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27 Tanzanians jailed in South Africa’s prisons

TWENTY-seven Tanzanians are languishing in South African jails for drug trafficking and other offences, it was learnt here yesterday.



Tanzania’s High Commissioner to South Africa Ambassador Emanuel Mwambulukutu said yesterday that most Tanzanian youth who travel to South Africa are involved in illicit drug trade, and he warned that the situation was getting worse.



“My office is aware of the 27 Tanzanians who are jailed in various prisons in South Africa, but there is nothing we can do to help them out,” said Mr Mwambulukutu.



He said the inmates’ request to serve their sentences in Tanzania cannot be granted, because the two countries have no agreement regarding the exchange of prisoners.



Most of the youth reportedly entered South Africa using unofficial routes via the border with Mozambique, hoping to secure employment in the continent’s biggest economy.



The High Commissioner challenged parents to educate their children that there are no employment opportunities in South Africa unless one is doctor, engineer or computer programmer.


He instead advised farmers to export their products in South Africa, where he said there is a huge market that is yet to be fully exploited.

Songo Songo Island

Energy and Minerals minister Nazir Karamagi & the Director of the Dubai-based Dodsal Group, Samir Kilachad, sign a contract in Dar es Salaam yesterday under which the firm will invest in gas & oil exploration on Songo Songo Island in Lindi Region.

Kikwete misquoted, says CCM`s Mwanri

CCM ideology and publicity secretary Aggrey Mwanri has said President Jakaya Kikwete has not brushed aside allegations on grand corruption made by opposition leaders.

Mwanri said the President`s statement made in Arusha to the effect that some politicians had assumed the roles of security officers, public prosecutors and magistrates all in one, did not mean that he had downplayed the charges.

`President Kikwete is very much committed to the fight against corruption within CCM, the government and the whole society,` Mwanri said.

`Quite unfortunately,` he said, `the President`s remarks given in Arusha were misunderstood. Some people thought he had ruled out any action, that nothing was going to be done. That is untrue,` Mwanri said.

He said serious investigations by responsible organs were being carried out because the government was highly committed to the rule of law.

He said good governance meant waiting for the outcome of investigations.

Mwanri said during the recent NEC meeting, President Kikwete had assured party members that he would not tolerate anyone found to be corrupt.

He said the President demonstrated zero tolerance on corruption, winning praise and support of NEC members, a fact that was not challenged in any media organ.

The CCM official also announced that positions of newly elected CCM leaders from ward to regional level were still hanging in balance, pending the outcome of a probe on election fraud currently undertaken by the CCM ethics committee and relevant state organs.

According to Mwanri, any elected leader found to have bribed voters would be unseated even if available evidence did not warrant the taking of legal action.

`We are still gathering information from various sources. Once we find out that somebody used bribery to secure election victory, we will immediately strike that person out. The evidence we want is not like that required by the courts. Even circumstantial evidence will enable us to take action,` he said.

He said during the forthcoming national CCM elections, the fight against corruption would be undertaken in the strictest way possible.

`We only need CCM members to inform us if there is an aspirant who is bribing his way to victory. We will disqualify that person straight away,` he said.

Adulterated fuel rampant - EWURA

Enegy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) has admitted that the sale of adulterated diesel and petrol is rampant in the retail outlets across the country.

The situation has led to health hazards, vehicle damage, consumer losses and depleted government revenue.

The statement follows an inquiry conducted by EWURA in July this year, in response to allegations on collusion and windfall gains by oil marketing companies.

The statement was jointly signed by EWURA Board Chairman Simon Sayore and Director General Haruna Masebu.

During the inquiry, EWURA probed the cause of price hikes in July this year and options available in exercising the economic regulatory function in the petroleum downstream sector.

The authority found out that it was not possible to obtain proof of collusion of oil marketing companies in setting up oil prices.

However, it cited the unison petroleum price increase experienced from July 1 this year as contradicting economic theories.

In order to address the alleged windfall gains by oil marketing companies, EWURA made a comparison between the tax increase and the rise in pump prices during the month in question.

