Storms pummeling southern China in the past week have killed at least 46 people and left tens of thousands homeless, a state-run newspaper said on Wednesday. The worst-hit has been Fujian province, where heavy rains have triggered floods and landslides that have killed 26 people since May 29, the China Daily said, citing Li Baojun, an official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Oil prices fell on Wednesday on signs Iran was responding positively to a package of incentives by world powers hoping to curb its nuclear programme. But uncertainty over the outlook will keep a floor under oil prices. The mood on energy markets has seesawed from day to day with each diplomatic development between Iran, the United Nations and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
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For the first time in 32 years, the defending champions will not open the World Cup and, for that, Brazil must be truly grateful. Down the years, reputations of the mighty have been shattered when the first exchanges take place in the four-yearly tournament with memories still fresh of Cameroon’s win over Argentina in 1990.
Schoolchildren hunting for clues at a mock crime scene staged by their teacher on a class outing in Florida stumbled on the last thing they expected to find — a real corpse. The body belonged to a homeless man who had died, apparently of natural causes, in a corner of the Fort Lauderdale park the teacher, Sue Messenger, had chosen for the summer school exercise in criminology.
At least 115 trade unionists were murdered for defending workers’ rights in 2005, while more than 1 600 were assaulted and about 9 000 were arrested. Nearly 10 000 workers were sacked for their trade union involvement, and almost 1 700 detained, according to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions’ (ICFTU) annual survey.
Two more people have been taken in for questioning after two prisoners escaped from the Middledrift maximum security prison on Tuesday morning, the Eastern Cape correctional services department said. Authorities have also reviewed the closed circuit television footage which implicated four officers at the prison.
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The United States always feels challenged by the World Cup. Unlike the Olympics, where Americans tend to dominate, the US has rarely shone in the tournament, although it famously defeated England in 1950. It is an 80-1 long shot this time and may struggle to overcome group stage opponents Ghana and the Czech Republic, let alone Italy.
The full extent of European collusion with the CIA during operations to abduct terrorism suspects and fly them to countries where they may be tortured is laid bare on Wednesday by the continent’s most authoritative human rights body. Several states have allowed the agency to snatch their own residents, others have offered extensive logistical support, while many have turned a blind eye.
The classroom looks like any other, its walls adorned with an assortment of charts and posters. On the chalkboard are notes, probably scribbled during the last period on the day the school closed for the Easter holiday. A few cream-white chairs, which have been arranged in a circle in the room, seat a group of casually clad youths, aged around 18, and a few adults.
Three teachers who impressed the judges with their ability to inspire learners and achieve consistent results for up to 20 years won the seventh annual Aggrey Klaaste Maths, Science and Technology Educator of the Year awards, sponsored by Sowetan and the Telkom Foundation.