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Goals from Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo secured Portugal's passage into the last 16 of the World Cup after victory over Iran in Frankfurt. Barcelona playmaker Deco opened the scoring on 62 minutes with a vicious 22-yard strike past stranded Iran goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour. And Ronaldo doubled the score from the penalty spot when Luis Figo was brought down in the box on 78 minutes. Javad Nekounam went closest for Iran, who now cannot qualify. But despite their dominance Portugal failed to cap ...

KIGALI (Reuters) - Twelve baby gorillas were given names by Western officials on Saturday in a ceremony aimed at attracting more foreign tourists to the tiny central African nation. Dubbed "the land of a thousand hills", Rwanda is home to nearly 400 mountain gorillas, one of the world's most endangered species, which attracted over half of the country's 22,000 tourists in 2005. Tourism officials ...

Frank Lampard insists England will go all-out to beat Sweden on Tuesday and are not worried about playing Germany in the next round. England only need to draw to top Group B, but that could still leave them facing hosts Germany in the last 16. Lampard said: "It's impossible to go into a game considering getting a negative result - we would be letting ourselves down and our fans down. "I have no preference for who we play. We will be a difficult opponent." Interview: Ste ...

ARGUN, Russia (Reuters) - Pro-Moscow officials in Russia's restive Chechnya region said on Saturday their forces had killed a separatist cleric who had held the title of rebel leader for more than a year. "The so-called president of the Chechen republic of Ichkeria, Abdul-Khalim Saidulayev, was killed today in the course of a special operation," Muslim Khuchiyev, a senior minister in Chechnya's p ...

By Ibon Villelabeitia BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Bomb and mortar attacks killed at least 31 people in and near Baghdad on Saturday in violence that showed no sign of easing despite a security crackdown against al Qaeda in the Iraqi capital. The violence followed a vow by al Qaeda's new leader in Iraq to avenge the death of his predecessor Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in a U.S. air strike on June 7. In the deadliest attack, a car bomb targeting Iraqi army and police killed 11 people. Reuters ...

Tim Henman suffered a disappointing semi-final defeat to Lleyton Hewitt at Queen's Club having led by a break in the final set. Henman had looked on course for his first win over Hewitt on grass in four attempts when he recovered from a poor first set to hit top form. The Briton led 2-0 in the third set but Hewitt came back to win 6-3 3-6 6-2. Defending champion Andy Roddick faces an all-American battle against James Blake in the second semi-final. "It was always going to be a tough match -  ...

Japan and the US have issued new warnings to North Korea not to proceed with a possible test firing of a new long-range missile. Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso and US envoy Thomas Schieffer met in Tokyo amid increasing speculation that Pyongyang is set to conduct a launch. Officials believe that Pyongyang may be planning to test the Taepodong-2, a missile with a range of up to 6,000km. Mr Schieffer urged North Korea not to take "provocative action". Such a move would lead to further isola ...

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Coalition forces killed 45 insurgents at two camps in southern Afghanistan as they pressed forward with a major anti-Taliban offensive, U.S. military officials said Saturday. On Friday, Afghan and coalition forces surrounded a "known enemy camp" in Khod Valley, Shaheed Hasas district of Uruzgan province, killing an estimated 40 fighters, the military said in a statement. "Coalition forces tracked the development of this meeting until there were more t ...

The government has been accused of using the World Cup to "bury bad news" over measures to seize empty homes. Empty Dwelling Management Orders allow councils to requisition properties which are unoccupied long-term. The Tories say ministers sneaked out the announcement the day after England played Trinidad and Tobago in their World Cup group match. But the Department for Communities and Local Government said the legislation had been passed in 2004. A spokesman also denied the powers, which a ...

The person who killed a grandmother in her home in County Down would have been covered "head to foot" in blood, police appealing for information have said. Annie McCartan, who was celebrating her 75th birthday, was found by her two sons at home in the Summer Hill area of Warrenpoint on Thursday evening. Detective Superintendent Tim Hanley said he believed somebody must have seen the killer leaving the area. He said that the person who killed her was "exceptionally dangerous". Police have  ...