- TOPLINE The Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday it’s investigating whether Boeing failed to ensure its planes were safe for flying after a a “plug” door fell off a 737 Max 9 plane flying from Portland, Oregon. KEY FACTS The FAA said it notified Boeing of the investigation, saying it…
- Topline Thursday, January 11, marked the start of an unprecedented legal confrontation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague in the Netherlands, as South Africa argued that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to “genocide”. The country has also condemned all violations of…
- More states are now giving money to families who pull their kids out of public school, creating a pot that can be spent on online learning and microschool programs. In September, Sandra Testo pulled her 14-year-old son, Keaton, out of his public middle school in Trinity, Florida—a response, she…
- Affinity Africa founder Tarek Mouganie is addressing the challenges of the unbanked in his country through digital finance. “As a result of having been excluded from financial services, small business don’t get created.” After dropping out of high school, Ibrahim Musa, a small business owner based…
- In 1943, the Royal Air Force looked for quick fixes to improve the probability that their bombers could complete their missions and successfully return home. One option was to add armor-plating, but what was the optimal placement which would ensure maximum protection without compromising the…
- The United States’ recent modifications to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) signal a significant shift in its trade relations with Africa, intertwined with broader geopolitical implications and the emerging contest for influence on the continent. Experts weigh in. The United States (US…
- TOPLINE Johnson & Johnson will pay an estimated $700 million to resolve an investigation by more than 40 states into the pharmaceutical firm’s marketing of its talcum powder, according to Bloomberg, following thousands of lawsuits alleging it failed to warn customers about cancer risks. KEY…
- A school in South Africa is giving children from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to excel – in football and in the professional workspace. “We’re the only place in southern Africa that’s giving an elite kid an opportunity to be holistically invested.” The Ubuntu Football Academy School in Cape…
- TOPLINE Hospitalizations for Covid spiked 20% in the week after Christmas, according to new data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with an increase in Covid deaths, and flu hospitalizations and deaths, solidifying what experts predicted to be a “severe” season for respiratory…
- The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been touted as the key to unlocking the continent’s economic fortunes. Yet, in a continent that grapples with extreme poverty and inequality, what does this tangibly mean? AfCFTA, an Africa-wide free trade area agreement aimed at establishing the…
- September 2023 was a month of conferences. It started off with the summit of the Norwegian-African Business Association in Oslo. A Reuters event in London followed. Then the revered United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. And the month finished with the AIIB Annual Meeting at Sharm El…
- More than a decade has passed since South African Paralympian, Oscar Pistorius, known as ‘blade runner’, shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, through a locked bathroom door. Now out on parole, he is at home, as experts and social media weigh in. Oscar Pistorius, once hailed as a trailblazing…
- TOPLINE Drugmaker Eli Lilly has launched a new website specifically for prescribing weight loss drugs through a telehealth service less than a month after the company’s new injectable, Zepbound, became available in U.S. pharmacies for overweight or obese adults. KEY FACTS Called LillyDirect, the…
- TOPLINE An allegation that former President Bill Clinton “threatened” Vanity Fair magazine to kill articles about sex trafficking allegations involving Jeffrey Epstein highlighted a second tranche of unsealed documents released Thursday, a day after he was named alongside figures like Prince Andrew…
- Nigeria has eased its stringent stance on cryptocurrency transactions, introducing guidelines to govern operations after two years. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently released comprehensive guidelines to govern the operations of bank accounts for Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASPs),…
- Many workplaces are experiencing a rise in “pleasanteeism” as the cost-of-living crisis takes its toll on the mental health of employees. Pleasanteeism refers to the pressure an individual feels to put on a brave face in front of colleagues, regardless of their emotional state. Not only does…
- TOPLINE Kai Zhuang, a 17-year-old Chinese exchange student, has been found alive in the Utah wilderness after going missing in what local police are calling a case of “cyber kidnapping,” a new criminal trend in which scammers extort vulnerable victims remotely, convincing their families they’ve…
