KAMPALA, Uganda — The terrorist violence spreading from Somalia dominated this week's African Union summit, resulting in a decision to boost the number of troops it deploys in the war-torn country. Meeting just two weeks after the Somali extremist group Al Shabaab's three bombings killed 76 people in Kampala on July 11, the African Union leaders meeting in this city found it difficult to discuss anything else.

South African anti-apartheid leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu says he will retire soon from public life.  Tutu, who battled to end apartheid and later to promote peace and reconciliation, announced at a news conference Thursday he would retire from public life October 7, on his 79th birthday.

He told reporters his schedule of public appearances had grown increasingly punishing.  "Instead of growing old gracefully with my family, reading and writing and praying and thinking, too much of my time has been spent at airports and in hotels," said Tutu.

He said from October he would limit his time at the office to one day per week in order to wrap up his many public responsibilities.

"The time has now come to slow down and sip, maybe, Rooibos tea with my beloved wife in the afternoon, to watch cricket and rugby and soccer and tennis; to travel to visit my children and grandchildren, rather than [go to] conferences and conventions and university campuses," said Tutu.

Tutu said he would continue to support his Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation and continue to work with a global council of statesmen called The Elders, founded by former President Nelson Mandela.  Tutu said, however, that he would leave his positions at the University of Western Cape and with the United Nations Advisory Committee on the Prevention of Genocide. And he said he would no longer grant media interviews.

Ordained a priest of the Anglican Church in 1960 at the age of 30, Tutu used his clerical status to denounce the injustices of apartheid, and he was arrested repeatedly for his outspokenness.  He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, and was named the first black archbishop of Cape Town two years later.  He used his new international stature to broaden the anti-apartheid struggle.

During the first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Tutu coined the phrase "Rainbow Nation" to describe his country.  He was subsequently named chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which for 30 months heard victims testify about the atrocities committed during the apartheid era.

He retired as archbishop 14 years ago, but maintained a heavy public schedule.  He continued to denounce injustices around the world and to criticize what he saw as the failings of the new South Africa.

Tutu spoke out against AIDS denial during the government of former President Thabo Mbeki, and apologized to gays and lesbians for the suffering caused by the teachings of the Anglican Church.

One of the biggest supporters of bringing the football World Cup to South Africa, Tutu was seen dancing and singing during the opening ceremonies and several matches.

Source: VOA News

There was an argument about its pioneering claim in Nigeria but what is certain is Kajola is a noteworthy and quick to be tagged trailblazing effort from Niyi Akinmolayan. Kajola which translates as ‘commonwealth’ in the Yoruba dialect is from the stable of Port Harcourt based record label and film studio Adonai Production.  CGI is an acronym for Computer generated Images and ‘Kajola’ combines real images/camera shots of Lagos and abstract computer generated illustration to deliver a story shot in the year 2059 and the plot is Lagos, Nigeria.

WATCH PREVIEW: Kajola, Nollywood’s First 130 Million Naira CGI

Lovetta Conto was born just before her home country of Liberia exploded into conflict, another chapter in what became years of war. Forced to leave her mother behind and flee her native Liberia due to civil war, Lovetta lived with her father as a refugee in Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire, before settling in Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana to await the end of the war. At times, financial difficulties forced her father to leave the camp to look for work and Lovetta stayed with various families, seldom in one place very long in the sprawling refugee camp of 47,000.

VIDEO: Lovetta Conto - His Holiness The Dalai Lama (Liberian Jewelry Disigner)

She's learned. Although she has her own amazing literacy when she began working with us she didn't yet read and had never heard of Rwanda, World War II, Judaism. She thought conflict was something only experienced by Africans. She now knows about world religions, tolerance, the Holocaust, genocide, history of her own tribe, ecology. She can find Liberia and many other countries on her beloved globe. After many hard months of work, she read her first book and took off like a girl obsessed. She's read biographies of Anne Frank, Helen Keller, and Helene Cooper, a remarkable Liberian writer.

Source: strongheartfellowship.org

A Sudanese rebel group is to sign an agreement to allow the UN access to its bases to check children are not being recruited as soldiers.

The UN said children found in military areas or in conflict zones could be removed under the deal. 

An estimated 6,000 children have been caught up in Darfur's unrest.

The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva said the UN children's organisation was hailing the agreement, which took more than a year to negotiate, as a very valuable precedent which it hoped other rebel groups would follow.

Jem leaders, who have travelled to Geneva for the signing, said the movement had no child soldiers but that it was signing up to the agreement as a gesture of goodwill.

Fighting intensified in Darfur in May after Jem pulled out of peace talks with the government, accusing it of acting in bad faith.

The conflict between rebels and government-backed militias in Sudan's western region is estimated by the UN to have cost the lives of 300,000 people and driven 2.7m people from their homes. 

Source: BBC News Africa

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) -- A South African community once riven by anti-foreigner violence came together Sunday in the spirit of Nelson Mandela to play a little soccer. The so-called "goodwill games" were among activities around the world marking Mandela Day, which falls on Mandela's July 18 birthday and was conceived as an international day devoted to public service.

Community leaders in Atteridgeville organized the unity-building tournament of teams of South Africans, Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Somalis who all live in this poor, black neighborhood on the western edge of South Africa's capital. Mandela, who turned 92 years old on Sunday and is largely retired from public life, was spending the day with his family in Johannesburg. Early Sunday, his wife went to an orphanage in Soweto to help plant a vegetable garden.

