After an inauspicious plop into the choppy waters off Alcatraz, Jake the pooch swam into the history books as the first canine to escape from the former prison island to San Francisco. The golden retriever and his human swimming buddy, Jeff Pokonosky, led a group of competitors that jumped from a boat in waters off the prison for a 2km swim to San Francisco on Saturday.
Security forces restored a tense calm to the Sudanese capital on Tuesday, a day after 36 people were killed in bloody riots sparked by the death of Sudanese vice-president and former southern rebel leader John Garang. Three days of national mourning were declared following his death, but it was not immediately clear when or where his funeral will be held.
Hillary Clinton isn’t running for president, but her campaign has already started in New Hampshire, traditionally a key United States state for launching a possible bid for the presidency. A group of supporters known as Hillary Now!, has paid to run TV ads this week in several New Hampshire towns.
North Korea said no progress was made in talks on Tuesday over the dismantlement of its nuclear-weapons programmes but insisted it is still working to find a solution. Deputy chief United States envoy Joseph DeTrani said the talks will continue into a ninth day on Wednesday.
South Africa’s gold-mining sector faces its first sectorwide strike in 18 years from Sunday after the National Union of Mineworkers on Tuesday received a strike notice from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. The last time that South Africa’s gold mines had a sectorwide strike was in 1987.
Executives from Rover motor company were promised rugby Test tickets in exchange for a luxury car for rugby boss Brian van Rooyen, the Daily Dispatch website reported on Tuesday. This was done despite an earlier sponsorship by Ford to supply Van Rooyen and Saru with vehicles.
Wage talks between Xstrata Chrome and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa failed on Tuesday, as the strike at two processing plants near Rustenburg entered its third day. ”It is an extremely difficult situation and we feel the people losing the most are the workers,” said a company spokesperson.
Maurice Creswick of Johannesburg has been confirmed as the Guinness World Record blood donor — despite his 350-pint landmark being challenged last week. Creswick broke his own Guinness record for the 14th time when he gave his 350th pint in Johannesburg last week. His record was challenged by Lionel Lewis of Pretoria.
Fifteen companies have cost the Department of Public Works R441,1-million in the past two years by fronting as black economic empowerment (BEE) entities, Minister of Public Works Stella Sigcau said on Tuesday. A further 18 companies refused to have their compliance with the department’s BEE requirements checked, she said in Johannesburg.
Police on Tuesday were still searching for William Nkuna on what was to have been the second day of his trial for the murder of missing police Constable Francis Rasuge. A warrant of arrest was issued for Nkuna on Monday after he failed to arrive at the Mmabatho Circuit Court sitting in Ga-Rankuwa.