May and June can be chilly, and if the air is damp and there is moisture in the wickets, the experience of England's players could give them an edge which might balance the absence of any single great player in an ageing team.

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Centre-back Koscielny was left off balance on the edge of the area and tried to pull his foot out of the challenge but the winger hit the ground after minimal contact and the referee was quick to point to the spot.

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And in the Age of Obama, with cleavages between liberals and conservatives growing ever wider in America, and with the future of the European Union hanging in the balance as the euro zone teeters on the edge of an abyss, the fact that Israeli society is becoming increasingly fortified is simply extraordinary.

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But that balance of power was disrupted 17 minutes after halftime when Yoshida fouled Yusef Ahmed on the edge of the penalty area and Cesar curled in a low effort from the resulting freekick.

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Universal banks, such as Citigroup and Bank of America, long dismissed as stodgy, argue that their vast balance sheets and wide range of businesses, from cards to capital markets, give them an edge in trying times.

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