ENGLAND winger Dan Luger has been recalled to the side for the first Test against the Springboks at Loftus Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday. Luger will make his first appearance for England after missing the entire Six Nations tournament with a groin injury. Luger last played for England in the World Cup. Julian White, the […]

THE Nigeria Labour Congress, the country’s main trade union, has called off its five-day nationwide strike over fuel price increases, NLC leader Adams Oshiomhole said on Tuesday. The strike, which began last Thursday to protest the almost 50% rise in the pump prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene was called off after labour and government […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 12.20pm. RETAIL banking in South Africa is under mounting pressure, particularly where the country’s biggest four banks are concerned, the Banking Council of South Africa said on Wednesday. Persistent demands that the banks extend services to low-income South Africans, which produces significantly lower returns than other business areas, was part […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, London | Wednesday 11.50am. MINING giant De Beers on Wednesday called for a coordinated international response to stop trade in so-called ”conflict diamonds” which are funding rebel armies in Africa. In a letter to industry leaders ahead of next month’s World Diamond Congress in Antwerp, De Beers Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer and Managing Director […]

MICHAEL VLISMAS, Potchefstroom | Wednesday 9.00am. ENGLAND set the tone for their South African tour with a comfortable 52-22 victory over the North West Leopards at Olien Park on Tuesday. The tourists’ midweek team played the expansive rugby they promised and scored seven tries in their opening match, with England captain Ben Clarke and winger […]

President Nelson Mandela said on Monday while visiting Finland that he is confident that South Africa and the European Union will reach a deal on a fr

THE Australian Rugby Union (ARU) are still intending to stage the historic closed-roof international against South Africa at the troubled Colonial Stadium here next month, it was confirmed Monday. ARU officials will inspect the new arena this week, but the national body remains hopeful the loose playing surface will recover for the July 8 Mandela […]

THE North-West Leopards team to play England in the Six Nations champions’ tour opener at Olen Park in Potchefstroom on Tuesday, was named on Monday. North-West AJ de Jager, Len van Riet, Johan Calitz, Rudi Muller, Keith Meyer, Roland de Marigny, Eben Verster, Johann Smith, Bertus Pool, Diaan Kruger, Werner Lessing, Casper Oosthuizen, Tenk Hendricks, […]

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan asked the Security Council on Tuesday to force the Rwandan and Ugandan armies out of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He asked the council, “acting under Chapter Seven of the UN Charter,” to demand that Rwandan and Ugandan forces withdraw immediately from the war-shattered city of Kisangani, and from the […]

THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the country’s main trade union, on Tuesday called off its five-day nationwide strike over fuel price increases after the government slashed prices to near pre-strike levels. The strike, which began last Thursday to protest the almost 50% rise in the prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene, was called off after […]