France beat South Africa in a test match the southern French city of Toulouse Friday. "Les Bleus" remain unbeaten at home by the world champions since 1997.
South Africa has cancelled a $5.2 billion contract to buy eight Airbus A400M military
transport aircraft due to escalating costs and delivery delays, cabinet spokesman Themba Maseko said on Thursday.
In this edition: Concern grows over the likelihood of Ivory Coast ever holding promised elections; South Africa's Zuma under pressure to tackle growing poverty; and foreign investors plunder Ethiopia's farming land.
Germany booked their place in the 2010 World Cup courtesy of a 1-0 win over Russia. They will be joined in South Africa by Italy, who secured a late draw against a battling Irish team, as well as the United States and Mexico.
The United States has decided to close its embassy in Pretoria and American consulates in Johannesburg and Cape Town due to an undisclosed security threat. US facilities in South Africa are expected to re-open on Wednesday.
Disputed South African world champion Caster Semenya took gender tests before the Berlin World Championship according to South African athletics top officials. The results are not yet known.
Organisers of the Tri-Nations series officially handed Argentina an invitation to join the competition from 2012. The Pumas will join Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in the elite southern hemisphere rugby tournament.
The dominant World champions South Africans held off a late All Blacks charge for a 32-29 victory to secure the Tri-Nations rugby crown for the first time in five years. It is the third time that South Africa has won the trophy.
South African officials have reacted furiously to claims that the 800m world champion Caster Semenya should be banned from competing after a report in the Sydney Daily Telegraph suggested she was a hermaphrodite.
Wilfred Daniels this weekend announced his resignation as South Africa's athletics coach over the "repulsive handling" of the scandal over the disputed gender of world 800 m champion Caster Semenya.
