The JSE retained its softer tone at noon on Thursday on profit-taking after Wednesday’s record run, while weaker overseas markets added to selling pressures. At noon, the all-share index was down 0,55%. Resources fell 0,77%, the gold and platinum mining indices gave up 0,03% and 0,83% respectively.
Sandra Botha has beaten her rival, former National Party minister Tertius Delport, for the post of leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. Finance spokesperson Ian Davidson was elected unopposed for chief whip after KwaZulu-Natal leader Mike Ellis withdrew from the contest.
About 65 workers were trapped underground at a Siberian coal mine on Thursday after a methane gas explosion ripped through the pit, emergency services said. At the time of the blast at the Yubileynaya mine in Siberia’s Kemerovo region, 217 people were underground.
Momentum is building to start South African-brokered talks to resolve Zimbabwe’s deepening crisis. But the opposition Movement for Democratic Change has again refused demands that before talks proceed, it recognise President Robert Mugabe as the nation’s legitimately elected leader.
AC Milan beat Liverpool 2-1 with two goals from Filippo Inzaghi to win the European Cup for the seventh time on Wednesday and avenge their defeat on penalties by the English team in the final two years ago. Liverpool, who looked down and out, pulled a goal back in the 89th minute with a Dirk Kuyt header but could not repeat their famous Istanbul fight-back.
Drought and high temperatures have resulted in the ”worst harvest” in Swaziland, leaving one in three people in need of food aid in the Southern African country. About 400 000 Swazis — about a third of the population -– will need about 40 000 tonnes of food between now and the next maize harvest in April.
Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat by AC Milan in the Champions League final was due to a controversial opening goal that came off the arm of striker Filippo Inzaghi, British media reported on Thursday. Inzaghi, who also scored a fine second goal for Milan in the 82nd minute, ran into the path of Andrea Pirlo’s free kick to send the ball past goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
The leader of the San Bushmen met British lawmakers in London on Wednesday in a bid to drum up support for his people’s struggle to return to their land in the Kalahari desert in Botswana. Roy Sesana met members of the newly formed cross-party parliamentary group on tribal peoples.
The state is expected to argue in the Constitutional Court on Thursday why Schabir Shaik should not get leave to appeal against his conviction for corruption and fraud, his 15-year prison term and the seizure of his assets. Shaik was convicted in June 2005 on two counts of corruption and one of fraud.
Sales for Afrikaans newspaper <i>Rapport</i> increased by nearly seven percent on Sunday after the Blue Bulls won the Super 14 final. “It was definitely our best Sunday of the year so far,” says senior circulation manager Gerhard Wentzel.<