MPs to appear in court today and other brief reports

* Kenya yesterday ratified the treaty creating the International Criminal Court, becoming the 98th country formally to join the tribunal, which is fiercely opposed by the US. – Business Day * The Zambian Supreme Court yesterday cleared President Levy Mwanawasa of allegations that he came to power fraudulently. A full Bench of judges deliberated for 12 hours before reaching the verdict after three years of hearings. – The Mercury * Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s son, Omri, was formally indicted yesterday on charges relating to alleged campaign finance irregularities, though his father was cleared, judicial sources said yesterday. – Business Day * The Institute of Chartered Accountants and Administrators’ new qualification was launched in SA yesterday by the institute’s southern African chapter. – Business Day * A ban on hunting with dogs in Britain went ahead at midnight last night after the Court of Appeal dismissed a claim by the Countryside Alliance earlier that the Hunting Act 2004 was not a valid Act of Parliament. – The Telegraph * The Road Accident Fund is opposing, in the Port Elizabeth High Court, a R4.1m claim by former Eastern Cape Safety and Security Minister Dennis Neer’s bodyguard, Terence Lucas (41), who was injured in a car crash in 1998. – The Herald * The former Soviet republic of Tajikistan has become the second country, after Turkmenistan, in the Central Asian region to abolish the death penalty for all crimes. – IRIN * Former pop star Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf Islam, has been awarded substantial damages by two British papers, The Sun and The Sunday Times, which alleged he had supported terrorism. – The Independent * The Minister of Education in the North West has agreed in the Pretoria High Court to pay a former pupil R725 000 in damages for an injury sustained at school. Paul Steyn was 13 when he had to have his foot amputated after it was trapped under a lawnmower five years ago. – Pretoria News * The Environmental Affairs Department will not appeal a court decision that in effect halts a pebble bed modular reactor at Koeberg. It will publish new regulations for an environmental study. – Business Day * Government will publish its draft fisheries policy, which will result in the granting of fishing rights for period of eight to 15 years, on March 1. – Business Day