-
Qatar Backs Xstrata-Glencore Merger
The planned merger of commodities trader Glencore and mining group Xstrata has moved a step closer after Xstrata's second-largest shareholder said it would back the deal.
Qatar Holdings said in a statement that it would vote in favour of the merger next week.
The shareholder vote follows after Glencore increased how much it would pay for each Xstrata share.
The merger plan was first announced in February.
Analysts said the deal between the two Anglo-Swiss companies would now likely be backed by Xstrata shareholders.
Read More -
United Arab Emirates places restrictions on online dissent
The United Arab Emirates has tightened its law on internet use, making it a criminal offence to mock its rulers or organise unauthorised demonstrations.
A presidential decree says anyone who creates or runs a website or uses the internet to deride or damage the state or its institutions faces imprisonment.
The institutions include the rulers and senior officials across the federation of seven semi-autonomous Gulf emirates.
Activists have criticised the move as an attempt to limit freedom of speech.
The UAE has not experienced the unrest seen elsewhere in the region.
Read More -
EU 'approves $6.4bn Egypt financial aid package'
The European Union has approved a 5bn-euro ($6.4bn) financial support package for Egypt, Egyptian officials say.
A statement by President Mohammed Mursi's office said the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) would each provide 2bn euros.
The remaining 1bn euros would come from EU member states, the statement added.
The announcement came after Mr Mursi held talks with the EU's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, in Cairo.
Read More -
South Africa Holds Diamond Smuggler Who Swallowed 220 Gems
South African police have arrested a man who they say swallowed 220 polished diamonds in an attempt to smuggle them out of the country.
The man was arrested as he waited to board a plane at Johannesburg airport.
Officials said a scan of his body revealed the diamonds he had ingested, worth $2.3m (£1.4m; 1.8m euros), inside.
The man was reportedly of Lebanese origin and was travelling to Dubai.
"We nabbed him just before he went through the security checkpoint," Paul Ramaloko, spokesman of the South Africa elite police unit the Hawks said, according to Agence France Presse.
Read More -
Japan PM Yoshihiko Noda set for general election
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has dissolved parliament ahead of a general election next month.
Mr Noda, in power since August 2011, will face newly-elected opposition leader Shinzo Abe in the polls.
Mr Abe's party is expected to win the most seats but the election is seen as unlikely to deliver a clear winner.
Mr Noda has lost support over his sales tax rise and handling of the Fukushima aftermath, while Mr Abe is an ex-PM who struggled to connect with the public.
Read More -
Fresh Wave of Arrests of Former Officials in Georgia
Georgian authorities have arrested a further nine former government officials, accusing them of abusing their power while in office.
All the officials worked at the interior ministry under President Mikheil Saakashvili, whose party was ousted from power last month.
Mr Saakashvili says politicians from his administration are now being persecuted by the new authorities.
The ex-defence minister has been charged with torturing army personnel.
The charges relate to an incident in February 2010, when Bacho Akhalaia allegedly ordered 17 servicemen to be locked up and abused.
'Political persecution'
Read More -
France Vows To Restore Order In Corsica After Shootings
The French government has vowed to restore order on the island of Corsica, which accounts for one in five of the country's gangland murders.
Interior Minister Manuel Valls and Justice Minister Christiane Taubira jointly visited the island a day after a prominent businessman was killed.
Jacques Nacer, who owned a clothing store and headed Corsica's chamber of commerce, was shot dead on Wednesday.
The island has long been troubled by organised crime and separatist unrest.
Read More -
UK Cuts Aid to Ugandan Government
The UK has announced it is cutting all aid to the Ugandan government after an investigation into corruption.
The Ugandan auditor reported last month that millions of dollars had been transferred from Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi's office into private accounts.
A Ugandan official told the BBC he was "not happy" with the UK's decision because it would affect poor people.
Mr Mbabazi has acknowledged that money has been stolen from his office, but denies any involvement.
Other European donors have also recently cut aid to the Ugandan government.
'Extremely concerned'
Read More -
Goma City Defended By Dr Congo from the M23 Rebels
A Congolese regional governor has told the BBC that rebels will not take the main eastern city of Goma, following fierce fighting.
Julien Paluku said that the rebels had telephoned him to say they would be "spending the night" in Goma.
Mr Paluku said 150 rebels had been killed but the rebels disputed these figures, saying no-one had died.
The fighting is the most serious since July in the mostly lawless but resource-rich eastern DR Congo.
Nearly 500,000 people have fled their homes since April when the rebels mutinied from the army.
Read More -
UK Mobile Networks Threatened by Data Jam
Steps need to be taken now to head off a looming "capacity crunch" on the UK's mobile networks, says regulator Ofcom.
As more people use broadband-connected smartphones and tablets, the amount of data Britons consume on the move each month has hit 20
million gigabytes.
The main reason for the data explosion is users' love of video, TV and films while on the move.
Without swift action, mobile networks will gradually grind to a halt, warned the agency.
If current trends play out, said Ofcom, demand for mobile data would grow by 80 times by 2030.
Read More