EVENING REPORT/09/11/2002

SA'S DEPUTY PRES. JACOB ZUMA WILL SUBMIT A REPORT ON CEASEFIRE TALKS

BURUNDI:South Africa's Deputy-President Jacob Zuma says he will submit a report on the ceasefire talks between the government of Burundi and rebel groups in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, to President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. The talks collapsed yesterday, after they had stalled on Thursday. Zuma says as Chairman of the Peace Initiatitive for the Great Lakes Region, President Museveni must now call a regional summit meeting. Meanwhile, reports reaching our desk say Zuma will marry a niece of Swazi King Mswati The Third, making Sebentile Dlamini the fourth woman he weds. No wedding date have been set.

INTERPOL SAY AL-QAEDA LEADER OSAMA BIN LADEN STILL ALIVE

FRANCE:Interpol's head of international law enforcement says al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is alive and planning to hit several countries with terror acts. Ronald Noble has told French newspapers bin Laden's wealth has not diminished since the September 11 attacks and his fortune fluctuates between 280 and 300 million dollars. Noble has warned that many intelligence services agree that bin Laden's al-Qaeda network is preparing a wide-ranging terror operation. He says the simultaneous attacks will target not only the United States, but several countries at the same time. Noble's statements follow a reported admission by an Indonesian suspect in the Bali bomb blast that al-Qaeda was responsible for the explosions.

SA NOT YET TO EXTRADITE SYMBIONESE LIBERATION ARMY LEADER-KILGORE

SOUTH AFRICA:South Africa says alleged Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) leader, James Kilgore, won't be extradited. Law enforcement officials say Kilgore will only be sent back to his home country if Washington promises not to execute him. Kilgore was arrested in Claremont, Cape Town, last night, after spending 27 years on the run. Kilgore and the SLA made world headlines with the 1974 kidnapping of U.S. newspaper heiress Patty Hearst. Hearst later drove a getaway car in one of the gang's bank robberies. Kilgore is set to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Monday.

SUDAN CRITISE UN'S HUMAN RIGTS RAPPORTEUR

SUDAN:The Sudanese government has criticised a report drawn up by the United Nations human rights rapporteur after a visit to the country last month. The government's advisory council on human rights' Yasser Sidahmed says Gerhart Baum's report is unbalanced as it does not refer to violations by the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army. He pointed out that the government, in response to suggestions by Baum, had set up a Christian advisory council within its guidance ministry and appointed a non-Muslim in the ministry's churches administration. Government officials say the reports is a violation of Sudan's sovereignty.

SA WHEAT PRICES DROPPED

SOUTH AFRICA:Wheat prices have dropped substantially, prompting Grain South Africa to issue a statement telling farmers not to panic. The Chairperson of Grain South Africa, Bully Bothma says any commodity price is under pressure when harvesting occurs. He says the strength of the Rand and the reduction in the US of wheat prices have compounded the situation. Bothma says millers can currently import cheap wheat from Europe and blend it with local wheat to upgrade it.

EGYPT COURT ORDERS RETRIAL OF A POLYGUMIST OF 29-MINORS AND FIVE WIVES

EGYPT:An Egyptian court has ordered a retrial for a wealthy businessman who was sentenced in January to seven years of forced labour for having five wives and having entered brief marriages with 29 minors. The court gave no reason for the retrial of Sayed Ragab al-Sawarki, who was found guilty of exceeding the Muslim marriage limit of having four wives at any one time. He was also found guilty of entering what was described as brief unions with 29 girls under 15 years old by having their ages falsified on official documents.

AMERICAN FUGITIVE KILGORE'S WIFE VISIT HIM IN SA'S POLICE CELLS

The wife of American fugitive James Kilgore, who was arrested in Cape Town last night after escaping justice for more than 26 years, has visited her husband in the Bellville police cells. Doctor Terry Barnes, who's a researcher at the University of the Western Cape, was not prepared to comment. Kilgore, who worked in South Africa under the name of Doctor John Pape, was on the American FBI's list of the most wanted fugitives. He was the alleged leader of the Symbionese Liberation Army, an urban terror group which - among others - was allegedly responsible for the kidnapping of Patty Hearst, the daughter of an American Publishing billionaire.

SA POLICE ARRESTS THE ALLEGED KILLER OF MWANAWASA

A woman arrested in connection with the murder of Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa's brother, Rex, has another case of murder pending against her. The woman was arrested along with seven alleged female prostitutes during the racism conference in Durban, South Africa earlier this year. This was after an Italian diplomat was found dead in his hotel room. The 28-year-old woman was arrested in Pretoria yesterday at a block of flats in Sunnyside after police followed up leads in the Mwanawasa case. Zambian currency worth one-thousand rand was found in the woman's posession. Police say there is a possibility the money could have been taken from Mwanawasa. The woman is expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's court on Monday.

MOZAMBICAN JUDGE ORDERS PRES. CHISSANO'S SON TO BE QUESTIONED

A Mozambican judge has ordered that President Joachim Chissano's son be questioned in connection with the killing of a prominent journalist. Carlos Cardoso. Cardoso was a former owner and editor of the daily Metical newspaper. He was shot and killed in November 2000 in Maputo. Six people have been charged with the killing and their trial is due to begin later this month. Prosecutors say witness in the case have told them Chissano's son Nyimpine, a prominent businessman, attended a meeting at which plans to assassinate Cardoso were discussed.

