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.
Australia recorded their biggest win over South Africa in 85 years with a 49-0 demolition in the second round of the Tri-Nations at Lang Park on Saturday. The Wallabies rebounded from last week’s 32-12 loss to New Zealand to produce their best performance of the season, scoring six unanswered tries to chalk up their highest total.
The United States and Russia announced on Saturday a plan to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons by setting up international enrichment centres as their leaders sought to give a boost to a big-power summit. US President George Bush and Russia’s Vladimir Putin unveiled the initiative at a news conference after talks ahead of a Group of Eight summit that starts in earnest on Sunday.