`The higher increase in petrol pump services caused the public to believe that oil marketing companies had taken advantage of the increase in taxes to enjoy windfall gains,` the statement reads in part.

The inquiry has also revealed that the petroleum supply chain had some major inefficiencies.

Among them the local fees and charges paid by importers for services to various institutions have a bearing on the final pump price.

Taken together, these contribute to instability of pump prices over time.

Other findings indicate that most petrol stations were constructed without observing the respective standards, thereby posing threat to health and safety of people as well as the environment.

`At the conclusion of the Inquiry, EWURA determined that the petroleum downstream sub-sector has some deficiencies and that the government decision to give economic regulatory functions to EWURA is timely.

This is characterized by multiple importations of small petroleum products quantities, tax evasion, lack of information and data, adulteration of products and general inefficiencies in the various segments of petroleum supply chain,` the statement says.

Following the observations, EWURA has decided that all oil marketing companies importing petroleum products shall use a bulk importation system, whereby the importation will be done competitively and transparently using an open tender system through International Competitive Bidding.

The authority has also decided that, in consultation with relevant authorities, it shall review the local fees and charges paid by importers for services provided by various institutions during importation and that all retailers shall buy petroleum products only from suppliers licensed by EWURA.

Following the inquiry, the Authority has decided that all existing operators in the petroleum wholesale and retail business are required to apply for respective licenses by December 31 this year.

A late application fee of 1,000,000/- will be charged for applications received after December 31, 2007.

In July 2007, there was unwarranted price hike of petroleum products following tax increases announced in the government budget for 2007/2008.

In August, Parliament amended the Petroleum (Conservation) Act and EWURA Act so as to give the Authority economic regulatory functions of the downstream petroleum (importation, marketing and distribution) sub-sector.

During Sierra Leone's brutal 1991 - 2002 civil war, dozens of people were executed on the Aberdeen Road bridge in the seaside capital, Freetown.
Their bodies were thrown into the fishing waters above.

While most of those who could afford to get out of the country did, others hid anywhere they could manage.

One Sierra Leonean man, Mohamed Bangura, found an entrance to a hollow in the bridge during the heat of the fighting.

S Africa in second condom recall

Free condoms are vital to S Africa's fight against Aids

South Africa's health ministry has recalled millions of condoms, after thousands of the contraceptives failed a safety test.
All of the condoms which failed the test were supplied to the South African government by Kohrs Medical Supplies.

This is the second recall of free government-distributed condoms in South Africa in recent months.

The recalls are a blow to HIV/Aids prevention. More than five million South Africans are HIV positive.

Every year, the South African government distributes more than 400 million condoms in a bid to control both birth rates and sexually transmitted diseases.

But critics have accused the authorities of doing too little to slow the spread of HIV.

In August the government recalled 20 million condoms made by a different company, Zalatex. Only 12 million were recovered.

Two Zalatex employees face charges of fraud and corruption after allegedly bribing a government inspector to approve defective condoms.

In the latest scandal, five out of 13 batches of Kohrs condoms failed an air-burst test, prompting the government to recall the condoms and cancel the contract with Kohrs.

Five other companies are involved in producing condoms for the government.

Service for SA's shot reggae star

Lucky Dube had sung about his country's terrible crime problem

Friends and family of the murdered South African reggae star Lucky Dube are gathering in Johannesburg for a memorial service and protest march.
The singer was gunned down late last week in what police described as a botched car hijacking attempt.

The protesters are demanding tougher government action to end the country's wave of violent crime.

Lucky Dube was a reggae music icon and one of South Africa's most loved and respected stars.

Lamented

It was a cruel irony that a singer who used his music to call attention to social injustices and corruption should himself be a victim of South Africa's violent crime.

Dube, 43, was killed on 18 October in a Johannesburg suburb as he dropped off his two teenage children at a relative's home.

Police have arrested five men in connection with last week's killing.

They are due in court later on Wednesday.

Lucky Dube's murder was lamented by South African President Thabo Mbeki and by thousands of fans across the world.

Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour said his murder posed "a big question to which the South African authorities must provide answers", reported AFP news agency.

Our correspondent says South Africa's crime wave cost an estimated 20,000 lives in the past year.

The protest has been timed to coincide with Wednesday's memorial service.

Dube's funeral will be held on Sunday as his family say they want a small and dignified ceremony.

Zimbabwe bread 'scarce as gold'

Many shops have had empty shelves since the price freeze

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change has said that "bread is as scarce as gold" in the country.
"It is now clear that Zimbabwe's crisis has reached the tipping point," the MDC's spokesman, Nelson Chamisa, told the South African Press Association.

The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe says there has been a 30% rise in the cost of living for a family of six in the last month despite price freezes.

There have been acute food shortages since the policy was imposed in June.

Businesses were ordered to slash some products by at least 50% or freeze prices for items such as bread and milk.

Zimbabwe's annual inflation is nearly 8,000% - the highest in the world.

The latest CCZ inflation figures, published in Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper, also show a 222% rise in the cost of the staple maize meal.

Meanwhile, news reports on the ZimOnline website say the call by Central Bank governor Gideon Gono to stop farm invasions, blamed for Zimbabwe's economic downturn, continues to be ignored.

Much of Zimbabwe relies on food imports and handouts from international humanitarian groups because of the failure to maintain production on farms.

Talks for Darfur 'must go ahead'

Several rebel movements say they will boycott the talks

The Darfur peace talks should go ahead in Libya this weekend in spite of rebel boycotts, Sudan's representative to the United Nations has told the tznews.
Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad said the peace process for Sudan cannot be held to ransom by the rebel factions.

At least seven Darfuri groups say they will not attend because their request to be given more time to form a common position has been ignored.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon is due to brief the UN Security Council on the matter.

The UN secretary general will also update diplomats on the deployment of peacekeepers to Darfur.

The African Union says the hybrid UN-AU 26,000-strong peace force being set up for Darfur now has commitments for 90% of the manpower needed, but lacks helicopters and trucks.

Briefing the AU peace and security council, the force's deputy commander, Gen Henry Anyidoho, said the bulk of the force will be African, as Sudan demanded, with Thailand being the only non-African country to offer soldiers.

Egypt and Ethiopia, Mali and Malawi, Senegal, Ghana and Burkina Faso have each offered a battalion apiece but the Sudanese government has yet to approve.

Some 200,000 people have died in the four-and-a-half year conflict and an estimated two million people have fled their homes.

Argentine judge accuses ex-leader

Argentina saw mass street protests at the end of 2001

Legal action has begun in Argentina against a former president for the part he allegedly played in the killing of five people during riots in 2001.
Fernando de la Rua fled the presidential palace shortly after the deaths as a severe economic, social and political crisis gripped the country.

A judge accused him of failing to prevent the killing of the five.

He is said to have failed to use the tools available to him as head of state to prevent the bloodshed.

More than $6m of his assets have been frozen.

The case will only go to trial if approved by a higher court.

'Breakthrough'

The deaths came during clashes between demonstrators and police in the capital, Buenos Aires.

Shortly afterwards, Mr de la Rua made a dramatic escape by helicopter from the presidential palace.

Argentina was at the time in the middle of a crisis which saw five presidents in the space of 10 days and the country default on its foreign debt.

Thousands of people took to the streets as their savings were frozen, while riots and looting swept the country.

More than half the population found themselves living below the poverty line and an estimated 30 people died during the clashes.

A prosecution lawyer said they had been trying for five years to bring Mr de la Rua to court and the decision was a major breakthrough.

The former president's lawyers say the accusations are politically motivated, coming just five days before a presidential election in Argentina.

Iraq to ban Kurd rebel operations

The PKK has been stepping up attacks on Turkish troops

Iraq says it will close the offices of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebel group and will "not allow it to operate on Iraqi soil".
Prime Minister Nouri Maliki said he would also "work on limiting its terrorist activities which are threatening Iraq and Turkey".

