Why does the FBI want to take a look inside your iPhone?

Source: RT

The FBI wants the encryption keys to the iPhone, yet has a poor track record since September 11, 2001 of protecting Constitutional rights

After an inexplicable and terrible crime was committed in December, leaving 14 dead and 22 injured in California, the public was informed that an act of terror had been committed. We were told that the culprits were a San Bernardino County Health Department employee and his wife who were killed after they fled the scene.

Game of Thrones: Sophie Turner drops big spoiler at Oscars

Source: EW

Sophie Turner just accidentally dropped a big Game of Thrones spoiler on the Oscars red carpet.
While being interviewed on the E! News preshow Sunday night, she said…
Okay, we’re going to tell you what she said. But before we do, we’re going to strongly advise that you don’t actually read the rest of this story. Because what’s below is not going to make you happy. It’s not going to make watching season 6 more fun. In fact, it’s almost certainly going to have the opposite effect by zapping some of the show’s suspense. And for that reason, we normally don’t put any GoT spoilers on EW.com. But the normally tight-lipped Turner slipped and let this out right on the Oscars red carpet, it’s getting plenty of attention from major outlets, so we’re going to represent on this one and not, you know, act like we’re the spoiler police. So if you really want to know, okay, but you were warned…

NATO Commander Breedlove: Russia Cast Itself as West's Adversary

Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Philip Breedlove said Thursday that Russia has chosen to become an adversary to the West as Moscow tries to reestablish its global influence, and poses an "existential threat" to the United States and its allies in Europe.
Breedlove's remarks at the House Armed Services Committee drew caustic denials from the Russian Defense Ministry later in the day.
"Such tide rises every year at the same time," the ministry said in an English-language post on its Facebook page. "The reason is simple – discussion of the military budget for the next year. It is not the thing to be impressed by."

Refugee crisis to lift European growth: Moscovici

 Source: CNBC

Europe's refugee crisis could boost the region's sagging growth by forcing governments to ramp up public expenditure, according to European Economic and Financial Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici.
The refugee crisis has divided public opinion and raised doubts over the future of the European Union's (E.U) key tenets but governments have also stepped up investments to provide assistance for the new arrivals. This spending could underpin demand as doubts grow over the efficacy of further monetary stimulus at a time some interest rates in the euro zone are already below zero.

Japanese Emperor Akihito diagnosed with influenza

• PHOTOS

Source: XHANNEL NEWSASIA

TOKYO: Japanese Emperor Akihito, 82, has been diagnosed with influenza after suffering a fever over the weekend, the Imperial Household Agency said on Monday, without giving further details.
Akihito will rest at his residence in the Imperial Palace, Kyodo news agency reported.
Born in 1933, Akihito was heir to Emperor Hirohito, in whose name Japan fought World War Two. His heir is Crown Prince Naruhito, age 56.
The soft-spoken Akihito has often urged Japan not to forget the suffering of the war and has tried to promote reconciliation with Asian countries.

We'll fight for diversity in future, says Cheryl Boone Isaacs

Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs says they will take steps to diversify its membership. “Each of you is an ambassador who can influence others in the industry. It’s not enough to listen and agree,” she said. “We must take action.”

Nigeria government's audit removes nearly 24,000 non-existent workers

Source: BBC

The Nigerian government has removed nearly 24,000 workers from its payroll after an audit revealed they did not exist, the Finance Ministry has said.

The move has enabled a monthly saving of around $11,5m (£8m).
The audit is part of an anti-corruption campaign by President Muhammadu Buhari, who took power last year.
Corruption and mismanagement have long been a challenge to Nigeria's growth, and the government has promised to cut costs to face an economic slowdown.
Nigeria is Africa's biggest economy and the continent's top oil producer, and its finances are under strain due to the recent collapse in oil prices.

Oscars 2016: Rylance knocks out Stallone, Rock rips into diversity issue

Source: REUTERS

Britain's Mark Rylance beat Sylvester Stallone to win the Academy Award for best supporting actor
on Sunday while host Chris Rock pulled no punches in taking aim at the #OscarsSoWhite controversy dominating Hollywood.
Stallone, 69, who never won an Oscar for his iconic "Rocky" movies in the 1970s and '80s, was the presumed front-runner for the honor for his performance in boxing movie "Creed."
But instead it was Rylance who won for playing an unflappable Soviet spy in Cold War drama "Bridge of Spies."

