Minister to comply with court over Post Office report
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 17:00:00 +0200
Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri will comply with a court ruling allowing Post Office boss Khutso Mampeule access to a report into governance problems, her department said on Saturday. The Pretoria High Court ruled on Friday that Mampeule was entitled to receive a copy of the report, a successful first legal round in his battle to keep his job.
Shape up or ship out, Gauteng teachers told
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 17:00:00 +0200
Teachers and principals who fail to increase the matric pass rate in their schools will be dismissed, Gauteng provincial minister of education Angie Motshekga warned on Saturday. Motshekga was addressing teachers, principals, pupils and parents at an education conference at the Sebokeng College of Education.
North West to take steps against striking teachers
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 12:52:00 +0200
The North West department of education said on Saturday it would take serious action against teachers and principals who went on strike at Khutsong, near Carletonville, this week. The move follows their absence from a meeting convened by the North West provincial minister for education Johannes Tselapedi earlier this month.
Health and crime on agenda for Gauteng ANC
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 12:52:00 +0200
The state of the African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng as well as three key challenges facing the province -- education, health and crime -- will be discussed at the party's provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting in Germiston on Saturday. PEC spokesperson Ignatius Jacobs said President Thabo Mbeki had already received its report.
Mbeki: Reflect on Constitution on Freedom Day
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 07:33:00 +0200
President Thabo Mbeki on Friday urged South Africans to reflect on fulfilling their obligation to advance South Africa's national agenda as outlined in the Constitution. "Some among our compatriots have as yet not become fully aware of the fact that our country shares an important national agenda ... That national agenda is spelt out in our Constitution," he said.
DA looks to NPA in arms-deal probe
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:27:00 +0200
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will ask prosecuting authorities to investigate arms-deal corruption allegations against Chippy Shaik after the Public Protector refused to investigate. "The DA agrees with the Public Protector that the best oversight agency to investigate the allegations ... is the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)," said spokesperson Eddie Trent.
Krugersdorp Game Reserve owner killed by lions
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:27:00 +0200
The man mauled to death by a pride of lions at the Krugersdorp Game Reserve on the West Rand on Friday is the owner of the reserve, police said. Captain Joseph Mogoai identified the victim as Dirk Brink (58). Brink died after the lions attacked him shortly after 12.30pm. Police were baffled by the incident.
Seremane draws top spot on DA ballot papers
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:48:00 +0200
A draw to determine the order in which candidates' names will appear on the ballot for a new Democratic Alliance (DA) leader was held at the party's parliamentary offices in Cape Town on Friday. Top spot was won by DA federal chairperson Joe Seremane.
Girl biker stops criminals in their tracks
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:22:00 +0200
A petite Eastern Cape girl cornered two burglars with her motor scooter this week, attacking one with her crash helmet, media reports said on Friday. Marilee Hibbers (18), of Despatch, said on Thursday she never thought of the danger in which she could have been. Her only goal was to get the two criminals arrested.
Protest flares up in Khutsong once more
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:22:00 +0200
Youths in Khutsong in Carletonville, west of Johannesburg, have again protested against their incorporation into the North West, police said on Friday. Superintendent Louis Jacobs said the youths barricaded streets, burned tyres and stoned passing vehicles at about midday.
ANC Youth League wants lower voting age
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:09:00 +0200
A renewed push for the voting age to be lowered to 16 will be made at the African National Congress (ANC) policy conference this year, the ANC Youth League said on Friday. "We ... intend to place this position firmly on the agenda of the ANC's policy conference," league president Fikile Mbalula said in Johannesburg.
No fence too high to flee Mugabe's rule
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:09:00 +0200
On the 27th anniversary of Zimbabwe's independence this week, hundreds of young Zimbabweans were scouring the 150km-long barbed-wire border fence with South Africa for holes through which to wriggle free of the hardship wrought by President Robert Mugabe.
Hand over Post Office report, minister told
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:09:00 +0200
Post Office boss Khutso Mampeule won the first legal round in his battle to keep his job on Friday. The Pretoria High Court ruled that he was entitled to receive a copy of a report into governance problems at the Post Office. The report was compiled by an auditing firm after Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri suspended Mampeule.
Report: ANC members to take party to court
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:36:00 +0200
More members of the African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State are planning to take on the leadership of provincial party leader Ace Magashule in court, the <i>Volksblad</i> reported on Friday. Members of four more ANC regions are expected to apply for court interdicts to stop ANC ward meetings.
