SA property sector faces 'long, hard slog' - The outlook for property for 2010, while still mild, was far better than 2009, Alliance Group auctioneers said on Tuesday. [M&G Headlines]

Indebted Dubai puts on brave face for tower opening - Dubai opened the world's tallest structure in a glitzy ceremony meant to put a brave face on crushing debt woes, leading some to wonder whether the tower is the emirate's crowning glory or its last hurrah.

The $1,5-billion tower reaches up 828 m, 200 storeys into the sky. It surpasses the next highest inhabited building, Taiwan's Taipei 101, by more than 300 m. [Engineering News]

De Beers scanning technology could be used at airports - The research and development (R&D) arm of diamond giant De Beers, DebTech, said it is ready to make its body scanning technology available to the market, as airports step up security following an attempted terrorist attack in the US.

Western countries have started implementing full body scanners at international airports to identify potential threats, after a Nigerian citizen tried to set off an explosive device on a flight bound for Detroit from Amsterdam on December 25. [Engineering News]