Israel on Wednesday accused the European Union of ”encouraging Palestinian terrorism” by supporting a United Nations general assembly resolution pressing the Jewish state to obey a world court ruling and tear down the ”anti-terror” barrier under construction through the West Bank.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has asked Downing Street and Foreign Office officials to draw up plans for possible military intervention in Sudan, where more than a million refugees are at risk from famine and disease. Despite a heavy commitment of British armed forces in Iraq and other troublespots, the prime minister has had discussions with advisers for on-the-ground involvement of troops.
The United States missed 10 opportunities to detect and disrupt the al-Qaeda September 11 conspiracy before the attacks took place, a report by an official commission of inquiry is expected to claim on Thursday. However, the September 11 commission report will stop short of ruling whether the hijackings should have been prevented, a critical issue in the heat of a presidential election campaign.
The Cabinet agreed on Wednesday to institute an investigation into foreign land ownership in South Africa and how it impacted on land reforms. Government spokesperson Joel Netshitenzhe said in Pretoria that the audit would be run by the Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a prime mover of Middle East chaos and suffering. But an impasse-breaker isn’t beyond reach. As Ariel Sharon battles for some form of Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Noam Chomsky appraises the chances for an option, long available, that might lead to Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Finally, finally the festering sore that is the Darfur region in Sudan is getting the political attention it deserves. Already 10 000 people have died at the hands of a latter-day horror, the Janjaweed. But in the cacophony of rage, one voice is missing — that of Muslim communities who have been so vocal, both globally and locally, in their condemnation of the war in Iraq and the repression in Palestine.
Stand by for an exchange rate of R5,50 to the dollar, buy South African shares, and keep away from mining stocks. Such was the advice of economists this week, who continued to grapple with the strengthening of the rand, unsure of what is causing it or how long the bull run may last.
In a few years, an old woman in rural Africa should be able, if all goes according to plan, to connect to the net and communicate with her children in the city. This is what an Information Communication Technology (ICT) workshop being held in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, is seeking to explore. The meeting is seeking to ensure accessibility of ICT to rural people, who form the bulk of Africa’s population.
The European Union on Wednesday said it had frozen millions of pounds worth of aid to Kenya because of concerns about corruption, as fears grew that sleaze was engulfing the east African country. The British high commissioner, Edward Clay, accused the government of President Mwai Kibaki of ”arrogance, greed and perhaps a desperate sense of panic, to lead them to eat like gluttons”.
The Springboks will end the longest losing streak in their proud rugby history if they beat the All Blacks in Saturday’s Tri-Nations rugby Test at Jade Stadium in Christchurch. The last seven tests between rugby’s most successful international teams have been won by New Zealand.