Iran said on Tuesday its barring of two nuclear inspectors serves as “notice” to the chief of the IAEA, but added Tehran was ready for talks with the UN atomic agency as suggested by France.

They have braved gunfire, dog bites and threats from people with baseball bats.

The White House budget director Peter Orszag is leaving the administration, a senior US official said on late Monday, in a move that would mark the first departure from US President Barack Obama’s Cab

South Africa were 131/3 in their second innings at lunch on the final day of the second Test on Tuesday, after trailing West Indies by three runs.
The Test headed for a dull draw after Windies made 546, replying to the South Africans’ first innings total of 543/6 declared. The Proteas, resuming from their overnight total of 23/0, lost three wickets that of captain Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla.

India’s Sania Mirza slumped out of Wimbledon as Germany’s Angelique Kerber claimed a 6-4, 6-1 win in the first round of the women’s singles on Monday.
Kerber, ranked 54 in the world compared to Mirza’s mark of 111, was never troubled by the Indian, who was left to rue her continued poor form since returning from a wrist injury sustained in Dubai in February.

Rafael Nadal launched his bid to regain the Wimbledon title by crushing Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the men’s singles on Tuesday.
Earlier, defending women’s champion Serena Williams silenced scream queen Michelle Larcher de Brito with a 6-0, 6-4 win.

Italy veteran Gianluca Zambrotta insisted on Tuesday that the world champions have not even contemplated the possibility of being knocked out of the World Cup.
Having drawn their first two Group F matches, Italy face the very real danger of suffering the ignominy that befell France in 2002 when as holders they failed to negotiate the group stages.

A French minister reduced the country’s disgraced World Cup stars to tears as she gave them a dressing down over their tantrums ahead of their final group game on Tuesday.

Hosts South Africa suffered World Cup heartbreak on Tuesday despite a stirring 2-1 win over 10-man France, crashing out of the competition on goal difference.
It means the Bafana Bafana are the first host nation to be knocked out in the first round of a World Cup despite finishing level on points with Group A rivals Mexico.

Fabio Capello was firmly back in control of England’s World Cup campaign on Monday after a player revolt launched by John Terry fizzled out, leaving the former captain isolated.