The United States has deployed anti-aircraft missiles around Washington and other possible terrorist targets in fear of another attack using a commercial plane, but there is disagreement among intelligence officials about how direct the threat is to the US. The head of US homeland security put the country on high alert on Sunday.

British officials are circulating a story that Saddam Hussein may have been hoodwinked into believing that Iraq really did possess weapons of mass destruction. The theory is the result of an attempt to find a ”logical reason” why no chemical and biological weapons have been found in Iraq.

The United States government on Tuesday scrambled to calm public fears over its food supply after the US’s first recorded case of mad cow disease was found in a sick animal in Washington state. The news hit an already nervous American public, entering the Christmas holiday under a high state of terrorism alert.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=28986">US beef banned across Asia</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=28975">US terror threat questioned</a>

The decision not to vaccinate horses against equine influenza was made two years ago by all relevant role players in the racing industry, for which all must assume collective responsibility, the Jockey Club of Southern Africa said on Tuesday. ”No good purpose would be served in seeking scapegoats,” the club’s chief executive said .

Tennis stars Lleyton Hewitt and Kim Clijsters are set to marry after Hewitt proposed during a romantic cruise in Sydney harbour, it was reported on Wednesday. Australian former world number one Hewitt and Belgian world number two Clijsters decided to tie the knot almost four years after meeting at the 2000 Australian Open.

Real Madrid will see in 2004 leading the Spanish first division and getting the unofficial accolade of being Spain’s ”winter champions” to round off an outstanding year. There have been few better in the recent history of the nine-times European champions, even though they did not win their 10th Champions League crown.

Lions and Cats rugby supremo Jomo King died suddenly of a heart attack at his Johannesburg home on Tuesday morning. He was 55. The president of the South African Rugby Football Union, Brian van Rooyen, said King’s death was a ”great loss to rugby and the effect will be particularly felt by the leadership of the Golden Lions”.

Drag racing takes place on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights in most parts of the city. But if you are not looking for the underground gatherings you will never find them. Word of mouth or its contemporary synonym, the text message, offer the only way in, writes Nawaal Deane.