A post template

No image available
/ 14 December 2006

Jo’burg hit by power failure

Much of Johannesburg was plunged into darkness on Thursday afternoon because of a power failure. The electricity went down shortly before 1pm when supply to the Fordsburg substation was lost, said Johannesburg City Power spokesperson Louis Pieterse. It is one of the city’s main intake substations where electricity is imported from Eskom, he said.

No image available
/ 14 December 2006

Princess Diana’s death ‘a tragic accident’

A British police inquiry ruled on Thursday that Princess Diana was not the victim of a murder plot when she died in a tragic car accident in 1997. Diana’s death triggered a string of conspiracy theories that British spies, or even her ex-husband, heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, had plotted the accident because her relationship with Dodi al-Fayed was embarrassing the royal household.

No image available
/ 14 December 2006

SA aims to go green for 2010 Cup

South Africa is aiming to host as green a 2010 Soccer World Cup as possible, the government said on Thursday. ”We are committed to ensuring that South Africa learns from the Green Goal experience, which vastly reduced the environmental impact of [this year’s] World Cup that was held in Germany,” Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said.

No image available
/ 14 December 2006

Mbeki stresses importance of traditional leaders

The institution of traditional leadership occupies a unique and important place in South Africa as it is a critical player in reconstruction and development of the country, President Thabo Mbeki said on Thursday. ”The national Cabinet and I are inspired by the historic position taken by our traditional leaders to work together in harmony with our elected leaders,” Mbeki said.

No image available
/ 14 December 2006

US heavyweights call for more troops in Iraq

A high-level United States congressional delegation visiting Iraq called on Thursday for between 15 000 and 30 000 more US troops to be sent to bring stability to the war-torn country. ”The situation is very, very serious. It requires injection of additional troops to control the situation and allow the political process to proceed,” said Senator John McCain.

No image available
/ 14 December 2006

Minister: India kills 10-million girls in 20 years

Ten million girls have been killed by their parents in India in the past 20 years, either before they were born or immediately after, a government minister said on Thursday, describing it as a ”national crisis”. A United Nations Children’s Fund report released this week said 7 000 fewer girls are born in the country every day than the global average would suggest.

No image available
/ 14 December 2006

Eritrea calls for emergency meeting on Somalia

Eritrea is calling for an emergency East African meeting to discuss the situation in Somalia, where it and arch-foe Ethiopia have been accused of waging a proxy war, officials said on Thursday. As all-out war, which many fear could engulf the Horn of Africa, looms in the lawless nation, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki urged a crisis meeting.