The impression that science is only for the rich, the clever or the select few should be dismantled, Minister of Education Naledi Pandor said on Monday. Speaking at the official launch of the Mondi Education Centre at Piet Retief, she said of the 748Â 000 grade 12 pupils now starting their matric exams, only 48Â 102 had enrolled for mathematics on higher grade.
Zimbabwe has set up an intellectual desk tasked with reversing the brain drain affecting many sectors of the economy, Harare’s Herald newspaper reported on Monday. Its website said the desk, under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, was expected to start operating early next month.
A self-employed man involved in Oprah Winfrey’s philosophy of uplifting the youth was released on R5Â 000 bail on Monday on a charge of jeopardising the safety of an aircraft flight. Mncedisi Eric Maluleka apparently told a member of the flight crew ”What will you do if me and my friend hijack this plane?”
South Korean stocks plunged on Monday as Asian markets wobbled in the wake of North Korea’s announcement that it had detonated a nuclear bomb in defiance of world opinion. The benchmark Kospi index fell by as much as 3,6% after the Korean Central News Agency reported that the nuclear test had been completed successfully on Monday morning.
Despite a slightly stronger rand, the JSE was up almost 100 points in midday trade on Monday, with resource stocks leading the charge. Dealers said resource stocks had received a boost from higher precious metals prices, which were being fuelled by concerns about claims by North Korea that it had conducted a nuclear test over the weekend.
About 200 United Nations military and civilian staff will deploy to Darfur to support an African Union peace monitoring mission after Khartoum rejected a plan to send thousands of UN troops into western Sudan. A joint UN-AU letter to President Omar Hassan al-Bashir outlined 109 UN military support, 23 logistical staff, 33 UN police advisors and 25 civilian support staff to be sent to Darfur.
Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial resumed on Monday after chaos reigned at the last session, when he was repeatedly ejected from the courtroom and his lawyers walked out over the sacking of the chief judge. Hussein, who was kicked out of court three times during previous hearings, took his seat at the start of the trial on Monday, along with his six co-defendants.
France, the country that produced iconic chain-smokers from Jean-Paul Sartre to Jean-Paul Belmondo, will ban smoking in public places from early next year. Cigarettes will be banned from places such as offices, universities and railway stations starting in February, but cafes, bars, restaurants and nightclubs could be given an extra year to prepare.
Mike stepped into Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood at the weekend, pulled out his camera and snapped a quick shot of the inside of the shop. ”I’ve been coming here every Saturday since 1979,” he said. ”This is a landmark. Today is a sad sign of the times.”
Hot favourites The Netherlands, the world’s top-ranked team, outplayed Australia to win the women’s field hockey World Cup final 3-1 in Madrid on Sunday. The victory was set up by Miek Van Geenhuizen’s superb skills in controlling midfield while her combination with Minke Smabers cut off Australia’s main attack throughout the match.