THURSDAY, 12.30AM: JSE shares ended lower on Thursday as the market drew breath from the recent bull run to indulge in a little profit taking. The all gold index dropped by 3,9 points to close at 802,5 while the industrial index fell 23 points to a 7 969,4 close. The financial index broke record setting […]

THURSDAY, 6.00PM: THE Nigerian military trial of 26 alleged plotters in a military coup against the regime of General Sani Abacha may be opened to “observers”, according to a Nigerian defence ministry spokesman. “Anyone who wants to witness the trial as an observer should write to the president of the tribunal [to] seek permission,” said […]

THURSDAY, 5.00PM: Windhoek Observer editor Hannes Smith was granted R1000 bail after appealing his prison sentence for contempt of court in the Windhoek High Court on Thursday morning. Smith, 64, was jailed last Friday on contempt of court charges, after failing to produce documents potentially vital to the second inquest into the death of assassinated […]

THURSDAY, 1030AM: PETER POLLOCK, convenor of South Africa’s cricket selectors, on Wednesday named a 13-man squad to face Pakistan in the second and third Tests. Out go struggling bats Hershelle Gibbs and Daryll Cullinan, as does Jonty Rhodes. Fit-again skipper Hansie Cronje is back, while spinner Paul “Gogga” Adams and swinger Fanie de Villers also […]

WEDNESDAY, 5.30PM: THE first cricket Test between South Africa and Pakistan was finally abandoned shortly after lunch on Wednesday’s final day with the home side adding 44 runs without loss to their first-innings tally of 364. The start of the match was delayed for a day following an assault on two Pakistani bowlers, and Tuesday’s […]

TUESDAY, 12.00NOON: THE United States is forcing South African steel producers to sell steel plate exported to the US at prices far higher than those allowed to Russia, China and Ukraine. The US domestic steel industry is heavily protected by quotas and “floor prices” imposed on foreign steel producers, preventing them from undercutting the US […]

TUESDAY, 2.00PM: PAUL ADAMS, with his best first-class analysis of 7/69, placed Western Province securely on track to give Griquas the Supersport series wooden spoon, beating them by an innings and 45 runs at Newlands on Monday. Province scored their second win in seven outings, thanks to their international wrist spinner. Last week Adams set […]

TUESDAY, 12.30AM: SOUTH African Rugby Football Union president Louis Luyt was accused of making racist remarks about former Sarfu vice-president Brian van Rooyen, author of the Van Rooyen dossier about the state of South African rugby, when he took the stand in the Pretoria High Court on Monday. Luyt was confronted with allegations that he […]

TUESDAY, 1.30PM: THE Southern African Development Community, currently chaired by South Africa, has asked the international community to write off the debt of its member states. The debt burden is retarding the SADC programme of regional integration. At a debate on the debt crisis in Sweden, SADC executive secretary Kaire Mbuende said as SADC debt […]

MONDAY, 6.30PM: THE financial index on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange was pushed to its ninth consecutive record high on Monday, and its good figures were emulated by the industrial and all share indices. Gold shares, however, were held down by the poor gold price. The financial index’s fever was maintained by rumours of mergers and […]