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South Africa telecoms giant Vodacom to take control of Kenya's Safaricom
South Africa telecoms giant Vodacom to take control of Kenya's Safaricom
by  AFP

South Africa's biggest mobile operator Vodacom said Thursday it had agreed to take control of East Africa's largest telecoms firm, Safaricom, in a deal worth $2.1 billion. Safaricom, one of East Africa's largest companies, was awarded a licence in 2021 to operate in Ethiopia, becoming the first private telecommunications provider in the tightly controlled nation of more than 110 million people.

South Africa will 'take a break' from G20 after US ban
South Africa will 'take a break' from G20 after US ban
by  AFP

South Africa said Thursday it was prepared to wait out next year's G20 after being barred by the United States and did not expect other countries to lobby for its inclusion. President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesman said South Africa did not expect other G20 nations to boycott the US presidency or lobby for its inclusion.

Slew of top brands suspected in Italy sweatshop probe
Slew of top brands suspected in Italy sweatshop probe
by  AFP

Gucci, Prada, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent are among 13 luxury brands suspected of using subcontractors who exploited Chinese workers in Italy, according to documents issued Thursday by a Milan prosecutor.

Keep energy infrastructure out of war, Turkey warns Moscow, Kyiv
Keep energy infrastructure out of war, Turkey warns Moscow, Kyiv
by  AFP

Turkey warned Russia and Ukraine against targeting energy infrastructure following several Black Sea drone attacks claimed by Kyiv on Russia-linked tankers, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said. "We also know that Ukraine's energy infrastructure was a main target, and vice versa with Ukraine attacking some energy facilities in Russia," he said.

Egypt's Sinai mountain megaproject threatens the people of St Catherine
Egypt's Sinai mountain megaproject threatens the people of St Catherine
by  AFP

Atop one of Egypt's Sinai mountains, near where the three Abrahamic faiths say God spoke with Moses, another unmistakable sound rings out: the incessant drilling of construction work. In the remote, rugged terrain of southern Sinai, Egypt has undertaken a vast megaproject aimed at drawing mass tourism to the once serene mountain town of Saint Catherine.

Asian markets stumble as traders struggle to hold Fed cut rally
Asian markets stumble as traders struggle to hold Fed cut rally
by  AFP

Asian markets struggled to maintain their early momentum Thursday, even after the latest batch of US data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates for a third successive time next week. The reading was also the most since early 2023 and is the latest example of a stuttering labour market.