A remote control bomb injured 15 police officers and one civilian today as a police minibus passed close to the Istanbul headquarters of Turkey's ruling AK Party, police said.

The Russians are coming. Six months after Jessica Ennis was relieved of her World Championship heptathlon crown by Tatyana Chernova, another potential golden girl of the multi-events scene happens to be emerging from within the boundaries of the Russian Federation. Competing in Moscow last week, the previously unheralded Ekaterina Bolshova won her national pentathlon championship with a score of 4,896 points – 41 more than Chernova has ever amassed.

For Dwain Chambers, the key battle has yet to come in 2012. Still, as he awaits the Court of Arbitration for Sport's definitive ruling on the British Olympic Association's lifetime ban on doping offenders – due to be announced before the end of April – the world indoor 60 metres champion is up and running in London Olympic year.

A cargo ship struggled to pump out water that seeped in through cracks today after it brushed against two anchored ships while trying to moor during strong winds off the coast of Istanbul, but a senior maritime official said it was not in danger of sinking.

Who knew that when Bruce Forsyth (31 years before he was awarded his knighthood) interviewed some beauties at a Miss World Gala he asked Miss Turkey, "And what do you eat for Christmas?"?

Today: Check into the new Champs-Elysées Mac Mahon, a four-star hotel whose windows frame views of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It's well placed for last-minute shopping and the city's Christmas market (bit.ly/champshot).

A Turkish court accepted an indictment yesterday charging 93 officials and players with match-fixing.

US Vice President Joe Biden has called on Turkey to impose new sanctions against Iran, while praising Ankara for its role in pressuring Syria to stop its bloody crackdown on protesters.

Wimbledon has asked the professional game to do something about it, Michael Stich once called it "disgusting, ugly, unsexy", while world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki says it can adversely affect an opponent and that some players do it deliberately. With spectators and television viewers increasingly put off by the grunting and shrieking of several female players, the Women's Tennis Association is seeking to reduce the decibel levels on court.

A plane bound for Britain was forced to land in Turkey yesterday after a Pakistani airline received bomb threats by email.

Amy Winehouse has cancelled the next two dates of her comeback European tour following a disastrous comeback concert on Saturday night.

A blog purportedly written by a Syrian-American woman living in Damascus has been confirmed as a hoax.