Zuma: Agoa renewal has immense benefits for SA

Washington - A commitment for the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) was secured at the US-Africa Leaders Summit held in Washington, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.

"We successfully conveyed the message that South Africa's graduation from Agoa would damage the African Union's regional integration initiatives, as well as industries in neighbouring countries that benefit from South Africa's manufacturing capability," he said in a statement.

"Benefits to South Africa are immense, we can only trust that this matter will be concluded successfully and to mutual benefit."Zuma left Washington on Wednesday, just after the conclusion of discussions between more than 40 African leaders and the US.

State ignoring crucial matters - Oscar defence

 

                                  Oscar Pistorius is seen in court before final arguments in his murder trial are heard

Pretoria - Final arguments will be heard at the North Gauteng High Court on Friday by murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius's defence team. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel completed his closing arguments on Thursday.

He described Pistorius as a deceitful and dishonest person, who would rather hide behind untruths than admit he murdered his girlfriend in cold blood.

Nel said Pistorius was an appalling witness who tailored his evidence to avoid prosecution. He dismissed several points of Pistorius's testimony as improbable and untruthful.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux spent the last half hour of Thursday's proceedings dismissing Nel's arguments. He accused the State of being selective in the evidence it chose to accept and consider for its case and of ignoring crucial matters raised in the trial.

Center of Iselle lashes Hawaii's Big Island with wind, rain

Hurricane Iselle and Hurricane Julio (R) are pictured en route to Hawaii in this August 5, 2014 NASA handout satellite image.

The center of Tropical Storm Iselle made landfall on Hawaii's Big Island on Friday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain, knocking down trees and causing power outages ahead of a more powerful storm gathering strength behind it.

While Iselle weakened into a tropical storm before reaching the islands, it was being closely followed by Julio, a Category 3 hurricane set to reach the area as early as Sunday morning - although the latest forecasts showed it tracking just north of the archipelago.

As Iselle bore down, more than 1,200 people flocked to evacuation shelters across the Big Island, according to County of Hawaii Civil Defense, as heavy rains and strong winds pummeled eastern areas of the island from Puna to Hilo.

WHO declares Ebola epidemic an international health emergency

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan addresses the media after a two-day meeting of its emergency committee on Ebola, in Geneva August 8, 2014.

West Africa's Ebola epidemic is an "extraordinary event" and now constitutes an international health risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

The Geneva-based U.N. health agency said the possible consequences of a further international spread of the outbreak, which has killed almost 1,000 people in four West African countries, were "particularly serious" in view of the virulence of the virus.

"A coordinated international response is deemed essential to stop and reverse the international spread of Ebola," the WHO said in a statement after a two-day meeting of its emergency committee on Ebola.

Israel strikes Gaza after militants resume rocket fire

A Palestinian woman, whom medics said was wounded in an Israeli air strike, is wheeled on a stretcher at a hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip August 8, 2014.

Israel launched air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Friday in response to Palestinian rockets after Egyptian-mediated talks failed to extend a 72-hour truce in a month-long war.

Egypt later called for a resumption of the ceasefire, saying only a few points remained to be agreed. Palestinian factions said they would meet Egyptian mediators later in the day but there was no sign of any imminent deal.

An Israeli government official said Israel would not negotiate with Palestinians while militants continued to unleash missiles.

As warning sirens sounded in southern Israel, the military said "Gaza terrorists" had fired more than 45 rockets on Friday morning and the "Iron Dome" interceptor system had brought down two.