Deputy President Jacob Zuma on Friday opened Swedish aircraft maker Saab’s Gripen production line for the South African Air Force. South Africa is buying 28 of the advanced Swedish aircraft to use for, among other tasks, peace support operations in Africa.

The fundamental challenge in South Africa today is transforming the current economic growth path and overcoming the dual economy, SA Communist party secretary-general Blade Nzimande said on Friday.

A groundbreaking study on business ethics in South Africa has found many top listed companies face high levels of risk through paying ”mere lip service” to ethics management. The survey found ”worrying ethical lapses” in many of them.

China yesterday began the countdown towards its first manned space mission, announcing a three-day launch window from next Wednesday for the Shenzhou V (Divine Vessel).

The public prosecutor’s office in Paris said yesterday it was opening a formal judicial inquiry into alleged corruption by a French engineering firm and the American oil services giant Halliburton, which was headed until two years ago by Dick Cheney, the vice-president of the United States.

An Iranian human rights lawyer who fell foul of her country’s conservative clerics has won the Nobel peace prize, in what some see as a rebuff to the Pope, who was heavily tipped to win the prize.

International Cricket Council match referee Clive Lloyd Saturday banned South African captain Graeme Smith for one limited overs international match and fined 50% of match fee for breaching the code of conduct.

South Africa were still leading the eighth All Africa Games medal overall standing standings on Friday night. South Africa, winners of the previous event in Johannesburg in 1999, were leading with 77 medals – 32 gold, 23 silver and 22 bronze.

Lanky pacer Andre Nel registered best figures of 4-39 to lead South Africa to a series levelling six-wicket win over Pakistan in the fourth day-night limited overs international at Pindi stadium here on Friday.