KwaZulu-Natal swimmer Riaan Schoeman was the talk of the South African swimming squad after winning the 400m individual medley final in a new South African record time on Wednesday, the second day of the International Swim Meeting in Tokyo, Japan.
The Kenyan president refused on Wednesday to approve legislation that has widely been condemned as an attack on independent media because it would allow Kenyan courts to compel reporters to reveal their sources. President Mwai Kibaki rejected the Bill a week after hundreds of journalists protested while wearing black gags.
The Constitutional Court reserved judgement on Wednesday on an application by senior editors of Independent Newspapers to access restricted documents relating to former intelligence boss Billy Masetlha. Lawyers for Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils argued that allowing this would compromise the intelligence services.
Vermont’s clothing-optional capital is stripping off its temporary ban on public nudity. A month after passing the temporary ban after an elderly tourist strolled naked through the centre of town, Brattleboro city board members voted 3-2 on Tuesday to reject a proposed ordinance that would have made it permanent.
Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate leapt to a new record 7 634,8% in July, the first official price data to be published for three months showed on Wednesday. The country is in its eighth year of recession marked by chronic shortages of fuel and foreign currency, unemployment of more than 80% and the world’s highest inflation rate.
A Cape Town massage studio that included the word ”cottage” in its advertisement was not advertising casual gay sex in a public toilet, the Advertising Standards Authority has decided. The ruling was in response to a complaint about a newspaper advert for a Cape Town business that describes itself as an upmarket massage studio.
For almost two days, millions of customers around the world who depend on the popular online phone service Skype were stymied as they tried to make or receive calls or send instant messages. Although many were angry, analysts say the outage is unlikely to turn customers off or substantially revive demand for traditional land lines.
A prosecutor on Wednesday expressed concern in the Cape Town Regional Court over the tendency of gangsters involved in territory warfare to lay criminal charges against their rivals, but then fail to attend proceedings as crucial witnesses. Prosecutor Harold Engelbrecht was speaking during the trial of an alleged gangster.
The decision on whether to toll Gauteng’s main highways will be announced later this year, the Department of Transport said on Wednesday. Beeld newspaper reported that motorists would be charged 50c per kilometre to use the main highways in Gauteng if it was decided to toll the roads.
A man appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday accused of certifying defective condoms in exchange for cash, said Gauteng police. Sphiwe Fikizolo faces charges of fraud and corruption. Police spokesperson Captain Percy Morokane said Fikizolo’s case was postponed to August 23 and he was released on R2 000 bail.