Post-apartheid South Africa took a small step towards fulfilling Nelson Mandela’s hope for a corruption-free country when former president Jacob Zuma handed himself into the police. He had been charged with contempt of court after repeatedly refusing to appear before a commission looking at allegations of corruption against him, involving dealings with a criminal syndicate … Read more
A hawkish Japan has said publicly for the first time it would join the USA in defending Taiwan were China to invade in an irritated response to China’s expansionist policies in the region. The prospect of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan has long been regarded as the potential trigger for a superpower conflict. Most foreign … Read more
Roger Federer says he does not know if he will play at Wimbledon again after losing in the quarter-finals with a final set 6-0 loss. Now nearly 40, he’s had a sterling tennis career winning his first grand Slam at 21 and over his career 20 in all, a record shared with Rafael Nadal. He … Read more
Afghanistan, the “graveyard of empires” is taking another lurch with the US withdrawal. The Taliban, removed from power in 2001, now controls half the country causing alarm in China and Russia. Motives are mixed since neither of the eastern superpowers want an upsurge in Islamic terrorism, or an outflow of narcotics or a surge of … Read more
Chile is now officially embarking on writing a new constitution to replace the 1980 Pinochet one which is blamed for the deep social inequalities that gave rise to deadly protests in 2019. Following the upsurge of public anger, a referendum voted in a 155-member body, to craft a new Magna Carta for the country. Independent … Read more
Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn celebrate an extraordinary 75 years of marriage this week. They knew each other almost from birth, married after the war and survived the rigours of political life, evolving into an equal partnership in his time in the White House, when she expanded the role of the first lady, attending … Read more
The unveiling of the (aesthetically unexciting) Diana statue went off without a duel on the lawn between the Royal brothers to sighs of relief all round. Only for a documentary to pop up ‘Harry & William: What Went Wrong?’ on ITV tonight with the omnipresent Omid Scobie, the Harry & Meghan “Finding Freedom” biographer, stirring … Read more
Michael Gove, a close Cabinet colleague of Boris Johnson through Brexit and the pandemic though a questionable friend, has announced a surprise split from his wife of 20 years Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine. He has been talked of as a possible future Tory leader though he has lost in his last two attempts and … Read more
Donald Rumsfeld, Defence Secretary under GW Bush and principal architect of the calamitous Iraq invasion post 9/11, has died. Kissinger called him the most ruthless man he ever met. John McCain called Rumsfeld “one of the worst secretaries of defence in history”. He had the unique distinction of being both the youngest (under Gerald Ford) … Read more
Gwen Berry, the US hammer thrower has responded to criticism after she turned away from the American flag on the podium at the Olympic trials medal ceremony, saying she “never said that I hated the country. All I said was I respect my people enough to not stand or acknowledge something that disrespects them.” She … Read more