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/ 31 January 2008
A one-month delay to consider a new United Nations Security Council draft resolution that would punish Iran for moving ahead with its nuclear programme would not be a disaster, a South African official said on Thursday. The Security Council’s five permanent members, along with Germany, have circulated a draft that would toughen existing sanctions on Iran.
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/ 31 January 2008
Damage to undersea internet cables hit businesses across the Middle East and South Asia on Thursday, including the vital call-centre industry, prompting calls for people to limit their surfing. About 70% of internet users in Egypt have been affected since two submarine cables in the Mediterranean Sea were damaged on Wednesday.
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/ 31 January 2008
Former Test cricketer Mark Vermeulen has been cleared of arson attacks on the Zimbabwe Cricket Board’s headquarters after a court found he was suffering psychiatric problems, his lawyer said on Thursday. Eric Matinenga said Mishrod Guvamombe, the presiding magistrate at Wednesday’s hearing in Harare, had delivered a ”special verdict”.
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/ 31 January 2008
A Sudanese-backed Chadian rebel column has advanced deep into Chad towards the capital, Ndjamena, in the west, the government said in a statement broadcast by state media on Thursday. A separate security source in Ndjamena said the column of about 300 vehicles had passed through the town of Ati and halted 250km east of Ndjamena.
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/ 31 January 2008
In a surprise move, South African electricity utility Eskom has withdrawn its authorisation for the mining industry to increase its electricity use from 80% to 90% on Thursday. News of the decision came from Gold Fields, the world’s fourth-largest gold producer, which informed the media in a statement.
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/ 31 January 2008
Kenya’s police said the fatal shooting of a legislator by a policeman on Thursday was a ”crime of passion” and had already led to one arrest. But the head of the Orange Democratic Movement, Raila Odinga, called the death of David Kimutai Too in the Rift Valley town of Eldoret a politically-motivated ”execution”.
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/ 31 January 2008
Platinum miner Zimplats Holdings said on Thursday its revenue jumped 57% in the last quarter of 2007 on the back of higher production, but concerns remain over power supply problems. Revenue for the three months to December was ,67-million, up from ,57-million in the previous quarter.
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/ 31 January 2008
South Africa’s producer price inflation quickened to 10,3% year-on-year in December, above forecasts, after a 9,1% increase in November, official data showed on Thursday. On a monthly basis, PPI increased by 0,5% after a 0,3% rise in November.
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/ 31 January 2008
A multiparty committee has been set up to investigate allegations involving the mayor of Rustenburg, Matthew Wolmarans, the municipality said on Thursday. Municipal manager Andries Boschoff said a motion of no confidence was passed against the mayor on Tuesday during a council meeting.
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/ 31 January 2008
Malawi finally has to face up to the dilemma of choosing between being a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) or to stick with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) if it is to continue receiving funding from the European Union.