“Johannesburg” on The Daily Caller

DURBAN, South Africa — Spain outplayed Germany yet again. (more)

JOHANNESBURG — Spain found just enough of the beautiful game — and a touch of good luck — to advance to the World Cup semifinals, beating Paraguay 1-0 on Saturday night. (more)

JOHANNESBURG — Uruguay reached the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1970, beating Ghana 4-2 in a penalty shootout Friday after the teams played to a 1-1 draw. (more)

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – England and Mexico received a fulsome apology from FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Tuesday over refereeing errors during their World Cup last 16 matches as he announced that FIFA would discuss the introduction of goal-line technology at a meeting next month in Cardiff. (more)

JOHANNESBURG—Everyone in England reacted with horror on Sunday after a missed call robbed Frank Lampard of a goal against Germany. Everyone, that is, except the bookies. (more)

JOHANNESBURG — Ryan Appell stood on an isolated stretch of highway on the outskirts of an old South African mining town dressed like Betsy Ross’ worst nightmare. (more)

For half an hour it seemed as though this morning’s World Cup game might become known as the Miracle of Mbombela. (more)

JOHANNESBURG – Koman Coulibaly will be back on the job Sunday. Despite reports that he would be ferried out of the country or relieved of his refereeing duties at the World Cup, the referee from Mali will be on the sideline as the fourth official for the Italy-New Zealand game in Nelspruit this afternoon. He will back up the referee Carlos Batres of Guatemala for the Group F encounter. (more)

JOHANNESBURG — The flight alone would cost at least 100 times the average North Korean worker’s yearly salary, and nearly as hard to come by is the permission to leave one of the most strictly controlled communist states. (more)

An 18-year-old Indonesian man says he was seduced by a cow, and that’s why he was having sex with it. (more)

Today marks the official start of the World Cup in South Africa. If you’re clinging to hope that Team USA will end the tournament victorious, try an Underdog Martini. This ‘Top World Cup Drink’ is perfect for serving at a World Cup viewing party, or alternatively for drowning sorrows when one’s favorite team gets an unfavorable result. (more)

JOHANNESBURG — Heartbreak intruded on the opening day of the soccer World Cup when Nelson Mandela’s 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani was killed in an auto accident here early on Friday. In response, Mr. Mandela canceled a much-heralded appearance at a tournament depicted as a triumphant showcase for his country and his continent. (more)

Three foreign journalists covering the World Cup in South Africa have been robbed at gunpoint, police say. (more)

JOHANNESBURG — The flights arrive daily at OR Tambo International Airport from New York, Atlanta and Washington, delivering thousands of Americans to their vacations in South Africa. Other jets have passed through Paris and London, Frankfurt and Cairo, packed with bleary-eyed travelers completing journeys spanning up to two days. (more)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — AIDS awareness groups said Saturday they are protesting a ban by the world soccer body FIFA on distributing health related information and condoms at World Cup stadiums and fan events in South Africa. (more)

BERLIN (AFP) – Most Germans would prefer watching their team contesting the World Cup final than having sex with their partners, a survey here has revealed on Thursday. (more)

In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, U.S. coach Bob Bradley announced the final 23 players who will travel to Johannesburg, South Africa for the World Cup. Last night’s friendly match against the Czech Republic was Bradley’s last chance to evaluate his players before narrowing the pool of 30 players down to 23, ESPN reports. (more)

On the highway leading to Johannesburg, Bruce Ngema* pointed to the city’s skyline and asked, “What’s it like in New York City?” We were driving in from the south side, where the highway is flanked by huge yellow hills made of sand dumped from the gold mines that built the city. Joburg now has more skyscrapers than any place in Africa, so I explained, “It’s like this, but with even more buildings.” (more)

A tearful Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the exiled former president of Haiti, announced his intention today to return to his quake-devastated homeland. (more)

The thing about crime in Johannesburg is that you don’t see it most of the time, but when it happens, it’s like something out of Hollywood. Lot Mthembu runs a chauffeur company in the city, and one of his Mercedes has a one-inch bullet hole. How it got there is a typically crazy South African crime story that involves a helicopter, a grandmother and Johannesburg’s notorious private security firms. (more)