The court found that the men killed Ms Nkonyana because she was living openly as a lesbian.

A crowd outside the court in Khayelitsha, a Cape Town township, cheered and danced at the sentencing.

The constitution protects people on the grounds of sexual orientation – but homophobia is widespread.

Lubabalo Ntlabathi, Sicelo Mase, Luyanda Londzi and Mbulelo Damba – who were convicted in October – were each given 18 years.

Their jail terms were each suspended for five years.

Five other people were acquitted.

Ms Nkonyana was stoned and stabbed nine times in February 2006, just metres from her home in Khayelitsha.

The magistrate said it was clear the motive for the killing was hatred and homophobia – and Wednesday’s sentence was meant to send out a signal that violence based on sexual orientation will not be tolerated, the South African Press Association reports.

In December, the global rights group Human Rights Watch said in a report that South Africa is “desperately failing lesbian and transgender people” – despite the country’s liberal laws.

The BBC’s Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg says violence against gay and lesbian people is common.

Lesbians are often subjected to “corrective rape” by men who think this will “cure” them of their homosexuality.

Three years ago, a man was sentenced to life in prison and another to 32 years for the gang rape, robbery and murder of Eudy Simelane, a lesbian activist who had been a midfielder on the national football team.

Source/bbc

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The local traditional healer gave them those drugs and on top of that the women also received some herbs that would make them feel better due to the fact the drugs cause them to feel ill. These tragic deaths took place on Saturday night near the city of Duban and the South African police has started to investigate this case and they are trying to find the supplier.

One interesting fact that arises from this case is why three girls aged between 18 and 20 would need pills for enhancing their sexual appetite? That is an age where hormones are running through all over your body and giving the fact that not one but three girls were in the same situation definitely rises some questions. They could indeed have problems with their sexual “hunger” but in the same time, those drugs might not have been bought for sexual pleasure but for anything else?

The final conclusion will come from South African police though and we should wait and see whether the girls really had some sexual problems or not.

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A lawyer of the Sunday Times said until now Mr. Jacob Zuma has not threatened with a sue and this is quite unexpected while it was launched in the same time with the discussions regarding media freedom. Zuma’s party has secretly proposed a low that gives the freedom of imprisoning reporters for sharing classified information. Moreover, according to the law proposed by African National Congress party, they would like to create a media tribunal, ruled by politicians with unlimited powers for punishing journalists.

On the other hand, Jonathan Shapiro, the cartoonist that created this scandal and also one of the best South African political cartoonists said this sue will only create more buzz about what happened in 2008 and the one that will suffer will be Zuma as well while the rumors said he tried to intimidate authorities 2 years ago when the accusation was released. It seems that the African National Congress party was involved in a massive protest for the charges to be dropped and the prosecutors somehow dropped them.

A formal complaint was filed back in 2008 but the commission decided that the cartoon stays under the radar and does complain to Zuma’s constitutional rights to dignity, though i twas offensive and distasteful, according to journalists.

Jacob Zuma is asking for $570,000 for humiliation and degradation and $140,000 for damage to his reputation. In the same time, Jonathan Shapiro says the case is almost a victory, both for him and for freedom of speech.

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Mr Dewani will appear before the City of Westminster magistrats later and his family already considers these acusations totally absurd. After South Africa prosecutor release an extradition request, Scotland Yard caught Mr Dewany and will held him until they receive full documentation for extradition.

Max Clifford, his spokesperson said that Dewani had surrended at a police station in Bristol and he is cooperating with the authorities in order to prove that he is innocent. He says he was not involved in his wife’s murder. Taxi driver received 18 years in jail for murder, kidnapping and robbery but he would have received more years if he had not agreed to a plea bargain. Furthermore, 23 year-old Xolile Mnguni and 25 year-old Mziwamadoda Qwabe were charged for murder, kidnapping and robbery.

Anny Dewany was kidnapped near Cape Town in her honeymoon and after she was found dead, he husband returned to UK saying it has nothing to do with his wife’s murder. However, after Tuesday’s testimony from the taxi driver, a warrant for Mr Dewani was released and forwarded to UK autorithies and it is to be expected how the process will take its course, what other relevant witnesses may appear in the future but one thing is sure, according to Sally de Beer, brigadier at South African Police Service – the justice will take its course in this matter and truth will be revealed.

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The problem that rises from this rape is the incapacity of South African school to respond to this horrible act. Right groups and ministers have already firmly responded to this issue while it seems that the school’s officials instead of protecting the victim’s rights were more concerned not to upset the boys during their exams. Also, the minister for women, children and persons with disabilities, Lulu Xingwana said that all authority people suspecting child abuse must report this kind of incidents and this is also available when it comes to teachers.

