YouTube 'backheel' sensation dies

UAE international Theyab Awana in action against Australia before last January's AFC Asian Cup in Qatar

• UAE international footballer Theyab Awana killed in a car accident
• The video of his backheeled penalty against Lebanon in July was a world wide sensation
• Over 1.2 million people have viewed it on YouTube
• It's the second death of a UAE footballer in a traffic accident in a month

(CNN) -- An international footballer who played for the United Arab Emirates, and who became an internet sensation after scoring a backheeled penalty, has died following a car accident near the country's capital, Abu Dhabi.

Theyab Awana, a 21-year-old winger for local club Bani Yas, was one of the country's brightest prospects after winning the 2008 AFC Under 18 Cup and was instrumental in the UAE reaching the quarterfinals of the 2009 FIFA Under 20 World Cup.

"Theyab Awana has passed away on Sunday night after a horrible traffic accident on Sheikh Zayed Road in Abu Dhabi," the UAE Football Association confirmed in a statement on Monday.

"God blesses his soul and wholehearted condolences to his family, friends and fans."

Last year he won a silver medal at the 2010 Asian Games after the UAE reached the final and had been picked for both senior and Olympic national teams.

But it was his actions during a friendly against Lebanon in July that brought him international recognition.

With the UAE leading 5-2, Awana stepped up to take a penalty.

Instead of conventionally striking the ball he twisted around and backheeled the ball into the corner of the net.

He was immediately substituted by then coach Srecko Katanec, who was angry at what he saw was a lack of respect for the opposition.

Yet the fans didn't agree. Instead the YouTube clip of his penalty went viral. More than 1.2 million people have since viewed it.

"On behalf of AFC and the Asian football family, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the UAE football community, family and friends of Awana," the Asian Football Confederation's acting president Zhang Jilong said in a statement.

Awana's death comes soon after another young Emirati player Saeed al Nooby, who played for second division side Al Dhafra, also died in a car accident.

"We had just returned last night with the club officials and players after visiting the family of Saeed al Nooby and paying our condolences," Bani Yas' Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira told the Dubai-based newspaper the Gulf News.

"An hour later I got a call from the club's manager informing me of the accident and I rushed to the hospital but Awana had died.

"It will take some time for the club and his teammates to get over Awana's death. We have lost a man, a player and a boy and it will be hard to replace him."

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28 fired over Honolulu screenings

TSA officers are required to screen all checked bags before the bags are placed in the cargo holds of passenger aircraft.

• Besides those fired, three people under investigation resigned or retired, the TSA said
• Another 15 agency employees were suspended; all affected can appeal the decision
• In March, a Hawaii TV station reported that unchecked bags regularly got on planes
• The TSA said these security lapses took place during the last four months of 2010

(CNN) -- The Transportation Security Administration fired 28 of its employees -- in addition to three who resigned or retired -- following a probe that revealed bags were allowed onto planes at Hawaii's Honolulu International Airport without being properly screened, the agency said Sunday.

Another 15 people were suspended, the TSA reported in a statement.

The moves come after the agency "completed the adjudication process" it had announced in June, months after the allegations first surfaced. All those terminated or suspended "have the right to appeal the decision," according to the TSA.

The firing is believed to be one of, if not the biggest, such action in the agency's history, with officials previously stating that it underscores they will not tolerate employees who compromise security.

In March, Honolulu's KITV 4 News reported that TSA officers assigned to a morning shift regularly allowed checked bags to be loaded onto flights on nine daily departures without being screened for explosives. Sources told the TV station that such lapses occurred for as long as four months and involved thousands of checked bags. CNN confirmed the investigation.

TSA officers are required to screen 100% of all checked bags before they are stored in the cargo holds of passenger aircraft.

In June, agency officials said they did not know exactly how many bags were allowed onto flights without being inspected but said the lapse took place during the last four months of 2010. The TSA said after it became aware of the problem, it took steps to ensure that every bag is properly screened at the airport.

A TSA official said in June that in addition to rank-and-file screeners and some supervisors, the airport's federal security director and assistant federal security director for screening had also received letters proposing that they lose their jobs.

"TSA holds its workforce to the highest ethical standards, and we will not tolerate employees who in any way compromise the security of the traveling public," TSA Administrator John Pistole said then in a statement.

The TSA said it uses closed-circuit TV, random inspections, covert tests and peer and management oversight to check on the integrity of the system.

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Selby recovers to win in Shanghai

Shanghai winner Selby is moving to the top of the world rankings

Mark Selby fought back to win the Shanghai Masters final against Mark Williams as he clinched three frames in a row to take a thrilling 10-9 victory.

With the score level at 9-9, the Englishman held his nerve for a victory that ensures he takes the world number one ranking from the Welshman.

Selby had held a slender 5-4 advantage after the first session was completed.

The experienced Williams then surged into a 9-7 lead in the evening session before Selby's late heroics.

This was a topsy-turvy contest between snooker's top two players. The major turning point came in the 19th frame when Williams was 9-8 ahead and looking on course to take a 10-9 victory before missing a routine green with the scores at 60-60.

