Eight months after its historic opening the railway to Tibet has already brought economic benefits to the remote region, but detractors continue to see the new line as a tool for Chinese colonisation. ”I have returned home,” said Wang Ping, a few days after stepping off the train as it arrived in Lhasa.
Celebrity ex-wives will urge anguished divorcees to burn their wedding gowns in an act of liberation as part of a new series planned for Dutch and French television. <i>Ex-Wives Club</i> will see three famous divorcees advise other women on how to get over their break-up, Dutch programme makers RTL said on Tuesday.
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was doing well after she underwent a successful five-hour liver transplant due to long-term liver disease, said Professor Jeff Wing on Thursday morning. ”The were no complications during the operation, none whatsoever,” said Wing, head of the department of medicine at the Johannesburg hospital and the University of the Witwatersrand.
A man accused of drunken driving and crashing his truck into a lamp post told police a unicorn had been at the wheel when it careered off the road, Los Angeles media reported on Wednesday. Phillip Holliday (42) appeared before a court in the western state of Montana on Tuesday, the <i>Billings Gazette</i> reported.
Japan’s chief weatherman bowed in apology on Wednesday after a computer glitch meant that Tokyo will have to wait a few days longer than expected to revel under the cherry blossoms. The cherry blossoms bloom for less than a week every year, a rite of spring that is an excuse for nationwide debauchery.
An Australian gambler is suing a casino for tens of millions of dollars for allegedly luring him back to the gaming tables after he had banned himself from the premises. Harry Kakavas is claiming Aus$30-million (about R170-million) he says he lost playing baccarat at Melbourne’s Crown Casino in a 14-month spree — plus damages.
Bernard van Zyl, accused of the axe murder of his former gay partner, was found walking naked along a road at Plettenberg Bay, on his way to the police, the Cape High Court heard on Wednesday. Van Zyl has pleaded not guilty to charges of the murder of estate agent Andre Weitz and aggravated armed robbery.
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Steve Tikolo struck an unbeaten 72 and took two wickets to guide 2003 semifinalist Kenya to a seven-wicket win over Canada in the opening Group C match of the World Cup. Tikolo top-scored on Wednesday, with opener Maurice Ouma contributing 58 runs as Kenya replied to Canada’s 199 all out with 40 balls to spare.
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Scotland captain Craig Wright said his team will learn from their 203-run thrashing at the hands of defending champions Australia in their opening World Cup Group A match. Australia, the two-time defending champions, were inspired by a brilliant 113 from skipper Ricky Ponting as they reached an imposing 334-6.
Ethiopia demanded on Wednesday that Eritrea free eight Ethiopians being held by kidnappers, saying they were victims of Eritrean ”terrorism”. Five Europeans were freed from the kidnapped group on Tuesday in Eritrea after a 12-day ordeal. The victims were seized in remote northern Ethiopia in a case which has stoked tensions between the Horn of Africa rivals.