Features

NEW YORK (Capital Markets in Africa) — Donald Trump’s planned social media platform “will debut in three to four months,” the former president’s one-time campaign manager and senior adviser said. “We’re going to have a platform where the president’s message of America First is going to be able to be put out to everybody,” Corey Lewandowski said on the conservative Newsmax TV network’s “Saturday Agenda.” “There’ll be an opportunity for other people to weigh in…

CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) — The container ship stuck in the Suez Canal has been refloated, and its position moved about 80%, but maneuvers will continue this morning around high tide, the Canal Authority said. It’s the first step to clearing the blockage in one of the world’s most important trade arteries. “Today we will start our plan for all the ships to cross the canal, and it could take around one week to…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) — The U.K is calling for new business tax reporting requirements and changes to how rental properties are taxed among dozens of new proposals announced on Tuesday. The proposals, through a series of consultations and policy papers released during the government’s so-called tax day, comes more than two weeks after Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced plans to raise corporate taxes as part of the government’s spring budget. Among the new…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) — After enduring months of public criticism, AstraZeneca Plcfinally caught a moment of reprieve for its Covid-19 vaccine this week when U.S. trial data showed the shot to be highly effective, working well in the elderly, and raising no safety concerns. The good news lasted less than a day. A group of experts meant to work hand in hand with the drugmaker on its trial safety contacted U.S. government agencies…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — Two Democratic senators backed off a threat to vote against all of Joe Biden nominees who are White and heterosexual after they received assurances that his administration would bolster its efforts to select Asian-American or Pacific Islander candidates. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois was joined in the initial pledge by Senator Mazie Hirono, a Hawaii Democrat. The loss of their votes could jeopardize the confirmation of Biden nominees in an evenly divided…