegraph.

Last week Murdoch was reported to be interested in buying Tottenham, though a spokeswoman for News International denied he had any interest in the White Hart Lane club. Tim Allen, BSkyB’s director of corporate communications, told Sky News awbout the new deal: "The reports are speculation, but it’s understood there have been negotiations."