| Friday
16 January
Government
will not rush to amend the Commission's Act of 1947
in a bid to GIVE
COMMISSIONERS ENOUGH TEETH TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH
WITNESSES THAT REFUSE TO TESTIFY
at inquiries says Justice and Constitutional
Minister Penuell Maduna (AllAfrica.com 2004-01-14).
A
tattoo artist has been SENTENCED
TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT PLUS 60 YEARS FOR ABDUCTING,
RAPING, INDECENTLY ASSAULTING AND TORTURING
a seven-year-old girl and her two brothers (Business
Day 2004-01-16). The LAW
SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA HAS WELCOMED THE SENTENCE
(Legalbrief 2004-01-16).
A
ruling is expected today in The Ranch case in the
Johannesburg High Court on WHETHER
LEAVE TO APPEAL SUSPENDS EFFECT BEING GIVEN TO THE
PREVIOUS JUDGMENT.
The State has been granted leave to appeal against a
court order for the return of alleged brothel owner
Andrew Philip's assets (News24 2004-01-15).
From
the US :
"collecting data in mergers and acquisitions
and large discovery cases is new. The courts
have yet to adopt or recommend protocols for the
data gathering process. The sheer volume of
electronic data now collected necessitates that
proper procedural protocols be
established". READ
MORE
(American Law Media's Law.com 2004-01-15).
"Success in the pursuit of electronic data
discovery hinges on a lawyer grasping how a computer
stores and manipulates information, and knowing
about the virtual nooks and crannies where digital
data hides in stubborn resistance to efforts to
delete it". See CAN
YOUR OLD FILES COME BACK TO LIFE?
(American Law Media's Law.com 2004-01-15).
THE
DILEMMA OF DUPLICATES
looks at the implications of managing duplicate
files (American Law Media'ss Law.com 2004-01-15).
Tony
Blair faces a critical 24 hours which could
determine whether he leads Labour into the next
election : Lord Hutton's long-awaited REPORT
ON THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE BBC IN THE
EVENTS LEADING TO THE DEATH OF DR DAVID KELLY
will be published on 28 January (Telegraph
2004-01-16).
Thursday
15 January
THE
ROAD ACCIDENT FUND IS OPENING TWELVE MORE SATELLITE
OFFICES
around the country (Business Day 2004-01-15).
JUDGE
HEFER SAYS THERE ARE NO SURPRISES IN THE REPORT
he handed to government on Tuesday (IOL 2004-01-14).
The
Law Society of South Africa has called on South
Africans to PUT
PRESSURE ON THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT TO OVERTURN THE
SENTENCE AGAINST A PREGNANT TEENAGER
(SABC News 2004-01-14).
ICASA
has asked the SABC to RESPOND
BY FRIDAY TO COMPLAINTS THAT IT CONTRAVENED THE
BROADCASTING ACT AND ITS OWN EDITORIAL POLICIES
by broadcasting the ANC manifesto launch last Sunday
(News24 2004-01-14).
A
man from Cape Town is being DETAINED
IN AMERICA ON SUSPICION OF SMUGGLING PARTS FOR
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
to Pakistan via South Africa ; e-mail messages he
sent were leaked to US authorities and are being
used to prove that he was aware that his actions
were in contravention of US law (News24 2004-01-14).
GERMANY
HAS RULED OUT ANY QUESTION OF COMPENSATING VICTIMS
of its 1904-7 genocidal campaign (The Namibia
2004-01-12).
Taxes
including a tourist tax on hotel beds, a local sales
tax and localised excise duty on vehicles are being
considered by a Government review team to FIND
WAYS OF FUNDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ENGLAND AND
WALES
(Telegraph 2004-01-15).
The
BANK
OF ENGLAND IS DEFENDING ITSELF IN A COURT CASE WHICH
PUTS ITS REPUTATION AT RISK
(Telegraph [UK] 2004-01-12, LIA
2004-01-14,
INDEPENDENT
[UK] 2004-01-13
and GUARDIAN
UNLIMITED 2004-01-13).
