Insight: World battles to loosen China’s grip on vital rare earths for clean energy transition

Insight: World battles to loosen China’s grip on vital rare earths for clean energy transition

The West’s push to develop independent supplies of critical minerals took on greater urgency after Beijing imposed export controls last month on the strategic metals gallium and germanium, raising global fears that China could block exports of rare earths or processing technology next.

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Kenya reels under Anonymous Sudan cyber attacks on government services as online banking struggles

Kenya reels under Anonymous Sudan cyber attacks on government services as online banking struggles

Some 76 per cent of Kenyans use mobile money, while 67 per cent use the mobile internet. Confirming the attack, Information, Communication and Digital Economy Minister Eliud Owalo stressed that no data had been accessed or lost, although the hackers behind it had claimed to have stolen passport data.

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Nairobi hosts Africa’s first International Telecoms Week as Kenya’s reputation as regional digital hub grows

Nairobi hosts Africa’s first International Telecoms Week as Kenya’s reputation as regional digital hub grows

Business Opportunities: ITW Africa offers a thriving marketplace where carriers, data centres, content providers, cloud services, finance professionals and satellite providers can showcase their offerings. This facilitates trading opportunities and creates an environment conducive to business development and expansion.

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Russia hits Africa, Asia and Middle East hard with decision to defer Ukrainian grain exports

Russia hits Africa, Asia and Middle East hard with decision to defer Ukrainian grain exports

The suspension marks the end of an accord that the UN and Turkey brokered last summer to allow food to leave the Black Sea region after Russia’s invasion of its neighbour worsened a global food crisis. The initiative is credited with helping lower soaring prices of wheat, vegetable oil and other food commodities.

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Arab-Africa trade agency launches $1.5 billion food security programme in Egypt

Arab-Africa trade agency launches $1.5 billion food security programme in Egypt

The executive committee of the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Programme, a multi-donor, Inter-regional programme has launched a $1.5 billion food security programme to address the issues of food insecurity in the Arab and African regions amidst the ongoing global food security crisis. The crisis is a critical challenge facing the...

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How Hollywood twin strikes have hit radio, TV schedules in US as actors and scripters keep off screen

How Hollywood twin strikes have hit radio, TV schedules in US as actors and scripters keep off screen

The flow of films to theatres is protected from an immediate hit because movies take two to three years to produce. But future releases, such as Marvel’s “Blade” and “Thunderbolts,” have been delayed and more are expected to be put on hold until the labour conflicts are resolved. Promotional events for forthcoming movies still to be released will be cancelled

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Nairobi protein summit urges African leaders to promote ‘humane animal production systems’

Nairobi protein summit urges African leaders to promote ‘humane animal production systems’

It was further recognised that whilst there is room for the lowest meat consumption countries in Africa to increase rates of meat consumption to meet nutritional needs, embracing intensive livestock production systems will not only endanger food and nutrition security but also the livelihoods of small holder producers while worsening the superbug crisis and the climate crisis.

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US film industry faces worst strike in 63 years after Hollywood actors joined writers on picket lines

US film industry faces worst strike in 63 years after Hollywood actors joined writers on picket lines

The walkout by SAG-AFTRA, which represents actors from bit-part players to Hollywood’s biggest movie stars, will effectively shutter the studios’ remaining US-based productions of film and scripted television. It will also hamper many overseas shoots involving SAG-AFTRA talent, such as Paramount Pictures’ sequel to “Gladiator,” which director Ridley Scott has been shooting in Morocco and Malta.

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Soda sweetener aspartame now listed as possible cancer cause, although some still consider it safe

Soda sweetener aspartame now listed as possible cancer cause, although some still consider it safe

Aspartame was approved in 1974 by the US Food and Drug Administration with an acceptable daily intake of 50 milligrams per kilogramme of body weight. According to the FDA, a person weighing 132 pounds (60 kilograms) would need to consume about 75 aspartame packets to reach that level.

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New El Dorado? With Guyana joining Africa as ‘hottest frontier oil play’ there’s more to learn

New El Dorado? With Guyana joining Africa as ‘hottest frontier oil play’ there’s more to learn

With less than one per cent of known global gas reserves, Trinidad and Tobago became the world’s leading exporter of two gas-based products, ammonia and methanol, and went on to become one of the world’s top five liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters. Today, Trinidad and Tobago has one of the highest gross national incomes (GNI) per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean ($17,640 in 2015). Guyana is well on its way to following Trinidad and Tobago’s example, and I hope African nations like Namibia will do the same.

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