If records are anything to go by then world champion Michael Schumacher faces a tough task to bake his rivals and keep his victorious run alive in this weekend’s British Grand Prix. The dominant Ferrari driver is the favourite to take his astonishing winning tally this season into double figures on Sunday.
Five-time winner Lance Armstrong pulled on the Tour de France yellow jersey for the first time in the race after a blistering time trial performance by his United States Postal team over 64,5 km between Cambrai and Arras in France on Wednesday. US Postal were the winners of the team event last year.
Former France captain Marcel Desailly has denied reports he wants to play for Scottish champions Celtic. The most-capped player in French football history, who was released after six years with Chelsea, said he has yet to make his mind up about his future.
Police in northern Mozambique have enlisted the help of local hunters to kill lions and other wild animals following a recent spate of attacks on locals, a spokesperson said on Wednesday. ”The populations of these areas have lived in an atmosphere of fear because of the high presence of wild animals out of control,” police said.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board has again denied reports that it is putting pressure on chief executive Peter Matlare to resign and disputed that there is a rift between him and the head of news, chairperson Eddie Funde said on Wednesday. ”We reject with contempt sloppy journalism,” Funde said.
The African Union pressed Sudan on Wednesday to ”neutralise” the Janjaweed militiamen and others involved in massive human rights violations in the Darfur region, but said it does not consider the attrocities to be genocide. Thousands have been killed by Arab militiamen in Darfur, an Iraq-sized region in western Sudan.
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Tuesday appealed for food aid, saying many parts of his country are experiencing food shortages because of inadequate rainfall, his office said. Kibaki insisted that his government will ensure that food aid reaches those affected.
Tourism authorities have embarked on an aggressive registration drive to flush out fly-by-night establishments, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal said on Wednesday. ”Tourism establishments that fail to register … face stiff penalties of up to R10 000”, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal official James Seymour said in a statement.
Two days is ample time for people to get their tax returns in order, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) said on Wednesday, in advance of Friday’s deadline. ”Sars offices around the country are also extending their office hours,” Sars spokesperson Sechaba Nkosi said in a statement.
With anger mounting that Saddam Hussein has not been charged over his invasion of and use of chemical weapons against Iran, MPs called on Wednesday for the ousted Iraqi dictator to stand before an international court. ”The crimes of Saddam go beyond the national Iraqi framework,” said a statement.