JOHANNESBURG -- The World Cup total stadium attendance will pass 3 million at the Germany-Spain semifinal match on Wednesday.
FIFA says 2,997,000 people have attended the first 61 matches, for an average of 49,134 with three games left to play.
The figures place South Africa third in both categories, behind the 1994 tournament in the United States and the 2006 edition in Germany.
South Africa had a total capacity of 3.42 million but few matches have totally filled stadiums.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Snoop Dogg pursues Coronation Street role
US hip hop star Snoop Dogg has revealed he is a fan of Coronation Street and wants a cameo part in the show.
Snoop told fans during a visit to Manchester, ahead a concert at the city's Apollo, that he had asked his agent to negotiate him a role.
Snoop, who has followed the soap for 11 years, believed that Granada TV producers had responded with interest.
A spokeswoman for Granada said: "He's obviously a great character but hard to see how he'd fit into Weatherfield."
She said they had yet to receive an approach from the performer, whose real name is Calvin Broadus.
Continue reading the main story
I love the whole dynamic, the way it is put together
Snoop Dogg
He said: "I had my agent reach out to them to see if they could try to get me on and they said they were interested so hopefully it might happen.
"It would be perfect for me to be on the show.
"I love the whole dynamic, the way it is put together, it is my world, it is something I could fall into."
The 38-year-old recorded a video message to mark the show's 50th birthday earlier this year.
While in Greater Manchester, the rapper also visited Salford's Ordsall Community Centre, where he played football with young volunteers.
The teenagers had given up their time to paint the centre in exchange for tickets to his Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube concert.
Snoop told fans during a visit to Manchester, ahead a concert at the city's Apollo, that he had asked his agent to negotiate him a role.
Snoop, who has followed the soap for 11 years, believed that Granada TV producers had responded with interest.
A spokeswoman for Granada said: "He's obviously a great character but hard to see how he'd fit into Weatherfield."
She said they had yet to receive an approach from the performer, whose real name is Calvin Broadus.
Continue reading the main story
I love the whole dynamic, the way it is put together
Snoop Dogg
He said: "I had my agent reach out to them to see if they could try to get me on and they said they were interested so hopefully it might happen.
"It would be perfect for me to be on the show.
"I love the whole dynamic, the way it is put together, it is my world, it is something I could fall into."
The 38-year-old recorded a video message to mark the show's 50th birthday earlier this year.
While in Greater Manchester, the rapper also visited Salford's Ordsall Community Centre, where he played football with young volunteers.
The teenagers had given up their time to paint the centre in exchange for tickets to his Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube concert.
Brazil footballer surrenders in missing woman case
The goalkeeper of Brazil's most popular football team has surrendered to the police in connection with the disappearance of his former lover.
Bruno Fernandes, who plays for Rio de Janeiro's Flamengo, is being investigated after Eliza Samudio went missing nearly a month ago.
A teenage cousin of the footballer told police she had been abducted and was dead.
Ms Samudio had said that the married footballer was the father of her baby.
'Clear conscience'
The goalkeeper walked into a Rio police station on Wednesday night, shortly after a warrant for his arrest was issued.
Police had earlier arrested his wife, Dayane Souza, and several of his friends.
The warrants were issued after a 17-year-old cousin of Mr Fernandes told police that he had taken part in Ms Samudio's abduction with a friend of the footballer, Luiz Henrique Ferreira Romao.
According to police, the youth told them that Ms Samudio was dead but did not say how she died, nor where her body was.
On Monday, Mr Fernandes told Brazilian radio that he had a "clear conscience. In the future I'll be able to laugh at all this".
The BBC's Ana Pisarro says the case has transfixed the Brazilian media, combining as it does all the ingredients of a Brazilian TV soap opera.
US to access Europeans' bank data in new deal
Euro MPs have approved a new deal to allow US anti-terror investigators to access Europeans' bank data.
