Israel expressed concern on Friday about a potential Russian sale of advanced anti-tank weapon systems to Damascus amid persistent fears in the Jewish state about a future conflict with its enemy. The weapons in question are capable of ripping through the most modern armour and penetrating even bunkers, the country’s top-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper warned.
Côte d’Ivoire striker Didier Drogba was named the 2006 African Footballer of the Year on Thursday night at an awards ceremony in Accra, Ghana. He edged out Ghana’s Michael Essien of Chelsea and Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o to deny the Barcelona marksman a record fourth successive award.
South Africa soccer coach Carlos Alberto Parreira expects in-form star striker Benni McCarthy to end his long boycott of the national team after finding his feet in the English Premiership. McCarthy, who has refused to play for Bafana Bafana since 2005, took his tally for new club Blackburn Rovers to 16 when he scored an outstanding winner against Arsenal in the FA Cup in midweek.
Broadcaster John Perlman finished his stint as SAfm current-affairs talk-show host on Friday after a run-in with his bosses over the blacklisting controversy last year. ”Thanks very much for having me, it has been a fabulous nine years,” was how Perlman ended his last show.
Zimbabwe’s main consumer watchdog said on Friday it was greatly concerned at a surge in the cost of living, which has shot up by 49,5% in the last month. There were huge increases in the cost of soap, vegetables, milk, rice and the staple maize-meal in the month of February, the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe said in its monthly report.
A Pretoria High Court judge arrested on drunken-driving charges has not returned to work, 702 Talk Radio reported on Friday. Nkola Motata took a leave of absence over February after being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol last month. He crashed his car into a garden wall in Hurlingham in northern Johannesburg.
South African residential house-price growth, which hit more than 30% year-on-year in 2004, should continue moderating as higher interest rates dampen consumer demand, a survey showed on Thursday. The Standard Bank monthly property gauge indicated house-price growth rose to 8,4% year-on-year in February from 6,9% in January.
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Shane Warne has dismissed South Africa’s chances of winning the World Cup, insisting New Zealand and Sri Lanka pose a bigger threat to Australia’s title defence. The retired spinner said South Africa lacked the flair required to win the championship in the Caribbean.
Pakistani security forces captured one of the Taliban’s three most senior leaders just hours after United States Vice-President Dick Cheney’s unannounced visit to Pakistan earlier this week. The capture of Mullah Obaidullah Akhund marked the first Pakistan arrest of a senior leader of the Islamist militia since it was driven from power in Afghanistan in 2001.
The state is expected to file papers in the Durban High Court on Friday in its attempt to obtain documents from Mauritius relating to accusations of corruption against Jacob Zuma. The documents include the 2000 diary of former French arms manufacturer Thint chief executive Alain Thetard.