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.
The government on Monday unveiled its final policy on the allocation of long-term marine fishing rights, despite trade-union calls for a moratorium on issuing it and threats of strike action. The document’s release comes after a night in which a group of about 50 trade unionists and fishermen chained themselves to the gates of Parliament.
South African Airways’ CEO has evoked the ire of two opposition parties — with the Democratic Alliance calling for an SAA board enquiry. The DA and Inkatha Freedom Party were reacting on Monday to a <i>Sunday Times</i> report that the CEO, Khaya Ngqula, has been running up bills flying to meetings by private helicopter.
United Nations envoy for humanitarian needs James Morris winds up his trip to drought-stricken Southern African this week, meeting with Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe to discuss food needs. Morris has already been forewarned by the state media not to overstep his mandate when he visits the country on Wednesday.
Russian mining group Norilsk Nickel and Gold Fields have both made some form of approach regarding Harmony Gold’s 11,5% stake in Gold Fields, Harmony spokesperson Brenton Saunders said on Monday. Harmony has received a "couple" of approaches regarding the 11,5% Gold Fields stake, he added.
Ethiopia’s ruling party has won a majority of parliamentary seats in May 15 parliamentary polls with preliminary results in from 85% of the country’s 547 constituencies, electoral updates released on Monday showed.
Big Ben, the world-famous clock tower at the Houses of Parliament in London, stopped late on Friday night, and nobody is quite sure why, officials said on Saturday. The 147-year-old timepiece — one of the most reliable in the world — stopped at 10.07pm, then started again, then stalled a second time at 10.20pm.
Michael Jackson’s lawyers are working on their final arguments in the star’s child-sex trial that could go to the jurors within days, after three months of often graphic testimony. Now that both sides have rested their case, the rival lawyers could start delivering their closing arguments as early as Wednesday.