The vote followed tough negotiations with US authorities after a previous agreement was blocked by the European Parliament in February.
EU negotiators say the new deal gives EU officials authority to monitor the US investigators' actions.
The deal gives the US access to bulk data from Swift, a firm that handles millions of bank transactions daily.
Washington says the Swift deal is crucial to fighting terrorism, as part of the US Terrorist Financing Tracking Programme (TFTP) set up after the September 2001 attacks on the US.
Privacy concerns
Top US officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, lobbied the EU over the data transfer deal.
Continue reading the main story
This sends the right signals about our resolve in fighting terrorism and our commitment to remaining a strong partner of the United States
Timothy Kirkhope UK Conservative MEP Q&A: US data deal with Europe
The agreement was passed with 484 MEPs in favour and 109 against. There were 12 abstentions.
In February Euro MPs rejected an earlier draft agreement, saying the privacy safeguards were inadequate.
The fact that the US was secretly accessing Swift bank data did not come to light until 2006.
Under the new deal, the EU police agency Europol will assess whether specific data requests are necessary for the fight against terrorism before the data is sent to the US, the European Commission says.
The Commission will appoint EU officials to monitor the US investigators' actions.
There is also a requirement that bulk data can never be sent to third countries.
EU citizens who believe their data has been misused will have the right to legal action in the US courts.
'Sends right signals'
The Commission says the data transferred under TFTP can include identifying information about the originator and/or recipient of the transaction, including name, address, national identification number and other personal data related to financial messages.
A German Liberal MEP, Alexander Alvaro, said the deal "will ensure that terrorist financing can be traced back to its sources, but it will not affect day-to-day bank transfers of EU citizens".
And the leader of the UK Conservative MEPs, Timothy Kirkhope, said it "sends the right signals about our resolve in fighting terrorism and our commitment to remaining a strong partner of the United States".
The lobby group European Digital Rights (EDRI) says the new deal is still not restrictive enough. It will allow a great deal of data to be transferred to the US, EDRI says, doubting that aggrieved EU citizens will get any legal redress in the US.
EDRI also says Europol is the wrong vehicle to vet US anti-terror requests, because Europol itself will be able to request data from US searches, and that "drastically reduces any incentive to limit the transferred amount of data".
A judicial body, not the police, should be in charge, it argues.
BBC NEWS
The vote followed tough negotiations with US authorities after a previous agreement was blocked by the European Parliament in February.
EU negotiators say the new deal gives EU officials authority to monitor the US investigators' actions.
The deal gives the US access to bulk data from Swift, a firm that handles millions of bank transactions daily.
Washington says the Swift deal is crucial to fighting terrorism, as part of the US Terrorist Financing Tracking Programme (TFTP) set up after the September 2001 attacks on the US.
Privacy concerns
Top US officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, lobbied the EU over the data transfer deal.
Continue reading the main story
This sends the right signals about our resolve in fighting terrorism and our commitment to remaining a strong partner of the United States
Timothy Kirkhope UK Conservative MEP Q&A: US data deal with Europe
The agreement was passed with 484 MEPs in favour and 109 against. There were 12 abstentions.
In February Euro MPs rejected an earlier draft agreement, saying the privacy safeguards were inadequate.
The fact that the US was secretly accessing Swift bank data did not come to light until 2006.
Under the new deal, the EU police agency Europol will assess whether specific data requests are necessary for the fight against terrorism before the data is sent to the US, the European Commission says.
The Commission will appoint EU officials to monitor the US investigators' actions.
There is also a requirement that bulk data can never be sent to third countries.
EU citizens who believe their data has been misused will have the right to legal action in the US courts.
'Sends right signals'
The Commission says the data transferred under TFTP can include identifying information about the originator and/or recipient of the transaction, including name, address, national identification number and other personal data related to financial messages.
A German Liberal MEP, Alexander Alvaro, said the deal "will ensure that terrorist financing can be traced back to its sources, but it will not affect day-to-day bank transfers of EU citizens".