"Today is an opportunity for millions of people around the world to look inside themselves and find those beautiful qualities as any human being has and say: 'I am able to make a difference to my neighbor, to someone underprivileged, I can extend my goodness to other people,'" Mandela's wife Graca Machel said Sunday. She said that while her husband was no longer so physically strong, "his spirit is strong as ever."

President Jacob Zuma and other government officials were marking the day in Mandela's birthplace of Mvezo by planting trees and painting class rooms in that far southern region of the country that is among the poorest in South Africa. In a speech in Mvezo, Zuma said Mandela taught South Africans that "we must work together to entrench African unity and solidarity in our country."

He said South Africans had embraced visitors from the rest of the continent during the World Cup that ended a week ago. After their own national team was knocked out early, many South Africans cheered for Ghana, the African team that went the farthest in the tournament.

"We urge a continuation of this spirit of African unity, love and friendship," Zuma said. President Barack Obama, in a statement released Sunday by the White House, wished Mandela a happy birthday.

"We are grateful to continue to be blessed with his extraordinary vision, leadership, and spirit. And we strive to build upon his example of tolerance, compassion and reconciliation," President Obama said.

He encouraged the public to heed the call to engage in some form of service to others, and said of Mandela, "We strive to follow his example of what it means to truly give back to our communities, our nations, and our world."

Mandela Day organizers in South Africa this year had called on citizens to, among other things, honor the anti-apartheid leader by devoting time to calming fears anti-foreigner sentiment could again erupt into widespread violence, as it did in Atteridgeville and across the country in 2008.

National police commissioner Nathi Mthethwa was in Atteridgeville Sunday. He kicked a ball around with young men on a dusty field next to a cemetery before the tournament began. Earlier, he addressed a crowd of about 1,000 on the field. Mthethwa said Mandela had taught South Africans about the need for unity and cohesion.

The people of Atteridgeville listened intently to Mthethwa, some recording him on their mobile phones, as he spoke in a mixture of Sotho and English. He said other Africans had supported South Africans in the fight against apartheid, and now were bringing skills and resources that would help build the economy.

"My brother from another mother is still my brother," Mthethwa said. "My sister from another mother is still my sister."

In 2008, protests over lack of homes, schools, jobs and clinics for the poorest South Africans erupted into anti-foreigner rioting. More than 60 people were killed -- two in an Atteridgeville squatter camp -- in weeks of sporadic violence scattered in squatter camps and other impoverished areas across South Africa.

Sociologists trying to explain what happened pointed to decades of vilification of other black Africans by the white government during the apartheid years, and competition now for scarce resources as people from poorer, less stable countries to the north come to South Africa in search of opportunity.

Researchers at Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand have found cases where local political leaders or businesspeople organized attacks on foreigners, either to consolidate political power or eliminate economic competition.

Such conditions have not eased, but the scale of the 2008 attacks has not been revisited despite reports in recent weeks of new threats to foreigners. Sunday, as Mthethwa listened, a master of ceremonies led a call and response in Atteridgeville:

"Away with xenophobia, away!"

"Away!" the crowd responded, before local religious, political, business and other leaders presented the police commissioner with a signed pledge to build a "united, nonracial, nonsexist, democratic, prosperous, humane and caring society." 

Source: AP

Ghana's Black Stars have moved up nine places to 23 on Fifa's latest team ranking.

The Stars got as far as the quarter finals at the tournament and only lost out on a semi-final berth on penalties to become Arica's second highest place team.

Egypt is still the top team on the continent according to the ranking and Ivory Coast are placed third.

Newly crowned World Champions Spain, are the top team in the world ranking.

Beaten finalists The Netherlands, moved up two places to number two while, former number one, Brazil dropped two places to third.

Nigeria's Super Eagles who had a woeful outing at the World Cup dropped nine places in the global standings to 30th and are fourth on the African table.

South Africa are Africa's biggest climbers, they moved up 17 places and are 66th worldwide and 12th in Africa.

Africa's top ten:

1. Egypt (9 worldwide)

2. Ghana (23 worldwide)

3. Ivory Coast (26 worldwide)

4. Nigeria (30 worldwide)

5. Algeria (33 worldwide)

6. Gabon (34 worldwide)

7. Cameroon (40 worldwide)

8. Burkina Faso (45 worldwide)

9. Mali (55 worldwide)

10. Benin (61 worldwide)

Source: BBC Sport

In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, Zimbabwean filmmaker and columnist Farai Sevenzo looks back on Africa's World Cup and wonders what will come of the continent's teenage nation. It began with Siphiwe Tshabalala's goal against the Mexicans, a kick of ferocious power and poetry.

And after years of preparation this old land where so much battle has occurred, where folklore was found on spilled blood and resistance, gave way to the idea that South Africa was, in her new reality, just 16 years old. And like a teenager eager to show her qualities, the football World Cup of 2010 was her crowning moment.

A week or so into the tournament, I travelled to South Africa on one of those incompetent airlines only the desperate file into because the question bugged me - would I see another World Cup on African soil in my lifetime? And over Angolan airspace I bugged the air hostess to ask the captain what the score was in the South Africa v France game.

Air traffic control in Luanda came back to the captain and said South Africa 2 - 0 France and a plane load of Argentineans, Spanish, German and African travellers applauded.

'Feel it'

But then we landed to a cold Johannesburg night to see downcast faces. France had pegged one back in the time we took to land and South Africa were out on goal difference and a scarcity of victories. The immigration officer apologised, but reminded me this World Cup was still African and stamped my passport.

When would the drama end?

