The squat, bunker-like building in a south Topeka suburb does not look like a place to turn American politics on its head. Nor does Mark Parkinson, a tall, affable man, look too much like a revolutionary. But here, deep in the American heartland, are the warning signs of a political earthquake.
In an effort to salvage his bid for the presidency from the chaos of France’s centre-right government, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has met British Prime Minister Tony Blair twice in the past few weeks for advice, The Observer has revealed. The overture is likely to be regarded with deep suspicion by many Frenchmen.
There seems to be a move between warring factions in Côte d’Ivoire to carry out a peace plan that is backed by the United Nations, South African Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota said on Saturday. The parties also hope to hold elections in October, Lekota said after returning from an UN International Working Group meeting.
Five boys have died in the Eastern Cape since last week, the start of the circumcision period in that province, the provincial health department said on Saturday. The fifth body was picked up by the police at an initiation school late on Saturday, said Sizwe Kupelo, departmental spokesperson.
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A superb goal eight minutes into extra time by Maxi Rodriguez sealed Argentina’s 2-1 win over Mexico in Leipzig, Germany, on Saturday and a mouthwatering clash with Germany in the World Cup quarterfinals next Friday. Regulation time had finished 1-1 after two goals in an action-packed first quarter of the game.
Gay and lesbian people took to the streets of European cities on Saturday in a mass demonstration of pride, in numbers varying from a couple of hundred in Zagreb to hundreds of thousands in Paris. Demonstrations and marches also took place or were planned in Lisbon, Rome, Valencia and Zwolle in The Netherlands.
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Germany are starting to get that championship look. It took the hosts a mere 12 minutes to break down Sweden 2-0 on Saturday, becoming the first team to reach the World Cup quarterfinals. It was a one-sided win over what was billed as one of the top European teams heading into the tournament.
France gave the Springboks a rude awakening to their international season when they produced a classy performance of total rugby to beat the Springboks 36-26 at a packed Newlands on Saturday. The French completely outplayed the Boks, and brought an abrupt halt to the Boks’ proud 13-match unbeaten run on home soil.
Diphetogo Primary School in Mafikeng lost two-thirds of its teachers when their minibus taxi crashed early on Saturday near Lichtenburg, said the North West education department. A departmental spokesperson said Diphetogo had 23 teachers. Fourteen of them, including the principal, died in the collision.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) defended its withdrawal of an "unauthorised" documentary on President Thabo Mbeki in a full-page newspaper advertisement on Saturday. "At no stage was any pressure, political or otherwise, exerted on our editorial or legal staff," read the public broadcaster’s advert.