And the leader of the UK Conservative MEPs, Timothy Kirkhope, said it "sends the right signals about our resolve in fighting terrorism and our commitment to remaining a strong partner of the United States".
The lobby group European Digital Rights (EDRI) says the new deal is still not restrictive enough. It will allow a great deal of data to be transferred to the US, EDRI says, doubting that aggrieved EU citizens will get any legal redress in the US.
EDRI also says Europol is the wrong vehicle to vet US anti-terror requests, because Europol itself will be able to request data from US searches, and that "drastically reduces any incentive to limit the transferred amount of data".
A judicial body, not the police, should be in charge, it argues.
BBC NEWS
Solar-powered plane lands safely after 26-hour flight
An experimental solar-powered aircraft launched on Wednesday has landed safely in Switzerland after successfully flying through the night.
The feat is a step toward the makers' aim of circling the globe using the power of the Sun to fuel the plane.
The aircraft used super-efficient solar cells and batteries to stay in the air after the Sun's rays had faded.
The plane touched down at an airfield about 30 miles (50 km) from the Swiss capital Bern at 0900 (0700 GMT).
The plane landed at Payerne airport after a total flight time of 26 hours.
During the flight it reached a height of 8,700 m (28,543 ft).
Assistants rushed to stabilise the experimental aircraft as it touched down, ensuring that its huge 63m (207ft) wingspan did not scrape the ground and topple the plane.
It is the longest and highest flight recorded by a solar-powered plane.
The four-engine aircraft was steered by Andre Borschberg, a former fighter jet pilot from Switzerland.
The plane has 12,000 solar cells arranged on its wingspan which collected enough energy to power the plane for the flight.
'Perpetual flight'
Previous flights of Solar Impulse have included a brief "flea hop" and a longer airborne test earlier this year. But this week's attempt was described as a "milestone" by the team.
The designers, the Solar Impulse team led by Mr Borschberg and fellow aviator Bertrand Piccard, say that this proves that a plane can be kept in the air around the clock.
Continue reading the main story
Nothing can prevent us from another day and night, and the myth of perpetual flight
Bertrand Piccard Solar Impulse Solar 24-hour test flight starts
"It's the first time ever that a [manned] solar airplane has flown through the night," Mr Piccard told journalists.
"That was the moment that proved the mission was successful, we made it."
The plane emerged from the darkness of night with three hours power remaining in its batteries, more than had been expected.
"Nothing can prevent us from another day and night, and the myth of perpetual flight."
The team will now build a new, more advanced, model of the plane.
They aim to circumnavigate the globe by 2013.
BBC News
The feat is a step toward the makers' aim of circling the globe using the power of the Sun to fuel the plane.
The aircraft used super-efficient solar cells and batteries to stay in the air after the Sun's rays had faded.
The plane touched down at an airfield about 30 miles (50 km) from the Swiss capital Bern at 0900 (0700 GMT).
The plane landed at Payerne airport after a total flight time of 26 hours.
During the flight it reached a height of 8,700 m (28,543 ft).
Assistants rushed to stabilise the experimental aircraft as it touched down, ensuring that its huge 63m (207ft) wingspan did not scrape the ground and topple the plane.
It is the longest and highest flight recorded by a solar-powered plane.
The four-engine aircraft was steered by Andre Borschberg, a former fighter jet pilot from Switzerland.
The plane has 12,000 solar cells arranged on its wingspan which collected enough energy to power the plane for the flight.
'Perpetual flight'
Previous flights of Solar Impulse have included a brief "flea hop" and a longer airborne test earlier this year. But this week's attempt was described as a "milestone" by the team.
The designers, the Solar Impulse team led by Mr Borschberg and fellow aviator Bertrand Piccard, say that this proves that a plane can be kept in the air around the clock.
