In brief - 2004-09-29

The three Baltic states each came away with a respectable medal tally from the Athens Paralympic Games. Lithuania ranked 50th in the overall standings with one gold, one silver and five bronze medals. Latvia ranked 52nd, with one gold, one silver and one bronze, while Estonia ranked 66th, with one silver medal. China topped the overall medals' table with a staggering haul of 63 gold medals, 46 silver medals and 32 bronze medals.

Vijay Singh has surpassed Tiger Woods' single-season record earnings, having made just under $9.5 million so far this year. And with Singh due to play in three more events on the U.S. tour, (although he was prevented playing at the AmEx World Championship in Kilkenny because of a hurricane) he should become the first player to ever earn more than $10 million in a single year. Not bad considering that the 41-year-old Fijian was once a teacher in Borneo and even a nightclub bouncer in Edinburgh.

Rubens Barachello won the inaugural F1 in China for Ferrari, while teammate Michael Schumacher could only finish in 12th place after starting from the pit lane. The new state-of-the-art track was widely praised by critics, with many hailing it as the best in the world. But the Chinese media weren't quite as slick in their grasp of the sport. At a prerace press conference, one reporter asked Schumacher: "Why are you always in red? Is it your lucky color?" Ferrari has been racing red cars in F1 since 1950.

Police are investigating an incident in which a crate of industrial fireworks was set off near the home of Manchester United captain Roy Keane. The crate was reportedly daubed with anti-Irish graffiti. Although Keane has been central to United's success, he has frequently been surrounded by controversy. Last week he was in court charged with assaulting a 16-year-old boy following an altercation near his Manchester home.