LIBYA has welcomed a decision by the United States government to cease classifying Libya and six other countries as “rogue states”. The United States earlier this week dropped the use of the term “rogue state” from its foreign policy lexicon in favor of the broader categorization “state of concern”. US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 1.30pm. THE UN Security Council and ministers of six West African states have discussed putting Sierra Leonean rebel leader Foday Sankoh on trial, but they disagree about the scope of the charges. Speaking to journalists, the ministers recalled that Sankoh was amnestied under a peace agreement signed last year for […]

EGYPTIAN archeologists have discovered two limestone tombs modeled on the design of the Great Pyramids of Giza. They were built by the builders of the pyramids for themselves and not for the kings, but the authorities did not say if their mummified bodies were found inside them. “The two tombs were conceived on the inside […]

THE South African Chamber of Business has approved a proposal that the organisation merge with the National African Federated Chambers of Commerce Nafcoc. The merger has been negotiated over the past six months. The agreement is however seen as a stab in the back of the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut which had its eyes on uniting with […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Wednesday 5.45pm. THE South African cricket squad gathered in Durban on Wednesday to prepare for their upcoming three-nation tour, as their sacked captain was being grilled at the King Commission inquiry into corruption in Cape Town. The squad, now captained by Shaun Pollock, leave next Friday to travel to Sri Lanka, […]

FORMER South African cricket coach Bob Woolmer has cast doubts on the credibility of United Cricket Board chief Dr Ali Bacher, saying in the Daily Telegraph that Bacher knew about a fixing offer made to the team in 1996. The offer, made in Bombay to the tune of $250000, was the first to come to […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 11.30am. FINANCE Minister Trevor Manuel’s voto on banking group Nedcor’s hostile takeover of Standard Bank Investment Corporation has been hailed as a victory for consumers over shareholders, and a blow against monopolies. Manuel on Wednesday blocked Nedcor’s hostile bid for Stanbic, because of competition concerns. Manuel had elevated the interests […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Thursday 12.45pm. DISGRACED former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje said on Thursday that his overwhelming greed for easy money from bookmakers blinded him to the immorality of his actions. ”I didn’t see the bad side of it at the time. Until April 7 I didn’t realise that I had […]

THE former welfare minister Abe Williams was found guilty in the Cape High Court on Tuesday on 36 charges of theft and four charges of corruption. The total amount of cash involved was R508254, Judge Roger Cleaver found. The corruption counts relate to money Williams received from computer company Mercedes Information Technologies while serving as […]