Inc (May Issue)
“Images of sea creatures ensnared by plastic six-pack rings are a common source of environmental anguish. They also provided inspiration for the Mexico City-based startup E6PR,” which stands for eco six-pack ring and is made with natural fibers. “Those natural fibers not only make it compostable, but sea animals can eat it as well without suffering any ill effects. And, unlike plastic six-pack rings, which last for decades, E6PR’s naturally disintegrate.” The revolutionary product is already getting take up from “leading Mexican brewer Corona” and “craft breweries in the U.S., Australia, Poland, Scotland, and South Africa.”
Tags: Australia, Compostable, Corona, E6PR, Ensnared, Mexico, Natural fibers, Plastic, Poland, Scotland, Sea creatures, Six-pack rings, South Africa, U.S.
New Yorker (May 14)
National Security Adviser John Bolton said moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem was “merely ‘a recognition of reality,’ but it was actually a suspension of disbelief.” Though dignitaries at the opening ceremony were exuberant, “none of this alleviated the sinking feeling that young Gazans had gained the world’s attention, and sympathy, through their deaths” as Turkey and South Africa recalled their ambassadors to Israel while other countries lodged condemnations.
Tags: Ambassadors, Bolton, Deaths, Dignitaries, Disbelief, Embassy, Gazans, Israel, Jerusalem, NSA, Reality, South Africa, Sympathy, Turkey, U.S.
The Economist (December 9)
“Under President Jacob Zuma, the state is failing. Contracts are awarded through bribes and connections; ruling-party members murder each other over lucrative government jobs; crooks operate with impunity.” South Africa’s “people deserve better” than the Zuma corruption or his wife who now seeks to replace him as President. “The rainbow nation still has the potential to be a beacon of prosperity and good governance in Africa, but memories of its hopeful birth are a melancholy counterpoint to its dark present. The best chance for recovering that optimism is a victory for Mr Ramaphosa.”
Tags: Africa, Bribes, Connections; Ruling party, Corruption, Crooks, Failing, Governance, Impunity, Ramaphosa, South Africa, Zuma
The Economist (November 8)
Brazil and Russia are the “dodgiest duo” of the six susceptible emerging markets, which also include India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Turkey. India and Indonesia now appear relatively “secure” while both South Africa and Turkey have bright spots. However, “the mixture Brazil and Russia face—falling currencies, high inflation and slow growth—could make 2015 a very bad year…. Even optimists think the pair will be lucky to grow in 2015. Pessimists see tumbling currencies, bond-market routs and even bank runs.
Tags: 2015, Bank runs, Bond market, Brazil, Dodgiest duo, Emerging markets, Falling currencies, India, Indonesia, Inflation, Russia, Slow growth, South Africa, Turkey
USA Today (December 6, 2013)
“No one will soon forget Nelson Mandela, if not the greatest man of the 20th century, certainly the most extraordinary.”
Washington Post (July 17)
With China’s economy decelerating, “ the world waits to see if it will make hard reforms. “Most big developing countries — China, India, Brazil, South Africa — have slowed down in the past few years. In almost all cases, the cause was the same. When their the economies were booming, these countries’ leaders avoided tough decisions. China had been the exception to this rule. But now it faces its biggest test…. If it fails, well, China becomes just another emerging market with a model that worked for a while.”
Tags: Boom, Brazil, China, Decelerating, Decisions, Developing countries, Economy, Emerging market, India, Leaders, Reforms, South Africa
Washington Post (December 5)
With world leaders gathered in South Africa, global attention is on climate change. However, the president of the World Wildlife Fund “argues that the leading environmental challenge of this century won’t be global warming. It will be feeding people.” Global population could hit 10 billion people by 2100 and 70% of arable land is already used for food production. The scale of the challenge is enormous.
The Economist (June 3)
For the first time in the 80-year history of the World Cup, an African nation will play host. South Africa has spent 4 years preparing, spending billions of dollars to build and upgrade stadiums, improve airports, expand roads, and complete Africa’s first high-speed train. “South Africa is rightly proud of its achievement,” but The Economist adds that after the World Cup finishes, the nation still has numerous issues to tackle, including the world’s highest unemployment rate.
Tags: High-Speed Rail, South Africa, Unemployment, World Cup
