The groundbreaking — and deadly — Poison Garden threw open its doors on Monday in north-east England with a collection of cannabis plants, opium poppies and the coca plant that is the source of cocaine. Mind-bending magic mushrooms, poisonous foxgloves and deadly nightshades are also among the plants cultivated in the garden.
It might be their troubled consciences, or perhaps just the anti-social hours of their job, but politicians are among the most sleep-deprived people in Britain, a study showed on Tuesday. MPs catch on average only five hours of shut-eye per night, a level that might well affect their ability to make rational decisions, the survey found.
An Australian tourist has been killed by a hippopotamus at a popular resort in central Kenya, police said on Tuesday. Simon Kiragu, the regional police chief, identified the victim as 50-year-old Vicky Elizabeth Bartlett. She was with a group of 12 tourists at Lake Naivasha on Monday night when the hippo attacked, Kiragu said.
The United States should put in context its criticism of ”widespread” abuses by South African security forces, the government said on Tuesday. ”Our track record speaks for itself,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad told reporters in Pretoria. ”I hope they put it in the context that we are trying to address whatever problems do exist.”
President Thabo Mbeki said on Tuesday that the national government will continue to work to strengthen South Africa’s local government system. ”From the point of view of national government, we indeed will pay particular attention to the strengthening of local government,” Mbeki said at a local government conference at Benoni, east of Johannesburg.
The United Kingdom’s top law-and-order official said on Tuesday he believes controversial proposals for a new anti-terrorism law will win the approval of Parliament’s upper chamber, the House of Lords. The Prevention of Terrorism Bill will allow Britain to place suspects under house arrest without the need for a trial.
Four Bangladeshi babies appeared in court in their parents’ arms accused of looting and causing criminal damage, officials said on Tuesday. The magistrate on Monday asked the parents to post bail of 3 000 taka (about R290) for each child. The children’s ages ranged from three months to two years.
The JSE Securities Exchange (JSE) was modestly firmer in noon trade on Tuesday, helped by a weakening rand. However, weaker United States markets overnight and a high oil price were dampening sentiment and keeping the bourse in check, dealers said. By 11.55am, the all-share index was up 0,11%.
If you thought that digital killed the printed photo, you’re mistaken, says Hewlett Packard (HP). Following poor performance and upheavals in management recently, the IT consumables giant has unveiled its latest strategy in capturing the imagination, and the dollars, of the image-capturing generation: the Vivera ink range. The inks give colour photos a new lease on life — around 108 years, according to HP.
Relief agencies have warned that the humanitarian crisis in Swaziland, brought on by drought and aggravated by Aids, is worsening. A high-powered delegation of representatives from the government, United Nations agencies and NGOs visited drought-stricken eastern and southern Swaziland last week.