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/ 17 January 2005

Sudan, opposition ink deal in Cairo

The Sudanese government and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), an umbrella grouping of opposition groups, signed a political agreement in Cairo ahead of sealing a final deal, diplomats said on Monday. The talks leading up to the agreement with the country’s largest exiled political bloc were held under the auspices of Egypt.

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/ 17 January 2005

Special forces ‘on the ground’ in Iran

United States special forces have been on the ground inside Iran scouting for US air strike targets for suspected nuclear weapons sites, according to the renowned US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. ”The last thing this government wants to do is to bomb or strafe, or missile attack, the wrong targets again. We don’t want another WMD flap. We want to be sure we have the right information.”

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/ 17 January 2005

SA business owners very optimistic

South African business owners are the second most optimistic among their peers internationally, the first results from the 2005 Grant Thornton International Business Owners Survey released on Monday reveal. Proudly at number two, South Africa beat countries such as Ireland, Australia and Canada

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/ 17 January 2005

Canada cancels Madagascar debt

The government of Canada has cancelled $21-million in debt owed to Canada by Madagascar under the Canadian Debt Initiative. Canada has also announced $42-million in increased funding to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, according to Paul Boothe, the G8 personal representative for Canada.

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/ 17 January 2005

New Clicks turnover up 25%

Health and beauty retailer New Clicks has increased its turnover from continuing operations by 25% in the four months from September 1 to December 31 2004, versus the previous year, aided by the inclusion of pharmacy operations compared with the year-earlier period. Group sales totalled R2,97-billion for the four months.

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/ 17 January 2005

Put on a hard hat for the Rijksmuseum

Diggers are ripping apart ceilings that obscured a dazzling glass roof and beautiful mosaics hidden beneath modern floorboards. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, famed for its collection of Rembrandts and Vermeers, is opening its buildings to the public in the middle of a renovation. Visitors attending the weekly tour have to wear a yellow hard hat.

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/ 17 January 2005

Army investigating ‘war-capable weapons’

Investigations were continuing into the origins of some of the artefacts at Johannesburg’s SA National Museum of Military History, a South African National Defence Force spokesperson said on Monday. This follows a raid last week and the arrest of the museum’s director and two curators under laws governing the way military items are disposed of.