At least 39 people were killed in an bloody explosion of violence across Iraq on Monday, including a spate of bombings against buses carrying people to work. The attacks underlined the parlous security situation in Iraq as agreement on the key defence and interior ministries remained elusive, despite the formation of a new government on May 20.
Standard Bank has become aware of a growing number of cyber-crime incidents taking place at internet cafés and other public places that offer internet services. On Monday it urged customers not to use computer facilities that they are not familiar with.
More than 2 100 officials of Gauteng’s housing and local government department might be investigated after fraud of more than R133-million in the allocation of housing subsidies was revealed, Beeld reported on Monday. These officials have received R32,8-million in subsidies, despite earning more than the minimum a family has to earn to qualify.
Members of the trade union National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) elected a new leadership during the organisation’s twelfth congress on the weekend. NUM president Senzeni Zokwana was re-elected and the congress elected Frans Baleni as the union’s new general secretary. The congress bade farewell to its outgoing general secretary, Gwede Mantashe.
Germany’s seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher has hit out at the critics who accused him of deliberately crashing his car to prevent anyone beating his qualifying time for Sunday’s Monte Carlo Grand Prix. ”I am used to being criticised, but sometimes people are too quick to pass judgement,” Schumacher said.
A compensation fund for workers injured or killed in Sasol’s September 2004 blast was launched in Johannesburg on Monday. Qualifying victims of the accident and the dependants of those who died can submit applications for compensation to the September 2004 Accident Trust.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Monday would not comment on possible arrests in the case surrounding National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi. NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said he could not comment on this or anything else contained in a Mail & Guardian report on Friday.
Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea signed an agreement that will see the two countries trading energy resources, Zimbabwean radio reported on Monday. But the authorities stressed it was a ”purely commercial agreement” and there was no indication that the deal might involve the extradition of Simon Mann.
Ridding the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea of pirates is likely to top the agenda at a three-day conference on African maritime security starting on Monday in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. Two hundred delegates representing 47 countries and 13 international organisations are expected at the second Sea Power for Africa Symposium.
Iran on Monday spurned the prospect of European Union incentives to end its nuclear programme, saying the bloc must acknowledge its right to nuclear technology. "The main incentive for Iran is to recognise the essential right of Iran to have nuclear technology," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said when asked about the incentive plan.