All across Johannesburg it was obvious this teenager of a nation had undergone an incredible transformation.

What will happen to these magnificent stadiums?

After years of being ripped off by taxis from Oliver Tambo International Airport, people were boarding a new train to the centre of the city for a quarter of the taxi price.

The hawkers on the motorways were darting in and out of moving traffic to sell flags of the competing nations and everywhere you looked, the World Cup fever had so gripped this nation that Bafana Bafana's gold colours seemed like a national uniform.

For the first time, the South Africans kept telling me, all South Africans have come together, people are conversing across colour divisions, we are incredibly proud of what we have achieved.

Everyone, it seems, had raised their game - from the police to the broadcasters to the boys and girls from advertising. "Feel it," said the state broadcaster, "it is here." And feel it we did.

Petulant behaviour

World Cup screenings by the fireplace were in every home, and as the African teams fell like dominoes, some dared to ask what was the point of having this event here if the Africans "could not represent" the continent?

Even Drogba could not save his country from being kicked out

Nigeria drew the ire of President Goodluck Jonathan and many more Africans for playing every game as if it were a practise match, for throwing away leads and showing the kind of petulant behaviour that drew red cards and heartache.

How, asked someone, could this great nation of over 150m people not find 11 men to win a football match?

The aging Cameroon side squandered an indomitable lion reputation on the spent legs of their old stars.

And how obvious it was that the coaches had so little control of their superstar squads when the brilliant and young Alex Song was left on the bench in a final game that saw his ancient uncle Rigobert Song win a personal honour of being the only player to have played in four World Cup finals.

Spare us the personal milestones and win us a match. Even the deadly Didier Drogba, so loved by Africa's young and dusty-footed raw talent, could do nothing to raise the Elephants from their group of death.

And so we were left with one great African hope, Ghana's young committed and shining Black Stars.

The flag of the moment

It is still painful to relive Ghana's journey in this great event, to think of what could have been.

All the continent's hopes were left resting on the Black Stars' shoulders

As they marched past the USA the city went mad - red, gold and green with a black star in the middle was the flag of the moment. One black star, said the wits, beat 50 white ones.

The hawkers were running out of flags, the T-shirt sellers could not keep up with the demand and the Sowetan newspaper lead with the Bob Marley title "Africa Unite". The politicians, as they are always likely to do, rode on this surge of goodwill and told the Black Stars that the hopes of an entire continent rested on their shoulders. No pressure then. And then you know the rest.

Regretful tears

July 2nd saw the best match of these games and more than a hint of impossible drama - the kind of drama only the Gods can write to remind us that fate and football are not in our hands, to make sport of our fickle hopes and our need to reassert ourselves as a continent of heart and talent.

Ghana's Gyan's regretful tears could not wash away a continent's disappointment

Why did Suarez cheat?

Did Asemoah Gyan score the penalty in his head before he had committed boot to ball?

Why did he hit it so hard?

His courage in scoring that first penalty and his regretful tears could not wash away a continent's disappointment for hours after this titanic battle.

There was no shame in Ghana's defeat, and all predictions about an Argentina v Brazil final landed in the dustbin of delusions.

The Spanish and the Dutch ruled the roost and it seemed impossible that this journey began so many years ago would be coming to an end in front of a global audience of billions, with Mandela in the stands.

Spain took the World Cup to add to their European cup and we are all feeling a little deflated, like vuvuzelas with no wind.

Cashing-in exercise

And so what now?

The World Cup caused South Africans to raise their game

What will happen to these magnificent stadiums? Who will play in Polokwane? Port Elizabeth? The mighty Soccer City?

Will Fifa catch up with the 21st Century and allow goal-line technology? Will Suarez ever express regret and learn that the beautiful game is soured by cheating?

And we know that for Fifa this has been a cashing-in exercise - South African companies paid millions for the right to show football, to have the images of major stars on their brands, to sell coffee mugs bearing the label "South Africa 2010".

And those who live in the shadow of Soccer City could not pay 5,000 rand to see their heroes, nor sell traditional African foods at football matches because the giants of fast food claimed that right, and some would say Fifa even had a hand in the fast prosecution of those committing crime during this World Cup.

And what of the teenager after her finest moment?

Will crime return to the streets as the visitors leave? Will those South Africans who cheered the Ivorians, the Ghanaians, the Cameroonians go back to xenophobia?

Whatever happens in South Africa's next steps into nationhood, we must say in all sincerity - thank you for the memories.

Source: BBC Sport

South Africa hopes to follow up its hosting of the football World Cup by staging the Olympics after confirming it plans to bid for the 2020 Games.

The country's Olympic committee has invited potential host cities to "state their intention of being involved".

Organisers hope that the success of this year's World Cup will help lead to the first Olympics on African soil.

The International Olympic Committee has yet to begin the selection process but a host is set to be named in mid-2013.

Other cities who have expressed an interest in bidding are Budapest in Hungary, Busan in South Korea, this year's Commonwealth Games hosts Delhi in India, while Taiwan, Dubai and Italy are also expected to bid.

Cape Town beat off competition from Durban and Johannesburg for the South African bid to host the 2004 Games but was well beaten into third place in the overall campaign by Athens.

"Our intention is to provide a world-class city capable of hosting Africa's first Olympic Games in 2020," said Sascoc chief executive Tubby Reddy.

The move comes after President Jacob Zuma publicly declared the World Cup a success and expressed confidence that South Africa could do a similarly excellent job in 2020.

"For our eyes to be on 2020, we are not weary, because we have the facilities," he said.

