A post template

No image available
/ 11 January 2008

Zille: ANC divisions driven by greed

The deepest divisions in the African National Congress were driven not by ideology, but by greed and lust for power, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said on Friday. Writing in her first online newsletter of the year, she said that given the richness of the spoils on offer, it was not surprising that bitter rivalries had developed between factions.

No image available
/ 11 January 2008

Group claims responsibility for Nigeria tanker blaze

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) on Friday claimed responsibility for the blaze that started earlier in the day on a tanker berthed in Port Harcourt, the country’s main oil hub. "Mend confirms that its Freelance Freedom Fighters working inside the oil industry detonated a remote explosive device," the group said in a statement.

No image available
/ 11 January 2008

MK veterans slam ‘demonisation’ of Yengeni

The Umkhonto weSizwe Veterans’ Association (MKVA) has condemned what it says is the ”demonisation” of former African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni by ”certain elements in the media and elsewhere”. ”Comrade Tony Yengeni never stole any money nor killed anybody,” the MKVA said in a statement on Friday.

No image available
/ 11 January 2008

Kurds say Turkish army shells Iraq border area

The Turkish army on Friday pounded areas across the border in northern Iraq with artillery fire, continuing its assaults on suspected rebel positions, a Kurdish border guard official said. Major General Jabar Yawar, spokesperson for the Peshmerga border guard in Iraq’s northern autonomous Kurdistan area, said that there were no immediate reports of casualties.

No image available
/ 11 January 2008

Israel salutes Bush, cautious of ‘treaty’ hopes

The Israeli government said on Friday it endorsed United States President George Bush’s call during his visit for a rapid peace agreement but made clear it does not see the final establishment of a Palestinian state this year. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s spokesperson said that Israel hoped for a ”historic agreement” in 2008.

No image available
/ 11 January 2008

Africa to get together to solve tax problems

Tax collectors from 39 countries around the world meeting in an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development-sponsored conference on Friday agreed to support a further conference specifically on taxation in Africa. The conference will be hosted by the South African Revenue Service, and will take place in May this year.

No image available
/ 11 January 2008

Bush seeks backing against Iran from wary Gulf

United States President George Bush arrived in Kuwait on Friday to rally the support of Arab allies against what he calls the Iranian "threat" after making a bold prediction for Middle East peace. Bush flew in aboard <i>Air Force One</i> after his first presidential trip to the Holy Land, where he said he believed a peace treaty would be signed within a year.

No image available
/ 11 January 2008

DRC rebels rejoin peace conference

Tutsi rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Friday rejoined a peace conference aimed at ending long-running conflict in the east, a day after suspending their participation over security concerns. The rebels’ leader, renegade General Laurent Nkunda, told Reuters he was ready if necessary to take part in the meeting.