Wen Jiabao this week embarks on the first visit to South Africa by a Chinese premier in 50 years as the continental powers join forces to push the developing world’s agenda in the global arena. The landmark visit on Wednesday and Thursday underlines the importance Beijing accords to Pretoria eight years after they established diplomatic relations.
It’s quite an amazing week of remembrance, with other things going on in the midst of it. It’s June 16, and much is going on to mark it. Books are being published, concerts are being held, and everybody is asking everybody the question: "Where were you on June 16 in 1976?" Eery refrains of "Where when you when John F Kennedy was shot?"
Official campaigning starts in two weeks in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But excitement at the symbolic arrival of ballot papers from South Africa has been tempered with concern about xenophobia and hate speech from some politicians. The first of the ballot papers arrived recently — an event that created great excitement among a population who took it as confirmation that, finally, they would vote.
It is a pacy, daring and, on the whole, entertaining documentary. For 24 minutes I was quite riveted by Unauthorised: Thabo Mbeki, the documentary canned in May by the SABC. A well-written script presents the key moments of President Thabo Mbeki.
A private treatment centre for young computer-game addicts has opened in Amsterdam, a last refuge for desperate parents who are willing to pay big money to wean their children off their virtual addiction. The clinic also treats alcoholics, drug addicts and bulimics.
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Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari scored a goal each on Saturday to lead Ghana to a surprise 2-0 upset over the Czech Republic in Group E of the World Cup. Gyan picked up a pass from captain Stephen Appiah in the second minute and easily beat goalkeeper Petr Cech.
Phil Mickelson, bidding for his third straight major title, fired a one-under 69 on Saturday to seize a share of the third-round US Open lead along with England’s Kenneth Ferrie. The 27-year-old Ferrie, a two-time winner on the European tour, is playing in his first US Open and just his fourth major championship.
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He has a goal-scoring record that not even Pele could match, but age may finally be catching up with Iran’s evergreen striker Ali Daei. Coach Branko Ivankovic said what some Iranians have been saying for years: Daei, now 37, is simply too slow.
The Alan Paton Award for 2006 has been jointly won by Adam Levin for his book AidSafari and Judge Edwin Cameron’s Witness to Aids. ”The five judges believed strongly that both Levin and Cameron displayed exceptional integrity and bravery in laying bare as public testimony the details of their experience and their struggle with Aids,” said awards convenor Michele Magwood.
A 21-year old Zimbabwean man is in police custody after holding a hypodermic needle to an air hostess’s throat on a South African Airways flight on Saturday. Police said the man had apparently wanted to force the pilot to fly to Maputo. Cape Town resident Yunus Ismail told the Mail & Guardian Online he was sitting in his business class seat when he saw the man walking towards the cockpit with an air hostess.