Jacques Kallis scored a patient half-century on Wednesday as South Africa set a modest 191-run victory target against Sri Lanka in the crucial third one-day international. South African skipper Graeme Smith won the toss and decided to bat first in a match that the visitors must win to stay in the five-match series.
Jenna Dreyer, the 18-year-old South African diving champion who ”bombed” out in the 10m platform discipline, came good at the Athens Olympics on Wednesday when she qualified for the semifinals in the 3m springboard at the Aquatic Centre. Dreyer made it through to Thursday’s finals with a 267,84-point total.
Click on image for full-size view.
It stood for 350 years, bearing fruit for a dozen generations, but strong winds finally brought down what is believed to be the oldest pear tree in Scandinavia. Ever since the mid-1600s, the massive pear tree had helped feed the people outside Enkoeping, an hour’s drive west of Stockholm.
He had to change his tires 11 times and once fell to the ground and spent the night in a ditch. But a Russian amputee, Vladimir Ksenchak (65), finally rolled into Madrid on Tuesday after a 5 000km wheelchair trip designed to inspire the disabled and to denounce drugs.
The trial of 14 suspected foreign mercenaries, accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea, resumed in Malabo on Tuesday when their South African alleged ringleader was cross-examined by defence lawyers. Nick du Toit, who has admitted a limited role in a coup bid in Equatorial Guinea, responded to questions by lawyers.
Mann’s million-dollar promise
The Pietermaritzburg High Court has reserved judgement in an urgent application by French arms dealer Thint for the withdrawal of criminal charges linked to South Africa’s multibillion-rand arms deal. After hearing legal argument on Tuesday, Judge Nick van der Reyden said he will make a decision as soon as possible.
The British scientist who masterminded the ill-fated Beagle II probe, which vanished while attempting to land on Mars, said on Tuesday he wants to try again and has asked Nasa for a ride to the Red Planet. He was speaking at a press conference to unveil an investigation into what went wrong with Beagle II.
It is shocking that the investigation into the scandal of the magnitude of the parliamentary travel-voucher fraud scam should have taken 20 months and still be nowhere near conclusion, Democratic Alliance Chief Whip Douglas Gibson said on Tuesday. He was speaking in the National Assembly during a special debate on the issue.
Olympic city Athens was jolted by a small earthquake on Tuesday but there were no reports of any damage. The tremor was measured at 4,5 on the Richter scale. Two brief jolts were felt at 3.38pm local time, with an epicentre about 70km north of the Greek capital. Greece is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.