Tens of thousands of spectators have braved foul weather to join heads of state from around the world in celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

Supermarket workers who went on strike for almost three years over the import of goods from apartheid South Africa are set to attend Nelson Mandela’s funeral.

South Africans called it the “Madiba magic” after his clan name — Nelson Mandela’s quirky mix of grandeur and simplicity, his ready quips, his ability to relate to the poor, his colourful custom-made shirts and his dancing prowess.

A woman who spearheaded a landmark workers’ strike at Dunnes Stores over South African apartheid in the 1980s has described Nelson Mandela as an inspiration.

Nelson Mandela has made “dramatic” progress, his daughter said as the former president of South Africa celebrates his 95th birthday today.

A former president of South Africa says he expects Nelson Mandela to soon be discharged from the hospital to recuperate at home.

Nelson Mandela’s health has deteriorated and he is in critical condition, the South African government said.

An ambulance carrying Nelson Mandela to a hospital two weeks ago developed engine trouble, delaying the 94-year-from reaching hospital for 40 minutes, it emerged today.

African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki urged the UN Security Council to take action to stop the fighting between Sudan and South Sudan, warning that both sides are locked in a "logic of war" with hardliners increasingly in control.

Life Times

TWENTY years after Nelson Mandela was freed from prison, South Africa is a vibrant democracy but the millions still living in poverty are now looking for leadership that can tackle its economic problems.

FORMER South African health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, whose AIDS policies drew international opprobrium, died yesterday after battling liver disease, SAPA news agency reported.

South Africa’s likely next president Jacob Zuma was looking beyond today’s national vote, eager to set up a new government that he said will bring “visible change” to improve the lives of the country’s black majority.

AT lunchtime today, if the weekend reports are correct, Paul O’Connell of Young Munster, Munster and Ireland will be named captain of the British and Irish Lions to tour South Africa this summer.

Corruption charges were dropped today against Jacob Zuma, favourite to become South Africa’s next president.

Supposed power-sharing talks between Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe and rival Morgan Tsvangirai remained mired in deadlock today.

President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai will meet today for talks aimed at implementing a power-sharing agreement for Zimbabwe signed in September but stalled by disagreements over Cabinet posts.

Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader has returned home for talks on the deadlock in a power-sharing agreement reached last September but never implemented.

A Zimbabwean human rights activist missing for three weeks was taken to court accused, according to state media, of plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe.

The US can no longer support a proposed Zimbabwean power-sharing deal that would leave Robert Mugabe, “a man who’s lost it,” as president, the top US envoy for Africa told reporters today.

DEFECTORS from South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) yesterday launched their new party, naming former defence minister Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota as leader, shaking up the country’s politics ahead of elections next year.

Zimbabwe is on the brink of collapse, battered by economic chaos and weakened by disease, world leaders warned today.

ZIMBABWE’S opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) may boycott a meeting to discuss a constitutional bill that would allow President Robert Mugabe to form a unity government, an opposition official said.

Former US President Jimmy Carter said he and others have been refused entry to Zimbabwe for a humanitarian mission.

African leaders grappled today with a long-simmering crisis in Zimbabwe and a new humanitarian catastrophe in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A BREAKAWAY faction of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress led by a former defence minister was yesterday due to register as a political party, named the South African Democratic Congress, a spokesman said.

Zimbabwe’s neighbours will hold a summit to try to resolve the southern African nation’s power-sharing impasse.

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader claims four days of “intense” negotiations have failed to break the deadlock in power-sharing talks and called for intervention by regional and African leaders.

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader said today that four days of “intense” negotiations have failed to break the deadlock in power-sharing talks and called for intervention by regional and African leaders.

Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe may change the cabinet line-up he unilaterally announced last week in an effort to save a power-sharing deal, the state-run newspaper reported today.

ZIMBABWE’s parties are close to breaking a deadlock over power-sharing at talks between President Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition MDC said yesterday.

Zimbabwean legislators heckled each other during the first working session of the new opposition-dominated parliament last night as negotiators tried to salvage the African country’s power-sharing agreement.

Zimbabwe MPs heckled each other during the first working session of the new opposition-dominated parliament today as negotiators tried to salvage the African country’s power-sharing agreement.

ZIMBABWEAN president Robert Mugabe has sworn in two vice presidents ahead of talks on forming a cabinet, a government official has said, a move that could further endanger power-sharing negotiations.

South Africa’s new health minister today broke dramatically from a decade of discredited government policies on Aids, declaring that the disease was unquestionably caused by HIV and must be treated with conventional medicine.

EU nations today condemned moves by Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe to take control of key ministries in defiance of a power-sharing deal with opponents.

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader is threatening to pull out of a national unity government if President Robert Mugabe’s party controls all the key ministries.

ZIMBABWE’S inflation rate soared to 231 million per cent, but the country’s economic and political crisis showed no sign of ending as the opposition MDC declared a deadlock in power-sharing talks.

Zimbabwe’s president lashed out at Western powers in a speech to the UN General Assembly, accusing them of genocide and calling for the removal of US sanctions.

A former freedom fighter today became South Africa’s president, but he is only expected to serve until a vote next year chooses ANC leader Jacob Zuma as his replacement.

South Africa’s finance minister resigned along with most leading Cabinet members today in the wake of president Thabo Mbeki’s departure.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has told his nation he has formally resigned, effective as soon as a new president is chosen.

South African president Thabo Mbeki has agreed to resign following orders from the ruling party.