Malawi: National team flexes muscles

The Malawi National Football Team is daring continental heavyweights such as Cameroon and Ivory Coast for an encounter. The Flames are `praying` for such a possibility during the FIFA draw to be conducted at its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, this week.Flames’ coach, Kinnah Phiri, said on Saturday in an exclusive interview time was near for the Indomitable Lions and the Ivory Coast to realize that their days are numbered. “Gone are the days when Africa had permanent soccer giants and full-time also-runs; now each team is like a mystery that needs to be studied and uncovered, especially on their home soil.”

Uganda joins UN Security Council

Uganda has been elected to occupy a non-permanent seat of UN Security Council when delegates cast their votes to the international body’s powerful for 2009-10 term. The country, which was already assured of a seat from a unanimous regional backing, has been joined by Japan, Turkey, Austria and Mexico.Iran, which is under UN sanctions over its nuclear programme, and Iceland, which is on the verge of bankruptcy, were defeated in the vote on Friday, a decision that some western powers said was a lesson, especially for Iranians.

South African gold mines resume operations

SA’s Gold Fields, world’s number four gold producer has resumed operations at its Kloof mine after authorities shut it down, following death of a miner. The Africa’s second largest gold producer, also restarted business at its Driefontien mine after it was forced to close shop, when two workers died.The Group said it got government’s go-ahead to resume work on both mines, located near Johannesburg. The mines according to group chief executive officer Nick Holland were hit by tremors, which trapped workers underground, killed one and injured four others.Holland had told the media that in past four or five quarters, the group was losing an average of about 700kg a quarter due to safety stoppages, but losses had eased as safety improved, according to Afrol News.