Several thousand Pakistani Islamists rallied on Friday to denounce the government for ordering an army crackdown on a radical mosque in the capital, Islamabad. Protests were held in several towns and cities across the country after Friday prayers but none was very big and there were no reports of trouble.
Danny Jordaan, CEO of the 2010 Soccer World Cup local organising committee, on Friday returned to his home town of Port Elizabeth to switch on the First National Bank (FNB) World Cup countdown clock. This demonstrates that things are really ”hotting up” in the friendly city as it prepares to host some of the games in three years’ time.
Police on Friday defended the redeployment of officers dealing with crimes against women and children, saying the new system was proving to be effective. ”Rape cases have decreased significantly in Mpumalanga, while the conviction rate has increased substantially,” said spokesperson Director Selby Bokaba.
Sri Lanka were 500-4 in their first innings at close of the third day’s play in the third and final cricket Test against Bangladesh on Friday. Sri Lanka, who bowled out Bangladesh for 131 on Thursday, lead by 369 runs with six wickets in hand at the Asgiriya Stadium.
A South African drug dealer who tried to peddle his wares to undercover police was arrested while wearing a T-shirt proclaiming "True champions don’t do drugs and crime", a newspaper said on Friday. The 27-year-old thought he had found new clients and led the officers straight to a stash of marijuana and Mandrax tablets.
Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille has accused the government of again washing its hands of responsibility and abetting Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s ”survival programme”. Writing in her weekly newsletter on the DA website on Friday, Zille also urged increased international pressure on Mugabe.
Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, who is on trial for atrocities committed in Sierra Leone’s civil war, would, if convicted, serve his sentence in Britain under an agreement made by British authorities. Britain’s government signed the sentence-enforcement agreement this week with the United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone.
Proposals have been put on the table to improve nurses’ salaries by between 20% and 23%, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang announced on Friday. ”Part of the proposal we have presented to the discussions with the health unions is that entry level salaries of nurses be increased by between 20% and 23% with effect from July 1 2007,” she said.
An exchange programme between Southern African and Native American artists has etched out parallels between cultures, writes Lynley Donnelly.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK: The Harry Potter franchise: It’s like we’re treading water until the big climax arrives, writes Shaun de Waal.