Names In The News

Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN spent his 63rd birthday on the ice Wednesday, playing hockey with NHL players "against Russian officials and tycoons." Putin "scored seven goals as his star-studded team," which included former NHL players VYACHESLAV FETISOV and PAVEL BURE, won the game 15-10. The opposing team included Defense Minister SERGEI SHOIGU as well as Putin's close friends -- tycoons GENNADY TIMCHENKO and ARKADY ROTENBERG (AP, 10/7). ... MANNY PACQUIAO "has declared his plans to retire from boxing and step up a weight as a political pugilist in his homeland of the Philippines." Pacquiao said that "he will run for the country’s senate in elections next year after completing a second term as a congressman in the country’s lower legislative house" (London TELEGRAPH, 10/6). ... British boxer GEORGE GROVES "is searching for a new trainer" after splitting with PADDY FITZPATRICK "in the wake of his world title defeat" by BADOU JACK last month (LONDON TIMES, 10/7).