- Following a year of increased remittance flow in sub-Saharan Africa, the World Bank anticipates further growth this year. Nevertheless, challenges and issues requiring attention accompany this projection. In its latest Migration and Development Brief titled Remittances Brave Global Headwinds with a…
- “What is a greater opportunity to remedy impropriety than through elections..?” Human beings are an optimistic species as, despite all that we do contrary to better judgment, we believe that the future will always be better than the past. As the New Year starts, we are all hopeful that 2024 will…
- TOPLINE Big technology stocks sank Tuesday, a potentially worrisome omen as the darlings of 2023’s explosive gains lost hundreds of billions of dollars of market value. KEY FACTS The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 1.6% in the opening trading session of the year, a far wider loss than the Dow…
- Without the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to automate and improve football decision-making, Africa faces being left behind while the world plays a different game. Africa faces being left behind the rest of the world if the slow implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR)…
- BRICS’ expansion with five new members, set against Argentina’s decision to decline, presents a nuanced challenge to US influence, markin a complex evolution in international dynamics.BRICS, the international governmental organization focused on bilateral relations, investment, and economic…
- As of January 1, the 10 richest people on the planet are worth nearly $1.47 trillion—$30 billion more than a month earlier. And Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has overtaken Bill Gates to become the world’s fifth richest person. Billionaires at the top of the Forbes list had a pretty good December…
- TOPLINE South Africa launched a case Friday in the UN’s International Court of Justice alleging “acts and omissions by Israel” in Gaza “are genocidal in character,” and asking the court to order Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza as the death toll reportedly exceeds 20,000. KEY FACTS…
- If you find yourself in Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos, this December, here’s where some of the hottest parties may be happening. The vibrant and pulsating heartbeat of Nigeria’s nightlife scene is Lagos, the country’s largest city and a melting pot of electrifying energy. In December, the city…
- The future of money and the way we see money is changing drastically. Wealth forecasters and futurists look into the crystal ball for Africa. The past two decades have generated $160 trillion in ‘paper wealth’, according to McKinsey’s 2023 Wealth Report. However, growth has been sluggish and there…
- TOPLINE Sweden’s push to join NATO took a step forward Tuesday, after the Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee ended a year-long delay and voted to allow the historically Nordic country to join the Western military alliance, according to Turkish media outlets—a step that could help Sweden…
- Addressing sexual exploitation and abuse in the digital ecosystem. The hype around the development of the metaverse, an immersive digital space that will take real-world experiences online and blur the line between physical and virtual, is palpable. Accounting organization KPMG predicts that by…
- TOPLINE Zambian Foreign Minister Stanley Kakubo resigned from his post after a video of him allegedly counting stacks of cash with a purported Chinese businessman kicked off a firestorm of accusations on social media amid China’s growing influence in Africa. KEY FACTS The video depicts two…
- Since the 1980s, the term ‘just transition’ has been touted as the answer to our climate challenges. Against the industrial revolution(s) backdrop, this transition referred to the deliberate shift towards more sustainable and green practices. The ‘just transition’ is the responsible move from a…
- TOPLINE Depression, vitamin D deficiency, social isolation and diabetes are among a dozen health issues that can increase the risk of early-onset dementia, according to a new study published Tuesday, the latest evidence on causes of the condition beyond genetics. KEY FACTS The study published in…
- Nobuhle Ndlovu is among the few to break the glass ceiling in the male-dominated world of private equity. An investment banker-turned-partner at a private equity firm in South Africa, Nobuhle Ndlovu realized early on that her calling was to help humanity. Awarded a full scholarship to Canada, she…
- Ghanaian entrepreneur Alima Bello, the founder of Bello Edu, would have been toiling away in a greasy oil seed factory had she not chosen to ignite her passion for contemporary fashion design. Fashion and art are often synonymous. Just ask Ghanaian fashion entrepreneur Alima Bello, who in 2014…
