Malawi police and anti-corruption authorities have raided the house of a judge who ruled against President Bingu wa Mutharika in a row with the opposition over the country’s budget. Fahad Assani, a lawyer for High Court Judge Joseph Mwanyungwe, told Reuters police and members of the Anti-Corruption Bureau raided the judge’s house on Monday night.
The Zambian government has reiterated its warning to civic groups to drop their plans to stage violent protests during next week’s meeting of regional leaders. The government said in a statement that it had received reports that the groups were planning to hold protests during the Southern African Development Community (SADC) 27th summit.
New-generation antiretroviral (ARV) drugs could cost 500% more than those now being dispensed by the Health Department, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Tuesday. Speaking at the opening of the Women in Partnership against Aids, Tshabalala-Msimang said: ”The reduction of prices of medicines is a critical concern.”
Golfers might call it the 89th PGA Championship, but promotional posters hype this year’s final Major event like a boxing match — ”Tiger vs Southern Hills”. Forget the other 155 starters. Forget the fact that first-time Major champions have captured this year’s three prior Majors, taken five of six prior Majors at Southern Hills Country Club and won seven of the past 12 PGA Championships.
Bidvest Wits University goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs believes the two-day mini-camp for aspiring Bafana Bafana players is an excellent opportunity for those who want to represent their country at the 2010 Soccer World Cup. ”We have so many players who can play for Bafana and too little time to see who is best in the 11 positions,” said Josephs.
Frank Lampard insists Chelsea will shrug off the injury crisis that threatens to wreck the start of their season. Jose Mourinho’s side are likely to be without a host of stars, including John Terry, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Arjen Robben, when Birmingham visit Stamford Bridge for the Premiership opener on Sunday.
A second herd of cattle in southern Britain has contracted foot and mouth disease, raising fears that the highly damaging animal virus is spreading. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said culling of animals had already begun at the farm, which was within a 10km radius zone set up around a farm where foot and mouth cases were first found last week.
South Africa’s central bank Governor Tito Mboweni said on Tuesday that above-target inflation meant that interest rates were more likely to rise than fall. South Africa’s inflation has stayed above the Reserve Bank’s target band for three months since breaching it in April, when it rose to 6,3% year-on-year.
China faced mounting pressure on Tuesday to honour pledges of media freedom made for the 2008 Olympics, with two Western groups accusing the government of harassing and unfairly jailing journalists. Reports by the Committee to Protect Journalists and Human Rights Watch said reporters still faced intimidation just a year before the Beijing Games.
Miner Xstrata announced a -billion offer for South Africa’s Eland Platinum Holdings and met forecasts with a 47% rise in first-half net profit on Tuesday. Swiss-based Xstrata said its R105-a-share cash offer was 14% above Eland’s 30-day volume-weighted average price and that it had secured support from shareholders owning 51% of the South African firm.