When Google launched a test version of Gmail on April 1 last year, the thousand or so accounts that were granted and the handful of invitations to sign others up felt like favours handed out by a benevolent deity. Now Google is tight-lipped about growing speculation that it is about to open Gmail up to the masses with a public release.
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Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Friday made a strong early showing in elections, taking more than a quarter of contested seats in Parliament, the electoral commission said. The MDC won 31 seats in its urban strongholds.
South Africa’s petrol price for all grades will rise by 40c a litre from April 6, the Department of Minerals and Energy announced on Friday. This brings the price of a litre of petrol to a record R5,02 in Gauteng and R4,89 at the coast. The wholesale price of diesel 0,3% sulphur will rise by 56,4 cents per litre and that of diesel 0,05% sulphur by 65,4c per litre.
More than 97Â 000 hectares of state-owned forest land in the Garden Route area around Knysna managed by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry has been formally transferred to South African National Parks as the basis for the new Garden Route National Mega Reserve.
The main rebel group in Darfur on Friday welcomed a United Nations Security Council resolution clearing the way for war crimes committed in the war-torn Sudanese region to be brought to the International Criminal Court. Sudanese troops and proxy militias known as Janjaweed, have been accused of widespread human rights abuses in Darfur.
Swaziland closing its borders with South Africa? Michael Jackson seeking asylum in Zimbabwe? Jean-Bertrand Aristide appointed Minister of the African Diaspora in the South African Cabinet? It’s that time of the year when gasps of disbelief are quickly replaced by a collective slapping of the forehead — April Fool’s Day.
Former askari Joe Mamasela said the human remains exhumed on Human Rights Day are not those of the ”Mamelodi 10”, as claimed by the National Prosecuting Authority. According to Mamasela, the bodies of the 10 Mamelodi activists assassinated by apartheid hit squads in 1986 had been incinerated by the security forces.
Former world number one Kim Clijsters crushed top seed Amelie Mauresmo 6-1, 6-0 at Key Biscayne on Thursday to reach the finals of the ,5-million (about R40,3-million) WTA and ATP Masters Series tournament. Clijsters needed just 62 minutes to end Mauresmo’s hopes of a first title at Key Biscayne.
The Stade de France is a place of marvels. Last Saturday, the crowd was amazed by the inability of Raymond Domenech’s side to score in the drawn World Cup qualifier with Switzerland, despite a clutter of chances. Those of statistical tastes are agog, too, that France will complete a season without a home victory for the first time in 47 years.
The JSE Securities Exchange (JSE) was firmer in noon trade on Friday as the positive sentiment from Thursday’s rally continued, dealers said. However, the gains came on light volumes. By 12.03pm, the all-share index advanced 0,8%. The financial and banks indices jumped 0,92% and 1,35% respectively.