With one of the highest incidence of rape worldwide, South Africa’s minister for children said that sexual and physical abuse of young people should have zero tolerance from authorities. Although the boys will appear in front of the justice, they were not immediately arrested because that could lead to a trauma during the exams. Moreover, the teachers saw the video with the rape and instead of reporting it to authority, they found it rather “hilarious”.

A minister in the presidency already interfered and urged to authorities to treat this case as a priority while already the worldwide media has been outraged by the way officials deal with these extreme cases. Collins Chabane added that abuse should not be tolerated in South Africa society, let alone in their schools, however this seems to happen more often lately. Although three boys participated to this gang-rape, only two were arrested yesterday while it seems the third boy was not involved “physically“. The investigation is still on.

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The « harm scale » was creating taking in consideration each possible harm these drugs might come with, from mental damage to crime, addiction and even costs for the country’s economy and communities implications, to sum it up, 16 criteria were involved. The working group consisted of Prof. Nutt, Dr. Les King and two other drugs experts. There were two « harming ranks », one for individuals and the second one to society.

Unexpected, the study revealed that although heroin, crack and crystal meth are the most damaging for each individual using its, when it comes to society it seems that alcohol makes its room near heroin and crack ; more than that, when the scores were added together the results were shocking – when it comes to society, alcohol is the most harmful drug. Today’s drug classification system seems to be in contrary with this study however the authors say the present classification should be changed according to the harm each drug brings with. This is not the first time when Prof Nutt argues with the recent classification system while he had an attempt of doing this in 2007 as well, however failling in doing it.

Prof Nutt brought as argument the fact that alcohol is more widely used therefore millions and millions of people can reach it, become addicted to it and then become a menace to society. On the other hand, even if cocaine is way more addictive it is not so widely used thus putting it on a lower level when it comes to the harm that using it brings to society.

A spokesman for the Wine and Spirit Trade Association argue with this study’s results while it is natural that alcohol is widely spread as it is used even as a part of social interactions ; he agreed though that alcohol misuse is a major problem most countries are facing but it isn’t the major issue people have to face with.

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Rise in mouth and throat cancer among the young in Britain is described as a growing epidemic given the fact that Cancer Research UK said cases of mouth and throat cancer amount young men in Britain has gone up by about 50% since 1989. The disease continue to rise at the rate of about 3% a year in women and it kills about 1, 800 people a year.

The main reason for the rise was given by Cancer Research UK as the practise of oral sex. Though mouth and throat cancer increases more in men than in women, female are not immune to catching it as a rise of 3% a year is recorded among women.

The main cause of mouth and throat cancer has been linked by scientist to human papilloma-virus also know as HPV. The virus is transmitted though sexual intercourse. HPV virus is more commonly known as the virus that causes cervical cancer.

Evidence uncovered by scientist suggest that mouth and throat cancer is arises in people who has had multiple sex partners and practise oral sex. This happens regardless of gender.

Some of the measures to prevent the disease includes condom use and abstaining from oral sex. Recently, vaccination of your women against HPV is also expected to help reduce the infections caused by HPV.

If you think you may have moth or throat cancer, you should consult your GP as soon as possible. You can also contact NHS direct for advise on health relatd issue

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A possible massive spread of this new virus during the competition, is “one of the worst nightmares” the health minister, Aaron Motsoaledi said.

This is the cold period of the year in South Africa, with night temperatures close to zero degrees on the high plateaus, where the Johannesburg, Pretoria and Bloemfontein are. Last year, influenza H1N1 has benefited from the rigors of southern winter to propagate in the country, affecting over 12,000 people and making almost 100 dead.

Aware of risk, members of Local Organizing Committee (LOC) said they are prepared during a medical seminar held recently at Sun City, to “paresis in case”.

“We provided everything and we are confident that we will react if they make an issue of public health or medical emergency,” said Victor Ramathesele, responsible for health problems again. Moreover, during the World Cup of military medical services will be requisitioned to support structures support the country – from the hyper-sophisticated private clinics at public hospitals packed and poorly equipped.

As one of the International Federation of Football (FIFA) has asked the 32 teams selected to vaccinate against the virus.

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”Trade Union Federation insists that all its members and all Africans to buy products related to CM in 2010 only from South African producers.

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President of South Africa has been married and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, but divorced. There has been many rumours that Zuma will get married for the 4th time, but there is nothing sure in this rumour. Representatives President asked the press to respect family privacy.

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