An animal rights group on Tuesday called for an investigation into the deaths of four sea lions, 10 dogs and seven cats belonging to Russia’s state circus that burned to death in a fire in India. ”We are going to court to ensure that there is an inquiry,” said Anuradha Sawhney of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Schoolchildren may soon be allowed to wear beards if the proposed national guidelines on school uniforms are introduced later this year, Parliament was told on Tuesday. ”A uniform may not impede or infringe upon any constitutional right,” said the deputy director for education and training in the Department of Education.
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A forensic auditor has told the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial that money paid on behalf of Deputy President Jacob Zuma did not affect the financial state of Shaik’s Nkobi group of companies. Gregory Johnson, who runs a private auditing and accounting firm, was giving evidence for the defence.
Yet another retrenchment shock is due to hit South Africa, this time at dairy giant Clover South Africa, according to trade union Solidarity. The union claimed that Clover plans to save approximately R100-million in personnel expenses this year.
Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel’s mother worked at Cape Town garment maker Rex Trueform for 18 years; trade unionist turned MP Connie September clocked in at the factory; and before 65-year-old community radio veteran Zane Ibrahim was born, his mother also worked there. Today 1 000 jobs are threatened by the looming closure of Cape Town’s — and South Africa’s — oldest clothing manufacturer.
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United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is pleased weekend elections in Zimbabwe were relatively peaceful, but is concerned over the fairness of the vote, his spokesperson said on Monday. Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai has slammed the elections as a ”massive fraud”.
The separation of state-owned South African Airways (SAA) from its parent company, Transnet, should be completed by the end of the year, says Minister of Public Enterprises Alec Erwin. The minister briefed members of the National Assembly public enterprises committee at Parliament on Tuesday on his upcoming budget vote.
Aids activists in Africa describe the late Pope John Paul II’s fierce opposition to the use of condoms as a major obstacle in the battle against Aids in Africa, where the disease killed 2,3-million people in 2004. They said that his position was a big obstacle in slowing the spread of Aids, and hoped that the next pope would be more progressive on the issue.
Scientists have developed a potentially revolutionary technique to permanently rewrite any gene in the human body. The breakthrough brings hope to millions of people with genetic diseases but campaigners have warned that the technology could be abused by parents who want to alter the physical characteristics of their children after they are born.
Wallaby hooker Brendan Cannon became the first player to join Perth’s Super 14 team on Tuesday, signing a two-year contract with the new franchise. The announcement of Cannon’s defection from the Super 12-leading New South Wales (NSW) Waratahs prompted an angry tirade from NSW coach Ewan McKenzie.