Raphael Jacquelin fired a second-round three-under-par 69 to open a three-shot advantage at the ,3-million Asian Open on Friday, the Frenchman leading a tournament at the halfway stage for the second week in a row. The 32-year-old, who led by two strokes at the same stage of last week’s China Open, made the most of balmy afternoon conditions.
Sudan on Friday dismissed as unjustifiable the threat of slapping new sanctions because of the Darfur conflict, vowing to do everything it can to protect what it sees as its national security. Britain and the United States said this week they would propose new sanctions while Russia, China and South Africa are opposed to any such sanctions.
This year marks the birth of a new ”species”: Homo urbanus. For the first time in history there will be as many city dwellers as rural inhabitants in the world. The executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, Anna Tibaijuka, coined this term to describe the rise in city and, consequently, slum dwellers.
Pet owners must not dump food they fear may be contaminated with melamine because it might cause environmental damage or poison animals and people. The South African Veterinary Association issued this warning on Friday and urged pet owners to return all possibly contaminated food to their vets.
Republican United States presidential contender John McCain turned to popular music to illuminate the debate on the Middle East, singing at the suggestion that the United States bomb Iran. ”That old Beach Boys song, ‘Bomb Iran’?” McCain asked in response to a question about US policy on its diplomatic pariah at an electoral campaign meeting.
Rivals for the French presidency made their final appeals to millions of undecided voters on Friday as the official campaign drew to an end ahead of an election seen as too close to call. Right-wing contender Nicolas Sarkozy was leading in opinion polls ahead of Socialist Ségolène Royal, aiming to become France’s first woman president.
Zimbabwe’s embattled President Robert Mugabe won a show of support from neighbouring Zambia with its vice-president calling him one of the world’s great leaders, state media in Harare reported on Friday. Rupiah Banda said Mugabe had shown courage by embarking on his controversial land reform programme.
The Malaria death toll continues to rise in Mozambique, health authorities said on Friday. According to the health ministry’s weekly Epidemiology bulletin published on Tuesday, 96 people died from the disease this week compared to 64 from the previous week.
The Public Protector will not investigate Chippy Shaik over arms-deal bribery allegations, his office said on Friday. ”Advocate Lawrence Mushwana concluded that he could not, at this stage, proceed with an investigation as the ‘allegation’ referred to criminal conduct that German authorities were investigating,” said his spokesperson, Charles Phahlane.
Hard-rock band Guns n’ Roses have pulled out of a music festival in Johannesburg on April 27 and Cape Town on May 1, Big Concerts said on Friday. ”Guns n’ Roses were forced to postpone the second leg of their global tour, including appearing at My Coke Fest, due to an injury recently sustained by the group’s bassist, Tommy Stinson,” said Big Concerts spokesperson John Langford.