British Prime Minister Tony Blair wants to use a farewell trip to Africa this week to build momentum for a rich nation summit that will focus on Africa and to push for a world trade deal, a spokesperson said on Tuesday. Blair flies to Libya, Sierra Leone and South Africa on one of his last trips abroad before stepping down on June 27 after a decade in power.
Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels attacked a police commando truck with a roadside bomb on Monday just south of the capital Colombo, killing seven civilians and wounding 36 other people, the military said. Monday’s bombing came just days after suspected Tigers targeted an army bus near the entrance to Colombo port.
Technical committees continued negotiations throughout Monday night in an attempt to resolve the impasse between public-sector unions and government on wage negotiations. On Monday the talks almost collapsed when the government said it would refer its dispute with essential-service workers to arbitration.
Umaru Yar’Adua takes office as president of Nigeria on Tuesday, inheriting a catalogue of crises compounded by doubts over his own legitimacy after a flawed election. The 56-year-old state governor was handed a landslide victory in last month’s presidential poll, described as ”not credible” by international observers.
More than 20% of toys made in China for its domestic market are substandard or potentially dangerous, state media said on Tuesday in the latest example of the country’s lax consumer-product controls. At least 10 000 children are hurt by dangerous toys each year, the China Daily newspaper said.
Despite being superseded by the manufacturing and services sectors in terms of contribution to the country’s GDP, South Africa’s mainstream mining industry still accounts for more than 30% of the market capitalisation on the JSE, and is characterised by its high degree of technical expertise and the facility with which it is able to mobilise capital for new ventures.
When one considers that Africa is the world’s second-largest and second-most-populous continent, taking up 20% of the Earth’s land area and accounting for 14% of the world’s population, the question of whether it can be covered by one person should be ludicrous. And yet the question remains relevant because many international newspapers have only one person covering all the news on the continent.
Sleek from nose to tail, with just the right amount of muscle thrown in here and there, the BMW 3-Series coupé represents a harmonious blend of elegance and performance. Inside the two-door coupé, comfort is the central theme, with even the two rear seats offering decent enough space for two fairly tall adults.
South African mining executives are optimistic about the future of the industry but are concerned about how to maintain its growth, given key challenges such as skills development and HIV/Aids. These are the findings of the 2006 Deloitte Mining and Metals Executive and Analysts Survey.
Broadcasting rights are the most valuable and profitable rights a sports body could own. Elliott Wood explains how the legalities will work ahead of the biggest sporting event ever to hit South Africa.