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United States and Iraqi forces on Thursday launched a massive airborne operation north of Baghdad, involving over 50 aircraft and more than 1Â 500 troops, to flush out rebels loyal to al-Qaeda’s Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, US and Iraqi officials said.
Australia dominated the first day of the first Castle Lager Test at Newlands on Thursday. They dismissed the home team for 205 forty minutes after tea, and at the close were 63-1 in reply. Australia seam bowler Stuart Clark started his Test career in the best possible way, with a five-wicket haul.
Struggling state arms-making conglomerate Denel is about to begin unbundling core divisions in the most radical restructuring since its establishment in April 1992, Financial Mail reports in its March 17 edition. The move signals a return to privatisation of Denel for the first time since the government called off a partial merger in 2003.
Identifying with the lead character in the Oscar-winning local film ‘Tsotsi’, former president Nelson Mandela proved a masterful storyteller.
The Indian Ocean nation of Madagascar on Thursday hailed the first-ever visit by United Nations chief Kofi Annan to the island on a farewell African tour before leaving his post later this year. ”It has always been a dream of mine to receive you here,” said President Marc Ravalomanana after receiving the UN leader.
Group of Eight (G8) countries were divided on Thursday on ways to ensure long-term world-energy security, as the European Union admitted its members had diverging views on ambitious plans for developing nuclear power being pushed by Russia and the United States. ”It is a very different approach from the members of the G8.”
Afghanistan, Myanmar and Malaysia confirmed outbreaks of the H5N1 strain of bird flu and took urgent protective measures on Thursday as the deadly virus continued its march across Asia. Meanwhile, a strain of the bird-flu virus has been found in a dead stray dog in Azerbaijan.
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The state will use a one-week adjournment to mull over developments in axed deputy president Jacob Zuma’s rape trial and decide how to proceed. Outside the court, Zuma’s supporters huddled together on Thursday as this was explained to them through a megaphone.
The security industry is preparing for next week’s strike by guards, a company said on Thursday. Chubb Security South Africa, one of the country’s larger security companies, said it has a plan in place to ameliorate the impact of the upcoming industrial action. The strike is expected to start on Thursday and last an indefinite period.