![]()
Germany recorded a third straight win to finish top of World Cup Group A with their Polish connection of Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski gunning down a weakened Ecuador 3-0 on Tuesday. Both teams had already qualified for the last 16 of the competition but Germany go into the second round with wind in their sails.
![]()
Two goals from defender Bartosz Bosacki — his first for his country — gave Poland a comeback 2-1 victory over Costa Rica in their nothing-at-stake Group A encounter on Tuesday. With Germany and Ecuador having already qualified for the last 16, the teams were playing for the futures of their under-fire coaches and to avoid last spot in the group.
The former prosecutor who drew up the war-crimes indictment against Charles Taylor said on Tuesday that the former Liberian president’s trial was likely to shed light on the activities of Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi and a network of war profiteers.
Italy announced a new blow against the Sicilian Mafia with 45 arrests on Tuesday, including 16 alleged clan leaders, two months after the man said to be the network’s top boss was seized in a major coup. A dawn raid by 500 armed officers rounded up the suspects on the Mediterranean island.
Members of the West Indies team chosen for the third Test against India, starting at Warner Park on Thursday, have given the West Indies board until Wednesday to settle matters related to their contracts or face some kind of ”industrial action”. The players have been playing the current series against Rahul Dravid’s side without either a retainer or match/tour contract in place.
Crude futures rose on Tuesday over Iran concerns after United States President George Bush warned that nations worldwide will not back down from their demand that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment. Worries over Iran’s nuclear ambitions have clouded the outlook for the nation’s oil exports.
The Department of Transport is committed to the introduction of a nationwide, integrated fare-collection system that would include the taxi industry in the taxi-industry subsidy net, Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe reported on Tuesday. The ticketing system is included in the department’s 2006-to-2009 strategic plan.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) on Tuesday said it was upset at the African National Congress’s response to its critique of the state of the tripartite alliance. The response, titled Does the Alliance Share Common Objectives?, was given at a bilateral ANC national working committee/SACP politburo meeting on Monday.
Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald said on Tuesday he would not withdraw a remark — accusing Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula of being a racist — and was asked to remove himself from the National Assembly. This follows a recent clash in the assembly in which Groenewald accused the minister of undermining democracy.
Invalid decisions by the Free State premier, unlawful payments by two Northern Cape municipalities and problems at the Commission on Gender Equality were the major focus of reports released by Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana on Tuesday. He has also completed his probe into Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka’s controversial trip to the United Arab Emirates.