Rivals for the French presidency made their final appeals to millions of undecided voters on Friday as the official campaign drew to an end ahead of an election seen as too close to call. Right-wing contender Nicolas Sarkozy was leading in opinion polls ahead of Socialist Ségolène Royal, aiming to become France’s first woman president.
Zimbabwe’s embattled President Robert Mugabe won a show of support from neighbouring Zambia with its vice-president calling him one of the world’s great leaders, state media in Harare reported on Friday. Rupiah Banda said Mugabe had shown courage by embarking on his controversial land reform programme.
The Malaria death toll continues to rise in Mozambique, health authorities said on Friday. According to the health ministry’s weekly Epidemiology bulletin published on Tuesday, 96 people died from the disease this week compared to 64 from the previous week.
Hard-rock band Guns n’ Roses have pulled out of a music festival in Johannesburg on April 27 and Cape Town on May 1, Big Concerts said on Friday. ”Guns n’ Roses were forced to postpone the second leg of their global tour, including appearing at My Coke Fest, due to an injury recently sustained by the group’s bassist, Tommy Stinson,” said Big Concerts spokesperson John Langford.
Aviation logistics company Equity Aviation expressed surprise that workers were ready to strike. ”I don’t know where this is coming from,” said spokesperson Herman Fleischmann following an announcement by the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union on Friday.
The Crusaders held off a determined challenge from New Zealand rivals the Hurricanes to win a bruising Super 14 match 23-13 in Christchurch on Friday. The defending champions and competition leaders led 17-13 at half-time following tries by forwards Corey Flynn and Ross Filipo.
Will Brian Lara be remembered as a batting genius in a declining West Indies cricketing era who was destined to court frustration with his team’s repeated failures? The debate will go on, but there is no denying that he was one of the best batsmen of the modern era who drew fans to the ground with his attractive and audacious stroke play.
The Public Protector will not investigate Chippy Shaik over arms-deal bribery allegations, his office said on Friday. ”Advocate Lawrence Mushwana concluded that he could not, at this stage, proceed with an investigation as the ‘allegation’ referred to criminal conduct that German authorities were investigating,” said his spokesperson, Charles Phahlane.
As Nestlé shareholders gathered on Thursday in Switzerland for their annual meeting, growing numbers of voices have been questioning the company’s claims on spring water around the world and its effects on local communities. Nestlé Waters North America has been found to damage the environment through its pumping operations.
When the European Union banned exports of fish from Lake Victoria during the 1990s, it highlighted the difficulty African countries can have with European health and safety standards. For Uganda, where fishery exports constitute 6% of the country’s gross domestic product that kind of trade barrier can seriously hamper economic development.