Potential jurors in a Los Angeles court were forced to do a double-take on Thursday when their court-room duties were enlivened by a jolt of star power in the shape of Brad Pitt. The Hollywood heart-throb reported for jury duty in Los Angeles, his publicist confirmed, before eventually being discharged after the case he was due to hear ended in a plea-deal.
South African markets reeled on Friday, caught up in a global flight from risky assets sparked by credit worries, with stocks falling nearly 4% and bonds sliding. ”Traders must be placed on suicide watch today [Friday], as the [stock] market is expected to bleed heavily during the day,” said Efficient Research in a note.
Sachin Tendulkar was threatening to make England pay for dropping him on 20 as India finished the first day of the third and final Test on 316-4 at the Oval on Thursday. Tendulkar was 48 not out and VVS Laxman 20 not out following an impressive 91 from opener Dinesh Karthik.
Researchers studying bird flu viruses said on Thursday they may have come up with a way to vaccinate people before a feared influenza pandemic. Experts have long said there is no way to vaccinate people against a new strain of influenza until that strain evolves. That could mean months or even years of disease and death before a vaccination campaign began.
Conquered the Comrades and triumphed in the Two Oceans? If you’re addicted to gruelling tests of endurance but feel a bit jaded and in need of a new challenge, look no further. The newest spot to test your marathon mettle is just a hop across the Mozambique channel in Madagascar.
The JSE continued its fall at midday on Friday, taking its cue from world markets, which were retreating further as international credit worries weighed heavily. At midday, the JSE all-share index had dipped 3,18%, with resources tumbling 4,01%, the gold mining index losing 3,01% and the platinum mining index falling 3,11%..
Zimbabwe has cancelled the operating licence of one of its three cellphone firms for having a majority foreign shareholding in breach of local laws, the state telecommunications agency said on Friday.
South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry this week indicated that it was considering building a state-backed, but privately operated, steel mill to compete with ArcelorMittal South Africa and Highveld Steel and Vanadium. According to the National Industrial Policy Framework, the department aims to finalise the feasibility study by March 2008.
One of the country’s top legal eagles has been roped in to help break the impasse between SA Rugby and the players destined for the export market — but a ruling is not expected for a fortnight. Piet Heymans, the chief executive of the South African Rugby Players’ Association, said on Thursday that a decision will not be reached before then.
The advent of democracy and the re-admission of South Africa into the international football family introduced a fascinating dimension in the local football arena. For those who had been in the business of local football for decades, there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.