It is crucial to view current peace initiatives in the Sudan through the prism of its post-colonial history, which has been that of multiple and simultaneous political struggles and civil wars. The murder and mayhem in Darfur reveals many of the limitations of the agreement between the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army and the government of Lieutenant General Umar al-Bashir.
From the permanent prison of a poster-sized photograph high on a pale wall, Freddie Mercury gazed down on a lesbian couple embracing in the haze of a bright red light. Gay icon and pop superstar Mercury took his first uncertain steps in the gardens near this bar on Zanzibar’s Stone Town’s waterfront in 1946. There is a definite lack of spice in these islands, unless you’re straight.
In his article entitled ”How far have we come?”, Professor Jonathan Jansen raises the point that the first decade of democracy was successful in ”opening the doors of learning and culture, but is unable to really influence what is going on behind the doors”. I agree wholeheartedly with this point. But it is parents who need to become a pressure group if there is to be real transformation in schools.
The final event of the Athens Olympics was marred on Sunday when a former Irish priest leapt from the crowd on the marathon route and attacked the race leader.
Cornelius ”Neil” Horan, who ran on to the track during the 2003 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, burst on to the road near the 35km mark and forced the leader, the Brazilian Vanderlei de Lima, into the crowd.
Hendrick Ramaala led a kamikaze pact among South Africa’s marathon men in the Olympic Marathon as the Athens Olympics drew to a dramatic close on Sunday over the route where the marathon was born. National record holder Gert Thys, who ran in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and Sydney 2000, was the only South African home in 2:16,08 for 16th, with Ramaala and Ian Syster having bailed out on the route from Marathon to Athens.
Efharisto! A nervous world learned the Greek word for ”thank you” and repeated it endlessly at an astonishingly successful Athens Olympics that quelled fears, surprised skeptics and greatly honoured the birthplace of the Games. Efharisto, Athens, for architectural masterpieces of stadiums and arenas that showcased record performances.
Australian Lleyton Hewitt boosted his confidence for next week’s US Open with a crushing 6-3, 6-1 win over Peru’s Luis Horna in New York on Sunday to win the 000 ATP event. Hewitt claimed his second trophy in as many weeks after winning in Washington seven days ago.
World champion Michael Schumacher added another stripe to his well-decorated cap after clocking up his seventh world title in Belgium on Sunday. Although an unfamiliar second place slightly dampened the perfectionist’s celebration of his fifth consecutive world title, his domination has already proved he is one of a kind.
Liverpool slumped to their first league defeat of the season on Sunday, surrendering a first-half goal to 1-0 at Bolton. On Saturday, Arsenal extended their record unbeaten run to 44 league matches with a 4-1 win at Norwich. Jose Antonio Reyes, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires each scored in the first half.
Ronaldo got Real Madrid off to a winning start on Sunday thanks to an accurate assist from new signing Michael Owen, securing a 1-0 win over Mallorca in the Spanish league. In a late match on Sunday, FC Barcelona beat Racing de Santander 2-0 through a Ludovic Giuly tap-in and a controversial penalty by Samuel Eto’o.