England's decision to drop Ben Foakes for Jonny Bairstow has been described in an article as the "right decision" which was "inevitable" due to Bairstow's talent. Foakes has reportedly paid the price for being dropped despite never letting anyone down, while Crawley continues to "underwhelm." However, Bairstow will provide an explosive lower-middle order to envy, with teams actively fearing him and his playing potential. McCullum's support for Crawley after a lean spell is thought of as further ensuring that Bairstow's return to the squad is well-founded.
Namibia's top court recognises same-sex marriages formed elsewhere
Reuters
23-05-16 17:27
Namibia's Supreme Court has ruled that the government must recognize the marriages of same-sex couples married in countries where it is legal, despite the fact that same-sex marriage is yet to be legalized in the country. The legal case arose after the government refused to give residency rights to non-Namibian spouses, claiming that the marriages could not be recognized in the country. This decision could be seen as a step forward in regards to LGBT+ rights in Africa as most countries still ban same-sex relationships. Sexual contact between men is a criminal offense in Namibia, but the law is rarely enforced.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said leaders from six African countries will visit Moscow and Kiev in an attempt to end the war in Ukraine. The mission, which includes Zambia, Egypt, Senegal, Uganda and the Republic of Congo, was welcomed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone conversation. Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, also backed the initiative, according to Ramaphosa. China's government special representative for Eurasian affairs, Li Hui, will make a similar visit to the region this week, as hopes grow that a negotiated settlement can be achieved. The US has recently accused South Africa of providing weapons and ammunition to Russia, putting pressure on the country's stance of neutrality. South Africa also hosted a naval exercise with Russia and China in February.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced plans to create an African delegation of leaders to meet with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. The discussions will aim to discuss a plan to end Ukraine’s 15-month war with proposed talks taking place in Moscow and Kyiv. While the details of the talks and their timing haven’t been released, Ramaphosa stated that Zambia, Senegal, Congo, Uganda, and Egypt would make up the delegation along with him. South Africa has claimed to remain neutral on the war and has also maintained relations with the United States.
A delegation of African heads of state will travel to Moscow and Kyiv to help end Russia's war in Ukraine, according to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. He had held separate phone calls with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who both agreed to host the African leaders to discuss a potential peace plan for the conflict. Senegal, Uganda, Egypt, the Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and South Africa have been chosen to take part in the mediation effort, and Ramaphosa confirmed the US and UK had expressed “cautious” support for the plan. It is the latest in a string of foreign offers of mediation and peace talks.
Ramaphosa stated that Guterres and the African Union (AU) welcomed the initiative, after the UN Secretary-General said peace talks in the Ukraine conflict were not possible at the moment. There is no timeline as yet for the visits, but Ramaphosa said the conflict had been “devastating, and African countries suffered a great deal” from it. South Africa has previously abstained from voting on UN peace resolutions relating to the war, however Ramaphosa insisted that South Africa was impartial after recent allegations that Russian ships containing military hardware were loaded in Cape Town. Despite the allegations, he said that South Africa would not be drawn “into a contest between global powers”.
England head coach Jess Thirlby is "pretty much hellbent on success" ahead of the 2023 Netball World Cup. The tournament begins on July 28 in Cape Town, South Africa, with England opening against Barbados. Thirlby has high hopes for England's chances, with two veterans named to compete in their sixth World Cup, alongside five debutants. England has yet to win a single World Cup since the tournament was established in 1963, with their best performance being third place in the most recent edition of the tournament in 2019, which was held on home soil.
Leaders from six African countries are to hold peace talks in Moscow and Kyiv to end the conflict in Ukraine. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin and both men had agreed to host an African-led peace mission. The six countries taking part are South Africa, Uganda, the Republic of Congo, Egypt, Zambia and Senegal although there is no timeframe for the talks. The joint Russian-Ukrainian declaration is surprising given recent disruption within the relationship between Russia, South Africa and the US.
South Africa’s rand weakened after the country’s unemployment figures for Q1 2019 were released, showing the rate to have risen to 32.9%. The data suggests that South Africa’s economy may be in worse condition than previously thought following last week’s economic turbulence due to accusations that South Africa provided arms to Russia, and the worst rolling blackouts ever, which have seen households and businesses left in the dark for up to 10 hours per day.
Canada is making the same mistakes as Argentina and South Africa, said George Athanassakos, professor of finance and holder of the Ben Graham Chair in Value Investing at the Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario. He added the government was discouraging entrepreneurship and wealth creation by favouring taxing corporations and adding regulatory impediments to corporate activity. Canada, he said, had a productivity problem that has gotten worse over the past decade and believes the government should channel its focus into industries such as robotics, cybersecurity and additive manufacturing.
