"Africa's dilemma"

Calling Bush's bluff
President Bush looks like he's tripping out on a freedom high, but the rest of the country could Just Say No.

Why the US will not leave Iraq
Shi'ites will be in power in the Arab world for the first time in 14 centuries. So Iraqi elections are indeed historic. But it's not for US President George W Bush to proclaim Sunday's elections "a success", even before the results are known: it's for the Iraqi people, those who did and also those who did not vote. The undisputable fact is that apart from the Kurds - who since the first Gulf War in 1991 have lived under American protection - most Iraqis, Sunni or Shi'ite, voter or non-voter, in public or in private, blame the United States for the current chaos and their "liberation" from electricity, water, jobs and security. History may still reveal the case that Sunday's elections under occupation, with rules established by the occupier, suit everyone except the long-suffering 27 million Iraqis.

Prominent Miami priest says Haiti peace unlikely without Aristide
The United States must help restore former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power, or Haiti won't see peace, a priest and former political prisoner warned Monday.

Israel ordered to rescind land grab law
Israel's attorney-general has ordered the government to rescind a decision to enforce a decades-old law under which large tracts of Palestinian land in Arab East Jerusalem could be confiscated, officials said.

Venezuela accessing China market via Iran
Venezuela has enrolled Iran to help it accelerate a strategy to steer its oil exports to China and away from its traditional market of the US, Financial Times said.

Less Than 10% of Those Eligible Actually Voted
Low Voter Turnout of Iraqi Expatriots

U.S. Can't Impose Sanctions On Africa - State Dept. Official
The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, U.S. Department of States, Mr. Michael Ranneberger at the weekend said the United States of America cannot impose sanctions on African countries with regard to capital flight and in the area of corruption.

Reggae great's influence celebrated at 'Africa Unite'
Hosted by The Bob Marley and The Rita Marley Foundation, "Africa Unite" is expecting a quarter of a million followers of the lyrical prophet to attend a monthlong celebration in the capital of Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Africa, Kenyan court lifts order for
ex-president to appear before graft panel
Ex-president Daniel arap Moi will not have to answer questions about his alleged involvement in Kenya’s biggest-ever financial scandal before a commission of inquiry completes its report into the matter, a court has ruled.

Zim 'will kick Cosatu out'
A Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) delegation would be kicked out of Zimbabwe if it went ahead with a planned visit to that country, a Zimbabwean minister said on Tuesday. "We will kick them out, yes, certainly. We will not allow them to come into the country unless they follow the correct procedures," Labour Minister Paul Mangwana told Sapa.

Africa's homeless face bleak future
This situation was being bedevilled by territorial and religious wars going on in the continent, with thousands of people having been displaced in the raging conflicts in the Darfur region of the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere in Africa.

Africa's dilemma
A task force appointed last year by the UN boss, Kofi Annan, to look into solving the highly skewed UN security council set up, which gives five countries the unilateral powers to over rule any decision irrespective of the decision reached at by the majority of the General Assembly. The task force has suggested an enlargement of the UN security council such that Africa shall have two seats.

Why Africa Worries, Annan
Mr Annan said African countries were failing to meet the Millennium Development goals, which include reducing by half the one billion people living under the yoke of poverty and hunger, and providing basic education for all by 2015.

Italy Throws Weight Behind Africa Over UN Seats
THE Italian government has supported Africa's bid to have two permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council on a rotational basis.

Turkey slams US over Iraqi Kurds
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has criticised the US for failing to halt what he called Kurdish efforts to dominate the oil-rich city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq.

Food, poverty and ecology: Cuba & Venezuela lead the way
A nation that has been forced to endure major economic upheavals and constraints, Cuba is a shining example of what can be done to diversify agricultural production and meet energy needs in a sustainable way.

Africa Wants Veto Powers at Security Council-Mbeki
Africa wants veto powers for two new permanent seats it hopes to get on the Security Council in an historic reform of the United Nations expected this year, South African President Thabo Mbeki said.