No image available
/ 31 October 2007
Delegates from dozens of nations gathered in India on Wednesday to open a World Toilet Summit aimed at finding low-cost methods to give billions of people access to sanitation. The four-day meeting and seventh such summit brought together 170 experts from more than 40 countries to swap ideas on improving basic sanitation.
No image available
/ 31 October 2007
A disagreement broke out on Wednesday over whether University of Johannesburg (UJ) students would honour a memorandum of agreement on fee increases. While the independent mediator called in to resolve the dispute claimed an agreement ending the impasse was in place, the Student Representative Council said no accord had yet been reached.
No image available
/ 31 October 2007
Nasa scrambled on Wednesday to deal with two power problems at the International Space Station that could delay future missions and make it even harder to finish building the orbiting outpost before the space shuttles must be retired. Both issues competed for the precious little spacewalking time that’s left in Discovery‘s mission.
No image available
/ 31 October 2007
A bomb on a bus in the Russian car-making city of Togliatti killed at least eight people and injured 50 on Wednesday in what authorities called a terrorist attack. The blast, which came as people travelled to work in the early-morning rush hour, was probably caused by a bomb hidden under the floor of the bus, police sources said.
No image available
/ 31 October 2007
California officials have blamed a wildfire that consumed more than 15 300ha and destroyed 21 homes last week on a boy playing with matches, and said they will ask a prosecutor to consider the case. The boy, whose name and age were not released, admitted to sparking the fire on October 21, police said.
No image available
/ 31 October 2007
South African police are investigating alleged abuses at billionaire United States television magnate Oprah Winfrey’s all-girl leadership academy, a police spokesperson said on Wednesday. Rapport newspaper has reported a matron at the school allegedly fondled one of the pupils, and grabbed a girl by the throat and threw her against a wall.
No image available
/ 31 October 2007
The government’s key Working for Water programme, aimed at eradicating invasive alien plants that cause billions of rands’ damage to the economy each year, appears set to fall further and further behind in its efforts to contain the problem. Alien plants have so far invaded about 8% of the country.
No image available
/ 31 October 2007
The European Union is threatening to ban the import of South African animal products because the government has failed to meet certain requirements agreed on five years ago, the Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday. The ban would cover South African beef, mutton, pork, chicken, ostrich and game products, among others.
No image available
/ 31 October 2007
Botswana police and wildlife guards are torturing Bushmen arrested for hunting, Survival International claimed on Wednesday. They made three Bushmen run through the desert in blistering heat for hours while chasing them in vehicles, Survival said in a statement.
No image available
/ 31 October 2007
According to research, 70% of young children who have a parent in jail develop emotional problems, the Wynberg Regional Court heard from a psychiatrist on Wednesday. Rosa Bredenkamp was testifying before Western Cape Regional Court president Robert Henney in support of Najwa Petersen’s second bail application.