MALMO An ethno-inspired flute and drum tune from Denmark is the bookmakers  favorite to win this year s Eurovision Song Contest, which also features a bizarre opera pop number from Romania and an Armenian rock song written by the guitarist of Black Sabbath.Yes, it s that time of the year again.The televised pan-European extravaganza, known for its kitschy shows, bad taste and bizarre offerings, is still expected to be seen by about 125 million television viewers

KAMPALA, Uganda  Even before the first drops flow, Uganda s oil sector is beset by bribery allegations against officials, tax-related cases abroad that cost the government millions in legal fees, and the alleged interference of a president whose firm control of the sector worries transparency campaigners.Uganda, which has confirmed oil deposits of about 3.5 billion barrels, wants to extract at least 1.2 billion barrels over the next three decades.That figure could rise when more

NEW DELHI  India faces at least "a one-in-three" chance of losing its prized sovereign grade rating, global ratings agency Standard and Poor s has warned, amid new threats to economic growth and reforms.The announcement surprised the finance ministry which had been pitching for a ratings upgrade, saying the government has taken strong steps to improve India s public finances, promote investment and revive growth.India s BBB-minus investment rating is already the lowest among its BRICS peers Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, and cutting it to "junk status" would push up the country s hefty borrowing costs as it would signal higher risk.There is at least a one-in-three chance that we will lower the ratings in the next 12 months," S&P said late Friday, adding "risks to India s growth from stalled reforms in parliament still tilt the credit risks to the downside.The warning from S&P, which cut the outlook on India s BBB-minus rating to negative from stable last year, came after parliament adjourned early amid opposition uproar over corruption scandals.The shutdown stalled the economic reform drive by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh s minority government, hobbled by a string of graft controversies with two cabinet ministers entangled in scandals quitting late last week.The government has opened up the retail and aviation sectors to wider foreign investment and partly freed fuel prices. But it has been striving to pass other bills to open the the insurance and pension sectors to more overseas investment and streamline industrial land acquisition to spur economic growth.Leading business group, the Confederation of Indian Industry, called S&P s economic outlook "harsh" and said the government was making efforts to rein in the ballooning current account deficit -- the broadest measure of trade.Meanwhile, the chief economic advisor to the finance ministry, Raghuram Rajan, described S&P s comments as "disappointing".But with the 2014 elections looming, analysts say Singh is fast running out of time to complete his legislative reform agenda. The big worry is they may have nothing to show in their report card," said Parsa Venkateshwar Rao, a columnist for the DNA daily. S&P said it may also cut India s ratings if it decides Asia s third-largest economy will not revert to higher seven to eight percent growth levels notched up earlier in this decade. India s growth right was bumping along at 5.0 percent for the last financial year to March 2013, the lowest level in a decade, but the government expects it to pick up to six percent this year and is targeting seven percent in 2014. S&P credit analyst Takahira Ogawa said, "We have indicated compared to one year ago, there is some easing of the pressure towards the downgrade of the rating. But despite government efforts to cut red tape in implementing long-delayed infrastructure and power projects, its "success in raising investment growth remains uncertain", he added.

LE MANS  Marquez, on a Honda, claimed the 30th pole position of his career, his second in the sport s elite category, by coming in 0.03 seconds faster than compatriot Jorge Lorenzo on his Yamaha.Andrea Dovizioso of Italy, on a Ducati, will start from third place after coming in 0.416sec behind Marquez.Marquez leads fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa by three points in the overall standings coming into the French MotoGP, which is the fourth race of the season.The last time he took pole, at Austin last month, he went on to win the

KAVARNA  Ryder Cup-winning teammates Graeme McDowell, Nicolas Colsaerts and Francesco Molinari are through to the quarterfinals of the World Match Play Championship. McDowell beat Bo Van Pelt 2 and 1 on the Thracian Cliffs course Saturday and will meet Colsaerts in a repeat of last year s final. The defending champion won 2 up against Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano after being ahead by five shots with five holes to play.Colsaerts says "it was totally my fault as I should have ended our game an hour or an

MADRID  Atletico Madrid won their 10th Spanish Cup on Friday when they beat bitter city rivals Real Madrid 2-1 in extra-time in a match which saw both Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo sent-off.Real had been unbeaten in the previous 25 meetings between the two sides dating back 14 years and Mourinho's men got off to the perfect start when Ronaldo headed in Luka Modric's corner. However, Diego Costa levelled for Atletico 10 minutes before half-time and Los

MOSCOW  Wrestling s governing body has approved new rule and constitutional changes aimed at modernizing the sport and keeping it in the Olympics after 2016. A special congress Saturday of the federation, known by the acronym FILA, decreed there will be a mandatory women s vice-presidency role.The new rules will ensure matches are made up out of two three-minute sessions instead of three two-minute periods. Scoring will become cumulative instead of the previous two-out-of-three system.The changes come