February 22, 2013
North Korea to offer mobile internet access
North Korean mobile phone provider Koryolink is planning to launch a 3G data service for foreign visitors and residents from abroad. Egyptian telecoms firm Orascom, which is a partner in Koryolink, estimates that more than 1 million North Koreans…
February 22, 2013
UN rejects Haiti cholera compensation claims
The United Nations has formally rejected compensation claims by victims of a cholera outbreak in Haiti that has killed almost 8,000 people. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called Haitian President Michel Martelly to inform him of the decision. The…
February 22, 2013
Hugo Chavez’s ‘breathing problems persist’
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is still suffering breathing problems following his return from Cuba where he was treated for cancer, officials say. Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said Mr Chavez was continuing to receive treatment at a…
February 22, 2013
Mexican police charged with rape of Italian
Two Mexican policemen have been charged with rape and abuse of authority after allegedly attacking an Italian woman in the resort of Playa del Carmen. A third man, reportedly their commander, is still being sought. It is alleged the woman was raped…
February 22, 2013
High turnout at Barbados polls
Local observers reported a steady stream of voters throughout the course of the day as the two competing parties assisted in ensuring their supporters reached one of the island’s 541 polling stations yesterday. Among the mid-morning voters was…
February 22, 2013
Haiti’s ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier avoids appearing in court
Haiti's former ruler Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier has been ordered to appear in court in Port-au-Prince after failing to attend a hearing. Relatives of some of those allegedly killed or tortured by his militias in the 1970s and 1980s want him…
February 22, 2013
Eurozone downturn and deficits to persist, Commission says
The eurozone recession will persist into 2013, the European Commission has conceded in its latest forecast. Governments face an uphill battle to rein in their overspending, with Spain, France and Portugal all failing to cut their deficits to agreed…
February 22, 2013
Air France-KLM losses widen as fuel costs rise
Air France-KLM, the Franco-Dutch airline, says it made a big loss in 2012, blaming sharply rising fuel costs and trouble with its cargo business. Net losses increased 47% to 1.19bn euros (£1bn; $1.57bn), after a 471m-euro restructuring charge and a…
February 22, 2013
Competition Commission raps Big Four accountants
Britain's four biggest accountancy firms have been heavily criticised by the Competition Commission. The regulator has accused PWC, Ernst & Young, Deloitte and KPMG of being too dominant and not always meeting a shareholder's needs. The four…
February 22, 2013
AIG reports $4bn loss from sale of leasing business
American International Group (AIG) has reported a huge loss from the sale of its aircraft leasing business ILFC. The insurer reported a net loss of $4bn (£2.6bn) for the last three months of 2012, due to the $4.4bn loss from the ILFC sale. It had…