Afrikanerbond decries call to rename Christian holidays
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:36:00 +0200
Calls for Christian holidays to be renamed amount to a minority of non-Christians seeking to enforce their will on the majority, the Afrikanerbond said on Friday. Managing director Jan Bosman was reacting to comments by the Commission for the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.
Protesters barricade Jo'burg road
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:30:00 +0200
A group of about 150 people barricaded Marlboro Drive near Alexandra on Friday in protest against their eviction from an industrial site, Gauteng police said. "They said they had nowhere to go since they had been evicted from an industrial site building," Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini said.
Legal expert called in for Rasool committee
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:54:00 +0200
The multiparty committee investigating whether provincial Premier Ebrahim Rasool misled the legislature has appointed a constitutional labour expert to help it in its task. This is according to an official in the speaker's office. The committee met for the first time on Friday morning and decided to appoint advocate Halton Cheadle as a consultant.
Warning over dumping of contaminated pet food
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:44:00 +0200
Pet owners must not dump food they fear may be contaminated with melamine because it might cause environmental damage or poison animals and people. The South African Veterinary Association issued this warning on Friday and urged pet owners to return all possibly contaminated food to their vets.
Public Protector holds off on Chippy Shaik probe
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:44:00 +0200
The Public Protector will not investigate Chippy Shaik over arms-deal bribery allegations, his office said on Friday. "Advocate Lawrence Mushwana concluded that he could not, at this stage, proceed with an investigation as the 'allegation' referred to criminal conduct that German authorities were investigating," said his spokesperson, Charles Phahlane.
Guns n' Roses concert fires a blank
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:44:00 +0200
Hard-rock band Guns n' Roses have pulled out of a music festival in Johannesburg on April 27 and Cape Town on May 1, Big Concerts said on Friday. "Guns n' Roses were forced to postpone the second leg of their global tour, including appearing at My Coke Fest, due to an injury recently sustained by the group's bassist, Tommy Stinson," said Big Concerts spokesperson John Langford.
Parliamentarians hear warders' woes
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:21:00 +0200
Warders at Krugersdorp Prison told parliamentarians on Thursday their colleagues might have used excessive force when three inmates died after assaults that took place behind the walls. An oversight committee that spoke to both warders and inmates following the weekend incidents said warders were deeply sorry about what had happened.
SA housing appals UN's rapporteur
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:16:00 +0200
Miloon Kothari, United Nations special rapporteur for adequate housing, was appalled at the living conditions of Johannesburg's poor. “These are emergency conditions … it's worse than I expected,” he said on Tuesday, walking through San Jose, a dilapidated, 16-storey building in Berea.
Khutsong situation calms down
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:48:00 +0200
No violent incidents were reported in the Carletonville township of Khutsong on Thursday, the day after youths barricaded roads and stoned passing vehicles, North West police said. Superintendent Louis Jacobs said the situation had calmed down after about 400 youths took to the streets on Wednesday night.
SAHRC: Hostage drama prompted by pension gripe
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:48:00 +0200
A gripe over pension legislation favouring women appears to have led to Thursday's hostage drama at the South African Human Rights Commission's (SAHRC) Cape Town office. SAHRC chief executive Tseliso Thipanyane said the hostage-taker earlier lodged a complaint with the commission about the legislation.
Wolfowitz 'welcomes' World Bank board probe
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:27:00 +0200
Embattled World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz pledged on Friday to abide by recommendations of the lender's executive board investigating a pay scandal, but left his future course of action unclear. In a brief statement issued after a late-night announcement by directors, the embattled World Bank chief said he "welcomes the decision of the board ...".
Erwin: SAA leases aircraft on behalf of Mango
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:09:00 +0200
South Africa's state-owned airline, South African Airways (SAA), sub-leases four B737-800 aircraft to its low-cost Mango airline on commercial terms, Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin said in a reply to a parliamentary question on Friday.
Tiger Brands to exit healthcare business
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:16:00 +0200
The board of Tiger Brands on Friday announced it is evaluating all options with regards to the separation of the company's healthcare interests, which operate under the name of Adcock Ingram. These options include the potential sale, or unbundling and separate listing of the pharmaceutical and hospital products businesses.
Whose water is it anyway?
