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page 38 S/AFRICA Mandela: CIA tip-off led to 1962 Durban arrest Nelson Mandela’s arrest in 1962 came as a result of a tip-off from an agent of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a report says. The revelations, made in the Sunday Times newspaper, are based on an interview with ex-CIA agent Donald Rickard shortly […]
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S/AFRICA
Mandela: CIA tip-off led to 1962 Durban arrest
Nelson Mandela’s arrest in 1962 came as a result of a tip-off from an agent of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a report says.
The revelations, made in the Sunday Times newspaper, are based on an interview with ex-CIA agent Donald Rickard shortly before he died.
Mr Mandela served 27 years in jail for resisting white minority rule before being released in 1990. He was subsequently elected as South Africa’s first black president.
The interview appears to confirm long-held suspicions that Mr Mandela was being trailed by the CIA.
It is expected to put pressure on the CIA to release documents about its involvement in Mr Mandela’s arrest and support for the apartheid government, although it has resisted previous calls for their disclosure.
Mr Rickard, who died earlier this year, was never formally associated with the CIA but worked as a diplomat in South Africa before retiring in the late 70s.
CHINA
Beijing blasts Pentagon report on Chinese military
China condemned the U.S. Defense Department’s annual report on the Chinese military on Sunday, calling it deliberate distortion that has “severely damaged” mutual trust.
In its annual report to Congress on Chinese military activities, the U.S. Defense Department said on Friday that China is expected to add substantial military infrastructure, including communications and surveillance systems, to artificial islands in the South China Sea this year.
China’s Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun expressed “strong dissatisfaction” and “firm opposition” to the Pentagon report and said it has “severely damaged mutual trust”, state news agency Xinhua reported.
The report “hyped up” China’s military threat and lack of transparency, “deliberately distorted” Chinese defense policies and “unfairly” depicted Chinese activities in the East and South China seas, Yang was quoted as saying.
UNITED STATES
Kerry Seeks Saudi Support for Syrian Cease-fire
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sought Saudi Arabia’s support Sunday in strengthening a “cessation of hostilities” agreement between Syrian government forces and rebels ahead of broader talks on regional crises later this week.
Kerry, trying to shore up support for the shaky cease-fire in Syria, met with Saudi King Salman, whose country has been a key supporter of rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The top U.S. diplomat and his Saudi counterpart, Adel al-Jubeir, discussed developments in Syria, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
Later, the top U.S. diplomat will fly to Vienna where he and Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni will co-host a ministerial meeting on security and support for Libya’s new government.
BRAZIL
Brazil rebuffs Latin American leftists over Rousseff suspension
Brazil’s interim government dismissed criticism by leftist countries in Latin America, including Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia, over the impeachment process of Dilma Rousseff, who was suspended as president by the senate.
The leftist president of El Salvador on Saturday added to the regional pressure on Brazil, saying that he would not recognize the interim government and recalled his ambassador, claiming there had been “political manipulation” in Latin America’s biggest country.
The bickering, not rare between leftist leaders and more conservative governments at a time when much of the region is moving to the right, comes as centrist Michel Temer, Rousseff’s vice president, assumes Brazil’s presidency and scrambles to pull the economy out of its worst recession since the 1930s.
PALESTINE
Palestinians mark ‘Al-Nakba’ day, insist on right of return
Palestinians, across the world, yesterday marked the passage of 68 years since the “Al-Nakba” (catastrophe in Arabic), which coincided with the establishment of the state of Israel.
Palestinians use the word “Nakba” to refer to the destruction of hundreds of villages in historical Palestine — and the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their land by armed Zionist gangs –to make way for the new state of Israel in 1948.
A statement by the Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Saleh A. Fhied, said Al-Nakba was commemorated to reflect on continued hardships and oppression being endured by the Palestinians as they continue to strive for realization of their inalienable rights and for the fulfilment of the legitimate national aspiration.
“As we mark this solemn occasion, the Palestinian people and their leadership call once again on the international community to intensify its efforts to implement international law and relevant United Nations resolutions in support of the rights of the Palestinian people and just, lasting and comprehensive settlement to the question of Palestine in all its aspects.
“It is our strongest hope that our collective efforts at this critical juncture will bring the Palestinian people and their region as a whole the peace, stability, security and prosperity we have for so long strived for, and bring to a close this tragic chapter in the history of the Palestinian people,” the envoy said.
VENEZUELA
Opposition slams ‘desperate’ Maduro state of emergency
Venezuela’s opposition on Saturday slammed a state of emergency decreed by President Nicolas Maduro and vowed to press home efforts to remove the leftist leader this year amid a grim economic crisis.
Maduro on Friday night declared a 60-day state of emergency due to what he called plots from Venezuela and the United States to subvert him. He did not provide specifics.
The measure shows Maduro is panicking as a push for a recall referendum against him gains traction with tired, frustrated Venezuelans, opposition leaders said during a protest in Caracas.
“If this state of emergency is issued without consulting the National Assembly, we would technically be talking about a self-coup,” said Democratic Unity coalition leader Jesus Torrealba.
YEMEN
IS suicide attack kills 25 police recruits
A suicide attack claimed by the so-called Islamic State group has killed at least 25 people in southern Yemen.
Officials say the bomber detonated his explosives outside a police base in the port city of Mukalla, killing recruits as they queued up outside the building. Hospitals in Mukalla were also treating at least 25 people wounded in the attack.
Meanwhile, 14 people were killed and 20 wounded in a separate suicide attack on a gas factory near Baghdad, Iraq.
The assault staged by the Islamic State (IS) group began when three car bombs exploded at the gate of the plant in Taji, north of the capital.
Six men wearing explosive belts rushed in and blew up gas tanks, before security forces won back the facility.
FRANCE
Female ministers decry sexual harassment
Seventeen women who have served as ministers in France say they will no longer be silent about sexual harassment in politics.
All 17 signatories to the declaration are current or former ministers.
Among them is Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund and France’s former finance minister.
Last week, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Denis Baupin, resigned over sexual harassment claims, which he denies.
In the declaration, the women call for a toughening of the law against sexual harassment, as well as specialist desks set up in police stations to deal with such complaints.
PHILIPPINE
President vows to bring back death penalty
Philippines President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to reintroduce capital punishment and give security forces permission to shoot to kill.
The controversial policies are the latest in a series from the soon-to-be leader, including bans on alcohol and smoking and a curfew for children.
He has also promised to turn the presidential palace into a hospital.
Speaking at a press conference in the town, Mr Duterte, 71, said: “What I will do is to urge Congress to restore the death penalty by hanging.”
He said permission to shoot to kill would be given for organised crime figures and people resisting arrest.
ITALY
Italy set to double child benefit to combat low birth rate
Italy’s health minister has outlined plans to double child benefit to combat what she described as an “apocalyptic” decline in the country’s birth rate.
Beatrice Lorenzin said the monthly bonus for lower income families should be twice the current €80 (£60; $90).
Ms Lorenzin also called for higher payments for second and subsequent children to encourage big families.
Speaking to Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper, Ms Lorenzin said: “If we carry on as we are and fail to reverse the trend, there will be fewer than 350,000 births a year in 10 years’ time, 40% less than in 2010 – an apocalypse.”