(February 16, 2004) The Iraqi daily newspaper "Al-Mada" published a sensational expose on 25 January of companies, organizations, and individuals whom it alleges were bribed with hundreds of millions of barrels of oil by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in return for their political support and as payment for items prohibited under the interwar (1991-2003) embargo on Iraq. Headlined "Presidents, Journalists, and Political Parties Received Millions of Oil Barrels From Saddam," the article listed the names of 270 alleged recipients.
US should not decide apartheid lawsuit: Switzerland
(February 13, 2004) The Swiss government has spoken out against an American court deciding a class action lawsuit seeking reparations for apartheid from dozens of international companies.
Ernst & Young returns to Iraq
(February 13, 2004) The new Baghdad office will be part of a grander strategy to increase Ernst & Young’s Middle East presence in a big way.
Sponsorship report leaves reader feeling numb
(February 12, 2004) If the stale Liberal party can emerge from this mess with a fresh majority mandate this spring, Canada is indeed a nation with too many cheques and not enough balances.
Descendants of slaves revive lawsuit
(February 12, 2004) The descendants of African American slaves are pressing on with what is being called an historic class-action lawsuit claiming 19 corporations profited from the forced labour of their ancestors.
Iraq establishes commission on public integrity
(February 12, 2004) The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Iraq has established a Commission on Public Integrity, which will enforce anticorruption laws and set public-service standards.
Three Gorges: Lessons from Sanmenx
(February 12, 2004) The problems that beset the Sanmenxia dam ‘will undoubtedly afflict the Three Gorges,’ a writer concludes in this excerpt from Dai Qing’s 1998 book, The River Dragon Has Come!
Algeria launches Iraq oil corruption probe
(February 11, 2004) Algeria is investigating alleged corruption linked to Iraq’s oil-for-food programme, state radio said, adding weight to Iraqi efforts to get to the bottom of crude dealing during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
Most creditors to provide substantial relief
(February 10, 2004) Mr. Baker said one of his main challenges in the upcoming negotiations will be "in reconciling the numbers and in dealing with differences of opinion between Iraq and some creditor countries as to whether some loans were really grants.
Swiss govt against apartheid reparations case
(February 10, 2004) An American court should not decide a class action law suit seeking reparations for apartheid from international companies, the Swiss government said on Tuesday.
Iraq restructures largest bank for possible sale
(February 9, 2004) Iraq’s largest bank, state-owned Al-Rafideen, plans to lay off a third of its staff and overhaul a debt-laden balance sheet to prepare for privatisation, possibly next year, the bank’s chairman said.
Government mulls African debt write-off
(February 9, 2004) The government is considering writing off the debt owed to it by several African countries, said Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Divisive dam likely to go ahead
(February 8, 2004) Mired in controversy for a decade, the Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric project is likely to get the green light from the World Bank after its executive directors from Washington visit the dam site in Laos this weekend for their final appraisal of the plant.
Reducing Iraq’s foreign debt
(February 6, 2004) How and when Argentina’s debt mess gets cleared up will have much more of an impact on the international financial system than how and when Iraq’s debt mess gets fixed. So why is the G-7 giving more attention to Iraq?
What Privy Council said about the Chalillo dam
(February 5, 2004) Not even the most protracted and determined paper chase could have got at the true facts" about Chalillo. Lord Walker, Privy Council decision, London.
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