UN peacekeepers, ordered to leave Mali by the country’s leaders, have been forced to rush their withdrawal, destroy equipment left behind and risk their lives on the road out.Following a coup in 2020 the new military rulers in June ordered the peacekeepers out, proclaiming the “failure” of their mission and denouncing its alleged “instrumentalisation” of …

UN peacekeepers leave Mali in a hurry and under fireFri, 27 Oct 2023 14:27:08 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s rugby team can provide their hard-pressed compatriots back home with “a bit of light” by beating New Zealand to win a historic fourth World Cup, assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said Friday.The two great rivals meet at the Stade de France on Saturday — 28 years after their previous meeting in a final.That resulted …

Springbok win would give hard-pressed people ‘bit of light’, says StickFri, 27 Oct 2023 13:14:34 GMT Read More »

Jurgen Klopp says Mohamed Salah combines deep understanding of football with the body of a young man after the forward set a new European goalscoring record for a player for an English club.The Egypt international came off the bench to score the final goal in Thursday’s 5-1 Europa League win over Toulouse, his 43rd goal …

Klopp praises age-defying Salah after European recordFri, 27 Oct 2023 13:11:51 GMT Read More »

King Charles III embarks Tuesday on a four-day trip to Kenya, his first visit as monarch to a Commonwealth nation, where any comments he makes on Britain’s colonial past will be closely scrutinised. Charles is expected to tackle “the more painful aspects” of the UK’s historic relationship with Kenya — namely the period of British rule, …

Colonialism on agenda for King Charles visit to KenyaFri, 27 Oct 2023 11:53:49 GMT Read More »

All Blacks fans will gather to watch the World Cup final against the Springboks on Saturday, but there was a time when their rugby team’s links to apartheid-era South Africa bitterly divided New Zealanders.The Springboks’ 1981 tour of New Zealand was blighted by violent protests.The rugby-mad host nation was split by New Zealand rugby’s insistence …

Riots, barbed wire: S.Africa’s stormy 1981 rugby tour of New ZealandFri, 27 Oct 2023 08:11:05 GMT Read More »

South African director of rugby Rassie Erasmus describes himself in his biography as “a quiet, uncomplicated person” and far from the extrovert many perceive him to be.The 50-year-old is certainly someone who divides opinion, with his supporters as forthright in their defence of him as those in the opposing camp are in venting their spleen.On …

Erasmus the Springboks puppet master who divides opinionFri, 27 Oct 2023 02:50:24 GMT Read More »

Defending champions South Africa and New Zealand battle it out on Saturday bidding to become the first team to win the Rugby World Cup four times.There are many engrossing battles to be played out across the Stade de France pitch. AFP Sports highlights three of them:Tale of the hookersWith two tightly matched teams, the game …

Three duels to savour in Rugby World Cup finalFri, 27 Oct 2023 01:19:05 GMT Read More »

Defending champions South Africa expect Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final against “greatest foes” New Zealand to be a “grind” as both teams eye what would be a record fourth tournament title.The Springboks and All Blacks share an unparalleled rivalry in the oval-ball sport and have reached the final at the Stade de France thanks largely …

Boks expect ‘grind’ against All Black rivals in World Cup finalFri, 27 Oct 2023 01:10:45 GMT Read More »

Sudan’s warring parties resumed talks in Saudi Arabia on Thursday aimed at ending a conflict that has raged for over six months and left thousands dead, the Saudi foreign ministry said.Since April, the war between regular forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by his former deputy …

Sudan peace talks resume in Jeddah with limited goalsThu, 26 Oct 2023 15:37:15 GMT Read More »

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma admitted Thursday that he was so stunned by seeing Pakistan described as “mercurial” that he had to “Google the word” out of respect for his opponents ahead of their World Cup clash.Pakistan, the 1992 champions, have hit a roadblock at the World Cup with their opening two wins followed by …

‘I had to Google it!’: Bavuma wary of ‘mercurial’ Pakistan threatThu, 26 Oct 2023 15:17:30 GMT Read More »