The CIA is conducting a war game this week to simulate an unprecedented, September 11-like electronic assault against the United States. The three-day exercise, known as ”Silent Horizon,” is meant to test the ability of the government and industry to respond to escalating internet disruptions over many months.
South Africa’s April 2005 producer price index (PPI) rose by 1,8% year-on-year from a 1,9% increase in March, Statistics South Africa said on Thursday. Johan Rossouw, chief economist at Vector Securities, said: "The market consensus was a bit bearish and this is marginally above what we expected."
Hundreds of residents from one of Zimbabwe’s townships rioted on Wednesday after police destroyed street stalls in an ongoing crackdown on vendors and other illegals in the capital. Residents used old cars and scrap metal to set up roadblocks along the main road leading into Glen View, a working class area south of the capital.
The Cape Town municipality has given rugby boss Brian van Rooyen’s company another chance despite its role in a recent fiasco with traffic fines, the Cape Times website reported on Thursday. It said the municipality had decided to re-assess its contract with Labat Traffic Solutions only at the end of August.
Last week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo Show in Los Angeles offered several exciting glimpses into the future of videogames, not all of which were fuelled by the new consoles on show. Chief among them was Spore, the latest project by Will Wright, who conceived Sim City and The Sims.
The <i>Sunday Times</i> job-advertising space has risen by 25,3% year-on-year in the first four months this year, compared with an 8,7% increase in the first four months of 2004. This points to a strong employment market in 2005, as changes in job-recruitment space tend to lead changes in employment.
International investment and financial services group Brait on Thursday reported diluted headline earnings per share of 34,7 United States cents for the year ended March 31, from 4,9 US cents a year ago. The group reported a 190% increase in profit from operations to $48,5-million for the period.
First came Madonna’s steamy smooch with Britney Spears, then Janet Jackson ignited fury by baring a breast. Now new battlelines are being drawn up in America’s culture wars — over TV condom ads. ”Condoms are the line in the sand,” said Randy Sharp of the American Family Association, which is behind a mass e-mail campaign to safeguard one of television’s last taboos.
Down three goals at half-time, it looked like Liverpool’s 21-year wait for a fifth European Cup success would never end. Amazingly, the end came just over an hour later. Liverpool scored three second-half goals in seven minutes to overcome the deficit and draw 3-3 with AC Milan before winning 3-2 on penalties.
The Tshwane Metropolitan Council will table an R8,9-billion budget for the 2005/06 financial year at its council meeting on Thursday. While ratepayers will not pay more for electricity before July next year, charges for water will go up 8,3% and assessment rates — more commonly known as property tax — by 7%.