Hundreds of ostriches are being culled following an outbreak of avian influenza near Mossel Bay, the Western Cape’s veterinary chief said on Wednesday. ”At least a couple of thousand will be culled,” said Dr James Kitching. He said the number is small — about the same number a single abattoir handles in a week.
At least four people were killed and dozens trapped when a four-storey residential building collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial city, witnesses said on Wednesday. The building, consisting of 36 flats, a penthouse and some shops, collapsed at around 7.30pm local time on Tuesday, trapping dozens of people.
South Africa, led by their first non-white captain Ashwell Prince, arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday to play two Tests and a one-day series also featuring India. The Proteas are depleted by the absence of regular captain Graeme Smith and star all-rounder Jacques Kallis, both of whom are injured.
The Ugandan government on Wednesday flatly rejected demands for a truce from the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and said there could be no ceasefire until a full peace settlement is reached. Just a day after peace talks began under Sudanese mediation, Kampala’s delegation took a hard line against a raft of proposals from the LRA’s negotiators.
Chief executives of South African companies are paid 35 to 53 times more than average workers, according to a report released by trade union Solidarity on Wednesday. The report, which has been six months in the making, showed trends in the remuneration of top management of companies listed on the JSE, the union added.
With the R153 at current levels of 8,51%, local bonds are no longer expensive but have not yet entered buying territory. While inflation is under control, it will rise over the next year, especially given the recent rand weakness. The current long bond yield is still too low and should rise by at least another 0,5%, in order to reach a buying level.
Africa’s appeal as an investment destination has been highlighted rather than dented by recent equity volatility and negative emerging-market sentiment. This positive assessment comes from the Botswana-registered Imara financial services group and the marketer and manager of the Imara African Opportunities Fund.
The Humane Society of the United States is pressuring Amazon.com to stop selling two magazines on its website, saying it violates US law. The Humane Society said it sent a letter on Tuesday to the retailer, detailing its intention to begin legal action unless the magazines — The Feathered Warrior and The Gamecock — are removed immediately from the site.
Hospital group Netcare has acquired a 75% stake in Biocells, a company involved in stem cell storage, through the Netcare Institute of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. The newly acquired company, which will trade as Netcell Therapeutics (Netcells), is closely affiliated to Smart Cells International and holds the licence to exclusively market and collect umbilical cord blood in Africa for processing and storage.
The United States and other nations were plucking their citizens from Lebanon on Wednesday, as thousands fled Israeli air raids any way they could. ”It’s very bad, very sad, I can’t believe what’s happening,” said a tearful Lubna Jaber, an Australian who had come to visit relatives in Lebanon.