Israeli forces killed at least 11 Palestinians, most of them gunmen, on Wednesday in their biggest raid in the Gaza Strip since Hamas Islamists took over the territory two weeks ago, medical workers and residents said. The operation in Gaza City and the southern town of Khan Younis appeared to signal that Israel intended to keep strong military pressure on Hamas.
Hundreds of angry Kashmiri villagers paraded two Indian soldiers naked through the streets after they were ”caught trying to rape” a 17-year-old girl, witnesses and newspaper reports said on Wednesday. Police said they were investigating the incident, which took place late on Tuesday in Kunan, a village north of Srinagar.
The JSE remained under pressure at noon on Wednesday as weaker metal prices weighed on heavily weighted resource stocks, while investors digested the slightly above forecast inflation data. At noon, the all-share index was off 1,37%. Resources gave up 2,38% and the gold- and platinum-mining indices were down 0,84% and 1,69% respectively.
Delegates were on Wednesday morning filling up the ballroom at Gallagher Estate, venue of the African National Congress’s (ANC) policy conference in a bitterly cold Midrand, Gauteng, raising the roof with song. About 1Â 500 delegates are expected to attend the four-day conference, due to be opened by President Thabo Mbeki.
President Thabo Mbeki on Wednesday drew a line in the sand for the left-wing elements in the tripartite alliance who are seeking to push the African National Congress (ANC) in a more radical direction. He was speaking at the opening of the ANC policy conference in Midrand, Gauteng.
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday said it beheaded three men convicted of various crimes, bringing the total number of executions announced by the ultra-conservative kingdom so far this year to 101. The Interior Ministry announced in a statement that it had executed two Indian nationals for murder and one Saudi national for rape.
With street protests banned and a once-vibrant press muzzled, dissident theatre productions are becoming an increasingly popular outlet to vent frustration towards Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. Cont Mhlanga’s satire The Good President has been playing before packed audiences — but police are not impressed.
Australian rugby authorities are resigned to hosting a below-strength Springbok line-up next month despite complaining of a betrayal on the part of their South African counterparts. Australian Rugby Union chairperson Peter McGrath sent a letter of complaint to the South African Rugby Union.
Police in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, have unveiled a strategy to take the battle against crime to drug dealers and gangs, media reports said on Wednesday. The strategy includes the deployment of 54 more reservists and assigning five more flying-squad vehicles to patrol routes into Mitchells Plain.
Having lost, in quick succession, coach Muhsin Ertugral to Kaizer Chiefs and assistant coach Ian Gorowa to Moroka Swallows, Absa Cup holders Ajax Cape Town on Tuesday turned to their youth coach, Craig Rosslee, to head their technical operation for the coming Premier Soccer League season.