Who Are America's Real Innovators? Surprising New Study Says They're Not Who You Think

Source FORBES

What do America’s innovators look like? While the stereotype may be Facebook FB -0.12% founder Mark Zuckerberg, the truth, according to a new study out today, couldn’t be more different.
Turns out many of the country’s successful innovators are older, come from highly educated immigrant backgrounds and rather than being 20-something Harvard dropouts, they’ve usually toiled for decades in their fields.
The study, released by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, comes from a survey of 923 individuals who won significant awards for their innovations or applied for international patents (of the 6,418 innovators contacted.) It shows more than one-third (35.5%) of those surveyed were born outside the U.S. The median age at which they created their innovations? 47.
“ The idea that these guys just drop out of college and do amazing things in their 20s—that’s really not the norm ,” says Robert Atkinson, the ITIF president and co-author of the report, who points out that almost 60% had a Ph.D. in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
America’s innovators are often likely to be immigrants with advanced degrees who logged years of work in large companies, according to the report’s findings. “It takes a lot of acquired knowledge and a long period in their career to get good,” he says.

NFF Reappoints Siasia as Eagles Coach

Source: THISDAY LIVE

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, have reappointed former national team coach, Samson Siasia, as coach of the Super Eagles following the resignation of Sunday Oliseh earlier on Friday.

NFF is ensuring a coach is in place for March’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt.

Oliseh quit after eight months, accusing the NFF of “contractual violations” and owing salaries.

The NFF responded in a statement, saying Oliseh was this week “paid three months’ salary and a half-year rent” but admitted he was still owed bonus.

The governing body quickly moved on from Oliseh’s reignation by handing Siasia a second spell in charge of the Super Eagles.

ABUJA: Four Inactive Power Plants Back on Stream

Source:  THISDAY LIVE

Four Independent Power Plants (IPPs), which belong to the governments of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States but were partly inactive for a long time, have come back on stream and now generate a cumulative average of 96.04 megawatts (MW) of electricity into the national grid.

THISDAY gathered on Saturday from sources at the National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo that in the last two weeks, the gas power stations: 3x12MW Trans Amadi gas turbine power station, 4x25MW Omoku gas turbine power station and 150MW Rivers IPP, as well as 90MW Ibom IPP have all been generating electricity into the grid.

Moscow Fights Civil Disobedience With a Spray Can

Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

Sometime around Feb. 20, a new work of art appeared behind the protective grid of a power box in central Moscow. In flaming red, yellow and black, the work sketched out the outline of a man's face, with sunken cheeks, dark, accusing eyes and lips sewn shut with a coarse thread.
Few of the passers-by realized that the image behind the grid was of shock performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky, a man currently imprisoned for setting alight the doors of the headquarters of Russia's security service. After all, in a country where the Kremlin decides what information Russians receive, Pavlensky is a complete stranger to all but the initiated.
Perm street artist Alexander Zhunev, 31, wanted to change that. Speaking to The Moscow Times, he said that his symbolic decision to place an iconic portrait of Pavlensky behind a metal grid was "an act of solidarity for those who are trying to expose the regime's failings."

Irish government concedes defeat in election

Source: CHANNEL NEWSASIA

DUBLIN: Irish prime minister Enda Kenny conceded defeat on Saturday (Feb 27) following elections that saw the governing coalition punished by voters weary of austerity, leaving the eurozone country in political limbo with no clear winner.
"Clearly the government of Fine Gael and Labour are not going to be returned to office," Kenny, the leader of the centre-right Fine Gael party, told RTE television.
Early indications suggest that Fine Gael and its centre-left junior partner have been hard hit by continued public anger over years of austerity, despite Ireland recording the fastest growth in the European Union.

Iran’s hardliners lose ground in election

Source: CNBC

Early results of Iran’s parliamentary and Experts Assembly elections show moderate forces close to centrist president Hassan Rouhani have gained the upper hand over hardliners, putting an end to the dominance of their rivals in the legislative body after about 12 years.
Although this victory would not translate into a majority of seats in the next parliament and the Assembly, the hardliners’ loss of controlling power will help Mr Rouhani and moderate forces to push for economic and political reforms after the landmark nuclear agreement that led to the lifting of crippling sanctions on the country.

