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| U.S. airlines give China flight plans for new defense zone Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 11:50 AM PST  By Marina Lopes and Lesley Wroughton NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two of the biggest U.S. airlines, American and Delta, have notified Chinese authorities of flight plans when travelling through an air defense zone Beijing has declared over the East China Sea, in line with U.S. government advice. The United States said on Friday it expected U.S. carriers to operate in line with so-called notices to airmen issued by foreign countries, although it added that the decision did "not indicate U.S. government acceptance of China's requirements. Airline industry officials said the U.S. government generally expects that U.S. carriers operating internationally to comply with notices issued by foreign countries. In contrast, two major airlines in Japan, America's close ally, have agreed with the Japanese government that they would fly through the zone without notifying China. Full Story | Top |
| U.S. offers to destroy Syria's chemicals at sea: OPCW Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 09:52 AM PST  The United States has offered to destroy Syrian chemicals on a U.S. ship, the global chemical weapons watchdog said on Saturday, and is looking for a suitable Mediterranean port where processing can be carried out. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been under pressure to find an alternative plan for the destruction of Syria's poison gas arsenal after Albania backed out of hosting the work. The OPCW said 35 firms had expressed an interest in bidding for commercial contracts by Friday's deadline for the treatment of about 800 tonnes (1 tonne = 1.102 metric tons) of bulk industrial chemicals that are safe to destroy in commercial incinerators. The OPCW said the operation would be carried out on a U.S. vessel at sea using hydrolysis, adding a naval vessel was undergoing modifications to support the operations. Full Story | Top |
| East African trade bloc approves monetary union deal Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 09:35 AM PST By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA (Reuters) - The leaders of five East African countries signed a protocol on Saturday laying the groundwork for a monetary union within 10 years that they expect will expand regional trade. Heads of state of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, which have already signed a common market and a single customs union, say the protocol will allow them to progressively converge their currencies and increase commerce. In the run-up to achieving a common currency, the East African Community (EAC) nations aim to harmonize monetary and fiscal policies and establish a common central bank. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda already present their budgets simultaneously every June. Full Story | Top |
| Truck drivers block French roads in "ecotax" protest Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 09:34 AM PST  Several thousand truck drivers blocked roads across France on Saturday, causing severe disruption to traffic in protest against a new environmental tax on heavy goods vehicles. The protest is the latest effort to force the French government to cancel the so-called "ecotax" through which it aims to raise more than 1 billion euros ($1.38 billion) a year to finance mostly rail infrastructure projects. On the main highways, truck drivers let cars through but blocked foreign trucks, forcing them to stand idle on the side of the road. "Until this measure is cancelled, we will remain mobilized," said Vincent Tardet from the European Rail Transport Organisation (OTRE) which set up some 26 blockades on France's main road arteries. Full Story | Top |
| Eight dead as police helicopter crashes into Scottish pub Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 09:06 AM PST By Russell Cheyne GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) - Eight people were killed and 14 others seriously injured when a police helicopter crashed into the roof of a packed Glasgow pub, trapping many inside in choking dust and debris, Scottish police said on Saturday, Witnesses said the helicopter dropped from the sky like a stone onto the busy Clutha Pub in Scotland's biggest city on Friday night while more than 100 people were crammed inside, listening to a live music concert. The helicopter crew - two police officers and the civilian pilot - were among the dead and the others were discovered inside the wreckage of the building, Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stephen House told reporters. The 12-metre (40 foot) helicopter - a twin-engine Eurocopter EC135 T2, made by a subsidiary of EADS - spiraled into the pub in the center of Glasgow, destroying part of the roof. "Until the helicopter is out of the way we won't know what ... is going on underneath." Immediately after the crash, revelers caked in dust and blood rushed out into the street. Full Story | Top |
| Thyssen announces capital increase as U.S. deal sealed Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 07:55 AM PST  is selling its U.S. plant to two rivals in a long-awaited deal to help extricate the German steelmaker from an ill-fated boom-year expansion plan, and said it plans to raise up to 1 billion euros ($1.36 billion) in a share sale. Germany's largest steelmaker, whose empire stretches from shipyards to elevators, said late on Friday it would sell its U.S. steel finishing plant in Calvert, Alabama, to ArcelorMittal ThyssenKrupp has been trying for more than a year and a half to find a buyer for its Steel Americas unit - comprised of the U.S. steel finishing plant and steel slab mill CSA in Brazil - which has drained billions from the company for the past few years and been an obstacle to raising fresh funds. But the sale of the U.S. plant in Calvert is not the coup that ThyssenKrupp Chief Executive Heinrich Hiesinger had initially hoped for. Full Story | Top |
| Obamacare website faces crucial weekend after technology overhaul Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 07:38 AM PST  By Roberta Rampton and Sharon Begley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans are getting their first look on Saturday at whether a five-week, round-the-clock technology overhaul has made it easier to use the troubled website that is the backbone of President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare overhaul. The White House had pledged that HealthCare.gov, which has been plagued by errors, outages, and slow speeds since its disastrous October 1 launch - would be working for most people this weekend. Fixing the crisis, one of the biggest of Obama's presidency, has enormous political stakes for the administration and its Democratic allies who are heading into congressional elections next year. The administration said on Saturday that 90 percent of website users can now create an account on the system, which is meant to help millions of people sign up for new health insurance plans. Full Story | Top |
