In his regular internet column on Friday, ANC Today, President Thabo Mbeki said he is inspired by United States President George Bush’s determination to help ensure that the upcoming Gleneagles Group of Eight summit in Scotland will produce a positive outcome for Africa.
Practical outcomes, such as supporting peace initiatives in Africa, are expected from the forthcoming Group of Eight (G8) heads-of-government summit at Gleneagles, Scotland, President Thabo Mbeki told the World Economic Forum’s Africa Economic Summit in Cape Town on Friday.
Teams of hazardous material specialists are trying to extinguish a smouldering heap of sulphur ash in Brakpan on Friday as it spews a plume of toxic gas over the town and the neighbouring city of Springs. At least three people have been hospitalised, said Ekurhuleni emergency services spokesperson Sugan Moodley.
The Michael Jackson trial reached a climactic phase on Thursday as the prosecution and defence presented starkly different views of the singer to a jury expected to start its deliberations on Friday. For the prosecution the trial was ”about the exploitation and sexual abuse of a 13-year-old cancer survivor by an international celebrity”, said the deputy district attorney Ron Zonen.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK: There does not appear to be any new jokes in Hollywood, so much of Guess Who will be familiar, writes Shaun de Waal.
It is time to vote for parties who declare their financial contributors — at least we’ll know who and what we are really voting for, writes Mike van Graan.
Insurgents killed 38 people in a series of rapid-fire attacks, including three suicide car bombings within an hour and a drive-by shooting at a busy Baghdad market that ratcheted up the bloody campaign to undermine Iraq’s government.
Organisers at the World Economic Forum meeting in Cape Town were tallying up on Friday morning the number of signatures of business leaders endorsing the recommendations of the Commission for Africa. "It’s looking good," said Africa Economic Summit spokesperson Matthias Luefkens.
European leaders were on Thursday night inching towards accepting that the EU Constitution has been all but killed off by the double rejection of French and Dutch voters. A series of emergency talks was launched by key figures in the EU establishment amid divisions over whether the ratification process should continue.
United States President George Bush has dug in his heels ahead of British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s visit to Washington on Monday, when the prime minister will attempt to convince the US to accept a new action plan on Africa that would require a doubling of American aid.