Oil prices breached $69 a barrel in Asian trading on Tuesday on concerns of a possible United States military strike against Iran, dealers said. At 12.43pm New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for May delivery was at $69,01 a barrel, up 27 cents from its close of $68,74 in the United States on Monday.
The fees of general medical practitioners in Zimbabwe have risen by 100%, Harare’s The Herald newspaper reported on Tuesday. Its website said medical-aid societies were also allowed to increase member contributions by between 70% and 90%. Specialist physician fees had been doubled.
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A man implicated in an attempted rape by the woman who has accused Jacob Zuma of raping her told the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday he was surprised she could not remember him. Sandile Sithole (38) said he was also surprised that the complainant had denied ever making the attempted rape allegation against him.
<i>The Teacher</i>, the monthly newspaper distributed to schools and educators by M&G Media, publisher of the <i>Mail & Guardian</i>, turns 10 years old this month. "Happy birthday to a newspaper that is dedicated to servicing the most important people in our society: the architects of tomorrow’s generation," said <i>M&G</i> editor Ferial Haffajee. "Long may <i>The Teacher</i> continue to educate and shine its torch."
Chinese writer Li Jianping will go on trial for subversion on Wednesday for posting political essays on the internet, a rights group said. An intermediate court in Shandong province will hear Li’s case after charges against him were upgraded from "suspicion of defamation" to "inciting subversion of the state," the China Rights Defenders said in a statement.
Financial services institutions worldwide are recognising and embracing a new era of banking, instigated by Basel II, according to a new survey published on Tuesday by leading professional services provider Ernst & Young. Processes and systems will significantly change, along with the way risks are managed, signifying a new era and fresh dynamic in the global financial services market place.
Israel’s Cabinet on Tuesday declared ailing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon permanently incapacitated, marking the official end of his five-year tenure. Sharon (78) suffered a devastating stroke on January 4 and has been in a coma since. After the stroke, Sharon’s deputy, Ehud Olmert immediately stepped in as his temporary replacement.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods met in Butler Cabin for the second straight year at the Masters for a role reversal not seen at Augusta National in more than 40 years. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer — rivals briefly, driving forces as long as they played — took turns helping each other into the green jacket for three straight Masters ending in 1965.
Australia on Tuesday rushed Nathan Bracken and Daniel Cullen into their squad for the second Test in Bangladesh as the world champions faced an embarrassing loss against the sport’s minnows. Cricket Australia announced that left-arm paceman Bracken and uncapped spinner Cullen would join the team ahead of the second Test on concerns that injuries would force changes in the present team.
England captain David Beckham would like to end his career playing Major League Soccer in the United States, a British Broadcasting Corporation report said on Tuesday. The Real Madrid midfielder, who still has one year to run on his contract in Spain, said he was attracted by the country’s passion for sport.