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:28:00 +0200
As Nestlé shareholders gathered on Thursday in Switzerland for their annual meeting, growing numbers of voices have been questioning the company's claims on spring water around the world and its effects on local communities. Nestlé Waters North America has been found to damage the environment through its pumping operations.
Africans work to improve fish exports to Europe
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:21:00 +0200
When the European Union banned exports of fish from Lake Victoria during the 1990s, it highlighted the difficulty African countries can have with European health and safety standards. For Uganda, where fishery exports constitute 6% of the country's gross domestic product that kind of trade barrier can seriously hamper economic development.
Exclusive Books acquires Van Schaik Bookstore
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:18:00 +0200
Johnnic Communications on Friday announced the acquisition by Exclusive Books of Van Schaik Bookstore, a division of VIA Afrika Limited, for an undisclosed sum, subject to certain conditions precedent, including Competition Commission approval. Prakash Desai, Johncom group CEO, commented: "Van Schaiks provides a natural synergistic fit with Exclusive Books."
JSE extends gains, led by platinum stocks
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:06:00 +0200
The JSE extended gains at noon trade on Friday, led by platinum miners on news that Switzerland will launch exchange-traded fund (ETF) next month. Hopes that Beijing will apply calculated measures to cool China's overheating economy added to the broad-based buying on the local bourse, dealers said.
Disgruntled aviation workers threaten to strike
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:44:00 +0200
Aviation logistics company Equity Aviation expressed surprise that workers were ready to strike. "I don't know where this is coming from," said spokesperson Herman Fleischmann following an announcement by the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union on Friday.
US campus killer's family laments carnage
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 13:17:00 +0200
The family of a gunman who shot dead 32 people has apologised for the "excruciating grief" inflicted on a United States campus, saying as the nation mourned that he had made "the world weep". "Each of these people had so much love, talent and gifts to offer, and their lives were cut short by a horrible and senseless act," said a statement issued by the family.
Blair aides may face charges in 'cash-for-honours' row
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:47:00 +0200
Close allies of British Prime Minister Tony Blair are set to be charged in the "cash-for-honours" row that has tainted his final year in office, newspapers said on Saturday. Police investigating the allegations on Friday handed a 216-page file to the Crown Prosecution Service, which will now decide whether anyone should face criminal proceedings in the case.
New proposals unveiled for Security Council reform
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:47:00 +0200
The United Nations General Assembly has unveiled proposals that would send plans to expand the elite UN Security Council back to the drawing board and instead enlarge the elite body on a temporary basis. The Security Council, which can make mandatory decisions on war and peace, has five veto-bearing permanent members given seats when the UN was created in 1945.
I will protect you, Sarkozy tells France
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 08:28:00 +0200
On a stage facing a sea of tricolour flags stood a small figure in a pinstriped suit hailed as the greatest orator in France. Slicing the air with both hands and jabbing his finger, he waved his arms like an orchestra conductor, whipping the crowd into a frenzy as he promised a France that would no longer hate itself.
Two dead in Nasa hostage drama
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 07:33:00 +0200
As America held a day of mourning for victims of the Virginia Tech massacre, a fresh gun tragedy was played out on Friday in Texas in which a gunman killed a hostage at Nasa's Johnson Space Centre before killing himself. Described as being in his 50s, the man barricaded himself into the second floor of a Nasa office block in Houston, taking two hostages.
Nation mourns victims of US campus gunman
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:48:00 +0200
Bells were set to toll in the United States on Friday marking a day of mourning for 32 students and teachers shot dead on a university campus by a deranged student. The day of religious services and commemorations comes amid burning questions over how South Korea-born Cho Seung-Hui was able to buy two guns and ammunition.
French presidential rivals make final pleas
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:30:00 +0200
Rivals for the French presidency made their final appeals to millions of undecided voters on Friday as the official campaign drew to an end ahead of an election seen as too close to call. Right-wing contender Nicolas Sarkozy was leading in opinion polls ahead of Socialist S&eacute;gol&egrave;ne Royal, aiming to become France's first woman president.
'Bomb, bomb, bomb' Iran, sings US senator
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:44:00 +0200
Republican United States presidential contender John McCain turned to popular music to illuminate the debate on the Middle East, singing at the suggestion that the United States bomb Iran. "That old Beach Boys song, 'Bomb Iran'?" McCain asked in response to a question about US policy on its diplomatic pariah at an electoral campaign meeting.
