In Brief

POSTPONEMENT – A Malawi court on Friday adjourned the corruption case of former President Bakili Muluzi until this week following the suspension of the chief investigator.

Muluzi was arrested on Thursday and charged with 40 counts of corruption, fraud and theft in connection with 1,4 billion kwacha (about US$12 million); donated by Taiwan, Morocco, Libya and Rwanda for development that was allegedly deposited in his personal account. Muluzi, who is out on bail, also faces two separate charges of fraud and abuse of trust for allegedly misappropriating US$50 000 (about N$345 000) in government money.The Anti-Corruption Bureau’s chief prosecutor, Gaston Mwenelupembe, asked for and was granted an adjournment , citing the suspension of Gustave Kaliwo, the Anti-Corruption Bureau director, who was handling the case.* CRISIS TALKS – The United Nations Security Council yesterday held an emergency meeting on the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, UN officials said.The meeting was to be held as France circulated a draft resolution in the United Nations Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Lebanon, according to Paris’s UN mission.France offered the proposal for consideration as Israel drew worldwide condemnation for its attack on the Lebanese village of Qana, killing scores of civilians, many of them children.* NECESSARY – Tony Blair is to use his trip to America to back stem cell research despite sharp opposition from President George Bush.The Prime Minister will give his support to scientific research into the treatment of incurable diseases, which has been blocked by Bush.The President objects on moral grounds to the technique, which involves harvesting human stem cells, the most basic building blocks of life.These are then stimulated to grow replica human tissue, which could ultimately be used for transplants or the treatment of diseases like Cancer and Alzheimer’s.*OUT OF CONTROL -Southern Afghanistan, homeland of the Taliban and hub of the global heroin trade, is spinning out of control.Islamic militants are launching suicide attacks, corrupt authorities are undermining the central government and a disgruntled population is hooked on growing opium.Today, fixing Afghanistan’s biggest problem area falls to NATO, the Western military alliance.It promises to be the toughest combat mission in NATO’s 57-year history, and a stern test for a powerful force with surprisingly little experience in fighting.* CONFLICT – Somalia’s prime minister on Saturday accused Egypt, Libya and Iran of providing weapons for Islamic militants who have seized control of much of this country’s south.”Egypt, Libya and Iran, whom we thought were friends, are engaged in fuelling the conflict in Somalia by supporting the terrorists,” Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Gedi said, citing unnamed sources within his government.* ATTACK – Britain’s ambassador to Zimbabwe has accused President Robert Mugabe’s government of “working against its people” and blocking a United Nations drive to end a political and economic crisis in the country.Mugabe, 82, and in power since independence from Britain in 1980, says Britain has been trying to oust him over his controversial seizures of white-owned farms for blacks.But in a blistering attack on Mugabe’s government in response to questions from the official Herald newspaper, ambassador Andrew Pocock said Zimbabwe’s key problem was “a government working …against its people” and not differences with London, the United States or the EU.Pocock said Britain welcomed recent efforts by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to help Mugabe’s government implement reforms the southern African country desperately needs to arrest its deepening economic decline.- Nampa-AP-AFPMuluzi, who is out on bail, also faces two separate charges of fraud and abuse of trust for allegedly misappropriating US$50 000 (about N$345 000) in government money.The Anti-Corruption Bureau’s chief prosecutor, Gaston Mwenelupembe, asked for and was granted an adjournment , citing the suspension of Gustave Kaliwo, the Anti-Corruption Bureau director, who was handling the case.* CRISIS TALKS – The United Nations Security Council yesterday held an emergency meeting on the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, UN officials said.The meeting was to be held as France circulated a draft resolution in the United Nations Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Lebanon, according to Paris’s UN mission.France offered the proposal for consideration as Israel drew worldwide condemnation for its attack on the Lebanese village of Qana, killing scores of civilians, many of them children.* NECESSARY – Tony Blair is to use his trip to America to back stem cell research despite sharp opposition from President George Bush.The Prime Minister will give his support to scientific research into the treatment of incurable diseases, which has been blocked by Bush.The President objects on moral grounds to the technique, which involves harvesting human stem cells, the most basic building blocks of life.These are then stimulated to grow replica human tissue, which could ultimately be used for transplants or the treatment of diseases like Cancer and Alzheimer’s.*OUT OF CONTROL -Southern Afghanistan, homeland of the Taliban and hub of the global heroin trade, is spinning out of control.Islamic militants are launching suicide attacks, corrupt authorities are undermining the central government and a disgruntled population is hooked on growing opium.Today, fixing Afghanistan’s biggest problem area falls to NATO, the Western military alliance.It promises to be the toughest combat mission in NATO’s 57-year history, and a stern test for a powerful force with surprisingly little experience in fighting.* CONFLICT – Somalia’s prime minister on Saturday accused Egypt, Libya and Iran of providing weapons for Islamic militants who have seized control of much of this country’s south.”Egypt, Libya and Iran, whom we thought were friends, are engaged in fuelling the conflict in Somalia by supporting the terrorists,” Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Gedi said, citing unnamed sources within his government. * ATTACK – Britain’s ambassador to Zimbabwe has accused President Robert Mugabe’s government of “working against its people” and blocking a United Nations drive to end a political and economic crisis in the country.Mugabe, 82, and in power since independence from Britain in 1980, says Britain has been trying to oust him over his controversial seizures of white-owned farms for blacks.But in a blistering attack on Mugabe’s government in response to questions from the official Herald newspaper, ambassador Andrew Pocock said Zimbabwe’s key problem was “a government working …against its people” and not differences with London, the United States or the EU.Pocock said Britain welcomed recent efforts by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to help Mugabe’s government implement reforms the southern African country desperately needs to arrest its deepening economic decline.- Nampa-AP-AFP