JOHANNESBURG Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is set to return to South Africa early on Tuesday after being ordered home from London by President Jacob Zuma, hours before a court hearing over the closure of accounts belonging to friends of the president. Zuma’s order on Monday that Gordhan return “immediately” from a roadshow for investors in Britain and the United States has revived talk of a cabinet reshuffle […]
Last week we noted that Mexico’s Economy Minister, Ildefonso Guajardo, was somewhat less than completely supportive of Trump’s impenetrable, yet “aesthetically pleasing”, 30-foot border wall and issued a stark warning to Mexican companies that it would not be in their best “interests” to participate in the project even though there would be no explicit legal restrictions or sanctions to stop them if they tried. Per Reuters: “We’re […]
By Noel Randewich and Rishika Sadam Shares of Snap Inc jumped nearly 5 percent on Monday after several of the Snapchat owner’s IPO underwriters handed it badly needed “buy” ratings. Snap’s listing on March 1 was the largest by a technology firm in three years but trading has been volatile, with many investors critical of decelerating user growth. Snap has warned it may never become profitable. Analysts […]
Livestock grazing could affect the sage grouse population across 11 states in the western region of the United States and two Canadian provinces in western North America, according to a study. Its effect, either positive or negative, is determined by the amount of grazing and when it occurs. The study said some grazing could still be beneficial to chicken-like grouse if grazing occurred during the later part of […]
By David Brunnstrom | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON China appears to have largely completed major construction of military infrastructure on artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea and can now deploy combat planes and other military hardware there at any time, a U.S. think tank said on Monday. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), part of Washington’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said the work […]
Silver Eye Goldfrapp (Mute Records) Four stars “We’ve never liked repeating ourselves,” says singer Alison Goldfrapp, talking about her latest album with Will Gregory. Only, that’s not entirely true, is it? Eight albums into their career, and 17 years after their debut, a definite pattern has emerged. A kind of musical tick/tock. On the ‘tick’ we have the contemplative soundscapes. Felt Mountain (2000) provides the primary source, […]
Colombia-based airline Avianca filed a counter lawsuit in New York on Monday in the latest round of a no-holds-barred legal battle between two Latin American tycoons over the strategic control of one of the region’s biggest carriers and its mooted alliance with United Airlines. Avianca and Gérman Efromovich, the carrier’s biggest shareholder, accused Kingsland Holdings, its second-biggest shareholder, of leaking boardroom secrets in an attempt to obstruct […]
By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON North Korea has carried out another test of a rocket engine that U.S. officials believe could be part of its programme to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile, officials told Reuters on Monday. The latest test follows one earlier this month, and is another sign of Pyongyang’s advancing weapons programme. It comes amid mounting U.S. concerns about additional missile […]
Vocus Communications has announced selling its 16 percent stake in Macquarie Telecom, offloading 3,358,511 MAQ shares at a price of AU$12.20 per share for a total of around AU$41 million. Vocus sold 100 percent of its interest in Macquarie Telecom to both institutional and retail shareholders via a block trade, it announced to the Australian Securities Exchange on Tuesday morning. According to Macquarie Telecom, the sale of […]
SEOUL South Korea’s Kori No. 4 nuclear reactor was manually shut down after the water level in a collection tank rose due to a coolant leak, a spokesman at the reactor’s operator said on Tuesday. “We estimate the water level of the reactor’s collection tank increased after coolant was leaked,” said Lim Dae-hyun, the spokesman at Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co Ltd (KHNP) [KRHYDR.UL]. Lim added […]
By Alberto Alerigi | SAO PAULO SAO PAULO Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry said on Monday it ordered three more food processing facilities to suspend production amid an investigation into alleged corruption of inspectors and unsanitary conditions in the world’s biggest meat producer. That brings to six the number of food processing plants that have been ordered temporarily closed by Brazilian authorities. A total of 21 plants are included […]
