Staff Reporter

More than 60-million viewers saw the first United States presidential debate; the second also drew a mammoth audience, up 50% on the debates of 2000. But this election’s most intense political communication has bypassed the vast majority of the American public.

National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete has warned two MPs they will need Parliament’s permission to give evidence in the Schabir Shaik trial, currently under way in Durban. Former public accounts committee chairperson Gavin Woods of the Inkatha Freedom Party and Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille might be called as state witnesses in Shaik’s trial.

Between Oil City, Pennsylvania and Canton, Ohio, a hilly, leafy terrain gives way to a landscape as flat and appealing as warm Pepsi. Arriving in Canton on Interstate 77 you pass a Hoover plant, which has laid off more than 800 workers in the past seven months, and then a huge religious billboard asking: "Saved?" and offering a number to call.

"Last week the South African Police Service issued the annual crime statistics. What these show is that, overall, the incidence of reported crime in the country is declining, indicating a reduction in the number of actual crimes committed." This is an edited version of President Thabo Mbeki’s controversial online letter, recently flighted by the ANC.

After months of fund-raising, Norwegian activists on Tuesday paid for United States newspaper advertisements telling President George Bush he was wrong to invade Iraq and should pull out his troops. The activists are bound largely by a website that uses Norway’s two-letter internet code "no" as part of its message: <i>Tellhim.no</i>.

Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon on Tuesday queried the part played by President Thabo Mbeki in South Africa’s multibillion-rand arms acquisition programme, saying the "full story" of his role remains among a number of unanswered questions about the controversial deal.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?cg=BreakingNews-National&ao=123595&t=1">TV station loses bid to film Shaik trial</a>

A growing number of fraud scams are being run by organised crime syndicates where criminals take out policies on fictitious people and then submit claims in respect of these policies using fake identity documents and unclaimed corpses from mortuaries, according to Cape Town-based insurance underwriter Desmond Smith.

Andile Ngcaba, former Department of Communications Director-General and new Dimension Data chairperson designate has declined his nomination for the African ICT Achievers Awards. Ngcaba was nominated a number of times for the top black individual of the year award and was short-listed as one of the finalists.

<b>Community-based Natural Resource Management Expert at German Technical Cooperation</b>

Jabu believes in South Africa and the communities around her. She works to ensure that the country’s wealth of natural resources will be protected for the benefit of future generations. This can only be achieved by raising the awareness of communities about their local resources, she says.

<b>Executive Director: Planning, Transport and Environment, City of Johannesburg</b>

When sitting in traffic in the morning, Amanda’s job has already started. She is responsible for everything that happens in Johannesburg’s urban environment, so vehicle emissions are high on her agenda. Among her projects is the creation of a sustainable public transport system.

<b>Programme Manager: Seabird Conservation, BirdLife South Africa</b>

Out of 21 albatross species, 19 face the threat of going extinct because of longline fishing operations. “But not if I have anything to do with it,” Samantha declares. This sea-girl from Cape Town will go to any length to save her birds, and not even the roughest seas will deter her from her mission.

<b>Networking Programmes Administrator: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies (Plaas), University of the Western Cape</b>

When researchers reveal stunning new facts during impressive presentations, most people give little thought to the organisers, without whom there would be no such events. Lulekwa’s job proves that, behind every successful workshop, there is a dedicated and efficient administrator.

<b>Programme Manager: Threatened Species, South African National Biodiverity Institute</b>

“My research centred on climate change, specifically its impact on the kokerboom or quiver tree. The results were disturbing, so the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) asked me to extend my research over Northern Cape and Namibia,” she says. She now manages the SANBI’s threatened species programme.

<b>Founder, Managing Director and Producer/Director, DewClaw Productions</b>

Growing up in England, Sophie’s fascination with African wildlife started when she was young because of Sir David Attenborough’s nature films on TV. She started DewClaw Productions in 2002 to make wildlife, conservation and environmental education films.

<B>Programme Relations Officer, IUCN-SA</b>

Currently studying for a BCom in financial management, Suzette’s job involves controlling million-rand budgets. What drives her is her passion for community development. She acts as the focal point for the IUCN-SA National Committee and the Southern Africa Sustainable Use Specialist Group, under IUCN’s Species Survival Commission.

<b>Conservation Manager, Endangered Wildlife Trust; Programme Manager, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, SSC/IUCN Southern Africa; Chairperson, IUCN South African Members’ Committee</b>

Yolan’s background includes a BA in English; veterinary nursing at Onderstepoort; and, in between a very busy schedule, she is currently studying media communications.

<b>Park Manager: Mountain Zebra National Park, SANParks</b>

The Cape mountain zebra nearly became extinct, but at Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock, they are making a comeback. Now their population numbers 300. Their custodian is a small Xhosa woman, with a big laugh and a big heart.

Building on its global leadership position in smart-card technology, MasterCard International on Monday launched its OneSMART MasterCard programme in Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Ninety percent of South African consumers perceive smart cards to be a far more secure way of protecting cards against fraudulent transactions.

Earthquake activity has increased at Mount St Helens, but scientists said on Saturday there was no reason to raise the volcano’s alert level. A bubble on the south side of the dome has also risen to at least 100m since scientists first spotted it on September 30 and is now almost as tall as the dome’s 300m summit.

Israel’s military intelligence chief on Friday blamed al-Qaeda for the hotel bombings that killed at least 30 people, mostly Israeli tourists and Egyptian workers, in Sinai. An emergency session of Ariel Sharon’s Cabinet was told that the main attack, a car bomb, bore all the hallmarks of groups linked to al-Qaeda.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?cg=BreakingNews-Africa&ao=123413">’I saw parts of bodies, some fingers'</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?cg=BreakingNews-InternationalNews&ao=123378">Al-Qaeda offshoot claims blasts</a>

Old Mutual Properties, a subsidiary of South African and United Kingdom listed financial services giant Old Mutual, has signed an agreement with the Savola Group, a leading Saudi Arabian industrial group, to establish a property services company in the kingdom.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan politician known for her work for the environment and founder of the Green Belt Movement in 1977, the Norwegian news agency NTB reported on Friday.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/content/l3.asp?cg=0&o=27987">Kenya’s green role model</a>

Deep divisions between judges at the Cape High Court have been exposed since Judge President John Hlophe angrily criticised his colleagues on the Bench for resisting transformation, and the apparent involvement of Deputy Judge President Jeanette Traverso in the affair now raises questions about the progress of the case that sparked the row.

Andrew Meintjes died on October 5 at the age of 50 — murdered during an armed robbery at his Braamfontein, Johannesburg, studio. Meintjes was an inventor, photographer, artist and printing legend. He was a photographer’s best friend and famous among us — a Photoshop jockey who could whip any badly exposed negative into shape. Pushing the limits, he dragged out the shadow detail and found the highlights.

There is a factor of the Iraq war that somehow has faded into the background. What has happened to those brave gents and ladies who, when the United States and British forces were about to bomb Baghdad, dispatched themselves there as human shields? As they prepared themselves for their mission they got a lot of publicity, on television and in the papers.