TWENTY NIGERIANS DIED OF CHOLERA

NIGERIA:Officials say more than 20 people have died in the past week due to an outbreak of cholera in the northeastern Nigerian state of Taraba. Taraba State Governor Jolly Nyame has visited Lau district where the disease broke out. The governor promised to provide immediate medication and relief. Officials in the office of state health commissioner say that the disease is caused by a lack of clean drinking water in the area. Cholera is a water-borne viral disease characterised by diarrhoea, vomiting, muscle cramps and severe loss of body fluids.

NIGERIAN JUNIOR MINISTER OVERRULE DEATH SENTENCE BY STONING

NIGERIA:A junior Nigerian minister says his government will overrule any judgement that upheld the death sentences handed out by Islamic Sharia courts against women accused of adultery. Foreign Affairs Minister, Dubem Onyia restated an earlier promise that single mother Amina Lawal would not be stoned. He added that, if the appeals process did not overturn verdicts against Lawal and other victims of Sharia's strict laws against adultery, then the government would step in. Onyia said even though they support the independence, the judiciary and judicial processes will not let the human rights of Nigerians or foreigners to be impinged upon.

NEARLY DOZEN CONTESTANTS STAY AWAY FROM MISS WORLD BEAUTY PAGEANT

NIGERIA:In a desperate bid to save this year's Miss World beauty pageant, Nigeria renews its pledge to quash Islamic sentence of death by stoning that have sparked boycotts of the contest. Nearly a dozen contestants have decided to stay away from the pageant in Abuja. Fundamentalist Islamic groups in Nigeria have threatened to disrupt the event, which they have labelled a "parade of nudity" likely to undermine the fight against AIDS.

SA NEDLAC TAKE UP CHALLENGES ARISING FROM NEPAD & AU

SOUTH AFRICA:South Africa's National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), say much work needs to be done to obtain national consensus on, issues of job creation, economic growth and black economic empowerment. Following its 7th Nedlac summit in Johannesburg, Nedlac constituencies agreed to making every effort to seek consensus on solutions in the above strategic areas. The group also agreed to take up the challenges and opportunities arising from New Partnership for Africa's Development and African Union.

WEST AFRICAN MEDIATORS TO SUBMIT A PEACE PLAN TO IVORY COAST REBELS

IVORY COAST:West African mediators say they are to submit a peace plan to Ivory Coast rebels and government negotiators in an effort to end a conflict in the world's top cocoa growing country. Mediators hope the plan will be signed by both sides this weekend, ending a conflict that has left hundreds dead after a failed coup in September. The Patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast tried to seize power on September 19 and holds the north of the country, a largely Muslim opposition stronghold. It wants President Laurent Gbagbo to resign and allow new elections. The government rejects the demand and says the rebels must disarm.

SOUTH AFRICA WON AGAINST SRI LANKA IN THEIR FIRST INNINGS-CRICKET

SOUTH AFRICA:South Africa scored 378 for 7 at the end of the second day of the first test against Sri Lanka at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg. That's a lead of 186 runs with three wickets in hand. South African Jacques Kallis ended the day on 75. Andrew Hall will resume on tomorrow on 31. Sri Lanka made 192 in their first innings.

NIGERIAN JUDGE ATTEMPT TO THROW OUT THE CASE AGAINST BOLA IGE'S KILLERS

A Nigerian judge has thrown out an attempt to halt the politically explosive trial of 13 people suspected of killing Justice Minister Bola Ige, saying the hearing will start next week. Defence lawyers have attempted to get the case thrown out, arguing there is a lack of hard evidence against the suspects, eleven of whom are in custody. However, Judge Atilade Ojo threw out the motion, accepted the not guilty pleas for the eleven and ordered that the trial begin on the thirteenth of next month at his court in the southwestern city of Ibadan. The judge also ordered that the accused be transferred from police custody in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, to a prison in Ibadan.

EYADEMA TO MEET WITH KEY REBEL LEADER DAKOURY-TABLEY

Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema, the mediator in the crisis in Ivory Coast, today met with the country's key rebel politician Louis Dakoury-Tabley. Eyadema urged the rebels not to abandon peace talks. Eyadema met privately with Dakoury-Tabley, the former deputy of President Laurent Gbagbo's ruling party, whose brother was found dead on Friday. His death has put into question whether peace talks will continue between the government and the rebels. Talks resumed in the Togolese capital Lome on Thursday but reached a deadlocked with both sides refusing to budge. The rebels want Gbagbo to resign and new elections to be held, while the government wants the insurgents to disarm.

THE VICTIM OF SA BOMB BLAST BURRIED IN LESOTHO

The government has been hailed by mourners at the funeral of Sowetan bomb blast victim, Claurina Mokoene, held at Qholaque near Butha Bothe in Lesotho. Mokoene was killed instantly and her partner seriously injured when their shack was hit by debris from a blast at a railway line. The woman's parents say the South African government handled the death of their daughter in a dignified manner. Among the dignitaries to attended the funeral were Free State Safety and Security MEC Benny Kotsoane, South Africa's Acting High Commisioner to Lesotho and Lesotho Foreign Affairs principle secretary.

ALGERIA'S JS KABYLIE THRESHED CAMEROON'S TONNERRE YAOUNDE 4-0

Holders JS Kabylie of Algeria overwhelmed Tonnerre Yaounde of Cameroon 4-0 in their first leg of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup final today. The result virtually assures the Canaries of a third consecutive title in a competition for national league runners-up, and permanent possession of a trophy named after the late Nigerian politician Moshood Abiola. Yacine Amaouche struck a goal after just two minutes and Abdelhamid Berguiga claimed the second while Noureddine Drouieche headed the third goal at 62 minutes. Berguiga finished the rout - six minutes from full-time giving JS Kabylie 4-0.

While these stories may be freely used, the source Channel Africa must be credited