No image available
/ 25 February 2005
Togo’s military-installed president was expected on Friday to announce he is stepping down following fierce regional and international opposition to his rule, a diplomat at the African Union said. Faure Gnassingbe was expected to make the announcement in a speech to the congress of Togo’s ruling party, the diplomat told The Associated Press.
No image available
/ 25 February 2005
As African Catholics prayed for the health of Pope John Paul II on Friday, speculation mounted that the ailing pontiff could soon be succeeded by Africa’s first pope in more than 1 500 years. With church congregations rising across Africa, Asia and Latin America, observers see a global church that is increasingly oriented towards the south.
No image available
/ 25 February 2005
Several United Nations peacekeepers were killed on Friday when unidentified gunmen attacked their patrol in the northeast region of Ituri in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the UN mission in the country said. A spokesperson for the Monuc mission said details of the attack are still sketchy.
No image available
/ 25 February 2005
Dolly the dolphin has followed Max the gorilla into animal history, after Port Elizabeth’s famous bottlenose died on Thursday, aged 36. The oldest Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin to be born and bred in captivity died at Port Elizabeth’s Bayworld oceanarium late on Thursday afternoon, Bayworld spokesperson Eluise Matthys said.
No image available
/ 25 February 2005
Ninety youths have been arrested in Giyani and one boy is dead after 39 houses were torched in what appeared to be a witch-hunt, Limpopo police said. ”The 39 houses were burnt to ashes,” said Superintendent Moatshe Ngoepe. ”Those people lost everything — food, blankets, their children’s school uniforms and school books — everything,” he said.
No image available
/ 25 February 2005
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has warned their rivals not to underestimate the reigning champions. ”No one has fallen asleep over these past months,” Montezemolo said on Friday when the world champions launched what they said is their best car to date, but which will not be raced for the first four grands prix of 2005.
No image available
/ 25 February 2005
Mat Rogers inspired New South Wales to a 25-7 win over Waikato, and Auckland opened the 2005 Super 12 series on Friday with a dominating 30-14 win over the Otago Highlanders in Dunedin. Waratahs fullback Rogers, one of Australia’s best attackers, missed most of the previous Super 12 rugby season with an injured ankle.
No image available
/ 25 February 2005
Zimbabwe’s former captain Heath Streak has signed a contract to rejoin the country’s cricket squad following his axing last year over a row about racial bias in selection, Zimbabwe Cricket said on Friday. Streak is one of the most senior players to return to boost the Southern African nation’s flagging fortunes.
No image available
/ 25 February 2005
A retrial for Dr Wouter Basson could begin within three months from permission being granted, the Constitutional Court heard in Johannesburg on Friday. ”The state believes it will be in a position to commence the trial three months after being given the green light to do so by this court,” Wim Trengove, SC, submitted for the state.
No image available
/ 25 February 2005
A 34-year-old Sebokeng handyman was sentenced to 207 years’ imprisonment on Friday for raping 14 women and attempting to rape another, Free State police said. Lekgaba Molamu used to travel to the Zamdela area of Sasolburg in the Free State where he befriended women between the ages of 14 and 21 under the pretext of offering them jobs.