The PKK has been blamed for a number of recent deadly raids inside Turkey.

Turkey has come under intense public pressure to use force after its parliament approved cross-border raids.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara was considering sanctions on Iraq over incursions by the PKK.

The US military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, has told the BBC it would be very difficult for anyone to police Iraq's northern border but pressure should be put on the PKK.

US reins in Iraq security firms

The US anti-war movement has been mocking security contractors

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has ordered new measures to improve government oversight of private security contractors used in Iraq.
It follows a review by an independent panel ordered after an incident last month involving the US firm Blackwater, in which some 17 Iraqi civilians died.

The steps include tightening the state department's rules of engagement so they are line with the military's.

Contractors will also have to undergo improved cultural awareness training.

There will also be better co-ordination with the US military and tighter restrictions on the use of force.

Boards will be set up to investigate any future killings involving private contractors in Iraq, and will have the power to refer cases to the US justice department.

Contractors will also have to have Arabic speakers on hand.

Eight Lankan planes 'destroyed'

The attack has caused the government much embarrassment

The Sri Lankan prime minister has admitted that an attack on an air force base by Tamil rebels caused far more damage than previously acknowledged.
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake told parliament that eight aircraft, including a key spy plane, were destroyed in the attack on Monday.

Officials had been insisting that just two helicopters and a training plane were damaged in the attack.

More than 30 people died in the raid 210km (130 miles) north of Colombo.

Jails adapted for foreign inmates

Foreign prisoners: Focus on deportations, say ministers

The Prison Service has converted two jails so that they hold only foreign national prisoners, it is revealed.
Bullwood Hall, Essex, and Canterbury Prison, Kent, have been taking foreign offenders since the 2006 crisis over prisoners who had not been deported.

The Ministry of Justice said the jails which have immigration and language services were part of a plan to deport as many foreign prisoners as possible.

More than 11,000 of the 81,000 prison population are foreign nationals.

In 2006 the then Home Secretary Charles Clarke was sacked over the Home Office's failure to process the cases of 1,000 foreign national prisoners who could have been eligible for deportation.

The decision to convert two prisons just for foreign inmates came as the department reviewed its deportation strategy.

But the move to set up the two specialist prisons has come with virtually no publicity.

The names of the jails emerged in a briefing by the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers. Bullwood Hall is now holding 154 prisoners, while a further 284 are at Canterbury.

About 11,000 others are detained elsewhere alongside British prisoners.

Ms Owers said the two prisons had been given specific services for foreign inmates, including language support and advice on immigration issues.

She said it was easier to provide these services in one place and the move was similar to other specialist prisons such as those for juveniles.

The Independent Monitoring Board, which reports on prison conditions, said staff at Bullwood Hall had been unprepared for the move, but at Canterbury it was working well.

Too much cannabis 'worsens pain'

Canada and Holland allow the medical use of cannabis

Smoking large amounts of cannabis for therapeutic reasons may increase rather than reduce pain, a US study suggests.
The pain-relieving qualities of cannabis have long been hailed, and several countries have made it available for medicinal purposes.

But quantity is key, according to the study in the journal Anesthesiology.

University of California researchers found moderate use had the greatest impact on pain in 15 volunteers, while large doses actually made pain worse.

The team recruited 15 healthy volunteers, in whom pain was induced by injecting capsaicin - the "hot" chemical found in chilli peppers - under their skin.

They were then given cannabis to smoke. The strength of the dose was determined by the tetrahydrocannabinol content, which is the main active chemical in cannabis.

Some of the volunteers were given a placebo.

Climate threat to biodiversity

The last mass extinction wiped out one-fifth of life on Earth

Global temperatures predicted for the coming centuries could trigger a mass extinction, UK scientists have warned.
The temperatures are within the range of greenhouse phases early in the Earth's history when up to 95% of plants and animals died out, they say.

Experts examined the link between climate and diversity over 520 million years, almost the entire fossil record.

They found that global diversity is high during cool (icehouse) periods and low during warm (greenhouse) phases.

