World

Lisbon - The death toll from the flood-and mudslide-hit Portuguese Atlantic island of Madeira has risen to 42.

Pretoria - A South African delegation will depart for China later this week to strengthen cooperation and support in the economic, trade and political sphere.

Cape Town - South Africa and China today signed four co-operation agreements on energy, commerce and banking in Tuinhuis.

Pretoria - South Africa has joined the international community in condemning the latest round of Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

Pretoria - The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) says it stands ready to defend the country’s trade and intellectual property interests vigorously, as news reports that a firm in France was attempting to trademark “Rooibos” spread.

Pretoria - The man accused of the hijacking and murder of a UK tourist will appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrates Court today.

Santo Domingo - A major earthquake rocked Haiti on Tuesday, collapsing a hospital and damaging several government buildings, including the presidential palace in the capital city.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday conveyed condolences to the people of Haiti and President Rene Garcia Pr,val following the major earthquake in that country on Tuesday.

Pretoria - The Department of Tourism will conduct a survey into allegations that some accommodation providers are hiking prices for the 2010 FIFA World Cup

New York - United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has issued an urgent call to the international community to assist Haiti following Tuesday's catastrophic earthquake that has devastated the impoverished Caribbean nation's capital.