12 March 2010
	Another Week

AT HOME The US and UK threaten to block a US$3,75bn World Bank loan for Eskom's coal-fired power plants over climate-change concerns. Standard Bank reports group profit for the year to December fell 20%. SA's gold and forex reserves fall for the third successive month as the US dollar rises in value. Over 90% of the farms government bought for restitution or redistribution to victims of apartheid have collapsed, says rural development & land affairs minister Gugile Nkwinti. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela says Nelson Mandela agreed to a bad deal for blacks and has become a "corporate foundation". The ANC accuses Cosatu of being "divisive" and "creating instability in the alliance". Economic development minister Ebrahim Patel is to look at ways to invest some of the R1,5 trillion in public and private pension funds in development projects. Estimated electricity consumption in the three months ended January 2010 rose 6,3% to 3 398 GWh, compared with the 2009 period, says Stats SA. New-vehicle sales rose 16,2% in the year to February, says Naamsa. Protesters fire bullets at fire fighters, throw stones at police and barricade roads in Mamelodi East. Government nominates tourism minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk to head the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, in succession to Yvo de Boer. The R3,2bn Soccer City stadium, which is to host the opening and closing 2010 World Cup matches, is officially handed over to the City of Johannesburg by construction group Aveng. ABROAD Greece orders its banks to exclude hedge funds from a €5bn bond offer, after it and Germany vow to clamp down on speculators who seek to exploit sovereign debt. DOWNBEAT - Louis Gallois, CEO of European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co (EADS), leaves a press conference in Paris on Tuesday. EADS plans to scrap its annual dividend for the first time in the company's 10-year history after cost overruns on its two largest Airbus SAS planes led to a loss US unemployment holds at 9,7% in February. Germany's Angela Merkel backs plans for a European model of the IMF to bail out debt-struck member states. China will maintain its growth policies but slaps strict controls on new investment to curb overheating. Icelanders in a referendum reject a deal to repay €3,9bn lost by UK and Dutch savers in the failed Icesave bank. Died: Michael Foot (96), British politician and writer. SPORT In Super 14 rugby, the Stormers beat the Highlanders 33-0, the Cheetahs beat the Hurricanes 28-12, the Brumbies beat the Lions 24-13 and the Waratahs beat the Sharks 25-21. The West Indies beat Zimbabwe by four wickets in their second ODI to level the five-match series. Cape Town football club Vasco da Gama beat Black Leopards 2-1 to enter the Premier Soccer League.