Iran: Rouhani praises 'people power' after elections

Source: ALJAZEERA

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has earned an emphatic vote of confidence and reformist partners secured surprise gains in parliament in early results from elections that could accelerate the Islamic Republic's emergence from years of isolation.
As of Sunday morning, latest results showed reformist candidates have taken 29 of the 30 seats in the capital Tehran, while Rouhani and his ally former president Hashemi Rafsanjani lead the winners in the assembly of experts, which is responsible for selecting the country's next supreme leader.
A Reuters tally, based on official but partial results, also showed independents winning 44 seats, reformists 79, and hardliners 106 in the 290-seat parliament.

Robert Mugabe: Zimbabwe leader's birthday party criticised

Source: BBC

Zimbabwe's ruling party has been criticised for hosting lavish 92nd birthday celebrations for President Robert Mugabe while swathes of the population face food shortages.

The event reportedly cost almost $800,000 (£575,000).
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) called the celebrations "obscene".
Mr Mugabe has dominated Zimbabwe politics since independence from the UK in 1980.
The event, which was televised and featured schoolchildren reading poetry about the president, was held in the drought-stricken south eastern city of Masvingo.
Birth of a Mugabe dynasty?

Clinton wins big in South Carolina on way to 'Super Tuesday'

Source: REUTERS


U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton crushed rival Bernie Sanders at the South Carolina primary on Saturday, propelling her into next week's crucial "Super Tuesday" voting in 11 states on a wave of momentum.
The rout of Sanders solidified Clinton's status as the strong front-runner to capture the party's nomination for the Nov. 8 election in her quest to become America's first woman president.
With nearly half of the votes counted in South Carolina, Clinton led Sanders by a 50-point margin, dramatically reversing her 28-point loss in the state to President Barack Obama during their bitter 2008 primary battle.

Niger poll: President Mahamadou Issoufou fails to win majority

Source: BBC

Mr Issoufou took 48% of the vote, with jailed opposition leader Hama Amadou on 18%, official preliminary results say.
The run-off vote between the two candidates is scheduled for 20 March.
Mr Amadou is currently behind bars accused of trafficking babies, a charge he strongly denies.

The authorities announced that roughly 1.5 million people without ID papers would be able to cast their ballots by having witnesses vouch for them, in a move that was condemned by opposition leaders.

Nigerian External Reserves Recover Marginally as Crude Oil Prices Rise, CBN Targets N200/$ Parallel Market Rate

Source: THISDAY LIVE

Nigeria’s external reserves which had been on a steady decline, rose marginally week-on-week to $27.808 billion as at Wednesday, compared with the $27.790 billion it attained the previous Wednesday, according to the latest figures from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This followed an increase in international crude oil prices which yesterday hit highs not seen in four weeks, as a positive economic report offset continuing concerns about a global supply glut.
The price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the US benchmark, rose to $34.13, while the price of Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose to $36.62.

However, oil analysts argued that the global glut of oil was more than enough to absorb increased demand, likely leading to a prolonged period of low prices.

Russia to Continue Air Strikes During Syria Cease-fire

Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has announced that the Russian Air Force will continue its counterterrorism air strikes in Syria during the cease-fire, the state-run TASS news agency reported Friday.
“After the cease-fire is imposed, attacks against terrorist organizations in Syria will not stop, that was not planned. It was one of the conditions agreed by the Russian president and the U.S. president,” Peskov said, TASS reported.
The cease-fire is due to begin on Feb. 27.

Reformists leading in Iran parliament vote

Source: ALJAZEERA

Reformists and moderate conservatives were leading in parliamentary elections according to early results on Saturday, an indication President Hassan Rouhani may face a more friendly house to pursue his domestic agenda.
Early returns from Friday's polls show that none of the three competing political factions will win a majority in the 290-seat parliament. But reformists seeking greater democratic changes are heading towards their strongest presence since 2004 at the expense of hardliners.

Iran's conservatives rally their supporters ahead of elections

Officials are yet to release early results, but reports in the semi-official Fars and Mehr news agencies and a count conducted by The Associated Press news agency show that hardliners are the main losers of the vote.

