South African court rules against religious bias in state schools

A South African court on Wednesday ruled that public education institutions cannot promote any one religion to the exclusion of others, saying to do so was a violation of the Schools Act, local media reported.
The Organisation for Religious Education and Democracy (OGOD) had argued that it was in the interest of South Africa’s democracy that public schools not be allowed to favour a specific religion.
OGOD asked the court to declare unconstitutional the religion policy of six public schools, accusing them of favouring Christianity over other religions.
The six schools, the ministers of basic education and justice, and the National Society for School Governing Bodies were respondents, local media reported.
Judge Willem van der Linde said in his ruling that religious observances may be conducted at state or state-aided institutions, as long as they are held on an equitable basis and attendance was voluntary.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga had supported the application, saying schools were not permitted to focus on just one religion.
Reuters

Pregnant Serena Williams poses naked on the cover of Vanity Fair

Pregnant Serena Williams has posed naked on the cover of August's Vanity Fair magazine.
The tennis star found out she was expecting her first child with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian just before the Australian Open in January.
She told the magazine that she hadn't suspected anything until she was sick at the side of the court while practising.
But her friend suspected she might be pregnant and suggested taking a test.

Image caption The August edition of Vanity Fair, featuring Serena Williams, is on sale from 7 July

Serena ended up taking a test while doing a photo shoot for a lingerie company at an Australian hotel and said her "heart literally dropped" when she saw the result.
"Oh my God, this can't be - I've got to play a tournament," she said. "How am I going to play the Australian Open? I had planned on winning Wimbledon this year."
Her friend Jessica was then sent back to the hotel chemist to buy five more test kits to convince Serena that she was pregnant. All of them were positive.
The article also reveals how Alexis and Serena started dating in 2015.
He proposed last December at the same table at the Cavalieri Hotel in Italy where they'd first talked to each other.

“Zambia will work closely with you” – Lungu to Akufo-Addo

The President of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has reiterated his and the commitment of the Zambian people to developing strong bilateral ties and exploring areas of co-operation with Ghana, under the leadership of its President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to the mutual benefit of the two countries.
According to President Lungu, the margin of victory chalked by President Akufo-Addo in the 2016 election “was a true reflection of the confidence the people of Ghana have in your vision, and for that reason, we look forward to working closely with you during your tenure of office.”
The Zambian President noted further that “there are a lot of things you (Ghana) are doing in mining, agriculture, infrastructure development, amongst others, which can benefit Zambia, by being emulated. It is about common, good practices, Mr. President, and what you do better, we should not hesitate to emulate.”

President Edgar Lungu made this known on Tuesday, July 27, 2017, when he held bilateral talks with the Ghanaian President and his delegation, at the commencement of the 3-day official State Visit by President Akufo-Addo to Zambia.

With the two countries having signed an agreement for the establishment of a Permanent Joint Commission on Co-operation (PJCC) to serve as the legal framework to address their trade and investment concerns, President Lungu bemoaned the non-implementation of this commission.

He, however, indicated that the PJCC will be given a new lease of life under his and the tenure of office of President Akufo-Addo, so as to ensure that “our Ministers will begin co-operating, and, henceforth, make the PJCC a living document.”
On the Ezulwini consensus, a position on international relations and reform of the United Nations agreed by the African Union in 2005, President Lungu was confident that the pioneering role played by President Akufo-Addo, then Foreign Minister of Ghana, in the fashioning of the document will be of invaluable to the cause of the AU.
“You were a pioneer, you were there. So as we go to the UN General Assembly in September, I am sure that Africa can count on you as an anchor,” he added.
President Lungu stressed that, “We want a prosperous Africa, which is integrated, united, peaceful and secured, and influential, not only in Africa but in the UN family.
“Regional integration is one aspect which will lead us to the Africa we want. Zambia is proud to be a member of SADC, and we are equally proud of the role that you (President Akufo-Addo) are playing in ECOWAS, in terms of peace keeping in the region, and trying to find common ground in improving co-operation and development of the African people we are privileged to look after.”

Credit:  Ghraphic online