At a texas school, the talk is all about sex. Or, rather, about how you absolutely must not do it or anything close to it outside wedlock. It is part of the sexual revolution in US schools called Abstinence-Only Until Marriage, a programme being cascaded with funding from the Bush administration.
Six injured South African survivors of the tsunami in Thailand arrived at Lanseria International Airport on board a rescue flight from Bangkok on Saturday night, as one of the biggest relief efforts ever seen finally cranked into action, with world aid pledges passing the -billion mark.
The Zimbabwe government has denied media reports that controversial information minister Jonathan Moyo has tendered his resignation to acting president Joyce Mujuru. Moyo allegedly sent his resignation by fax from Kenya, where he is on holiday, but Mujuru reportedly refused to accept it.
The toll of people killed in Somalia when a deadly tsunami tidal wave struck the Horn of Africa country’s Indian Ocean coast on December 26 has climbed to 176, a presidential spokesperson said on Saturday.
Poised on the brink of a new year, Loose Cannon has managed to engage the services of the renowned Brakpan siener, Danie van den Horne. Using both his crystal balls, Danie has provided an almanac for 2005. Study it and know that some things seldom change. Here are his predictions for the new year …
One of the biggest relief efforts ever seen has finally started to crank into action, with supplies beginning to reach some of the worst-hit areas. Pledges of aid from around the world passed the $2-billion (about R12-billion) mark, with Japan’s announcement that it was boosting its aid from $30-million to $500-million.
Former president of the SA Football Association, Solomon ”Stix” Morewa, is very ill in the intensive care unit at a private hospital in Soweto, City Press newspaper reported on Sunday. He played a pivotal role in getting South African football readmitted to the international fold after a period of isolation.
South Africa scored slowly but ended up with a satisfying total for the loss of only four wickets on the first day of the third Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test against England at Newlands on Sunday. South Africa had 247/4 at close of play with an imperious looking Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla still at the crease.
The captain of the South African cricket team, Graeme Smith, said on Saturday that the team was feeling relaxed and confident ahead of the third Castle Lager/ MTN Test at Newlands. The five-day match starts on Sunday. Smith said that while it wasn’t ideal to play back to back Tests, the team had had a good recovery session, and had also had a day off with no practice.
There was no early warning. When the sea receded, tourists and locals wandered over the newly exposed seabed to peer at flapping fish or crabs. And only then did they notice a white crest swelling in the distance. This behaviour helps explain why the death toll is so appallingly high – and suggests measures that might urgently be taken to prevent future disaster.