At least two people were killed and 21 injured on Friday when four blasts, described by police as "criminal acts", rocked Addis Ababa, the latest in a series of mystery explosions in the country. Two people died and seven were hurt, five seriously and two slightly, when a device exploded at a cafe in the capital’s north-west Mercato district.
The JSE was weaker in noon trade on Friday following a sell-off on world equity markets. The local bourse fared much better than its global counterparts, however, because a sharply weaker rand and higher precious metals prices limited its losses. By 11.55am, the all-share and all-share industrial indices shed 0,65% and 0,62% respectively.
What a crazy week in prospect. West Ham ready to lose hopelessly to a superior Liverpool in the FA Cup final on Saturday while Wembley lies unfinished. Arsenal ready to lose hopelessly to a superior Barcelona in Paris on Wednesday while their best player, Thierry Henry, considers a future in Catalan stripes.
Wildlife wardens and volunteers are working round the clock cleaning hundreds of oil-covered penguins found over the past days in a remote southern nature reserve, officials said. At least 70 of the penguins have died, said Jorge Perancho, the coordinator of protected areas of the far southern province of Santa Cruz.
Nigeria on Wednesday announced a 25-year plan to venture into space technology by manufacturing and launching locally its own satellite. Science and Technology Minister Turner Isoun said the federal Cabinet had already set up a seven-member ministerial committee to look into the details of the project.
Large areas of the Liberian countryside where former fighters control rubber plantations are ”lawless” and are putting plantation workers and their families at risk, according to a United Nations report. Also fingered are private security guards hired by the rubber companies who ”arrest” and ”detain” illegal rubber tappers.
Australia is so desperate for soldiers that the middle-aged are now being recruited. ”Why can’t we have people who might be well into their 50s, where there’s a whole variety of tasks that might be undertaken that don’t involve flying planes or marching 20km with a backpack?” said Defence Minister Brendan Nelson.
Australia accused Japan and other pro-whaling nations on Thursday of recruiting poor countries to back their push for a resumption of commercial whaling at an international conference next month. Environment Minister Ian Campbell said he fears pro-whaling nations could get the numbers to push through their commercial goal at the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission.
I have seen any number of games that were preceded by choreographed ceremonies involving schoolchildren, acrobats, mime and giant balloons, but I never thought Middlesbrough would feature in one. Yet here they are in the PSV Stadion on Wednesday waiting for some kids in white suits to finish their act.
A new book, Foul, by British journalist Andrew Jennings, exposes the corruption and power plays at world football’s governing body, Fifa. Jennings’s previous investigation into sport, The Lords of the Rings, led to a radical shake-up of the International Olympic Committee.