Iranian President-elect Mahmood Ahmadinejad said on Monday he wants to develop ties with all countries, especially in Europe, provided they respect Iran’s ”democratic choice”, the student-run news agency Isna reported. ”We advise Western countries to treat us in a way that does not show prejudice,” he said.
Playwright Christopher Fry, a Christian humanist who helped TS Eliot revive verse drama in the 1940s and wrote a number of epic films including Ben Hur, has died at the age of 97, his son said. Fry died on June 30 in the hospital in Chichester, southern England, Tam Fry said.
A multimillion-rand probe into possible cases of radiation sickness caused by the Pelindaba nuclear plant will be the first step towards a proper survey of the true costs of nuclear power to the country, Earthlife Africa said on Monday. However, it voiced concern about what the probe will accomplish.
Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile, while congratulating the performance of rugby teams, still wants the South African Rugby Union to work on racial transformation in the sport. ”His praise of the teams does not in any way represent a change of heart on certain issues,” a departmental spokesperson said on Monday.
A United Nations envoy has extended her investigation of a so-called urban renewal drive that has destroyed the homes and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans to a second week. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s deputy minister of housing says the demolition of slums is part of the country’s national housing plan.
United States President George Bush will on Monday warn that he will not make concessions on climate change in return for British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s staunch support over Iraq. He acknowledged that human activity was ”to some extent” to blame for global warming, but made it clear he regards new technology as the key to halting it.
A taxi driver from the Dolphin Coast Taxi Association was shot dead at Shakaskraal on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, South African Broadcasting Corporation news said on Monday. Meanwhile, police are mediating between two rival taxi associations at Umhlali near Stanger.
Transnet CEO Maria Ramos hopes the transfer of national carrier South African Airways (SAA) to the government will be complete by March next year. Ramos said a joint team with representatives from Transnet, SAA and the Department of Public Enterprises is working on an exit strategy for the airline.
A day after Bob Geldof’s dazzling Live 8 concerts, his tie-in Sail 8 appeared a total disaster as just four boats — carrying a grand total of zero demonstrators — made it back to Britain from France. Participants admitted the stunt, designed to aid masses of continental protesters to reach the G8 summit demonstrations in Edinburgh, ”didn’t work” and was ”disappointing”.
The Medical Research Council plans to launch a national study on hospital infections later this year, council president Anthony Mbewu said on Monday. On Thursday, the Department of Health is expected to release a report into the causes of the deaths of 19 babies at KwaZulu-Natal’s Mahatma Gandhi memorial hospital.