- TOPLINE The British Museum and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) announced on Thursday that 32 gold and silver artifacts from Ghana, which were looted during the Anglo-Ashanti Wars in the 1800s, would return to the country for the first time in 150 years—but only for a limited amount of…
- TOPLINE The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday a pathway toward resumed flights for Boeing 737 Max 9 jets, but it won’t allow Boeing to expand production of the planes after a hole was blown into the side of an Alaska Airlines flight using one of the jets earlier this month,…
- Following the COP28 United Nations Conference in Dubai in December, the race is on to find tech-centered solutions to assist in achieving global sustainability goals, say experts. Each year, world leaders and governments meet to have a series of high-level conversations about how to manage the…
- TOPLINE Mental health symptoms in the U.S. rose after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to research published in JAMA on Tuesday, suggesting broader health consequences of restricting abortion access as some states continue to roll back reproductive rights. KEY FACTS There was an…
- Roushanna Gray uses food and ecology as a medium to impart knowledge on the rich biodiversity of South Africa’s edible land and seascapes. Cape Town is a city with no shortage of experiences, for every kind of person. There are some that appeal to the hedonists, such as lavish fine dining dinners…
- Two years ago, non-fungible tokens were sizzling hot, as art aficionados and speculators pushed blockchain-based images to $27 billion in value. Now that the market has crashed, a much less ambitious version of NFTs are finding a welcome home in the marketing departments of corporate America. In…
- “Much has been written about me…most of it is outright lies or half-truths. I have waited a long time to tell my story.” In her book, The Race to Be Myself, one of the biggest names in athletics not just in Africa but across the world, will tell the full story of the discrimination she […]
- SMEs play a crucial role in South Africa’s economy. They contribute significantly to job creation, economic growth, and innovation. SMEs act as a catalyst for change, fostering entrepreneurship, and generating employment opportunities. However, these enterprises often face various challenges,…
- TOPLINE Meta registered its highest-ever share price Friday, potentially completing the social media giant’s dramatic recovery amid Wall Street’s renewed faith in Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has refocused the firm’s attention on improving bottom lines. KEY FACTS Shares of Meta climbed as much as…
- TOPLINE Meta inched toward its highest-ever share price Friday, potentially completing the social media giant’s dramatic recovery amid Wall Street’s renewed faith in Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has refocused the firm’s attention on improving bottom lines. KEY FACTS Shares of Meta climbed as much…
- TOPLINE Climate change could cut life expectancy by half a year, according to research published Thursday, illustrating another ominous consequence of human-driven global heating after scientists confirmed 2023 as the hottest year on record. KEY FACTS Changes in temperature and rainfall caused by…
- The South African comedian’s Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series garnered praise from President Cyril Ramaphosa. Renowned South African comedian Trevor Noah has etched his name in history with a prestigious Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series for The Daily Show with Trevor Noah this week. This…
- TOPLINE Annual carbon emissions from bottom trawling—a popular fishing method used to capture seafood at the bottom of the ocean—is equivalent to around 40% of annual transportation emissions in the U.S., a new study published Thursday found, reaffirming previous research on the harms of bottom…
- The New York-listedBlackRock is set to buy the entirety of Bayo Ogunlesi’s GIP’s business and assets. The world’s largest asset manager BlackRock has agreed to acquire infrastructure investor Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) for a total consideration of $3 billion in cash and approximately 12…
- TOPLINE The Emmy Awards hit a record low for viewership Monday night, according to multiple reports, attracting 4.3 million total viewers—a 27% drop from the 2022 Emmys, which brought in 5.9 million viewers. KEY FACTS Monday’s 75th Emmy Awards aired on Fox and scored a 0.85 rating among adults 18-…
- One of the primary factors contributing to the surge in debt within the continent’s startup ecosystem is believed to be the decline in equity funding. Experts weigh in. “The preference for debt over equity in these sectors can indicate that startups are looking to avoid diluting ownership and are…
- TOPLINE Apple will be allowed to sell a redesigned version of some of its smartwatches, after successfully arguing that some models do not contain a contested blood-oxygen detection technology, a court filing revealed Monday, in an effort to overcome a recent ban implemented by the U.S.…
- The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has voiced concerns about the current state of the sector in the country. “Manufacturing growth rate nosedived to 0.48% in Q3 2023 as against 2.4% in 2021. Judging from the observed trend, it is obvious that the outlook for the manufacturing sector in…
- The members of the third annual 50 Over 50: EMEA list are shaping the future of science, fashion, finance, and even the Catholic Church. Here are the 50 founders, CEOs, humanitarians and vanguards across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, all proving that life’s second half is also its most…
- The accountants certified that Tingo Group had $462 million in the bank. The SEC says it was just $50. Short sellers are rejoicing. Hindenburg Research, known for sniffing out corporate scams, took aim in June at an obscure Nigeria-based outfit named Tingo Group. Hindenburg rolled out a report with…
- Topline: On Friday, January 12, Israel presented its legal defense at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague, Netherlands, responding to a legal claim of genocide leveled at the country by South Africa as a result of its ongoing conflict in Gaza. South Africa brought the charge of…
- 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…
