South Africa

Pretoria - Retail trade sales for the month of May 2009 decreased by 4.2 percent compared to 6.7 percent in April, reported Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Wednesday.

Pretoria - Firearm owners, whose licenses have expired, may remain in possession of the guns despite the 30 June deadline imposed by government.

Pretoria - The head of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee (LOC) Danny Jordaan has thanked the unions representing the construction workers and their employers for reaching an agreement to end the industry strike.

Cape Town - Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is set to leave for the US on a working visit with whistle-stops scheduled for Washing DC, New York and Chicago.

Johannesburg -The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is continuing engaging with unions in a bid to end the strike by employees over wages.

Rustenburg - North West MEC for Health and Social Development, Rebecca Kasienyane, will on Wednesday meet with private doctors in an attempt to build relations between the department and private health practitioners.

Pretoria - The Department of Communications has launched a new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programme to address the country's ICT skills shortage.

Pretoria - Excitement is growing around the country as preparations to mark Madiba's 91st birthday on Saturday nears finalisation.

Egypt - President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday urged members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to work out a practical new strategy in line with the changing financial situation and make concerted efforts to overcome the global crisis.

Pretoria - Ministers of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) responsible for population and development will meet in Johannesburg on Thursday to review the implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICDP) Programme of Action.

Pretoria - The Public Works Department wants all its employees, especially those in lower levels, to be brought up to date with technology.

Johannesburg - Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sicelo Shiceka, has made a call to all provincial and local government departments to achieve clean audit reports by 2014.

Pretoria - Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi has urged all parties in the public service to commit to rules of engagement during labour negotiation processes.

Rustenburg - North West MEC for Health and Social Development Rebecca Kasienyane has urged private health practitioners to support the department in its effort to improve and sustain the health and social conditions of people.

Pretoria - Economists have predicted that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will announce a 100 basis point cut at the least in the repo rate on Tuesday after their two-day meeting.