At least 1 000 families have had no communication with the outside world since last Thursday after their homes became isolated by rising water levels in the flood-hit province of Mozambican Manica, state radio reported on Wednesday. Manica provincial governor Maurice Viera said that intense rains had resulted in the displacement of more than 900 families.
Gunmen killed a United States government aid agency official and his driver in Khartoum on Tuesday, US and Sudanese officials said. The unknown assailants opened fire as the official from the US Agency for International Development was heading home in an embassy vehicle shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day, diplomatic sources said.
South African stocks were sharply higher at noon on the first trading day of 2008, but volumes remained low as most traders are still on their festive-season break. By noon on the JSE, the all-share index was 1,05% higher. Resources added 1,24%, the platinum-mining index was up 1,88% but the gold-mining index was flat.
Oil rose above on Wednesday, bolstered by expectations United States government data would show crude stocks falling for the seventh consecutive week, and as fresh violence in major oil exporter Nigeria revived supply concerns. US light crude for February delivery rose 46 cents to ,44 a barrel by 7.08am GMT, while London Brent crude rose 48 cents to ,33 a barrel.
Grade 12 pupils from at least four schools in Mpumalanga are caught up in confusion as to whether or not they have passed their matric exams, the Sowetan reported on Wednesday. Instead of joining the throng of those who passed, Thokozani Hlatshwayo and several of his classmates were left ”confused and traumatised”.
The bitter dispute over the Kenyan presidency could have long-lasting economic repercussions, observers warn, fearing that financial turmoil could quickly derail an, until now, booming economy. Considered an investor-friendly haven of relative stability on its way to becoming an ”African Tiger”, Kenya is experiencing its worst political unrest in 25 years.
Andrew Symonds smashed a breathtaking century in a record partnership with Brad Hogg to put Australia in control of the second Test against India on Wednesday. The powerful all-rounder demolished India’s bowling attack with an unbeaten 137 after Hogg made a vital 79 to steer Australia out of danger to 376-7 at stumps on the first day.
An Australian government plan to filter the internet on Wednesday drew criticism from privacy advocates who said it represented the start of state censorship. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, a member of the Labour team that ousted former prime minister John Howard in November, wants filters in place to shield children from online porn and violence.
Motherwell captain Phil O’Donnell died of heart failure, according to a post-mortem examination. The 35-year-old collapsed while being substituted towards the end of Motherwell’s 5-3 Scottish Premier League win against Dundee United on Saturday and later died in hospital.
Nikolay Davydenko, the world number four from Russia who remains at the centre of an investigation into a betting scandal, on Tuesday described his treatment by the Association of Tennis Professionals as ”idiotic”. Davydenko recently had a fine, for allegedly not trying at the St Petersburg Open, overturned.