Gonzales struggles in fight to save job
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:18:00 +0200
Alberto Gonzales, the United States Attorney General, is struggling to hang on to his job after a disastrous performance before the Senate judicial committee investigating the sacking of eight federal prosecutors. By late afternoon, it looked as if Gonzales, despite his insistence that he had done nothing wrong, and saw no need to resign, was being dragged towards the exit.
Families rebuke NBC for broadcast of killer's rant
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:18:00 +0200
Police, students and victims' relatives turned against the United States network NBC on Thursday for broadcasting the chilling rant of the Virginia Tech killer, as it became clear he had gone to great lengths to amplify his notoriety with a package of video clips, photographs and invective.
London finally decides on site for Mandela sculpture
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:18:00 +0200
A London council has decided where to place a statue of former South African president Nelson Mandela, after five years of wrangling, it announced late on Thursday. The sculpture will be placed on Parliament Square in Westminster, central London, alongside statues of former British prime ministers Winston Churchill and Benjamin Disraeli.
Board meets to decide Wolfowitz's fate
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:57:00 +0200
World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz cancelled a speech to a health conference on Thursday as the bank's board met late into the night to discuss a controversy over the promotion of his girlfriend, which has paralysed the poverty-fighting institution. The bank's staff association, which has led the calls for Wolfowitz to step down, called on the board, which usually operates in secret, to make its decision public.
Abbas: BBC reporter kidnapped in Gaza is alive
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:43:00 +0200
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday his intelligence officials had information that BBC journalist Alan Johnston, kidnapped more than a month ago in Gaza, was "still alive". "I believe he is still alive. Our intelligence services have confirmed to me that he is alive," Abbas told reporters during a visit to Stockholm, saying he had received the information "in the last three days".
EU agrees on weakened anti-racism law
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:41:00 +0200
The European Union agreed on Thursday on a watered-down anti-racism law, reflecting wide divergences among the bloc's 27 states on how to tackle racial prejudice and genocide denial. The bloc struggled for almost six years over proposals for EU-wide legislation.
Historic win for Africa in Louis Vuitton Cup
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 14:50:00 +0200
South Africa's Team Shosholoza has made history by being the first ever African challenger to win a race in the Louis Vuitton Cup, the challenger selection series for the 2007 America's Cup. In a tremendous victory for the entire African continent, the South African first-timers at the America's Cup led United Internet Team Germany from start to finish.
Highlanders cling to semifinal hopes
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 14:50:00 +0200
The Otago Highlanders kept their faint Super 14 semifinal hopes alive when they just held off a fast-finishing New South Wales Waratahs 26-25 on Saturday. Trailing by 20 points with 13 minutes remaining, the Waratahs launched a spirited counterattack and scored three tries to almost steal an unlikely win.
Jacquelin leads Asian Open
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 12:52:00 +0200
Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin put himself in position for a wire-to-wire victory at the Asian Open on Saturday, carding a two-under-par 70 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the $2,3-million event. The 32-year-old mixed four birdies with a couple of bogeys to finish the third round on 11-under, a shot ahead of Australian Scott Hend.
Chiefs edge spirited Sharks
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 12:52:00 +0200
The Waikato Chiefs cemented their position in the Super 14 top four and defended New Zealand's honour with a 35-27 win over the Coastal Sharks in a high-octane rugby match on Saturday. Importantly for the Chiefs, they closed within three points of the third-placed Sharks as both sides came away with four-try bonus points.
Tune try guides Queensland to rare victory
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:47:00 +0200
Former Wallaby Ben Tune scored a try in his final match before his home crowd as Queensland netted only their second win of the Super 14 season with a 23-13 triumph over the Cheetahs in Brisbane on Saturday. First-half tries from James Horwill and Tune, who is retiring at the end of the season, gave the Reds their first win in ten matches.
Jerry Collins cleared of serious neck injury
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:02:00 +0200
New Zealand flanker Jerry Collins has been cleared of a serious neck injury after he was stretchered off during a Super 14 match in Christchurch on Friday.The 26-year-old Hurricanes forward, capped 38 times by the All Blacks, was taken off after a seemingly innocuous tackle during the 23-13 defeat by the Crusaders at Jade Stadium.
