(April 21, 2004) Having helped sustain and humor the tyranny and fraud of Saddam Hussein for years via the massively corrupt Oil-for-Food program, the United Nations has for the past year been seeking a new role for itself in Iraq.
Debt relief for poor faces $7.8 bln gap, US watchdog
(April 20, 2004) A debt relief program for the world’s poorest countries is facing a $7.8 billion funding shortfall, mostly from the World Bank, a U.S. Congressional watchdog told lawmakers on Tuesday.
Saddam cleaned up on UN’s ‘oil-for-palaces’ program
(April 20, 2004) The oil-for-food program was one of the larger rip-offs of all time. Under the UN’s nose, Saddam Hussein skimmed off billions.
Jews who fled Iraq to get compensation
(April 20, 2004) French insurance giant AXA has agreed to compensate Jews who owned property in Iraq and fled in the early 1950s, a precedent that could pave the way for reparations for some 850,000 Jews who left Arab countries, officials said Tuesday.
World Bank seizes on Iraq debt deal
(April 20, 2004) America’s determination to write off Saddam Hussein’s $90bn (£50bn) debt mountain has opened the door to a more generous deal for the most impoverished countries in Africa, the head of the World Bank said yesterday.
World Bank eyes Iraq debt deal for others – paper
(April 19, 2004) The prospect of the world community forgiving most of Iraq’s debt could be used as an opportunity for debt relief for other developing countries the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday quoted the World Bank as saying.
Lesotho shames SA with its resolve to stamp out bribery
(April 18, 2004) If Masupha Sole had worked for Pretoria rather than Maseru, would he have ended up in court? Would he now be in jail?
Bulgaria to reschedule Iraq debt
(April 18, 2004) Bulgaria will not write-off but reschedule Iraq’s debt in view of the country’s economy and oil sector potential.
ANC sweeps to most dramatic victory yet
(April 16, 2004) South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) surged towards its most dramatic victory election yet today as the country’s voters showed their loyalty to the party that led them out of apartheid.
Putin attacks corruption by hiking public pay
(April 16, 2004) Russian President Vladimir Putin, re-elected last month on an anti-graft agenda, has given state officials a hefty pay rise aimed at ensuring them a decent income without having to resort to bribery.
Volcker to probe corruption in UN’s Iraq oil program
(April 15, 2004) Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker is United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s choice to investigate allegations of corruption in the UN-administered oil-for-food program in Iraq, UN envoys said.
World Bank statement on Lesotho Court of Appeals ruling
(April 13, 2004) The World Bank’s sanctions committee will re-examine evidence relating to Lahmeyer International after the Lesotho Court of Appeals upheld the firm’s bribery conviction.
German firm faces possible blacklisting
(April 13, 2004) World Bank ponders sanctions against Lahmeyer in Lesotho corruption case.
Full of promises, light on delivery
(April 12, 2004) A striking feature of the 2004 election manifestoes is the similarity between political parties’ promises while they are collectively silent on some major issues.
Suing tyranny?
(April 10, 2004) Human-rights activists take to U.S. courts to call to account some of the worst foreign abusers. That may sound good in theory, but the high court will have to consider whether it’s right to let lawyers conduct foreign policy by lawsuit.


