Negotiators arriving at the UN summit on climate change in Cancun must bring with them a renewed urgency in light of a year of weather-related disasters, a new report from charity Oxfam has said. The report, titled ‘More than ever: Climate talks that work for those who need them most.’ Calls for the establishment of [...]
It is precisely because the apartheid government sought to foment tribalism in order to divide and rule South Africans that the country has ironically been spared the kind of toxic nexus of political party and tribal identity that has decimated so many parts of Africa, and for that matter great tracts of Eastern Europe and [...]
The situation in the Niger Delta needs a political, not military solution, says John Campbell; former US ambassador to Nigeria. Speaking on his blog for US think tank ‘The Council on Foreign Relations’, Campbell expressed his scepticism over the Nigerian government’s extant scheme for tackling repeated attempts from militants to disrupt the region’s oil production. [...]
Rolling blackouts hit California hard in ’02 and ’03. It came out later that the power failures in the USA were deliberately engineered by energy traders at Enron who wished to drive up their profits. Electricity rates rocketed. At huge risk to the economy and great hardship for the ordinary public, an unscrupulous band of [...]
The world watched earlier this year as one of the most significant human interest stories in years took place in Chile. The trials and tribulations of 33 miners, trapped underground for 69 days and then eventually rescued in an ambitious collaboration between the Chilean government and international agencies, was a story which even the most [...]
It’s a sight many people dream about. Whether visiting Africa for the first time, or being at home in the bushveld, coming face to face with one of the continent’s legendary ‘Big Five’ animals is an experience quite unlike any other. Of these awesome animals, perhaps the most ancient and singular, around in its current [...]
Egyptians went to the polls on November 28th, to vote for their representatives in the People’s Assembly, the Egyptian parliament’s lower house. The parliamentary elections, which have seen the number of seats to be won rise to the highest they have ever been, will be followed by the Presidential elections next year. Uncertainty over incumbent [...]
The authorities have reported an increase in the number of abductions in the country, with a particularly high concentration taking place in Kabylie department in the far North of the country. The targets are generally wealthy individuals; traders industrialists and entrepreneurs. The increasing frequency of the kidnappings has caused mixed reactions amongst civilians: Some have [...]
It will no doubt be the biggest royal wedding since the last one back in 1981, and when it takes place in April next year, London will no doubt grind to a standstill as the worlds press gather to get a glimpse of the future king and his new bride. In fact, asides from swapping [...]
Any ordinary citizen here who has tried to get paid by a foreign company quickly finds themselves up against the country’s exchange controls. Forms have to be filled in, boxes ticked and heavy commissions paid. A foreign denominated cheque may take months to cash. It is particularly onerous for small businesses that wait weeks to get exchange [...]
