A Zimbabwean student who allegedly tried to hijack a South African Airways (SAA) flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg may opt for plea-bargain proceedings, the Bellville Regional Court heard on Thursday. The hearing took an unusual turn when University of Cape Town student Tinashe Rioga (21) ended the mandate of attorney Joshua Greeff and appointed attorney Reuben Liddell in his place.
Members of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) staged protests outside government offices around the country on Thursday. The illegal protest was part of a ”global day of action” to pressure the government on its response to HIV/Aids. However, the Department of Health said it will continue to focus on prevention in its fight against HIV/Aids.
Constitutional Court judges asked on Thursday why the government was not proactively rewriting the law on same-sex partnerships? Judge Kate O’Regan said the court had on ”numerous occasions” called on the state to rewrite the law. ”It needs to be dealt with and it needs to be dealt with urgently,” she said.
France will greatly increase the size of the contingent it is promising for a peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, possibly making it easier to recruit other nations, officials and diplomats said on Thursday. Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema said he expected French President Jacques Chirac to announce a ”substantial increase” in the contribution.
Pluto on Thursday lost its seven-decade status as the ninth and outermost planet of the solar system, the world’s top astrononomical body decided. The decision was made at an assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). ”The eight planets are Mercury, Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune,” said the IAU.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Thursday launched a website, Victimsofcrime.org.za, to help and empower victims of crime. ”Through our victims-of-crime campaign the DA aims to show that our public representatives care about the same things that ordinary people care about,” it said.
It is not clear whether it was a case of good fortune or bad fortune when Pitso Mosimane on Thursday announced a largely predictable squad for the key opening 2008 African Nations Cup qualifying game against Congo at the FNB Stadium next Saturday. Included in the list of 19 players named by the Bafana caretaker coach is the experienced, if enigmatic Quinton Fortune.
An Austrian girl held captive for eight years after being kidnapped as a 10-year old has been found while her presumed abductor committed suicide, police believe, resolving one of the country’s longest-running mysteries. Austrian police said on Thursday that a young woman found wandering in a Vienna suburb the day before had been identified by her family as the kidnapped girl.
The government has no intention of infringing on media freedom through the draft Films and Publications Amendment Bill, Government Communication and Information System head Themba Maseko said on Thursday. The Bill was approved by the Cabinet at its fortnightly meeting at Tuynhuys on Wednesday.
The main witness in an alleged plot to topple Burundi’s government on Thursday recanted his claims, saying he had made the accusations under torture and threats from authorities. Alain Mugabarabona’s surprise statement came three days after police arrested the country’s former president Domitien Ndayizeye in connection with the purported plot.