AT HOME
Presidential spokesman Murphy Morobe confirms that the state will pay at least part of Jacob Zuma's legal costs in his corruption trial.
Provincial & local government minister Sydney Mufamadi says some provinces may be scrapped or radically altered by 2009.
The JSE closes at a new high on December 19, at 17 869,85.
The Association of Internet Service Providers complains to the Competition Commission over Telkom's conduct in that market.
Randgold & Exploration and JCI say auditor KPMG has found prima facie evidence of misappropriation of assets, but final results won't be available before March.
Police destroy 50 000 firearms, taking the total destroyed since October 2003 to 123 000.
Zim returns the passports of publisher Trevor Ncube and opposition politician Paul Nyathi but seizes that of trade unionist Raymond Majongwe.
Zim opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai suspends five senior members of his party.
ABROAD
In Hong Kong, World Trade Organisation members reach a compromise but postpone all the toughest negotiations in the Doha trade round.
The Italian parliament approves a return to full PR voting, which opposition leaders say is designed to help PM Silvio Berlusconi in next year's general election.
Ruling-party candidate Jakaya Kikwete wins Tanzania's presidential poll with 80% of the vote.
Congo (Kinshasa) says it will sue for billions after the International Court rules that Uganda looted it during the 1998-2003 war.
Two key allies of Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki agree to return to his cabinet. Kibaki reverses a pledge to trim cabinet posts and creates three new ministries.
The militant Hamas group wins local elections on the West Bank, just six weeks ahead of a general election.
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the holocaust "is a myth".
The US House of Representatives renews the controversial antiterrorist USA Patriot Act by 251-174, but it falls eight short of the 60 needed for senate approval.
Iata predicts the world airline industry could return to profit in 2007 and cuts its forecast for 2005 losses from US$7,4bn to $6bn.
The US Federal Reserve lifts rates for a 13th consecutive time, taking its benchmark lending rate to 4,25%.
The Illinois supreme court throws out a US$10,1bn verdict against Philip Morris.
ConocoPhillips agrees to buy US natural gas producer Burlington for US$35bn in cash and stock.
Vodafone pays US$4,55bn to win an open auction tender for Turkey's second-biggest cellphone operator, Telsim.
Viacom's Paramount unit agrees to buy DreamWorks studio from founders Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen for US$774m plus $826m debt, and plans to recoup up to $1bn by selling its film library.
General Dynamics makes an agreed US$2,2bn bid for Anteon International.
Three US equity firms agree to buy Dunkin' Donuts, ice cream stores Baskin-Robbins and sandwich maker Togo's from Pernod Ricard, which acquired them in last year's US$14bn buy of Allied Domecq, for $2,4bn.
France's two biggest pay-TV firms, Vivendi's Canal+ and TPS, discuss a merger.
Ex-Banca Popolare Italiana CE Gianpiero Fiorani and others are arrested over alleged banking scandals. And Antonio Fazio (69), Italian central bank governor since 1993, resigns.
DEATHS
Siphiwe Kumalo (50), actor, director and husband of soprano Sibongile; top jazz drummer Lulu Gontsana (45).
Twenty-one die when brakes fail and an overloaded bus rolls into a stream near Wepener in the Free State.
Wisconsin Democrat William Proxmire (90), a senator from 1957-1988 and congress's leading scourge of big spending and government waste; Eugene McCarthy (89), whose anti-Vietnam war campaign forced Lyndon Johnson to drop his bid to stand for re-election as US president in 1968; Lord (Anthony) Barber (85), Tory chancellor of the exchequer 1970-1974; Emmy-winning actor John Spencer (58), of The West Wing and LA Law.
Forty-two die in a stampede at an Indian relief agency.
SPORT
SA drop seven catches in a drawn first test vs Oz at Perth. Shane Warne breaks Dennis Lillee's record 85 test wickets in a calendar year.
Retief Goosen holds off a last-round fightback by Ernie Els to win the SAA Open at Fancourt by one stroke.
An investigation commissioned by sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile alleges financial mismanagement by SA Rugby chairman Brian van Rooyen.
The SA 4x100 relay team will become world champions following the suspension for doping violations of one of the US team that beat them into second place in 2003.
Following the FIA's decision to opt for a single tyre maker from 2008, Michelin says it will quit Formula One racing at the end of 2006.
