Army troops and rebels began pulling back heavy weapons from front lines in Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday, a crucial step toward implementing a South African-brokered peace deal to end more than two years of civil war. The pull-back sets the stage for a nationwide disarmament campaign.
German newspapers reacted with fury on Thursday to British media reports focusing on Pope Benedict XVI’s teenage membership of the Hitler Youth. Bild, Germany’s bestselling newspaper, led a chorus of outrage with the headline ”Hitler Youth — the English insult German pope”.
Beleaguered arms company Denel is facing a new round of pressures following press reports in India that the ministry of defence has scrapped a multibillion-rand deal to buy South African G-6 howitzers. The doubt cast over the Indian deal will add to the headaches of incoming Denel CEO Sean Liebenberg, who has been brought into turn around the ailing parastatal.
Pernod Ricard launched a much-anticipated takeover for its larger British rival Allied Domecq on Friday in a 7,4-billion pound deal that will make the combined entity the second-largest liquor company and a more serious challenger to world leader Diageo.
Companies, institutions and citizens will be able to use .eu in internet addresses starting at the beginning of 2006, the European Union executive arm said on Thursday. ”The final countdown to the advent of Europes own ‘.eu’ internet identity, by the end of 2005, has begun,” the commission said in a statement.
It is that time of the season when the championship, relegation and promotion race heats up. First, the championship race, which seemed destined for Orlando Pirates for the third time, has now become highly contested. Pirates — who at one point had opened a 12-point gap — have faltered at the final hurdle.
Three South African soccer clubs taking part in the Confederation of African Football continental cup competitions have been tasked this weekend to do the improbable, if not the impossible, for two of these clubs have to reverse their first-round losses. Kaizer Chiefs and Supersport United have both complained about allegedly bad refereeing decisions.
The Medicines Council Control (MCC) has defended itself against charges that it is failing to crack down on the Dr Rath Health Foundation’s anti-Aids drug campaign, saying it does not want to further polarise the debate on Aids treatment and confuse patients. The council is investigating the foundation’s claims.
The African National Congress appears to be shying away from legislation regulating the funding of political parties — despite an apparent commitment in court to enact such a law. The Cape High Court last week dismissed the Institute for Democracy in South Africa’s plea for a ruling to force parties to disclose the source of their donations. The ANC argued that taking the matter to court usurped the powers of Parliament.
Mike van Graan suggests that South African courtrooms have enough hot air to keep actors working for years.