Iran may be on a high after leaping to the top of their World Cup qualifying group, but their Croatian coach has cautioned that it is too early for celebrations. In Asia’s Group B, they are in prime position for a World Cup finals berth — after an away win against North Korea, a home win against Japan and a goalless away draw with Bahrain.
Only 15 of 120 cardinals in the conclave at the Vatican to elect a new pope will be from Africa, the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) said on Monday. Speaking to reporters in Johannesburg, the SACBC expressed little hope of Pope John Paul II’s successor coming from Africa, because the church in Europe looked on its African congregation as living half in a pagan world.
Pope John Paul II’s funeral will be held on Friday morning, and his remains will be interred in the grotto of St. Peter’s Basilica where popes throughout the ages have been laid to rest, the Vatican said on Monday. Chief spokesperson Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the announcement after the College of Cardinals met for two and a half hours.
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KwaZulu-Natal finance MEC Zweli Mkhize told the Durban High Court on Monday how fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik financed a cash-strapped African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal from 1994. Mkhize was also questioned about a document dated May 1999 that was presented to the court by Shaik’s defence advocate Francois van Zyl.
Another two MPs pleaded guilty and were convicted of defrauding Parliament in a summary trial in the Cape Town Regional Court on Monday. The two African National Congress MPs — Nozabelo Ruth Ntshulana-Bengu and Increase Zandisile Ncinane — signed a plea bargain with the National Prosecuting Authority.
Deja Halder is only seven, but says he’s been a Jackson fan for ”a lot of years”, and did a stunningly realistic imitation during a show of support for the embattled ”king of pop”. He was one of half a dozen Jackson imitators who showed off their talents at the gathering of about 200 fans in a Santa Maria, California, hotel late on Sunday.
Like many Japanese women, Junko waited until her early 30s to get married. When she and her fiancé decided to tie the knot, she set her sights on making a home, putting away some money and starting a family. Fifteen years later, Junko and her husband are childless. It is not that they cannot have children; it is just that they have never had sex.
Put it this way: those who have a love life are likely to live longer than those who don’t. That’s the conclusion Australian academic Prof Marc Cohen came to after reading through the literature on the link between love and longevity. ”Having love in your life will improve your chances of living a long life,” Cohen said.
South African bonds stayed a touch softer in dull midday trade on Monday with the market looking for direction. At noon, the key South African six-year R153 bond was yielding 8,260% – 7 basis points softer than its previous close of 8,190%. The five-year R194 bond was untraded from its previous close of 7,870%.
Phil Mickelson carded a seven-under 65 to move into contention after a lengthy Sunday at the -million PGA BellSouth Classic, which finally saw the weather take a turn for the better. Mickelson is tied with Billy Mayfair (71) and two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal (69). The trio is stalking American Scott McCarron.