Months of scorching drought have left 40 000 children in the Horn of Africa at imminent risk of dying of hunger, the United Nations warned on Monday. Torrential rains last month only made the situation worse, killing many of the cattle that had survived the previous six months of drought and bringing malaria and other disease, the United Nations Children’s Fund said.
Helen Zille (”The ANC is trying to destroy us,” April 28) wants to create the impression that the Cape Town administration is running smoothly, that there are no hindrances to service delivery and that, if there are problems, the African National Congress is to blame.
The Pan African Parliament (PAP) is so cash-strapped that it might have to cancel another session scheduled for later this year, says financial affairs committee chairperson Wycliff Oparanya, who slammed countries for not paying their contributions to the African Union.
Many commentators reminded us on Monday afternoon, and well into the evening, that we would have to accept the judgement in the Jacob Zuma case. It is not as if we have much choice. The judgement is a fact. After what Zuma had said about how women ask for sex and rape in their manner of dress, after his ugly and convenient use of culture against African women and after he had set public discourse on HIV/Aids back a decade, there were ululations in some streets.
Springbok coach Jake White kept to his promise of not cheaply rewarding Bok caps when he named his extended 45-man squad in Cape Town on Saturday. White, though, has kept loyal to his core squad from last season and has only named five new caps, which include Sharks scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, in-form Sharks prop BJ Botha and lock Johan Muller.
Spanish whiz Dani Pedrosa became the second-youngest winner in the history of motor cycling’s premier class with victory in the Shanghai Grand Prix on Sunday. Pedrosa (20) started in pole and pushed his Honda through the 22 laps of the 5,28km Shanghai International Circuit in 44 minutes 07,734 seconds.
Defending world-champion Fernando Alonso made Spanish sporting history here on Sunday when he became the first home winner of the Spanish Grand Prix. The 24-year-old Renault driver triumphed in stunning fashion, finishing a comfortable 18,5 seconds ahead of his main rival, seven-times champion German Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari.
At least 16 Iraqis were killed in an upsurge of violence on Sunday, including five who died in a blast on Baghdad’s Palestine Street that targeted a passing police patrol, Iraqi security officials said. The roadside bombing in the east of the capital missed the police patrol but killed the bystanders and wounded four others, a defence ministry source said.
The Central Cheetahs overturned an 11-point deficit at half-time and restricted the Golden Cats to just a penalty goal in the second period to run out 28-23 winners in their Super 14 clash on Saturday. Two second-half tries and three penalties by replacement flyhalf Meyer Bosman in a strong final 40 minutes was enough to see the competition’s new Super 14 team to their fifth win of the year.
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson admitted on Sunday that his shock decision to take rookie Theo Walcott to the World Cup surprised his coaching staff so much that they were left speechless. The Swede opted for the 17-year-old Walcott, who has yet to make his debut for Arsenal, above proven talents such as Jermain Defoe, Darren Bent and Shaun Wright-Phillips.