More than 50 people were killed and 20 injured in Sudan’s worst floods in living memory which have partially or completely destroyed 18 000 homes. Hamadallah Adam Ali said roads to some parts of the country had been flooded and police helicopters and government planes were flying in emergency aid.
The sponsors want it. The fans are waiting for it. But David Beckham’s debut for Los Angeles Galaxy remains in doubt. Although Beckham’s swollen ankle has responded well to treatment since he arrived in Los Angeles last week, Galaxy officials accept the longer-term picture is much more significant.
The European Union (EU) is set to take a tentative step on Monday towards sending forces to Chad to help the United Nations protect refugees from Sudan’s Darfur region. UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Marie Guehenno had urged the 27-nation bloc on Tuesday to send troops and helicopters.
Even Jane Austen would have trouble finding a publisher today, a struggling author revealed on Thursday. David Lassman sent off to 18 publishers assorted chapters from Austen novels in which he changed just the titles and the names of the characters.
Judy Sexwale, wife of former Gauteng premier and presidential hopeful Tokyo Sexwale, was hijacked while picking up their son from school on Wednesday. The incident took place outside St David’s Marist School in Sandton where she was threatened by three armed men who pulled her from her BMW.
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Nelson Mandela’s 89th birthday was celebrated on Wednesday with a charity match in which an African XI drew 3-3 with a Rest of the World team. Mandela, who has dedicated his life to the promotion of human rights and democracy, was honoured by the ”90 Minutes for Mandela” all-star game.
Rwanda called on the United Nations on Wednesday to take action against peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accused of trading food and intelligence with Rwandan Hutu rebels for gold. The world body is investigating allegations made against Indian troops in eastern DRC’s North Kivu province.
The confidence of South African consumers has declined over 11% in the last 12 months, the latest MasterIndex survey released on Thursday showed. Out of a possible 100 index points, the South African MasterIndex declined from a record high of 91,1 points for the second half of 2006, to 86,5.
Two British teenage girls arrested in Ghana allegedly in possession of several kilogrammes of cocaine were remanded in custody when they appeared in court on Wednesday, officials said. The hearing at a juvenile court in Accra, their second appearance in a week, took place behind closed doors.
Emerging markets specialist Standard Chartered is in takeover talks with South Africa’s fourth-biggest bank, Nedbank Group, media reports said on Thursday. Nedbank spokesperson Graham Lillie declined to comment on the report. ”We don’t comment on market speculation”.