Three-time world champion John Godina of the United States failed to make the final of the shot put at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday, and Justin Gatlin confidently started his quest to add the world title to his 100m Olympic gold. The Americans had been hoping for a sweep of medals later on Saturday.
A British plane carrying a robotic underwater vehicle arrived on Saturday as part of an international effort to help rescue seven people trapped aboard a Russian mini-submarine off the Pacific coast. Captain Igor Dygalo said the Super Scorpio was being unloaded for transport to the area where the submarine has been trapped since Thursday.
The United States justice department has opened a criminal investigation into allegations that DaimlerChrysler-owned Mercedes paid bribes to foreign officials. The investigation was sparked by a former Chrysler accountant, who has alleged in a lawsuit that the German carmaker kept secret bank accounts to bribe officials in Africa and Latin America.
Ethiopia will hold rerun voting in 14 additional constituencies where fraud and irregularities occurred in disputed May elections, bringing to 29 out of 523 the number of precincts where repeat polls will be held. The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia said on Friday the decision was made after reviewing fraud complaints from 69 of 74 constituencies where results have yet to be released.
Zimbabwe has not been informed of a visit next week by a United States ambassador to examine the humanitarian situation in the Southern African country. Secretary for foreign affairs Joey Bimha said he would have to verify whether ambassador Tony Hall had been granted a visa.
Sudan prepared on Saturday to bury the late vice-president and ex-rebel chief John Garang, who led southern Sudanese in a 21-year war against the government in Khartoum before sealing a historic peace deal in January.
The Freedom Front Plus has raised concerns about falling standards in the training of pilots in the South African Air Force, saying this may lead to accidents. ”Earlier the minister said trainee pilots are allowed to fail all their exams and to fail two repeat exams. Previously trainee pilots were allowed to only fail three subjects and then to pass a repeat exam with a pass mark of 60%,” said a spokesperson.
Free State health officials have closed the operating theatres at the Katleho hospital in Virginia after three patients were infected with klebsiella. Provincial health department spokesperson Elke de Witt said on Friday three outpatients had suffered post-operation wound sepsis at clinics in Virginia and at the Katleho District hospital.
The main European powers on Friday called an emergency meeting of the United Nation’s nuclear authority to try to chart a way out of an escalating crisis with Iran over its nuclear ambitions. The 35-strong board of the International Atomic Energy Agency is to meet on Tuesday in Vienna.
The United States is negotiating the transfer of nearly 70% of the prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay back to their home countries in an attempt to dramatically reduce the number of ”enemy combatants” in US custody, it emerged on Friday. Earlier this week the Bush administration formally agreed to the transfer of 110 detainees from the prison camp in Cuba to Afghanistan.