At least 18 people were killed in western Zimbabwe on Thursday when a bus burst a front tyre and crashed near a bridge while racing another bus, state radio reported. Police spokesperson Bothwell Mugariri told the radio that the accident occurred when two buses from the same bus company ”were racing each other”.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has long complained of press criticism. But he sought to turn the tables on Thursday with a new tactic — sounding a buzzer every time reporters ask questions he deems ”not constructive”. On several occasions in the past, Thaksin has been angered by critical questions.
”I am devastated … This is a principal’s worst nightmare,” is how the principal of the Dennegeur Primary School in Strandfontein, Cape Town, reacted when asked about an accident that claimed the life of four of his pupils and a bus driver on Thursday. Another 25 pupils suffered various injuries, of which four were in a serious condition.
Namibia’s biggest graft scandal since independence has claimed the job of a government minister and led to the apparent suicide of a key witness, an official and press reports said on Thursday. Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Communication Paulus Kapia quit on Wednesday night.
The trial in Zimbabwe of a controversial Anglican bishop hit a snag on Thursday when defence lawyers requested further particulars on the charges he faces. Bishop Nolbert Kunonga of Harare, a staunch supporter of President Robert Mugabe, is accused of incitement to murder, among other offences.
After more than a week of campaigning, the Egyptian people have been greeted with the unfamiliar sight of several different presidential candidates asking for their vote. This is the first time the country has ever had a multicandidate presidential campaign. Candidates have held several election events throughout the country.
About R1,2-billion of public hospital fees are still outstanding from the 2004/05 financial year, the Democratic Alliance said on Thursday. ”An astonishing 68% of fees billed for the 2004/05 financial year were not paid,” said DA health spokesperson Dianne Kohler-Barnard. The DA found that only R560-million (32%) was paid.
Europe’s weather crisis eased on Thursday as fires were put out in Portugal and flood waters receded in central Europe, but the death toll rose in Romania and Austria after heavy rains. Since June, the flooding in central and eastern Europe has caused 103 deaths, while fires in drought-stricken Portugal, Spain and France killed 37.
It seems there are two kinds of worm in the Windows world: ones that threaten hundreds of millions of XP users, and ones that embarrass a small number of media companies using Windows 2000. The second type struck last week. It started spreading via the net on Sunday with Zotob.A, which according to anti-virus company Trend Micro, infected about 50 computers worldwide.
Internet shoppers will get a chance to add an unusual item to their wardrobe: the flamboyant swan dress worn by Icelandic singer Björk, which will be auctioned for charity next month. The quirky dress is among more than 150 celebrity fashion items that will be up for grabs on auction site eBay.