A scene straight from a Specsavers television ad, involving Nelson Mandela, was recalled yesterday by Gerard Collins from the period when he was minister for foreign affairs.

A Zambian woman who had lost custody of her child has defended her decision to abduct him, along with his half-brother, and take them to Africa.

Five months ago, a woman who had lost custody of her child and didn’t have a passport for him managed to take him to her home country of Zambia. She hasn’t come back since.

A 23-year-old UCC zoology graduate has taken up the job of managing the first baboon research centre of its type ever built.

We know that sensitive types often complain that newspapers are only interested in bad news.

The pope named 24 new cardinals today.

Scientists have identified a lethal new virus in Africa that causes bleeding like the dreaded Ebola.

RUPIAH BANDA, a pro-business centrist, was sworn in as Zambia’s president yesterday after a narrow election win, but the main opposition party said it would challenge the result in court.

Southern African leaders met urgently today to address the deepening crisis over Zimbabwe’s contentious presidential election, but had little chance to put pressure on President Robert Mugabe, who skipped the emergency summit.

A 16-year-old girl from Zambia won the 2007 International Children’s Peace Prize for her efforts to help educate children in her homeland.

Southern African leaders meeting this week were likely to be preoccupied with the economic and political crises in Zimbabwe that are sending thousands of refugees into neighbouring South Africa, Botswana and Zambia.

TRIBUTES were today paid to teenagers who are the backbone of a leading charity.

The Zambian president’s re-election bid was declared successful after a bitter campaign and violent protests following his victory at the polls.

A BRITISH al-Qaida suspect was yesterday on his way to Britain after being deported from Zambia.

ZAMBIA is preparing to hand over to Britain a Briton of Indian origin, arrested in the southern African nation 11 days ago, who reportedly was the mastermind of the London bombings.

A British man in custody in Zambia in connection with the July 7 London bombings was once a body guard for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden, Zambian security officials said today.

A blast ripped through an explosives manufacturing plant at a copper mine in Zambia today, killing at least 51 people, authorities said today.

JUST OVER a week to Christmas, a time when most inter-county hurlers and footballers are preparing to put their tired feet up and get in a little R&R, before getting back to the slog of training.

A Zambian woman has given birth to a ba

HEAVY rains have destroyed crops and swept away bridges and houses in a hunger-stricken part of Zambia, leaving more than 10,000 homeless, a senior government official said yesterday.

SAMANTHA MUMBA is due to make an emotional trip to the home of her ancestors in Zambia at Easter. She hopes to raise awareness about AIDS and other killer diseases in what is one of Africa’s poorest countries.

Levy Mwanawasa has been sworn in as Zambian president, capping a hotly contested election marred by street riots sparked by opposition allegations that the ruling party rigged the vote.

A Zambian high court judge today ruled that the country’s new president can be declared and inaugurated, rejecting opposition claims that the ruling party rigged the vote.

A bus loaded with fuel drums crashed and caught fire in central Zambia, killing dozens of passengers, police said today.

Five more bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of a bus which crashed in eastern Zambia.

The Pope was today holding talks with a married archbishop who has been threatened with excommunication.

The Vatican today threatened to excommunicate an archbishop who married this at a Moonie mass weddings.

A Roman Catholic archbishop who was married to a physician in a group wedding conducted by the Rev Sun Myung Moon has put himself ‘‘outside the church’’ and can no longer be considered a bishop, the Vatican said today.