IN TODAY’S GLOBAL HEADLINES… Apple’s global smartphone rival Samsung came up even shorter in the three months to end December, indicating this morning its revenues fell 11% and operating income was down by a quarter. Japanese New Economy venture capital group Softbank has cancelled a proposed $16bn deal with shared office space provider WeWork. A recent rebound in the share price of online retailing giant Amazon has made it the most valuable listed company on earth. In South African-related news, Xstrata founder Mick Davis, who has been occupying himself of late as the CEO of Britain’s ruling Conservative Party, is quietly expanding his interest in mining.