PRETORIA – A second witness at the murder trial of South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has told a court in the capital Pretoria she was awoken by the sounds of a fight early on 14 February 2013. Mr Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to intentionally killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He shot dead the 29-year-old…
WASHINGTON — The surging price of Microsoft shares has returned US tech tycoon Bill Gates back to the top of Forbes magazine’s world billionaires list, with his $76bn beating out Mexico’s Carlos Slim’s $72bn. The annual list, released on Monday, counted 1,645 men and women as billionaires, with an average wealth of $4.5bn and a…
MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin says there is no need yet to send Russian troops into Ukraine. But Russia reserves the right to use “all means” to protect citizens in eastern Ukraine, Mr Putin said. He denied Russian troops had besieged Ukrainians based in Crimea – they were pro-Russian “self-defence” forces. Mr Putin called…
HARARE – Jah Prayzah is set to share the stage with self-exiled Chimurenga music guru Thomas Mapfumo in April in South Africa. A South African pop group, Uhuru will also share the stage with the two. Jah Prayzah says he is ecstatic. The artiste, who recently entertained guests at Bona and Simba Chikore’s wedding, will share…
HARARE – The upcoming Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa) has a lot of positives to artistes and art promoters. Hifa has announced that the 15th edition of the festival will run from April 29 to May 4, 2014. In the past when I attended Hifa, I managed to learn a thing or two,…
HARARE – Old Mutual Assurance Zimbabwe Limited (OM) is set to acquire another 11,7 percent stake in hard-pressed building materials manufacturer, PG Industries (PG), after a bailout deal. The insurance group will get one billion PG shares under a private placement. Under the transaction, the shares — at $0,001 each — will fetch $1 million…
HARARE – Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) says any hike in electricity tariffs will further erode local industry’s competitive edge. Energy authorities are planning an electricity tariff increase of around five percent. Charles Msipa, the industry representative body’s president, said they are “vigorously opposed to any increase in electricity tariffs”. He said Zesa Holdings (Zesa)’s…
HARARE – CBZ Holdings Limited (CBZ) — Zimbabwe’s largest financial group by assets — says it has so far disbursed over $350 million in loans to the agricule sector this year. Its chief executive, John Mangudya, said the institution would continue to fund the sector as part of efforts to revive the country’s economy. “Over…
HARARE – Afrasia Zimbabwe Holdings Limited (AfrAsia) — formerly Kingdom Financial Holdings Limited (KFHL) — recorded a $174 862 profit in the half year to December 2013, recovering from a $16 million loss incurred in the 18 months to June 2013. Charles Wawn, the group’s acting chairperson, said the performance is on the back of…
EDITOR — Coalition Against Corruption (CAC), the leading anti-corruption organisation in Zimbabwe supports the calls by Parliament that Joice Mujuru should appear before the august House and respond on her previous remarks in which she reportedly wanted the media to stop reporting on corruption cases. CAC believes that Mujuru owes the people of Zimbabwe an…
