Apocalypto is a sequel to Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, reckons Giles Fraser. And he is less than impressed with its message about religion and violence.

Backers of Lydia Playfoot, the schoolgirl who unsuccessfully asked the High Court to be allowed to wear a silver ‘chastity ring’ to a school where it broke the uniform policy, have still not decided whether to go to the European Court.

South Africa's former minister of police in the last apartheid era government, Adriaan Vlok, and the police chief under his watch, Johann van der Merwe, are to be charged with attempted murder of a church leader.

The outspoken Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, has urged Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to step down as the country faces deepening political and economic woes - and new reports of abuses come through.