Hindustan Unilever Ltd, India's top consumer goods maker, said on Friday it will set up a joint venture with Smollan Holdings of South Africa to service the Indian firm's retail customers.
South Africa has greatly improved its technology level by increasing its bandwidth beyond the requirements of the world soccer governing body, Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).
Brazil, the only bidding country, was named as the host nation of the 2014 World Cup finals by world soccer's governing body FIFA on Tuesday.
China's biggest lender ICBC is to buy 20 percent of South Africa's Standard Bank for 36.67 billion rand ($5.6 billion) in cash, in the biggest foreign investment yet in Africa.
Gold shrugged off a tumbling U.S. dollar to fall more than 1 percent on Monday as investors cashed in on the metal's rally to a near three-decade high.
World trade talks appeared to be making progress on Wednesday as the leaders of Brazil, India and South Africa said they were committed to reaching a deal.
Gold rebounded on Thursday as bargain hunters returned to the market amid worries about possible military action by Turkey in northern Iraq, high oil prices as well as a weak dollar.
Virgin Group, controlled by entrepreneur Richard Branson, is leading a consortium that has submitted a rescue plan for British bank Northern Rock that would inject a substantial cash sum, it said on Friday.
A sickly dollar and firming oil prices swept gold to 28-year highs on Thursday, while platinum was set in London at a record high of $1,407 per ounce, aided by rising bullion prices and worries over supply.
The United States urged Brazil on Wednesday to use its influence with developing nations to ensure that the long-running Doha round of global trade talks do not end in a stalemate.
Gold extended gains on Wednesday as a soft dollar encouraged buying, while Tokyo futures tracked bullion to hit a fresh 22-½ year high.
The new 'Atlantic' label was created by the French government to counter foreign competition in the wine industry.
World stocks held just below this week's record high on Thursday while the euro was steady as investors bet the worst of the credit crisis is over and looked to the European Central Bank chief for clues on monetary policy.
Gold rebounded to trade higher on Thursday after hitting two-week lows, as the metal's allure as an alternative investment rose with a drop in the dollar.
Insurer Old Mutual Plc plans to buy back 350 million pounds ($714 million) of its shares, roughly 4 percent of its capital, as part of a programme to improve capital efficiency, it said on Wednesday.
He wears a $15 watch, flies economy class and does not own a house or car. For years few guessed that Chuck Feeney was one of the world's biggest philanthropists, secretly giving away his billionaire fortune.
Talks on global warming in the United States next week may be complicated by differences among developing countries as their climate policy positions diverge.
South Africa's most powerful labor group endorsed Jacob Zuma as the next leader of the ruling African National Congress on Thursday, aiming to nudge him into the presidency and the country towards socialism.
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.