Moyes sues former protégé Rooney for libel
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:02:00 +0200
Wayne Rooney was sued on Friday by Everton manager David Moyes for libel over comments in his autobiography. Moyes is suing the England striker after he said in <i>My Story So Far</i> that the manager was overbearing, controlling and ultimately responsible for the player's move from Everton to Manchester United in 2004.
Lara ready for last hurrah
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:02:00 +0200
<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=cwc_home"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/300732/Icon_CWC.gif" align=left border=0></a>West Indies captain Brian Lara will play the last game of an illustrious international career on Saturday when his side take on England in the final World Cup Super Eights clash. Lara, who holds the record for the top Test score (400 not out) and highest first-class knock (501 not out), retires after the match and will be given a huge reception at the Kensington Oval.
A bridge too far for Sundowns
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:02:00 +0200
All-conquering in the Premier Soccer League this season, the journey to the land of the pyramids and the Nile proved a bridge too far for Mamelodi Sundowns as they were comprehensively beaten 2-0 by Al-Ahly in a second-leg African Champions League encounter at Cairo's National Stadium on Friday night.
Hayden stars as Aussies thrash NZ
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 22:37:00 +0200
<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=cwc_home"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/300732/Icon_CWC.gif" align=left border=0></a>Matthew Hayden's third century of the tournament helped champions Australia extend their unbeaten run at the World Cup to 27 matches with a 215-run Super Eights thrashing of fellow semifinalists New Zealand at Grenada's National Stadium on Friday. Hayden's 103 off 100 balls was the centrepiece of Australia's 348-6.
Federer celebrates winning 500th career match
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:44:00 +0200
Roger Federer won his 500th career match on Friday, beating David Ferrer 6-4, 6-0 in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters. "I am very happy to have done it here," said Federer, who reached the final in Monte Carlo last year. "That is a lot of games. I'm glad they are victories."
Louis Vuitton Cup finally sets sail
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:33:00 +0200
After four days of racing lost to poor winds, the Louis Vuitton Cup finally got under way on Friday as the first regatta between United Internet Germany of Germany and BMW Oracle of the United States took place. With a wind speed of between eight and nine knots, the first regatta began at 2.15pm local time in the port of Valencia.
Moores to replace Fletcher as England coach
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:36:00 +0200
Peter Moores will succeed Duncan Fletcher as England's permanent coach, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Friday. Fletcher's resignation was announced on Thursday after England were dumped out of the World Cup following some dismal performances. He will stand down after Saturday's final World Cup Super Eights match with hosts West Indies.
Brumbies keep Super 14 hopes alive
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:30:00 +0200
The ACT Brumbies kept their Super 14 hopes alive with a last-minute penalty from winger Mark Gerrard to sneak past Perth-based Western Force 14-12 on Friday. The win, their fourth in a row, moves the Brumbies into fourth place on the Super 14 table.
Jacquelin in familiar territory
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:54:00 +0200
Raphael Jacquelin fired a second-round three-under-par 69 to open a three-shot advantage at the $2,3-million Asian Open on Friday, the Frenchman leading a tournament at the halfway stage for the second week in a row. The 32-year-old, who led by two strokes at the same stage of last week's China Open, made the most of balmy afternoon conditions.
Relentless Crusaders hold off Hurricanes
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:44:00 +0200
The Crusaders held off a determined challenge from New Zealand rivals the Hurricanes to win a bruising Super 14 match 23-13 in Christchurch on Friday. The defending champions and competition leaders led 17-13 at half-time following tries by forwards Corey Flynn and Ross Filipo.
Lara: Troubled genius in mediocre Windies era
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:44:00 +0200
Will Brian Lara be remembered as a batting genius in a declining West Indies cricketing era who was destined to court frustration with his team's repeated failures? The debate will go on, but there is no denying that he was one of the best batsmen of the modern era who drew fans to the ground with his attractive and audacious stroke play.
Ramaala: Going for gold
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:02:00 +0200
A test of character, speed, stamina and endurance are part of the essentials for South African marathon champion Hendrick Ramaala's quest to win Sunday's London Marathon. The highly rated Ramaala, competing in this race for the fifth time, is going for victory in the race that will set him against some of the world's finest marathon runners.
You've gotta believe ...
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:02:00 +0200
Success in football, as in all sports, is a function of skill, application, self-belief and providence. For Friday's third-round CAF Africa Champions Cup between South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Egypt's Al-Ahly, no amount of divine intervention could be too great.
Do gay footballers not exist?
