ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A powerful earthquake shook southern Alaska on Friday morning, buckling roads, disrupting traffic and knocking television stations off the air in the state’s largest city, but there were no immediate reports of injuries. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake’s epicenter was 13 km north of Anchorage, home to about 40 percent of the state’s […]

KINSHASA – The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo is now the second biggest in history, with 426 confirmed and probable cases, the health ministry said late on Thursday. The epidemic in a volatile part of Democratic Republic of Congo is now only surpassed by the 2013-2016 outbreak in West Africa, where more than 28,000 cases […]

PIETERMARITZBURG – South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma wants corruption charges relating to a $2.2 billion arms deal to be permanently set aside, his lawyers said on Friday in Pietermaritzburg, when Zuma made his fourth court appearance since the charges were reinstated. Zuma, who was ousted by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in February, […]

LUSAKA  – Britain’s Prince Harry on Monday offered Zambia support with boosting the country’s dwindling elephant population, as he began a two-day working visit without his pregnant wife Meghan. The Duke of Sussex, 34, was received at Lusaka airport by dignitaries and colourfully-dressed traditional dancers, later holding a closed-door meeting with Zambian President Edgar Lungu […]

NAIROBI – When the soldiers started fanning out in the cashew nut growing regions of southern Tanzania – it was a jolting sight for traders and, campaigners say, a watershed moment for a country once held up as a darling of development groups. The government said the troops were there last week to make sure […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s rand will remain volatile in 2019, making monetary policy complicated and focused on long-term inflation factors rather than short-term market shocks, Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Daniel Mminele said on Wednesday. Mminele said the bank expected the rand to average 14.50 against the dollar but trade would be volatile, forcing the monetary […]

JOHANNESBURG – Starbucks and Domino’s Pizza will not be expanding for the present moment in South Africa, according to SA’s Taste Holdings which said it’s halted the roll out of new stores for the two after reporting a loss in the first half of its financial year. Most South African retailers have struggled to lift […]

CAPE TOWN – South Africa‘s cash-strapped state airline, South African Airways, will need a total of R7.5 billion  ($540 million) from next month to fund day-to-day operations into 2019, a presentation to a parliamentary committee by the airline showed on Tuesday. SAA, which has not generated a profit since 2011, survives on state guarantees and is […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa‘s Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan on Monday filed a defamation complaint against radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leaders who have accused him and his daughter of corruption. In a speech last week, EFF leader Julius Malema said Gordhan’s daughter Anisha was awarded government contracts as a result of her father’s […]

JOHANNESBURG – KPMG South Africa has reported a former partner to the police over his alleged role in the VBS corruption scandal in which almost R2 billion ($144 million) was stolen from the bank. According to two KPMG employees, familiar with the matter, the accounting firm sent an internal email to staff on Friday that […]

CAPE TOWN  – Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi is expected to be sidelined with a knee injury for around 12 weeks, ruling him out of South Africa’s home test series against Pakistan starting next month as he seeks to be regain full fitness for the 2019 World Cup. Ngidi injured his knee while fielding in a […]

JAKARTA – A sperm whale found dead in a national park in Indonesia is making headlines around the world for the tragic state, caused by humans, in which it has been found. It had nearly six kilograms of plastic waste in its stomach, park officials said on Tuesday. The plastic include: 115 cups, 25 plastic […]

Wales will be South Africa’s most difficult opponents on their November tour of Europe, even after losing at Twickenham to England and scrapping narrow wins over France and Scotland, Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus said on Monday. The South Africans face Wales on Saturday in their last test of the year hoping to overturn a run […]

JOHANNESBURG  – The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s main opposition party, has called for an independent inquiry into a $36,000 payment made to a fund that financed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s successful campaign for leader of the African National Congress (ANC) last year. Ramaphosa, who has staked his reputation on rooting out corruption, told lawmakers this month […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s economic recovery plans face serious constraints with growing debt of state firms domestically and capital outflows as a result of global trade tensions, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Monday. “Some of the initial optimism has dissipated as growth remains stuck in low gear and reform implementation has faced constraints,” […]

CAPE TOWN – Big business is backing a South African fund to eradicate invasive trees around Cape Town and yield billions of litres of water as the city emerges from its worst drought in a century, officials said on Friday. Alien species, such as eucalyptus trees which are largely native to Australia, are thirstier than […]

EDINBURGH – Scrumhalf Embrose Papier will make his first start for South Africa against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, the only change to the backline while the pack has undergone a significant reshuffle. First-choice number nine Faf de Klerk has been released back to his English Premiership side Sale Sharks by prior arrangement, leaving coach […]

BEIJING – China has postponed the lifting of a ban on the trade of rhino horn and tiger parts for medicine and other uses, the government said on Monday, after a storm of protest from conservation groups over a plan to water down the decades-old prohibition. In October, the State Council issued a circular replacing […]

LOS ANGELES – Stan Lee, who dreamed up Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk, Black Panther and a cavalcade of other Marvel Comics superheroes that became mythic figures in pop culture with soaring success at the movie box office, died at the age of 95, his daughter said on Monday. As a writer and editor, Lee […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s cash-strapped power utility Eskom said on Monday the risk of nation-wide electricity outages had increased significantly due to a sharp fall in coal stockpiles at five of its power stations. “The risk of load-shedding is there and it’s rising,” said Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe. “In total, we have 11 coal-fired power […]

PARIS – South Africa scored a try in stoppage time to edge to a dramatic 29-26 win over France at the Stade de France on Saturday, with hooker Bongi Mbonambi surging over to secure an unlikely victory. (View: The photos that say we WON! Springboks beat France in Paris) The Springboks stole possession with less […]

PARADISE, California, USA – Five people died in Northern California when flames engulfed their vehicles as they attempted to flee Paradise, a mountain town north of Sacramento mostly destroyed by one of three wildfires raging across the state, US authorities said on Friday. Nearly 500 miles to the south, a second blaze forced the evacuation […]

SUN CITY – There’s hope that South African Louis Oosthuizen could win the tournament currently being played at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City, in SA. Home favourite Oosthuizen produced a strong back nine today to card a five-under-par 67 and trail leader Sergio Garcia by one shot at the halfway stage of […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Discovery Ltd said on Thursday it will issue about 10.9 million new shares to qualifying investors in order to raise R1.85 billion ($132 million) to help fund an acquisition of a stake and assets in soon to be launched Discovery bank. Discovery, which offers health, life and car insurance, was granted […]

PARIS – South Africa’s rugby coach Rassie Erasmus has added experience in key kicking positions in his backline for the test against France in Paris on Saturday, with the inclusion of England-based duo Willie le Roux and Faf de Klerk. The pair missed last weekend’s 12-11 loss to England at Twickenham as the fixture fell […]