The South African Press Association (Sapa) was forced to halt editorial operations on Tuesday after its telephone cables were stolen — the second time the national news agency had been hit by criminals in less than a year.
Malawi’s High Court has nullified a section of the country’s constitution that limits the freedom of association for lawmakers, describing it as an ”oppressive monster”. The clause in the constitution restricted lawmakers and politicians from participating in political groupings other than their own parties.
The Southern African Development Community has been urged to take action on threats to press freedom in the region, particularly in Zimbabwe. A Media Institute of Southern Africa delegation has raised concerns that the mandatory licensing of journalists could be open to abuse by governments.
Peace talks for Burundi entered a third day in Pretoria, with rebel and government leaders due to thrash out a power-sharing agreement for the central African country’s transition to democratic elections, officials said on Tuesday.
South African mining output for the three months to August, after seasonal adjustment, reflected an increase of 3,4% compared with the previous three months to May due to a 5% increase in the output of non-gold minerals, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Tuesday.
Assaults in South Africa’s prisons have risen by nearly 2% year-on-year, which has been attributed to the ever-increasing prison population and the rise in offenders sentenced for aggressive crimes, according to the annual report of the Correctional Services department.
US evangelicals opposed to the election of their church’s first openly gay bishop are gathering in Dallas, Texas, today to plan a strategy that may precipitate a schism within the Anglican communion and put pressure on leaders of the church meeting next week in London.
Cuban dissidents were awaiting reaction from Fidel Castro yesterday after their latest attempt to force a widening of political debate. Oswaldo Payá, a dissident leader, delivered a petition to Parliament in Havana demanding a referendum on human and democratic rights.
An ultra-Zionist Israeli settler has joined forces with the nephew of the Iraqi leader Ahmad Chalabi to promote investment in Iraq. The venture — which has excellent connections with the Pentagon and the new Iraqi government — is the first joint Israeli-Iraqi business project publicly documented since the fall of Saddam Hussein
California’s governor, Gray Davis, said yesterday that the recall race was now ”a dead heat” and that voters had been leaving Arnold Schwarzenegger’s camp as allegations of sexual harassment continued.