IOC president Jacques Rogge met with Zuma in South Africa over the weekend and attended Sunday's World Cup final at Soccer City.

"From the start, when South Africa were named as World Cup hosts, we all knew the country would be able to organise the tournament," said Rogge on Monday.

"Now it is up to you as a nation to decide if you want to host this [the Olympics] event."

South Africa built several new stadiums for the World Cup, while infrastructure improvements in transport, energy and communications also took place.

Source: BBC Sport

Andres Iniesta's extra-time strike won Spain the World Cup for the first time after they edged out the 10-man Netherlands in a scrappy, ill-tempered encounter in Johannesburg. In a game which proved far from the classic many had hoped it was Iniesta's half-volley 25 minutes into extra-time which proved crucial for the European champions. 

Both sides had chances to win the game in normal time, Spain's best falling to Sergio Ramos who somehow powered a free header over the bar from six yards, while Arjen Robben was thwarted for the Dutch when one-on-one with Iker Casillas as the Real Madrid goalkeeper saved with his leg. 

With the Netherlands looking nervous Spain dominated the early possession as Ramos had a header saved by Maarten Stekelenburg in a rehearsal for his later missed effort. The Dutch adopted spoiling tactics to nullify the Spanish threat, forcing English referee Howard Webb to show five yellow cards in a first half which degenerated into a scrappy brawl - and led to 14 yellow cards and a red for the Netherlands' John Heitinga by the end of the game. 

Amongst those cautions Netherlands midfielder Nigel de Jong was also fortunate not to be sent off for a chest-high challenge lunge on Xabi Alonso. But the Dutch should have took the lead on the hour mark when Wesley Sneijder's pass sliced through the Spain defence and set Robben free down the centre but the winger took his time and when he eventually shot Casillas turned it wide with his leg. 

Spain looked more likely to break the deadlock in extra-time as Cesc Fabregas was denied when one-on-one and Navas smashed an effort into the side netting. Heitinga became the fifth man to be sent off in a World Cup final when he pulled back Iniesta on the edge of the area leaving Webb with no choice but to hand him another caution.  

And Spain capitalised on their numerical advantage when Iniesta's lashed home after Fabregas' pass to give them a deserved victory. 

Source: BBC Sport

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has said the World Cup in South Africa can already be rated a success. The first finals to be held on African soil have now reached the last-four stage and Blatter believes the doubters have been proved wrong. Critics had predicted that fans would be deterred by high travel costs and the high crime rate in the country.

But Blatter said: "More than 500,000 fans will have come to south Africa and the figure may be even higher." Fifa themselves admitted earlier this year that ticket sales had not gone as well as they had hoped - and empty seats have been in evidence at many of the matches.

Blatter, though, insisted he is delighted by the attendances, and also by the number of statesmen among the crowds.

Former United States President Bill Clinton and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among those to have attended matches.

"The forecast from 'old Europe' was the fans wouldn't come - well here they are," added Blatter.

"I am a very happy president today and I hope I will be happy until the very end of this week.

"There is a political dimension to football too - how many heads of states have come to visit South Africa, and they all want to make sure they have the pictures taken in the stands. That's the power of football.

"Football gives emotions in this deranged world. Look at the news and you see the world appears to have suddenly stopped and the TV cameras will after 12 July be used everywhere else in the world.

"We are giving hope to the world that perhaps through football we can become better human beings."

Source: BBC Sport

Nelson Mandela has enjoyed a thunderous greeting from thousands of fans at the World Cup closing ceremony. The former South African president flashed his famous smile as he was driven across the pitch in a golf cart with his wife, Grace Machel. Earlier, his grandson said Fifa had put Mr Mandela under "extreme pressure" to attend the game in Johannesburg. Mandla Mandela said the engagement would be "strenuous" for the 91-year-old, who is increasingly frail.

Shaking hands

The crowd at the Soccer City stadium in Soweto welcomed Nelson Mandela with a mixture of cheers and vuvuzela blasts. There were chants of "Madiba", the clan name by which he is affectionately known.

Warmly wrapped against the winter chill, the anti-apartheid icon shook hands with officials before leaving the field a few minutes later. He was expected to watch the actual game at home on television. The Nobel laureate cancelled plans to attend the opening ceremony after his great-granddaughter died in a car crash the night before the tournament.

Speaking to the BBC earlier, Mandla Mandela said: "We've come under extreme pressure from Fifa [the governing body of world football] requiring and wishing that my grandfather be at the final. Heads of state and leading figures from business and entertainment jetted in to see European champions Spain take on the Netherlands.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher, in Johannesburg, says the tournament is judged to have been a success for South Africa. More than three million people have attended the games, while the widely predicted security and transport problems have failed to materialise.

Nelson Mandela's attendance will be seen as the perfect end to a competition that has boosted not only his country but all of Africa. However, he remains in fragile health and is still in mourning for great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela, 13, who was killed in a car crash after leaving a World Cup concert in Soweto on the eve of the tournament.

On Thursday, Mr Blatter expressed hope that Mr Mandela would attend the final, saying: "He has had this trophy in his hand when he was in Zurich in 2004, and it will be a wonderful moment for him, for football, for Africa - if this can be a possibility." Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison, before becoming South Africa's first black president after the fall of apartheid in 1994.

