Year-over-year: South Africa’s inflation uptick makes case for delayed rate cuts
The South African Reserve Bank, which targets inflation of between 3 per cent and 6 per cent, will announce a monetary policy decision next week.
Detained Congolese journalist Bujakera walks to freedom after state prosecutor withdrew appeal
Bujakera was arrested in September on suspicion of spreading false information about the killing of a prominent opposition politician in an article published by Jeune Afrique, the French news magazine has said. The prosecutor in the case earlier this month had asked the court in Kinshasa to sentence Bujakera to 20 years in prison.
Financially hamstrung Al Shabaab protect Somali pirates in Indian Ocean for a cut of the loot
The deal could provide al-Shabaab with critical funds after the Somali government clamped down on its other illegal money sources and froze its bank accounts. The terrorists also are suspected of negotiating with pirates and Houthi rebels to acquire weapons.
Why environment in Uganda is decaying, collapsing despite vast pool of knowledge and awareness
In Uganda the political leaders are pursuing development assisted by countries that prefer grass (oil palm and sugarcane) to natural forests. The 10,000 hectares of natural forests of Kalangala Island of Lake Victoria have been felled and sold as timber.
Banking experts discuss how BOJ Governor Ueda plans to navigate out of negative rates
In taking over the BOJ last April, Ueda was mandated to dismantle the radical stimulus of his predecessor, Haruhiko Kuroda. Kuroda’s “bazooka” approach initially helped boost stock prices. But it crushed bank margins and caused unwelcome yen declines that lawmakers feared could hurt voters through rising living costs.
Activists: Lone woman running for presidency in Senegal Anta Babacar Ngom inspires hope
Ngom is the first female candidate to run for president in over a decade, reflecting how progress has been frustratingly slow in the minds of activists who say there has been a reversal among young people toward more traditional views of the roles of women in society.
5G technology: New FCC labelling scheme won’t keep ‘smart’ devices from spying on you, experts warn
Wilkens: “5G is more hackable given the thousands of 5G nodes being installed, thereby increasing the surface area for hackers,” Wilkens said, “It’s software-based – a hacker gaining access to one node potentially gains access to the whole system. 4G and 3G are hardware-based systems, making it easier to quarantine a security breach.”
Living a lie: Ex-US State Department official details how state, media and Big Tech unite to suppress dissent
According to Benz, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has played a key role in coordinating censorship efforts, pressuring tech companies to adopt stricter content moderation policies and suppress information that questions official narratives. He emphasised the urgent need for public awareness and resistance to these anti-democratic practices.
UN humanitarian agencies say aid efforts to continue in Haiti amid violence and volatility
Some 5.5 million people in Haiti, roughly half the population, need humanitarian aid. However, a $674 million plan, announced in late February, is just 6.5 per cent funded, with $43 million received.
The plan aims to provide food, shelter, health, education and protection services for 3.6 million people this year.
South Africa’s ruling ANC takes Umkhonto Wesizwe, rival party fronted by ex-president Zuma to court
The ANC says the new uMkhonto weSizwe (Spear of the Nation) party did not meet criteria when it was registered in September. The case at the Electoral Court in the central city of Bloemfontein opened on Tuesday.
