World

Moscow - A large-scale investigation into the crash of a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane Boeing 777 has begun.

Moscow - A Malaysian flight crashed on Thursday in eastern Ukraine, near the Russian border, with all 280 passengers and 15 crew members on board reportedly having been killed.

Fortaleza - Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on the BRICS countries to expand economic cooperation.

Fortaleza - The emerging-market bloc of BRICS on Tuesday vowed to strive for more comprehensive cooperation and forge a closer economic partnership.

Fortaleza - Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Jacob Zuma have held talks on broader bilateral cooperation that could be given a new impulse after the South African elections.

Pretoria - The South African government has condemned the kidnapping of three Israeli teens, and has added its voice to the mounting calls for the immediate release of the teenagers.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has congratulated Felipe VI on his coronation as King of Spain.

Washington - The United States is prepared to send up to 300 military advisers to Iraq to train, advise and support Iraqi forces in their fight against insurgency, US President Barack Obama said on Thursday.

Pretoria - South Africa and Germany have signed five agreements amounting to about R5.89 billion aimed at boosting development cooperation between the two countries.

Pretoria- International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, is in Tehran, Iran, for a two-day working visit aimed at enhancing relations between the two countries.