The French (who seem to do more for culture in South Africa than any state body) have a word for it. La bande dessine. The English term, “comics”, hardly does justice to the radiant variety of graphic narrative that has grown from “funnies” and superhero strips into an artform as complex and interesting as any […]

There’s no need to worry about global warming, argues Dennis Avery. History shows it will lead to great benefits `Climate extremes would trigger meteorological chaos – raging hurricanes such as we have never seen, capable of killing millions of people; uncommonly long, record-breaking heat waves; and profound drought that could drive Africa and the entire […]

There’s room for improvement at the South African Music Awards. Peter Makurube has some suggestions On May 13 the South African music industry took time off at the Sun City Superbowl to pat itself on the back. Unlike the cultural boycott busting days, the audience was at least representative of the country’s population. The who’s […]

Intel’s next chips will be too clever for today’s programs. Jack Schofield reports on a scheme to help rewrite the way we work The PC industry is preparing a great leap forward that will more than double the power of computers. The problem is that there is hardly any software to exploit the extra capability. […]

Tom McGhie Computer games company Eidos has teamed up with rock star David Bowie, his wife Iman, and the best-selling author Michael Crichton in two deals designed to create hit games. Eidos has signed a long-term publishing deal with Timeline Studios, North Carolina, for games based on original material to be written by Timeline co-founder […]

LESS than a week before a ceasefire is to begin in Sierra Leone, rebels launched two attacks near the eastern city of Kenema, the pro-government Ecomog intervention force said on Thursday. Ecomog spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Olukolade said the first attack occurred on Wednesday at Mano Junction, just north of Kenema, 240km east of the capital, […]

The greater the risk, the more he revels in the challenge. Adam Sweeting profiles Formula One’s ambitious mastermind, Bernie Ecclestone Such is Bernie Ecclestone’s reputation as the shadowy mastermind behind Formula One, that it is tempting to think he personally orchestrated the chaos of the season’s opening event in Melbourne. “You couldn’t have wished for […]

With only two ministers expected to retain their positions, speculation about the look of the new Cabinet is growing, writes Howard Barrell Speculation is increasing in political circles over the composition of Thabo Mbeki’s first Cabinet after the elections on June 2. Most attention is focused on who will become deputy president and who will […]

Cathy Jenkins:A SECOND LOOK `Let me ask you, Reverend [Musa] Zondi, who should be prosecuted for stockpiling weapons and who should not? If we want the country to be governable, as the Inkatha Freedom Party says it wants to do, who do you think should be prosecuted whenever they transgress the law?” Tim Modise, interviewing […]

LIFE assurer Old Mutual said on Thursday that its subsidiary bank, Nedcor Ltd, has earned better-than-expected interest income and margins, but these have been partially offset by bad debt. Old Mutual, which owns a 53,5% controlling interest in the bank, said Nedcor continues to place a considerable focus on expense control in seeking to achieve […]