South Africa

Pretoria - Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates midfielder, Teko Modise, will appear before a disciplinary hearing this morning for going AWOL ahead of a crucial league match.

Cape Town - More than 400 000 children accessing Early Childhood Development (ECD) facilities are being subsidised by government, said Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini.

Pretoria - The selection trials for the South African under 20 women's national team (Basetsana) starts on Thursday until Saturday at the High Performance Centre (HPC) in Pretoria.

Pretoria - Two Home Affairs officials suspected of being part of a syndicate that sold illegal passports to foreigners were granted bail in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Ermelo - Municipal services in the troubled township of Wesselton outside Ermelo have been fully restored after a week of violent protests.

Davos - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev delivered his opening address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday with a call for tougher action against terrorism, two days after a bomb blast at a Moscow airport killed 35 people.

Cape Town - In the next few months, South Africans will get an opportunity to debate what kinds of reforms can be taken to improve the country's social security system.

Pretoria - "Dear Madiba - please get well" - this is one of the messages written on placards at Milpark Hospital where former President Nelson Mandela spent the night for a routine check up.

Pretoria - KwaZulu-Natal's MEC for Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, will be among the visitors eager to get a peek at new born babies at the GJ Crookes Hospital come New Year's Day.

Pretoria - Government plans to build 220 000 housing units for each financial year between now and 2014.

Polokwane - The Limpopo government is spending nearly R20 million to build community libraries in some of the province's deep rural areas.

Pretoria - Detectives of the Port Shepstone Organised Crime Unit have earned the praise of Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa for the role they played in the conviction of Umzinto serial killer, Thozamile Taki.

Pretoria - A development agency is to be established in the Western Cape, in an effort to attract investment to the province, says Premier Helen Zille.

Pretoria - The African National Congress (ANC) has called on South Africans to remain calm, following former president Nelson Mandela's admission to Milpark Hospital for routine tests.

Pretoria - Government has increased efforts against the fight against alcohol and substance abuse which are "major public health and social concerns undermining society".