South African mining co. says 36 illegal miners killed, apparently in shaft fire

JOHANNESBURG — An underground fire in an abandoned shaft has apparently killed 36 illegal miners, South Africa’s Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited said Monday.

SAfricans begin removing bodies of 55 beached whales, warn surfers to be wary of sharks

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Authorities on Sunday began the grim task of removing the carcasses of 55 whales that beached themselves and had to be shot despite the frantic rescue efforts of hundreds of volunteers.

Dozens of whales perish after beaching near southern tip of South Africa

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Authorities shot dozens of exhausted whales that beached on a shore near South Africa’s storm-lashed southern tip Saturday amid scenes of grief and despair from volunteers who had tried to save them.

South African authorities try to rescue dozens of beached whales near Cape Point

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Scientists decided to kill more than 30 beached whales that resisted frantic efforts to push them back out to sea near South Africa’s storm-lashed southern tip, media reported Saturday.

MTN says deal with Bharti to create giant from India to Africa

JOHANNESBURG - South African telecom giant MTN believes a potential transaction with its New Delhi-based counterpart Bharti Airtel would create a giant that would straddle India, the Gulf and Africa.

Only Flintoff can help England beat Australia, says Mark Waugh

LONDON - Former Australian batting great Mark Waugh has warned England that only Andrew Flintoff can prevent them from an embarrassing Ashes thumping.

Royal Challengers to take on Deccan Chargers in IPL-2 final

JOHANNESBURG - The Anil Kumble-led Royal Challengers, Bangalore (RCB), which has won seven of its last nine matches, will take on the Adam Gilchrist-inspired Deccan Chargers in the final of the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday evening.

IPL scoreboard: Royal Challengers vs Deccan Chargers

CENTURION - Scoreboard of the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Bangalore Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers here Thursday.

Barry Richards son commits suicide

CAPE TOWN - Former South African opener Barry Richards has revealed that his eldest son has committed suicide.ichards, 63, who was born and raised in Durban, but now lives in Perth, Australia, confirmed to The Star newspaper that his son, Mark, in his 20s, committed suicide this week.

IPL is an extension of Indian diplomacy in South Africa: Envoy

PRETORIA - The Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL) has proved to be a noticeable extension of Indian diplomacy in South Africa, Rajiv Kumar Bhatia, Indian high commissioner, said here.

India to play South Africa in Davis Cup World Group play-off

NEW DELHI - India have been drawn to play South Africa in an away tie in the Davis Group World group play-off beginning Sep 18.

Stone Age humans made ’superglue’ 70,000yrs ago

WASHINGTON - Stone Age humans who lived about 70,000 years ago were such good chemists that they made a sophisticated kind of natural glue by tweaking the chemical and physical properties of an iron-containing pigment, known as red ochre, with the gum of acacia trees for their shafted tools, according to a study.

Kiwi batsman Ryder in hot water again

CAPE TOWN - New Zealand cricket star Jesse Ryder is reportedly in hot water again, this time for an alleged off-field incident in South Africa where he is playing in the rich IPL.

Winnie Mandela not included in Zuma Cabinet

PRETORIA - Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, has been left out of President Jacob Zuma’s Cabinet.

BJP workers meet - to watch IPL

NEW DELHI - Polling has long ended in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow, but Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers are still continuing to meet regularly at the press room. They are not discussing politics though.

Ferguson plans to gain Ashes berth despite World Twenty20 snub

MELBOURNE - South Australian stroke maker Callum Ferguson has said that his surprise World Twenty20 snub has failed to kill his Ashes dream, and has revealed plans to turn the rejection to his advantage.

South Africa’s new president names Cabinet, moving finance minister to powerful new position

PRETORIA, South Africa — South Africa’s new President Jacob Zuma has moved the respected finance minister to a powerful central planning post.

South Africa swears in Jacob Zuma as president, who faces tough challenges

PRETORIA, South Africa — Jacob Zuma took power Saturday in the culmination of an extraordinary political comeback, pledging to Nelson Mandela and the nation to renew the spirit of commitment and hope of South Africa’s first black presidency.

Proteas spinner calls IPL an unfair advantage

CAPE TOWN - South African left arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe calls the Indian Premier League an “unfair advantage” but is happy for the role it has played in his call-up to the national squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in England next month.

Vice-President arrives in South Africa for Prez Zuma’s inauguration ceremony

ON BOARD/ JOHANNESBURG - Vice-President Hamid Ansari who arrived on a three-day visit to South Africa, will attend the inauguration ceremony of new South African President Jacob Zuma today.
Zuma will be sworn in as independent South Africa’s third president today, whose African National Congress (ANC) swept the general elections in the country held on April 22.

South Africa prepares to swear in Jacob Zuma, who faces tough challenges

PRETORIA, South Africa — South Africans started gathering before dawn and danced in chilly rain Saturday as the country prepared to swear in Jacob Zuma with an excitement that recalled Nelson Mandela’s 1994 inauguration.

Zimbabwe premier urges people to get over their obsession with longtime enemy Robert Mugabe

JOHANNESBURG — In an impassioned appeal Friday, Zimbabwe’s long-suffering Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai called for people to get over their obsession with his longtime enemy, President Robert Mugabe.

New South African president takes office Saturday, faces tough economic, health challenges

JOHANNESBURG — When Jacob Zuma takes the presidential oath Saturday, he will become the leader of a country where at least a quarter of the work force is unemployed and 1,000 people die of AIDS every day.

From herd boy to South Africa’s president: Zuma home village celebrates his rise to power

KWANXAMALALA, South Africa — Some of Ngobela Magwaza’s fondest memories of his youth are of herding livestock through the lush Zululand wilderness of South Africa with Jacob Zuma, the man who is to become president of Africa’s economic powerhouse.

David Beckham wants return to AC Milan ‘as soon as possible’ after MLS season

MILAN — David Beckham wants to return to AC Milan “as soon as possible” after the Major League Soccer season ends in November.

Amit, Ojha star in Rajasthan Royals’ win

CENTURION - Rajasthan Royals consolidated their place in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Bangalore Royal Challengers at the Centurion Park here Thursday.

Oz cricketers face burnout and Ashes defence compromise: Buchanan

CAPE TOWN - Australia’s most successful cricket coach, John Buchanan, says the selectors have risked compromising the Ashes defence by stacking the squad for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup with Test players.

Vice President Ansari to attend South African Prez Zuma’s inauguration

NEW DELHI - Vice President Hamid Ansari will represent India at the inauguration ceremony of new South African President Jacob Zuma on May 9, reflecting the importance New Delhi attaches to its ties with South Africa.

To heavy cheers, South African parliament elects Jacob Zuma as national president

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — South Africa’s parliament elected Jacob Zuma as president Wednesday, celebrating with cheers the astonishing rise of a self-educated teenage goatherder who transformed himself into the charismatic leader of Africa’s economic powerhouse.

South African parliament elects Jacob Zuma as national president

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — South Africa’s parliament elected Jacob Zuma as president Wednesday, celebrating the astonishing rise of a self-educated teenage goatherd who transformed himself into the charismatic leader of Africa’s economic powerhouse.