The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic have proposed amendments to the Ukrainian constitution to vest individual districts in eastern Ukraine with vast autonomy, including authority to regulate cross-border cooperation and the use of the Russian language. What are termed as districts with “a special status” would also be authorized to control law
Black students vow to render Wits ungovernable
Wits University vice-chancellor Professor Adam Habib has been given 48 hours to reinstate ousted Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) president Mcebo Dlamini or have the institution come to a standstill. Wits students – among them the South African Students Congress (Sasco) and the student political party, the Progressive Youth Alliance – who took part in
Code Blue: End UN immunity
Former First Lady of South Africa and Mozambique has added her voice to a growing campaign to block staff in UN peacekeeping missions from hiding behind immunity when accused of crimes and sexual abuse. Graça Machel has added her voice to a campaign called Code Blue that calls on the UN Secretary General to immediately
ANC to march on Eskom
The ANC in Johannesburg will lead a march of Soweto residents to Eskom offices in Diepkloof on Thursday. The march follows last Friday’s power cuts in Soweto which lasted for more than ten hours. Meanwhile, many of Soweto’s resident feel entitled to free electricity as it was one of the things promised to them when
Ripping clients off the Vodacom way
Data roaming fees can be a crippling expense, and some clients reckon mobile operators should have a cap on usage. That was the response of several eNCA.com readers on learning of a hefty data roaming bill worth tens of thousands of Rand that Vodacom sent to customer Kyle White. Vodacom spokesperson Richard Boorman said the
Vatican recognizes Palestine
Israel says it is “disappointed” that the Vatican has recognized the state of Palestine in a new treaty. In a statement, the Israeli Foreign Ministry says the move doesn’t help the peace process and “distances the Palestinian leadership from returning to direct and bilateral negotiations.” It says it will study the treaty agreement and will
FBI warned of derailment after 9/11
Former Congressman Patrick Murphy was on board Amtrak train 188 that crashed in Philadelphia Tuesday night, leaving at least six people dead and more than 140 others injured. All seven cars derailed, some flipped on their sides, trapping passengers under snarled hunks of metal. Officials say 243 people were on board at the time of
Nelson Mandela welcomed Bantustans
The NP under FW de Klerk started the negotiations with Nelson Mandela “well”, but abandoned most white demands in September 1992, leading to the current growing assault on property rights, says Hermann Giliomee. He recently gave a lecture in honour of Richard Elphick at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn, USA. In 1960 Mandela along with mostly
Sparks backtracks furiously
Allister Sparks, notorious Boerhater, has apologised and blamed “senility” for his comments on Hendrik Verwoerd, in a bid not to push away more black DA voters. Speaking at the DA congress in Port Elizabeth, he named apartheid architect Hendrik Verwoerd among “smart politicians” he had encountered in his 64 years as a journalist and analyst.
Russia asks Greece to join BRICS bank
Russian Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak spoke with Greek PM Alexis Tsipras today, proposed that Greece become 6th member of New Development Bank set up by Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, a Greek govt official says in e-mail to reporters. Meanwhile the $100 billion BRICS development bank will be based in Shanghai, according to
‘EU could lift Russian sanctions by end of 2015’
The EU sanctions against Russia could be lifted by the end of the year, Czech President Milos Zeman said. “I will also add that it may be possible to lift the sanctions fully, maybe even before the end of this year. The European Council will discuss this in June, I think,” Zeman said in an
Tories’ repeal of Human Rights Act could spark constitutional crisis
Newly appointed Justice Secretary Michael Gove will push ahead with Conservative plans to repeal the Human Rights Act – a move experts warn could spark a constitutional crisis and blight Britain’s reputation on human rights worldwide. Conservative Party sources, fresh from last week’s general election victory, told the Guardian the human rights reforms are imminent.
Read more: Tories’ repeal of Human Rights Act could spark constitutional crisis
Two murdered on school run in Cape Town
The morning school run erupted into chaos in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town on Monday when a parent was shot dead outside a high school and, in an unrelated shooting, a taxi driver was killed near a primary school a few metres away. Gilianno Smith, 34, was on his way to meet the principal of Cedar
EU wants military intervention to curb migration
The European Union’s (EU) Chief Diplomat, Frederica Mogherini briefed the United Nations Security Council on migrants. The EU is considering a draft resolution that would authorise EU military intervention to curb the illicit trafficking of persons that has already cost almost 2000 lives lost at sea this year alone. The EU indicated its first priority