It’s a scene reminiscent of an armed standoff or the last days of a condemned man. But the horde of rubberneckers, satellite TV vans and dishevelled hacks stumbling through the long grass at 19 Bogucharskaya Street have a different focus: a broken-down wooden shack.
The Zimbabwean government has gazetted a Petroleum Bill that seeks to establish a Petroleum Regulatory Authority that will regulate and license persons in respect of retailing, producing and procuring petroleum products, the state-owned <i>Herald</i> newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Deadly clashes broke out between the Central African Republic (CAR) army and rebels who crossed into the country from neighbouring Chad, the CAR Defence Ministry said on Tuesday. ”Heavily armed” Chadian rebels attacked forces of the CAR and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa near Gordil in the north-east of the country, the ministry said.
Egypt’s Parliament has approved a controversial law on judicial reform that falls short of opposition demands but temporarily quiets a fierce campaign against the regime by the country’s judges. ”The law has curbed the powers of the Ministry of Justice, but as a jurist, I am pleased with that,” Justice Minister Mahmoud Abu Leil told Parliament on Monday.
France is set to unveil a reorganisation of European aerospace giant EADS in the next few days amid sustained efforts by the government to clear the air of controversy over production problems, communication breakdowns and share dealings.
<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=soccer_world_cup_2006"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/272488/icon_focuson_wc3.gif" align=left border=0></a>Who is going to be the man in the middle when the eyes of the globe are on the World Cup final on July 9? A handful of the leading candidates appear to have ruled themselves out with blunders, blowing the field open. The referees’ committee is due to meet on Wednesday to decide who will officiate during the quarterfinals.
Ethiopia on Tuesday claimed it had killed more than 110 rebels sent by arch-foe Horn of Africa neighbour Eritrea to destabilise the country since the beginning of the month. The defence ministry said Ethiopian security forces had killed 111, wounded 18 and captured 107 ”anti-peace forces” operating on Asmara’s behalf in northern Ethiopia since early June.
Zimbabwe’s beleaguered currency at the weekend tumbled by more than 50% against the United States dollar on the parallel market for foreign currency that is the only sure source of hard cash for both individual and corporate buyers in the country. Zimbabwe is grappling an acute foreign-currency shortage.
If Israel invades Gaza it would be the beginning of the end to finding a political solution in that country, South Africa’s Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said on Tuesday. He said South Africa had sent messages to both Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, urging them to put pressure on groups who kidnapped an Israeli soldier over the weekend.
All Black coach Graham Henry is wary of a resurgent Australia ahead of their opening Test in the Tri-Nations series and rates his side as underdogs after unconvincing wins over Ireland and Argentina. ”I think we’re a bit behind Australia at the moment,” Henry said on Tuesday after naming a 30-man Tri-Nations squad.