The South African rand was weaker against the dollar in early trade on Monday on the back of the latter’s recovery against major currencies. Currency traders said that the rand could post more losses and that it is likely to look to the euro for direction. At 8.36am, the rand was quoted at R5,6951 per dollar.
World number four gold miner Gold Fields on Friday announced that it has purchased, through its indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary Orogen Holdings, 5,2-million common shares in Comaplex Minerals. The shares have been acquired for investment purposes.
The dispute between the Pharmaceutical Society and the Minister of Health began as an urgent application for a declaration of invalidity of regulations relating to a transparent pricing system for medicines, which in the minister’s view would reduce costs to patients. We look at the disturbing unfolding of events.
Just a year after launching its lively and attractive Comet 650 Streetfighter, Korean manufacturer Hyosung Motors and Machinery has followed up with sporty, fully faired and half-naked versions of the increasingly popular machine.
Ruling parties romped to victory in five elections held in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) last year, which also ushered in the end of the presidential terms of two liberation stalwarts — Sam Nujoma of Namibia and Joachim Chissano of Mozambique. Their voluntary departure has, however, been overshadowed by challenges to the election results.
Picking up a thumbed copy of The Economist‘s annual roundup of world events, one was intrigued by the prediction that the following year would ”be the year for Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein to fall …” Likewise, it suggested that ”President Robert Mugabe’s increasing retreat from active policy determination could presage a stepping down.” The year in question was 1993. Tom Eaton reckons more has changed than stayed the same.
Catherine Liu is 28 and a little nervous, she says, because two weeks ago she split up with her boyfriend. ”In China, it is only [okay not to be married] until 30.” Then, a little forlornly, ”My mother is worried about me.” Liu is a Shanghai success story — well educated, sophisticated, with a high-profile job. A generation of young Chinese women has embraced a sexual liberalism that is alien to most of the country.
Readership of the online journals known as blogs (short for web logs) grew significantly in 2004, driven by increased awareness of them during the United States presidential campaign and other major news events, according to a study released on Sunday. Twenty-seven percent of online adults in the US said in November they read blogs.
The United States’s professional gridiron league teams have joined Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova and other sports figures around the world in assisting the disaster relief mission for the tsunami-earthquake catastrophe with a death toll that is expected to reach 150 000.
Confronted with the world’s greatest natural disaster for half a century, religious leaders strove to make theological sense of the tsunami and console congregations that might ask why God allowed the tectonic plates under the Indian Ocean to shift so catastrophically on Boxing Day. Leaders from the major faiths attempt to explain how the tragedy could be reconciled with their religious beliefs.