Ireland set to oust government, no obvious replacement: Exit poll

Source: CNBC

Ireland looked set to kick Prime Minister Enda Kenny's coalition government out of office in an election on Friday with no clear alternative in sight, an exit poll indicated, threatening to plunge the country into a period of political instability.
Ireland's uneven recovery was the focus in the election in which voters punished the government for years of austerity despite warnings that political instability might damage a nascent recovery.
Kenny's Fine Gael will win the election on 26.1 percent, the Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI exit poll said. With partners Labour in line for 7.8 percent of the ballot, they would fall well short of the 41-42 percent they identified as needed for re-election.

Syria fighting largely halts as agreement kicks in

Source: REUTERS

Fighting appeared to stop across most areas of western Syria on Saturday after a landmark "cessation of hostilities" came into effect under a U.S.-Russian plan which warring sides in the five-year conflict have accepted.
If the temporary halt in fighting holds, it will mark the first time world powers have been able to negotiate a pause in the civil war. Under the fragile agreement, Syria's government and its enemies are expected to cease fighting so aid can reach civilians and peace talks can resume.
A monitoring group and the United Nations reported only isolated fire in western Syria after the temporary ceasefire began at midnight on Saturday (1700 ET Friday).
The United Nations said it expected breaches in the temporary truce and urged restraint in curbing any new outbreaks of fighting.

Al Shabaab Car Bomb Kills 9 At Mogadishu Hotel

Source: SAHARA REPORTERS

Speaking to Reuters new agency Ahmed Abdullahi, a police major, counted at least 9 dead and 30 injured.
Officer Abdullahi said that three people believed responsible for the attack were shot and killed by the police.
The explosion occurred outside the entrance to the Somali Youth League hotel, known as SYL.
The car bomb was followed by an exchange of gunfire between the attackers and the hotel security.
The terrorist group Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

Infertile men 'could grow new sperm from skin cells'

Source: INDEPENDENT

Infertile men could have their own biological children using a new technique that creates sperm from skin cells.
Scientists have created viable mouse sperm in a laboratory dish using the technique. The sperm cells were used to fertilise IVF mouse eggs to produce healthy, fertile offspring, which went on to have their own offspring by natural conception.
Experts believe it is the most convincing study yet to support the idea of using embryonic stem cells derived from a man’s skin cells to make his own sperm for fertility treatment. The sperm cells were derived from stem cells taken from a mouse embryo, but it may also be possible to use embryonic stem cells derived from adult skin cells, a technique that could allow infertile men to become fathers.

Iran elections: Parliamentary poll a test for Rouhani

Source: ALJAZEERA

Iranians cast their ballots to elect new members of parliament and a council of clerics in elections seen as a referendum on President Hassan Rouhani's rule.
An estimated 50 million people are eligible to vote on a pre-selected list of candidates during the polls on Friday.
The elections take place just a month after years of economic sanctions against the country were lifted.
Surveys indicated a higher turnout compared to the previous parliamentary polls four years ago, but lower than the presidential contest that elected Rouhani in 2013.

Voting started at 8am local time (04:30 GMT).
The parliament, also known as the Majlis, has 290 members who are responsible for passing legislation in the country, approving the annual budget and international agreements, including the recent nuclear deal with the West.

Bottom 30%, top 10% of Singapore households saw fastest real income growth

Source: CHANNEL NEWSASIA

SINGAPORE: Households across all income groups earned more last year, with those in the lowest 30 per cent and top 10 per cent seeing the fastest real income growth, according to official data released on Friday (Feb 26).
Based on the Department of Statistics' annual Key Household Income Trends survey, the median household income from work rose to S$8,666 last year, up S$374 from S$8,292 in 2014. This is an increase of 4.5 per cent in nominal terms, or an increase of 4.9 per cent in real terms, after accounting for inflation.
Household income from work includes employer Central Provident Fund contributions.
From 2010 to 2015, the media monthly household income from work of resident employed households rose by 20.4 per cent cumulatively, or 3.8 per cent per annum in real terms, Singstat said in a press release on Friday (Feb 26).

Citigroup Sees Vanishing Nigerian Deals on Devaluation Fears

Source: THISDAYLIVE

Citigroup Incorporated said deals in Nigeria have plummeted because investors are too scared to spend money when it’s expected that the naira will have to be devalued.

