McNabb's new deal | The National

The Philadelphia Eagles have restructured the final two years of the contract of their quarterback Donovan McNabb. McNabb, 32, was set to earn US$9.2 million (Dh33.7m) this season and $10m next season but the new deal is worth $24.5m, with another $1m in incentives. The Eagles reached the NFC title game last season but lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 32-25, leaving McNabb still searching for his first Super Bowl victory.

"Last year, we were just that close," McNabb, a 10-year NFL veteran, said. "And I think we can get over that hump. I'm focused on winning the Super Bowl hopefully in these next two years. That's got to be the main focus. "When you get so close six times, one time to be in the Super Bowl, you feel like it's going to happen. Hopefully in these next two years." Meanwhile veteran wide receiver James Thrash has been released by the Washington Redskins, the team said on Friday.

The 34-year-old originally joined the Redskins as a free agent in 1997 and spent a total of nine seasons with the club (1997-2000, 2004-2008). Over his 12-year NFL career, which included three seasons with the Eagles, Thrash had 290 catches for 3,646 yards and 22 touchdowns. The Houston Texans have signed former Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman. Grossman, who was with the Bears for six years but spent the past season as back-up, was a free agent.

The Texans have Matt Schaub as starting quarterback and also signed ex-Detroit Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky to a deal during the off-season. Grossman is likely have to compete with Orlovsky and Alex Brink for back-up duties. "I'm going to be a good soldier, but at the same time, I am going to compete and do the best I can," Grossman said. "They've got their starter and they brought in Dan Orlovsky. I am just going to get in the mix and see where I fit in."

Grossman has thrown for 6,164 yards and 33 touchdowns in his career. * Agencies

Sole survivors

Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars

Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.