Source: BBC Sport

Sami Khedira nodded in a late winner as Germany saw off the spirited challenge of Uruguay in Port Elizabeth to finish in third place for the second World Cup running. It seemed the three-time champions were set for a comfortable evening when Thomas Mueller capped a period of dominance with a straightforward finish after Fernando Muslera spilled a long-range drive from Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Uruguay forced their way back into proceedings through Edinson Cavani before Diego Forlan put them ahead with an acrobatic volley shortly after half-time. But more poor goalkeeping from Muslera allowed Marcell Jansen to equalise and Khedira then capitalised on Uruguay's failure to clear a Mesut Ozil corner to ensure Germany would end their tournament on a happy note. The third-place play-off is often billed as a match that no team wants to play - but this encounter made a mockery of any such suggestion. 

Uruguay exceeded all expectations in reaching the last four and, with a parade through the streets of Montevideo and a date with President Jose Mujica planned for Monday, they were desperate to finish their campaign on a high. Germany, meanwhile, are a hugely talented young squad who will be together for some years and viewed the meeting with La Celeste as another stepping stone in their development. 

Oscar Tabarez's men signalled their intent by restoring fit-again captain Diego Lugano and star striker Luis Suarez, suspended for the last-four defeat by the Netherlands, to the starting line-up. Although Germany made five changes from the side beaten by Spain, Philipp Lahm and Lukas Podolski were suffering from a virus, Miroslav Klose had a bad back and coach Joachim Loew was still able to name an enviable line-up. 

And it was clear from the opening exchanges that this was no friendly as Mueller saw a strike ruled out for handball, Dennis Aogo escaped with a caution for a terrible studs-up challenge on Diego Perez and Forlan curled a free-kick just over. Germany, however, dominated the early possession and, after Arne Friedrich had nodded a Ozil corner against the crossbar, they opened the scoring.

Schweinsteiger unleashed a swerving drive from about 35 yards that was spilled by Muslera, offering Mueller a simple finish to draw level with David Villa and Wesley Sneijder on five goals. Germany might have been expected to kick on from there but instead they sat back on their lead and invited Uruguay forward, while looking to launch the occasional counter-attack of their own. 

The two-time champions duly settled into a tidy rhythm, showcasing their ability to turn defence into attack at frightening pace, and were soon back on level terms. Schweinsteiger, captaining Germany in the absence of Lahm, was robbed of possession by Perez before Forlan fed Cavani and the 23-year-old Palermo striker calmly slotted past Hans Joerg Butt. 

Despite persistent rainfall at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Uruguay were passing and moving beautifully and they should have gone ahead before the break when Forlan released Suarez, only for the Ajax frontman to drag a shot wide. Germany, making a record fifth appearance in the third-place play-off, seemed to have lost their earlier intensity and that allowed the South Americans, full of desire and no shortage of quality, to pick up where they left off in the second period.

Forlan, Suarez and Cavani caused their opponents all manner of problems and, after Cavani and Suarez were denied by Butt, Forlan met Egidio Arevalo's cross with a superb volley to notch his fifth goal of the finals. Uruguay deserved their advantage and, with Germany showing little potency in the final third, they looked set fair for a fine victory. 

But Muslera's unconvincing attempt at claiming a Jerome Boateng cross allowed Jansen to divert the ball into an unguarded net and suddenly the momentum had shifted. Uruguay, who have still not beaten a European team at the World Cup since 1970, rapidly began to tire and Germany substitute Stefan Kiessling twice squandered opportunities to grab the winner before Khedira made no mistake. 

Tabarez's players refused to accept defeat and almost forced extra time, Forlan curled a 92nd-minute free-kick on to the bar. But Germany held on and their celebrations at full-time showed exactly what this result meant to them.

Source: BBC Sport

Spain reached the World Cup final for the first time after a second-half header from Carles Puyol secured a narrow victory over Germany after an intriguing match in Durban. Vicente del Bosque's side won their fourth straight game 1-0 and will now play the Netherlands in Sunday's final at Soccer City. 

Spain deserved their victory after controlling huge periods of the match, but once again it was far from a vintage performance. Del Bosque's team improved on their scrappy performance against Paraguay in the previous round but still struggled to carve out clear openings. 

The winning goal came when Puyol showed great determination to atone for a poor first-half miss by heading home Xavi's corner with 17 minutes remaining. The Euro 2008 champions, who defeated Germany 1-0 in the final of that competition, should have scored a second after striking with the sort of counter-attack that had been a trademark of their opponents' play in this competition, but Pedro failed to pick out a completely unmarked Fernando Torres. 

Germany had invited pressure by adopting an increasingly deep defensive line as the match wore on - and may regret not taking the game to their opponents more while it remained goalless. Joachim Loew's team scored four against both England and Argentina in their previous games and had illuminated the competition with their bold play. 

But they had few opportunities to strike on the counter against Spain and so Germany taste defeat at the semi-final stage for the second successive World Cup. Spain coach Del Bosque chose Wednesday's tie to drop the out-of-form Torres, drafting in Barcelona's lively young forward Pedro and deploying David Villa as a lone striker. 

And while Del Bosque's team certainly looked comfortable as they worked the ball around midfield, Germany showed excellent shape and discipline, and were rarely dragged out of position. Spain did occasionally pick holes in the German defensive structure, with Pedro playing in Villa only for keeper Manuel Neuer to deny him after only five minutes. 

Puyol headed over from a firm Andres Iniesta cross, wasting an excellent chance, while a raking cross-field pass from Xabi Alonso found Sergio Ramos in space, only for the Real Madrid full-back to drill his ambitious shot wide. Germany did not have the opportunity to launch a counter attack until the 22nd minute, but that broke down after a miscommunication between Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski. 