Continue reading the main story

It's not often you win matches 5-0 and I've won two this week so I must have had a lot of luck

Mark Williams Beaten finalist

Selby went on to seal that frame and then, in the closing frame of the match, Williams failed to sink a long-range red. That paved the way for Selby to take the trophy.

During the semi-finals, Williams had prevailed in a final-frame decider against Neil Robertson. This time, he was on the receiving end.

While Williams was aiming for his 19th ranking title, Selby had just one to his name - the 2008 Welsh Open - along with four runner-up spots.

It was an engrossing start to the final with the pair equal at 3-3 after the first six frames. Williams made 51 but but was then snookered on the last red. He left a free ball and Selby cleared to take the lead.

The Englishman then went 5-3 up, with a cool 95 in the next frame and looked set to take a three-frame cushion into the evening session but then there was more drama as he missed a simple black on 45 in frame nine. Williams took advantage with a 67 clearance.

The pair traded frames after the resumption, Williams taking the 11th after a re-rack. Selby appeared to be in the driving seat when he went two clear at 7-5, but he was clearly feeling the pressure as errors allowed Williams in to claim the next two frames.

Scoring remained low as Williams won two more to go within one of the title, but Selby pulled one back to keep the match alive. Williams was twice on course to win frame 18, but he missed the final red and then, after getting out of a snooker, the simplest of greens with the score at 60-60 to let Selby back in.

Selby duly cleared to pink to take it into a decider, during which he kept his cool to leave Williams stunned.

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The world's weirdest places to scuba dive

• In Iceland you can dive in the crack between two continents
• The Museum of Underwater Modern Art lets you swim among sculptures
• Swim in an underwater cemetery at the Neptune Memorial reef

(CNN) -- Bored of diving among the usual coral reefs and tropical fish? Looking for something a little out of the ordinary?

Ever thought about diving in a crack between two continents in some of the clearest water on Earth? Or what about swimming up to an active volcano? Perhaps underwater art is more your thing?

If so, take a look at some of the most unusual, mysterious and awe-inspiring underwater landscapes from around the world.

Continental rift in Iceland

The only place in the world where you can swim between two continents, the Silfra fissure in Iceland's Thingvellier National Park is where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

Not only can you dive in a crack in the earth caused by the two continental plates slowly moving away from each other (at an average of 2 cm a year), the waters are so clear that many divers are said to lose all sense of depth and even experience vertigo.

The water's extreme clarity is thanks to year-round cold temperatures of around two to four degrees Celsius and the water's purity. The water originates from a glacier high on Iceland's Hofsjokull Mountain and is filtered through layers of porous lava rock before reaching the national park. Not only is it cold and clear, the water is so pure it is safe enough to drink.

The three sections of the dive include Silfra Hall, the Cathedral and Silfra lagoon.

Mysterious ruins in Japan

A long-lost civilization, the work of aliens or simply a natural wonder? The mysterious underwater ruins of Yonaguni continue to lure the most intrepid of divers.

Located in the Yaeyama Islands off the westernmost point of Japan, the tiny island of Yonaguni is remote and difficult to reach. But it remains popular thanks to the archaeological riddle submerged off its southern coast.

Exactly how the underwater pyramid structure, known as the Yonaguni monument, was formed is still under debate. Some claim the ruins to be evidence of a long lost city, while others are convinced it is a geological phenomenon. There are even a few who believe the site to be the work of architecturally-ambitious aliens.

Whatever its origin, it's an impressive site. Estimated to be between 5,000 and 8,000 years old, the stepped structures -- with smooth platform steps and right angles -- appear as though they were carved out of the rock.

This is not a diving site for beginners, with the ruins located in open waters with high waves and strong currents.

Volcanic action in Indonesia

Want to see a volcano up close without the threat of lava flows and toxic air? If so, the submerged volcano of Banua Wuhu is the place to head.

Located beside the island of Mahangetan, part of the volcanic island chain of Sangihe in Indonesia, Banua Wuha rises more than 400 meters from the sea floor and is less than five meters below the water's surface.

There is no risk from lava -- instead, the underwater volcano releases ribbons of silver bubbles -- sulfur gas -- escaping deep from inside the earth's crust.

"The bubbles can burn your fingers if you're not careful," said Roman Szalay, managing director of Ocean Rover Cruises, which charters one of the few boats that makes the journey to the volcano.

"If you bring (the gas) up in a bottle to the surface it smells horrible, but if the bubbles come up to the surface it smells like nothing," he added.

The further you descend, the volcano's barren sulfur-covered rocks give way to coral reefs and an extraordinary display of marine life, including huge barrel sponges, black tipped reef sharks and schools of neon fusiliers.

"If the sky is cloudy and the sun is not bright, the atmosphere is quite mystic" said Szalay, "Sometime you can also hear the roaring of the volcano."

Underwater art in Mexico

Want a bit of culture on your next dive? Then try the tropical blue waters of Cancun, Mexico where you will find the Museum of Underwater Modern Art.

Consisting of more than 403 permanent life-sized sculptures, the art-filled sea-bed is one of the largest artificial reef attractions in the world.

