Snapshots of the fortnight (November 3 to 17)

A mine worker speaks on his phone as he returns from the Lonmin mine at the end of his shift, outside Rustenburg, South Africa, on November 10. As loss-making platinum producer Lonmin LMI.L appeals for cash from shareholders and slashes costs, many of its mine workers are eager to grab redundancy deals and leave a company battling to stay afloat. Battered by strikes, rising costs and weak platinum prices, Lonmin is seeking to raise $407 million in a share issue - priced at a 94 percent discount this week - and another $370 million in loans. It says the money is crucial for its survival