UEFA’s plan to spread out fixtures during international weeks makes perfect sense and should bring an end to those strange weekends during the season with no top class soccer, when I find myself watching rubbish old B-movies and darts. The idea would see a national team play on Thursday for example and then Sunday, or Friday and Tuesday like now or Saturday and Tuesday. The “week of football” as UEFA dubs it will also mean the big soccer fans can watch lots of live international football day after day rather than trying to catch the highlights of 20 games all played one one evening. Clubs can’t moan either as they will still be getting their players back on a Wednesday before a club match as currently happens after the reasonably recent change to play second matches of international double headers on Tuesday. The only downside to the plan I can see is that national coaches will get less preparation time following weekend club matches if their first game is on a Thursday. UEFA also wants to harmonise kick off times for qualifiers which makes a lot of sense too. Everyone knows that Champions League games in the club sphere start at 1845 GMT but looking at Friday’s Euro 2012 games, they start at 1600, 1700, 1715, 1800, 1900, 1915, 1930, 1945, 2000, 2030 and yes the obligatory Portugal at 2100 (when do they ever get to sleep?) That programme is impossible to follow (as the UEFA Cup was a while back) but if they all kicked off at once, with a reduced fixture list anyway because the matches will spread across the week, no one can get confused. I might be able to sneak in another B-movie though. PHOTO: UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino

By Jeffrey Goldfarb The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own. Rupert Murdoch still gets a kick out of the “fair and balanced” slogan used by his Fox News channel. He had a good laugh about it only last week at News Corp’s annual shareholder meeting. The results of a vote conducted at that gathering, released Monday, show that everyone’s now equally in on the joke about the company’s shameful corporate governance as they are the conservative bias of his TV news operation. A majority of stockholders who don’t share the media mogul’s last name snubbed the nomination of his children, James and Lachlan, to the board. Without the support of Rupert’s nearly 40 percent control, three more directors also would have received less than a majority vote, meaning minority holders strongly rebuked a full third of the News Corp board. Strip out another 7 percent backing from Murdoch pal Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, and the sons, each of whom has at one time been considered a potential heir apparent, suffered a roughly two-to-one defeat. Thanks to News Corp’s skewed governance, the vote is only symbolic. Murdoch, despite his stated humility over a British newspaper hacking scandal that has put a cloud over his $46 billion empire, retains a firm grip. He will be emboldened by the strong support from other investors for his presence on the board and their unequivocal rejection of a plan to split the chairman and chief executive roles. But there’s little comfort Murdoch and other board members can take from these votes. News Corp investors — like those at Viacom, CBS, The New York Times, Washington Post, Comcast and other U.S. media groups signed up for the cold shoulder when they bought into a company with a lopsided dual-share structure and a board packed with the chairman’s cronies. Yet while their voices can be disregarded on technical grounds, they have spoken too loudly even for Murdoch to ignore. Whether on his own or because of the influence of his closest advisers, Murdoch has slowly come around on the use of News Corp’s capital, distributing more of it these days to shareholders instead of on reckless acquisitions. He may be a stubborn and cagey tycoon. But the old newsman also has rolled the presses on enough exposés to know when the jig is up. That time has come for Murdoch’s board.

The plan was already approved by the state’s lower house and is expected to be signed into law by Governor Tom Corbett.Corbett has said the city would have been better off if it agreed to a rescue plan under the state’s Act 47 program for distressed cities — which has seen Philadelphia and other cities through crises. His office stressed its opposition to the bankruptcy.”This ongoing, reckless behavior has become a national embarrassment not only for this city but for our entire Commonwealth, as Harrisburg is the only municipality in state history to reject an Act 47 recovery plan,” said State Senator Jeff Piccola, who helped write the bill.”The bankruptcy filing recently approved by city council is illegal and demonstrates the majority’s inability and absolute flagrant disregard in governing the city in a responsible manner,” said Piccola. “Their behavior has brought us to this point which is unfortunate but necessary.”The bill empowers Corbett to declare a state of fiscal emergency in Harrisburg and petition for the appointment of a receiver. The receiver would be charged with drafting and implementing a long-term recovery plan.On Monday, a U.S. bankruptcy judge declined to rule immediately on the legality of Harrisburg’s Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy filing and set a hearing date for November 23.The city of 50,000 is struggling with debt approaching $400 million, including about $300 million incurred from an expensive revamp of its incinerator. The incinerator is owned by the Harrisburg Authority, a separate municipal entity, but the city and Dauphin County guarantee much of that debt.In a bid to resolve the crisis, the Harrisburg City Council last week voted 4-3 to file for bankruptcy.Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson, who opposed the move, filed a petition to have the filing dismissed, claiming it was illegal because the City Council did not follow proper procedure. The state joined Thompson, the county and bondholders in opposing the filing.In July, the City Council rejected a state-approved rescue plan, which called on Harrisburg to renegotiate labor deals, cut jobs, and sell or lease the city’s major assets — its parking garages and the incinerator. In August, the council rejected a similar plan put forward by the mayor.

