THE Nigerian government on Wednesday denied ordering the arrest early this month of a controversial preacher who had hinted at a change of government in the country. Pastor Tunde Bakare was freed on May 4 after being detained for two days, when he was interrogated about his predictions and “critical prophesies”, his lawyer said last […]

Algiers | Wednesday PRESIDENT Abdelaziz Bouteflika has announced that the Berber language would become an official language in Algeria alongside Arabic after leaders of the large Berber minority called for a boycott of the May general election. ”I have decided in total freedom and with total conviction to include Tamazight (one of the main dialects […]

Cape Town | Wednesday THE National Intelligence Agency (NIA) is investigating a ”security situation” in the Western Cape’s provincial legislature building in Cape Town. This was all the provincial government had to say on Wednesday following reports in the Afrikaans daily newspaper Die Burger earlier in the day that ”sophisticated listening-in and monitoring equipment” was […]

London | Thursday A TEAM of British scientists said on Wednesday their new study shows Freud was right after all — men and women are attracted to people who remind them of their parents. Or at least smell like them. Researchers at the Museum of Science and Discovery, a think tank in the central England […]

Pretoria | Thursday DESPITE the recent unprecedented level of withdrawals of deposits from BOE Bank Limited the bank is well-managed and sound, according to a joint statement issued early on Thursday by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni. ”The current apparent loss of confidence in BOE is without foundation, as BOE […]

Cape Town | Wednesday DRAFT legislation providing for public representatives at all three tiers of government to change parties without losing their seats has been published for public comment. This follows Cabinet approval last Wednesday of the measures. Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Penuell Maduna gave notice in the Government Gazette on Monday of his […]

Brakpan, Gauteng | Thursday POLICE have arrested a 34-year old man who allegedly tortured, indecently assaulted and raped his 33-year old wife at their Brakpan home on Tuesday night. East Rand police representative Anneline Prinsloo said the assailant allegedly punched his wife into a semi-conscious state, then dragged her into the bedroom and tortured her […]

Johannesburg, STUART GRAHAM | Thursday THERE was no rational motive for the South African banking industry to drive down the value of the rand in the last quarter of 2001, the commission into the depreciation of the currency heard on Thursday. The chief executive of the Banking Council, Bob Tucker, told the commission that evidence […]

THE acquittal of the four men accused of murdering Rashaad Staggie showed that the state had lost key skills, said Hennie Bester, leader of the Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape. The loss of these skills “weakened the capacity to secure successful convictions in cases critical to the welfare of the nation,” Bester said. “Simply […]