Continue reading the main story
Nothing can prevent us from another day and night, and the myth of perpetual flight
Bertrand Piccard Solar Impulse Solar 24-hour test flight starts
"It's the first time ever that a [manned] solar airplane has flown through the night," Mr Piccard told journalists.
"That was the moment that proved the mission was successful, we made it."
The plane emerged from the darkness of night with three hours power remaining in its batteries, more than had been expected.
"Nothing can prevent us from another day and night, and the myth of perpetual flight."
The team will now build a new, more advanced, model of the plane.
They aim to circumnavigate the globe by 2013.
BBC News
Nigerian man arrested with bags carrying 70 dead babies
A man carrying bags containing more than 70 dead babies has been arrested in Nigeria.
He was employed by the Lagos University Teaching Hospital to take the corpses to a cemetery.
The worker was allegedly trying to dump the corpses as he could not afford burial fees.
A hospital spokesman said it was co-operating with police investigations into the incident.
A BBC correspondent in Lagos says many families are too devastated to deal with the dead babies and others cannot afford morgue fees, so abandon them outside hospitals. Hospitals hire contractors to bury the corpses.
'Embarrassment'
A police preliminary investigation also led to the arrest of some workers in the Department of Morbid and Anatomy at the teaching hospital, said Lagos state police public relations officer Frank Mba.
He also said that the suspect had not intended to use the bodies in any rituals.
"We are sure that the suspect is neither a ritualist nor a murderer nor a trafficker. Other contending issues like corruption and abuse of office will be investigated," Mr Mba added.
The hospital described the incident as an embarrassment to the organisation.
The BBC's Fidelis Mbah says there's been a state of shock and disbelief among people in Lagos who cannot believe that a hospital with the magnitude of Lagos University Teaching Hospital would allow a contactor to handle that many corpses without supervision from its staff.
Source: BBC News
He was employed by the Lagos University Teaching Hospital to take the corpses to a cemetery.
The worker was allegedly trying to dump the corpses as he could not afford burial fees.
A hospital spokesman said it was co-operating with police investigations into the incident.
A BBC correspondent in Lagos says many families are too devastated to deal with the dead babies and others cannot afford morgue fees, so abandon them outside hospitals. Hospitals hire contractors to bury the corpses.
'Embarrassment'
A police preliminary investigation also led to the arrest of some workers in the Department of Morbid and Anatomy at the teaching hospital, said Lagos state police public relations officer Frank Mba.
He also said that the suspect had not intended to use the bodies in any rituals.
"We are sure that the suspect is neither a ritualist nor a murderer nor a trafficker. Other contending issues like corruption and abuse of office will be investigated," Mr Mba added.
The hospital described the incident as an embarrassment to the organisation.
The BBC's Fidelis Mbah says there's been a state of shock and disbelief among people in Lagos who cannot believe that a hospital with the magnitude of Lagos University Teaching Hospital would allow a contactor to handle that many corpses without supervision from its staff.
Source: BBC News
Caster Semenya is a girl, suprised!!!
By Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Johannesburg South African runner Caster Semenya leads young Ivorian athletes in training drills at a stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast Thursday, May 27, 2010
South Africa breathed a collective sigh of relief when medical experts said the country's 19-year old "golden girl", athlete Caster Semenya, was free to hit the track once more.
None could be more thrilled than the world 800m champion herself, who has endured nearly a year of media scrutiny and speculation about her gender and the future of her career.
Continue reading the main story
It's time for her to put the last 10 months behind her and begin a wonderful career of international athletics
Wilfred Daniels Caster Semenya's former coach
"I am thrilled to enter the global athletics arena once again and look forward to competing with all the disputes behind me," she said in a statement.
South Africans rallied behind Ms Semenya after news that the International Association of Athletics Federations had called for tests to verify Ms Semenya's gender before she competed in the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last August.
Amid cries of racism, the fall-out was huge and politicians from different parties pledged their support for the young girl from Limpopo Province.
