South Africa

Cape Town - Parliament will open in traditional splendour on Wednesday for President Jacob Zuma's maiden State of the Nation Address during a joint sitting of both houses.

Pretoria - The number of bodies of illegal miners discovered at the Eland shaft at the Harmony Gold Mine in the Free State has risen to 61.

Pretoria - The signing of several agreements in various fields will serve to strengthen the already cordial ties between South Africa and China, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday.

The Department of Health is confident medical services are in place to cater for emergencies that might arise during the upcoming 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, writes Gabi Khumalo.

Pretoria – The search for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) member, who went missing during clashes with rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR) over the weekend, continues.

Durban – KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Dr Zweli Mkhize, is confident that South Africa continues to be among the preferred countries for investment.

Pretoria - A grant allocated by the Department of Education to the University of Pretoria has allowed the institution to reduce the planned 2009 fee increase by at least one percent.

Harare - President Kgalema Motlanthe will lead a delegation to Harare on Monday to resume talks aimed at forming a government of unity in Zimbabwe.

Pretoria - With the FIFA Confederations Cup just around the corner, government has urged South Africans to develop a sense of patriotism and pride towards the country and its national symbols.

Cape Town - European Union (EU) President and Czech Republic Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg on Friday called for a resolution to end the political and humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.

Sanaa - Hundreds of people are missing after three boats with a total of some 400 African migrants on board capsized on Saturday near Yemen.

Pretoria - With all the infrastructure changes and upgrades completed, the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria is ready to be handed over to FIFA for the upcoming Confederations Cup.

Skierlik - A task team has been set up to fight all forms of social ill and increase development in the informal settlement of Skierlik.

Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana has named the 23-man squad which will represent South Africa in the forthcoming FIFA 2009 Confederations Cup.

Cape Town - Despite the world economic crisis, China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has pledged that China would continue providing assistance to African countries.