Bowen: Trump needs this war to end but Iran is not backing down
Under pressure from the polls and Gulf allies, the White House is pushing for a deal but Iran wants concessions, writes BBC’s international editor.
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Africa: Manamela Secures Business Backing for South Africa’s Skills Revolution
The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, has secured commitments from private sector leaders to partner with government in advancing South Africa’s skills development agenda and strengthening the country’s education-to-employment pipeline. The commitments emerged from a high-level business breakfast convened by Manamela on Monday, ahead of the Higher Education and Training Budget Vote…
Africa: GSMA Secures Oem Backing for $40 4g Smartphone Rollout in Africa
The GSMA has secured commitments from 18 smartphone manufacturers to support the rollout of a $40 4G smartphone aimed at reducing Africa’s mobile internet usage gap. The initiative was launched at MWC Kigali in October 2024 and sets minimum technical standards for an affordable 4G device designed for African users. At least 8 vendors have…
Heavyweights backing ZARU, a new rand-based stablecoin
A partnership between four South African financial institutions has led to the launch of an “institutional-grade” stablecoin pegged to the rand. Dubbed ZAR Universal, or ZARU, the stablecoin will made available to both retail consumers and institutional investors through the alliance between cryptocurrency platform Luno, low-cost trading platform EasyEquities, fintech Lesaka Technologies and Sanlam Specialist…
Oil falls more than 4% as traders see Trump backing away from Iran strike threats
Oil prices fell more than 4% on Thursday, after comments from U.S. President Donald Trump eased market speculation that an American strike on Iran could be imminent. Brent crude oil futures, the global benchmark, lost 4.13%, or $2.75, to $63.77 a barrel. Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude lost $2.65, or 4.27%, to trade at $59.37…
Africa: As Donor Backing Winds Up, Who Will Fund Africa’s Land Governance?
Land is a vital productive asset, and access to it is an economic right. Yet governance across Africa remains weak, with many countries lacking clear rules that define ownership and tenure. As a result, land disputes have fueled significant inequalities, particularly affecting women. Only a few countries, such as Rwanda, have made notable progress in…
Africa’s clean energy transition receives €7bn backing
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg. The European Union (EU) has pledged €7 billion (R139 billion) to accelerate renewable energy rollout across the African continent. The announcement, which was made at the G20 Leaders’ Summit at the weekend, is in line with the continent’s clean-power transition. European…
19-year-old Capetonian’s AI start-up wins Y Combinator backing
Certus co-founders Adam Gamieldien, Isaac Nichols and Gurveer Singh (CEO) A South African AI start-up, led by 19-year-old entrepreneur Gurveer Singh, has secured the backing of Y Combinator, the prestigious Silicon Valley business accelerator that has backed the likes of OpenAI and Airbnb. Founded in Cape Town by Singh, who serves as CEO, and by…
Africa: Demanding More: Does Education Increase Public Backing for Good Governance in Africa?
Findings highlight the potential of education to foster stronger, more accountable political institutions. Abstract This paper investigates how education shapes public attitudes toward transparent and accountable governance in Africa. Much of the research on governance and education has focused on Western contexts, leaving the African perspective underexplored. Afrobarometer surveys show that many Africans consistently support…