Two Somali broadcast journalists were killed on Saturday in the capital, Mogadishu, where murder and armed attacks have become almost daily events, hours after four officials were shot dead. Ali Iman Sharmarke, the head of local private media group Horn Afrik, and one of his staff, Mahad Ahmed Elmi, were killed in separate incidents.
At least 35 people were killed after violent rainstorms triggered floods and landslides in various parts of China, state media reported on Saturday. At least 25 people were killed and 37 went missing in north-west China after continuous downpours began to hit cities and counties in Shaanxi province on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
President Thabo Mbeki made 80-year old Evelina Mokwena of Dukathole, Aliwal North, in the Eastern Cape, the proud owner of a house on Saturday. The president handed over the house to Mokwena who has lived in a shack for more than 10 years.
Gunmen shot dead a popular Somali radio journalist and talk-show host outside his independent FM station on Saturday in an apparent assassination, colleagues said. Mahad Ahmed Elmi’s broadcasts on Horn Afrik radio had upset both the government and Islamist insurgents. There was no indication as to who had killed him.
Two Taliban negotiators said on Saturday they were ”optimistic” about talks to release their 21 South Korean hostages but insisted that some jailed rebels must be freed first. The Afghan government has consistently rejected the demand since the group of Christian aid workers was captured in the southern province of Ghazni more than three weeks ago.
United States astronauts prepared early on Saturday for the first spacewalk of the shuttle Endeavour mission following discovery of damage in the spacecraft’s protective shield. The two spacewalkers, mission specialists Rick Mastracchio and Dave Williams, were to spend the night at a special airlock to prevent decompression sickness.
An international scramble for the Arctic’s oil and gas resources accelerated on Friday when Canada responded to Russia’s recent sovereignty claims with a plan to build two military bases in the region. On a trip to the far north, the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, said: ”Canada’s new government understands that the first principle of Arctic sovereignty is: use it or lose it.”
Argentine striker Carlos Tevez completed his move to Manchester United on Friday, the Premier League champions said. ”Manchester United is delighted to announce that Carlos Tevez has been registered as a member of its first-team squad by the Premier League,” United said in a statement.
The Sharks beat the Valke 45-22 in an Absa Currie Cup game at the Bosman Stadium in Brakpan on Friday night but only entertained their travelling supporters in the first half as they scored five tries to the Valke’s one. Prop Kees Lensing opened the scoring with a try as early as the third minute, which Rory Kockott converted.
Anil Kumble’s maiden Test hundred all but assured India of a series win over England on the second day of the third and final Test at the Oval on Friday. At the close England were 24-1 in reply to India’s first innings 664, still needing a further 441 to avoid the follow-on target of 465.