It’s a significant move that complements the focus on emerging fintech in Africa. Mastercard is to acquire a minority stake in MTN’s fintech division. This partnership with MTN appears as a Memorandum of Understanding announced in the company’s 2023 group results for the first half of the year. Due diligence is currently underway, and the […]
John Smeddle
More than 500 years ago, Leonardo da Vinci put pen to paper and recorded the future. He invented the tank, the helicopter, the automatic rifle, the diving suit and the parachute. And this was just the tip of his particular iceberg. Da Vinci’s thoughts, diagrams and art were so extraordinary they were considered heretical. They […]
In what should come as no surprise to anyone, the Vatican has voiced its concerns about AI. Commenting on its ‘disruptive possibilities and ambivalent threats’ Pope Francis urges caution and responsibility. ‘Pope comments on AI’ is hardly an explosive exposé, but a quick character study of the man behind the caution will reveal that his […]
I was inspired by the recent Chinese initiative to crack down on children who browse all day on social media. So I put on my investigative journalist’s hat and met with Joanna (obviously an alias), who has since become a life raft in a sea of despair. This is her story. Hello, my name is […]
Last Thursday, August 3rd, the Indian Government announced immediate restrictions on the importing of consumer electronic devices. This prompted the likes of Dell, Apple and Samsung to suspend all imports. New Delhi also announced that the restriction would not apply to inbound passengers carrying such devices in their luggage. The importing of restricted devices would […]
I’ve come to understand and respect the anxieties felt by women concerning breast cancer examinations. First, the very reason they’re having the examination. Second, the harmful levels of radiation the mammogram will expose their bodies to, during the test. Third, the accuracy of the test itself. In a report published in The Lancet Journal on […]
20 billion kilometres away, humankind’s loneliest piece of technology sent us a faint signal yesterday. And the message was: I’m still here, I’m still in working order, what would you like me to do? We live in a time when the world is terrified of so much recently unveiled technology. Yet here’s a remnant of […]
In the middle of last week, the Federal Reserve Chairman pointed to indicators which showed that the long-anticipated recession was a non-event. The US GDP was on a trajectory with a near 2% growth figure. When coupled with better than expected employment figure projections and the containing of the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, little wonder […]
Population Implosion is the World’s Next Big Crisis You can talk about South Korea, Finland, Japan, France and Australia becoming increasingly infertile and people will nod their heads sagely. You can throw up a lot of facts about why testosterone is shriveling in this age of information, and men will avert their eyes and women […]
Pokémon now lures children to sleep better The game that has kept millions awake well into the early hours, is now an app that incentivizes a good night’s sleep. Pokémon, delivering sleepless nights since 1996, is now available in the form of Pokémon Sleep. This is how it works: The app is available for your […]