Prime Minister Tony Blair’s likely successor will not reverse a decision to replace Britain’s nuclear deterrent, despite dissent in the governing Labour Party, a senior party official said on Thursday. A parliamentary vote on the issue on Wednesday saw 87 Labour lawmakers vote against government plans to renew the submarine-based Trident missile system.
The Super 14 rugby table faces a shake-up this weekend with the unbeaten Sharks within range of regaining the top spot when they host the Wellington Hurricanes in Durban. But should the Sharks fail, a second South African side in the Northern Bulls, who face defending champions the Canterbury Crusaders, are within striking distance of drawing level with the front-running Auckland Blues.
Relieved by an overnight recovery on Wall Street, Asian markets bounced back on Thursday from their previous day’s plunge amid easing concerns about a slowdown in the United States economy. Investors who had dumped stocks a day earlier in the wake of sharp decline in the US market snapped up shares in a broad rally.
The United States said on Wednesday it is looking at what additional sanctions it might impose on Zimbabwe after a government crackdown that led to the detention and beating of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Rights groups say 50 opposition figures, including Tsvangirai, were tortured after their arrest during a prayer meeting on Sunday.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Wednesday he was ”sorry” for his country’s role in the slave trade. Blair has previously expressed ”deep sorrow” for slavery, abolished within the British empire 200 years ago, but has been criticised by black rights organisations for not going further.
Maoist rebels in central India have killed 50 police officers in one of their worst-ever attacks in decades of insurgency, officials said on Thursday. A large group of rebels hurled grenades, petrol bombs and fired indiscriminately at a jungle security post in Rani Bodli village in Chhattisgarh state, one of several parts of the country in the grip of a left-wing rebellion.
Mamelodi Sundowns went through to the quarterfinals of the Absa Cup when they beat Maritzburg United 1-0 at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday. The half-time score was 0-0. The only goal of the match came from substitute Patrick Apataki. The striker came on for Lerato Chabangu in the 88th minute and scored almost immediately.
Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 on Wednesday to close within six points of English Premier League leaders Manchester United. Frank Lampard converted a penalty in the 28th minute for his 20th goal of the season after winger Salomon Kalou was fouled by defender Micah Richards.
Climate change is of real concern in all parts of the world, but there is disagreement over whether the problem is urgent enough to require immediate, costly measures or whether more modest efforts will be satisfactory, according to an international poll released on Wednesday.
The JSE was in positive territory in just before noon on Thursday, buoyed by the rebound in global markets. Futures buying, related to the close-out that was about to begin at noon, added impetus to the move. At 11.52am, the all-share index was up 2,01%. It tumbled 2,33% on Wednesday after concerns about the sub-prime mortgage market in the US rocked world markets.