World News: 'No issue' over World Cup award insists Fifa president

DEFIANT Fifa president Sepp Blatter has denied football is in crisis and said there was "no issue" over the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

He made the comments at a dramatic solo news conference as a row over corruption in football's governing body continued.

Mr Blatter vowed he would move to toughen up Fifa's ethics committee, admitting what had happened in the last few days had caused "great damage" to its image.

But he said he was pleased that allegations by former Football Association (FA) chairman Lord Triesman and claims in the Sunday Times would not prompt Fifa proceedings.

He spoke after the organisation's secretary general Jerome Valcke was the latest to wade into the saga, confirming that he sent an email claiming the 2022 World Cup was "bought". However, he insisted he was referring to Qatar using its "financial strength" to lobby legitimately for votes.

Former candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam and executive committee member Jack Warner have been suspended amid an inquiry into bribery allegations made against them.

AN Iraq War veteran drinks a beer at the symbolic graves of fallen friends from the 1st Infantry Division at Arlington West Memorial on Memorial Day.

Heavy defeats for Berlusconi

ITALIAN premier Silvio Berlusconi has acknowledged that his centre-right party suffered defeats in his political stronghold of Milan and in the southern city of Naples in local elections - outcomes that observers say could undermine his government's stability.

Palin mulls bid for White House

SARAH Palin said she is "still kind of contemplating" a presidential campaign as she and her family set off from the US capital on a bus tour of historical sites that left observers puzzled about what the former Alaska governor planned next - both for her schedule and her career.

Mrs Palin and her aides refused to share basic details about the One Nation tour that was scheduled to take her from Washington to the north-eastern New England states.

Haiti quake death toll doubts

FAR fewer people died or were left homeless by last year's devastating earthquake than claimed by Haitian leaders, a report commissioned by the US government has concluded

The report estimates the death toll at between 46,000 and 85,000, far below the Haitian government's figure of 316,000.

Wedding bus plunge kills 26

A BUS carrying a wedding party plunged into a large pond in India's remote north east, killing at least 26 people, an official said today.The bus was crossing a wooden bridge over the pond when it gave way and the bus fell more than 15ft into the water below.

Serbian leader pushes for EU membership

Serbia: Serbia's president Boris Tadic said it was time for the European Union to do its part by boosting his nation's efforts to join the bloc, arguing the arrest of war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic proved it was serious about rejoining the international fold.

Japan: Car production in Japan has plunged 60.1 per cent in April from the previous year after the March earthquake and tsunami destroyed key parts suppliers.