On Wednesday, Judd Devermont published a personal reflection on the significant challenges in strategic planning on national security and foreign policy in the United States government. The essay presents his analytic judgments about what has gone wrong with formulating and implementing these kinds of strategic plans. Some serve as brutally honest indictments of the current […]
5 May, 2025 | Admin | No Comments
‘When brothers fight to death a stranger inherits their father’s estate’
It is the Nigerian novelist and poet, Chinua Achebe, who opines this chilling Igbo adage that, “he is a fool who treats his brother worse than a stranger — because when brothers fight to death a stranger inherit their father’s estate — that a kinsman in trouble had to be saved, not blamed; anger against […]
There were several crucial agricultural data releases during April, despite all the public holidays. For example, on 30 April, the Crop Estimates Committee released its third production forecast for South Africa’s 2024-25 summer crop production season. There are generally 10 releases a season, which means there are seven more monthly updates to come. But, on […]
5 May, 2025 | Admin | No Comments
Kenyan whistleblower faces lawsuit, death threats after exposing $2bn airport deal
When Nelson Amenya blew the lid on a murky $2 billion deal to lease out Kenya’s biggest airport, he didn’t anticipate the backlash he would face: online trolls, a $68,000 defamation lawsuit and death threats. “They’re after you, bro. Lawsuits or a bullet, your call. Quit hitting the state and watch your back. One misstep, […]
5 May, 2025 | Admin | No Comments
Conservation maps show world’s largest mammal migration — and the urgent threat it faces
The seasonal movements of two migratory antelope species — the white-eared kob and tiang — across South Sudan’s expansive wetlands and Ethiopia’s Gambella National Park have been mapped in unprecedented detail to help better conserve them. Covering an area of over 100 000km² — roughly seven times larger than Serengeti National Park — these maps […]
5 May, 2025 | Admin | No Comments
ANC Gauteng bets on internal renewal to lift 2026 election prospects
The ANC in Gauteng believes it is on track to secure at least 40% of the vote in the 2026 local government elections, according to party insiders familiar with internal and external polling data. The forecast emerged from a two-day weekend lekgotla in Fourways, Johannesburg, where the party’s provincial task team (PTT) met regional officials, […]
Since GWM introduced it in 2021, the Haval Jolion has become the brand’s best-selling passenger vehicle in South Africa. The Jolion became a talking point in the country as it offered consumers a great deal at an affordable price. South Africans love that and gobbled it up. Haval then introduced the Jolion Pro in the […]
There has been a “remarkable and sustained disruption” in the trafficking of pangolin scales and ivory from Africa to Asia since the Covid-19 pandemic. A new report from the Hague-based Wildlife Justice Commission documents a sharp decline in significant seizures since 2020, pointing to a shift in the criminal landscape and the potential long-term impact […]
1 May, 2025 | Admin | No Comments
‘Cash is king’: UK shoppers fume over businesses that only accept card payment
It’s easy to tap and pay (Picture: Getty Images) When Covid forced the high street to go digital and turned handling physical money into a health risk, some businesses decided to stop accepting cash altogether. As a result, cash use fell by 35% in 2020 alone, the steepest drop in a years-long downward trajectory. Just […]
Moorcroft Pottery has been an important part of Stoke-on-Trent since it was founded in 1897 (Picture: Universal Images Group via Getty Images) An iconic pottery firm has gone bust after more than 100 years of trading. Moorcroft Pottery, based in Stoke-on-Trent at the heart of the UK’s pottery region, has shut with immediate effect, putting […]