insert_link Business / Economics South Africa’s current-account deficit narrows South Africa’s current account deficit narrowed more than expected in the second quarter as the rand price of exported goods and services increased more than that of the imports gap on the current account. The South African Reserve Bank on Thursday said that the broadest measure of trade in goods and services shrank to 0.9% of GDP, or 64.6 billion rand, down from a revised 1.5% of GDP in the […] todaySeptember 5, 2024 14
insert_link World Chinese and Russian disinformation flourishes in some African countries – anti-US sentiment helps it take hold By Dani Madrid-Morales, University of Sheffield; Herman Wasserman, Stellenbosch University, and Saifuddin Ahmed, Nanyang Technological University The spread of disinformation is one of the biggest risks to societies. Recent examples have been conspiracy narratives about COVID-19 vaccinations and false claims about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The trend is linked partly to competition among world powers, which is being played out in Africa too. Across the continent, multiple foreign […] todaySeptember 5, 2024 17
insert_link Africa A motorbike-sized meteorite shows how African collaboration can uniquely contribute to space science By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency On Sunday, August 25, A meteorite lit the skies of South Africa’s Eastern Cape, peppering the region with rock fragments. Some were found as far as Kirkwood, over 100 km from St Francis where others were spotted. Initially mistaken for space debris, the motorcycle-sized object streaked across the sky on Sunday morning around 9 am, emitting a bright light as it […] todaySeptember 4, 2024 20
insert_link Namibia Two-thirds of the world now online Global screen time has reached an all-time high this year, with over two-thirds of the world's population (5.44 billion people) online. Most internet users, according to a report by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, mainly search for information (60.3%) and connect with family and friends (56.8%), while streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are also widely used (77.1%). South Africa leads with the highest daily screen […] todaySeptember 2, 2024 17
insert_link Business / Economics FIMA’s Zamuee reacts to South Africa’s new retirement system South Africa’s new two-pot retirement system is now officially operational, with administrators anticipating a significant influx of withdrawal requests from pension fund members. Dr. Manfred Zamuee, Chairperson of the Financial Institutions and Markets Act Technical Advisory Committee, has responded to the development, highlighting its implications. Public suggestions have also emerged advocating for Namibia to adopt a similar two-pot retirement system. Dr. Zamuee said that these suggestions, alongside other proposals and […] todaySeptember 2, 2024 70
insert_link Africa How do people choose what food to buy? Answers depend on what you ask – so we built a research tool for African countries People buying and selling food at a farmers’ market in Chad’s capital city, N'Djamena. Issouf Sanogo/AFP By Nomzamo N. Dlamini, University of Pretoria You’re in a shop or market and you’re buying food for the next day. How do you choose what to buy? Does it depend on how much you can spend, on what’s the healthiest, the most attractively packaged? Understanding this is an important part of […] todayAugust 20, 2024 33
insert_link Environment Climate change is a challenge for small-scale farmers – how a mix of old and new techniques produced a superior maize harvest in a dry part of South Africa By Abeeb Babatunde Omotoso, North-West University and Abiodun Olusola Omotayo, North-West University New research into rural small-scale farms in South Africa’s North West province has found that climate-smart farming techniques lead to a better maize yield, a more regular supply of food for the farmers, and a wider variety of crops. Small-scale farmers often produce primarily for their own consumption, but many also sell produce in local […] todayAugust 20, 2024 21
insert_link Oshiwambo O Walvis bay Collidor Group otayi londodha oshikondo shiiyenditho noshoku tuta oondongelwa moshitopolwa kombinga yetukuko lyo Mpox. O Walvis bay Corridor Group tayiti etukuko olili mokati kookume kopaipindi mo SADC,niipotha ya lopotwa mo DRC nomo S.A. Omunambelewa gomakwatathano mo Walvis bay Coridor Group Maria Paulus okwati otaya indile aanapambuliko ya kale yeli ohanda nuukeka ,nokwiiyutha wo komilandu dhegameno dhoka dha tulwapo. Taya indile wo aanipambuliko ya kale ya ngungumana noku yanda engwangwano pethimbo lyetukuko ndika. ta gwedhako kutya oyena uupangelogona wuukalinawa moondjila oonene dhoka dheya kwatakanitha kiishiindalongo. […] todayAugust 20, 2024 16
insert_link Sport Paris 2024: How Africa performed in Paris and the road to the 2028 LA Olympics By Stephen Granger, via bird story agency For a little over two weeks, hundreds of thousands of Paris-based spectators and billions globally were treated to another edition of ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’. The Olympic Games have no equal as a vehicle to show off the extraordinary sporting talent of the human race. Tickets for sports, which normally would scarcely attract more than the families of the participants, […] todayAugust 15, 2024 24