Two global rights groups on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the treatment of several Ethiopian prisoners detained for months since violent protests over disputed elections last year. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists and London-based Amnesty International decried the conditions in which three detainees are being held.
Islamists controlling much of southern Somalia warned Ethiopia on Thursday of ”full-scale war” unless it withdraws troops allegedly sent to defend the country’s weak transitional government. The warning was delivered as forces loyal to the Islamist movement advanced toward a town north of the capital, lost earlier this week to warlords reportedly backed by Ethiopian soldiers.
ABB, the Swiss power and automation technology group, said on Thursday that it had won a $62-million order from the South African utility Eskom to strengthen one of the region’s most important cross-border power transmission systems. Earlier this month, ABB won a $30-million contract from Eskom for equipment to help strengthen power grid reliability.
The JSE edged into the black by 73 points just after midday on Thursday after being down in early trade as traders began to eye value at the lower levels. This small fillip came after profit-taking on mining heavyweights Anglo and BHP Billiton saw the JSE end in the red by 333 points on Wednesday after two days of strong gains.
Trevor Ncube, CEO of Johannesburg-based M&G Media, which publishes the <i>Mail & Guardian</i> and <i>M&G Online</i>, has been elected, for the second time, as president of Print Media South Africa (PMSA) by its incoming board, the association said in a statement released on Thursday.
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) had decided to deliberately stage illegal protests because it was tired of the government’s failure to act on HIV/Aids, it said on Thursday. ”We deliberately did not apply for permission to protest and we don’t apologise for that because we are tired of government’s inactivity in the face of the Aids pandemic,” said the TAC’s general secretary Sipho Mthathi.
Santos gained three valuable points when they narrowly beat Bloemfontein Celtic 1-0 in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match played at the Green Point Stadium on Wednesday night. Celtic played with a lot of fire and were quick in their tackles, but could not make use of the possession they had.
In the big clash of the day Western Province on Wednesday upset defending champions Southern Gauteng by a solitary goal on the third day of the Spar Interprovincial Women’s Hockey tournament being played at the Randburg AstroTurf in Johannesburg.
Four-time European champions Ajax were ousted from the European Champions League qualifying on Wednesday, scoring an own-goal in their 2-0 loss at home to FC Copenhagen. Ajax had a 2-1 lead heading into the second leg of their third-round qualifying match at the Amsterdam Arena, but fell behind when Michael Silberbauer scored in the 59th minute.
Middlesbrough scored twice in the final 10 minutes and rallied to beat Chelsea 2-1 on Wednesday, leaving Manchester United alone at the top of the English Premier League standings. Two-time defending champions Chelsea led on a 16th-minute goal from Andriy Shevchenko before Emanuel Pogatetz equalised and substitute Mark Viduka scored in injury time to win it for Middlesbrough.