South Africa

Pretoria - South African paralympic star, Oscar Pistorius, who is standing accused of murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, has been remanded in police holding cells.

Pretoria - Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan agrees that there is a need for the reduction of some banking fees

Pretoria - A mass escape by prisoners at the Harrismith Correctional Centre on Monday has led to the summarily dismissal of two Correctional Services officials who were linked to the escape.

Pretoria - Retail trade sales in November 2009 fell by 6.6 percent, indicating that South African households are still facing tough times.

Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Education is determined to ensure that pupils in the province are at the top of their class, setting aside more than R17-billion to improve their performance.

Johannesburg - After years of preparation, development, planning and excitement, Nelspruit, Polokwane and Mangaung/Bloemfontein are now looking at what they can take from the experience they gained by hosting the world's biggest sporting event, now that their World Cup duties are over.

Johannesburg - FIFA President Sepp Blatter will this morning officially open the R978-million International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) situated near the Johannesburg Soccer City Stadium.

Pretoria - The newly built state-of-the-art Peter Mokaba Stadium in Limpopo will be officially unveiled on Saturday with a spectacular soccer tournament.

Pretoria - A South African delegation, led by President Jacob Zuma, on a state visit to India this week must look into the "vast untapped" potential for trade between the two countries, an economist advises.

Jerusalem - Israel started on Wednesday deporting about 250 activists detained from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

Pretoria - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC) stands ready and waiting to welcome the world to the first FIFA World Cup on the African continent.

Pretoria - The 25th Africa- France summit held in Nice was an opportunity for South Africa to strengthen relations based on shared interest and mutual trust, says the Presidency

Pretoria - FIFA President Sepp Blatter has commended the people of South Africa for the hospitality shown towards visitors who descended on the country for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Pretoria - When the biggest names in soccer arrive in South Africa within the next few days, winning the World Cup will not be their only mission

Durban - Freedom Nykiza is a nine-year-old from Amaoti and a soccer fanatic. He watches local Premier Soccer League games on television and gets excited about seeing his heroes. But the exhilaration that he feels when he talks about the 2010 FIFA World Cup is incomparable, writes Kemantha Govender.