Members of the Group of Eight (G8) leading industrial nations will announce plans to increase the money they spend combating HIV/Aids at an upcoming summit, the German government said on Wednesday. Germany, which currently chairs the G8, hosts a summit of G8 leaders in the Baltic resort of Heiligendamm on June 6 to 8.
The Department of Transport’s application to stop Beeld newspaper from running a report on the eNaTIS transport information system will be heard in the Pretoria High Court on Thursday. Editor Peet Kruger called on Transport Minister Jeff Radebe to spend his time rectifying problems presented by eNaTIS rather than trying to silence his newspaper.
On Wednesday, the third of 12 days of public hearings by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa into the granting of new satellite pay-TV licences to broadcasters, it became obvious that the application of the fifth applicant — the Ndabenhle Group — will most likely be dead in the water.
Tropical Storm Barbara, the first Pacific cyclone to form close to the coast this year, swirled erratically off Mexico on Wednesday and may reach hurricane strength within four days. Mexico’s Civil Protection Agency said Barbara was veering slightly southwards about 305km south of the port of Puerto Angel in the state of Oaxaca.
A man died and 11 others were seriously injured in an explosion at a scrapyard in the Bon Accord area of Pretoria on Wednesday, the Tshwane metro said. ”Preliminary indications show that there were explosives in the metals with which the men were working at the time of the explosion,” spokesperson William Baloyi said.
Western Cape police are still searching for the gang which gunned strip-club owner Yuri Ulianitski and his young daughter in Milnerton on Tuesday night. Ulianitski’s wife Irina survived the attack and is in a stable condition in the Milnerton Medi-Clinic.
JK Rowling, who became the world’s first billion dollar author on the back of Harry Potter’s success, has given the go-ahead for the creation of a Florida theme park dedicated to the schoolboy wizard. ”The plans I have seen look incredibly exciting and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed,” Rowling said.
England’s Premiership soccer players will earn more than £1-billion for the first time next season thanks to television, sponsorship and merchandising deals, a top accountancy firm said on Thursday. Leading players could command as much as £200 000 per week — or a record £10-million a year.
The man charged by Britain with murdering former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko denied involvement on Thursday, saying British intelligence and a self-exiled Russian billionaire were far more likely suspects. ”Britain is making me a scapegoat,” said a confident and combative Andrei Lugovoy.
South African fashion and homewares retailer Mr Price reported a 27% earnings rise on Thursday, boosted by its store expansion programme. Diluted headline earnings rose to 183,6 cents per share in the year ended March 31, while revenue from continuing operations increased 24%.