In Short

A round-up of other world news in brief

A round-up of other world news in brief

New SA health minister targets Aids

PRETORIA- New SA health minister targets AidsSouth Africa's new health minister Barbara Hogan has vowed to make Aids a top priority, after years of controversy over her predecessor's support for treatments such as beetroot and garlic.

Ms Hogan replaced Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who was removed from her post when President Kgalema Motlanthe formed a new cabinet last week.

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Africa's biggest economy faces one of the world's heaviest HIV caseloads, and Aids activists have accused the government of dragging its feet. Ms Hogan said awareness about HIV and Aids was improving among young South Africans.

- (Reuters)

Teacher takes her life after tragedy

MOSCOW- A Russian schoolteacher took her own life after five of her pupils died when their school building collapsed, local authorities said yesterday.

The deputy principal (43) was found dead by her husband. A section of the two-storey school where she worked in Belyayevka, about 1,100km southeast of Moscow, came crashing down on Wednesday.

The teacher was close to the victims, all girls aged about 17, school principal Larisa Tsepovod said. "She worked in the school for 15 years and the events affected her very much . . . she was the teacher in charge of these students." - (Reuters)

Bloomberg to seek third term

NEW YORK- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will seek a change in the law so he can run for a third term in 2009 after arguing that the financial crisis demands a leader of his business sense.

Voters imposed limits of two four-year terms on elected city officials in 1993 and 1996, but Mr Bloomberg, a self-made billionaire, will ask the city council to extend this to a third term. - (Reuters)