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.
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.
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.
China opened the world’s highest railway on Saturday, linking the remote Himalayan region of Tibet with the rest of the country in a symbol of power that President Hu Jintao hailed a ”miracle”. Hu launched the rail line to coincide with the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.
The cellphone industry will introduce number portability on September 18, the Argus reported on Friday. Its website said this would allow a subscriber, whether on prepaid or contract, to move to another operator while keeping the same number. Communication experts predicted better service for cellphone users is bound to follow.
A man was killed and 42 people injured when two Metrorail trains collided north of Kempton Park on Friday night, Ekurhuleni emergency services said. Spokesperson Sugan Naidoo said the accident happened just after 7pm between the Pinedene and Olifantsfontein stations when two trains that were both on their way to Pretoria collided.
The Central Intelligence Agency of the United States authenticated a new audio-taped message on Friday in which al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden vows to wage holy war in Iraq and Africa, while the White House brushed off the message as old news. In the fourth tape this year, Bin Laden hails Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the slain al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, as a ”lion of Islam”.
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Luca Toni repaid the faith shown in him by coach Marcello Lippi by scoring twice in Italy’s 3-0 win over Ukraine in the World Cup quarterfinals on Friday. The victory sealed a place in the last four of the tournament, where they will meet hosts Germany, a repeat of the 1982 final. Italy won that match 3-1 and were crowned world champions for a third time.
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Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was the toast of Germany as the hosts progressed into the semifinals of the World Cup with a sensational 4-2 penalty shootout win over Argentina on Friday. With the game unsettled at 1-1 after extra-time, Arsenal goalkeeper Lehmann stepped up to save spot-kicks from Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso to ensure celebration parties across Germany.
A 37-year-old police officer died after he and a colleague were wounded in a shooting with robbers in Soweto on Tuesday morning, police said. Inspector Leslie Mashaba (37) and Captain Simon Matladi (38) tried to arrest two armed robbers at a shack in Kliptown at 3am when the shooting began.