English
Judge throws out corruption charges against Zuma
Even though Mbeki is barred by the constitution from running again for the nation’s presidency, he ran against Zuma for party leadership, apparently trying to exercise control over who would succeed him.
Mbeki’s spokesman, Mukoni Ratshitanga, said he could not immediately comment on the Zuma judgment because of its length.
“One would have to look at the judgment before any comments are made, if comments are necessary,” Ratshitanga said.
In the ruling, the judge dealt at length about concerns raised by Zuma that the charges were brought to besmirch him as he challenged Mbeki for the ANC presidency.
“I’m not convinced that the applicant was incorrect in averring political meddling in his prosecution,” Nicholson said.
Nicholson also expressed concern that prosecutors were influenced by members of Mbeki’s Cabinet, and said it was “improbable” the ministers acted without Mbeki’s knowledge and agreement.
The entire episode appears to have formed part of “some great political contest or game,” Nicholson said. “There is a ring of the works of Kafka in this.”
Zuma was initially charged in 2005, but that case was dismissed on a technicality in 2006. He was recharged in December 2007, just days after being elected ANC president, with racketeering, corruption, money laundering and fraud related to the multibillion rand government arms deal in the late 1990s.
Hollywood heavyweights Robert De Niro and Al Pacino reunited on the red carpet in New York Wednesday night for the premiere of their new crime thriller “Righteous Kill” — their first film together since making 1995’s “Heat.”
The movie also stars
The Pakistani Army has been given orders to retaliate against any unilateral strike by the Afghanistan-based US troops inside the country.
Army Spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas confirmed the orders in a brief interview with Geo News on late Thursday night.
The
David Miliband has allegedly come in for a rather undiplomatic tongue-lashing from his Russian counterpart.
The Foreign Secretary was apparently given a furious dressing down by Sergei Lavrov over the telephone.
Mr Miliband’s criticism of Russia’s recent incursion into Georgia is believed
PIETERMARITZBURG, South Africa - A South African judge ruled Friday that prosecutors were wrong to charge ANC President Jacob Zuma with corruption, effectively clearing way for the 66-year-old former freedom fighter to become the country’s next president.
Judge Chris Nicholson’s ruling
Thailand’s political turmoil deepened Friday when the ruling coalition failed to turn up to parliament to reelect leader Samak Sundaravej as prime minister.
Lawmakers from the six-party coalition did not attend an emergency session of parliament called to choose a prime minister, three days after a court stripped Samak of power for accepting payments for hosting
Feeds