The leaders of the Group of Eight industrialised nations will seek on Sunday to close a widening rift over how best to calm violence in the Middle East. Israel’s bombing of Lebanon has forced its way to the top of the agenda of the G8 summit in St Petersburg, driving a wedge between the United States, a strong backer of Israel, and those who say Israel is being too violent.
The fairy tale of Zinedine Zidane vanished in an instant of visceral rage at the World Cup final. But what followed has proved strangely more compelling — more human, more profound, more universal. His now-legendary headbutt fascinated viewers around the world, competed with war zones for global headlines, and obsessed philosophers and sports fans alike.
Becoming a millionaire in Zimbabwe is easy these days, but wallets and purses have given way to car boots and suitcases as the crucial accessory for carrying wads of nearly worthless cash. As the country battles hyper-inflation and grinding fuel and foreign exchange shortages amid a seven-year economic slump, ordinary citizens have resigned themselves to wry humour to deal with the situation.
Referee Paul Honiss hit back at Jake White on Sunday after the Springbok’s coach laid part of the blame for South Africa’s 49-0 Tri-Nations rugby loss to Australia at the feet of the New Zealand official. White said Honiss had allowed the Wallabies to ”get away with murder” in Saturday’s Suncorp Stadium match in which the Boks slumped to their heaviest loss to Australia.
At a ceremony in a soccer stadium, Suriname’s president on Saturday apologised for an army massacre of at least 39 unarmed civilians carried out by the military regime in 1986. Last year the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, linked to the Organisation of American States, ordered Suriname to make the apology and pay nearly -million in compensation to 130 survivors of the attack,
Russian sumo wrestler Roho is the latest foreign import to land himself in hot water after smashing a window and belting two photographers in a fit of pique. The 195cm giant faces a ban from Japan’s ancient roly-poly sport after throwing a temper tantrum in the wake of a defeat on Saturday.
Israeli air raids shook Beirut on Sunday, the fifth day of a devastating assault on Hezbollah and Lebanon that has prompted no United Nations Security Council action and only a mild plea for restraint from Israel’s United States ally. US President George Bush, speaking at a G8 summit in Russia, characterised Israel’s campaign as self-defence and did not back Lebanon’s pleas for an immediate ceasefire.
South African researchers and doctors are worried that a new law intended to protect young men from death or mutilation as the result of circumcision may weaken the potential use of circumcision to curb the spread of HIV.This month President Thabo Mbeki signed into law the Children’s Act, one of whose clauses bans circumcision of male children under the age of 16.
Gunmen seized the chairman of Iraq’s Olympic committee and at least 30 other people on Saturday in a brazen daylight raid on a sports conference in the heart of the city as armed clashes erupted in scattered parts of the capital. Parliament extended the national state of emergency as at least 27 people — including two American soldiers — were killed in sectarian or insurgency-related violence.
Israeli forces destroyed the Beirut headquarters of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in air strikes on Saturday after again threatening to kill the Shi’ite Muslim militant leader. The stronghold has come under repeated Israeli attack by air and from warships offshore, causing panic in the densely populated streets.