Zimbabwe central bank governor Gideon Gono has warned President Robert Mugabe’s government that it risks strangling the already battered economy by banning private fuel purchases in foreign currency. A severe economic crisis many blame on Mugabe’s policies has left the Southern African state struggling.
Johannesburg metro police have launched a search for a taxi driver who fired shots at an officer on Friday morning. Metro police spokesperson Inspector Edna Mamonyane said the taxi driver jumped a red robot in the CBD at about 8.45am. Metro police saw him and stopped him.
Former Zambian president Frederick Chiluba may stand trial for corruption by video link due to ill health, a spokesperson for the ex-leader said on Friday. Chiluba, who is due to travel to South Africa for medical treatment, has been told by a Zambian court to return home by August 13 to resume his protracted trial the next day, a spokesperson said.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is launching an international news channel to compete with CNN and the BBC, joining the growing ranks of news outlets seeking to challenge media stereotypes about Africa. But media watchdogs say the SABC should focus on bolstering editorial independence at home.
The United Nations human rights chief on Friday called on Sudan to protect a village of 4 500 people in West Darfur where armed men in military uniform have carried out abductions and sexual violence. Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged the Khartoum government to set up a permanent police presence in Bir Dagig.
<b>MOVIE OF THE WEEK:</b> Shaun de Waal reviews Michael Bays’ flashy action movie, <i>Transformers</i>, which opens in theatres this weekend
Plans were announced recently for a biopic of the life of <i>Playboy</i>’s founder, Hugh Hefner, writes Dan Glaister in Los Angeles.
Sharon Farr’s documentary <i>Bram Fischer’s Story</i> is an absorbing and often poignant account of a remarkable life, writes Drew Forrest.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are prepared to make a joint personal trip to Darfur to seek an end to bloodshed in the region, the two leaders said on Friday. Britain would provide "substantial aid", Brown said, but cooperation was needed from the Sudanese government.
The public has the right to know about complaints against medical practitioners, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) said on Friday. HPCSA registrar Boyce Mkhize said in a statement that the public had a right to check the credentials and misconduct record of healthcare practitioners in South Africa.