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:02:00 +0200
If one in 10 people are gay, where are all the gay Premiership stars? It's a question that is often asked, but there are only whispers, dodgy rumours and malicious media gossip for answers. Football, it seems, is one of the last professional environments where you cannot be out and proud.
Six of the best
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:02:00 +0200
Cristiano Ronaldo, who was this week named as one of three Manchester United players on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award, has shown this season he is the "most exciting player in the country", according to the union's chief executive, Gordon Taylor.
Cricket has never felt flatter
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 10:33:00 +0200
The Cricket World Cup is a collection of anti-stories. Its coverage has concerned all the stuff that is not happening: the scintillating world-class cricket that hasn't taken place, that isn't being witnessed by crowds, that haven't shown up to occupy arenas, that aren't finished. Plus, of course, the apparent murder that hasn't been solved.
Sarwan leads West Indies to emphatic win
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:18:00 +0200
<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=cwc_home"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/300732/Icon_CWC.gif" align=left border=0></a>Ramnaresh Sarwan missed a hundred but still guided the West Indies to a resounding 99-run World Cup win over Bangladesh at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown on Thursday to ensure they would not finish in the bottom two of the Super Eights table.
Once more into the breach
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:18:00 +0200
<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=cwc_home"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/300732/Icon_CWC.gif" align=left border=0></a>For now, at least, there is justice in the world, and it looks like this: Pietersen, caught Smith, bowled Nel. The World Cup has given the Proteas plenty to chew on, but nothing would have been sweeter than the sight of the rash faux-Englishman in his little blue pyjamas scratching his way to 3 before being force-fed humble pie by his two nemeses, writes Tom Eaton.
Significant developments in Woolmer case
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:57:00 +0200
<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=cwc_home"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/300732/Icon_CWC.gif" align=left border=0></a>An inquest into the murder of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer at the World Cup scheduled to start on Monday has been postponed because of "recent and significant developments" in the case. Woolmer was found lifeless in his Kingston hotel room on March 18 and later pronounced dead in hospital.
Fletcher steps down as England coach
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:48:00 +0200
Duncan Fletcher will step down as England coach after Saturday's final World Cup Super Eight game against the West Indies, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Thursday. He is expected to be replaced on a temporary basis by England academy director Peter Moores, although the ECB declined to confirm this in a news conference.
Scores die as Mogadishu battle rages
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 14:50:00 +0200
Battles raged across Mogadishu on Saturday, killing at least 73 people and swelling a vast exodus from an escalating war between militant Islamists and allied Somali-Ethiopian troops, witnesses said. Residents and medical staff interviewed by the media confirmed the latest deaths on Saturday -- adding to an estimated 131 others from the previous three days' violence.
Trouble mars landmark Nigeria vote
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 13:54:00 +0200
Voting began on Saturday in Nigeria's landmark presidential elections, hours after a failed attempt to blow up the electoral commission marred hopes of a trouble-free poll in the first post-colonial transfer of power between two civilian presidents. Private vehicles were warned to keep off roads in Lagos and heavily armed troops threw up roadblocks on key thoroughfares.
More death as battles rock Mogadishu
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:47:00 +0200
Shells rocked Mogadishu through the night and into Saturday morning, killing more civilians and sending hundreds more fleeing the Somali capital in the biggest mass exodus since the 1991 fall of a dictator. "There are a lot of deaths. I am carrying the bodies of two family members into my car now," one distraught resident, who asked not to give his name, told Reuters.
UN warns against military solution in Somalia
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 07:33:00 +0200
A United Nations report released on Friday pressed for world support for African peacekeepers in Somalia but warned that pursuing military solutions in Mogadishu was likely to be "counter-productive". "The international community should urgently support the African Union with all means at its disposal," the report by UN chief Ban Ki-moon said.
Nigeria votes amid fears of violence
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:22:00 +0200
Nigeria votes on Saturday in a presidential election beset by fears that abuses and violence will wreck a milestone in African democracy. Concern that Nigeria's first handover from one civilian leader to another would be compromised was underlined only hours before the vote when militants attacked government buildings in Nigeria's oil region with dynamite and assault rifles.
Nigerian opposition sees dirty tricks before poll
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:48:00 +0200
Nigeria's opposition accused the government of detaining its activists and stuffing ballot boxes in the north on Friday, a day before a presidential election in Africa's most populous country. The Action Congress and All Nigeria Peoples Party said the tactics were a repeat of widespread abuses that marred a state election last weekend.
