OWN CORRESPONDENT | Sunday THE Free State provincial government’s education ministry has joined its counterpart in the Northern Province and issued instructions to farmers to sign contracts that cede portions of their land away for educational purposes – or face expropriation, reports the Sunday Independent. The Free State Agricultural Union (FSAU) has endorsed the province’s […]

IVORY Coast’s ousted ruling party, denied the right to challenge military ruler Robert Guei in an October 22 presidential election, has told its supporters to boycott the poll. Acting Democratic Party (PDCI-RDA) president Laurent Dona Fologo said they would contest the other elections of the transition to restore civilian rule following a coup in December. […]

JEREMY LOVELL, Cape Town | Friday SOUTH African insurance experts believe that nearly half of South African adults risk becoming infected with HIV within the next decade unless ”drastic steps are taken now”. ”About 45% of adults will become infected with HIV/Aids unless there are significant changes in South Africa,” predicts Rob Dorrington, professor of […]

ISRAELI forces were on high alert for Palestinian protests and possible guerrilla attacks after an explosion of violence that has all but killed off Middle East peacemaking. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat rejected peace talks until Israel halted military action, as the United States, its peace efforts in tatters, licked its wounds from an apparent suicide […]

AFP and OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Sunday ABOUT 200 Muslims in Cape Town attacked a McDonalds fast food store on the weekend after a rally where US and Israeli flags were burned to protest the violence in the Middle East. ”About 200 demonstrators marched to McDonalds and they damaged about 10 vehicles parked outside […]

A 47-year-old Rwandan who faces charges of genocide has abandoned his legal efforts to remain in Britain. Tharcisse Muvunyi is to face charges in connection with the deaths of 100 000 people during the 1994 genocide in the tiny central African country. Muvunyi was to have mounted a bid for freedom in the London High […]

STEVEN SWINDELLS, Cape Town | Friday THE diamond industry is stalling on its pledge to clamp down on so-called ”conflict diamonds” that have fuelled civil wars across Africa, an influential human rights group has charged. Global Witness urged diamond firms, including industry giant De Beers, and producer governments to speed up agreed measures to stop […]