Monday, February 15, 2010.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon de Ryhove.

Making headlines today:

India's Bharti Airtel has launched its third attempt to gain a foothold in Africa. It has entered into exclusive 10,7-billion-dollar talks to buy most of Kuwaiti telecom Zain's cellular assets in a continent that offers the last opportunity for major subscriber growth.

Bharti, controlled by billionaire chairperson Sunil Mittal, says that its agreement for exclusive negotiations with Zain lasts until March 25.

The potential deal excludes the Kuwaiti firm's Morocco and Sudan operations. It says any deal is subject to due diligence and requires regulatory approvals.

Bharti's move comes after two failed attempts to agree on a possible 24-billion-dollar deal with South Africa's MTN Group.

The World Bank will lend Tunisia 280-million-dollars in 2010 to help the North African country promote growth and increase job opportunities, the TAP State-run news agency has reported.

The bank will make the loan under its Country Partnership Strategy with Tunisia.

Tunisia's unemployment rate is 14,7%, according to official figures, and its gross domestic product growth last year was 3%, down from 4,8% in 2008.

The country of ten-million people relies on tourism and exporting manufactured goods and services, mostly to the European Union.

The World Bank's total lending value to Tunisia stood at 335-milion-dollars in 2009, according to the bank's figures.

Also making headlines:

South Africa's satellite company, Sun Space & Information Systems, will sell equity to the State by mid year.
The South African government sets a three-year target of having 10% of the country's electricity supply arising from independent power producers.
South Africa's Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies will unveil the expanded industrial policy plan this week.
And, State-owned freight logistics group Transnet expects to tap its recently established $2-billion Global Medium-Term Note programme within the next six months.

That's a round up of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories please visit engineeringnews.co.za.