The United States’s professional gridiron league teams have joined Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova and other sports figures around the world in assisting the disaster relief mission for the tsunami-earthquake catastrophe with a death toll that is expected to reach 150 000.
Readership of the online journals known as blogs (short for web logs) grew significantly in 2004, driven by increased awareness of them during the United States presidential campaign and other major news events, according to a study released on Sunday. Twenty-seven percent of online adults in the US said in November they read blogs.
Catherine Liu is 28 and a little nervous, she says, because two weeks ago she split up with her boyfriend. ”In China, it is only [okay not to be married] until 30.” Then, a little forlornly, ”My mother is worried about me.” Liu is a Shanghai success story — well educated, sophisticated, with a high-profile job. A generation of young Chinese women has embraced a sexual liberalism that is alien to most of the country.
Picking up a thumbed copy of The Economist‘s annual roundup of world events, one was intrigued by the prediction that the following year would ”be the year for Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein to fall …” Likewise, it suggested that ”President Robert Mugabe’s increasing retreat from active policy determination could presage a stepping down.” The year in question was 1993. Tom Eaton reckons more has changed than stayed the same.
Ruling parties romped to victory in five elections held in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) last year, which also ushered in the end of the presidential terms of two liberation stalwarts — Sam Nujoma of Namibia and Joachim Chissano of Mozambique. Their voluntary departure has, however, been overshadowed by challenges to the election results.
David Beckham practised on his own on Sunday after flight delays hindered his return and caused him to arrive late for Real Madrid’s first full training session under new coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, the club’s website said. The training session on Sunday was the first conducted by Luxemburgo, hired on Thursday to replace Mariano Garcia Remon.
Manchester United and Arsenal have warned Chelsea that the race for the Premiership title is still alive, despite the cash-drenched Stamford Bridge side having taken an iron grip at the top. Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea go into the final game of the gruelling Christmas and New Year period on Tuesday against Middlesbrough.
South Africa batted their way to a dominant position at tea in the third Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test at Newlands in Cape Town. The homeside notched up 441 runs for 142.1 overs, with spinner/all-rounder Nicky Boje and Jacques Kallis providing most of the runs on the second day.
England seized the initiative on the second morning of the third Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test at Newlands on Monday, capturing three wickets for the addition of 90 runs. South Africa went to lunch on 337 for seven. Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla survived a torrid first half hour in which Steve Harmison was particularly aggressive.
I remember standing, in those last exile years, in the garden of the Jamaican ambassador to England, and witnessing a confrontation between Trevor Huddleston and Anthony Sampson. Why is this of any interest? Well, both of these very English Englishmen had been around in my life for as long as I could remember. Now they have both moved on-to a better world, some would say. Or to dust, just like Sophiatown, as others would have it.