SOUTH AFRICA

Asia-Pacific leaders said on Sunday they saw real progress in world trade talks now underway in Geneva and pledged flexibility and the political will to forge a deal by the end of 2007.

South Africa's biggest mass-market lender, Abil, has made a firm offer to buy furniture retailer Ellerines in a 10.6 billion rand ($1.46 billion) all-share deal, the groups said on Wednesday.

Gold hit a six-week high on Tuesday, helped by safe-haven buying and good physical demand, with investors awaiting the release of U.S. economic data that may change bullion's short-term direction.

Zimbabwe's parliament meets for a new session on Tuesday that will consider two major pieces of legislation, one to give the president considerable sway in appointing a successor and another to nationalize foreign firms.

They've become as much a symbol of Africa's landscape as the stereotypical lions and plains

Miner Xstrata Plc announced a $1 billion offer for South Africa's Eland Platinum Holdings Ltd and met forecasts with a 47 percent rise in first-half net profit on Tuesday.

British Airways revealed the biggest fine in its history on Wednesday as it reached settlements with the U.S. and UK authorities for price fixing that could cost it up to 350 million pounds ($711 million).

Fame can be used to 'take the focus, when it's put on you, and throw it onto other things,' he says.

These would-be-migrants are the unlucky ones among a growing tide of refugees escaping an economic crisis that has devastated Zimbabwe and threatens to engulf other nations in the region, principally South Africa.

M2 Telecommunications Group Ltd. announced on Thursday that it has been chosen by sales intermediary Capricorn Society Ltd. to provide a full suite of telecommunications services the latter’s 10,000 member companies.

Gold edged higher on Thursday to trade below one-month highs, helped by a record low dollar, but the market was disappointed with the metal's slow upward move.

Gold crawled higher on Monday on bullish energy prices and slight falls in the dollar, while Tokyo futures prices rallied to a two-week high.

Colgate-Palmolive Co. on Thursday said counterfeit 'Colgate' toothpaste that may contain a toxic chemical had been found in discount stores in four U.S. states.

The French Development Agency (AFD) signed a subsidized loan agreement on Wednesday with top South African bank, Nedbank, for $50.1 million (€40 million) to provide housing loans for low-income households.

Ethiopian Airlines has won the African Airline of the Year 2006 Award, the company's management announced last Wednesday.

Zijin Mining Group Co Ltd, a Chinese leading gold and base metal producer, announced it will buy the new shares and warrants of England and Wales's resource company......

India's Prime Minister said South Africa and India have the resources and means to further develop their relationship to reach $12 billion in trade by 2010.

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's three-day visit to South Africa is expected to benefit India Inc. as the two nations will sign a number of bilateral agreements aimed to strengthen economic and commercial relationships.

Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank said on Monday its external debt has dropped by 2.3 percent following South Africa's contribution of $169 million last year to the International Monetary Fund.

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh who arrived in South Africa on Saturday, will, during his four-day visit, discuss major UN reforms with the South African President Thabo Mbeki, besides signing a number of bilateral agreements on a wide range of subjects including one on preferential trade, investment and energy cooperation.

India has surged ahead in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) 2006 index of world's most competitive economies, leaving behind nations like China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa and Kuwait.