"Our results provide the first clear evidence that global climate may explain substantial variation in the fossil record in a simple and consistent manner," said Dr Peter Mayhew of the University of York.

"If our results hold for current warming, the magnitude of which is comparable with the long-term fluctuations in the Earth's climate, they suggest that extinctions will increase."

Warmer, wetter

The research, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, compared data sets on marine and land diversity against estimates of sea surface temperatures for the same period.

They found that four out of the five mass extinction events on Earth are associated with greenhouse phases (warmer, wetter conditions) rather than icehouse phases (cold, dry conditions).

These include Earth's worst mass extinction 251 million years ago when some 95% of all species were lost.

"We could - at worst - be experiencing that in the next century - only a few human generations down the line," Dr Mayhew told BBC News.

"We need to know why temperatures and extinctions are linked in this way."

Californian fires affect TV shows

Fires near Irvine, California forced 24 to halt production

Filming of TV shows including 24 has reportedly been hit by the wild fires sweeping across southern California.
Scenes featuring 24's lead star Kiefer Sutherland had to be halted at a military base near Irvine, Orange County, because of the smoke.

Other series were also hit, trade publication Hollywood Reporter said.

Fierce winds are fanning at least 16 fires that have razed land from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border, forcing 500,000 people out of their homes.

The blazes have left one person dead and destroyed at least 1,300 homes and businesses, officials say. They have led to the biggest US evacuation since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Producers of 24 had to cancel two days of filming at the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro after cast and crew suffered blurry eyes and were having difficulty breathing.

Scenes were shot on the programme's dedicated stages instead.

"By 1 pm we're back here and had shot two other scenes," line producer Michael Klick told the Hollywood Reporter.

"When the dust settles, we probably lost five hours' worth of work, and we have to reschedule the two days we missed."

Strong winds

Other US TV series were also affected by the fires and bad weather. Police drama Cold Case, which airs on CBS, saw its sets in Simi Valley, north of Los Angeles, blown over by the strong winds.

ABC boardroom drama Big Shots had to scrap shooting in Malibu, while crime series NCIS - which uses stages so close to the fires that the smoke was visible from the set - carried on filming, but lost crew members who had to protect their homes.

The fires are putting homes at risk in seven counties where up to 300,000 acres (120,000 hectares) have been scorched.

Actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta spoke earlier this week about their fears over the fires.

One of the areas affected is the coastal region around Los Angeles, which is home to many celebrities, including actors Mel Gibson, Barbra Streisand, Richard Gere, Pierce Brosnan, Dick Van Dyke and Ted Danson.

Singers Sting and Olivia Newton-John, director James Cameron and music mogul David Geffen also live locally.

Drogba '100% committed to Blues'

I'm still in touch with him, the relationship is good

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has reiterated his commitment to the club after going back on comments suggesting he was seeking a move.
He told tznews: "If you are not happy to be somewhere it is difficult to give 100%.

"Now I'm giving 100% because I feel good. I love the fans - I think they show me the respect I deserve and this is very important."

Drogba also said he was in regular contact with former boss Jose Mourinho.

The 29-year-old admitted he was upset to see Mourinho leave the club in controversial circumstances last month.

"How could I not be emotional when he brought me to England, to the best league in the world," added Drogba.

"He was always behind me and protecting me, If I had a good season last year, it was because he was behind me and the team was behind me.

"I'm still in touch with him, the relationship is good. It's important to keep in touch with people you worked with for four years."

Drogba, speaking at an event to promote the new anti-racism single he has recorded with team-mate Michael Essien, said Chelsea had not written off their Premiership title hopes despite their poor start to the season.

"Being eight points behind is a situation we are not used to," he said.

"Now what is good is that there are a lot of teams who are competing to be champions, more than two or three years ago. Maybe this will help us.

"It was very painful to lose the league last year - when you get used to something, it's difficult to lose it."

Last week, Chelsea issued a statement on Drogba's behalf in which he said he regretted his comments to a French magazine in which he made it clear he wished to leave.

