Rhodes EL students graduate EAST LONDON -- Pomp and ceremony were the order of the day last night when the first batch of 449 students graduated from Rhodes University's East London campus. This year the graduation was split in three, with last night being the turn of stude... Negligent taxi driver jailed By Stan Mzimba UMTATA -- A Ngqeleni taxi driver was sentenced to 10 years' jail for negligent driving by magistrate N B L Xintolo in the regional court here yesterday. The court heard that Tembelani Xinwa, 33, was driving along the Umtata-Port S... Magistrate guilty of assault Court Reporter MDANTSANE -- District court magistrate Mlungiseleli Malotana was this week convicted of assaulting a justice clerk in 1998. He was sentenced by the district court here to a suspended R800 fine, or two months' jail. Malotana earli... ANC meets on Scenery Park rift By Eric Naki Political Correspondent BISHO -- The African National Congress will attempt to heal the rift between its members at Scenery Park when the regional executive committee (Exco) visits the area today. ANC East London/King William's Town... Man sought in slain tourist case By Matt Ramsden EAST LONDON -- Detectives seeking the killer of a German backpacker on Eastern Beach last month yesterday released an artist's impression of a man they wish to question. The investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Nico Nepgen, ... SAA bans unruly diplomat from all flights CAPE TOWN -- South African Airways has thrown the book at senior South African diplomat Jerome Barnes, including banning him from ever flying on any of the airline's services worldwide and laying criminal charges against him. In a statement yeste... Rand decline seen as temporary CAPE TOWN -- The decline in the value of the rand was temporary and did not warrant a corrective interest rate hike, the head of an International Monetary Fund delegation said yesterday. "The rand is inherently stronger than its present level," M...

ROLE MODEL: Rhodes University vice-chancellor Dr David Woods shakes the hand of Ms Nombasa Nini, who received an honorary doctorate, as chancellor Jakes Gerwel looks on. Most Russian men die 'under the influence' MOSCOW -- Two-thirds of Russian men die under the influence of alcohol and half that number are heavily intoxicated at the time of death, the Kommersant business daily has reported. Quoting a sociological study conducted in Moscow and Russia's Ud... Poker-face Smiles Chris Ferguson, centre, sits between Binion's Horseshoe Casino owner Becky Behnen, left, and her son Benny moments after winning the World Series of Poker at the casino in Las Vegas. Ferguson, of Pacific Palisades in California, defeated TJ Cl... School suspends naked boy, 6 NEW YORK -- A six-year-old boy was suspended from an elementary school in Ohio after he rushed to the French window at his home to signal the approaching school bus to wait for him. In the excitement, he neglected to put some clothes on first. ... Hick punishes Zim, land of his birth LONDON -- Graeme Hick punished Zimbabwe, the land of his birth, on the second day of the first of two Test matches here at Lord's yesterday. At the close England had a first innings lead of 92 having posted 175 for three on another rain-marred da... Bucks dare not falter By Mike Lunika UMTATA -- Bush Bucks' coach Victor Bondarenko will have to use all the tricks in the book if he wants to avenge their first-round defeat by Wits University in their Castle Premier league match at the Independence Stadium here tomor... Final four fight it out SYDNEY -- Canterbury Crusaders take on Otago today in a replay of last year's final, while the ACT Brumbies host the Golden Cats to determine which teams advance to the Super 12 decider. The Crusaders, champions in 1998 and '99, start as favourit...

Booth rises to occasion
AUCKLAND -- When captain Matthew Booth rose above the New Zealand defence to seal a crucial 3-2 win with a minute remaining, the core of the South African U23 players chose to direct their exuberant celebrations towards one man sitting in the st...