Andrew Higgins As banks wobble and crash across Asia, a sparkling, futuristic structure is rising on the Avenue of Eternal Peace in Beijing. It is a grandiose declaration of confidence by China’s biggest commercial bank. But the edifice stands on unsteady foundations. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)is, by any reckoning, a wreck. […]

The Mail & Guardian announces two new features. From this week we are launching a new political column, Crossfire, which is to be written on a rotational basis by some of the leading commentators in the country. In the first Crossfire, Jeremy Cronin asks under what conditions a merger between the African National Congress and […]

Computer crime costs South Africa more money than heists and robberies, yet there is no law against hacking, writes David Shapshak South Africa lost an estimated R326-million to computer crime last year, more money than in robberies or violent cash-in-transit heists, according to police statistics released this week. And police are expecting an increase in […]

Mail & Guardian reporter Tony O’Reilly spends as he earns – liberally. When the estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis came under the hammer at Sotheby’s two years ago, O’Reilly paid $2,6- million for a 40-carat diamond engagement ring given to the former first lady by Aristotle Onassis. The former Ireland rugby star-turned-ketchup king was last […]

Monica Hilton-Barber : Slice of life The golden glow of goodwill between different South Africans may have dimmed and the initial dream of racial integration become more distant since the initial euphoria following the elections four years ago. But the rainbow is still bright and beautiful in many parts of the country. Number 23 Van […]

The IBA is keeping a close rein on Voice of Soweto, writes Maria McCloy The community radio station Voice of Soweto is pulling out the stops to comply with orders set down by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA). Voice of Soweto is currently broadcasting on a temporary 30-day licence after a tussle with the IBA […]

football Alex Duval Smith In a world where a single transfer fee for a top football player could save the economy of a small country, it seems almost inconceivable for one of the poorest nations on the planet, Burkina Faso, to be organising a major soccer championship. But as the African Nations Cup play-offs gather […]

Peter Makurube and Charl Blignaut Johannesburg songstress Thembi Mtshali has just wrapped up shooting her role in Steven Spielberg’s ambitious new movie Deep Impact. “It’s not a big role, but it’s a big step forward in a very tough market,” she said this week in a telephone interview from Washington DC. A spin-off of George […]

Chris McGreal The Marquis Bernard-Alexis P de Menars, Prince de Bourbon-Vendome, head of the Universal Foundation, pursuer of “The Light”, looked genuine enough to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s inexperienced former finance minister, Mawampanga Mwana Nanga. The “marquis” arrived at Mawampanga’s office offering to help raise and administer $500- million for the cash-strapped former Zaire. […]

Janet Smith Deon van der Walt’s conversation is blunt. They use “cum doubles”, he reveals, when South African men can’t get it together at the critical climactic moment in porn movies. Unlike our men, American actors can apparently shoot from the groin in three minutes. They’re very professional about it. A quick chat with the […]