Latest news and views in Brief
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s telecoms regulator can go ahead with planned cuts to mobile interconnection rates, a court ruled on Monday, throwing out a petition by the two biggest operators to prevent reductions scheduled for April 1. Vodacom and MTN had asked a Johannesburg High Court to stop the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) from forcing the … Read more
By James Macharia NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s vital tourism sector is “on its knees” after attacks by al Qaeda-linked Islamist militants carried out in retaliation for its intervention in neighbouring Somalia, President Uhuru Kenyatta said. Kenyatta met ethnic Somali leaders and asked for their help in identifying people they thought may be behind attacks that have dented the president’s plans … Read more
HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will not attend a European Union-Africa summit next week if his wife is denied a visa to travel with him, his spokesman said. Mugabe, 90, and his wife Grace are subject to travel bans by the EU because of allegations about human rights abuses and election-rigging but the union allowed Zimbabwe’s sole … Read more
By Peter Apps and Tim Hepher March 28 (Reuters) – The search for flight MH370, the Malaysian jetliner that vanished over the South China Sea on March 8, has involved more than two dozen countries and 60 aircraft and ships but been bedevilled by regional rivalries. While Malaysia has been accused of a muddled response and poor communications, China has showcased its growing … Read more
By Euan Rocha and Allison Martell TORONTO, March 28 (Reuters) – BlackBerry Ltd reported a smaller-than-expected loss on Friday as new chief executive John Chen slashed costs, but a 64 percent drop in revenue underscored the challenge Chen faces in turning around the struggling smartphone maker. The Canadian company, which has lost most of the smartphone market to Apple Inc’s iPhone and gadgets powered … Read more
By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO, March 28 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Friday rejected a request from Apple, Google and two other tech companies to avoid a trial in a class action lawsuit alleging a scheme to drive down wages. Tech workers sued the companies alleging they conspired to avoid competing for each other’s … Read more
MOSCOW, March 29 (Reuters) – Russia said on Saturday it had no intention of sending its armed forces intoUkraine, signalling Moscow wants to ease tensions in the worst East-West standoff since the Cold war. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reinforced a message from President Vladimir Putin that Russia will settle – at least for now – for annexing Crimea, although it has thousands of … Read more
After 10 weeks of impasse, both sides in the platinum strike are preparing for the long haul. But in the end, there can only be one loser. Shareholders of Anglo Platinum, Lonmin and Impala will be hurt by short-term profit reverse. But South African platinum mines have been given the best possible incentive to modernise, … Read more
From the SA Press Association: The United Democratic Movement on Thursday accused the ANC and its affiliates of waging an aggressive and concerted campaign to undermine trust in the public protector. “The UDM is outraged at the sustained attack on the public protector by the various offshoots of the ANC,” UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said … Read more
From dpa: Google Inc has partnered with Luxottica SpA, the makers of Ray-Ban and Oakley sunglasses, to bring a high fashion sensibility to its high-tech wearable computer, Google Glass, the company said Monday. “Luxottica understands how to build, distribute and sell great products that their clients and consumers love – something we care deeply about … Read more