Burundians had bigger things to think about this week than their peace
broker Jacob Zuma getting the sack. With parliamentary elections less than three weeks away, Burundians are preoccupied with herding the last rebel group still at arms into the peace fold. They are also dealing with the human rights implications of maintaining good relations with their tough Rwandan neighbour.
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British Prime Minister Tony Blair will warn his European partners in the final two weeks before the crucial Gleneagles G8 summit that unless they dismantle the R350-billion Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Africa will never free itself from poverty.
World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz ”took his hat off” to President Thabo Mbeki on Saturday for acting against corruption. Wolfowitz, who took charge of the World Bank two weeks ago, met with Mbeki and Manuel to discuss ways fighting poverty on the continent.
The Zimbabwean government has started targeting rural areas in a sweeping blitz on crime and shanties that has already left tens of thousands homeless and destitute in the country’s major towns. Bands of armed police have gone on the rampage, demolishing and torching backyard shacks and makeshift shop stalls in a campaign that has drawn widespread international condemnation.
Islamic militant networks are on a recruiting drive across Europe for potential suicide bombers in Iraq, according to US and European police and security sources. The claim comes amid evidence that the high number of recent attacks is forcing terrorist leaders into a drive for new volunteers.
A controversial documentary, Living with Aids, will be aired in the UK next week that explores ”sexual attitudes” in Africa and their role in the Aids pandemic on the continent. The Sierra Leone director of the documentary says he made the programme to try and find out why Aids was destroying Africa.
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The KwaZulu-Natal branch of the African National Congress plans to invite former deputy president Jacob Zuma to its Freedom Charter celebrations on June 26, a spokesperson for the party said on Saturday. Zuma was fired by Mbeki after the Durban High Court found that he had a ”generally corrupt” relationship with his financial advisor Schabir Shaik.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting admitted his side had been on wrong the end of one of the greatest shocks in cricket history after the world champions went down to a five-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in their triangular series one-day international on Saturday.
A stunning third-round comeback by defending champion Retief Goosen on Saturday left the South African poised to lift his third US Open championship. Goosen shot a one-under 69, one of only two sub-par rounds on the day, to go into Sunday’s final round with a three-shot lead over unknown Jason Gore and US PGA Tour journeyman Olin Browne.