Tributes poured in for South Africa’s former president Nelson Mandela who turned 87 on Monday.
Tributes poured in on Monday for former British leader Sir Edward Heath who has died aged 89, with fellow political veteran Margaret Thatcher describing him as a ”political giant” and Prime Minister Tony Blair calling him a ”man of great integrity”. Heath passed away on Sunday after growing weak in recent days.
World oil prices rose on Monday as deadly Hurricane Emily continued to threaten oil platforms and refineries in the United States Gulf of Mexico, while a strike by Iraqi workers added to market jitters, dealers said. Emily caused two deaths on Sunday when winds slammed a helicopter trying to evacuate an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico.
Powerful Hurricane Emily was lashing Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and its popular beach resorts early on Monday with 215kph winds and drenching rains. In eastern China, at least 77 000 people have been evacuated in the coastal city of Wenzhou as Typhoon Haitang bore down on the region after pounding Taiwan on Monday.
Detectives are investigating the murder of a woman who was hacked to death with a garden spade, Free State police said on Monday. The body of the 40-year-old woman was found at midnight on Saturday in front of a house in Marico Street at Saaiplaas in Virginia.
Germany’s Thomas Lurz fended off a tenacious challenge by American Chip Peterson on Sunday to win the men’s 5km open-water gold medal at the 11th World Swimming Championships. Russia’s Larisa Ilchenko claimed the women’s 5km crown. They were the first medals awarded as competition got under way on Sunday.
Going into the second week of the Maccabi Games in Tel Aviv, Israel, the South African delegation have already earned five gold medals, equalling the total won at the previous Games in 2001. In the triathlon event, South Africa ended up with two golds, one silver and a bronze.
The JSE was weaker at midday on Monday with the profit taking that began on Friday continuing, following the bourse’s phenomenal run — which took it to successive record highs — the previous week. Being a Monday, and with no fresh news to draw buyers into the market, volumes were light.
In front of a capacity crowd at Mafikeng’s Mmabatho Stadium, Kaizer Chiefs beat defending Vodacom Challenge champions AS Vita of the Democratic Republic of Congo 6-5 in a penalty shootout after playing to a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon. AS Vita were leading 1-0 at the break.
Argentina upset Australia on grass to reach the semifinals of the Davis Cup on Sunday, and was joined by Russia, Slovakia and Croatia. Argentina beat the 28-time Davis Cup winner 4-1 in Sydney, Australia. Russia beat France to qualify for the semifinals for the first time since winning their only title in 2002.