History repeats itself with mind-numbing regularity. I had just put down Canadian General Romeo Dallaire’s account of his failed United Nations peacekeeping mission to Rwanda in 1994 when another war exploded in the Middle East, and yet another feeble UN mission donned their blue berets and stumbled into the line of fire between the belligerents.
In her preface to Karina Turok’s book, <i>Life and Soul: Portraits of Women Who Move South Africa</i>, Mamphela Ramphele celebrates the strength of women, their resilience and resolve in the face of adversity. Echoing an earlier period of women’s struggle Ramphele reminds us of the resolute spirit that inspired 20 000 women to march to the Union Buildings in a direct challenge to apartheid oppression.
A woman who fought a court battle to win back five valuable paintings by Gustav Klimt taken from her heirs by the Nazis will sell the remaining works from her collection after the first fetched a record -million. United States-based Maria Altmann, niece of the Bloch-Bauers who originally owned the paintings, has hired Christie’s to handle the sale of works.
Côte d’Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo has said he wants to hold long-delayed elections by the end of the year but insisted he will stay in office in the war-divided nation until they take place. His statement late on Sunday on the eve of Independence Day appeared to throw down the gauntlet to the United Nations which must decide next month whether to further extend Gbagbo’s mandate.
”Is it time to wash our hands of the country and find a stable life somewhere else?” The question in Girl Blog from Iraq was posted only last weekend by an anonymous young Iraqi woman whose weblog has now been adapted into a theatrical documentary at the Edinburgh Fringe arts festival.
Nedbank is putting its money where its mouth is — delivering on the commitments it made to shareholders as part of its turnaround strategy two years ago. Monday saw the group report a massive 50,5% growth in headline earnings to R2,1-billion for the six months to the end of June.
A two-day judicial inquest to determine who, if anybody, could be held responsible for the plane crash which claimed the life of Hansie Cronje starts in the Cape High Court on Monday. Cronje, the former captain of the national cricket team, died on June 1 2002, when the Hawker Siddeley 748 aircraft he was travelling in crashed near to George aerodrome en-route from Bloemfontein.
Tiger Woods withstood a late challenge from Jim Furyk to secure his 50th career title at the Buick Open on Sunday. Fresh from his British Open victory, Woods made it back-to-back wins after carding his fourth consecutive round of 66 to finish three shots clear of Furyk with a total of 24-under 264.
South Africa’s gold and foreign exchange reserves edged up during July, but at a slow pace, showing that the country’s central bank was inactive in currency markets while the rand remained volatile. Figures from the South African Reserve Bank showed that net reserves rose to ,447-billion at the end of July from ,185-billion at the end of June.
Muttiah Muralitharan equalled his own world record of four consecutive 10-wicket hauls as Sri Lanka were set 352 to win the second cricket Test against South Africa in Colombo on Monday. The prolific off-spinner, who claimed five wickets in the first innings, finished with 7-97 in the second as South Africa were bowled out for 311 in the first hour of the fourth day’s play at the Sara Oval.