Monday Babalaz

Rafael Nadal Endures Excruciating Cramps During US Open Press Conference – Rafael Nadal sent a scare through the US Open on Sunday when he slumped to the floor during his post-match news conference because of severe cramping in his leg.Rafael Nadal sent a scare through the US Open on Sunday when he slumped to the floor during his post-match news conference because of severe cramping in his leg. [eurosport]

Usain Bolt Takes Gold In 200m - Thundering around the track in the World Championships 200 meters, the Jamaican crossed the finish line with a time of 19.40 seconds, slicing a huge chunk off his own world-leading time of 19.86 from June. Now imagine how fast Bolt would have run in the 100 meters. [usatoday]

Tony Blair Is Godfather To Rupert Murdoch’s Son - Tony Blair is godfather to one of Rupert Murdoch’s young children, it has emerged in an interview with the media tycoon’s wife Wendi. The information was not made public and its disclosure in an interview with Mrs Murdoch in Vogue will prove highly embarrassing for Mr Blair. [telegraph]

Tourist Ripped In Half By Shark In Australia – A young surfer has been killed in a horrifying shark attack near a crowded beach in Western Australia. Witnesses said the shark – believed to be a feared great white – came up beneath him, grabbed the man, aged in his early 20s, and pulled him below the surface. [dailymail]

Mugabe Will Be Dead By 2013 According To US Cable Leak – The personal banker to Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe has told a former US ambassador that the ageing president had prostate cancer that will kill him by 2013, leaked US embassy cables show. Central bank chief Gideon Gono made the claims in remarks to James McGee in June 2008 – when Zimbabwe was mired in election violence. [news24]

New Zealand Brothels Gear Up For The Rugby World Cup - Sex workers in New Zealand expect to be rushed off their feet as 95 000 sports fans arrive for the Rugby World Cup, with brothels across the country doubling condom orders for the tournament. ”It’s going to be very busy, tens of thousands of visitors, they will predominantly be men and many of them will be looking for some type of sexual activity whilst they are here,” brothel operator Mary Brennan told AFP. [sport24]

‘The Lone Ranger’: $215 Million Budget Decision For Depp, Disney – The showdown over “The Lone Ranger” is coming down to a final financial shootout three sunsets from Saturday. A few weeks back, Disney shut down the pre-production on the planned Johnny Depp-starring big screen remake, unhappy with a proposed $250 million budget coming from director Gore Verbinski. But things might have changed. [popeater]

Twitter Terrorists Could Get 30 Years - Gerardo Buganza, the interior secretary for Veracruz state in Mexico, said it could very well be the “Twitter terrorism” caused by two people who allegedly spread false reports of gunmen attacking schools and kidnapping children. Those reports caused such panic when parents scrambled around the city to get to their children that there were dozens of car accidents and emergency phone lines were jammed. The two people, a private school teacher and a radio presenter, now face 30 years in prison for charges under terrorism laws. [mashable]

Amazon To Expand Wembley Square Call Centre – US online retailer Amazon is set to expand its call centre operations in Cape Town, creating 1400 jobs by the end of next year. The Western Cape’s call centre industry generates an estimated R6bn for the provincial economy and employs 30000 locals. The Western Cape economic development and tourism department aims to create an additional 10000 call centre seats in the next three years. [businessday]

Magoeng Gets Majority Approval – Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng received an overwhelming nod from the Judicial Service Commission yesterday when its members endorsed him to become South Africa’s next chief justice. The JSC will now officially inform Zuma that it has endorsed his nomination, after which Justice Mogoeng will be sworn in. [timeslive]

China Planned To sell Arms To Gaddafi - In the final weeks of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s battle with Libyan rebels, Chinese state companies offered to sell his government large stockpiles of weapons and ammunition in apparent violation of United Nations sanctions, officials of Libya’s transitional government said Sunday. [newyorktimes]

Domino’s Plans Pizza On The Moon – The pizza restaurant chain Domino’s has claimed that it intends to sell its pizzas by opening a store on the moon. Domino’s Japan President, Scott K. Oelkers states this outer-space program needs an estimate of 1.6 trillion yen ($21 billion). Around Y560bn will be need to carry 70 tonnes of construction materials and pizza-making equipment to the moon aboard 15 rockets. [luxuo]