South Africa

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Miners Shot Dead in South African Mine

(Newser) - An incident at a mine owned by Nelson Mandela's grandson and current President Jacob Zuma's nephew left 20 illegal miners dead, apparently gunned down underground by security guards, a Sowetan newspaper reports. Other media accounts (like this one by Bloomberg ) have the death toll at 4. Police at first...

Rancher Poisoning Rhinos' Horns to Stop Poaching

Lethal plan seeks to stem demand from China

(Newser) - The owner of a game reserve in South Africa is planning to poison the horns of his rhinos in a bid to deter their slaughter by poachers who've killed more than 150 this year alone. Ed Hern is hoping that by making the horns deadly to humans when consumed, he...

Whale Crashes Into Yacht, but All Ends Well

Neither the boaters nor the whale came out injured

(Newser) - A couple from South Africa was out for a relaxing Sunday sail when they got much more than they bargained for—in the form of a 40-ton whale. They were admiring the whale flipping its tail around the boat when it briefly disappeared. The woman's boyfriend then told her to...

Caster Semenya Wins in Return to Track

South African teen missed 11 months while undergoing gender testing

(Newser) - Caster Semenya won the 800m at a minor meet tonight in Finland, her first competition since the IAAF cleared the South African teen to compete as a woman . Looking happy and relaxed, she comfortably dealt with a larger-than-usual crowd and massive media contingent, the Guardian reports . "I felt more...

Semenya Not Picked for South Africa Team

Despite IAAF permission, won't race in Kenya on July 28

(Newser) - Though the IAAF cleared her for competition last Tuesday, Caster Semenya's year-long absence from racing still isn't over: The women's 800m world champion has been left out of South Africa's team for the African Championships on July 28 in Kenya, after the country's athletic group determined she wasn't in good...

Spain Wins First World Cup
 Spain Wins First 
 World Cup 
UPDATED
Jul 11, 2010 4:42 PM CDT

Spain Wins First World Cup

Decisive goal in 1-0 contest is latest ever in a final

(Newser) - Andres Iniesta scored with 4 minutes of extra time remaining to give Spain a 1-0 win over the Netherlands and its first World Cup title today in Johannesburg. With the teams facing a penalty shootout in a game of few clear chances, Iniesta collected a sliding pass from substitute Cesc...

Semenya Cleared for Women's Races

She has been undergoing 'treatment'

(Newser) - The International Association of Athletics Federations has cleared South African runner Caster Semenya to compete in female races following an investigation into her gender, reports the Telegraph . Semenya, 19, hasn't competed since her runaway 800 meter win in the World Championships nearly a year ago while sports authorities made their...

S. Africa to Paris: Sorry for Pot Bust

Culprit was really someone else in her group

(Newser) - It's not like it's her first brush with the law, but South African cops are profusely apologizing to Paris Hilton after they busted her yesterday for pot possession. All charges have been dropped, though another person in her group has pleaded guilty to possession and paid a fine. “I...

Celebrate the World Cup With Lion Burgers?

Arizona $21 lion burger raises animal rights ire

(Newser) - If the US beats Algeria today, soccer fans in Phoenix, Arizona, can celebrate with a World Cup-inspired lion burger, served with spicy fries and corn on the cob for the lion-sized price of $21. A Phoenix restaurant is offering the lion burgers in honor of World Cup host nation South...

Doc Unveils Excruciating Anti-Rape Female Condom

'Time to fight back,' vows inventor

(Newser) - Rapists will soon be in for a nasty surprise from a medieval-looking female condom designed to deliver on-the-spot punishment. The "Rape-axe" device sports jagged hooks that latch onto a man's penis during penetration. South African doctor Sonnet Ehlers, the inventor of the mini-torture chamber, is distributing 30,000 of...

French Team Mutinies After World Cup Striker Axed

They boycott training

(Newser) - France's World Cup team is refusing to practice since a player was sent home after a furious row with a coach during a disastrous game against Mexico. Bizarrely, the players announced their protest through a statement read by the same coach. "All players without exception want to declare their...

Switzerland Shocks Spain 1-0
 Switzerland Shocks Spain 1-0 
World Cup
Jun 16, 2010 12:27 PM CDT

Switzerland Shocks Spain 1-0

It's only their second loss in 50 games

(Newser) - Switzerland stunned the world today in South Africa, toppling Spain, one of the top two teams in the world and the current European champion, 1-0. Gelson Fernandes bundled the ball into the net in the 52nd minute in one of Switzerland's few attacks, ending Spain's 12-match winning streak and handing...

Annoying Horns Here to Stay
 Annoying Horns Here to Stay 
world cup
Jun 14, 2010 4:15 PM CDT

Annoying Horns Here to Stay

World Cup officials won't ban vuvuzela

(Newser) - World Cup fans and teams will have to learn to live with the blaring of plastic horns: Organizers have no plans to ban the vuvuzela, Reuters reports. Though the horns are tormenting players and spectators , a rep says, "Vuvuzelas are here to stay and will never be banned. People...

World Cup May Silence Annoying Horns

Organizers weigh ban on vuvuzelas

(Newser) - The nonstop drone of plastic horns has been the soundtrack of the World Cup so far, on and off the field, and they're so annoying that FIFA is considering a ban. It can't come soon enough for some. "We can't sleep at night because of the vuvuzelas." the...

World Cup Starts With a Bang
 World Cup Starts 
 With a Bang 
Jun 11, 2010 12:39 PM CDT

World Cup Starts With a Bang

Mexico, South Africa open tournament with 1-1 tie

(Newser) - Soccer's big moment has arrived: The World Cup opened today in South Africa with much pomp: a star-studded opening ceremony, followed by a 1-1 tie in the opening match between the host country and Mexico. AP has details on the game here . The US plays its first game 2:30pm...

Mandela's Great-Grandchild Killed in World Cup Crash

13-year-old was in car accident after concert

(Newser) - Nelson Mandela's 13-year-old great-granddaughter was killed in a car crash on the way home from a concert in Soweto on the eve of the World Cup. Zenani Mandela died in the one-car accident after attending the World Cup kickoff concert at the Orlando Stadium. Police have charged the unidentified driver...

World Cup 'Vulture Smoking' Theatens Rare Birds

Gamblers smoke birds' brains; bird lovers sqawk

(Newser) - As the World Cup gets underway in South Africa, scientists are betting that one of the biggest losers in the soccer championship will be the endangered vulture. In South African traditional medicine called muti, vulture brains are dried, ground up, and smoked as cigarettes to give users what they believe...

South Africa Fans Pin Hopes on World Cup Witchcraft

A bit of magic could boost Befana Befana

(Newser) - A bit of magic just might boost South Africa's chances in the World Cup. That's what practioners of muti—a Zulu word referring to traditional medicine and witchcraft—are hoping as they brew concoctions of plants and animal parts in a bid to help the second-lowest-ranked team in the competition,...

Zuma Sex Scandal Spices up World Cup

One of Zuma's wives 'pregnant by bodyguard'

(Newser) - With the biggest sporting event in South African history just days away, it'd take a pretty big scandal to knock the World Cup off the country's front pages—and the country's press has delivered. One of the three wives of polygamous president Jacob Zuma's is pregnant by one of her...

Fan Stampede Mars Pre-World Cup Match

At least 15 injured just 5 days before tournament begins

(Newser) - Fans stampeded outside the gates of a stadium playing host to a World Cup warmup match today near Johannesburg, injuring at least 15. A police officer was seriously hurt as violence marred the countdown to the first African World Cup, which begins Friday. " He was crushed by the gates...

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