THE World Bank’s outgoing Vice-President Jean-Louis Sarbib has condemned reports in the Economist which depicted Africa as an economic and political basket case. Speaking at a conference in Montreal, Sarbib said it is shortsighted to perceive the entire continent as a high-risk destination for trade and investment and each region and country should be investigated […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Jolo | Wednesday 8.50am. GOVERNMENT negotiators are expected to arrive on the southern Philippines island of Jolo on Wednesday to resume talks with Moslem rebels holding 21 hostages, including two South Africans. Journalists who saw the hostages on Tuesday said ailing German housewife Renate Wallert, one of the captives, is very weak and […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Freetown | Wednesday 8.50am. NINETY-three exhausted Zambian and Kenyan UN peacekeepers, held hostage for two weeks in the bush by rebels in Sierra Leone, have flown back to the government-controlled capital of Freetown. Wearing a ragged array of uniforms and some shod in flip-flop sandals, they landed at Freetown’s Lungi airport on Tuesday […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, London | Wednesday 2.00pm. GOLD prices were seen extending losses after overnight falls sparked by the US interest rate rise of 50 basis points. ”The dollar strengthened on the back of higher interest rates, so producing-countries currencies weakened and are putting pressure on gold,” said one European trader said. In the short term, […]
Click on image for full-size view.
AN investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the underground explosion that killed seven miners at the Beatrix gold mine near Welkom on Monday. Part of the mine was shut down on Monday evening pending the outcome of a meeting with Mineral and Energy Affairs Minister Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, National Union of Mineworkers representatives […]
EGYPTIAN President Hosni Mubabrak has welcomed the Israeli cabinet’s decision to transfer full control of three villages near Jerusalem to the Palestinians. “The decision to return the three villages to the Palestinian Authority is a step in the right direction,” Mubarak said in a statement published by the state-owned MENA news agency. One of the […]
STEVEN MANN, Cape Town | Tuesday 3.30pm. A TOP prison official has described convicted fraudster Allan Boesak as a “highly principled man” who would neither want nor receive special privileges while he is in jail. Stephen Korabie, the Western Cape correctional services commissioner, said it had been decided to transfer Boesak from Pollsmoor prison to […]
THE 139 UN peacekeeepers freed by Sierra Leone rebels are expected to arrive in Freetown Tuesday, as international frustration rises over the situation in the country. Liberian President Charles Taylor called on Monday for a ceasefire in Sierra Leone after securing the release of 139 UN hostages being held by the rebel Revolutionary United Front. […]
THE US Agency for International Development pledged on Tuesday $250-million in development aid to South Africa for the next five years. The money will be used to stimulate job creation, strengthen the country’s justice system, improve access to health, education and housing for its people and fight the spread of HIV/Aids, the US embassy and […]