Fighters loyal to a United States-backed warlord alliance reinforced their last remaining stronghold on Friday as Islamist militia in control of the capital gathered for a feared attack, witnesses said. Heavily armed gunmen backed by machine-gun mounted pick-ups set up barricades and took up positions around the town of Jowhar.
Global stock markets advanced on Friday as bargain hunters snapped up shares after a turbulent week of sharp losses, the result of concerns about rising inflation and interest rates. European stock markets recovered some ground on Friday, following Thursday’s massive sell-off, and after a steadier overnight performance on Wall Street.
A United States federal judge, miffed at the inability of opposing attorneys to agree on even the slightest details of a lawsuit, ordered them to settle their latest dispute with the hand-gesture game of ”rock, paper, scissors”. The argument was over a location to take the sworn statement of a witness in an insurance lawsuit.
The former executive chairperson removed from Zimbabwe’s troubled power utility says his tenure at the helm of the company was a ”nightmare”. Sydney Gata had his post abolished this week when the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, which is experiencing serious viability problems, was restructured.
Security guards will be urged to accept a revised offer made by their employers after marathon talks, the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) said on Friday. ”We are going to report back to our members in a positive light,” Satawu general secretary Randall Howard said after the two-day discussions.
Economically ravaged Zimbabwe’s inflation rate soared to a record high of 1 193,5% for May, officials said on Friday. ”The year-on-year rate of inflation in May 2006 was 1 193,5%, gaining 150,6 percentage points on the April rate of 1 042,9%,” said Moffat Nyoni, acting director of the Central Statistical Office.
A strong earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 6,1 struck on Friday near the Pacific island of Fiji, Australian officials said. Geoscience Australia said the quake hit about 300km north-east of the Fijian capital Suva. The United States Geological Survey earlier described the epicentre of the quake, which occurred at 5.58am GMT, as 563km north-west of the Tongan capital Nuku’alofa.
At least two people were killed and six wounded on Friday when rival gunmen clashed in the temporary home of Somalia’s largely powerless transitional government, witnesses said. The fighting, which appeared unrelated to fierce battles between Islamists and a United States-backed warlord alliance, erupted after a dispute over a checkpoint in the town.
South Africa’s official opposition Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon has extended a hand to President Thabo Mbeki to assist him in dealing with ”major problems and crises” facing the country. But Leon has warned that the president had in the past refused to accept that his party could oppose the government politically while at the same time cooperate in resolving problems.
An addiction centre is opening Europe’s first detox clinic for video game addicts, offering in-house treatment for people who can’t leave their joysticks alone. Video games may look innocent, but they can be as addictive as gambling or drugs — and just as hard to kick, says Keith Bakker, director of the centre.