Thirteen Israeli soldiers were reported killed in fierce fighting with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon on Wednesday while United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan told world diplomats in Rome that the 15-day-old war must end. Al Jazeera television said 13 soldiers had been killed in clashes in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, which Israel calls a Hezbollah stronghold.
It was meant to be over by now. This time last week Israeli military planners were demanding another 72 hours to finish the job: that’s all they needed, they promised, to clear southern Lebanon of Hezbollah. Yet the enemy has proved stubborn. Despite two weeks of bombardment, Hezbollah’s formidable arsenal remains in place.
Weak healthcare systems and a shortage of healthcare workers are undermining efforts to deliver antiretroviral drugs to Africa.
Trade union Solidarity on Wednesday served diversified mining company Kumba Resources with a 48-hour strike notice that Solidarity members will come out on strike from midnight on Sunday. The strike action will be conducted jointly with the National Union of Mineworkers, the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa and the Building, Allied, Mining and Construction Workers’ Union.
The ad hoc committee on the appointment of the auditor general (AG) has recommended that Shauket Fakie’s current deputy, Terrence Mncedisi Nombembe, should replace him when he retires on November 30. The African National Congress-led committee was reported to have made the recommendation in the announcements, tablings and committee reports.
Zimbabwe’s central bank governor Gideon Gono has become so unpopular that some ruling party officials want him dead, President Robert Mugabe was quoted as saying in the Herald newspaper on Wednesday.
Saddam Hussein, weak from a hunger strike, said on Wednesday that he has been forced to attend his trial for crimes against humanity and that he would prefer to be shot than hung if found guilty. The entire defence team boycotted the latest session in the controversial trial which is approaching its conclusion.
A formula will be finalised shortly for reserving portions of new residential-property investments for low-cost housing, Minister of Housing Lindiwe Sisulu has said. Her department was holding discussions with stakeholders to determine the percentage required to be set aside, she said in a written reply to a parliamentary question.
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If the prosecution in Jacob Zuma’s corruption trial does not have a strong enough case against him, then charges should be withdrawn, an alliance of youth groups said on Wednesday. ”It does not take an intelligent person to arrive at the conclusion that their case is not very strong,” said South African Students’ Congress official Mandla Seopela.
Real Madrid have made a new offer for Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy after Manchester United rejected a bid last week. ”The club have made a new offer and are waiting for reply from Manchester,” a Real spokesperson said on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Van Nistelrooy is at the centre of a tug-of-war between Real and Bayern Munich.