IN BRIEF (Page 12)

South Africa

Mandela shows 'progress'

Nelson Mandela's discharge after nearly three months in a hospital showed that he had made "progress", South African President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday, adding that the 95-year-old was responding to treatment at home. "We feel very good ... that he could leave hospital which indicates the progress he has made," Zuma said. "He remains critical but stable, responding to treatment."

Thousands of miners strike

Tens of thousands of gold miners are set to go on strike on Tuesday after wage talks broke down, threatening to cost millions of dollars in lost output. The National Union of Mineworkers - which represents the bulk of 120,000 workers affected - called for stoppages following its members' rejection of a 6.5 percent wage hike last week.

Germany

Nazi guards to face prosecution

The German office investigating Nazi war crimes said on Tuesday it will send files on 30 former Auschwitz death camp personnel to state prosecutors with a recommendation to pursue charges. Chief investigator Kurt Schrimm told reporters that the suspects were former Auschwitz guards now aged up to 97.

Russia

36,000 more evacuated

Russian authorities said on Tuesday 36,000 more people needed to be evacuated in the Far East as the floodwaters rose to more than 8 meters in some of the region's biggest cities. Russians have been battling record floods after heavy rains pounding the region on the border with China swelled local rivers and wreaked havoc in the countryside and big cities.

AFP - AP

(China Daily 09/04/2013 page12)