Thirty-three boys have died from botched circumcisions conducted in traditional initiation rites in South Africa, while scores more have ended up in hospital with mutilated penises, a health official said on Thursday.
The deaths occurred in the Eastern Cape province, one of the country’s poorest and among the few areas where boys are still sent into secret schools in the bush for circumcisions to mark their passage to manhood.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo told the Sapa news agency that the latest death occurred in the village of Moyeni, where authorities had recently paid a visit in hopes of treating initiates with infections.
“What is upsetting is that last week, we went there and the villagers hid these boys away. Now they are calling us when this boy is dead,” Sizwe Kupelo said.
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Briton pays £60,000 for car parking slot
London, June 24: A car parking slot in a seaside town in Britain has been auctioned for a whopping £60,000. The 20X12 foot slot was bought by a resident of St Ives, Cornwall.
“I cannot remember one going for more money. Spaces are always in short supply in St Ives and even going back years, they made a premium price,” Daily Mail quoted estate agent Jonathan Payne auction as saying.
The car parking slot adjoins the entrance to the council-owned Island car park. St Ives councillor Colin Nicholls, however, said: “I would rather do without a car than pay that kind of money. It is overpriced but that’s how market forces operate.” —IANS
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Pre-schoolers in US to get free condoms
Boston, June 24: Condoms will now be available for free to all students from elementary to high school in Massachusetts’ Provincetown, under a new policy that soon comes into effect.
The town’s school committee unanimously passed the policy, which requires school nurses to supply condoms to any student who asks for it.
Schools are not required to alert parents if their children receive condoms and the policy prohibits schools from denying students whose parents object.
Superintendent Beth Singer, who wrote the policy, said the move will enable the nurse to counsel the students by asking them their motives. “We know that sexual experimentation is not limited to an age,” Ms Singer said. —PTI