Naguib Mahfouz, who became the first Arab writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature and who was later stabbed by an Islamic militant who accused him of blasphemy, died on August 30, said his doctor, Hossam Mowafi. He was 94. Mahfouz, whose novels depicted Egyptian life in his beloved corner of ancient Cairo, was admitted to the hospital more than a month ago for injury to his head.
Hurricane John grew into a powerful cyclone off Mexico’s Pacific Coast on Tuesday, threatening to trigger dangerous flash floods and mudslides as it neared Acapulco and other tourist resorts. The Miami-based National Hurricane Centre said John turned into a dangerous storm in just a few hours and was now packing maximum sustained winds of almost 185kph.
Austrian kidnapping victim Natascha Kampusch has begun an attempt to claim her captor’s house and assets, instructing lawyers to take legal action over the scene of her confinement for eight years. Kampusch managed to flee after eight years in captivity while vacuuming Priklopil’s car when he was on the phone.
Investcom, which MTN Group acquired in July 2006 for $5,5-billion, on Wednesday reported a 26% rise in total subscribers to 6,14-million at the end of June. Investcom has operations in Ghana, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Cyprus, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic and Liberia.
The Ashes are still almost three months away but Shane Warne is already busy plotting Australia’s revenge. Warne has spent the off-season playing county cricket in England to get a closer look at their top batsmen and the master leg-spinner likes what he has seen.
The prosecutor in the 10-year-old murder case of child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey admitted on Tuesday night that she should be held accountable for mistakes made in the botched investigation after the prime suspect was exonerated by DNA evidence.
Italy’s male lawmakers, who occupy more than five out of six seats in Parliament, will face demands from their female colleagues for a change in the law that would have far-reaching effects on the family. Women MPs have tabled 13 Bills to try to change the law on surnames, which even Italy’s conservative judiciary has criticised for being outdated.
Warren Jeffs, the fugitive leader of a fanatical polygamous sect and one of the FBI’s most wanted men, had told his 10 000 followers he would never be taken alive. His words raised fears that he might try to conclude his fearsome reign in a blaze of glory. But the end, when it came, was far more mundane.
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan will urge Israel to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon and discuss the deployment of UN peacekeepers when he meets Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday. Annan, in Jerusalem after visiting Lebanon, is trying to strengthen a two-week-old truce that ended a 34-day war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah guerrilla group.
Michael Buble has already done remarkably well in bringing the style of the crooners of olden days to a new generation. Now the young Jamie Cullum sets down the same path on <i>Twentysomething</i>, keeping to the jazzy, easy-listening style that has been given a shot in the arm with the popularity of the likes of Norah Jones, Buble and Diana Krall, writes Riaan Wolmarans.