By saying no to military tribunals at Guantánamo, the Supreme Court has clipped United States President George Bush’s wings after he sought to assert his authority in the name of security. The court’s ruling last Thursday ”marked the end of the national security ‘state of emergency’ that has prevailed for nearly five years”, commentator David Ignatius wrote in The Washington Post.
Palestinian militant sources claimed on Saturday night that they were close to reaching an agreement in negotiations over the release of an Israeli soldier. They want a guarantee that Israel will free prisoners at a future date in return for the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit.
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Ten-man England were sent crashing out of the World Cup on Saturday, losing a penalty shoot-out to Portugal after a controversy packed quarterfinal battle. Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo scored the decisive spot-kick to hand Portugal a 3-1 shoot-out victory and shatter England’s dream of a first World Cup for 40 years.
German prosecutors are investigating possible kickbacks in a sale of warships to South Africa by a German shipbuilding consortium, a prosecutor confirmed on Saturday. The German news magazine Der Spiegel was to appear on Monday with a report that the ”irregularities” were suspected of occurring in 1999.
Zimbabwean prison officials on Saturday released three South African spies who were jailed for life in 1988 for murder and sabotage, a state daily reported. ”Three South African spies, who were jailed for life in 1988 for murder and sabotage … will be released today [Saturday} from Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison following a Presidential pardon,” the Herald reported.
There are three perennial passions in Argentina: football, the tango and the country’s claim to Britain’s South Atlantic outpost, the Falkland Islands. Even the build-up to Argentina’s World Cup game against Germany on Friday failed to entirely deflect attention from what in the last few months has become the hot political issue.
It will be cheaper to make love in Britain from Saturday thanks to a reduction in sales tax on condoms announced by the Treasury on Friday. Value-added tax on condoms and other non-prescription contraceptive products will be 5%, rather than the standard 17,5%, "leading to immediate reductions in the prices paid by consumers", it said in a statement.
Roger Federer was left with a clear run to a fourth successive Wimbledon final on Friday when danger men David Nalbandian and James Blake both crashed out in the third round. Argentinian fourth seed Nalbandian, one of just four men to have beaten Federer since the start of 2005, was dismissed by Spanish 28th seed Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (11/9), 7-6 (11/9), 6-2.
Israeli warplanes pounded Gaza for a second straight night as Palestinian militants holding an army corporal issued new demands on Saturday for the release of prisoners from Israeli jails. The regional fallout of the crisis also deepened, with Washington backing its key ally in holding arch foe Syria at least partially responsible for the escalation.
As South Africa takes on the responsibility of organising the next World Cup, exuberance — and not necessarily efficiency — appears to be paramount. World soccer governing body Fifa kicks off the journey to the 2010 World Cup at a July 7 ceremony in Berlin. Dubbed Africa’s Calling, it will be attended by South African President Thabo Mbeki. But will South Africa be ready?