South Africa

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He Once Ruled South Africa. Now, a Prison Sentence

High court finds Jacob Zuma in contempt of court in corruption case, gives him 15 months in jail

(Newser) - Jacob Zuma's legal problems just worsened. Last month, the former president of South Africa pleaded not guilty to corruption, fraud, and other charges tied to a multibillion-dollar arms deal in 1999, when he was the deputy president. On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the nation's highest...

Hopeful Diamond Hunters Get Bad News

People who flocked to South African village dug up similar-looking quartz

(Newser) - As far as government announcements go, this one stung: "The tests conducted conclusively revealed that the stones discovered in the area are not diamonds." So declared an official in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, reports the BBC . The words deflated the hopes of thousands of people who'...

They Found 5 Bodies Wrapped in Plastic, Then 15 More

South African discovery linked to illegal mining mishap

(Newser) - Police have uncovered the burned bodies of 20 men "wrapped in white plastic bags" in a gold mining town in South Africa. Five bodies were discovered Monday near a disused mine shaft in Orkney, North West province, about 100 miles southwest of Johannesburg, per the Sunday Times . Another body...

Only Nation With 'Intense Breeding' of Captive Lions Pulls the Plug

South Africa says it will end breeding, keeping of lions in captivity, as well as lion bone trading

(Newser) - South Africa says it will end its captive lion industry in a major move for conservation that would outlaw the heavily criticized "canned hunting" of the big cats and sale of their bones, as well as popular tourist experiences like petting cubs. The policy, which still needs to be...

Gay Couple Not Allowed to Bring Newborn Twins Home

Namibia won't let girls into country, where their married fathers live

(Newser) - A gay couple who lives in the African nation of Namibia saw their family expand to five with the birth of newborn twins via surrogate. One big problem: The girls aren't being allowed into the country, reports Reuters . On Monday, a Namibian court refused to let Phillip Luhl bring...

Suspected Rhino Poacher Meets His End—Via Elephants

Man killed in South Africa's Kruger National Park over the weekend while running away from rangers

(Newser) - Rangers busted a trio of suspected poachers in a South African game reserve over the weekend, with tragic consequences for one of them. ABC News reports that on Saturday, rangers spied the three men, who were believed to be trying to poach rhinos, in Kruger National Park, where a chase...

Israeli Study Has Bad News on 'Breakthrough' Infections

South African variant of COVID can break through Pfizer vaccine, it finds

(Newser) - An Israeli study has disheartening news, though researchers are cautioning that more study is needed: The South African coronavirus variant can "break through" and infect those who have received the Pfizer vaccine, the study of around 800 people found. Half of the subjects had tested positive for COVID-19 two...

Officials on the Hunt For Escaped Crocodiles
Crocodiles Flee
Breeding Facility
Mar 6, 2021 1:30 PM CST

Crocodiles Flee Breeding Facility

Officials are not sure how many are on the loose

(Newser) - Police and conservation officers were searching Friday for an unknown number of young crocodiles that escaped earlier in the week from a large breeding farm in South Africa, the AP reports. The crocodiles are suspected to have entered the nearby Breede River after escaping Wednesday morning near the town of...

One Country Forced to Stop AstraZeneca Vaccine Rollout

After study shows disappointing results against new strain in South Africa

(Newser) - South Africa has put its rollout of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, originally due to start next week, on hold after a study found it offered only minimal protection against a new variant of the coronavirus currently dominating new infections in the country. The study found that the vaccine "does...

South African Variant Is Detected in US

Fast-spreading coronavirus strain turns up in South Carolina

(Newser) - One of the world's fast-spreading strains of COVID has been detected in the US for the first time, reports the AP . The variant first detected in South Africa, known as B. 1.351, turned up in two cases in South Carolina. Worse, neither of the people has traveled recently,...

&#39;Reassuring&#39; News on Those COVID Variants
Pfizer Reports Good News
on Fast-Spreading Strains
new study
Jan 8, 2021 10:50 AM CST

Pfizer Reports Good News on Fast-Spreading Strains

Its vaccine appears to protect against them

(Newser) - New research suggests Pfizer's COVID vaccine can protect against a mutation found in two easier-to-spread strains that erupted in Britain and South Africa . The variants carry multiple mutations but share one in common that's believed to be the reason they are more contagious, per the AP . Called N501Y,...

Another Slippery COVID Variant Emerges

It's unclear whether vaccines will be effective against 501.V2

(Newser) - Another new coronavirus variant has been found, this time in South Africa, where experts worry it will be resistant to vaccines now being rolled out around the world. Shabir Madhi, a scientist who led trials for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in South Africa, says there is a "theoretical" but "...

Unusual Winning Lotto Numbers Spark a Probe

5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

(Newser) - More than one eyebrow has been raised in South Africa following Tuesday's usual PowerBall drawing there. The BBC reports there are 42,375,200 possible combos, and the one that emerged was as follows: 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, with a PowerBall of 10. Lottery operator Ithuba tweeted...

Conservationist Killed by Own Lion as Wife Watched

West Mathewson had defended his lions as friendly and playful

(Newser) - West Mathewson rescued two white lion cubs from a facility where they were bred to be hunted when they were just days old. It was the start of a loving friendship. The South African conservationist raised the lionesses, keeping them in an enclosure at his safari lodge, Lion Tree Top...

Grim New Death Tolls for US, Globe
Grim New Death
Tolls for US, Globe
Jul 19, 2020 1:40 PM CDT

Grim New Death Tolls for US, Globe

Pope Francis: 'The pandemic is showing no sign of stopping'

(Newser) - The number of people around the world who have died as a result of the coronavirus has passed the 600,000 mark as countries from the US to South Africa to India struggle to contain infections, the AP reports. Hong Kong also warned of a resurgence in the virus as...

In This Country, a COVID Curfew, Reimposed Booze Ban

South Africa's president says steps are needed to fight the 'coronavirus storm'

(Newser) - South Africa has seen more than 12,000 new COVID-19 cases daily over the past few days, trailing only the US, Brazil, and India on that figure, and health officials are now issuing warnings that shortages of hospital beds and oxygen are looming. That was the dire message delivered Sunday...

5 Dead, Dozens Arrested After Church Hostage Situation

Incident in South Africa 'may have been motivated by a feud' between church members

(Newser) - Five people are dead and more than 40 have been arrested after an early-morning hostage situation at a long-troubled church near Johannesburg, police in South Africa said Saturday. A statement said police and military who responded to reports of a shooting at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church headquarters in Zuurbekom...

As One Country Reopens, People Buy Booze for First Time in 2 Months

As South Africa eases lockdown, many head to the liquor store instead of to work

(Newser) - Many South Africans spent their Monday morning lining up outside liquor stores, reports the AP , as alcohol sales were allowed again after a two-month ban because of the coronavirus outbreak. But while South Africa—with the continent's most developed economy and the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19—...

Couple Gets 'Trapped in Paradise'—Alone

Raul and Olivia De Freitas never expected this

(Newser) - Raul and Olivia De Freitas only planned to stay for six days—and then a pandemic broke out. Which meant the South African couple was stranded at a Maldives resort, all alone with the staff, trapped in paradise. "Everyone says they want to be stuck on a tropical island,...

South Africa Will Be Locked Down for 21 Days

Country now has most coronavirus cases in Africa

(Newser) - South Africa, Africa's most industrialized economy and a nation of 57 million people, will go into a nationwide lockdown for 21 days starting Thursday to try to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, the president said Monday. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the measures in response to...

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