Soaring prices of basic foodstuffs could cause a "humanitarian tsunami" in Africa, European Union Development Commissioner Louis Michel warned on Tuesday. "A world food crisis is emerging, less visible than the oil [price] crisis, but with the potential effect of real economic and humanitarian tsunami in Africa," Michel said in a statement.
Eskom’s bid to have parts of its 53% tariff-increase application withheld from the public is to protect its position in ”hardcore” coal sales deals, the company said on Tuesday. Eskom spokesperson Andrew Etzinger said that without this stance, the company might have to pay more for coal, pushing the price of electricity up even more.
The three trade unions deadlocked in a wage dispute with Telkom have been invited to a meeting with the telecommunications company on Thursday in the hopes of avoiding a strike, the South African Communications Union (Sacu) said on Tuesday. ”Yesterday [Monday] the company said it would meet all the unions on Thursday to discuss the dispute,” said Sacu.
An International Cricket Council (ICC) investigator has questioned banned fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar over his claims that he was offered money to throw matches, Pakistani sources said on Tuesday. Akhtar (32) was banned for five years a week ago for criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board. He later alleged that that he had refused offers of bribes to underperform.
Israel’s former president Moshe Katzav was due to appear in court on sexual-harassment charges on Tuesday, becoming the country’s first former head of state to go on trial. The Jerusalem District Court set the hearing after rejecting a postponement request by Katzav’s lawyers, who claim they were not given full access to prosecution documents.
The JSE was still a touch in the red by midday on Tuesday, with investors growing nervous ahead of Thursday’s local rate decision. By noon, the JSE’s broader all-share index was 0,47% in the red. Resources gave up 0,67% but the gold- and platinum-mining indices gained 0,38% and 1,19% respectively.
The top United States general and diplomat in Iraq testify in politically charged hearings in Congress on Tuesday, and face a grilling from three senators vying to inherit the war as the next US president. General David Petraeus and ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker will appear to update progress in the war.
Despite sagging global growth, soaring oil prices and the threat of renewed turmoil hanging over share markets, Europe appears to have managed so far to weather the storm unleashed by the upheaval in the United States housing market and fears of a major world economic slump.
South African journalist Mark Klusener has been arrested in Jerusalem by Israeli police, the Foreign Affairs Department said on Monday. ”A South African journalist, Mark Klusener, was arrested along with seven other media workers, according to the South African embassy in Tel Aviv,” said department spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa.
India sought to deepen strategic and economic ties with resource-rich Africa as it held its first summit meeting with African leaders on Tuesday and sweetened the pot by offering financial help. Indian Premier Manmohan Singh, playing host to the African leaders, announced export tariff cuts that he said would benefit 34 of Africa’s 53 countries.