“I see this as a year of pause,” Citigroup’s head of investment banking for Africa, Miguel Melo Azevedo, who helped sell dollar debt for countries including Nigeria and Morocco, said in an interview with Bloomberg in Cape Town.

“You will look very stupid if you buy something in Nigeria and tomorrow it gets devalued. There’s an embarrassment factor.”

Nigeria’s government is shielding the naira after the 42 per cent decline in the price of Brent crude in the past year has decimated state revenues. The currency has been pegged at N197-N199 per dollar since March last year, while in the unofficial parallel market, the naira is 34 per cent weaker, and traded at about N300 per dollar on Wednesday.

No Easy Fix for Syria (Op-Ed)

Source: THE MOSCOWTIMES

It is not peace in our time, it may well never even happen, and even if it does, probably won't last. It is not the result of humanitarian impulses and diplomatic good will, but of cynicism, exhaustion, and geopolitical calculation. Even if it does take effect, it is likely to be marred by local breaches and tit-for-tat claims of who is to blame.
For all that, it would be a mistake to write off the "cessation of hostilities" plan announced by Russia and the United States on Feb. 22, and due to take effect Feb. 27.

Uhuru Kenyatta: Kenyans are 'experienced thieves'

Source: BBC

Kenyans are "experienced in stealing and perpetuating other crimes", the president has said, during a state visit to Israel.

Uhuru Kenyatta added that Kenya was "20 times more wonderful" than Israel, but "all we ever do is complain".
Kenyans were also abusers, and promoted tribalism, he said, in an address to Kenyans living in Israel.
Mr Kenyatta has been accused of failing to do enough to curb corruption and of stirring up ethnic violence.
His comments were seen as an attempt to encourage Kenyans to develop their country, like Israel, says the BBC's Wanyama Chebusiri in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

Rubio, Cruz gang up on Trump in debate ploy

Source: REUTERS


U.S. Republican rivals Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz ganged up on front-runner Donald Trump at a raucous debate on Thursday in a last-ditch bid to keep the billionaire from winning victories next week that could set him up to clinch the presidential nomination.
The CNN-hosted debate at the University of Houston was the two first-term senators' last, best chance to try to shake up the race for the Republican nomination. The contest is dramatically shifting toward Trump, who is leading in opinion polls in nearly all 11 states set to make their choices on next Tuesday.

MTN Shares Rise on Move to Reach Amicable Resolution on N1.04tn Fine

Source: THISDAYLIVE

MTN shares erased declines and rose as much as 3.2 per cent on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), trading 1.7 per cent higher at 130.09 rand at the close of business following news yesterday that the telecommunications giant had withdrawn its law suit against the Nigerian government challenging the N1.04 trillion imposed on its Nigerian subsidiary.

MTN Communications Nigeria Limited also paid N50 billion to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the industry regulator that slapped the fine, as a mark of “good faith” towards reaching an amicable settlement with the Nigerian authorities on the fine.

The company’s shares have declined 32 per cent since the fine, originally set at N1.04 trillion, was made public on October 26, reported Bloomberg.

Nigeria, Qatar Push for Oil Output Cuts to Raise Prices

Source: THISDAYLIVE

Following Tuesday’s meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, during which they both committed to work towards a stable oil market and a “rebound of oil prices”, the Nigerian and Qatari governments have reached out to Saudi Arabia and Russia, the world’s two biggest oil producers and exporters, to cut oil output.

A presidency source informed THISDAY that the decision to push for production cuts stemmed from the lukewarm reception by the markets to last week’s news of Russia and Saudi Arabia’s decision to freeze oil output as January levels.

He said the Nigerian government, while welcoming the decision to cap output by Saudi Arabia and Russia, the announcement was insufficient to raise crude prices due to the supply glut in the market.

He said: “By OPEC estimates, there is an excess inventory of some 1 million barrels per day, so the objective it to convince Saudi Arabia and Russia to each cut production by at least 500,000 barrels per day in order to lift prices.

Putin and Assad Discuss Syrian Cease-fire Deal

Source: THE MOSCOWTIMES

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Wednesday to discuss the cessation of hostilities in Syria from Feb. 27, the RBC news agency reported, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
The presidents "discussed various aspects of the Syrian crisis in light of the Russian-U.S. agreement on the partial cease-fire," the Kremlin's press service said in the statement.
"Bashar Assad considered the agreement's terms to be a big step toward political regulation of the crisis," the statement said.

