The death toll from political violence in Algeria jumped to 56 in December from six in the previous month, bringing to 491 the number of those killed in 2007, according to a Reuters count based on newspaper reports. A total of 37 people, including 17 United Nations staff, were killed in a double suicide bombing in the capital, Algiers, on December 11.
Gold struck a new all-time peak of almost $868 dollars on Thursday as the precious metal benefited from its safe-haven status amid record high oil, a struggling dollar and Pakistan tensions, analysts said. The price of gold reached a historic $867,90 an ounce on the London Bullion Market. It later slipped slightly to stand at $866,90.
Some of Zimbabwe’s striking state doctors have returned to work on humanitarian grounds but most are still holding out for higher pay, the head of the doctors’ union said on Thursday. Amon Siveregi, president of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association, said the industrial action had not been called off, contrary to reports in the state media.
VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid evoked memories of two of India’s greatest comebacks with a scintillating 175-run partnership in the second Test against Australia on Thursday. Laxman smashed 109 and Dravid a watchful 53 to guide the tourists out of immediate danger to 216-3 at stumps on the second day at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The names of three banks and the word "stocks" beat "sex" to become four of the most Googled words in China last year, according to a Google China list seen on Thursday. China Merchants Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank ranked second, third and sixth, according to a list supplied by Google China on its website.
China has pledged 5 000 tonnes of food aid this year to Zimbabwe, where more than four million people will soon require aid, the official Herald newspaper reported on Thursday. Deputy Chinese ambassador Ma Deyun also said that her country and Zimbabwe wanted to increase trade to -million in 2008 as China expands its presence in Southern Africa.
Kenyan police fired tear gas and water cannon on Thursday at thousands of anti-government protesters chanting ”Peace” and singing the national anthem as they tried to march to a banned rally. Nairobi became a battleground as shots rang around, crowds ran to-and-fro, riot police thronged the streets and plumes of smoke rose.
South African Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu was in Nairobi on Thursday to try to mediate between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga over their election dispute, party officials said. An official from Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement party said Tutu was expected to try and persuade Odinga to sit down with Kibaki and seek a joint resolution.
South African stocks remained weak at noon on Thursday in line with overseas markets, but a rally among miners helped soften the blows as gold continues to lead the commodities stampede. By noon on the JSE, the all-share index was 0,82%, or 239,2 points, weaker at 29 050,940, after dipping more than 350 points just after the opening.
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The corruption trial of Jacob Zuma, leader of the African National Congress, was unlikely to take place any earlier than the already scheduled August starting date, his lawyer, Michael Hulley, said on Thursday. The National Prosecuting Authority said this week it was prepared to proceed with the case early if Zuma wished.