SOUTH AFRICA

China's top nickel producer and third-biggest copper producer Jinchuan Group Ltd is seeking a local listing for its technology unit this year, after it bought a Hong Kong-listed firm for its overseas resource assets, a top executive said on Friday.

Independent energy trader Gunvor Group Ltd has gained access to anthracite coal produced by South Africa's Leeuw Mining and Exploration and to export capacity at Richards Bay Coal Terminal, Leeuw said on Thursday.

South Africa's nearly week-long truckers' strike over wages has caused some petrol stations to run dry and raised concerns that a prolonged walk-out could deal a blow to Africa's largest economy.

South Africa's rand jumped more than 1.5 percent against the dollar in late trade on Wednesday, helped by an aggressive sell-off in the U.S. currency and better-than-expected local data.

China will soon publish new regulations to increase supervision of the country's rare earth industry in a move that is likely to drastically change the landscape of the sector, the China Securities Journal informed on Wednesday.

Lara Logan, CBS chief foreign affairs correspondent, was sexually assaulted and beaten in Egypt the network said in a statement.

South African police fired rubber bullets, live rounds and tear gas on Tuesday at demonstrators protesting against the government's delivery of basic housing and education.

South Africa's rand softened against the dollar on Tuesday with the market showing little inclination to resist central bank moves since the start of the year to weaken the currency.

Zimbabwean police have seized cars belonging to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's official escort and arrested his drivers for possessing beacon lights usually found on police vehicles, their lawyer said on Tuesday.

China's trade surplus fell to its lowest in nine months in January after imports surged, supporting the government's case ahead of a G20 meeting that it is doing enough to spur domestic demand without speeding up currency appreciation.

China's trade surplus fell to its lowest in nine months in January after imports surged, supporting the government's case ahead of a G20 meeting that it is doing enough to spur domestic demand without speeding up currency appreciation.

China's trade surplus fell to its lowest in nine months in January after imports surged, supporting the government's case ahead of a G20 meeting that it is doing enough to spur domestic demand without speeding up currency appreciation.

South Africa's Competition Commission has recommended that retail group Wal-Mart's proposed acquisition of 51 percent of equity in Massmart be approved without conditions, the two companies said in a statement on Saturday.

Alcohol causes nearly 4 percent of deaths worldwide, more than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence, the World Health Organization warned on Friday.

De Beers, the world's largest diamond producer, returned to a profit in 2010 as production rose 34 percent and diamond prices recovered to pre-crisis levels, although it remains cautious about the market this year.

A South African judge on Friday decided not to extradite a son-in-law of former President Nelson Mandela to the United States, saying he doubted the merits of the U.S. rape case.

South African President Jacob Zuma called on the government and private sector to create jobs, setting aside billions of dollars to create work in Africa's largest economy, hard-hit by chronic unemployment. We urge every sector and every business entity, regardless of size, to focus on job creation.

Anglo American's thermal coal unit is keen to expand its operations in South Africa and beyond, but is waiting for price of acquisitions to come down first, the unit's head said late on Wednesday.

A fall in South African thermal coal prices to $113 a tonne this week has started to draw out Indian buyers who have been sidelined since November, Indian traders said on Thursday.

Growth in South Africa's manufacturing output slowed to just 0.2 percent on the year in December and was far below analysts forecasts, showing the vital sector still struggling to recover from a recession in 2009.

The United States on Thursday condemned a recent spate of violence in Zimbabwe and blamed President Robert Mugabe's party for the attacks, which are heightening tensions ahead of possible elections this year.