Apparently Wilfred Sheed, the critic with the laser-guided lexicon, doesn’t care much for the nihilistic air-kissing that constitutes so much of contemporary literature. And who can blame him? Driven to the wall by an endless succession of front-brained meditations on the pointlessness of hope and endeavour, who wouldn’t reach for the television remote, press it to a temple and end the examined life?
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South Africa again bowled with discipline to restrict the West Indies to a modest 152 for seven from their allocation of 50 overs in the second one-day international of their best-of-five series on Sunday. Courtney Browne, under pressure to keep his place, hit the top score for West Indies of 46 not out from 59 balls.
Arsenal defeated Liverpool 3-1 at Highbury on Sunday to send Everton into the Champions League and end the Anfield giants’ hopes of clinching fourth place in the Premiership. Now Liverpool, who face AC Milan in this season’s Champions League final in Istanbul on May 25, must win the title and then hope UEFA have a change of heart and allow them to defend their crown.
Spanish King Juan Carlos made Fernando Alonso feel like a winner. Although Alonso’s Renault finished second to Kimi Raikkonen’s McLaren-Mercedes in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, the king’s presence at the sell-out event with a 115Â 000-strong crowd made the difference.
United Kingdom banking group Barclays on Monday made its formal offer for a 60% shareholding in South African banking group Absa, offering R82,50 per Absa share. Ordinary shareholders will also receive the Absa final dividend of R2 per share.
It is at the Miss Tiffany Universe pageant — which boasts dozens of gorgeous, lithe, silk-skinned contestants — that one thing becomes clear: Thailand turns out some of the most beautiful transvestites and transsexuals in the world. As they glided across the stage late on Saturday in glittering ball gowns, one might never have guessed that they were all born males.
The condition of injured sports journalist Larry Lombaard was described on Saturday as ”still serious, but stable”. ”We’ve been in to see him at intensive care and although his condition is still serious, he’s stable now and looking a bit better,” a family member said.
Armed police and government workers razed hundreds of houses in a downtown slum in Nigeria’s main city, forcing out hundreds of shocked residents to enforce a land ownership ruling, witnesses and officials said. Surprised residents complained they were given no compensation, and were not allowed time to collect their belongings before police set their houses alight.
South Africa, led by the tireless Makhaya Ntini, bowled with purpose to dismiss West Indies for 253 in 48.5 overs in the first one-day International of their best-of-five series here on Saturday. Ntini, one of the two bowling thorns in the West Indies side during the Test series which South Africa won 2-0, was the most successful bowler with four wickets for 46 runs from his allotment of 10 overs.