- TOPLINE A drone struck a vessel reportedly linked to Israel off the coast of India on Saturday morning—an unexplained attack that comes as the Houthi militant group continues a campaign of strikes against ships hundreds of miles west in the Red Sea. KEY FACTS The attack took place about 200…
- Nigerian Afrobeats artist Mohbad passed away at the age of 27 on September 12. Posthumously, he surpassed global icons on the charts and experienced a surge in streaming. Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, passed away at the age of 27 on September 12, leaving a mark as an Afrobeats artist…
- TOPLINE More than 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry said in an update on Friday, as the United Nations Security Council once again delayed a vote on a resolution to allow desperately needed aid to enter…
- The importance of agriculture to Africa’s economic output cannot be emphasized enough. Desmond Koney’s Complete Farmer is doing close to $10 million in revenue, and have just closed a funding round of $10.4 million. Agriculture has been lauded by many governments as the key to reducing poverty due…
- TOPLINE The World Health Organization said it is tracking a new coronavirus “variant of interest” called JN.1, an offshoot of the highly mutated “Pirola” strain that is spreading rapidly around the world and has become the fastest growing variant in the United States. KEY FACTS JN.1 is an offshoot…
- There’s an intimate story on these pages. Of life in Johannesburg’s suburban sprawls; the moody and mighty townships that thrive from dawn to dusk, bearing within them the dreams and secrets of a city on its way up, never failing to look at itself, into its beaten soul and the great backstories of…
- Wandia Gichuru cannot wait for the day that AfCFTA becomes a reality, especially in the textiles and fashion space. Most people start young. But while in her 40s, Wandia Gichuru’s journey into entrepreneurship was serendipitous and unexpected. Creating a truly Kenyan fashion brand, she now…
- TOPLINE Google announced the details of a sweeping settlement with all 50 states on Monday, which include expanded options for developers to use their own billing systems—leaving app makers with options that could lead to savings for consumers on in-app subscriptions and services. KEY FACTS Google…
- Zuri obtains fabrics and designs from Kenya and other African countries, creating jobs. African style is making its way to New York City. In June this year, the Brooklyn Museum hosted Africa Fashion, one of North America’s largest exhibits celebrating African clothing and craftsmanship. From being…
- Sprouting with possibilities but marred by uncertainties, South Africa’s sugar sector has seen rough patches over the past few years. But the industry has growth prospects and is pushing for sustainability and innovation. From civil unrest and flooding along South Africa’s coast to load shedding…
- It has been a stellar year for African music across the globe. With the recent announcement from The Recording Academy on the nominees for the 2024 Grammy Awards, Africa joined the artists in celebrating their spots in what the Academy called “history”. In a statement released in November, one of…
- The ultimate year-end gift ideas for luxury lovers and gadget geeks. Ray-Ban x Meta Wayfarer Ray-Ban’s next-generation retro smart glasses in partnership with Meta lets you livestream to Instagram or Facebook. While privacy should be paramount, it offers other conveniences you can enjoy while…
- Subomi Plumptre is one of the few female African CEOs in asset management on the continent focusing on empowering middle class Africans through investment solutions and unlocking prosperity. The latest Henley & Partners Africa Wealth Report reveals that the continent holds a total of $2.4…
- TOPLINE Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee’s weekslong battle at the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 took a turn Monday as “All I Want for Christmas Is You” notched its record-breaking 13th total week atop the chart, dethroning Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” after it led the chart for the first…
- “We are not merely making policy, but are nurturing a legacy of boundless growth and shared prosperity under BeTA (Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda),” says Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary For Foreign Diaspora Affairs, Dr Musalia Mudavadi. Kenya, the largest economy in East…
- TOPLINE Researchers began testing a first-of-its-kind non-hormonal male birth control pill this week, a promising step for male contraceptive care as previous hormonal methods faced challenges like too many side effects and issues reducing sperm production. KEY FACTS Manufacturer YourChoice…
- IN OCTOBER 2023, WHEN AFREXIMBANK CELEBRATED ITS 3OTH ANNIVERSARY, IT ALSO MARKED PROF. BENEDICT O. ORAMAH’S ALMOST THREE-DECADE-OLD CAREER WITH THE BANK. AS ITS PRESIDENT SINCE 2015, HE HAS SPEARHEADED INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE, FACILITATE AND FINANCE INTRA-AFRICA AND EXTRA- AFRICA TRADE, IN THE…