South Africa coach Jake White has named lock Johann Muller and winger Akona Ndungane to his team for Saturday’s Tri-Nations match against Australia in Sydney. Muller wins his third cap in place of Albert van der Bergh while fit-again Ndungane comes in for Breyton Paulse in two changes to the starting line-up that lost 35-17 to New Zealand two weeks ago.
He may be one of the most influential politicians in the world but even British Prime Minister Tony Blair succumbed to the larger-than-life charms of movie star turned California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Blair met the former body-builder this week to launch an agreement between California and Britain to reduce global warming.
A massive cold front sweeping across South Africa has brought freezing conditions to much of the country, with snow reported as far north as Bloemfontein in the Free State and parts of Gauteng, as well as reports of serious flooding in the southern Cape and a tornado in Dullstroom in Mpumalanga.
The heat is on for United States Ryder Cup hopefuls with just three nerve-jangling tournaments remaining before the 12-man team is decided. After this month’s PGA Championship at Medinah in Illinois, the top 10 in the Cup standings will automatically qualify to take on Europe at the K Club in Ireland from September 22-24.
South Africa’s Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) reported on Wednesday that a raid took place last week by four Zimbabwe police officers on the office of its counterpart, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). Cosatu said the policemen confiscated over 2 000 flyers which contained information about the ZCTU’s campaign against high taxation.
Kumba Resources will meet with striking trade unions on Wednesday to discuss a final revised wage-settlement offer made by the resources company on Thursday and Friday last week. The unions involved are National Union of Mineworkers, Solidarity, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and the Building, Allied, Mining and Construction Workers’ Union.
Wild buffalo have taken over a small town in Canada’s far north, but unlike stray cats, pigeons, and other nuisance animals, these massive bovine pests can smash a truck, a local official said on Tuesday. The so-called wood bison wandered into Fort Providence in the North-west Territories in May.
A spokesperson from the South African Reserve Bank has confirmed Wednesday’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting had started and everything is "running according to schedule". A survey of 13 economists by I-Net Bridge has found that the consensus forecast is for a 50 basis point rate-hike on Thursday.
Second seed Maria Sharapova overcame a slow start against fellow Russian Vasilisa Bardina before reeling off 10 of the last 11 games to record a 6-4 6-1 second-round victory at the Acura Classic on Tuesday. Earlier, eighth seed Martina Hingis marched into the third round with a 6-2 6-3 win over American Meilen Tu.
Fidel Castro told his people he was in good spirits and stable after surgery that has raised speculation his illness might be the beginning of the end of his 47-year rule. Days short of his 80th birthday, Castro issued a statement on Tuesday playing down talk he might be at death’s door after an operation to halt stomach bleeding that forced him to temporarily relinquish power to his 75-year-old brother, Raul.