BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Robin Cook were lambasted by the conservative British press on Wednesday for their handling of the so called “arms-to-Africa” scandal. On Tuesday a cross-party group of MPs slammed the foreign office for allowing British mercenaries to supply weapons to Sierra Leone — in breach of a United […]

A STRONG gale hit Cape Town on Wednesday evening, ripping an oil rig off its moorings in Table Bay harbour and causing extensive damage, SABC TV news reports. The South Sea Driller broke free from its moorings at the Ben Schoeman Dock and collided with several fishing trawlers before crashing into the dock. All available […]

PAPER and pulp group Sappi reported depressed earnings per share for the three months to December in its first release of quarterly results on Wednesday. However, Sappi said that this is in line with the forecast in the year to September 1998 results announcement. Headline earnings were 58 cents, down 8% on the comparative quarter […]

A MAGISTRATE ordered here on Tuesday that Trevor Tutu, the son of Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, be held in police custody after he failed to appear in court for the third time on charges of reckless driving.Tutu was due in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court for the resumption of a trial in which he […]

ONE person died and eleven others were injured at the weekend when guards opened fire on angry football fans who tried to storm the palace of Ghana’s Ashanti king at the weekend, police said on Monday. Some 2000 fans rushed to the Asantehene’s residence in Kumasi, 200km north-west of Accra. The crowd was protesting the […]

ALBANIA’S exiled King Leka, jailed this week pending a bail hearing, was hospitalised with a bleeding ulcer late on Tuesday. Police spokesperson Captain Francois Grobbelaar said on Wednesday that Leka (60) had complained of feeling ill and was admitted to a Johannesburg clinic. The king is being held on charges of illegal possession of firearms, […]

A PAINSTAKING century by Mal Loye of Northamptonshire gave England A the upperhand over Zimbabwe A on Tuesday, the first day of a five-day Test in Bulawayo. Loye batted through all but six overs of the day for his unbeaten 122, which included 17 boundaries. His effort on an easy paced wicket enabled England A […]

WESTERN Areas and Canadian mining group Placer Dome have firmed up a $235-million joint venture agreement. Western Areas is hoping that the deal will allow it to dilute its risk from South Deep, its deep level project and to explore mining projects throughout the world. Placer Dome will chair the joint-venture board and have the […]

THE Jordanian embassy in Pretoria has opened a book of condolences for King Hussein, who died suddenly at the weekend. The embassy said on Tuesday that members of the public will be able to sign the book from 10am to noon and from 2pm to 4pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the embassy at […]

DEPUTY Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad on Tuesday said South Africa will continue to support the peace process in Burundi, and to helping the country recover from years of internecine conflict. Pahad met with Mr Nzojibwami Augustine, Second Vice President of the Transitional Assembly of Burundi in Cape Town today. South Africa has been supporting the […]