** MTN Group , Africa’s largest mobile operator, is in talks to acquire Vodacom’s wireless unit in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bloomberg said on Tuesday, citing two unidentified sources.** Danone SA is in talks with Japanese beverage firm Suntory Holdings about a sale of the French group’s water assets, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday.** Saudi Arabia’s Savola Group on Monday signed an agreement to buy a 78 percent stake in two Egyptian firms for 557 million Egyptian Pounds ($97.8 million), it said in a statement on Tuesday.** Danish energy group DONG Energy will enter the UK natural gas sales market through the acquisition of gas sales and marketing company Shell Gas Direct, part of energy group Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L), for 30 million pounds ($47.3 million).** ITV , Britain’s biggest free-to-air commercial broadcaster, has agreed to buy Channel Islands broadcaster Channel Television from Yattendon, bringing an independent corner of its regional network under its ownership.** Taiwan smartphone maker HTC Corp said on Tuesday it plans to buy Inquisitive Minds, a U.S. maker of children’s software, for $13 million to expand its offering of applications.

Former CEO Shafqat Malik, who played a key role during the company’s $5.2 billion bailout by the Abu Dhabi government this year, resigned after five years at the company, earlier this month.

Former CEO Shafqat Malik, who played a key role during the company’s $5.2 billion bailout by the Abu Dhabi government this year, resigned after five years at the company, earlier this month.

However, Morrisons and Asda may be interested only in a parcel of stores, which mean they might team up with other parties.Morrisons, Asda and Landsbanki, which along with fellow failed Icelandic bank Glitnir is selling a combined 77 percent stake in Iceland Foods, declined to comment.It was unclear whether Iceland Foods’ founder and chief executive, Malcolm Walker, would be involved in the first round of bidding.Walker, who along with other managers owns a 23 percent stake, has a pre-emption right, which means he only has to match the highest bid to win the auction.A person close to the matter said he had been talking to a number of parties about potentially teaming up with them but had not yet made a decision.The auction is being managed by UBS and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

