Jacques Chirac is the most unpopular president of the Fifth Republic since pollsters began measuring the personal approval ratings of French politicians in 1978. As the country continued to writhe in anxiety, self-doubt and anger after its rejection of the EU Constitution, a poll showed Chirac’s popularity had plunged 16 points to 26%.
It will be a veritable who’s who of South African soccer when a South African Invitation XI take on the Lucas Radebe All-Stars in a benefit game for the former Bafana Bafana captain and Leeds United stalwart at King’s Park Stadium in Durban on Saturday night. The provisional squads were announced on Tuesday.
The United States PGA Tour returns to the Congressional Country Club this week for the Booz Allen Classic, marking the first visit since South Africa’s Ernie Els captured his second major title in brilliant fashion in the memorable 1997 US Open. ”The memories are fond memories,” Els said on Tuesday.
United States scientists have increased the pressure on US President George Bush and other world leaders to tackle climate change by signing a joint statement calling on G8 nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The statement, from the science academies of the G8 countries, says the scientific evidence on climate change is now clear enough to compel their leaders to take action.
Quick-service restaurant group Famous Brands is confident of experiencing enough sustained demand to open 80 new restaurants per year on average across its franchises over the next three years, the company said in its 2005 annual report, published on Tuesday.
Local corporates are joining the international trend to greater use of money-market funds, according to Stanlib, one of the country’s leading providers of cash-management services to business. The global move to money-market funds has been highlighted in a recent United Kingdom survey.
World number one Roger Federer had a tough test against Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the first round of the ATP grasscourt tournament here on Tuesday before triumphing 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4. Federer however, far from being unhappy, said the close game as he builds up for the defence of his Wimbledon title stood him in good stead for the rest of the tournament.
All economists surveyed by I-Net Bridge expect no change in interest rates at the end of the two-day meeting of the South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting, which started at 9am on Wednesday. This will be the ninth consecutive meeting at which the majority of economists have forecast no cut in rates.
Overnight floods in areas around Cape Town have temporarily displaced about 600 people, an emergency services spokesperson said on Wednesday. Geoff Laskey said heavy rains had affected about 20 shacks in Khayelitsha and about 100 shacks in Freedom Park in Mitchells Plain.
Former undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is making a boxing comeback less than three weeks before his 39th birthday with only one goal — reclaiming global heavyweight supremacy. Tyson portrayed himself as a more mature man and fighter on Tuesday in his first pre-fight public comments.