No image available
/ 21 December 2005
The Bush administration’s hopes for a government of national unity in Iraq, led by its favoured candidate, Ayad Allawi, the secular and pro-Western former prime minister, received a setback on Tuesday night. Preliminary results showed that most voters opted for Sunni and Shi’ite religious parties. Allawi’s camp, which includes liberals, communists and his own secular followers, cried foul on Tuesday.
No image available
/ 21 December 2005
Australian paceman Glenn McGrath on Wednesday defended his captain’s decision to delay declaring in the first Test against South Africa in Perth, saying an unusually flat wicket was to blame for South Africa escaping with a draw. The Australians had the Test by the throat going into the final day on Tuesday.
No image available
/ 21 December 2005
Rescuers who on Wednesday helped save more than 100 whales stranded on a New Zealand beach were recalled several hours later to try to prevent some of the pod returning to shore as darkness approached. About 15 of the estimated 123 pilot whales that stranded on Tuesday had died before the pod was shepherded out to sea.
No image available
/ 21 December 2005
Gunmen on Tuesday shot out the windows of a jewellery store at the Menlyn Park shopping centre in Pretoria in order to steal the merchandise. According to a witness, robbers fired several shots just after 8pm at Arthur Kaplan’s, shattering the windows. Shoppers ran for cover at nearby restaurants at the sound of the shots.
No image available
/ 21 December 2005
A man mauled to death by tigers at Bloemfontein Zoo on Sunday was a robber who ended up in the cage while fleeing arrest, police said on Tuesday. Captain Elsa Gerber said it appears the man and a friend had been robbing people at the zoo. He fled into the enclosure to avoid arrest.
No image available
/ 21 December 2005
Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai claimed on Tuesday that President Robert Mugabe’s ruling party plans to eliminate him and blame his death on infighting within his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Tsvangirai said the ruling Zanu-PF is plotting a ”heinous crime blamed on intra-MDC conflict”.
No image available
/ 21 December 2005
Beit Bridge border post is fraught with problems, an interdepartmental committee found in a visit to the port of entry from Zimbabwe on Tuesday. Apart from ”phenomenal” traffic congestion, there was little signage, too few toilets and immigration staff lacked commitment, dedication and discipline, found the committee.
No image available
/ 21 December 2005
The board of Swedish insurer Skandia said on Wednesday that it is still of the opinion that Old Mutual’s offer to Skandia’s shareholders is inadequate. "The efforts made by Skandia’s board to bring about a change in the offer have been without result," it said in a statement.
No image available
/ 21 December 2005
Construction and engineering company Aveng on Tuesday said it had ceased contractor mining operations at Aquarius Platinum’s Marikana platinum mine and would claim more than R200-million in payments from Aquarius. Earlier on Tuesday, Aquarius Platinum South Africa announced it had rescinded the Marikana mining contract with Moolman Mining.
No image available
/ 21 December 2005
Bolivia’s future president Evo Morales, a coca producer under pressure to crack down on cocaine, has pledged to keep controls on coca but says he will study expanding the area where it can be legally grown. Morales on Tuesday also called on the United States to work with him to develop better ways of ending drug trafficking.