It was like a scene from the apartheid era’s liquor and pass raids. Government officials swooped down on Hillbrow in Johannesburg, sending many a grown man running into the night, as street vendors hastily packed up their wares and fled the scene. Most of those arrested were illegal immigrants.

A remorseful Islamic teacher who planted the deadliest bomb in the Bali nightclub attacks is expected to escape the death penalty in Indonesia. Prosecutors have demanded a 20-year prison term for Ali Imron, who parked the van containing the main bomb used in last October’s terrorist attacks.

Officials have announced new measures to bolster security at Argentina’s soccer stadiums, nearly a week after play in the country’s professional leagues was suspended because of fan violence. The government said it was creating a special prosecutor’s unit to investigate sports-related crimes.

Arsenal and Celtic suffered a nightmare start to their European Champions League campaigns on Wednesday as their hopes of joining Manchester United, Chelsea and Rangers in the British winners’ circle were brought to a shuddering halt.

In an interview taped before his death in 1995 that is to be shown on the Tennis Channel as part of its 30th-anniversary airing of the Bobby Riggs-Billie Jean King match, Riggs talks about his tennis strategy and the lead-up to the historic match, which drew a massive crowd of 30 472.

As the countdown begins to the eighth All Africa Games scheduled to start in Abuja on October 4, Nigeria, the host country, is struggling to be ready for the showpiece of African sports. Finishing touches are still being put to the 60 000-capacity stadium to be used for the games.

Players who persistently foul in next month’s Rugby World Cup could be ruled out of the final as a result of measures introduced by the International Rugby Board. Players who pick up three yellow cards will be suspended even if it means them missing the final.