China shares drop, with the Shanghai Composite tumbling more than 6%

Source: CNBC

Chinese shares tumbled Thursday, extending a long rout, amid tighter liquidity, but other markets in Asia settled higher.
The Shanghai composite tumbled to end down 187.47 points, or 6.4 percent, at 2,741.41, while the Shenzhen composite dropped 137.80 points, or 7.34 percent, to 1,738.66.
"Liquidity is tightening again in the market, and global negative tone feeding through leading to profit taking in small caps," Michael Every, head of financial markets research for Asia Pacific at Rabobank, told CNBC by email about the sell-off on the Chinese mainland.
Transportation and financials plays were some of the biggest losers on the main index, with shares of China Shipbuilding closing down 10.01 percent.

Syrian opposition accepts ceasefire for 'two weeks'

Source: ALJAZEERA

Syria's main opposition bloc has said it will support a temporary two-week truce to test the seriousness of the other side's commitment to a US-Russian plan to end fighting.

Earlier this week, the US and Russia agreed on a "cessation of hostilities" between the Syrian government and groups fighting it in a deal that excludes the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the al-Nusra Front.

The agreement called on all sides to sign up to the deal by midday on February 26 and to stop fighting by midnight.

"The High Negotiations Committee believes a provisional truce for two weeks would provide a chance to determine the commitment of the other side" to the ceasefire, the opposition bloc said in a statement on Wednesday.

Ebola 'devastates long-term health'

Source: BBC

Most people who survive an Ebola infection will have long-lasting health problems, say doctors from the US National Institutes of Health.

Their studies on survivors in Liberia showed large numbers had developed weakness, memory loss and depressive symptoms in the six months after being discharged from an Ebola unit.

Other patients were "actively suicidal" or still having hallucinations.

More than 17,000 people in West Africa have survived Ebola infection.

The evidence, being presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Neurology, is an early glimpse at a much wider study of long-term health problems after Ebola.

Obama weighs Republican for Supreme Court

Source: REUTERS

President Barack Obama is considering appointing a moderate Republican to the Supreme Court, a source close to the process said on Wednesday, but leaders in the Republican-led Senate held firm to their threat to block anyone he nominates.
The source said Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, a Republican and former federal judge, was among the possible candidates.
As governor, Sandoval has taken a traditional Republican stance in support of gun rights, but his more moderate views on social issues, such as abortion rights, could make him an attractive choice for the Democratic president.

Telecoms giant MTN pays $250 mn in Nigeria fine dispute

Source: THE GUARDIAN Nigeria

South African telecoms giant MTN said Wednesday it had paid $250 million to the Nigerian government in a dispute over a $3.9-billion fine imposed last year for failing to disconnect unregistered users.
The company also said it had agreed to withdraw its legal challenge over the huge fine in a case that was adjourned in Lagos High Court to enable the two parties to try to negotiate a settlement.
“Pursuant to the ongoing engagement with the Nigerian Authorities, MTN Nigeria has today made a good faith payment of 50 billion naira ($250 million),” Johannesburg-based MTN said in a statement.

LAGOS: How breweries, cosmetics, food firms defy recession

Source: THE GUARDIAN, Nigeria

AS the value of the naira to the dollar is fast depreciating and investors are dumping their shares in quoted companies seeking alternative viable investments for their funds, experts have identified some businesses that thrive when the cost of importation becomes prohibitive.

It was learnt that as the cost of goods and services is rising, many people are beginning to limit what they buy to only food items.
According to the findings, demand for consumer staples has gone up and many of those purchases happen at grocery stores. Therefore, banks and other money lenders who are looking for people to lend money may have to look for notable grocery operators to finance in view of the anticipated rise in their business operations during this period.

LAGOS: Speculators Get Their Fingers Burnt, Naira Strengthens to N310/$

Naira firmed up at N310.00 to 1USD on Wednessday February 24, 2016 hurting speculators who general put their bet against the naira. The gap between official market and parallel market has widened in recent time giving room for speculators to play.