Suspected pirates attack oil-rig vessel in Nigeria
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:41:00 +0200
Armed men attacked an oil-rig security vessel at a facility of a multinational oil company in Nigeria's southern oil-rich state of Bayelsa, officials said on Friday. Unconfirmed industry sources said six people were thought to have been wounded in the attack late on Thursday, while three could have been kidnapped during the attack.
Report: Gono no longer in charge of Zim exchange rate
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:09:00 +0200
Zimbabwe's central bank chief , Gideon Gono, is no longer in charge of exchange-rate policy and will not devalue the sliding local currency when he makes a statement this month, it was reported on Friday. Zimbabwe's dollar has been on a vertiginous slide on the parallel market for foreign currency for months now.
Gorillas make steady comeback in East Africa
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:31:00 +0200
Highly endangered mountain gorillas in the East Africa region have shown a steady resurgence in the past decade due to conservation efforts, a wildlife group said on Friday. The WWF said there are currently 340 gorillas in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to nearly half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas.
Somali deaths mount as leader downplays clashes
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:30:00 +0200
Sporadic shelling and gunfire shook Mogadishu on Friday, but Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf downplayed this week's violence, which residents say has killed at least 30 people and wounded scores more. Bloodied patients screamed and doctors struggled to tend to the wounded crammed into Mogadishu's Madina Hospital after four days of clashes.
Sudan defiant in face of sanctions threat
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:54:00 +0200
Sudan on Friday dismissed as unjustifiable the threat of slapping new sanctions because of the Darfur conflict, vowing to do everything it can to protect what it sees as its national security. Britain and the United States said this week they would propose new sanctions while Russia, China and South Africa are opposed to any such sanctions.
Homo urbanus arrives in Africa
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:18:00 +0200
This year marks the birth of a new "species": <i>Homo urbanus</i>. For the first time in history there will be as many city dwellers as rural inhabitants in the world. The executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, Anna Tibaijuka, coined this term to describe the rise in city and, consequently, slum dwellers.
Troops find rigged ballots in Nigeria
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:57:00 +0200
Troops have intercepted a truck-load of already completed ballots the day before Nigeria's presidential election, the opposition said on Friday, heightening fears the vote will be rigged. The accusation followed widespread abuses and violence in regional elections last week.
Zambian VP calls Mugabe an 'outstanding leader'
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:47:00 +0200
Zimbabwe's embattled President Robert Mugabe won a show of support from neighbouring Zambia with its vice-president calling him one of the world's great leaders, state media in Harare reported on Friday. Rupiah Banda said Mugabe had shown courage by embarking on his controversial land reform programme.
Malaria death toll on the increase in Mozambique
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:47:00 +0200
The Malaria death toll continues to rise in Mozambique, health authorities said on Friday. According to the health ministry's weekly <i>Epidemiology</i> bulletin published on Tuesday, 96 people died from the disease this week compared to 64 from the previous week.
In Nigeria, 'they get rich, we suffer'
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:18:00 +0200
It has taken nearly half a century but Nigeria will finally hold an election on Saturday that sees one elected leader pass power to another for the first time since independence from Britain. As always, the contenders for president are promising things will be different -- and the provision of electricity is at the top of the pledges.
Simon Mann fears for his life if extradited to E Guinea
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:18:00 +0200
A British mercenary accused of plotting to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea three years ago has told a court in Zimbabwe that he will be killed if he is extradited to the Central African country, state radio said on Friday. It was the first court appearance by the former SAS officer since his trial in 2004.
UN: Humanitarian catastrophe looms in Somalia
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:21:00 +0200
A humanitarian catastrophe is looming in Somalia unless heavy fighting subsides and access for relief aid is opened up, a United Nations official said on Thursday. "Unless something is done, the humanitarian crisis is going to turn into a catastrophe very soon," Eric Laroche, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Somalia, told journalists.
Darth Vader returns to samurai roots
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:44:00 +0200
Darth Vader has metamorphosed from an innocent boy to one of cinema's quintessential symbols of evil. But now he's getting back to his roots -- in Japan. A Tokyo-based traditional doll maker, arguing that Darth Vader was inspired by Japan's samurai knights, has designed a pitch-black set of armour fashioned after the Galactic Empire's dreaded enforcer.
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