The
Federal plea agreements entered into by Enron's
former CFO ANDREW
FASTOW
and his wife, Enron's former Assistant Treasurer LEA
FASTOW
for their roles in the Enron corporate debacle are
now available online (FindLaw 2004-01-15).
FOUR
ANTIDOTES TO CHANGE RESISTANCE
provides some interesting insights into motivating
staff at all levels to be involved as organisations
change gear or direction (strategy+business).
Wednesday
14 January
There
is speculation that THIS
YEAR'S ELECTION MAY TAKE PLACE ON 14 APRIL
(News24 2004-01-13).
A
young woman who LOST
HER LEG IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING TWO MOVEABLE STAGES
AT DURBAN'S PLAYHOUSE HAS LOST HER CLAIM
against the company (IOL 2004-01-14).
The
search and seizure of documents belonging to a Spec
Savers store was DECLARED
UNLAWFUL AND A GROSS VIOLATION OF RIGHTS
in the Port Elizabeth High Court yesterday (Business
Report 2004-01-14).
Concern
has been expressed that UNIVERSITIES
MAY LOSE THEIR AUTONOMY AND BECOME EXTENSIONS OF THE
PUBLIC SERVICE
as a result of the new formula for state subsidies
to institutions of higher education (News24
2004-01-14).
A
British judge has ruled that AS
A HEAD OF STATE PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE IS IMMUNE TO
ARREST
on charges of torture (News24 2004-01-14).
In
an effort to combat gang activity, SCOTLAND
IS CONDERING THE ADOPTION OF A CONTROVERSIAL
ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR BILL
(The Herald 2004-01-14) ; AMONG
THE CRITICS IS THE LAW SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND
(BBC News 2004-01-13).
In
America, the Supreme Court has ruled that POLICE
ROADBLOCKS DESIGNED TO SEEK CRIME INVESTIGATION HELP
FROM MOTORISTS ARE NOT UNCONSTITUTIONAL
(FINDLAW
2004-01-13).
Although
not endorsed by Google, you too may find the
comprehensive collection of search options at http://www.faganfinder.com/google.html
useful. View search results graphically at http://www.anacubis.com/googledemo/google/index.asp.
(Bates Information Service. TIP
OF THE MONTH).
Tuesday
13 January
In
a landmark environmental law case AN
ESTATE OWNER HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR ILLEGALLY DUMPING
HAZARDOUS WASTE ON HIS PROPERTY
and potentially exposing surrounding communities to
serious health risks (SA Government Online
2004-01-12).
The
increase in property prices has made it likely that
buyers will start discovering that IT'S
CHEAPER TO BUY THAN BUILD,
and Absa
has reported a POSSIBLE
FURTHER ONE PERCENT CUT IN INTEREST RATES NEXT MONTH
which
will bring the prime and mortgage lending rates to
10,5%. (Business Day 2004-01-13).
It
is suggested that a marriage of TECHNOLOGY
AND LEGAL PENALTIES COMBINED WITH CONSUMER EDUCATION
is the only feasible way to defeat spam (Business
Day 2004-01-13).
Visit
a free online library at http://www.questia.com/.
A
bigamist from South Africa who sought asylum in
Britain five years ago, ADMITTED
INFECTING A WOMAN WITH HIV AND WAS JAILED FOR SIX
YEARS YESTERDAY
for recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm on
his victim (M&G 2004-01-13).
A
high-ranking representative of the Herero tribe in
Namibia said there COULD
BE A ZIMBABWE-STYLE BACKLASH AGAINST ETHNIC GERMAN
WHITES IF BERLIN REFUSES TO PAY REPARATIONS
(News24 2004-01-13). The NAMIBIAN
POLICE HAVE PREVENTED ABOUT 500 PROTESTORS FROM
CARRYING OUT AN INVASION OF A WHITE-OWNED FARM
(IOL 2004-01-13).
The
BANK
OF ENGLAND WILL BEGIN DEFENDING ITSELF IN LONDON'S
HIGH COURT TODAY
for the first time in its three hundred year history
(Legalbrief 2004-01-13).