"I am a Chelsea player and will be 100% committed and supportive to my manager, my team-mates and the club," he said.

"I will not be discussing my future any further until I meet privately with the club at the end of the season."

In an interview with France Football, he said he "wanted to leave Chelsea".

"Something is broken with Chelsea," he was quoted as saying. "The damage is big in the dressing-room.

"Nothing can stop me from leaving now," he added, listing Barcelona, Real Madrid, and both Milan clubs as possible destinations.

Drogba, 29, joined Chelsea from Marseille for £24m in July 2004 and has been the subject of regular speculation since then despite a prolific record with the Blues.

His comments suggested the Ivory Coast star was keen to leave the club in the January transfer window.

But Chelsea manager Avram Grant said he was keen to speak to the player in private to quell any further dressing-room unrest.

Drogba signed a four-year contract in November 2006 but told the BBC the following month he had considered leaving the previous summer in the wake of Chelsea's second successive league title.

Injured giants in crucial duel

Arch-rivals Simba and Yanga meet in a Vodacom Premier League match at the Jamhuri Stadium in Morogoro this afternoon.

This will be the second time for the soccer giants to meet this year.

They last met in the Mini League match played at the stadium and Simba won on penalty after finishing normal time in a barren draw.

Simba, who won the Mini League title, will be looking to beat Yanga again as the Jangwani Street team will be out for revenge.

Simba coach Jamhuri Kihwelu `Julio` said yesterday that nothing will stop his team from snatching three necessary points from Yanga who are under the tutelage of Malawian tactician Jack Chamangwana.

`We have prepared well to face Yanga, to us it is a normal game like any other match in the league,` Julio claimed.

On his part, Chamangwana said Simba should not expect an easy ride from them gain as he had already prepared well his team.

`We are fit to face them and nothing else,` Chamangwana said.

Simba are expected to field experienced players such as Juma Kaseja, Said Sued , Henry Joseph, Joseph Kaniki, Ulimboka Mwakingwe, Musa Hassan `Mgosi`, Saidi Kokoo and Mosses Odhiambo to mention but a few.

Chamangwa is expected to field Ivo Mapunda, Credo Mwaipopo, Nadir Haroub `Cannavaro`, Laurent Kabanda, Mourice Sunguti, Gaudence Mwaikimba, Waziri Mahadhi and others.

Yanga have 12 points so far while Simba have 11.

Dodoma men out of Barrick Gold Cup

Dodoma men`s basketball team yesterday bowed out of the ongoing Barrick Gold Cup after losing two games.

Ruvuma hit them 57-56 in the match played at the Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday morning.

Top scorers for Ruvuma, who were nailed by Dar es Salaam 80-30 on Sunday, were Himid Choka who scored 20 points and Mkumbo Mgendi (23).

Dar es Salaam hit Dodoma 78-27 in the opening match on Sunday. Dodoma had won one match only, against Morogoro.

Shinyanga hit Ruvuma 42-34 in the women`s game played yesterday. Wema Martin and Tina Kabanda scored 17 and 10 points respectively for Shinyanga.

Morogoro hammered Mwanza 32-25 in another women`s match. Top scorers for the winners were Sajda Ahmeid who scored 16 points andNina Mlinga (6).

Mwanza men`s crashed Tanga 63-43 and Dodoma won 75-51 against Morogoro after the end of Monday matches.

The championships continue today when Morogoro play Ruvuma, Dar es Salaam vs Mwanza, Tabora vs Tanga, Kilimanjaro vs Shinyanga, Coast Region vs Mbeya and Arusha vs Mwanza. Ruvuma and Coast Region will meet in the women�s duel.

Wenger backs Walcott for England

Walcott scored twice in the 7-0 thrashing of Slavia Prague

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal striker Theo Walcott deserves an England recall after his brace in the 7-0 Champions League win over Slavia Prague.
Walcott, 18, was a shock inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup squad but did not play in Germany.

Gunners boss Wenger said: "You complain you don't have many strikers and accuse Arsenal of not producing enough England players - Theo is one of them.

