South Africa’s premier all-rounder, Jacques Kallis, came through a fitness test, and could be included in the team for Friday’s Standard Bank one-day international at Kingsmead. Captain Graeme Smith told journalists on Thursday that Kallis had been taking a full part in team practices.
Upul Tharanga struck his maiden Test century on Thursday as Sri Lanka recovered from an early stutter to take command on the second day of the second Test match against Bangladesh. Tharanga hit an unbeaten 160 to power Sri Lanka to 302-8 at stumps, along with tail-ender Lasith Malinga on 12.
South African wine producers fear that weeks of power cuts in the Western Cape, South Africa’s wine-making region, may have spoiled production of its white wines. The Western Cape has been hit by blackouts since December when an electricity generating nuclear plant in Koeberg outside Cape Town broke down.
A hard-hitting Kevin Pietersen, along with Ian Bell, pulled England out of early trouble with an 81-run stand on the opening day of the second Test against India in Mohali on Thursday. England were struggling on 36-2 following seamer Irfan Pathan’s twin strike, before reaching 118-3 at tea.
It may not be the secret to eternal youth, but one Italian company claims to have found a unique way to make people’s skin look younger, healthier and even lighter using, of all things, a truffle. The invention, TruffleTherapy, adds to a collection of gourmet products by the Dafla Skincare Institute made from wine and chocolate.
Columnist and humorist Art Buchwald says he’s having ”the best time of my life” after deciding to refuse dialysis treatment and stay in a hospice. ”So far things are going my way. I am known in the hospice as The Man Who Wouldn’t Die,” Buchwald (80) wrote in a column published in newspapers on Tuesday.
Real Madrid’s elimination from the Champions League by Arsenal may signal a revolution at the ailing powerhouse. Wednesday’s 0-0 draw at Highbury ousted Madrid before the quarterfinals 1-0 on aggregate, and looks likely to sentence the team to a third straight season without a major trophy.
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Jacob Zuma’s rape accuser has denied making a number of attempted rape claims when she returned to South Africa from exile. Earlier on Thursday, the Johannesburg High Court heard that while she was a child three men had raped her, and one had attempted to rape her on separate occasions.
China expressed shock on Thursday after Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso called Taiwan a ”country”, and accused him of intervening in its internal affairs. Aso told a parliamentary committee that Taiwan is a ”law-governed country”, the latest in a series of remarks that have angered Beijing.
Small teams of special operations troops will be stationed at United States embassies to gather intelligence and assist in counter-terrorism operations, moving into a domain traditionally occupied by the CIA. Analysts said Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had been pushing for an expanded role for the military since the September 11 attacks.