Zika 'may have been sexually-transmitted' in 14 cases

Source: ALJAZEERA


US health officials are investigating whether 14 new Zika virus infections may been transmitted through sex, raising questions about the role of sex in spreading a disease that has been linked to birth defects in Brazil.
Several of the cases involved pregnant women, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned on Tuesday.
In two of the suspected cases, the infection has been confirmed in women whose only known risk factor was sexual contact with an ill male partner who had recently traveled to an area where the virus was present, the CDC said.

Telegram Messaging App Founded By Russia's Durov Hits 100 Million Users

Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

The Telegram mobile messaging app — launched by Pavel Durov, founder of Russian social network Vkontakte — now has 100 million users, the company said in a statement Tuesday.
The app sees 350,000 new users sign up every day and it delivers 15 billion messages daily, the statement said.
Telegram has shown a 60 percent increase in the number of users in the past nine months. Since May last year, the amount of users grew by 38 million people, the technology news website Venturebeat reported.

Oil drops after Saudi min rejects cuts

Source: CNBC

Squawk Box Live is watching market developments after Saudi oil minister Ali Al-Naimi ruled out any cuts to supply. Crude prices fell sharply on the comments as Asian equity markets also sold off.

Passenger plane carrying 23 goes missing in Nepal

Source: BBC

A small passenger plane carrying 23 people has gone missing in a mountainous area of western Nepal.

The Twin Otter aircraft, operated by Tara Air, was travelling from Pokhara to Jomsom and lost contact with the control tower shortly after taking off.
Officials said the plane was carrying three crew and 20 passengers, one of them Chinese and one Kuwaiti. Two of those on board were children.
Nepal's aviation industry has a poor safety record.
But Sanjiv Gautam, director general of Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority, told the BBC's Nepali Service the aircraft was new and the weather had been good. "We are surprised to know that it has gone missing," he said.

Trump's third straight win has rivals looking for answers

Source: REUTERS

Businessman Donald Trump inched closer to the U.S. Republican presidential nomination after easily outdistancing his rivals in the Nevada caucuses Tuesday, giving him his third win in four early nominating contests.
Broadcast networks called the state for Trump almost immediately after voting ended, with the state Republican Party confirming the victory soon after.
With returns still being tabulated, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida was in second place, with Ted Cruz, a U.S. Senator from Texas, coming in third.
Trump's decisive win is likely to further frustrate Republican establishment figures who, less than a month ago, were hoping that the outspoken billionaire’s insurgent candidacy was stalled after he lost the opening nominating contest in Iowa to Cruz.

LAGOS: Crude Oil Price Rises by over 6%

Source: THISDAY LIVE

Crude oil prices monday rose by over six per cent after the world’s oil consumer body, the International Energy Agency (IEA), said it expected United States shale production to fall this year and next, potentially easing a glut that has driven prices to their lowest in more than a decade.

Reuters reported that a bounce in global stock markets and the after-effects of a fall in the US oil rig count last week also supported prices.

But as the IEA’s forecast provided some glimmer of hope of a price recovery in the medium-term, it is the near-term that was of paramount importance to President Muhammadu Buhari when he departed for Saudi Arabia yesterday to meet with leaders of the kingdom in order to consolidate on the oil output freeze aimed at pushing up prices.

Syria government willing to accept cessation deal

Source: ALJAZEERA

Syria's government has said it will accept a halt to "combat operations", after the US and Russia agreed on a plan for the cessation of hostilities to begin this weekend.
Several parties to the conflict, however, were sceptical that any peace deal would actually take effect.
In a statement on Tuesday, President Bashar al-Assad's government said it would coordinate with Russia to decide what other groups - along with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and al-Nusra Front - should be excluded from the plan.

The government stressed the importance of sealing its borders, halting foreign support to armed groups and "preventing these organisations from strengthening their capabilities or changing their positions, in order to avoid what may lead to wrecking this agreement."

'Wake-up call' as German business sentiment falls

Source: CNBC

German business sentiment fell in February, according to the closely-watched survey by the Ifo Institute, spurring concerns that Europe's economic motor is slowing down.
The Ifo business climate index showed that morale fell to 105.7 from 107.3 last month, below analyst forecasts in a Reuters poll for a reading of 106.7.
The data pile more gloom on to the outlook for Europe's largest economy which has seen its growth rate and manufacturing sector slow down.