Tony
Blair's chief scientist has launched a WITHERING
ATTACK ON PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH FOR FAILING TO
TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE,
which he says is more serious than terrorism
(Independent [UK] 2004-01-09).
Staying
in the UK, recent sentences relating to driving
offences show an interesting trend : SPEEDING
DRIVERS MUST PAY TO RAISE CASH FOR CRIME VICTIMS
and
KILLER
DRIVER REFUSES TO CARRY PHOTO OF VICTIM IN A COFFIN
(Telegraph 2004-01-13).
Many
people are fuming since ADOBE
SYSTEMS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT ADDED TECHNOLOGY TO ITS
GRAPHIC SOFTWARE AT THE REQUEST OF GOVERNMENT
REGULATORS AND INTERNATIONAL BANKERS
to prevent consumers from making copies of the
world's major currencies (Wired news 2004-01-11).
There
are changes aplenty in the software air : the article
SEARCHING
FOR DOMINATION : WHAT WILL MICROSOFT SEARCH LOOK
LIKE?
takes an interesting look at what seems to lie ahead
(SearchEngineGuide 2004-01-12) while DESIGNS
ON DESKTOP SEARCH
explains
that competitors in the Internet search market are
now thinking outside of the browser (CNet News
2004-01-12).
The
media has been REFUSED
PERMISSION TO PHOTOGRAPH, RECORD OR BROADCAST
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS
in the felony child sexual abuse case against
entertainer Michael Jackson (FindLaw 2004-01-12).
Monday
12 January
The
owner of The Ranch, The Titty Twister and The
Oriental Palace pleaded NOT
GUILTY TO UNLAWFULLY KEEPING BROTHELS, PROCURING
FEMALES TO HAVE UNLAWFUL SEX WITH UNIDENTIFIED
PERSONS, AND PROCURING WOMEN TO BECOME COMMON
PROSTITUTES
when he appeared in court this morning (News24
2004-01-12).
An
urgent application is to be heard in the
Pietermaritzburg High Court today in which A
GROUP OF PUBLISHERS IS SEEKING TO SET ASIDE A NEW
RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOK LIST FOR KZN PUPILS
(Witness 2004-01-10).
The
BEE has been criticised because IT
DOES NOT COMPEL COMPANIES TO REPORT ON THEIR
EMPOWERMENT ACTIVITIES (Business
Day 2004-01-12).
The
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
(ICASA) will publish its POSITION
PAPER ON THE REVIEW OF OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF THE
BROADCASTING INDUSTRY
on Tuesday (Finance24 2004-01-12).
Employers
who have tightened electronic security to lessen the
associated risks of e-mailing have yet
ANOTHER
LOOPHOLE TO WATCH OUT FOR - INSTANT MESSAGING
(BBC News).
Here's
a CONCISE
EXPLANATION OF GOOGLE'S "FLORIDA" UPDATE
which is still making waves (WebWorkshop
2003-12-03).
As
a result of last year's court case (NTSABO
V REAL SECURITY CC)
in which an employer was held liable for the
behaviour of an employee, an online labour relations
service has ADVISED
EMPLOYERS TO DEVELOP A POLICY ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT
(Sunday Tribune 2003-12-17).
Attorneys
practising under the auspices of the Law Society of
England and Wales will SOON
BE ALLOWED TO PAY REFERRAL FEES
to
estate agents, banks and others for introducing
clients, subject to approval by the Master of the
Rolls (The Herald 2004-01-12).
Are
children really influenced by violence they see on
TV? SEEING
IS BELIEVING
presents a valid argument for taking this threat
seriously (Guardian Unlimited 2004-01-07). On
the same subject, a Wisconsin man wants to SUE
A CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY FOR TURNING HIS FAMILY
INTO COACH POTATOES
(Witness 2004-01-10). SIX
HUNDRED LAWYERS HAVE SIGNED UP TO REPRESENT SADDAM
HUSSEIN
(News24 2003-12-28). Meanwhile, a book has
been released in which IT
IS CLAIMED THAT PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH ENTERED OFFICE
IN JANUARY 2001 INTENT ON INVADING IRAQ
and was in search of a way to go about it (IOL
2004-01-11). |
