The four-day old strike at oil and chemicals group Sasol’s Secunda plant has ended. This comes after Sasol’s management reached an agreement with trade union Solidarity, in terms of which the trade unions will take part in the internal investigation into the explosion at the Secunda plant on September 1.

Iran on Sunday flatly rejected demands to abandon its uranium enrichment programme, as a leading hawk in the Bush administration warned that the United States would act to prevent Tehran obtaining nuclear weapons. The escalation came as France, Germany and Britain joined forces with Washington for the first time to demand a halt to Iran’s fuel enrichment work.

The United States and Britain were on Sunday night trying to discover the cause of a huge mushroom cloud spotted over North Korea. US officials played down fears that it might have come from a nuclear test. However, the White House was reported to have received an intelligence briefing that Pyongyang could be preparing to carry out a test.

The increasing number of HIV positive healthcare professionals will have a devastating impact on the South African health system, already under pressure from growing number of HIV/Aids patients. ”The effective prevention and care of HIV and Aids requires a strong health system,” SAA-Netcare director Dr Andrew Jamieson said on Sunday.

The heaviest fighting for months erupted in the centre of Baghdad on Sunday, only a brief stroll from the office of the prime minister, Ayad Allawi. Witnesses said at least 13 Iraqis were killed and 55 wounded after United States helicopters attacked a crowd of unarmed demonstrators dancing round a burning Bradley armoured vehicle.