Libya was on the verge of building a nuclear bomb before it decided in 2003 to abandon its programme to produce weapons of mass destruction, leader Moammar Gadaffi said, according to the country’s official news agency. ”Libya was on the point of building a nuclear bomb: that is no longer a secret,” Gadaffi was quoted on Monday as saying.
Israeli forces battled to take over a second Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon on Tuesday in intensifying ground clashes with the guerrillas’ frontier garrison, sources on both sides said. Calling Bint Jbeil ”one of the major Hezbollah centres”, an Israeli military spokesperson said tanks and troops had sealed off the town.
Trade union Solidarity, in a submission to the Competition Tribunal on Tuesday, said it was greatly concerned about the fact that mining company Kumba Resources’ workers were not consulted on the process of unbundling Kumba. Kumba spokesperson Trevor Arran wasn’t immediately available to comment.
Jimmy Connors spent three consecutive years as the World number one, so he has a good idea of what it is going to take for fellow American Andy Roddick to return to that lofty perch. Hall of Famer Connors and Roddick announced on Monday a link-up between the two former World number ones that is designed to end Roddick’s struggles.
While listed property recorded a whopping 38% growth last year, it has fallen by 22,8% since reaching a peak on May 5 this year, prompting investors to reconsider this investment avenue. However, Mariette Warner, head of property funds at Stanlib, South Africa’s largest unit trust company, said further big knocks in the coming weeks are unlikely.
Trade union Solidarity on Tuesday announced its decision to join the Confederation of South African Workers’ Unions (Consawu). Consawu, which was founded in March 2003, currently has 23 trade unions as members, of which Solidarity is the largest group. Consawu’s total membership is almost 290 000 members.
Coal — the doomed energy resource, great polluter and contributor to global warming — might just have a brighter future. This is if a new technology that captures carbon dioxide from coal plants can be fine-tuned in the next few years. South Africa has an abundance of coal, but the environmental problems coal plants cause is dampening the future of the mineral.
Former France captain Michel Platini has confirmed his candidacy for the presidency of European soccer’s governing body. French soccer federation chief Jean-Pierre Escalettes officially announced Platini’s candidacy in a letter on Monday to Uefa secretary general Lars-Christer Olsson. The elections will be held in January 2007.
New Zealand coach Graham Henry said on Tuesday he had called up his ”A” team for Saturday’s Tri-Nations clash against Australia, taking no chances against the All Blacks’ resurgent arch-rivals. Henry named a squad virtually unchanged from the one that thrashed Australia 32-12 earlier this month.
FC Porto striker Benni McCarthy is close to signing with English Premiership side Blackburn Rovers for three years, the South African international forward said in a newspaper interview. ”I’m sad because I’m leaving many friends behind at FC Porto … It was at FC Porto that I experienced success,” he told Tuesday’s daily newspaper Jornal de Noticias in Portugal.