"He is intelligent, has fantastic pace and his technique is improving."

Football results

Tuesday, 23 October 2007

UEFA Champions League
Arsenal 7-0 Slavia Prague
CSKA Moscow 1-2 Inter Milan
Dynamo Kiev 2-4 Man Utd
PSV 0-0 Fenerbahce
Rangers 0-0 Barcelona
Roma 2-1 Sporting
Sevilla 2-1 Steaua Bucharest
VfB Stuttgart 0-2 Lyon

The Coca-Cola Football League Championship
Burnley 2-1 Norwich
Charlton 1-2 Plymouth
Coventry 0-3 Watford
Crystal Palace 1-3 Stoke
Ipswich 3-1 Colchester
Leicester 0-1 Sheff Utd
Preston 0-0 QPR
Sheff Wed 1-2 Scunthorpe
West Brom 2-1 Blackpool

Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Doncaster 3-0 Oldham

The FA Carlsberg Trophy
Abingdon Town 5-2 Staines Town
Bedworth 1-2 Hillingdon Borough
Dartford 0-3 AFC Hornchurch
Farnborough 1-0 Swindon Supermarine
Fleet Town 0-2 Mangotsfield
Gosport Borough 2-1 Winchester City
Harlow 0-1 Brentwood Town
Hemel Hempstead 2-1 Dunstable
King's Lynn 2-1 AFC Sudbury
Lancaster City 1-2 Clitheroe
Margate 2-0 Aylesbury
Matlock Town 1-0 Stamford
Nantwich Town 2-3 Wakefield FC
Wealdstone 2-1 Leighton

Blue Square North
Burscough 0-1 Workington
Harrogate Town 1-0 Southport
Hucknall 5-0 Worcester
Nuneaton 2-2 Boston Utd
Solihull Moors 0-3 Alfreton Town
Tamworth 3-0 Hinckley Utd
Vauxhall Motors 1-3 AFC Telford

Blue Square South
Bromley 3-4 St Albans
Cambridge City 1-1 Eastbourne Borough
Dorchester 1-1 Bognor Regis Town
Hampton & Richmond 1-1 Bishop's Stortford
Hayes & Yeading 2-1 Fisher Athletic
Thurrock 2-1 Sutton Utd
Welling 0-2 Braintree Town

Loosemores Welsh Premier League Cup
Airbus UK 0-0 Newi Cefn Druids
Bangor City 4-0 Connah's Quay
Caersws 2-0 Newtown
Port Talbot 2-5 Llanelli

FA Tesco Women's Premier League
Bristol Academy 4-1 Cardiff Ladies

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derbyshire swoop for Jayawardene

Derbyshire fans will see one of the world's best batsmen in action

Derbyshire have signed Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene for the first half of the 2008 season.
The 30-year-old batsman, who will arrive before the end of April and stay until mid-July, is the county's fifth signing since the end of last season.

"I knew he was the right player after I spoke to him," said boss John Morris.

"And I could tell that he has the desire to play county cricket and contribute both experience and flair to Derbyshire's batting line-up."

Counties can have only one overseas player from 2008 and Jayawardene - who has scored 6,630 runs in Test cricket at an average of 49.84 - can be replaced at the halfway stage.

His signing comes on the back of the captures of Rikki Clarke as captain and West Indies batsman Wavell Hinds.

Kiwi duo set to make Test debuts

Lauaki played in a non-Test match against the NZ Residents last year

New Zealand will hand debuts to back rower Epalahame Lauaki and full-back Sam Perrett when they take on Great Britain in Huddersfield on Saturday.
Lauaki, whose older brother Sione is a New Zealand rugby union international, will start the game on the bench.

Perrett replaces the injured Krisnan Inu in a backline that also includes Wigan's Thomas Leuluai and Bradford duo Tame Tupou and Shontayne Hape.

Leuluai starts at scrum-half, with the versatile Lance Hohaia at stand-off.

"We have spent a lot of time discussing the halves," said Kiwis coach Gary Kemble.