Rob Key, managing director of men’s cricket, has urged Jofra Archer to take inspiration from Pat Cummins to come back stronger after his injury-plagued career was hit by another stress fracture of his right elbow that rules him out of the Indian Premier League and this summer’s Ashes. Kevin Pietersen suggested that Archer should pursue a franchise, not international career but Key confirmed that Archer is committed to returning to the England side in all three formats and is desperate to play Test cricket as well.
The majority of South African schoolchildren aged ten struggle with reading, according to an international study by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. South Africa ranked last out of the 57 countries studied, which tested 400,000 students about their reading abilities. The number of illiterate South African pupils rose from 78% in 2016 to 81%. South Africa's education ministry blamed the results on Covid-19 school closures, and said that schools' current focus on oral reading performance was neglecting reading comprehension. The lack of adequate infrastructure and resources are also cited as reasons for underperformance.
England managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key has urged a “distraught” Jofra Archer to persevere with Test cricket despite the paceman being out of the Ashes, and facing the possibility of being ruled out of the Cricket World Cup with a right elbow fracture. “Jofra deserves a bit of luck…you just hope that luck turns for him at some point," Key said. Archer’s injury issues have transfixed pundits, with some suggesting his future might lie with a T20 franchise career. However, Key said the cricketer is committed to returning to all forms of the game.
African countries, including Zambia, Senegal, Egypt and South Africa, have drawn up a peace initiative to put an end to the conflict in Ukraine. The proposed mission will visit Moscow and Kiev as part of the peace process. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who represented the initiative, also said that UN Secretary-General Antonio Gruterres and the African Union (AU) had been briefed and welcomed the initiative.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said it is open to an India-Pakistan match in Australia if there is enough interest. The two sides most often meet outside major competitions, such as the World Cup, due to political tensions between the two states. Pakistan's last series against India played in any format was in 2013, and the countries' last Test meeting was in December 2007. The prospect of a Pakistan-India match in Australia comes amid fears of a World Cup boycott owing to a scheduling disagreement between the two countries.
An accusation from the US that South Africa has sold arms to Russia is putting over $15bn worth of exports on the line, which are crucial in supporting its manufacturing industry. President Cyril Ramaphosa and the African National Congress have promised an inquiry into whether arms were placed on a sanctioned Russian vessel at a Cape Town naval base in 2021, but South African businesses are sounding the alarm over their participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a US law that grants duty-free terms to specific nations. South Africa’s future participation in a deal which is up for renewal in 2025 is already in doubt.
Ben Stokes is reportedly keen for a quick bowler and fast and flat pitches in England's first XI. However, with flat wickets being hard to come by on home territory, they may have to rely on the skill of James Anderson and Stuart Broad amongst others, with the expectation of relying on a lot of runs. The bowling attack is one with questionable injury records, says Nasser Hussain, who warns England not to be distracted by Ashes pressure. He said England's strategy should be to keep playing with their high-energy expansive gameplan even if it means going down 1-0 to Australia.
British diving champion Lois Toulson has praised broadcaster Sir David Attenborough and said that if she could have dinner guests, it would be her family and friends who would share a meal of tomato and mozzarella salad, beef shin ragu and a melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding. Toulson admitted she is a perfectionist who loves organising tidiness and enjoys interior design when away from the pool, and conceded that she can gross people out by twisting her hyperextended elbow. Her favourite memories are holidays to Loch Lomond and the Amalfi Coast, and she is not much of a dancer but will take to the floor to songs by Earth, Wind and Fire.
Attempts to combat armed groups linked to ISIL, al-Qaeda and other extremist organisations across Africa's Sahel region have failed, according to United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobee. Presenting her report to a Security Council meeting, Pobee urged greater international support and regional cooperation. "Resolute advances in the fight against terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime in the Sahel desperately need to be made,” she said.
The butterfly effect: How the birth of another golfer’s child led John Daly to an astonishing victory at 1991 PGA Championship
CNN
23-05-17 08:32
John Daly's shock win in the 1991 PGA Championship moved him to stardom and was one of golf's greatest stories. The rookie had not been expected to play until he was called in as a reserve and then emerged victorious, despite a lacklustre start to his pro career. Daly, renowned for his raw power and "grip it and rip it" playing style, entertained the crowds to become their favourite while transforming the way golf was played. Daly added a second major title at The Open in 1995 but his maiden major triumph remains his defining win.
Smart ball technology will make its live match-officiating debut next month during the World Rugby Under-20
Championship. Developed by Sportable and Gilbert, the ball is tracked in rea-ltime with beacons positioned around the pitch to determine its exact location. World Rugby said quick feedback would enable officials to check if the ball had been passed forward, whether it crossed the try-line or had been touched in flight among other things. The technology was unlikely to feature in the Rugby World Cup in France later this year, World Rugby said.
