A roundup of today's other world news in brief
SA public sector staff walk off jobs
JOHANNESBURG – Thousands of South African public service workers seeking higher wages walked off the job yesterday, with union leaders saying the strike could set the stage for nearly 1 million workers downing tools next week.
The action was likely to have little impact on Africa’s largest economy, but a wider action involving customs officers, healthcare workers and clerks could freeze trade and commerce, analysts said. Workers including nurses, teachers and immigration officers have rejected a 6.5 per cent wage offer and were demanding an 8.6 per cent increase and a 1,000 rand (€104) monthly housing allowance. – (Reuters)
Settlers take over Palestinian home in Old City
JERUSALEM – Israeli settlers took over a Palestinian home in Jerusalem’s Old City yesterday, evicting about 45 members of an extended family occupying the building for more than 70 years.
The settlers said they had papers to prove they bought the building. The Palestinian tenants, who have been fighting bids to evict them for many years, were challenging the takeover in court. A police spokesman said the Israelis had entered the home “based on documents claiming that they owned the property”.
Mohammed Kirresh (22), a member of the Palestinian family, said they had rented the property since 1936 and had won two previous court cases challenging eviction orders. – (Guardian service)
Body of second US sailor discovered
KABUL – The body of a second US sailor who went missing in Afghanistan last week has been recovered, an Afghan police chief has said.
Logar provincial police chief Ghulam Mustafa said the captors probably dumped the body after the sailor died of wounds sustained in the incident that led to his capture.
A US defence official in Washington, on condition of anonymity, confirmed the recovery. The two US Navy service members went missing a week ago after failing to return in a vehicle they took from their compound in Kabul, the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force said. – (Reuters)
Hijacker of Moscow flight detained
MOSCOW – Russian special forces staged a lightning strike yesterday to detain a man who had seized an aircraft on a domestic flight to Moscow’s Domodedovo airport, an airport spokeswoman said.
“During the flight, an attempt was made to hijack the airplane. After its landing at Domodedovo, it was freed thanks to well co-ordinated actions by the interior ministry and FSB,” the spokeswoman said. The aircraft was on its way to Moscow from Russia’s North Caucasus town of Mineralnye Vody when hijacked, she said.
There were reportedly 105 people on board, including seven crew and five children. – (Reuters)