Decision on Alonso soon - Dennis

Alonso has endured a troubled season with McLaren

The future of Fernando Alonso will be decided by the first week of November, according to McLaren boss Ron Dennis.
It is anticipated that the two-time world champion will move on in the wake of a turbulent debut season with them.

But Alonso said yesterday he had not spoken to another team, while Dennis insisted the matter would be addressed over "the next two weeks."

He said: "We feel we have a pretty clear understanding of the future, but we have not discussed it in detail."

Dennis added: "The issue of the drivers is an issue we have continuously told you we will address at the end of the season, and it will be addressed over the course of the next two weeks.

"I can tell you we have given it thought, but not thought we can share with you."

With Alonso's contract at McLaren running through to 2008, and with an option for a third year, he may feel elect to ride the storm of another potentially rocky season.

The 26-year-old also surprisingly revealed yesterday that Renault would not be his first choice, even if he were to leave.

It had been widely speculated Alonso would happily return to the team that made him champion in 2005 and 2006.

Renault boss Flavio Briatore has also made no secret of his desire to see the Spaniard drive for him again.

But there are few teams in Formula One who could match Alonso's multi-million pound salary.

One door was shut last week when Felipe Massa signed a new, three-year deal with Ferrari, while Alonso closed another himself in turning his back on a move to Toyota.

Massa may have a new deal but Ferrari remain impressed with Alonso. Team president Luca di Montezemolo said: "Alonso is world class in every sense.

"I have appreciated very much his sportsmanship. He lost by one point and I believe it wasn't his fault."

Dennis has barely spoken to Alonso since their bust-up on the morning of the Hungarian Grand Prix in early August.

When asked whether he was glad the season was finally over given the stress and pressure of the spy scandal, and a number of other off-track problems, Dennis said: "Well, I am not glad it is over with the lack of a world championship.

"Understandably a few days will help the bruising, but at the end of the day it has been a great season and both drivers have got good results. It is just disappointing neither of them won the world championship."

Alonso and fellow McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton ended the season with 109 points each, just one behind champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Mayo's 'B' sample to be re-tested

Mayo is a former Dauphine Libere winner

Spanish cyclist Iban Mayo's 'B' sample for his positive drugs test in the 2007 Tour de France will be re-analysed after returning an inconclusive result.
On Monday Mayo, 30, was told the 'B' analysis from his positive test for erythropoietin (EPO) was negative.

But the International Cycling Union (UCI) says Mayo is not yet clear.

"The Paris lab was closed when the sample was to be tested," said UCI president Pat McQuaid. "It was done in Ghent - the result was inconclusive."

The mountain specialist, who finished the Tour in 16th place overall, was immediately suspended while his Saunier Duval team awaited the results of his B sample.

Mayo has said he is considering taking legal action against the UCI over the way he has been treated.

"It was a very bad experience because I didn't understand what was happening but everything has turned out as I expected," he told Spanish newspaper Marca.

"It doesn't seem logical nor credible," he said. "I've spent many years cycling and I can't chuck it all in but sometimes you feel like it because there are so many injustices.

"The fans who like cycling don't want to see this sort of thing. Cycling is a spectacle that involves sacrifice if not you don't get the results."

Mayo, who joined Saunier Duval from the Euskaltel Euskadi team last October, has frequently been tipped to shine in the Tour de France but has failed to live up to expectations.

He finished sixth in the Tour in 2003 and won the Dauphine Libere race in 2004.

Olympic-goers urged to ditch cars

One train will serve the park every 15 seconds, Games planners say

Spectators attending London's 2012 Olympics have been urged to leave their cars at home and travel to the games on foot, cycle or public transport.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) said it hoped the event would be a "Public Transport Games" - but stopped short of saying it wanted to ban cars.

The ODA published its Olympic Transport Plan, detailing planned improvements to public transport links, on Tuesday.

As many as 500,000 spectators are expected to attend events each day.

Another 50,000 athletes, officials and media are also expected to be travelling to the Olympic venues.