By Ayesha Rascoe | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON Following the failure of a healthcare bill backed by President Donald Trump, his administration plans to take a lead role in crafting major legislation to cut taxes with an eye toward meeting an August target date, the White House said on Monday. Trump’s pledge to cut taxes, including a lowering of the rates paid by corporations, was a pillar of his […]
T-Mobile is now offering complimentary AppleCare+ perks for customers who sign up for its Premium Device Protection plan or those who upgrade to JUMP! For those unfamiliar with the service, AppleCare+ is Apple’s extended warranty service for iPhone and iPad, offering a number of benefits to in case something goes wrong with the device. T-Mobile’s new offer notes that it’s including complimentary AppleCare service with JUMP! or its […]
The Maldives speaker of parliament survived an impeachment vote on Monday amid chaos after a dozen opposition legislators were sent out from the chamber for unruly behaviour. The motion against Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, a close ally of President Abdulla Yameen, was defeated by 48 vote against none in an 85-member parliament after all opposition lawmakers walked out in protest at their colleagues’ expulsion. Opposition legislators said […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for March 28, 2017, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. Ellen Fortini rounds up 10 things to do today in the UAE. Want to see your event listed here? Email us with the details and contact information at [email protected] newslide Abu Dhabi Family fun Visit […]
WASHINGTON The Pentagon, facing accusations that a coalition air strike may have killed scores of civilians in the Iraqi city of Mosul, said on Monday it was not loosening its rules of engagement in the fight against Islamic State but that resources to investigate claims were limited. Eyewitnesses from Mosul and Iraqi officials have said last week’s strike on Islamic State targets may have collapsed homes where […]
The location and energy potential, in terawatt hours, of eastern and southern African renewable resources (wind, solar photovoltaic and concentrating solar power). Credit: UC Berkeley As Africa gears up for a tripling of electricity demand by 2030, a new Berkeley study maps out a viable strategy for developing wind and solar power while simultaneously reducing the continent’s reliance on fossil fuels and lowering power plant construction costs. […]
LONDON British police said on Monday they had found no evidence that Khalid Masood, who killed four people in an attack on parliament last week, had any association with Islamic State or al Qaeda, but he was clearly interested in jihad. Masood drove a car through a crowd of pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing three and injuring about 50, then ran through the gates of parliament and […]
Like many others, I’m interested in diminutive action cams modeled GoPro’s popular line of devices, which are targeted at people who like to jump off cliffs with one of these gadgets attached to their person. Not surprisingly, there are a number of low-priced competitors coming from obscure Chinese off brands. They sell like crazy, but are they valid rivals or total duds? It’s hard to […]
By Mfuneko Toyana and Sujata Rao | JOHANNESBURG/LONDON JOHANNESBURG/LONDON South African President Jacob Zuma asked Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on Monday to return home “immediately” from an investor roadshow abroad, reviving talk of a cabinet reshuffle and unnerving investors who see Gordhan as an emblem of stability. The rand fell more than 3 percent against the dollar, its biggest one day fall since Nov. 10, South African […]
By Yashaswini Swamynathan U.S. stocks were well off session lows on Monday as investors sought bargains after a rough start on Wall Street following the defeat of President Donald Trump’s first major legislative action. Republicans were forced to pull a healthcare bill on Friday after failing to gather the votes needed in Congress to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act also called Obamacare. The bill’s failure […]
The same kind of large-scale planetary waves that meander through the atmosphere high above Earth’s surface may also exist on the sun, according to a new study. (via WSJ)
CHICAGO An Amtrak train derailed outside Union Station in Chicago on Monday but there were no immediate reports of any injuries, a local NBC affiliate reported. It was the second derailment involving an Amtrak train in the last few days. On Friday, an Amtrak Acela train derailed and sideswiped a New Jersey commuter train at New York City’s Penn Station, causing minor injuries. (Reporting by Tim McLaughlin; […]
ABU DHABI // The UAE has contributed Dh200 million to the Interpol Foundation for a Safer World, supporting seven projects fighting global crime and terrorism over five years. Announced ahead of the Unity for Security Forum in Abu Dhabi, which starts on Tuesday, the money will help to fund collaborations and training in Interpol’s 190 member states. “Building relations with relevant institutions in the fight against crime […]
