Morocco and Western Sahara’s Polisario independence movement ended a fourth round of talks near New York City on Tuesday without narrowing differences on Africa’s longest-running territorial dispute. Morocco took control of most of Western Sahara in 1975 when colonial power Spain withdrew, prompting a guerrilla war for independence.
Democratic front-runner Barack Obama battled to defuse the most serious threat yet to his presidential hopes after incendiary, racially tinged sermons by his former pastor triggered an uproar. The Illinois Senator on Tuesday condemned the sermons while standing by his black spiritual mentor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright.
United States-led coalition troops killed three men, two children and a woman, in a raid in south-eastern Afghanistan, the district chief and village residents said on Wednesday. The issue of civilian casualties is a sensitive one as it undermines public support for the presence of foreign troops.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator MTN boosted 2007 adjusted headline earnings per share to 682 cents from 585 cents thanks to a 53% jump in subscribers to 61,4-million. MTN said net profit and basic headline EPS fell compared with the previous year due to higher finance charges and higher taxes after a tax holiday in Nigeria ended.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) restored controversial Australian Darrell Hair as a Test and one-day international umpire on Tuesday and decided to shorten the 2011 World Cup. Cricket’s governing body also said a ”full independent security assessment” would be made before violence-hit Pakistan staged the Champions Trophy in September.
China warned of a ”life and death” struggle with the Dalai Lama’s supporters today, as it sought to underscore its control of Tibet by claiming that over 100 rioters had surrendered to police. Officials had promised ”leniency” for anyone who handed themselves in before midnight on Monday, and warned that others would face harsh punishment.
The Gauteng provincial government is ”well on course” to supply all households in the province with clean water by the end of this year. The local government department said in a statement: ”We are working closely with all municipalities in the province to ensure that all households have access to clean water.”
Zimbabwe’s election body has no legal powers to stop security chiefs from threatening to reject an opposition victory in this month’s poll, a senior official said on Tuesday. Analysts say President Robert Mugabe faces the strongest challenge to his 28-year rule in presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections on March 29.
The Bulls will be without Bryan Habana for their Super 14 match against the Chiefs in Roturua on Saturday. The 2007 IRB Player of the Year has not been considered due to a recurrence of a shoulder injury, and Danwel Demas will replace him on the left wing.
If you build it, they will come. When City of Johannesburg councillor Bongani Zondi looked at Soweto’s Arthur Ashe tennis courts, he didn’t see dusty tarmac and frayed nets. In his mind, a library stood there, welcoming Sowetans to a world of books and knowledge.