The country's sports minister threatened "World War Three" should Ms Semenya be barred from competing in future games.
And she was hailed as a heroine upon her return from Germany, with people at the airport carrying placards: "Caster 100% female".
'Heartbreaking'
The mood then turned to anger as conflicting reports came out about whether Athletics South Africa (ASA) had carried out the tests in secret, without Ms Semenya's knowledge.
Former ASA president Leonard Chuene was suspended for his handling of the case after it was revealed he had in fact ordered gender verification tests before she went to Berlin.
Ms Semenya's coach, Wilfred Daniels, who resigned over the poor handling of the affair, said collective blame should be taken for the controversy.
South African athlete Caster Semenya, centre, surrounded by local children at her welcome home celebration at the Masehlong village in South Africa Caster Semenya was treated as a heroine in her home village of Masehlong
"All parties concerned should be ashamed of the manner in which this was handled right from the beginning," he told the BBC hours after Ms Semenya's all-clear announcement.
"It would be heartbreaking if procedures are not put in place by South African authorities and the IAAF to make sure the athletes concerned are not exposed to the same kind of trauma that Caster was exposed to."
Continue reading the main story
We need to ensure that the laws of the country are tightened so that the rights of people are observed and protected
Noluthando Mayende Sibiya Woman and children's minister
Many South Africans feel lessons about the importance of protecting privacy should be learned from the teenager's ordeal.
Woman and Children's Minister Noluthando Mayende Sibiya said her department would strive for this.
"The privacy of Caster was violated very, very seriously," she told the BBC.
"We need to ensure that the laws of the country are tightened so that the rights of people are observed and protected in that regard."
The minister had written a letter to the United Nations last year complaining about the "blatant disregard for Caster's human dignity".
"Nobody should be made to suffer in the way Caster was made to suffer in the past several months," she wrote.
Bitter
Ms Sibiya says it is unfortunate Ms Semenya had to wait nearly a year for the case to be cleared up.
"We hope she will continue to be an inspiration to those looking to her as an example of a young woman determined to succeed in her chosen field. I am very happy about this," she said.
Continue reading the main story
Those questions needed to be asked because I'm sure many people who watched her run were asking themselves the same question
Motlatse Motloga University student
Mr Daniels said his former star runner should at last be able to enjoy her achievement in Berlin.
"When we were in Berlin and even after our return she never had the opportunity to enjoy her great achievement," he said.
"Now it's time for her to put the last 10 months behind her and begin a wonderful career of international athletics that we hope will bring further glory to her and her country."
Other South Africans still remain bitter.
"They could have treated her with a lot more integrity and dignity," says Louise Daniels, 40, a florist in Johannesburg.
"I think it's wonderful that she can race, she has got huge talent."
Mpendulo Hashe, 30, a lab assistant, agrees.
"Clearing her to compete is the least that could be done, she was treated unfairly," he says.
"But let's forget about all of that and wish her all the best."
Others feel that the IAAF was justified in asking questions.
"If the tests showed that she has male hormones - then yes that does give her an unfair advantage," says Motlatse Motloga, a 20-year-old university student.
"I'm glad that she is competing because it's what she loves but those questions needed to be asked because I'm sure many people who watched her run were asking themselves the same question."
Another student, Pathuxolo Manana, 22, says he does not believe Ms Semenya was mistreated or had her rights "violated".
"This has happened in the past to other athletes.
"Of course if could have been handled better but it had to be done."
BBC News, Johannesburg South African runner Caster Semenya leads young Ivorian athletes in training drills at a stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast Thursday, May 27, 2010
South Africa breathed a collective sigh of relief when medical experts said the country's 19-year old "golden girl", athlete Caster Semenya, was free to hit the track once more.
None could be more thrilled than the world 800m champion herself, who has endured nearly a year of media scrutiny and speculation about her gender and the future of her career.