Loew's team looked increasingly threatening as the half wore on and had what initially appeared to be a strong penalty appeal in injury-time, after Ozil went down under a clumsy challenge from Ramos. Ozil was certainly in a very threatening position after collecting a pass from Miroslav Klose and looked to be fouled, but replays suggested the initial contact had been made outside the area. 

The start of the second half was a repeat of the first in that Spain passed and probed - but this time they started to seriously threaten Neuer's goal. Alonso twice shot wide from distance, as did Villa with a low effort he tried to curl across goal, but the impressive Pedro did force a sharp save from Neuer. 

Germany were dropping ever deeper and would have fallen behind but for two near misses. The first saw Villa come within inches of converting a low Iniesta cross, while Ramos was likewise agonisingly close to converting from Alonso's angled pass. Loew brought on Marcell Jansen and Toni Kroos for Jerome Boateng and Trochowski as he tried to change the game in his team's favour. 

And Kroos forced a save after a deep cross from Podolski, but shortly afterwards Puyol struck and Spain were able to close out the match to seal their place in the final and ensure that the World Cup will have a first-time winner in 2010.

Source: BBC Sport

ACCRA, Ghana (AP)—Ghana’s World Cup players will be given national honors and $20,000 each after reaching the quarterfinals in South Africa.

“You deserved to be honored because you have made Ghana and indeed Africa proud by your performance,” Mills said Tuesday in announcing the accolades at a lunch for the team. The Black Stars were greeted by cheering fans when they returned to Accra on Monday night.

Ghana was adopted as Africa’s team during its run to the final eight of the tournament. The squad came close to being the first team from the continent to make the semifinals; they were knocked out in a penalty shootout by Uruguay in the quarters. The other five African teams all failed to qualify for the second round.

“You did not win the World Cup but, through your performance, you carried high the flags of not only Ghana but Africa,” Mills said.

As well as the cash bonus for the players, a government official said members of the coaching team would receive a reward of $10,000 each.

Former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan, who is from Ghana, wrote in a letter to the team that he was one of millions left “heartbroken” after the Uruguay loss.

Ghana was denied victory when a blatant hand ball prevented a goal in the final seconds of extra time. Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty kick, forcing the shootout.

“You won because you brought us all together,” Annan’s letter said. “The lasting trophy to take away from the tournament is this incredible moment of unity.

Source:  FRANCIS KOKUTSE, Associated Press Writer

Two goals in three second-half minutes by Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben helped to see off a resolute Uruguay side and put the Netherlands into a World Cup final for the first time since 1978. The Dutch looked short of ideas for long periods but still had the quality in front of goal when it mattered to set up an all-European final with Spain or Germany in Johannesburg on Sunday.

After Giovanni van Bronkhorst's spectacular opener, Uruguay were gifted an equaliser when Maarten Stekelenburg failed to deal with Diego Forlan's long-range shot. But Sneijder and Robben again made the difference for the two-time runners-up, who were left hanging on at the end by Maxi Pereira's injury-time reply, but survived some late pressure to seal their progress.

It was a dramatic end to an often tepid match as Uruguay, who were without the suspended Luis Suarez following his goal-line handball that had helped them get past Ghana in the quarter-finals, only really showed attacking intent when they fell two goals behind.

Cheered on by an army of Oranje fans, Bert van Marwijk's side struggled to find their feet in the early stages, with their only real sight of goal being wasted when Dirk Kuyt fired wastefully over after Fernando Muslera had punched Sneijder's cross straight at him.

The South Americans, in their first semi-final for 30 years, were defending in depth and in numbers but that tactic did not help them when Van Bronkhorst broke the deadlock after 18 minutes

The ball was fed out to the left-flank and the veteran Feyenoord left-back had time to look up and use his trusty left foot to spank an unstoppable 30-yard shot into the top corner. But going ahead did not help the Dutch work out how to break down a well-organised Uruguay defence, and they also seemed unwilling to commit players forward in search of more goals.

Martin Caceres had to hold off Robben as he ran on to Robin van Persie's through-ball, but that was the nearest the Netherlands came to extending their lead. Uruguay, in the abence of the prolific Suarez, were faring little better at the other end and Stekelenburg did not have a save to make until he had to deal with Alvaro Pereira's bouncing shot after 36 minutes.

That all changed before half-time, however, and it was the Dutch goalkeeper at fault as Forlan notched his fourth goal in six games at this tournament. Stekelenburg had a clear view of Forlan's swerving strike from 25 yards out, and got a hand to the ball - but was still unable to keep it out.

The Ajax keeper had another nervous moment at the start of the second half when he beat Edinson Cavani to a throughball but failed to clear properly and Van Bronkhorst had to clear Alvaro Pereira's curling shot off the line. But the game quickly got bogged down in midfield and there were few chances to speak of until Forlan brought a much better stop from Stekelenburg with a dipping free-kick.

The Netherlands had been disappointing up to that point but showed again how they do not have to play well to win games in South Africa with a two-goal burst in the space of three minutes that was enough to give them victory. Van Marwijk's side showed signs of life when Van Persie latched on to a long ball over the top and played in substitute Rafael van der Vaart, who saw his low shot pushed away before Robben fired the rebound over.

And they were back in the lead after 70 minutes when Sneijder's shot hit the luckless Pereira and span in off a post, with van Persie trying but failing to get a touch to help it on its way. With their next attack, Robben made it 3-1, escaping the attentions of Diego Godin to meet Dirk Kuyt's cross and plant a firm header into the bottom corner.

