New prohibition on false prize claims, and other brief reports
* Mail order entities are set to be prohibited from falsely informing consumers or potential consumers that they have won a sum of money or any other prize. Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa said in a notice published in the Government Gazette that this practice was an unfair business practice, which was not in the public interest, and that he intended publishing a notice prohibiting it. Business Report
* The Competition Commission will make its recommendations on the merger between Gold Fields and Harmony by the end of the month. The Commission said it found the filing made by Gold Fields compliant and it had fulfilled its merger notification requirements. It said it would make its recommendations to the Competition Tribunal, which would then make a decision on whether to allow the merger by January 26. Business Report * A senior US lawmaker has described as catastrophic the rising number of asbestos-related lawsuits that are forcing companies into bankruptcy. Senator Arlen Specter, Republican chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said a multi-billion dollar fund was needed to settle the suits. News24 * Nationwide Airlines Executive Manager Rodger Whittle said he was horrified at the lenient sentence given to Nigerian national Dr Temitope Oni who threatened to blow up Johannesburg International Airport. The Kempton Park Magistrates Court fined Oni R500 for making the threat after airport officials insisted on charging him for excess baggage. The Herald