Iraq roped in disenchanted Sunni Arabs for last-minute talks on Monday on thorny issues dogging the drafting of the Constitution just hours before a deadline to complete the charter expires. The talks ”could be the last-ditch effort to strike a deal on the Constitution”, a source close to the negotiations said.
Jacques Kallis will replace Nicky Boje as vice-captain to Graeme Smith in the Proteas national cricket team and will serve in this capacity for a year, after which he will decide if he wishes to continue in the role. This was announced at a media briefing by Cricket South Africa and the United Cricket Board in Durban on Monday.
Africa’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer, Aspen Pharmacare, lifted headline earnings per share by 40% from 103,7 cents to 144,7 cents for the year ended June. In what was described as a record year for earnings, earnings before interest, taxation and amortisation increased by 32% to R831-million.
Everton won 1-0 at Bolton in the Premier League on Sunday to recover from last week’s season-opening loss to Manchester United. Ruud van Nistelrooy scored from close range in the 66th minute on Saturday to help Manchester United get another shut-out victory, beating Aston Villa 1-0.
Five men were injured during an attempted robbery at a jewellery store in Sandton City on Monday morning, ambulance service ER24 said. The robbers ran down the steps towards the Sandton Sun and Towers Intercontinental hotel and shot their way through the hotel’s glass doors to where a getaway car was waiting in Fifth Street.
Supersport United finally ended a four-season sequence without a victory against Moroka Swallows when two late goals gave them a 3-1 victory at a sun-swept Germiston Stadium on Sunday afternoon and entry into the semifinals of the SAA Supa8 competition.
Kimi Raikkonen claimed a dominant victory for McLaren in the inaugural Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul on Sunday to turn the heat up on championship leader Fernando Alonso. The Finn was the class act of the field as he coolly claimed his fifth win of the year, but he could only close the gap in the title race by two points.
Didier Drogba overshadowed debutant Michael Essien to poach a fluke winner for Chelsea’s first league victory over Arsenal in 10 years in Sunday’s Premiership clash at Stamford Bridge. Drogba once again outmuscled Philippe Senderos to latch on to a Frank Lampard free kick and bundle the ball past Jens Lehmann.
Maria Sharapova’s combination of dazzling looks and steely determination has turned the Russian tennis superstar into a sports phenomenon. Little more than a year after she shot to stardom with her 2004 triumph at Wimbledon, the 18-year-old has become the fifth-youngest woman to claim the world number-one ranking.
Roger Federer won his 22nd straight final on Sunday, beating Andy Roddick 6-3, 7-5 for the Cincinnati Masters title and his ninth overall victory this season. Federer improved to 10-1 against Roddick, who tried every tactic but still came up short. Federer has won the past six times they’ve met, including the past two Wimbledon finals.