"Diamonds in the desert and despair in the Kalahari"

Diamonds in the desert and despair in the Kalahari
When the British colonial rulers created the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana, the Bushmen who lived there were given the right to remain in perpetuity. But this week, 220 Bushmen went to court in a last, desperate attempt to preserve a unique way of life.

Venezuela's Chavez Avoids Class War
Pat Robertson's recently retracted suggestion that the United States should "take out" Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is an extreme echo of the views of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Earlier this year when asked by Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., if there was anything good she could say about Chavez, she responded, "It's pretty hard ... to find something positive."

Nigeria to get back $290m loot
Officials have told Swiss banks to start returning to Nigeria $290m in funds seized in accounts linked to late dictator Sani Abacha, said a spokesperson on Friday.

New wheat pathogen threatens world food security
A new rapidly-evolving pathogen spreading in east Africa could annihilate wheat plantations worldwide, posing a "catastrophic" threat to crops unless steps are taken quickly.

Garang helicopter wreckage to be returned to Uganda
The wreckage of the helicopter in which Sudan’s First Vice-President Dr John Garang and 12 other people perished on 30 July in southern Sudan is soon to be returned to Uganda.

Unfair trade hurts Africa`s development
African countries continue to witness development reversals with major declines in their living standards, decreasing life expectancy and high child mortality rates, a UN Development Programme report said Thursday here.

Apartheid's 'Dr Death' faces retrial on poisoning claims
South Africa's constitutional court has ruled in favour of re-opening a criminal case against Dr Wouter Basson, the apartheid-era scientist accused of poisoning political opponents.

LESSONS OF HURRICANE KATRINA EXPOSED ENDEMIC ECONOMIC INEQUALITY FOR AFRICANS
One guy stood out in my mind, he said Africa looks good to me now. Others white and black who have seen Tsunami in Asia, famine in Africa and war in Europe claimed they have not seen anything like this. That it happened is nobody's fault, that it took so long to come to peoples' aid in the most powerful and richest country in the whole world leaves more than an indelible mark on our faces.

First lady: Charges that racism slowed aid 'disgusting'
First lady Laura Bush on Thursday denounced critics who say race played a role in the federal government's slow response to victims of Hurricane Katrina, calling the accusations "disgusting."

Sudan poor forced into desert area outside capital
A group of Sudanese standing among plastic-covered shacks in the desert said they lost their homes and most of their belongings when the police drove them from the capital.

World summit on UN's future heads for chaos
The British government is mounting a huge diplomatic effort this weekend to prevent the biggest-ever summit of world leaders, designed to tackle poverty and overhaul the United Nations, ending in chaos.

Grenadians reflects on Ivan one year later

Iraq rebuilding under threat as US runs out of money

Evacuees' stories are moving, but fence isn't

9/11 loans went to businesses that had no need for them

Power to the victims of New Orleans

UN hits back at US in report saying parts of America are as poor as Third World

Bush allows contractors to pay lower wages