Tokyo - Taro Aso, who is likely to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, said Friday that Japan was destined to flourish together with China and South Korea although he also foresaw continuing bumpy relations with the countries Japan occupied before and during World War II.

"There will be problems between Japan and those two nations," Aso said at a press conference. "No need to be flustered, though, because Japan, China and South Korea 
- the three nations are destined to prosper together."

Aso, who serves as secretary general of the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), is seen as the front-runner in Monday's LDP presidential election after Fukuda announced his resignation September 1.

Johannesburg - Prosecutors in South Africa said Wednesday they would seek leave to appeal a court's ruling last week that corruption and fraud charges against African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma were invalid.

The National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) refusal to drop the case against Zuma is likely to add to tensions between supporters of Zuma and arch-rival President Thabo Mbeki.

Zuma is expected to take over from Mbeki as president after general elections in April that the ANC is expected to easily win.

Yaounde - Large species such as gorilla and elephant could be wiped out within 50 years in Central Africa if bush meat hunting is not curbed but a blanket ban would be a disaster for the rural poor, a research body said Tuesday.

A report released by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) said that up to 1 million tonnes of bush meat is consumed annually in Central Africa.

Johannesburg - South Africa's ruling African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma was due to hear Friday whether his attempt to have the corruption charges that threaten to mar his path to the presidency quashed has been successful.

Pietermaritzburg High Court is due to rule on an application by Zuma to have his case for alleged corruption, fraud and racketeering thrown out of court on the basis that prosecutors did not follow proper procedure in indicting him.

Johannesburg  - Thousands of South Africans joined demonstrations in support of corruption-accused African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma on Wednesday, two days before a court is due to issue a key ruling on his case.

Thousands marched in the port city of Durban and the eastern city of Sasolburg to demand that the charges against former deputy president Zuma be dropped.

Johannesburg - Africa's biggest air traffic hub, OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, opened a new terminal Wednesday as part of a major upgrade scheduled for completion by the 2010 football World Cup.

The 2.3-billion-rand central terminal is two-and-a-half times the size of the current international arrivals hall.

A new international departures hall is slated for completion in December, a new retail centre for April 2009 and a new baggage management system for December 2009.