Update@Noon

South Sudan's president Salva Kiir signed a peace and power sharing deal on Wednesday to end a 20-month civil war in the country. Kiir however told regional leaders, who were in Juba to witness the signing, that he had serious reservations. Kiir signed the deal a day after threats of United Nations sanctions. Rebel leader Dr. Riek Machar signed the accord last week in Ethiopia. Sarah Kimani report...

1. This week in stock markets has been one of the most volatile on record, and it's only Thursday morning! The US markets ended very strongly last night, and this morning Asian markets have followed suit. Does this mean that the worst is behind us now and that from here on it can only get better? 2. This week we also had news out about our own economic growth, and the dreaded "R"-word, recession,...

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has unveiled a ten point plan aimed at reversing that country's economy crisis. President Mugabe's state of the nation address comes as almost 20 thousands workers have lost their jobs and the economy is expected to shrink even further. Shingai Nyoka reports

The race is on for a new leadership of the ANC Youth League. The League will finally hold its national elective congress from the 4th to the 6th of September after numerous delays. The body has been under the administration of a national task team after it was disbanded by the ANC's National Executive in March 2013. This after its then-President Julius Malema was dismissed and a number of his exec...

President Jacob Zuma has officially opened the state-of-the-art Makgato Lewanika Mandela school in Mvezo in the Eastern Cape. The multi-million rand school has been established after the merger of Inkwenkwezi and Mvezo Junior Schools due low numbers. The school boasts modern buildings, a computer lab and up-to-date teaching equipment . Makhaya Komisa has more

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is taking the University of the Witwatersrand to court to interdict this week's Student Representative Council elections. This after the university suspended seven EFF supporters following a scuffle during a pre-election debate. The two parties met yesterday to try iron out their differences on the matter. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Chairperson of the EFF, Advocat...

1. Asia Stocks Climb With U.S. Futures After $2.7 Trillion Wipe-out 2. Biggest Day in Years for Currencies as Investors Flee Risk 3. Highly priced equity markets continue to feel the pinch of the sell off

The Transport department says it will abide by the recommendations of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela into financial irregularities at the Passenger Rail Agency. Madonsela has urged Transport minister Dipuo Peters to take cognisance of damning findings against Prasa. Madonsela has found evidence of widespread impropriety in the awarding of tenders and urged steps against ousted CEO Lucky Montana....

Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana has described the Public Protector's report on irregularities at the Passenger Rail Agency as inaccurate. Montana, who resigned after reports of irregularities started to surface last month, has denied all allegations against him and says he will take take legal action...

The Public Protector has named and shamed some of the companies and individuals implicated in the maladministration and alleged irregular awarding of tenders involving former CEO of Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa Lucky Montana. Some of the companies mentioned in the Public Protector's demning report include Siemens and Reakgona cleaning company. The report also mentions names of board membe...

The saga surrounding the illegal renditions of Zimbabweans by the HAWKS is far from over. Gauteng Hawks boss Major-General Shadrack Sibiya will be challenging his dismissal following an internal disciplinary hearing last week. The hearing found that Sibiya, in his capacity as Hawks boss, had failed to prevent the rendition of six Zimbabwean nationals in 2010. The matter has seen a number of high l...

The Treatment Action Campaign and the Sonke Gender Justice Network say the mechanism through which vulnerable members of society can hold large corporates to account for their failures, is through a class action. The organisations have brought an application before the High Court in Johannesburg to be admitted as friends of the court in a class action lawsuit against mining companies. The main cas...

1. So yesterday was pretty grim as far as markets are concerned. What caused the broad-based sell-off and was there anything that did not fall in a heap? 2. Are we over-reacting as far as China is concerned? 3. Yesterday we spoke about the likelihood that the US Fed will increase interest rates in September and you said you thought they may have to hold off, considering what has been happening in...

Security Experts have warned that Crafty hackers are gaining access to bank accounts and draining them in a tweaked version of the well-known Microsoft scam. The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) has alerted SA banks that these scamsters are now targeting South Africans and called on people to keep their software up to date - and not to give anyone remote access to their compu...

1. Chinese stocks fall the lowest since 2007 despite Government assistance 2. Shinzo Abe still under pressure despite decent Japanese economic performance 3. RSA rand continues to fall as the commodity market falls!

Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, Popcru says it still defends National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega despite the commission of inquiry into Phiyega's fitness to hold office. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Popcru spokesperson, Richard Mamabolo.

Labour and business want government to reassess policies which they say, are leading to job losses in the steel industry. Representatives of the sector and government met this past weekend to discuss possible ways of avoiding major job cuts. The trade union NUMSA says at least 30-thousand workers in the steel industry face retrenchments in the next two months. Arcelor Mittal is considering closing...

Names of some high profile individuals could be implicated in the Public Protector's Report to released today on the probe involving the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa. This is according to National Transport Movement, a union representing some of Prasa employees. The union has spent the past few years making submissions to the Public Protector to probe serious corrupt activities in the par...

Trade and political relations between South Africa and Japan are to take centre stage when the two countries meet in the capital, Tokyo today. Pretoria's delegation, led by deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa including ministers and business people, is currently on an official visit aimed at enhancing existing trade and political relations between the two countries and also re-assure the Japanese tha...

The Community Development Foundation of South Africa and traditional leaders in Mount Frere, Eastern Cape, have embarked on an initiative aimed at mentoring young men who graduated from this winter's initiation season. Fundiswa Mhlekude reports

A team of mediators put together to end disruptions at the Roodepoort primary school, west of Johannesburg, has reported back to the Gauteng Education Department. The school was shut down last week following protests by some parents demanding the removal of the principal and the deputy principal, accusing them of mismanagement. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Reverend Gift Moerane,convener of the task te...

1. 10 days ago on this program you told us that when the market falls like this, we should consider it in the same way as when there is a sale on at our favourite shop. And although it has bounced on some days, in general the decline continues. How should one deal with the emotions of a falling investment market? 2. One aspect of the current rout in global markets that really hurt us and make us f...

Markets analyst, Clive Ramathibela looks at; 1. The Chinese market rout continues as poor data spares concern over the economy 2. IMF , Germany and Eurozone will continue supporting Greek reform despite Tsipras resignation 3. The weeks review in brief

The ANC has blamed its dwindling support in Coloured communities on lazy members who are not mobilising in these communities. In its discussion documents for the National General Council planned for October, the governing party has admitted that it is losing support in these communities to the Democratic Alliance. Its Secretary General Gwede Mantashe met representatives of the Coloured and the Kho...

Former President Thabo Mbeki faced many tough questions of local and international concern in Pretoria yesterday. Mbeki was interacting with students at Unisa's Thabo Mbeki Leadership Institute. In a question and answer session students quizzed the former President on a range of issues including relations with China, the International Criminal Court, land and establising a non-sexist society. Seni...