Uruguay looked exhausted and Robben could have added a fourth when he burst forward on to a Van Persie flick late on, but got his attempted chip all wrong. Instead the Dutch faced a frantic finale when, in the 92nd minute, Maxi Pereira ran on to a quickly taken free-kick, turned Eljero Ejia and curled a precise shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Oscar Tabarez's team had time to launch a few balls into the Dutch box but van Mawijk's side survived and it is they who will go forward hoping it will be third-time lucky for them in a final following their defeats in 1974 and 1978.

Source: BBC Sport

David Villa scored his fifth goal of the World Cup as Spain snatched a late winner over Paraguay after a largely disappointing quarter-final tie that nonetheless boasted moments of incredible drama. Villa's goal after 82 minutes struck one post, rolled across the goal-line and hit the other, before finally nestling in the net and came seconds after substitute Pedro had also hit the woodwork.

It was heartbreaking for a Paraguay side that had never reached this late stage of a World Cup but who had earlier wasted a superb chance to open the scoring when Oscar Cardozo's spot-kick was saved by Iker Casillas. That came after 57 minutes - and before the tie reached the hour mark Spain had also been awarded a penalty by referee Carlos Batres.

In a truly remarkable passage of play, Xabi Alonso scored his first effort but the retake, which came because Spanish players encroached into the area, was saved. Goalkeeper Justo Villar then appeared to foul Cesc Fabregas as he scrambled to collect the rebound but a third penalty award was not forthcoming, while Sergio Ramos pounced on the loose ball but his shot was blocked on the line.

In truth, it was a brief flurry of excitement that was largely out of kilter during a game that saw relatively few other opportunities. Spain may have reached a World Cup semi-final for the first time - their fourth place in 1950 was after a round-robin stage - but they will surely need to improve if they are to defeat in-form Germany in Durban on Wednesday.

Their famed passing game was largely absent, while the out-of-form Fernando Torres was withdrawn after 56 minutes. Paraguay started at a decent pace, certainly settling much quicker than Spain, and created some promising openings. Jonathan Santana forced a saved with a low strike inside 60 seconds, while Spain consistently struggled to deal with crosses from wide areas.

Sunderland-bound Cristian Riveros headed wide, while Antolin Alcaraz and Santana both peeled away from their markers with far too much ease but could not quite make the decisive contact. Nelson Valdez, one of six changes from the side that defeated Japan in Pretoria, slotted home from close range shortly before the break but the effort was ruled out by a marginal offside decision. 

The Borussia Dortmund forward certainly appeared to be onside but there was a doubt over Cardozo, who attempted but failed to head the cross that eventually fell to Valdez. At one point Spain looked as though they were starting to gain a measure of control in midfield but Paraguay, who would have topped South America's World Cup qualifying group if they had won their final game, slowed the match down at every opportunity. 

Gerardo Martino's team also worked extremely hard to thwart Spain's passing game and looked extremely dangerous on the counter, with the lively Valdez wasting a decent position with an atrocious shot just before the interval after a sharp break. Xavi went close for Spain with one piece of brilliance, deftly flicking the ball up with one touch before shooting on the turn in a manner reminiscent of a goal Thierry Henry once scored for Arsenal. 

However, the midfielder's shot flew narrowly over and it was a slightly disjointed and frustrated Spain that left the field to regroup at the break. The tie exploded into life with the back-to-back penalties and all the shenanigans that surrounded them. There was little doubt that Gerard Pique fouled Cardozo for the first but the Benfica forward struck his subsequent penalty at a good height for Casillas. 

From the very next attack Alcaraz was adjudged to have brought down Villa, with Alonso comfortably slotting home first time around. Replays did suggest referee Batres was correct to order a retake - and the prayers of Valdez, who was on his knees just outside the penalty box, were answered when Alonso saw his effort saved and Spain failed to score.

But there was nothing Valdez could do to prevent the prolific Villa from equalling Emilio Butragueno's Spanish record of five goals at a World Cup finals, which was set in 1986. Villar saved from Iniesta shortly after Spain's goal, but Paraguay did have a chance to equalise late on only for Casillas to smother substitute Roque Santa Cruz's effort.

The Paraguay keeper denied Villa as Spain threatened on the break in the final seconds but a second goal would have been harsh on the South American side, who conceded just twice in their five games in South Africa. Paraguay battled on but David Villa put the winner in off both posts late on with his fifth goal of this World Cup. 

Source: BBC sport

Germany tore Argentina apart to book their place in the semi-finals and, for now at least, end Diego Maradona's dream of winning the World Cup as coach to go with his victory as captain in 1986.

Inspired by Bastian Schweinsteiger and two-goal hero Miroslav Klose, Joachim Loew's side scored four times for the third game at this tournament in what was a devastating attacking display.

Klose found the net only three times in the Bundesliga all season in a miserable campaign for Bayern Munich but he has now beaten that tally at this tournament, as well as moving to within a goal of Ronaldo, who with 15 goals, is the all-time highest scorer at World Cup finals.

After Thomas Mueller's early header, Germany coped with everything Argentina could throw at them before finishing off Maradona's men with a lethal late burst.

Following Brazil's self-destruction against the Dutch on Friday, Germany became the latest European team to see off a highly fancied South American side, and they move into the last four looking in good shape to become world champions for the first time since 1990.

At times this win was reminiscent of the way Germany had ripped through England's backline in the second round a week ago, with Argentina caught out by their speed and incisiveness on the counter-attack as they chased the game.

