In an aerial view, a Valero refinery is seen on May 5, 2026 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images Oil prices rose on Thursday after fresh U.S. strikes in Iran renewed concerns over disruptions to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, were up around 3% to $97.16…
A quantum computer built by IBM IBM will invest more than US$10-billion in coming years in an effort to deliver the first large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029, according to an SEC filing on Thursday. The investment will go towards R&D, capital expenditure, scaling manufacturing capabilities and acquisitions, the company known for building the Watson…
For decades, Africa’s place in the global oil economy was not merely subordinate; it was designed to be so. Crude flowed out. Refined fuel flowed back in. Value accumulated elsewhere. This was not an unfortunate equilibrium but a system built with precision: refining infrastructure in Europe, currencies of trade external, shipping, and pricing settled far…
Ethiopia is transforming from an import-dependent market into a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub. After becoming the 9th African nation to reach WHO Maturity Level 3, local production now exceeds 40% of medicine supply. This WBG feature examines how regulation, the Kilinto Special Economic Zone, and research at AHRI and CDT-Africa are driving jobs, exports, and health…
The United States on Thursday reiterated that its diplomats remained in Kyiv despite Russia’s escalating threats, dismissing a suggestion from the European Union’s top diplomat that Washington had evacuated the Ukrainian capital. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. The restated American commitment to the city came…
SK Hynix has topped US$1-trillion in market capitalization for the first time, joining memory rivals Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology in a historic, AI-fuelled semiconductor rally. Shares of SK Hynix jumped 14.9% on Wednesday, pushing the company’s market value to a record ₩1,680-trillion ($1.12-trillion) and cementing South Korea as the first country outside the United…
African leaders have called for a major rethink of how the continent finances development, manages natural resources and positions itself within the global economy, saying Africa must strengthen economic sovereignty and reduce dependence on fragmented financing systems and raw commodity exports. Speaking during the ongoing African Development Bank Group (AfDB) Annual Meetings 2026 in Brazzaville,…
One of the experts said Africa’s debt crisis should not be viewed only through economic indicators but through its impact on ordinary citizens At least 32 African countries now spend more on debt servicing than on healthcare, exposing the growing human cost of the continent’s worsening debt crisis, experts said on Wednesday at the opening…
Search-and-rescue operations are ongoing, with the number of casualties yet to be confirmed.
Turning parliamentary records into searchable, visual data. (Image source: 123RF) South Africa’s Parliament produces a significant volume of information. Committee minutes, attendance registers, written questions to ministers, budget review reports and so much more. This written record of parliamentary activity is extensive, and the problem is that it isn’t easily accessible. It’s information, not data,…
