BBC news with Ian Perdon
There’s been a third day of chaotic scenes on the border between Gaza and Egypt as thousands of Palestinians defied continuing efforts by Egyptian forces to seal the crossing. Egyptian police withdrew after violent skirmishes with Gazans, who’ve been pouring into Egypt to stock up on supplies in the face of an Israeli blockade of their territory. As the Egyptians sealed the original breaches, the Palestinians used a bulldozer to punch fresh holes in the border fence. The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza, John Ging, said it was important to understand how bad living conditions have become.
The sheer desperation of the people and the misery of their plight is the thing that we all now need to focus on. I mean, we’ve been at a loss for words to describe just how bad the situation is. The images of this week, I think, give clear evidence to that fact.
French police have searched the home in Paris of the share dealer Jerome Kerviel, who’s blamed for losing seven billion dollars at France’s second largest bank Société Générale. Four plain-clothes officers left the building after several hours carrying a number of briefcases. Earlier world business leaders meeting in Switzerland expressed alarm at the scale of the fraud, saying the scandal could damage confidence in the economy. The French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said there was no evidence that more than one individual was involved.
So far I have absolutely no reason to doubt what the management of Société Générale is telling us about the fact that it's one single mad individual who's been fraudulently organizing and plotting behind the scene, behind the screens and behind the keys and the codes, what has turned out to be a massive fraud.
Right wing leaders from four European countries have announced plans to form a European Nationalist Party. The proposal was announced in the Austrian capital Vienna by the leaders of the Freedom Party in Austria, France’s National Front, Bulgaria’s Attaca Party and Vlaams Belang in Belgium. From Vienna, Bethany Bell
The four far-right leaders, including France’s Jean-Marie Le Pen and Austria’s Heinz-Christian Strache said they want to save Europe from Islam and mass immigration. Calling on patriots in Europe to unite, Mr. Strache said they hoped to pull together like-minded parties from at least ten European countries by November. He said talks were underway with several other parties that gave no further details.
The president of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, has said concerns over human rights cannot allow his country to descend into anarchy. Speaking in London, President Musharraf said he was a strong believer in individual liberties but that this freedom had to be limited so that it would not lead to violence. He said Pakistan was committed to the fight against militants on his territory, but he again ruled out the deployment of United States forces, in support of operations against suspected members of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
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A bomb explosion in the Lebanese capital Beirut has killed a senior police intelligence officer and at least three other people. Security sources said the officer had been closely involved in investigating bombings over the past three years that have killed prominent Lebanese critics of Syria. The United States condemned the attack, saying it was the latest crime to be carried out against Lebanon’s State Institutions. It’s also been condemned by Syria.
The president of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe has announced that presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on the 29th of March. Mr. Mugabe is running for another term as president. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change, which is campaigning for a new constitution before the elections describe President Mugabe’s decision to announce a date as an act of madness. An MDC spokesman said it was a slap in the face to mediation efforts led by the South African president Thabo Mbeki.
The Kenyan authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew in the Rift Valley province following renewed violence in the wake of last month’s disputed presidential election. At least 12 people were killed in and around the provincial capital, Nakuru. A BBC correspondent in the town says groups of club-wielding youths set up roadblocks during the day. A woman taking refuge in the church said she was afraid.
…people were coming from the hill …our houses, notices have been put… you are given 14 days to vacate this place, if not they’ll come kill you or shoot whatever or take whatever they have, kill your kids, your husbands, and father and whatever. But I would say if there are enough police on the ground, we would not be here right now.
Ivory Coast has become the first side to qualify for the African Nations Cup quarterfinals after beating Benin 4-1 with Didier Drogba getting his first goal of the tournament. Nigeria’s hopes of remaining in the competition remain slim after their goalless draw with Mali. They must now beat Benin on Monday, and hope that Ivory Coast defeat Mali.
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