Moody's says China's local government debt restructuring is cutting risk

Source: CNBC

Fears China's debt mountain will turn into an avalanche have hit the headlines recently, but there are signs at least some of the risk is easing.
That's in part due to the mainland's efforts to restructure its huge pile of local government debt, Moody's Investors Service said in a Monday report.
Nicholas Zhu, senior analyst at Moody's, said, "For the local government direct debt, we believe the government is finding a handle by capping it at 16 trillion yuan ($2.45 trillion) overall and improving the structure by swapping some existing debt into bonds at lower cost and longer maturity."
If 2016 bond issuance remained steady at the 3.8 trillion yuan issued in 2015, Moody's estimated that about 54 percent of regional and local governments' (RLGs) direct debt would be shifted into bonds paying lower interest and with longer maturities and away from bank loans and financing vehicles.
Provincial governments' debt, often issued via local government financing vehicles, or LGFVs, has worried economists for years.

South African woman denies snatching Cape Town baby

Source: BBC

A South African woman accused of kidnapping a two-day-old baby in 1997 has pleaded not guilty in court.

Police accuse her of fraudulently pretending to be the girl's biological mother since snatching her from a world famous hospital in Cape Town city.
The 50-year-old woman was arrested last year after enrolling the child, named as Zephany Nurse, in a school.
Celeste and Morne Nurse, the parents of a similar-looking girl at the school, became suspicious, and alerted police.

Rubio gets boost from Republican endorsements, Cruz missteps

Source: REUTERS

Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio received boosts Monday in his drive to become the mainstream Republican alternative to front-runner Donald Trump, with a string of high-profile endorsements and missteps by rival Ted Cruz's campaign.
Rubio, who eked out a second-place finish in South Carolina's primary by fewer than 1,000 votes over Cruz on Saturday, racked up endorsements from prominent Republicans including U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and former presidential candidate Bob Dole.
Rubio and Cruz came out of South Carolina with sharper criticism of Trump, who swept the Southern state with a comfortable margin of victory. At the same time, the two senators' rivalry intensified - and soured.

At least 129 dead as ISIL claims string of Syria bombs

 
Source: ALJAZEERA

A series of suicide bombs near a Shia shrine in Damascus and in Homs have killed at least 129 people on a day the US and Russia claimed progress in securing a ceasefire to end the Syrian conflict.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, which has seized territory in Syria and Iraq, claimed it was behind Sunday's attacks, which killed at least 63 in Damascus and 46 in Homs.
Some sources put the death toll higher.

Big business backs Cameron’s push to keep Britain in the EU

Source: CNBC

The bosses of about half of Britain's 100 biggest companies are to sign a letter backing David Cameron in his fight to keep the country in the EU ahead of a referendum in June that will shape the future of the UK.
As opposition within the ruling Conservative party mounted, Downing Street rallied support from corporate leaders at companies including Shell, BAE Systems, BT and Rio Tinto, who will argue in the letter that Britain is "stronger, safer and better off" in a reformed EU.

Oil prices rise on lower U.S. rig count, but glut weighs

Source: REUTERS

Oil prices recovered on Monday following steep losses in the previous session, supported by a fall in the number of U.S. rigs in use, but analysts said general oversupply was keeping the market weak.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 rose nearly half a dollar from their last settlement to above $30 per barrel, trading at $30.11 at 0413 GMT. International benchmark Brent LCOc1 was up 45 cents at $33.46 per barrel. Both contracts fell almost 4 percent on Friday.
A falling rig count in the United States which is expected to lead to a decline in 2016 production helped support prices, analysts said.

Senate's 30 Bills as Template for a New Nigeria

Source: THISDAY LIVE

The 8th Senate under the leadership of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, stands on the precipice of attaining positive legislative change. As the whole country aligns itself with the agenda of the party at the center, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the National Assembly is gradually but surely working towards setting new legislative precedents for Nigeria.

This piece, written against the backdrop of the near-actualisation of some of the legislative standards that the 8th Senate is setting, focuses on the legislative agenda of Nigeria’s upper chamber.

Niger election: Voters choose president in tense polls

Source: BBC

Vote counting is under way in Niger following Sunday's presidential and parliamentary elections.

President Mahamadou Issoufou is hoping to secure a second term in the impoverished West African nation.
His main rival, Hama Amadou, is currently behind bars accused of trafficking babies, a charge he strongly denies.
The run-up to the vote was marred by accusations of repression and a row over identification documents.