The United Nations believes that more than 180 000 people may have died in the troubled Darfur region in western Sudan. According to the UN’s top emergency coordination official, Jan Egeland, the number refers to people who have died of malnutrition and disease, and does not cover those who have been killed in the conflict.
South African banking group Absa, which is the target for a takeover by the United Kingdom’s Barclays group, confirmed on Tuesday that it has pulled out of talks to acquire a 49% stake in the state-owned Zambia National Commercial Bank. Analysts believe that the scuppering of the deal has put the Zambian government in a bit of quandary.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu reacted wearily on Tuesday to the latest claims of a right-wing agenda levelled against him by the African National Congress. ”I am old now,” he sighed, asked for comment on the matter after delivering an address at the University of Pretoria. ”I let some of these things go off my back like water.”
A crisis is looming in the country regarding the preservation, maintenance and identity of South Africa’s indigenous African tongues. This is according to a framework report on the development of these languages in higher education, presented to Minister of Education Naledi Pandor on Tuesday.
A man died in an accident in an operation run by a contractor at Sasol’s Secunda plant in Mpumalanga on Tuesday morning. The employee of a company called Fluor was working in the pipe-fabrication shop, said Mark Flower, Fluor’s marketing director. The fabrication facility is operated by Fluor within the boundaries of Sasol’s Secunda plant.
The United Nations Security Council on Monday extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (Unmee) until 15 September 2005, and called on both countries to refrain from any threat of use of force against each other.
Preliminary reports suggest that Jonny Wilkinson’s knee injury is not as bad as first thought, his club, Newcastle, said on Monday in a statement. Wilkinson was carried from the field just 34 minutes into his comeback match for Newcastle against Premiership opponents Harlequins on Sunday.
South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma will host the Vice-President of the Presidium of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Yang Hyong Sop, who is scheduled to pay an official visit to South Africa from Wednesday to Sunday. According to foreign affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa, Zuma will brief his counterpart on peacekeeping and conflict resolution efforts on the continent.
Newcastle manager Graeme Souness was cautiously optimistic about Wednesday’s Uefa Cup match at home to Olympiakos, especially as his side have not lost a single match in Europe this season. Following the 3-1, last 16, first-leg win, Souness said: ”I have been in professional football 37 years and nothing is over until it is over.”
David Beckham is preparing for life after soccer. Following this season, he has two years remaining on his contract with Real Madrid. He arrived at the club 20 months ago, and he’s won nothing. He’ll turn 30 in May, and he knows Madrid fans are demanding and impatient.