And so England’s post-season visit to the United States ended on a victorious note and a triumphant one for Michael Owen. The validity of this tour is a topic that will continue to attract legitimate criticism, but Owen will retain fond memories of his time in New Jersey after a hat-trick elevated him to fourth in the all-time list of England scorers.
The hour has finally come for Bafana Bafana to step up a gear in their final round of World and African Nations Cup qualifiers. South Africa meet Cape Verde, who lie second behind them, in Praia, Cape Verde, on Saturday. The preparations for this match did not go according to plan, as the players arrived for training in dribs and drabs.
British Treasury chief Gordon Brown outlined what he called a ”modern Marshall plan” on Friday to boost Africa’s fortunes with debt relief, aid and trade. He proposed erasing all the debt poor countries owe to international organisations.
In his regular internet column on Friday, ANC Today, President Thabo Mbeki said he is inspired by United States President George Bush’s determination to help ensure that the upcoming Gleneagles Group of Eight summit in Scotland will produce a positive outcome for Africa.
Practical outcomes, such as supporting peace initiatives in Africa, are expected from the forthcoming Group of Eight (G8) heads-of-government summit at Gleneagles, Scotland, President Thabo Mbeki told the World Economic Forum’s Africa Economic Summit in Cape Town on Friday.
Teams of hazardous material specialists are trying to extinguish a smouldering heap of sulphur ash in Brakpan on Friday as it spews a plume of toxic gas over the town and the neighbouring city of Springs. At least three people have been hospitalised, said Ekurhuleni emergency services spokesperson Sugan Moodley.
The Michael Jackson trial reached a climactic phase on Thursday as the prosecution and defence presented starkly different views of the singer to a jury expected to start its deliberations on Friday. For the prosecution the trial was ”about the exploitation and sexual abuse of a 13-year-old cancer survivor by an international celebrity”, said the deputy district attorney Ron Zonen.
It is time to vote for parties who declare their financial contributors — at least we’ll know who and what we are really voting for, writes Mike van Graan.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK: There does not appear to be any new jokes in Hollywood, so much of Guess Who will be familiar, writes Shaun de Waal.
Insurgents killed 38 people in a series of rapid-fire attacks, including three suicide car bombings within an hour and a drive-by shooting at a busy Baghdad market that ratcheted up the bloody campaign to undermine Iraq’s government.