Retief Goosen clawed his way into contention at the Johnnie Walker Classic on Friday, lurking two behind Oliver Wilson who leads by a stroke from South Africa’s Anton Haig. The world number six compiled a 68 to sit dangerously in the shadow of the Englishman, who spoiled a perfect score by hitting a bogey on the 18th for a round of 66 to be 10 under for the tournament.
Political connectivity with the African National Congress (ANC) appears to be ruling the roost regarding government deals and contracts, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon argued on Friday. He also said the potential damage that corruption could do was evidenced in a survey by foreign investors, which ”should be sending shock waves through the halls of power”.
The New South Wales Waratahs and the Western Force played out a 16-16 draw in the fifth round of the Super 14 at the Sydney Football Stadium on Friday. The Waratahs had a last-minute chance to win the Australian derby when they were awarded a penalty near the right touchline, but replacement Sam Norton-Knight took a quick tap and lost possession.
Exam supervisors at a German university stuck to rules so rigidly that a man with a bladder dysfunction had to urinate in a bottle in front of 120 fellow students because they would not let him go to the toilet. Overseers at the University of Freiburg told the man that he would be failed if he left the room during the exam.
Tornadoes swept across the Southern United States and killed at least 17 people across three states, ripping up a hospital and a high school, CNN and Fox News reported on Friday. They said nine were killed in Georgia, where a hospital was hit, seven in Alabama where a high school was torn open and collapsed, and one, a little girl, in Missouri.
Fifteen foreigners, including 11 French nationals, a Briton and an Italian, are believed to have been kidnapped in a remote and inhospitable area of Ethiopia where separatist rebels operate. ”A kidnapping or kidnappings did take place,” French Ambassador Stephane Gompertz told Reuters.
The Khutsong Anti-North West Forum on Friday called on African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Jacob Zuma to mediate in the ongoing violent protests that have rocked the Merafong Community near Carletonville, west of Johannesburg. ”This is an ANC vs ANC fight,” said the forum’s organiser, Paul Ncawane.
A new minimum wage has been set for farm workers effective from March 1, the Department of Labour said on Friday. ”They [farm workers] are now entitled to a minimum wage of R1 041 per month,” department spokesperson Zolisa Sigabi said in a statement.
It has been attacked many times in its short life, most notably by a former aide to Robert F Kennedy and the editor of <i>Encyclopaedia Britannica</i>. But now the online reference site Wikipedia has a new foe: evangelical Christians. A website founded by United States religious activists aims to counter what they claim is "liberal bias" on Wikipedia.
This year’s budget was a little more tempered for individual taxpayers. We may have become used to having loads of money put back into our pocket each year, but this year Finance Minister Trevor Manuel held back, covering only for inflation adjustment and the impacts of changes to car allowance and medical aid contributions last year.