With nothing but pride at stake for his team in the Currie Cup, Sharks coach Dick Muir has left out his Springbok pair of John Smit and Percy Montgomery for the return clash against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday. In the first round, it was the Cheetahs who halted the Sharks’ progress with a 29-18 victory in Durban.
The soccer gods in Olympus, if indeed they exist on this lofty perch, on Wednesday appeared to provide a bitterly ironical twist to the much-debated appearance of Shaun Bartlett, Bafana Bafana’s most-capped player and top scorer, in the crunch African Nations Cup qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday.
Michelle Wie, a Koren-American schoolgirl whose power has stunned golf rivals twice her age, turned professional in Hawaii on Wednesday, six days shy of her 16th birthday. ”From the first time I grabbed a golf club, I knew I would do it for the rest of my life and I loved it,” Wie said. ”Twelve years later, I’m turning pro and I’m so excited.”
A new video-enabled iPod is expected to be unveiled by Apple Computer during a press conference next week — though the maverick company is masterful at foiling such predictions. Apple e-mailed invitations that included the words ”One more thing …” printed over a background photo that appears to depict theatre curtains.
European governments have agreed to withhold funding commitments for a new Airbus plane set to be launched on Thursday while negotiations continue to resolve their aircraft subsidies dispute with the United States. ”The deployment of possible aid will not be immediate,” French Minister of Transport Dominique Perben said.
Tropical Storm Stan only briefly reached hurricane strength but by Thursday killed at least 160 people as it roared across Mexico and Central America. Forecasters warn the remnants of Stan can still produce heavy rains and trigger severe flooding and landslides. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Tammy is bringing rain to Florida.
While Leigh Matthews’s kidnapper and murderer Donovan Moodley sits behind bars, an expert detective is continuing his search for accomplices he believes helped Moodley, News24 reported on Thursday. He is searching for a possible witness who could shed further light on who looked after Matthews’s body.
Zimbabwean police late on Wednesday released an opposition lawmaker and at least 16 of his constituents who were arrested earlier in the day for walking to work to protest chronic fuel shortages, their lawyer said. Gilbert Shoko and opposition supporters were arrested as they walked to the city centre, their lawyer said.
Cape High Court Judge President John Hlophe has dismissed as ”utter rubbish” allegations that he racially abused a top white lawyer and told him to go back to The Netherlands. Hlophe said on Wednesday night he had no idea where the allegations came from. ”It is absolute rubbish,” he said.
Scorpions detectives belonged in the police and prosecutors with the National Prosecuting Authority, a commission of inquiry heard on Wednesday. South African Police Service advocate Philip Jacobs said prosecutors should remain true to their role while investigators have to fall under the command and control of the police.