He has been a near-constant presence at hundreds of Barack Obama rallies across the United States over the past 15 months. David Axelrod, a melancholy, dishevelled figure with a drooping moustache, is Obama’s campaign strategist, and has overseen his rise from political obscurity to the verge of the White House.
Democratic party officials disclosed on Thursday that Barack Obama has sanctioned a hunt for a vice-presidential candidate, a further sign that he regards the battle with Hillary Clinton as being over. Time magazine, in a report in its next issue, quotes a friend of Bill Clinton saying he wants his wife to be the vice-presidential candidate.
At about 4pm last Sunday, Orlando Pirates were 2-0 up against AmaZulu in their last game of the season, thanks to goals by Gilbert Mushangazhike and Rudzani Ramudzuli. The fans at home and at the Johannesburg Stadium were happy that their beloved team were finally finding the form that had eluded them at important times of the season.
The Sichuan earthquake is the biggest disaster for the world’s children in seven years, an international charity organisation said yesterday, as the overall death toll jumped above 51 000, with 29 000 more still missing. Save the Children said three million babies, infants and teenagers were among the worst affected by the quake.
Cape Town police and refugee organisations are on full alert after two Somalis were robbed and shot dead in Durbanville last weekend. As reports of these killings trickled in from across the Cape peninsula, the top three Western Cape policemen ordered every station commander in the city to an emergency meeting on Tuesday.
Let’s first clear our heads a little. The distinction drawn so often between xenophobic attacks and acts of criminality is spurious. Murder, assault and looting — indisputably criminal acts — historically have been intrinsic features of pogroms. Opportunism invariably thrives in these frenzies.
In the past few days, media have carried reports that the An Yue Jiang did offload its arms cargo in Angola, that South Africa facilitated the process by refuelling the ship and that Zimbabwean government authorities confirmed receipt of the weaponry. For what it’s worth, I don’t think the reports are true, writes Nicole Fritz.
South Africa’s AngloGold Ashanti, the world’s third biggest gold producer, said on Friday it planned to raise R13,48-billion through a rights offer of new stock. The mining group said it had finalised terms of the offer and shareholders had approved the issue of up to 71-million shares.
The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) on Thursday called for a municipal state of emergency to be declared in Pretoria. ”A municipal state of emergency must be declared in terms of the Disaster Management Act number 57 of 2002 in order to prevent a waste disaster in Pretoria,” said the party’s Conrad Beyers.
Although the violent nature of crime in South Africa is often highlighted, white-collar crimes are rampant and impact negatively on citizens’ rights. Bribery and corruption were perceived to be the most prevalent crimes, said a South African Human Rights Commission report.