A recent report has dramatically changed the United Nations tone towards Unita, writes Victoria Brittain Defectors from the Angolan rebel group Unita alleged in a videotape shown to the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday that Unita’s leader, Jonas Savimbi, personally ordered the downing of two UN airplanes a year ago, killing 23 passengers and […]

Paul Kirk and Jubie Matlou Police and intelligence services in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape are warning of widespread violence in the provinces amid mounting discontent about proposed changes to municipal demarcations. Six people have already died and more than 30 have been seriously injured in fighting that has been directly attributed to the newly […]

GOALKEEPER Alain Gouamene, who kept five blank sheets sheets when Cote d’Ivoire won the 1992 edition, will be making his seventh consecutive appearance at the finals of the African Nations Cup.

Howard Barrell Over a Barrel In response to the Mail &Guardian’s lead story last Friday predicting a “big bang” in government economic policy in the next six weeks, economist Nico Czypionka told Business Day he thought a “slightly damp fire cracker” was more likely. He may well be right. How so? Because the government may […]

NIGERIA and Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu has been voted African Sports Personality of the Year by BBC listeners. Ghana and Bayern Munich defender Samuel Kuffour came second.

Reports by Marianne Merten Helicopters scampering over the blazing vineyards of Constantia became the “motif” of the Cape of Storms this week as the Peninsula burst into flames producing scenes that could have been staged for a mega disaster movie. >From the beaches of Muizenberg columns of smoke rising above the mountains behind Scarborough and […]

Life with the creature feature – Jack Schofield charts the rise of the robots The creation of artificial life will be one of the themes of the 21st century; it’s already helping to drive the toys and games market, from CyberLife’s Creatures to Sony’s AIBO robot dog. A generation of children is keeping “virtual pets” […]

REBELS in Burundi opened fire on an armoured car carrying aid workers and burnt out a second vehicle on a main lakeside road south of the capital, humanitarian staff said on Thursday. Twenty to 30 rebels laid a tree across the road near Magara, around 35kms from Bujumbura, on Wednesday and shot at the vehicle […]

If approved by Cabinet, the proposed `dole’ system could be linked to the new Welfare Payment and Information Service, expected to be up and running in 2003. Barry Streek reports The government has been committed to the introduction of a “dole” system in South Africa since 1997 but the estimated price tag of about R7-billion, […]