Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that Russia was developing a nuclear missile system that he claimed was unrivalled in the world. The president said Russia was ”testing the most up-to-date nuclear missile systems” which would be put into service ”in the next few years”.

World number one Roger Federer won his 20th consecutive match over a top-10 opponent, downing Lleyton Hewitt for the fifth time in a row to book a semifinal spot at the ATP Masters Cup. The 23-year-old Swiss defending champion beat Hewitt 6-3, 6-4 in Houston on Wednesday.

Mark Boucher, who has been threatening to deliver a substantial innings all season, exploded into action at Sahara Oval St George’s on Wednesday night, smashing 77 off 54 balls to help the Warriors secure their first victory of the season in their Standard Bank Cup limited-overs cricket match against Western Province-Boland.

Cycling fever is reaching an all-time high in Johannesburg with the world’s second-biggest timed cycle race, the Pick ‘n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge, taking place in Johannesburg on Sunday. The race, often referred to as ”Jo’burg’s Toughest”, has experienced phenomenal growth, with 25 000 entries in its eighth year.

Young Russians are reluctant to be weaned off cigarettes and a drive to persuade them hand over their packets of fags in return for sweets on Thursday fell flat, organisers admitted. Militants of the youth section of the pro-Kremlin United Russia armed themselves with sweets which they hoped to exchange for 3 000 packets of cigarettes to mark an anti-smoking day in Russia’s port on the Pacific.

Opposition parties have criticised what they call interference by the African National Congress Youth League in the selection of the Springbok rugby team. The Democratic Alliance’s spokesperson on sport, Donald Lee, said the ANC’s ”race obsession” acts against the best interest of sport.