SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa's ruling African National Congress claimed victory on Friday in a general election that will make party leader Jacob Zuma president.

South Africa's ruling ANC celebrated a commanding lead in an election that will install Jacob Zuma as president and put him under immediate pressure to deal with a faltering economy and improve the lives of the poor.

South Africa's ruling ANC headed for election victory on Thursday despite a reinvigorated opposition challenge and party leader Jacob Zuma was easily on course to become president weeks after beating graft charges.

South Africans vote in national and provincial elections on Wednesday with the ruling ANC expected to win, but with a reduced majority.

South Africans voted on Wednesday in an election that poses the toughest challenge to the African National Congress since the end of apartheid and could weaken its overwhelming dominance in parliament.

South Africa's ruling ANC leader Jacob Zuma called for a massive turnout at an election on Wednesday to give his ruling party a decisive mandate in its toughest test since the end of apartheid.

Penguin Group has become the first international publisher to sign an English electronic book distribution deal in China after seeing significant growth in the United States, the head of the group said on Tuesday.

Following is the roster of countries attending or boycotting a U.N. conference on racism that opened in Geneva on Monday.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prompted a walkout from his speech to a U.N. racism summit on Monday when he accused Israel of racism against the Palestinians.

Parmalat SpA , best known to many U.S. investors for its 2003 bankruptcy and accounting scandal, may benefit as the market again focuses on its boring but steady dairy business, Barron's said Sunday.

The United Nations’ anti-racism conference will open on May 20 at Geneva, its European headquarters. Concerns rise that it might spark high tension and fall into clashes once again.

Human rights groups said on Friday the United States and the European Union should take part in next week's U.N. conference on racism now that diplomats have removed the most contentious sections of the conference declaration.

Diplomats reached agreement on Friday on a declaration for next week's politically charged United Nations conference on racism, adding to the pressure on Washington and Brussels to decide whether to attend.

Asian stocks rose on Friday and the yen slipped, after upbeat results from JPMorgan and Google kept a revival of risk taking alive, with Asian shares outside Japan on track for a sixth week of gains.

Brewing giant SABMiller sold less beer than expected in the first three months of 2009 as economic conditions worsened and demand fell in most of its markets, sending its shares lower in early trade.

Brewing giant SABMiller sold less beer than expected in the first three months of 2009 as economic conditions worsened and demand fell in most of its markets.

Israel does not plan to cooperate with a U.N. agency's investigation into alleged war crimes by Israeli troops and Hamas militants during fighting in Gaza, an Israeli government official said Wednesday.

The United States on Tuesday held out the chance of attending a U.N. conference on racism in Geneva next week but said the final text must remove what Washington views as restrictions on freedom of speech.

Wine tourists are a growing breed as wineries around the globe step up their game and offer visitors better services and gourmet food alongside wine tasting.

Somali pirates defied international naval powers on Thursday to keep an American ship captain hostage on a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean after their first seizure of U.S. citizens.

Stronger emerging economies are likely to pull further ahead from weaker peers following the moves by global leaders to augment the lending capacity of the International Monetary Fund.