South African Airways reported a R966-million net profit for the year ending on June 30 on Wednesday, up from an R8,6-billion loss in 2004. The company’s chief executive officer Khaya Ngqula told a media conference the company made the profits after cutting costs and growing revenues.
Alleged baby killer Dina Rodrigues was granted bail of R20 000 in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court in Cape Town on Wednesday. Magistrate Hafeesa Mohamed said Rodrigues will be placed under 24-hour house arrest for what she described as ”one of the most serious conceivable crimes” the country has seen.
Police cancelled a planned protest march on Wednesday outside the Group of Eight (G8) summit after demonstrators smashed car windows, threw rocks and tried to blockade one of the main approach roads to the exclusive Gleneagles resort hosting the summit.
After years of dithering, leaders of the world’s most powerful countries face a moment of truth on Wednesday when they open a three-day summit under mounting pressure to take concrete action against Africa’s pervasive poverty.
Parisians gathered on artificial turf resembling an Olympic running track outside City Hall on on Wednesday, cheering ”Pa-ris! Par-is!” as the French capital and rival London emerged as finalists for the 2012 Summer Games. Cheers went up as the International Olympic Committee eliminated Moscow, Madrid, Spain and New York.
Tropical Storm Cindy began moving ashore on Wednesday, pelting the Louisiana coast with rain and intermittent squalls. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Dennis is brewing in the Caribbean but will likely arrive in the Gulf of Mexico by the weekend.
July 5 is the earliest date on record for four named storms.
An Air France jet ran into a stray cow as it landed in the southern Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, airport and airline officials said, adding that no one was injured in the incident. The Airbus A330 passenger liner was arriving overnight from Paris when it drove into a herd that had somehow strayed on to the tarmac.
Australia’s embattled golf circuit received another demoralising blow on Wednesday with confirmation that the country’s richest tournament, the Heineken Classic, has been scrapped. The tournament’s promoter said the Classic, scheduled for next February, was unable to attract sufficient sponsorship.
World oil prices pushed through per barrel again in New York on Wednesday on mounting concerns that two tropical storms could threaten US oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, dealers said. New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in August, rose by 51 cents to ,10 per barrel in electronic deals after earlier hitting ,13.
Israel will deploy a force of 40 000 soldiers and 4 000 police officers to evacuate around 8 000 settlers from the Gaza Strip, ministers told a special session of the Parliament on Tuesday. The large force will be required to prevent protesters getting to Gaza from Israel and the West Bank as well as guarding against attacks by Palestinians.