Continue reading the main story
It's time for her to put the last 10 months behind her and begin a wonderful career of international athletics
Wilfred Daniels Caster Semenya's former coach
"I am thrilled to enter the global athletics arena once again and look forward to competing with all the disputes behind me," she said in a statement.
South Africans rallied behind Ms Semenya after news that the International Association of Athletics Federations had called for tests to verify Ms Semenya's gender before she competed in the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last August.
Amid cries of racism, the fall-out was huge and politicians from different parties pledged their support for the young girl from Limpopo Province.
The country's sports minister threatened "World War Three" should Ms Semenya be barred from competing in future games.
And she was hailed as a heroine upon her return from Germany, with people at the airport carrying placards: "Caster 100% female".
'Heartbreaking'
The mood then turned to anger as conflicting reports came out about whether Athletics South Africa (ASA) had carried out the tests in secret, without Ms Semenya's knowledge.
Former ASA president Leonard Chuene was suspended for his handling of the case after it was revealed he had in fact ordered gender verification tests before she went to Berlin.
Ms Semenya's coach, Wilfred Daniels, who resigned over the poor handling of the affair, said collective blame should be taken for the controversy.
South African athlete Caster Semenya, centre, surrounded by local children at her welcome home celebration at the Masehlong village in South Africa Caster Semenya was treated as a heroine in her home village of Masehlong
"All parties concerned should be ashamed of the manner in which this was handled right from the beginning," he told the BBC hours after Ms Semenya's all-clear announcement.
"It would be heartbreaking if procedures are not put in place by South African authorities and the IAAF to make sure the athletes concerned are not exposed to the same kind of trauma that Caster was exposed to."
Continue reading the main story
We need to ensure that the laws of the country are tightened so that the rights of people are observed and protected
Noluthando Mayende Sibiya Woman and children's minister
Many South Africans feel lessons about the importance of protecting privacy should be learned from the teenager's ordeal.
Woman and Children's Minister Noluthando Mayende Sibiya said her department would strive for this.
"The privacy of Caster was violated very, very seriously," she told the BBC.
"We need to ensure that the laws of the country are tightened so that the rights of people are observed and protected in that regard."
The minister had written a letter to the United Nations last year complaining about the "blatant disregard for Caster's human dignity".
"Nobody should be made to suffer in the way Caster was made to suffer in the past several months," she wrote.
Bitter
Ms Sibiya says it is unfortunate Ms Semenya had to wait nearly a year for the case to be cleared up.
"We hope she will continue to be an inspiration to those looking to her as an example of a young woman determined to succeed in her chosen field. I am very happy about this," she said.
Continue reading the main story
Those questions needed to be asked because I'm sure many people who watched her run were asking themselves the same question
Motlatse Motloga University student
Mr Daniels said his former star runner should at last be able to enjoy her achievement in Berlin.
"When we were in Berlin and even after our return she never had the opportunity to enjoy her great achievement," he said.
"Now it's time for her to put the last 10 months behind her and begin a wonderful career of international athletics that we hope will bring further glory to her and her country."
Other South Africans still remain bitter.
"They could have treated her with a lot more integrity and dignity," says Louise Daniels, 40, a florist in Johannesburg.
"I think it's wonderful that she can race, she has got huge talent."
Mpendulo Hashe, 30, a lab assistant, agrees.
"Clearing her to compete is the least that could be done, she was treated unfairly," he says.
"But let's forget about all of that and wish her all the best."
Others feel that the IAAF was justified in asking questions.
"If the tests showed that she has male hormones - then yes that does give her an unfair advantage," says Motlatse Motloga, a 20-year-old university student.
"I'm glad that she is competing because it's what she loves but those questions needed to be asked because I'm sure many people who watched her run were asking themselves the same question."
Another student, Pathuxolo Manana, 22, says he does not believe Ms Semenya was mistreated or had her rights "violated".
"This has happened in the past to other athletes.
"Of course if could have been handled better but it had to be done."
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