The Saudis, long at odds with Tehran, said Iran would “pay the price” for an exotic plot described by U.S. officials to assassinate their ambassador. The United States threatened further sanctions on Iran, while Tehran called the accusation a fabrication designed to sow discord in the region.In Washington, U.S. officials said it was “more than likely” that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, and the head of its elite Quds force knew of the alleged plot. But the officials acknowledged that they had no hard evidence for the claim.The American officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said it was possible that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not know.Those comments raised the prospect that the affair — handled, analysts said, with little of the professionalism that usually marks Iranian covert activities — was the work of a faction within Iran’s divided political system.U.S. officials said the elaborate plot — which they compared to a film script — would justify pushing for a new round of U.N. sanctions against Iran. The U.S. Treasury slapped sanctions on Mahan Air, a commercial Iranian airline which it said provided funds and transport for Iran’s elite forces.President Barack Obama spoke on Wednesday to Saudi King Abdullah about the alleged plot, the White House said.”The president and the king agreed that this plot represents a flagrant violation of fundamental international norms, ethics, and law,” the White House said in a statement issued by press secretary Jay Carney.Earlier Carney told reporters: “We’re responding very concretely with actions we know will have an impact on Iran and will make clear this kind of behavior is unacceptable and will further isolate Iran.”Speaking in London, Saudi prince Turki al-Faisal, himself a former ambassador to Washington, said: “The burden of proof is overwhelming … and clearly shows official Iranian responsibility for this. Somebody in Iran will have to pay the price.”Tehran said the allegations threaten stability in the Gulf — where Saudi Arabia and Iran, the biggest regional powers, are fierce rivals and Washington has a huge military presence.Ali Larijani, Iran’s parliament speaker, said the “fabricated allegations” aimed to divert attention from revolts in the region and turn Muslim countries against each other.”America wants to divert attention from problems it faces in the Middle East, but the Americans cannot stop the wave of Islamic awakening by using such excuses,” Larijani said in an open session of parliament.UNMASKEDU.S. authorities said Tuesday they had unmasked the plot by two Iranians linked to security agencies to assassinate Saudi Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir. One, Manssor Arbabsiar, was arrested last month while the other is believed to be in Iran.They described a convoluted conspiracy involving monitored international calls, Mexican drug money and an attempt to blow up Jubeir, a confidant of King Abdullah.Some Iran experts were skeptical, saying they could not see the motive for such a plot. Iran has in the past assassinated its own dissidents abroad, but an attempt to kill an ambassador of another country would be a highly unusual departure.U.S. officials acknowledged that the plot’s exotic elements were far “outside the pattern” of past activity by the Quds Force, an arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, talking to reporters after a briefing by FBI, CIA and other officials, said, “there’s no doubt, at least in my mind” that the Quds Force was involved in the plot.She said she had no specific information that higher levels of the Iranian government were involved, but it was unlikely the Quds Force would have acted without authorization from above.Feinstein also raised the prospect of a “chain” of plots. “Intelligence indicates that there well may be problems elsewhere,” she said, without being more specific.Senator Saxby Chambliss, the committee’s ranking Republican, cautioned that “this was an action that was not directed at the United States,” but rather at an ally, and that fact should guide the U.S. response.U.S. court documents accuse Arbabsiar, a naturalized U.S. citizen with an Iranian passport, of paying $100,000 to an informant, who had posed as an associate of a Mexican drug cartel but in fact worked for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and alerted the authorities to the plot.Arbabsiar made phone calls to Iran to the second suspect, Gholam Shakuri, described as a Quds Force member.Kenneth Katzman, an Iran specialist at the Congressional Research Service, said there were elements of the alleged plot that did not make sense.”The idea of using a Texas car salesman who is not really a Quds Force person himself, who has been in residence in the United States many years, that doesn’t add up,” Katzman said.”There could have been some contact on this with the Quds Force, but the idea that this was some sort of directed, vetted, fully thought-through plot, approved at high levels in Tehran leadership I think defies credulity,” he said.”IMPORTANT SIGNAL”Rosemary Hollis, head of Middle East studies at London’s City University, said it was hard to say how serious the plot was, especially as the suspects were caught in a sting operation, but the announcement was “an important signal of a very volatile and potentially dangerous period ahead.”“It feels like a warning that the U.S. is about to get more assertive with Iran and will do so in close coordination with the Saudis,” she said.Mainly Shi’ite Iran and Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia are bitter regional rivals and see themselves as protectors of Islam’s two main sects. Tensions rose between Riyadh and Tehran this year when Saudi Arabia sent troops to help Bahrain’s Sunni leaders put down Shi’ite-led pro-democracy protests.But Iranian analyst Saaed Leylaz said it was hard to see why Tehran would risk involving itself in a plot like the one alleged in Washington.”Killing the Saudi envoy in America has no benefit for Iran,” he said. “The consequences are dangerous… It could cause military confrontation in 2012 between Iran and America.”A Western diplomat in Riyadh said the charges were likely to be discussed at the U.N. Security Council.”The U.S. and Saudi Arabia and other allies are discussing the possibility of taking this to the Security Council because this is an assault on a foreign diplomat in the U.S,” he said.Iran also sought recourse in the world body. It’s ambassador to the United Nations complained of U.S. “warmongering” in a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.”The U.S. allegation is, obviously, a politically motivated move and a showcase of its long-standing animosity toward the Iranian nation,” the ambassador, Mohammad Khazaee, wrote.The State Department issued a three-month worldwide travel alert for American citizens.The alleged plot “may indicate a more aggressive focus by the Iranian government on terrorist activity against diplomats from certain countries, to include possible attacks in the United States,” it said in a statement.

