The United States is conducting a secret ‘dirty tricks’ campaign against UN Security Council delegations in New York as part of its battle to win votes in favour of war against Iraq.

Police in Pakistan yesterday seized Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, the alleged mastermind behind the September 11 attacks on the United States. Considered the most dangerous Islamic terrorist actively operating in the world, his arrest represents a stunning blow against the al-Qaida organisation.

Great snakes! Twenty years after his Belgian creator’s death Tintin, the betufted boy reporter of comic-strip fame, is to go to Hollywood to star in a series of action films produced by Steven Spielberg.

After waiting so long for peace and stability, there is something almost vindictive in the timing. A plague potentially more deadly than any battle is seeping across Angola just when people had reasons to hope.

Not that this World Cup needs lighting up, but the rare genius of Sachin Tendulkar came ablaze at SuperSport Park on Saturday as India swept aside Pakistan by six-wickets in the great Pool A sub-continental showdown.

Maurice Odumbe took Kenya into the Super Sixes of the World Cup on Saturday with an all-round destruction of Bangladesh — and then turned his fire on the rulers of the world game.

Andy Flower and Henry Olonga’s spirit of rebellion spread to the Queens Sports Club crowd here on Friday as Zimbabwe defeated the Netherlands by 99 runs to keep their World Cup dream alive.

Sri Lanka won a dramatic Cricket World Cup game against the West Indies by 6 runs on Friday at Newlands, in spite of a brave onslaught by the injured Ramnaresh Sarwan.

The argument over what should be built on the mass-murder scene where the World Trade Centre once stood was, in essence, a fight between selling and telling.

It will take Derek Bond some time to adjust to his unwanted celebrity status. When he was told that the president was on the phone, the 72-year-old rotarian assumed it was the head of the Clifton Rotary Club.