Chinese archaeologists have discovered an ancient and mysterious subterranean building near the tomb of the nation’s legendary first emperor, state media reported on Sunday. The building is hidden inside a 51m-high, pyramid-shaped earth mound on top of the tomb of emperor Qinshihuang in north-west China’s Shaanxi province.
The number of Zimbabweans seeking asylum in South Africa has increased dramatically since Robert Mugabe’s police assaulted the country’s opposition leaders on March 11 this year, experts say. Thousands of Zimbabweans are jumping the border into South Africa every week.
The Republicans are disarray as they seek to find a man — and it will be a man — who can keep the White House in their party’s hands, despite the unpopularity of United States President George Bush. The party is in turmoil and each campaign has been dogged by scandals, infighting and arguments.
A decision on winter schools in KwaZulu-Natal is expected on Monday when various stakeholders will meet to discuss it, the provincial department of education said on Saturday. Similar plans are afoot in North West and the Western Cape to recover from the effects of the lengthy public-service strike.
African National Congress (ANC) president and head of state Thabo Mbeki says he will stand for a third term as head of the organisation if asked to do so by its leadership. The ANC policy conference that ended on Saturday produced a compromise resolution on this and several other high-profile issues.
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi has proposed to Parliament that there should be a separation of powers between the head of the government and the head of state in the country, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Saturday.
Seven prisoners regarded as ”dangerous” escaped from a holding cell at an Eastern Cape police station on Saturday. A police spokesperson said the seven, arrested for crimes including murder and armed robbery, overpowered a police officer, grabbed the keys to the holding cell and locked him inside at the central police station in Mthatha.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) plans to purge African National Congress Cabinet ministers failing to support the party’s political campaigns, the Sunday Times reported. Those facing the chop include Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi, the report said.
Maria Sharapova was plunged into a Wimbledon rain row on Saturday as torrential downpours meant that just two matches were completed and drenched fans saw only 75 minutes of action. The only other women’s third-round match saw defending champion Amelie Mauresmo dismantle the challenge of Italian Mara Santangelo.
The All Blacks will be searching for answers on Sunday after their 20-15 upset loss to trans-Tasman rugby rivals Australia. The problem for the Wallabies, and the rest of the rugby nations heading to this year’s World Cup, is that Graham Henry’s New Zealand team will very likely find them.