Tropical Storm Alex headed toward the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday, but while it was not expected to hit the oil spill area, experts warned strong waves and winds could hamper clean-up efforts there.

An overloaded bus taking mourners to a funeral veered off a mountain road and plunged into a ravine in northern China, killing 11 people and injuring 31, state media reported on Sunday.

The withdrawal of American combat troops and equipment from Iraq is 60 per cent complete two months ahead of a deadline that will serve as a precursor for a complete US military pullout. Camp Victory, a giant sprawling base on the edge of Baghdad airport, is one of eight sites where US soldiers are sorting through the mass of hardware and supplies that must either be taken home, sent to Afghanistan, or destroyed.

US General Stanley McChrystal issued a highly critical assessment of the war in Afghanistan just days before he was sacked by President Barack Obama, a British newspaper reported on Sunday.

Graeme Swann took four wickets as England pushed for a series win over Australia by dismissing the tourists for just 212 in the third one-day international on Sunday.
Off-spinner Swann took 4/37 in 10 overs in an innings where only Shane Watson (61) passed fifty and captain Ricky Ponting was out for his lowest score of the tour.

Sebastian Vettel stormed to his fourth pole position of the season during qualifying for Sunday’s European Grand Prix here on Saturday.
The 22-year-old Red Bull driver set a time of one minute 37.587 seconds as Australian teammate Mark Webber completed the one-two for the Milton Keynes-based team who have now collected eight pole positions in nine races.

Russian former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova was made to work as she downed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in straight sets to reach the fourth round on Saturday.

Former France captain Thierry Henry said on Friday he felt sidelined after playing only a cameo role in his country’s disastrous World Cup campaign, but insisted the squad were right to show support for Nicolas Anelka. “I felt sidelined. People didn’t speak to me as they used to,” Henry told Canal Plus television in his first interview since France crashed out following a miserable tournament.

Switzerland suffered World Cup heartbreak on Friday when they crashed out of the tournament after a goalless stalemate against central American minnows Honduras.
The Swiss started the Group H clash knowing they needed to score twice to guarantee a berth in the knockout phase but they squandered a host of chances in chilly Bloemfontein.

Uruguay became the first country to make it into the World Cup quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over South Korea at a sodden Nelson Mandela Bay stadium here on Saturday.
Goals in either half from Luis Suarez earned Uruguay, who last made the quarterfinals in 1970 before finishing fourth, a last eight date with either the United States or Ghana — who play later on Saturday — in Johannesburg on July 2.