Rita Wilson recovers
LOS ANGELES: Rita Wilson, the actress and wife of actor Tom Hanks, said she underwent a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery after being diagnosed with an invasive form of breast cancer.
“I am recovering and, most importantly, am expected to make a full recovery. Why? Because I caught this early, have excellent doctors and I got a second opinion,” the 58-yearold said. – Reuters
MP expulsion upheld
HARARE: Zimbabwe’s constitutional court yesterday upheld the expulsion from parliament last month of 21 opposition Movement for Democratic Change MPs after their party dismissed them following internal squabbling
If an MP joins or forms another political party, his/her seat is declared vacant and a fresh election is called. – Reuters
Percy Sledge dies
NEW YORK: Percy Sledge, the rhythm and blues singer whose When a Man Loves a Woman topped the charts in 1966, has died at the age of 73.
Steve Green of Artists International Management Inc confirmed that the R&B singer had died at his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, yesterday. – Reuters-BBC News
Lightning kills seven
DAR ES SALAAM: A lightning strike killed six children and their teacher at a school in north-western Tanzania yesterday, nearly two months after electric storms caused deaths at another school in the area.
Fatalities during lightning storms are common in the north-western regions of Tanzania during its two rainy seasons. – Reuters
Take-off drama
SEATTLE: A Los Angelesbound Alaska Airlines flight made an emergency landing at a Seattle-area airport on Monday afternoon after it took off with a worker trapped in a cargo area under the cabin where he had fallen asleep.
The pilot heard banging and screaming from beneath the aircraft after take-off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. – Reuters ONE of South Africa’s top business executives, Suzanne Ackerman-Berman, will be the guest speaker at this year’s Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry gala dinner at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre tomorrow evening.
Ackerman is the director of transformation at Pick n Pay Holdings.
As chairwoman of the Pick n Pay Foundation and the driving force behind its small business incubator initiative, AckermanBerman has helped small businesses and farmers to successfully enter new markets and play a more significant role in the economy.
The chamber’s chief executive, Dumile Cele, has appealed to large and medium corporates to make a contribution towards enterprise development by affording small, medium and micro enterprises an opportunity to attend tomorrow’s event.
‘The dinner will provide SMMEs an opportunity to network with bigger companies which will ultimately result in the growth of their businesses and the economy,’ said the chamber.
The business body’s incoming president, Zeph Ndlovu, general manager: KZN operations at Transnet Port Terminals, is leading the way by sponsoring two tables for small, medium and micro enterprises.
The 159th annual dinner is sponsored by Vodacom, The Mercury and Gagasi FM. Tickets are sold at member and nonmember rates.
For more information contact Nomthandazo Mchunu at 031 335 1028 or booknow@durbanchamber.co.za – Mercury Reporter