The men, who did not identify themselves, left only after diplomats, a lawyer and press photographers had arrived. Winter, his wife and young daughter were then brought to a British diplomat’s home for protection.”My wife was very shocked,” Winter said about the attack.On Saturday, Zimbabwean officials ordered Winter out of the country within 24 hours. Winter, who has a valid work permit, was allowed to stay until Tuesday after pleading the plight of his family.Winter said his neighbours told him uniformed police and plain clothes officers returned to his home later, broke in and left a guard.Winter’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, sought urgent hearings with High Court judges early today for an injunction against the immediate deportation of Winter. She also filed a case on behalf of Mercedes Sayagues, a correspondent for South Africa’s weekly newspaper Mail and Guardian, who on Saturday was told to leave the country within 24 hours.Officials told the Winter and Sayagues that they had to leave Zimbabwe because they were journalists Both have worked in Harare for several years. The officials told Winter that several other foreign journalists would be ordered to leave later.Winter said state lawyers had indicated they would be consider extending his deadline until Friday.He denied allegations made Saturday by information minister Jonathan Moyo that an extension of his residence permit to 2002 was obtained using a forged letter of support for his application from the former information ministry, now disbanded.The Foreign Correspondents Association of Southern Africa has condemned the expulsion orders, and Basildon Peta, head of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, said the move indicated how determined the government is to silence media outside of its control.”What the government has done is confirm that Zimbabwe is being run by a bunch of tyrants determined to destroy any free voice,” said Mr Peta, who also writes for the Independent and Independent on Sunday.Moyo has earlier announced plans for an accreditation process for all local and foreign journalists, but he has offered no details.Three weeks ago, a series of bomb blasts damaged the printing presses of the Zimbabwe’s only independent daily newspaper, the Daily News The paper continued publishing without interruption No one has been arrested for the explosions..

Once the Moores family ran the world of football pools and were a force in retailing. Now the retail business is under pressure, and the pools operations are facing a £30m legal action over its “Spot the Ball” games. Once the Moores family ran the world of football pools and were a force in retailing. Now the retail business is under pressure, and the pools operations are facing a £30m legal action over its “Spot the Ball” games.
Littlewoods Leisure, which was sold to the Scottish services group Sportech for £161m last year, is facing the action, launched by William Constantine, a fireman from County Durham.For decades, “Spot the Ball” has required contestants to mark the location of the football with a pen to win a cash prize.

The game appears on pools coupons, and is also sold as a separate feature.But Mr Constantine said he approached Littlewoods more than six years ago with a version using transfers instead of a pen to mark the position of the ball. The idea was rejected by the company, but the fireman was undeterred. He went to the Patents Office to register the idea in 22 countries.Then, a few years later, he discovered Littlewoods was marketing a game which, he believes, infringed his patent. Littlewoods Leisure said it is “strenuously defending” the lawsuit on the grounds that the patent should never have been granted.