British Airways (BA) was hit with almost £270-million in fines on Wednesday as it reached settlements with United States and United Kingdom authorities for price-fixing on fuel surcharges. Archrival Virgin Atlantic Airways blew the whistle on BA last year after individuals at the two carriers discussed proposed changes to fuel surcharges for long flights.
People around the world spend money to secure themselves and their valuables from thieves and villains ready to snatch anything not well protected. But when driving around South Africa, it’s clear that many of its citizens are willing to part with rather large amounts in order to ensure their safety.
There has been great change in Africa in the years since Nelson Mandela walked out of prison. Ever since 1999, the year he left office, we have seen considerable progress on a number of fronts: progress in peace and security, where the number of civil wars and inter-state conflicts continues to decline; in development, where we see a rise in direct investment, trade and aid.
I have just landed in my Dakar hotel room after watching the event of the year. It lasted about one minute. Two massive men — each at least 300kg of hard-packed muscle, in little traditional nappies and all manner of charms and amulets — fought a traditional wrestling match at the Demba Diop Stadium.
The unusual sight of a minibus carrying 23 goats led to the arrest of three suspected stock thieves in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday, police said. Spokesperson Captain Charmaine Streuwig said officers from the Ladysmith stock-theft unit were following up a lead on the theft of goats when they made the arrest.
Formula One’s governing body cast fresh doubt over McLaren’s title hopes on Tuesday by sending to appeal a controversial ruling in a ”spy saga” involving that team and Ferrari. Max Mosley, president of the International Automobile Federation, agreed in a letter to the head of the Italian Automobile Club’s motorsport commission that the matter should go to the Appeal Court.
The high court trial of two men accused of manufacturing and exporting components that may be used in the manufacturing of nuclear weapons has been delayed because of one of the accused’s poor health. Prosecutor Chris Macadam told Judge Joop Labuschagne that the state was ready to proceed with the trial.
Failure to ”saturate” a patient, causing another to suffer ”importance” by not referring him to a urologist, and a fractured ”fumer” are among the reasons given by Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang for public hospitals being sued for more than R26-million last year.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called off its planned strike at diamond producer De Beers after reaching an agreement on wages in negotiations on Tuesday afternoon. The union’s 3 350 members at De Beers’ six mines in South Africa were to have downed tools just hours later, from the start of the 9pm night shift.
Conservationists in Uganda have asked the government to intervene to prevent further killing of animals by herdsmen living in the country’s second-largest game park. The Basongora cattle herders are believed to have poisoned 80% of hyenas in the area and at least 15 lions.