South Africa’s real retail sales rose to a 12,3% year-on-year (y/y) increase in December after increasing by a revised 11,1% y/y in November following October’s record revised 12,9% y/y in October, Statistics South Africa said on Wednesday. This brought real retail sales growth for 2004 to 10,3% compared with 4,9% in 2003 and 2,3% in 2002.
Charity singles improve the world in many ways — but not when they’re pure torture to listen to, writes John Harris in London.
A German eye specialist with a keen amateur interest in mathematics has discovered the world’s largest prime number after a 50-day search using his personal computer. Dr Martin Nowak stumbled upon the number last week, breaking the previous record for a prime number by half a million digits.
Syria found itself increasingly isolated on Tuesday as the United States and France stepped up their pressure for withdrawal of its forces from neighbouring Lebanon. ”The Syrians are out of step with where the region is going and out of step with the aspirations of the people of the region,” the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.
Namibia is feeling the pinch of providing treatment to civil servants living with HIV/Aids.
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Despite blaming his auditors for the illegal write-off of R1,2-million from his company’s books, fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik still employs them. He told the Durban High Court on Wednesday he will meet with his shareholders after the trial to discuss his auditors’ contract.
Farmer body Grain South Africa (GSA) on Wednesday warned farmers against the illegal use of water in terms of the National Water Act No 36 of 1998. GSA chairperson Bully Botma said the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry has estimated that up to 70% of water use along the mid and lower Vaal river system is illegal.
South Africa’s 2004 motor trade sales rose by 17,4% year-on-year to R175,3-billion after a 12,3% rise in 2003, Statistics South Africa said on Wednesday. This compared with growth of 9,8% and 7,4% in 2004 and 2003 in nominal gross domestic product.
Japanese police have arrested an unemployed man for burying needles in fried chicken at a supermarket and swallowing them in a bid to get money from the store. Kyosuke Miyasako (43) told the supermarket in the Tokyo suburb of Sayama that he had eaten needles in its chicken and another customer found needles in sushi.
Seven people have killed themselves within hours of each other in Japan in the latest round of suicides committed after pacts made on the internet. Four people in their 20s and 30s were found dead in a car in a mountainside parking lot in Tochigi prefecture late on Monday.