THE earth’s atmosphere is warming faster than expected and evidence is mounting that human activity is responsible, says the United Nations Environment Programme. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) now projects the earth’s average surface temperature will rise 1.4 to 5.8 deg C between 1990 and 2100, higher than its 1995 estimate of […]

ALGERIAN rebels blew up the entrance to a house and machine-gunned to death 11 members of one family, including four women and three children, in a poor suburb of Medea, south of Algiers. The attack came a day after the massacre of 23 shepherds near Chlef, about 220km west of Algiers. More than 60 people […]

SOUTH African media and telecommunications group Johnnic has bought a 40% stake in FirstRand’s eBucks.com’s online customer appreciation project for R40m. The transaction is part of a deal to create a joint customer appreciation programme with a base of more than seven million clients. Johnnic says it will merge the customer loyalty schemes of its […]

EMELIA SITHOLE, Johannesburg | Friday STRONG local and offshore demand for South African blue-chip issues lifted the Johannesburg bourse to its highest close in more than 11 months on Thursday and dealers see the market staying strong on Friday. However, Northam Platinum went against the strong tone, falling sharply after it launched a bid for […]

NIGERIA’S state carrier has agreed another four-month extension of its current joint venture accord with British Airways for the operation of the Lagos-London route. The debt-ridden Nigeria Airways sought the help of British Airways (BA) to run the route, but the agreement expired last October and had been extended for three months. Uncertainties have dogged […]

THE South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the country’s largest electronic goods retailer and furniture group, Profurn Ltd, have agreed that the group will pay R26m to settle a tax dispute. Profurn’s chief financial officer said the group had expected to pay ”much less”. The settlement arises from a meeting last year which SARS held […]

SOUTH Africa is starting to prepare for a 2002 flotation of a stake in domestic airliner South African Airways (SAA). Public Enterprises deputy director general Leslie Maasdorp said no decision had been taken on the size of the initial public offering and when in 2002 it would take place. Analysts reckon 20-30% will be floated, […]

MEDICAL Research Council president Malegapuru Makgoba has condemned what he called the exploitation of young Aids activist Nkosi Johnson in efforts to demonise President Thabo Mbeki. He said people chose to sow doubt on the government’s commitment to fighting HIV/Aids, and when Mbeki tried to clarify his position, they either did not want or chose […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday THE Jukskei River running through the Alexandra township in Johannesburg has tested positive for cholera, threatening the millions of people in townships next to the river who are dependent on it for their daily water. Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Ronnie Kasrils this week confirmed that the river tested positive. […]