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.
South African athletes have won only seven medals on the first two days of the athletics competition at the ninth All Africa Games in Algiers. Sixteen events have so far been completed and the results show that SA athletes managed three silver and four bronze medals.
The Open Championship organisers on Friday defended a referee accused of giving Tiger Woods preferential treatment, despite evidence that he had mistakenly offered the world number one an advantageous free drop. Woods was offered the drop by referee Alan Holmes after his ball came to rest beside television cabling in light rough during his first round on Thursday.
China’s auditors have found more than ,2-billion in problem loans at three top banks, highlighting the ongoing poor credit practices in the financial system, the government said on Friday. The questionable loans were found at two of the nation’s largest — Bank of China and the Bank of Communications.
Ethiopia on Friday freed 38 opposition members sentenced to jail this week for treason, inciting violence and trying to overthrow the government, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said. Rights groups and donor governments had complained the trial was politically motivated.
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.