* Budget deficit widens in first nine months, despite new taxesBy Harry PapachristouATHENS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Greek tax inspectors will go on strike next week to protest against planned wage and pension cuts, threatening more disruption to revenue collection efforts that are already falling behind the tough budget targets imposed by international lenders.With much of Greece expected to be shut down by a general strike on Oct. 19, finance ministry officials have called a two-week stoppage from Oct. 17 while tax offices will remain closed on Oct. 17-20 and customs officials will stay away from their desks on Oct. 18-23.The walkouts are not only expected to disrupt tax payments. They might also block statistics releases and even fuel supplies, since petrol deliveries from refiners to tank stations usually require customs clearance.”This law will drastically cut our wages and hurt our pensions,” the POE-DOY union, which represents tax officials, said in a statement.Athens has promised tough new civil service wage cuts to convince the European Union and International Monetary Fund that it will meet its budget deficit targets of 8.5 percent of gross domestic product this year and 6.8 percent in the next.But the strike underlines the risks to a tax collection drive demanded by the EU and IMF inspectors as workers who will themselves suffer from the austerity measures resist implementing the new laws.Disgruntled electricity workers have already threatened to boycott a planned property tax, designed to be collected through electricity bills as a means of bypassing the notoriously inefficient tax authority.On Wednesday, workers in the Greek archaeological service, responsible for running sites such as the Acropolis in Athens which help attract much-needed tourist revenues to Greece, also went on strike. Doctors and nurses and teachers were planning separate demonstrations.”We’ll continue with labour action and occupations next week when the general strike takes place,” said Despina Spanou, a senior leader of the ADEDY union, which represents half a million public sector workers.”We expect it to be the biggest walkout so far, an answer to this austerity bill that rips us off. We cannot live like this,” she told Reuters.Public sector workers have already lost a fifth of their salaries since the start of the crisis. Spanou said the new bill will further reduce wages by 20 percent on average.”It’s not just salary cuts. It’s a combination of measures that hurt civil servants such as the unified wage scale or the labour reserve. I am an example of the pain they feel. I’ve already lost 70 percent of my 2009 salary,” she said.DEFICIT WIDENSWith Greece trapped in deep recession and fighting to control a public debt mountain expected to reach 162 percent of GDP this year, there has been growing doubt over its ability to stave off a debt default.Parliament is debating a sweeping package of measures, ranging from wage and pension cuts, tax hikes and large scale public sector layoffs. Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said the measures had to be approved in time for an EU leaders’ summit on Oct. 23.”This law needs to be approved before the EU summit so that the PM can stand up and argue that Greece is fulfilling its obligations,” Venizelos told lawmarkers at a reading of the legislation in parliament on Wednesday.The government has already admitted it will miss its 2011 deficit target and Venizelos has warned that if citizens fail to back new tax measures, the 2011 budget deficit could reach 9 percent of GDP, even higher than the new 8.5 percent goal.On Tuesday, officials from the so-called EU-IMF “troika” noted that Greece would miss its 2011 fiscal targets and needed to take additional steps to get back on track to meet targets beyond 2012.But the austerity measures imposed so far by Prime Minister George Papandreou’s centre-left government have failed to make visible headway in solving the crisis.On Wednesday, data showed Greece’s central government budget deficit during the first nine months widened 15 percent year-on-year to 19.2 billion euros as measures including a hike on sales tax in restaurants and a one-off income tax surcharge failed to boost overall tax revenues.The finance ministry said the shortfall was mainly due to a deeper-than-expected recession, which has been exacerbated by the austerity measures.The slump not only hurt revenues but also lifted spending, as the government increased payments to social security organisations, whose receipts are drying up as businesses and workers reduce contributions.

He did not say if Murdoch should leave the board, according to the report.The satellite broadcaster’s annual meeting is scheduled for Nov. 29.James Murdoch is chairman of News Corp’s British newspaper arm and BSkyB. News Corp, which owns 39.1 percent of BSkyB, was forced to give up its bid to buy the rest of BSkyB because of the scandal.The FT reported that two other top 15 shareholders were calling on the board to replace James Murdoch as chairman with someone independent of News Corp, but to leave him as a non-executive director.