Free Republic

Paedophiles This one seems like a particularly dark and grisly thriller. At first it was just a few rubbish light entertainers. Then it was a lot more entertainers. Then we had people muttering about the political establishment – and others counter-muttering don’t be ridiculous, that’s a conspiracy theory. But it wasn’t. Now, it’s a slow-motion train crash and an endless series of glacial government inquiries.

JOHANNESBURG (AP)—FIFA will look again at introducing video technology to assist referees after president Sepp Blatter apologized to England and Mexico for the officiating errors that helped eliminate them from the World Cup. Blatter said Tuesday that FIFA will reopen debate on high-tech methods to improve decision-making on the pitch following mistakes in Sunday’s matches in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg. “Naturally, we deplore when you see the evidence of referees’ mistakes,” said Blatter, adding it would be “a nonsense” for FIFA not to look again at goal-line technology with its rule-making panel. “After having witnessed such a situation,” Blatter said, referring...

Boston 'duped' over fake Cup trophy BOSTON (AP) -- Some Boston residents said the felt "duped" after learning that the FIFA World Cup soccer trophy paraded through the city's North End earlier this week was a replica. Mayor Thomas Menino kissed the trophy, and fans waited hours in line to have a $5 picture taken with the trophy when it was brought to the city's heavily Italian -- and soccer-crazed -- North End neighborhood on Tuesday. But the trophy, which Anheuser-Busch is touring around the country, is a gold-plated replica of the actual 18-karat, 14-inch multimillion-dollar gold dome created by...

In an interview with SPIEGEL, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad discusses the Holocaust, the future of the state of Israel, mistakes made by the United States in Iraq and Tehran's nuclear conflict with the West. SPIEGEL: Mr. President, you are a soccer fan and you like to play soccer. Will you be sitting in the stadium in Nuremberg on June 11, when the Iranian national team plays against Mexico in Germany? Ahmadinejad: It depends. Naturally, I'll be watching the game in any case. I don't know yet whether I'll be at home in front of the television set or somewhere else....

Hakan Sukur hit the fastest goal in World Cup finals history after 11 seconds and Ilhan Mansiz added two as Turkey beat South Korea 3-2 to claim third place. A forward ball from Ilhan sent Hakan Sukur clear, who then spun his veteran marker Hong Myung-bo and beat goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae with a left-foot shot from 16 metres straight from the kick-off. It was a disappointing end for South Korea's extraordinary campaign which has sparked unprecedented support from their countrymen. The match was also the perfect hors d'oeuvre for Sunday's World Cup final in Yokohama between Germany and Brazil. The...

BERLIN (Reuters) - A number of Berlin taverns are planning to offer patrons free beer if Germany beats Brazil in the World Cup final on Sunday. Berlin newspapers are filled with lists of local bars planning to open the kegs if three-time champions Germany beat heavily favoured Brazil. "Beer, men, football -- they just fit together perfectly," Marlen Thiem of "Malibu Dream" told Reuters on Friday. She said a free round of beer for all of the 200 expected fans will be tapped every time Germany shoots a goal. Judy Barton of "Schiefe Ebene" said she planned to give away...

JEONJU, South Korea, June 17 — Landon Donovan and Brian McBride both scored their second goals of the World Cup as the United States stunned Mexico 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time. BRIAN MCBRIDE SCORED his second goal of the tournament in the 8th minute to give the U.S. an early lead. MCBRIDE THUMPED THE ball home from 13 meters out in the eighth minute after Claudio Reyna and surprise starter Josh Wolff had combined well down the right in the Americans’ only meaningful attack of the half. The U.S. got a huge break early in...

<p>SEOUL — Claudio Reyna expects one big difference tomorrow when the United States plays Mexico for a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals.</p> <p>"It's the first time we're not going to be playing [before] a pro-Mexican crowd — be it in the United States or Mexico," the U.S. captain said yesterday.</p>