THE Scorpions’ investigation into a number of companies linked to South Africa’s multi-billion rand arms deal, and whose offices were raided in three countries on Tuesday, could be concluded before the end of the month. The unit’s head, Percy Sonn, addressing the Pretoria Press Club on Wednesday, declined to comment on whether he anticipated any […]

Kabul | Thursday THE Taliban regime accused a British woman journalist arrested in Afghanistan last week of being part of a special forces unit, dashing hopes for her early release, the press reported in Kabul on Thursday. ”She must have had ill intentions while America and Britain talk of having their special forces in Afghanistan. […]

Dakar | Wednesday THE September 11 attacks in the United States will have disastrous consequences for the daily lives of many Africans already resigned to poverty, disease and marginalisation, warn experts across the continent. ”Necessarily, developing countries that are tied to developed countries will suffer,” Ivorian Finance Minister Alain Bohoun Bouabre said in response to […]

THE United States dismissed on Wednesday terrorist organisation al-Qaeda’s ”chilling challenge” to all Muslims to join a jihad, or holy war, against America. Secretary of State Colin Powell told NBC’s Today show the United States would meet the challenge from Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network which warned the United States would face further attacks by […]

Pretoria | Wednesday MICHAEL Woerfel, the suspended managing director of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), which has a stake in the country’s multi-billion arms deal, was granted R10 000 bail in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday. Woerfel’s appearance in court on Wednesday on charges of corruption and forgery was his first. […]

Harare | Tuesday ZIMBABWE is to pay a heavy price for loans from Libya with farms, hotels and oil installations pledged to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime as payment for his help, the Zimbabwe Independent reports. The Libyans, who recently provided a $90-million line of credit to supply fuel to Zimbabwe, have cast their eyes on […]

RADICAL French farmer leader and anti-globalisation activist Jose Bove on Wednesday accused the World Bank of “destroying” Africa’s agricultural output. “The World Bank is destroying agricultural production capacity in countries in west Africa where between 60 to 85% of the population are farmers,” he said. On Monday, World bank chief James Wolfensohn said the September […]

THE United States Agency for International Development (USaid) has granted $11,5-million (12,5-million euros) to Mozambique for an anti-HIV/Aids programme. The programme, dubbed the Development Corridor of Hope, will involve individuals and communities living along the Maputo Development Corridor — a key road and rail link between South Africa and Mozambique — in the distribution of […]

THE number of people murdered by Unita during the attack on a train on 10 August is now reported to be 422 confirmed deaths, with 229 people still missing and unaccounted for. The train had been travelling from Luanda to Dondo when it was attacked near Zenza do Itombe, Cuanza Norte province. Unita has admitted […]

PHILIPPE BERNES-LASSERRE, Johannesburg | Tuesday SOUTH Africa will on Wednesday start its second post-apartheid census, a gigantic task to measure the changes in the living conditions of blacks, whites and coloureds over the past five years. More than 80 000 enumerators — issued by Statistics South Africa with condom packs, “just in case” — will […]