Hundreds of sharks have been slaughtered daily off the coast of Ecuador since a ban on the sale of fins was lifted last week, prompting warnings of ecological disaster. Fishing boats have returned to shore laden with fins of dozens of species, including several that are threatened with extinction.
Minerals and Energy Buyelwa Sonjica on Monday assured South Africans that an end to the strike in the liquid fuels sector is in the offing. She asserted: "I initiated meetings with both the employer and employee organisations last week to stress the importance of resolving this salary dispute as a matter of urgency."
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has accused South African Rugby Union deputy president Mike Stofile of placing the interests of South African rugby secondary to ”pleasing his African National Congress bosses”. ”New calls for increased racial quotas are once again tainting the Springbok squad,” DA spokesperson Donald Lee said on Monday.
Although still 117 points in the red, the JSE perked up in midday trade on Monday after news that the government would not impose a windfall tax on petrochemicals giant Sasol. The local bourse received added support from signs that global markets were beginning to turn around after last week’s huge sell-offs.
Darfur rebel factions meeting in Tanzania have reached a common negotiating position and want ”final” talks on peace with Sudan’s government within months, United Nations and African Union mediators said on Monday. The rebels had been meeting over the weekend in a Tanzanian luxury resort in Arusha.
South Africa’s Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said on Monday that the overall International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessment report on South Africa was optimistic about robust growth, rising employment and further improvement of the fiscal position. "There is agreement between South African authorities and the IMF about these economic prospects," stated Manuel.
By the time the Wallabies get to France for next month’s Rugby World Cup, training and match days will look easy after their commando-style ”boot camp”. On their first night on Sunday, the players were woken at 10pm, forced to leave camp and taken on a 3km march before swimming 300m across a lake.
The anticipated head-to-head between Rory Sabbatini and Tiger Woods never materialised in Sunday’s final round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Sabbatini, one ahead going into a rain-sodden day at Firestone Country Club, struggled with his swing and slipped back into a tie for second place after closing with a four-over-par 74.
Striking fuel industry workers would decide on Monday whether to accept a pay offer which might end a week of industrial action and fuel shortages. ”We are meeting our constituencies today to get a fresh mandate,” said Keith Jacobs, spokesperson for the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood, and Allied Workers’ Union.
Answering the call of nature over a pit of manure with no flush water in sight and learning how to churn butter may not be everyone’s idea of a great holiday. But in India’s "Little Tibet", the remote Himalayan region of Ladakh, a pioneering scheme to offer tourists the authentic tastes of mountain life is taking off — and could hold the key to preserving a fragile ecosystem.