The South African Communist Party has called on the country’s major financial institutions to stop discriminating against workers living with HIV/Aids and the poor. The party said the question that needs to be asked on Human Rights Day is: ”How far have we come, in 50 years, to realise the aspirations expressed in the clauses of the Freedom Charter?”
A demonstration on Sunday to commemorate the second anniversary of the war on Iraq turned into a vocal stand-off between hundreds of supporters and opponents of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. It was the first appearance by pro-Mubarak demonstrators in months of anti-government protests.
Rescuers searched on Monday for survivors of a powerful earthquake in southern Japan that killed one woman, injured hundreds and caused several thousand people to flee their homes. More than 100 aftershocks were felt after Sunday’s earthquake, which measured seven on the Richter scale.
Forgiveness is the cure to bitterness, revenge and escalating conflict, former South African president FW de Klerk said on Sunday. He was speaking at the closing of the Arts and Reconciliation Festival and Conference held at the University of Pretoria. The event was opened by Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Monday.
European Union governments have settled on a reform of rules to guarantee the stability of the euro, satisfying German and French demands that euro-zone nations be given more room to spend their way out of economic problems. National Budget deficits will still not be allowed to exceed 3% of gross domestic product.
A Soweto man held his wife, his mother-in-law and an adopted child hostage before killing them and then shooting himself on Monday, police said. Captain Mbazima Shiburi said a concerned neighbour in Chiawelo extension five called the police to report fighting at the house.
World champion Michael Schumacher admitted in Malaysia on Sunday that his chances of retaining his crown for a sixth consecutive year are already not looking good after just two races of the season. This season has seen Ferrari plunge down the order, ending in seventh place in Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix.
New South Wales Waratahs lock Justin Harrison was late on Sunday banned for three Super 12 rugby matches for making a racial slur against a Golden Cats player in South Africa last week. The penalty includes the match from which Harrison voluntarily stood down, against the Western Stormers on Saturday.
Captain Brian Lara has been omitted from the West Indies team for the first cricket Test against South Africa later this month, the latest development in a four-month feud over sponsorship contracts. The West Indies Cricket Board said Lara gave ”a noncommittal response” to an invitation to make himself available to play in the Test.
The African Champions league match won 5-3 in a penalty shootout by Ajax against ASFA Yennenga of Burkina Faso in Cape Town on Sunday ended as a disgrace for South African soccer when a fight broke out among several players on the side of the field during injury time.