Support for a third term for President Thabo Mbeki has cost South African National Civics Organisation (Sanco) leader Mlungisi Hlongwane his job, media reports said on Monday. Hlongwane was suspended as president after his calls for a third term for Mbeki as head of state.
United States military commanders were engaged in a desperate hunt for two US soldiers kidnapped by Iraqi insurgents on Sunday as thousands of troops massed close to the volatile Sunni city of Ramadi in the largest such crackdown in months. The men went missing after insurgents attacked three US army Humvees at a checkpoint near a canal in Yusufiya on Friday night.
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The sleep-deprived green and gold army that cheered Australia on through the early hours in their homeland on Monday were disappointed but not dejected at the Socceroos’ battling 2-0 loss to Brazil. While a fairytale win over the world champions did not materialise, Australians consoled themselves with their unfancied team’s gritty display.
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For Netherlands football fans it has become the summer’s cult outfit. Over the past few months, a quarter of a million Netherlands supporters have bought themselves a pair of patriotic orange lederhosen — wearing them whenever Holland take to the pitch in the World Cup. But when Netherlands fans turned up on Friday to watch their team play the Côte d’Ivoire, wearing the garish trousers, officials from Fifa were not amused.
Wen Jiabao this week embarks on the first visit to South Africa by a Chinese premier in 50 years as the continental powers join forces to push the developing world’s agenda in the global arena. The landmark visit on Wednesday and Thursday underlines the importance Beijing accords to Pretoria eight years after they established diplomatic relations.
It’s quite an amazing week of remembrance, with other things going on in the midst of it. It’s June 16, and much is going on to mark it. Books are being published, concerts are being held, and everybody is asking everybody the question: "Where were you on June 16 in 1976?" Eery refrains of "Where when you when John F Kennedy was shot?"
Official campaigning starts in two weeks in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But excitement at the symbolic arrival of ballot papers from South Africa has been tempered with concern about xenophobia and hate speech from some politicians. The first of the ballot papers arrived recently — an event that created great excitement among a population who took it as confirmation that, finally, they would vote.
It is a pacy, daring and, on the whole, entertaining documentary. For 24 minutes I was quite riveted by Unauthorised: Thabo Mbeki, the documentary canned in May by the SABC. A well-written script presents the key moments of President Thabo Mbeki.
A private treatment centre for young computer-game addicts has opened in Amsterdam, a last refuge for desperate parents who are willing to pay big money to wean their children off their virtual addiction. The clinic also treats alcoholics, drug addicts and bulimics.
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Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari scored a goal each on Saturday to lead Ghana to a surprise 2-0 upset over the Czech Republic in Group E of the World Cup. Gyan picked up a pass from captain Stephen Appiah in the second minute and easily beat goalkeeper Petr Cech.