South Africa

Pretoria - Trade conditions remained weak in September, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) said on Tuesday.

Soweto - Fourteen-year-old Dikeledi Motsine was one of the thousands of young people dancing to the music while her favourite singers performed at the National Youth Day commemorations at Orlando Stadium on Thursday.

Johannesburg - African countries need to find new and improved methods of cooperation at regional and continental level to ensure complementary economic and social policies that create decent work opportunities.

Cape Town - The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has indicated that the current worldwide credit crunch was affecting South Africa's major agriculture markets in Europe.

Cape Town - MPs have warned the Onderstepoort Biological Products Company (OBP) to get its house in order after the company received a qualified report from the Auditor-General (AG).

Pretoria - The planting of cherry blossom trees will be the order of the day when the Department of International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Marius Fransman and Japanese Ambassador to South Africa, Toshiro Ozawa, get together later today to celebrate a hundred years of relations between the two countries.

Pretoria - Eskom has set up an expert review team to determine whether the first unit of the Medupi power station it is on track to come on line in 2012.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has, on behalf of the government and people of South Africa, issued a message of condolence to the Kingdom of Thailand following severe flooding that has ravaged the country.

Pretoria - Key national issues, such as the economy, vacancies in the public sector and the performance of government departments fell under the spotlight on Tuesday at a meeting of the President's Coordinating Council (PCC).

Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has congratulated Judge Albert J Hoffmann on his appointment as Vice-President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma says he is saddened by the death of his "number one protector", Patrick "Sho" Maphumulo.

Cape Town - Schools are "the bedrock" on which democracy is built, and which will determine whether democracy will work or not, Western Cape Premier Helen Zille said on Wednesday.

Atteridgeville - Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has reiterated the call for educators and learners to effectively use the time allocated for learning and teaching during school hours, and to ensure that nothing interferes with teaching time.

Springs - Now is the time to put away cellphones, stop attending parties, buckle down and focus on your books, says Gauteng Education MEC Barbara Creecy.

Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department says it is ready for the 2011 National Senior Certificate Examination, with great importance placed quality invigilation and prevention of irregularities.