The South African government should investigate the disappearance of Pakistani national Khalid Mehmood Rashid, Amnesty International said on Friday. In a letter to President Thabo Mbeki, Amnesty International expressed concern that South African government officials may have participated in the ”enforced disappearance and the return of the Pakistani national”.
World-renowned mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson has died in the American state of New Mexico after a years-long battle with breast cancer, opera officials said there on Saturday. Lieberson was known internationally as a captivating "arch-maverick" of an opera singer.
Comedian Red Buttons, winner of a best-supporting-role Oscar for <i>Sayonara</i> (1958) with Marlon Brando, died in Los Angeles on Thursday at 87, his spokesperson said. Buttons, whose real name was Aaron Chwatt, died of circulation problems that he had suffered from for several years.
Residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs hit by Israeli air strikes overnight vowed on Friday to stand by Hezbollah, despite rising casualties from attacks triggered by its capture of two Israeli soldiers. The raid on the guerrilla group’s stronghold in the south of the capital killed three people and wounded 40.
England were ill prepared for the World Cup and will not win the trophy until the Football Association undergoes radical changes, said an Englishman who has lifted the top prize in rugby. ”The FA need to take a long hard look at themselves. Do they even know what has to be done?” said former England rugby coach Clive Woodward.
Mary Watson’s short story, <i>Jungfrau</i> (Young Woman) has won her the Caine Prize for African writing.
<b>ANIMATION OF THE WEEK:</b> <i>Cars</i> is a well-rounded and predictable tale filled with excitement at the racetracks, writes Tumi Makgetla.
The Encounters documentary film festival highlights the responsibility of filmmakers in troubled times, writes Matthew Krouse.
<b>DRAMA OF THE WEEK</b>: Shaun de Waal reviews Richard E Grant’s <i>Wah-Wah</i>, a labour of love that required much patience and persistence.
The threat to independent book dealers is very real and it is growing, writes Darryl Accone.