The work of British sculptor and scuba diver Jason deCaires Taylor, each sculpture is individually cast and made using a special cement mix to encourage coral growth.

"It's incredibly interesting working underwater," said deCaires Taylor. "The colors are different, the light patterns are very different, the atmosphere and mood is otherworldly.

"The piece takes on a very different tone underwater -- it has a lost feel to it and brings up all these questions that you wouldn't have on land," he continued.

Underwater cemetery in the U.S.

A little over five kilometers off the coast of Miami, Florida, is an altogether different, and slightly creepy, diving experience -- an artificial reef that doubles as a cemetery.

The Neptune Memorial Reef, with its tagline "creating life after life," is a man-made reef, built to encourage the growth of marine life while creating "the ultimate 'Green Burial' opportunity."

People who choose the reef as their final resting place are first cremated. Their remains are then mixed with non-porous cement, sand and water, and molded into a stone shape of their choosing, such as a shell or starfish. The stone is then added to the reef by scuba divers.

The first phase of the memorial has been built in the style of a "classical re-creation of the Lost City." Relatives of the deceased, curious scuba-divers and marine biologists are among those who dive among the coral-encrusted arches and statues of lions that line the sea floor.

When completed, the memorial will cover have the capacity to hold the cremated remains of around 100,000 people.

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Argentina 'want Flood to start'

By Ben Dirs
BBC Sport in Dunedin

Rugby World Cup Pool B: Argentina v England

• Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
• Date: Saturday 10 September
• Kick-off: 0930 BST
• Coverage: Live text and score updates on the BBC website, live on ITV1, live commentary on TalkSport radio, highlights on S4C

Lobbe made 65 appearances for Argentina over 12 years

Argentina would prefer to see Toby Flood starting at fly-half against them for England in Saturday's World Cup encounter, according to Pumas legend Ignacio Fernandez-Lobbe.

England manager Martin Johnson must choose between Flood and Jonny Wilkinson for the Pool B clash.

"Argentina would love to see Flood in the side, and not Wilkinson," said Lobbe, who played in three World Cups.

"Wilkinson is amazing - he's one of the top three fly-halves in the world."

Wilkinson proud of Flood (February 2011)

Toulon number 10 Wilkinson, who dropped the winning goal when England won the tournament in 2003, played second fiddle to Leicester's Flood during this year's Six Nations.

However, following below-par displays in the Six Nations finale in Dublin and England's warm-up match against Wales, Flood was replaced by Wilkinson for the final pre-tournament run-out against Ireland in the Irish capital, which England won 20-9.

As such, the 32-year-old Wilkinson, who is playing in his fourth World Cup, is being tipped to start what could be a tricky opener for Johnson's side in Dunedin.

Lobbe, formerly of Sale and Northampton and who played for Bath last season, added: "If I was Martin Johnson, I would play Wilkinson, because Flood has weaknesses."

Argentina beat England 25-18 at Twickenham in 2006, and Lobbe was quick to point to an error by Flood - on his debut - as his errant pass allowed Federico Todeschini to score.

"Remember when we played England at Twickenham and beat them?" he added.

ENGLAND POOL B FIXTURES

Continue reading the main story

• v Argentina (10 September)
• v Georgia (18 September)
• v Romania (24 September)
• v Scotland (1 October)

"That excellent pass interception? That was Toby Flood - thank you very much.

"He's a great player for Leicester, when his pack is going forwards, but the World Cup will bring a different pressure and it won't be as easy for him.

"We'll see how he copes, if he starts against Argentina. Wilkinson is a better player for England, he has the ability to win a game on his own."

As well as being an integral part of the World Cup-winning side in 2003, Wilkinson also led England to the final in 2007 and has scored the most overall points in the tournament's history.

The 26-year-old Flood, in contrast, has played only three World Cup matches and is yet to score a point.

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Dodson is new SRU chief executive

Dodson is a keen rugby fan and played the game as an amateur

Scottish Rugby has appointed Mark Dodson as its new chief executive.

Dodson was previously chief executive officer of Guardian Media Group Regional Media.

Current Scotland coach Andy Robinson was appointed by the previous incumbent, Gordon McKie, who resigned in June after six years in the job.

Continue reading the main story

My initial focus will be to work closely with the senior management team and the Scottish Rugby Board in finalising the new strategic plan for the organisation and to lead on its delivery

Mark Dodson Scottish Rugby Chief Executive

Former international Jock Millican was in interim charge during the recruitment process as well as being a senior non-executive director.

Dodson will take up his position on 19 September and says he views the new role as an honour.

"I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead Scottish Rugby, a globally recognised organisation, as it continues the development of the game throughout Scotland," he said.

"With playing numbers growing in recent years, with the national team currently ranked seventh in the world and preparing to compete in the Rugby World Cup, I am fortunate to be joining at such an exciting time.

"My initial focus will be to work closely with the senior management team and the Scottish Rugby Board in finalising the new strategic plan for the organisation and to lead on its delivery.

"I would also like to offer my support and best wishes to Andy Robinson and the Scotland team who I know are working extremely hard as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup."

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