Argentina

Five Palestinian children were among 25 people killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza early Thursday, medics said, with most of the bloodshed in the southern city of Khan Yunis.        

Argentina reached their first World Cup final in 24 years on July 9, beating the Netherlands 4-2 on penalties after the first scoreless semi in the tournament's history, with old foes Germany awaiting them in Sunday's showpiece.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauck will attend the World Cup final in Brazil Sunday to back the German side, Berlin said.
      
"President Joachim Gauck will travel with Chancellor Angela Merkel to Rio de Janeiro from July 12 to 14" and watch the final match together, his office said Wednesday.
      

Referee Cüneyt Çakır has been assigned to officiate the World Cup semifinal match between the Netherlands and Argentina, reaching a new high in Turkish footballing history.

Çakır, who became only the second Turk to officiate a World Cup game following Doğan Babacan’s assignment in 1970, will work alongside fellow assistants Bahattin Duran and Tarık Ongun.

Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul was the hero as the Netherlands beat Costa Rica to seal a showdown with Argentina in a heavyweight World Cup semi-final lineup Saturday.
      

Argentina will once again turn to Lionel Messi for inspiration when the team tackles star-studded Belgium in Brasilia on July 5 in a World Cup quarterfinal haunted by ghosts of yesteryear.

By Jonathan Stearns

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said his country will avoid Argentina’s fate of staying mired in economic troubles more than a decade after defaulting on debt.

Argentina scored in the 118th minute to beat Switzerland and Belgium clung on to defeat the United States in another heart-stopping period of extra time to reach the World Cup quarter-finals amid more extraordinary drama on July 1.
 

Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov notched yet another memorable win in his career and reached the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Grand Slam tournament.

In his 1/8 final match, the 23-year old from Haskovo defeated Leonardo Mayer of Argentina in 3 sets (6:4, 7:6, 6:2) to reach his best ever round of the oldest tennis Grand Slam.

Lionel Messi's goals have fired Argentina into the World Cup last 16 but they will look for a better all-round performance when they meet Switzerland Tuesday.
      
The diminutive four-time player of the year has finally sparked for his country, hitting four of their six goals as Argentina qualified top of Group F.