The only cloud on Germany's horizon is that the impressive Mueller picked up a booking that means he will miss the last-four clash with Paraguay or Spain, but Loew still has much to savour from this match.

Mueller opened the scoring after only three minutes when Schweinsteiger swung in a free-kick from the left and he escaped the Argentina defence to beat Sergio Romero with a downward header that the keeper got a leg to but could not keep out.

Klose, who also won his 100th cap for Germany, should have made it 2-0 when Mueller broke into the area down the right and squared for him in front of goal. But he fired wastefully over, not that it appeared to matter much at that point.

With Lionel Messi finding it difficult to impose himself on the game thanks to the close attention of Schweinsteiger, Argentina's response was largely limited to shots from distance.

They did improve as half-time approached and Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain both forced Manuel Neuer into low saves, but Germany continued to threaten on the break.

Only after the interval did Argentina manage a spell of sustained pressure, and they threatened almost immediately when Di Maria let fly from outside the box and saw the ball fizz narrowly wide.

For a good 20 minutes, Maradona's men dominated possession and Carlos Tevez had a shot blocked superbly blocked by Per Mertesacker while Germany keeper Neuer was kept busy as shots peppered his goal.

But, after wave after wave of Argentina attacks had been frustrated, Loew's side hit back with a lethal sucker-punch to seal victory with two near-identical goals in quick succession. First, Podolski burst into the box down the left and squared to give Klose the easiest of tap-ins to make it 2-0, with the striker walking the ball over the line.

Then, with Argentina still rocking, Schweinsteiger weaved his way down the same flank and crossed for Arne Freidrich to bundle the ball in at the near post. The game was up for the South American side, and neither the jaded Messi on the pitch nor Maradona off it could lift them for any sort of belated response.

Fittingly, the final word went to Klose, who volleyed home Germany's fourth from Mesut Oezil's cross in the last minute - his 14th World Cup goal - after the imperious Schweinsteiger had brought the ball forward again.

Source: BBC Sport

Uruguay reached the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 1970 but ended the hopes of Africa after winning a truly extraordinary match at Soccer City on a penalty shoot-out. Ghana seemed certain to become the first African side to reach the last four of the competition when Luis Suarez saw red after handling on the line in the dying seconds of extra-time.

However, striker Asamoah Gyan, who had already converted two penalties in South Africa, skimmed the crossbar with the last kick of the game. Gyan showed incredible guts to take the first spot kick of the shoot-out but John Mensah and Dominic Adiyiah both had their low strikes saved by Fernando Muslera.

And Sebsatian Abreu then showed iced goal composure to dink the decisive penalty beyond Richard Kingson as Uruguay sealed a semi-final tie against the Netherlands.

Suarez's deliberate handball, which came seconds after he had legitimately blocked one goal-bound effort with his knee, was a gamble that had paid handsome dividends.

It was a truly remarkable few minutes, surely some of the most dramatic in World Cup history, and came at the end of a dramatic, engrossing and occasionally bad-tempered contest. Both teams enjoyed periods in the ascendancy - and both were guilty of wasting numerous opportunities.

Sulley Muntari, almost kicked out of the squad after criticising coach Milovan Rajevac earlier in the competition, struck a long-range opener on the stroke of half-time, while the impressive Diego Forlan equalised with a free-kick 10 minutes after the restart.

And Uruguay's eventual shoot-out victory, the second of the competition after Paraguay defeated Japan, ended Africa's participation at this tournament, much to the huge disappointment of the vast majority of the Johannesburg crowd.

La Celeste controlled the early part of the contest and their early endeavours twice brought them close to scoring but each time they were denied by Kingson.

The first came was a reaction save after Mensah inadvertently deflected a corner towards his own goal and the second an athletic finger-tip effort to deny Suarez, who will be suspended for the semi-final, after the striker capitalised on a slip by Isaac Vorsah.

But the South American side, already without injured defender Diego Godin, lost skipper Diego Lugano to injury towards the end of the first half, his withdrawal coming at a time when the Black Stars had started to find a foothold in the match. Rajevac's side had offered almost nothing in attack until Vorsah, recalled in defence in place of the suspended Jonathan Mensah, headed wide from a corner just before the half-hour mark.

Gyan then narrowly missed after the industrious Kevin-Prince Boateng picked him out in front of the deep-sitting Uruguay defence with a square ball, while Mutari headed wide after a raking pass picked him out Even so, it looked as though the match would be goalless at the break until Muntari, gifted the time to assess his options, unleashed his vicious strike that caught Muslera off guard.

Uruguay brought on Nicolas Lodeiro at the break and the game quickly became stretched as Tabarez's team searched for an equaliser.

Edinson Cavani felt he should have been awarded a penalty after he went down under a challenge from Vorsah, but there was no doubt about Forlan's free-kick from a wide angle that drew his team level.

Ghana had repeated opportunities to strike on the counter but wasted a series of excellent positions with poor pass selection, while Gyan tangled repeatedly with several members of the Uruguay defence. Uruguay created two good chances for Suarez but he could only guide a cross from Forlan into the side netting at the far post and drilled a strike that Kingson palmed over.

Andres Scotti blocked a shot from Gyan in the first half of extra-time and, minutes before the shoot-out, almost kicked the ball into his own net as he tried to clear it away from the dangerous Ghana striker.

The Black Stars were dominant in the closing minutes of extra-time as their opponents visibly tired and after Suarez twice denied Adiyiah, once illegally, the match took its dramatic final twist.

Source: BBC Sport