| Unforgotten fighter of Korean war: U.S. pensioner a POW at 85 Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 06:37 AM PST  By Ju-min Park and James Pearson SEOUL (Reuters) - As autumn descended on a Korean countryside devastated by three years of intense war, a group of anti-communist guerrillas presented U.S. serviceman Merrill Edward Newman with a gold ring. He returned to North Korea last month as an American tourist and was snatched by authorities from his plane moments before it was due to depart for Beijing. The North Korean regime has nourished memories of the 1950-53 Korean War as the inspiration for the country's identity and acts as if the conflict is still happening. No peace treaty was signed between the United States, South Korea and North Korea. Full Story | Top |
| Turkcell lawsuit unlikely to come to court before 2015 - MTN Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 05:47 AM PST  By David Dolan JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Turkcell's $4.2 billion lawsuit against South African rival MTN Group is unlikely to be heard in a Johannesburg court before early 2015, MTN's chief executive said on Friday. "The initial indications - and again it's really purely indications - (are) it probably wouldn't get into court before early 2015," Sifiso Dabengwa told Reuters in an interview. The Turkish mobile operator filed a suit in a Johannesburg high court this week against MTN, alleging it was the victim of corruption and bribery that caused it to lose a mobile licence in Iran nearly a decade ago. Turkcell originally pursued the case against Johannesburg-based MTN in the United States but dropped it in May after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a separate case made clear that U.S. courts would not have jurisdiction in a claim involving two foreign firms in an overseas dispute. Full Story | Top |
| Guinea frees two BSGR officials in mining corruption probe Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 04:11 AM PST Guinea has released two officials of BSGR, the mining arm of Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz's business empire, after detaining them for seven months for alleged involvement in a corrupt mining deal. Ibrahima Sory Toure, a vice president of BSGR in Guinea, and Issaga Bangoura, a security official, were released on bail on Friday evening, a government source and the company's lawyer in Conakry told Reuters. Full Story | Top |
| Four dead, 6 injured in plane crash in southwest Alaska Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 03:11 AM PST A Cessna 208 with at least 10 people on board crashed in southwest Alaska on Friday evening, killing four people including the pilot and injuring six others, officials said. The small, single-engine aircraft, heading for St. Mary's from Bethel, two small settlements in a remote area of the U.S. state, was reported missing at about 7 p.m. local time (2300 ET Friday), said Megan Peters, a spokeswoman for the Alaska State Troopers. Alaska State Troopers were on the scene and treating the injured, but the extent of the injuries was unclear, Peters said. An air ambulance service, among other agencies, was assisting Alaska State Troopers. Full Story | Top |
| China may see IPO thaw in 2014 as regulator smoothes approval process Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 01:48 AM PST China's securities regulator could streamline its approvals process for some initial public offerings (IPO) by next January, the regulator said on Saturday, mapping out reform measures. But firms would still need to wait for China to restart the IPO market, frozen since October last year after authorities suspended listings in a bid to stamp out equity market fraud. "After the announcement of these opinions, there would need to be around one month of preparatory work before firms could complete the necessary procedures," the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said on its website. "We predict around 50 companies may be able to complete their registration procedures for IPO by January next year." There have been prior reports of the IPO drought coming to and end, but Saturday's statement gives the strongest hint that China is contemplating the resumption of mainland listings. Full Story | Top |
| Mozambique Airlines plane carrying 34 missing in Namibia Saturday, Nov 30, 2013 01:45 AM PST By Servaas van den Bosch WINDHOEK (Reuters) - A Mozambique Airlines flight carrying 34 people en route to Angola has gone missing over northeast Namibia and authorities were searching a game park on Saturday for signs of the plane. Flight TM 470 left Maputo on Friday for the Angolan capital of Luanda with 28 passengers and six crew members on board when it lost contact with air traffic controllers, the airline said in a statement. Namibian Police Force Deputy Commissioner Willy Bampton said police were searching for the plane in the Bwabwata National Park in the Kavango East region. An investigator at Namibia's aircraft investigation unit said the search started on Friday but was called off due to bad weather. Full Story | Top |
| Nigerian interbank rates ease slightly on OMO maturities Friday, Nov 29, 2013 11:45 PM PST  Nigerian interbank lending rates eased slightly to an average of 10.5 percent week-on-week on Friday, compared with 10.75 percent last week, supported by ample naira liquidity from matured open market operations (OMO) bills and government bonds. Traders said about 330 billion naira in OMO bills and government bonds matured this week. The market opened with a cash balance of about 475.58 billion naira on Friday, compared with 283 billion naira on Monday. Full Story | Top |
| S.African court invalidates Net 1 UEPS contract Friday, Nov 29, 2013 11:37 PM PST South Africa's highest court on Friday invalidated a contract between a unit of U.S. firm Net 1 UEPS Technologies and South Africa's welfare agency, raising further concerns about a deal already under investigation by U.S. authorities. Last November, Net 1 said it was being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI into whether it made "corrupt payments" to South African government officials to win the contract. Net 1's South African unit, Cash Paymaster Services Ltd, was awarded a 10 billion rand, five-year contract in early 2012 to manage welfare payments for the South African Social Security Agency. A losing bidder for the same contract, AllPay Consolidated Investment Holdings, then contested that award in court, alleging irregularities in the bidding process. Full Story | Top |
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