Ruud van Nistelrooy will know by Tuesday at the latest if he has any future at Manchester United after walking out of the ground rather than appear as a substitute. The 29-year-old, scorer of 150 goals in 200 starts for United since joining in a £19-million transfer from PSV Eindhoven five years ago, left the ground after discovering he had been left out of the team.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored two goals on Sunday to help Ajax win the Dutch Cup with a 2-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven. The win boosted Danny Blind’s chances of keeping his job as Ajax coach. On Friday, a club spokesperson told The Associated Press that Blind’s position would be reviewed after Sunday’s match.
A strong offshore earthquake registering 5,4 on the Richter scale hit the eastern coast of central Sumatra on Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, the meteorology office said. The earthquake, which hit at 4.16pm local time, was centred 46km under the floor of the Indian Ocean, some 129km south-west of Bengkulu city, agency official Hardiatno said in Jakarta.
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A handful of men were among anti-rape activists singing outside the Johannesburg High Court on Monday. Leading the singing were seven kanga-clad women, one of whom shouted ”up with men who support women’s rights … down with women who refuse to think critically”.
The government appears more concerned about protecting its political elite than it does ordinary women and children, says the Democratic Alliance — ”at the same time the African National Congress government is closing down the child-protection units”.
Residents began fleeing Somalia’s capital early on Monday after a night of fighting between a secular militia and gunmen loyal to Mogadishu’s Islamic courts reportedly left 18 people dead and 21 wounded. Witnesses said fighting began when gunmen working for a militia commander fired on a gun truck carrying bodyguards of Islamic Court Union chairperson Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed.
After rallying to another record high at the opening, the JSE surrendered its gains on Monday morning due to profit-taking, primarily in the resources sector. Heavyweights Anglo American and BHP Billiton had turned negative in London and the gold price had also come off its highs.
Three opposition parties are to hold a meeting at Parliament this afternoon to protest against being excluded from the parliamentary programme on Monday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Constitution. President Thabo Mbeki is to address a joint sitting of Parliament at 2.15pm on Monday.
The Beatles’ company Apple Corps lost its long-running trademark battle with Apple Computer in a British High Court ruling on Monday over the use of the famous name and logo. Apple Corps had accused the United States company of breaching a trademark agreement by promoting music products.
The Donen commission probing South Africa’s alleged involvement in the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal adjourned its public hearings on Monday without having heard any evidence. The commission is facing a challenge in the Pretoria High Court by one of nine people subpoenaed to appear before it.