In a post-truth world, synthetic media and photorealism are a boon to ‘fake news industry’
Some snapshots may look like people you’d know. Your daughter’s best friend from college, maybe? That guy from human resources at work? The emergency-room doctor who took care of your sprained ankle? One of the kids from down the street? Nope. All of these images are “deepfakes” – the nickname...
Facebook supremacy: US federal court tosses out antitrust cases against Big Tech
What if nothing works? What if, after years of scholarship and journalism exposing the dominance, abrogation, duplicity, arrogance and incompetence of Facebook, none of the policy tools we have come to rely on to rein in corporations make any difference at all? We have to be prepared for just such...
Details of the rot in Zimbabwe’s mining industry spotlights how army keeps Zanu in power
A recently published report by international economic crimes investigations agency, The Sentry, has pinpointed involvement of a South African lawyer in Zimbabwe’s multibillion graft industry as instrumental in businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei’s dealings in the country’s gold, diamond, platinum, chrome and nickel mines. Th report falls short of calling Tagwirei, which...
Inside Zimbabwe’s sleaze empire: New report details how president’s men are bleeding the country
Reports on corruption and state capture in Zimbabwe are coming out thick and fast. In the latest instalment on governing Zanu-PF government, a new report released last week lays bare the burgeoning offshore business empire owned by Kudakwashe Tagwirei, who is rated as Zimbabwe’s richest businessperson and a close ally...
Congo Brazzaville plans to launch gas master plan at African Energy Week
The Ministry of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo will launch the country’s comprehensive Gas Master Plan (GMP) at the African Energy Week (AEW) 2021 scheduled for November in Cape Town, South Africa. The master plan comprises a framework that aims to incentivise the development of and investment in the...
Tanzanian brewer unveils $10 million drink campaign to keep beer pipeline open
Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) has kicked off a campaign that will cost the company Tsh2.3 billion ($10 million) to keep bars and eateries in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam open as the eastern nation struggles to rein in the impact wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. The campaign will be...
Pressure piles on banks to match demand as appetite for financial services in Africa expands
Across Africa, all banking and payment channels are showing positive growth – from ATM usage through to mobile wallets. The key challenge for banks is to equip themselves so that they can provide a range of channel options and meet consumer demand. A quick snapshot of banking and payment trends...
Planning for nyama choma from the grazing field and the science of getting flavourful roast meat
Meat scientists (many of them, unsurprisingly, in Texas) have spent whole careers studying how to produce the tenderest, most flavourful beef possible. Much of what they’ve learned holds lessons only for cattle producers and processors, but a few of their findings can guide backyard grill masters in their choice of...
Brewers go undersea to hunt for long-forgotten yeast strains to add punch and power to their beers
As the diver gently eased himself through a hatch into the sunken hold, he could see the shipwreck’s treasure lying in wait for him. It had been down there for more than 100 years. But now some of it was about to be freed from its resting place. The explorer...
Somaliland opens new terminal at Berbera Port, plans to expand it to an economic zone
DP World, a leading provider of integrated logistics solutions and the government of semi-autonomous Somaliland inaugurated the new container terminal on June 24 at Berbera Port, following completion of the first phase of the port’s expansion as part of its development into a major regional trade hub for the Horn...
