Thousands of South Africans gathered in various locations across the country on Friday to celebrate the country’s 13th year of freedom from apartheid rule. In the Eastern Cape, President Thabo Mbeki addressed the packed Bisho Stadium and urged South Africans to join the fight against crime and corruption.
Guns and mortar launchers were silent on Friday as residents of Somalia’s shattered capital gave mixed reactions to the government’s claim of victory after nine days of fierce fighting with Islamic insurgents. It was not clear how long the peace would last, but some residents made a slow return to their homes.
Prince Harry will be a prime kidnap target for insurgents in Iraq, a commander in the Mehdi Army, the Shi’ite militia loyal to the radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, has told the <i>Guardian</i>. "One of our aims is to capture Harry," claimed Abu Mujtaba, who commands a unit of about 50 men active in the Mehdi Army in Basra.
Millions of South Africans who do not benefit from the country’s political freedom should not be forgotten as South Africa celebrates Freedom Day, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said. ”You cannot really celebrate your ‘freedom’ if you are unemployed, have no income and have no proper house,” the federation said in a statement.
An Iraqi al-Qaeda member accused of assassination plots against Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and other attacks was transferred by the CIA to the United States military prison at Guantánamo this week, the Pentagon said on Friday.
The Western Force kept their slim Super 14 finals hopes alive with record 45-17 thrashing of the Central Cheetahs at Subiaco Oval in Perth on Friday. The Force, needing a bonus-point win to remain mathematically capable of reaching the play-offs in their second season, delivered with a six-try spree that took them to their highest score yet in the competition.
Sir Alex Ferguson on Friday launched a stinging attack on Jose Mourinho in the wake of the Chelsea manager’s claims that Manchester United are being favoured by referees during the Premiership title run-in. United manager Ferguson has accused Mourinho of pursuing a calculated strategy to increase pressure on match officials.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sbu Ndebele in his Freedom Day address said it was important for the province to built a better life and economy for its people. ”On Freedom Day we must look at what it is that government and the people of South Africa have done to better the conditions of our people.
Police have arrested 172 militants who were plotting to attack Saudi Arabia’s oil fields, the Saudi state TV channel al-Ekhbariah reported on Friday. The channel broadcast footage of the large quantity of weapons of all kinds that were discovered buried in the desert. The arms included bricks of plastic explosives, ammunition cartridges, handguns and rifles.
All South Africans were called upon to join the fight against crime and corruption by President Thabo Mbeki in his Freedom Day speech at Bhisho in the Eastern Cape on Friday. ”There is a minority in our country who have made crime their business, who terrorise our communities, robbing our people … raping women and children …,” Mbeki said at the Bhisho Stadium.