No image available
/ 19 December 2007
Within hours the dirty grounds of Mina were thinly carpeted in hair, much of it black and wiry, and light winds swirled the debris up and on to the clothing and faces of pilgrims. Thousands of dazed looking men emerged from makeshift shacks, rubbing their scalps.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
Zimbabwe’s top banker announced on Wednesday the immediate introduction of higher denominations of banknotes in a bid to tackle cash shortages fed by runaway inflation. With effect from Thursday, Z 000, Z 000 and Z 000 notes will come into circulation.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
Gold is on course to close 2007 at least $100 higher, setting the yellow metal up for its seventh consecutive year of gains in 2008. An ounce of gold cost $629,80 at the start of 2007 and was trading close to $800 an ounce by mid-December after touching $841,10 in November –- its highest level since 1980.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
South African consumer inflation raced further away from the central bank’s band in November, backing the case for another interest rate rise, despite a slowdown in retail sales. The targeted CPIX gauge — which strips out mortgage costs — jumped to 7,9% year-on-year from 7,3% in October.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
Right-wing businessman Lee Myung-bak won South Korea’s presidential election by a landslide on Wednesday with his promises to make voters better off and stand up to North Korea, TV exit polls showed. The wide margin of victory put to rest concerns in his camp that a probe in allegations of fraud by Lee might deter voters.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
Rescue efforts are under way in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after a fleet of boats capsized on the Tshuapa river, killing at least 45 people, reports said on Wednesday. About 80 people were on board the motorised canoes when they went under on Sunday night.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
A KwaZulu-Natal street child — who allegedly stole money, clothing and jewellery from a car — was picked up, thrown into the boot of the car and then assaulted, police said on Wednesday. Spokesperson Captain Edmund Singh said the incident took place in Chatsworth’s Crofdene area in Durban at about 9.15pm.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
A pedestrian has been charged with damaging property after walking over a car that was parked illegally on the sidewalk in Greece’s congested capital. ”I could not get past the vehicle, a four-wheel drive, which had been parked right on the pavement so I got angry and just walked over it, slightly denting its hood,” said Tasos Pouliasis.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
Monkeys performed about as well as college students at mental addition, United States researchers said on Monday in a finding that suggests non-verbal maths skills are not unique to humans. The research follows the finding by Japanese researchers that young chimpanzees performed better than human adults at a memory game.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
An Italian court has ruled that a couple could not name their son Friday and ordered that he instead be called Gregory after the saint whose feast day he was born on. ”I think it is ridiculous they even opened a case about it,” said the family’s lawyer, Paola Rossi.