Many observers around the world had barely heard of Angola before the attack on the Togolese soccer team, let alone about its volatile enclave, Cabinda. One careful look into its past reveals a oil- and pain-rich place that was never really peaceful.

Twenty-nine years later, questions about motive, means and opportunity remain unanswered.

Also today: The good, bad and ugly battle for control in Haiti quake aftermath; Turks and Israelis seek to mend fences after “baby-snatcher” row boils over; Democrats may lose Ted Kennedy “safe” seat after 46 years.

How much damage can an AWOL president do in 50 days? Quite a lot, it seems. For one the Yoruba and the Igbos seem to be fomenting plans which might see the creation of Yorubaland and the re-emergence of Biafra.

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) has spent the last three days in closed session. There are different types of leaks, reports and comments about what was discussed. But what actually happens in these meetings, and why there are always contradictory reports about what goes on … read on, gentle reader.

China is the world's fastest-growing economy and, according to many, will soon be its most powerful country. It’s also squaring off against one of the world's most innovative and dominant Internet companies. One could be forgiven for thinking this is a unique, revolutionary, world-changing moment in global history.

Bits of the blogosphere are beginning to react with trepidation to the prospect of crime during the World Cup this year.

Also today: Bottlenecks hold up desperately needed Haiti quake aid; China shrugs off criticism of Web censorship, tells Google to play by their rules; Israeli-Jordanian peace shattered by convoy bomb.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide says he’s ready to leave for Haiti right now – complete with medical supplies – but has only made it as far as Joburg’s OR Tambo airport. His message is clear: let me back into my country and let me help.

If the Nelspruit's Bombela stadium story wasn't so serious, it would make a good thriller. Denzel Washington would play Lucky Sindane, a plucky Mail & Guardian sports journalist who comes across one helluva story. It would involve grubby local politicians, a corrupt cop, and of course, a big international event.

Also today: Haitians deal with dreadful aftermath of quake; Google to censor its practice of censorship in China; Wall St execs less than contrite as they spin the market collapse to a furious nation.

South African lawmakers have over the last 15 years failed to solve the problem of politicians being businessmen at the same time. We’ve decided to help.

The Gauteng ANC says it’s going to “consider” moving its conference forward. Not much at first blush, but it probably means Mashatile's reign over Gauteng will soon be officially over.

There is an old saying, often used by socially-activist priests: “God must truly love the poor, he made so many of them.”  Maybe He feels the same way about failed states – there are so many of those as well. Contemporary Hobbesian universes around the world like Moldova, Somalia, Chad and Afghanistan all come readily to mind. But if you really want to travel to an easily-accessible world leader in failed statedom, you almost certainly need to book your flight – or ship passage, perhaps - to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Also today: Iranians blame the West for bombing of physics professor; Fort Hood troops head to Afghanistan; Blair’s former aide says reasons for Iraq invasion were sound.

The new stadium on the outskirts of Joburg that’s playing host to the World Cup’s most important events is, in a word, spectacular. Damn unfortunate, then, that stadium management has to be so shortsighted.

Stephen Grootes was asked by his editor to forecast the year head for Cope. They had a disagreement about what to write.

The revelation that Democratic senate majority leader Harry Reid “praised” then-senator Barack Obama by noting his light-hued skin tones and speaking style is the newest wrinkle in the how-black-is-Obama right-wing obsession. And further proof that politicians have to learn when to keep their mouths shut.

There is increasingly little doubt that Eskom will get its 35% increase this year, and the year after, and the one after that. But this week and next it has to fight for it in public, gladiator-style, so that we at least get some entertainment for our money.

Northern Ireland’s top dog steps down after wife’s affair; Blacklisted Yemeni cleric warns of foreign occupiers; North Koreans up to their usual tricks in new offer.

Now who would have thunk it? The moose-hunter-in-chief Sarah Palin is to become a media player herself.

The Democratic Alliance's leader Helen Zille has a slightly different political burden from her African National Congress counterparts. She is facing some of the tougher pressures of governance, but with a fairly united party behind her. And this makes her tasks for the year rather interesting, in a good kind of way.

For the next three months anybody can pitch up at a police station and hand over a firearm without being prosecuted for illegal gun possession. As long as it hasn’t been used to do anything illegal, that is, in which case you’ll burn.

Mrs Robinson’s sexploits set Northern Ireland alight; US Senator cringes over racial gaffe; Chinese heading for the winner’s podium on exports.

Okay, first there's the mid-term election – the 435 members of the House of Representatives, a third of the Senate, and state- and local-level races for governors, state legislators, mayors, city councils – all the way down to country commissioners and city dogcatchers, but not for president. Still, we feel it’s never too early to bring you probable GOP candidates for the job of Obama's nemesis in 2012.

There’s nothing quite like an ANC rally and Kimberley on Saturday was no exception. It was an assault on the senses; a near-riot of people, T-shirts, colours, and sounds. Especially sounds. They’re loud. Gobsmackingly so, make-your-chest-hum loud.

Obama to issue report on airport security failures after Nigerian bomber debacle; Fox News burning bright red over Tiger Woods remarks; Europeans argue over civil rights and airport body scanners.

The initial reports about the holiday season death toll, indicating that fewer people had died on South Africa’s roads than last year, embodied the media’s reliance on press releases and resulted in spin doctors having their wicked way. Subsequent investigation shows that more people died during the December rush, contrary to the Transport Department claim. Is this an isolated incident, or a sign spin doctors are winning their battle with the media? Probably, the latter.