From next year, world leaders visiting South Africa will undergo a similar ritual to Hollywood film stars leaving behind a concrete imprint of their palms to ensure they are remembered. They will leave behind a symbolic footprint at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, currently receiving a major makeover.
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The Democratic Alliance has accused minerals and energy committee chairperson Nathi Mthethwa of assisting the government to hide alleged irregularities concerning a donation to the ruling party. This follows a court decision to interdict the Mail & Guardian from running a follow-up to its ”Oilgate” report last week.
Police in Zimbabwe continued demolishing thousands of shacks and vendors’ kiosks in opposition strongholds on Monday, burning a 10km-long line of curio stalls near Victoria Falls. A spokesperson for the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change called the crackdown a ”tyranny” and urged people to resist.
Archaeologists have discovered the skeletons of a lord and his retainers in a burial mound at Germany’s most celebrated Bronze Age site. An archaeologist said the intact, 4 200-year-old mound was one of at least eight ”barrows” within view of the ancient site that yielded the 3 600-year-old Nebra celestial disc.
The spectacular crash suffered by McLaren’s world championship challenger Kimi Raikkonen in the European Grand Prix has sparked safety concerns over the tyres used in formula one. New rules have stopped teams from changing tyres during the race unless they are deemed to be in dangerous condition.
Argentinian duo Gaston Gaudio and Guillermo Coria saw their 2005 Roland Garros dreams come crashing down in the fourth round on Monday. Teen sensation Rafael Nadal swept past the challenge of French hope Sebastien Grosjean; Justine Henin-Hardenne beat Svetlana Kuznetsova; and Maria Sharapova beat Nuria Llagostera Vives.
An Israeli aircraft fired missiles at an open area near a Palestinian refugee camp early on Monday, the army said, destroying two Palestinian rocket launchers in the latest attack to test a ceasefire. The air strike came hours after Israel’s Cabinet approved the release of 400 Palestinian prisoners.
Britain’s servicemen and -women have been ordered to remember to put underwear on when getting measured for new uniforms to avoid embarrassing their tailors, the ministry of defence said on Monday. Tailors complained about military personnel turning up to be fitted for their uniforms without wearing any underpants.
The Kenyan government is drafting a Bill that will outlaw smoking or holding lit tobacco products in public places, the country’s top physician said on Monday, a day ahead of World No Tobacco day. Among the provisions of the law are an increase tax on tobacco by 15% and penalties for those found smoking in public.