News In Brief

UN Namibia panel accuses companies of exploitation

The United Nations Council for Namibia is preparing a ''blacklist'' of transnational corporations that it says are illegally exploiting the resources of Namibia (South-West Africa) and bolstering South Africa's presence in the disputed territory. A draft of the document lists 11 companies based in Western Europe, 10 in North America, and 24 in South Africa.

The council said it hoped that exposing the investments would force states to discourage the activities in Namibia.

Namibia, administered by South Africa in defiance of repeated UN resolutions calling for its independence, is rich in minerals, including uranium and diamonds.