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ISS TODAY: Agoa Extension Offers Little Relief as US Trade Chaos Rattles African Exporters
The U.S. Congress extended the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) only until 31 December 2026, a modest reprieve after President Trump’s 2025 tariffs eroded its benefits. Tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and a new 10% surcharge under Section 122 have sharply reduced African exports, with a 32% YoY decline and South African auto shipments plunging 75%. While the extension restores duty‑free lines for many products, the surcharge and sector‑specific tariffs leave beneficiaries, especially South Africa, facing a disproportionate cost burden. Uncertainty remains over future eligibility and the durability of the new tariffs.
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Poland's Tusk Vows to Use EU Defence Loans Despite President's Veto
Poland’s president Karol Nawrocki vetoed a bill that would have unlocked €43.7 billion in EU Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loans, citing long‑term debt risks. Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded by promising to tap the same financing through existing armed‑forces funds,...
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Trump Claimed in G7 Call that Iran Is "About to Surrender," Axios Reports
Former President Donald Trump told G7 leaders in a virtual meeting that Iran is "about to surrender," citing the ongoing U.S.-Israel Operation Epic Fury. He boasted that the campaign had eliminated a threat and dismissed Iranian leadership as "deranged scumbags."...
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HEALTH INEQUITY: Red Cross Children’s Hospital Doctor Using Donated ‘Miracle’ Cystic Fibrosis Drug to Save Lives
South Africa’s Red Cross Children’s Hospital is using donated Trikafta, a $300,000‑a‑year cystic fibrosis therapy, to keep seven‑year‑old Jaylin Leitjies alive after his lungs were severely damaged in infancy. The drug, produced by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, is not registered with SAHPRA...
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WEATHERING STORMS: OUTsurance Says War May Bruise Growth, but Its Risk Engine Is Built for Turbulence
Outsurance Holdings posted a 7.7% rise in normalised earnings to R2.324 bn for the six months to 31 December 2025, while its return on equity improved to 32.3%. The insurer’s claims ratio jumped to 58.6% as natural‑perils losses in Australia doubled, yet cost...
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: From Scarcity to Ambition — Reimagining Global Health Strategies
Traditional aid models are losing traction as funding shrinks and health needs grow, prompting a call for bold, sovereign leadership in global health. The High‑Level Council argues that ambition, not scarcity, should drive system design, emphasizing people‑centred, integrated services. Examples...
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GROUNDUP: Joburg Residents Dispute Massive Electricity Bills as City Power Tackles Broken Billing System
Johannesburg’s City Power assumed municipal electricity billing in July 2025 to address a decade‑long broken system and a R20‑billion deficit. The handover uncovered widespread meter errors, tariff misclassifications and unbilled accounts, prompting a city‑wide audit that recovered about R1.1 billion and...
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Canada Says It Will Let TikTok Continue Operations in the Country
Canada’s federal court overturned a 2024 order to dissolve TikTok’s Canadian business, allowing the short‑video app to continue operating. TikTok Canada has agreed to legally binding undertakings, including maintaining a physical presence, investing in Canada’s cultural sector, and deploying new...
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Much of Iran's Near-Bomb-Grade Uranium Likely to Be in Isfahan, IAEA's Grossi Says
The IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said Isfahan likely holds just over 200 kg of 60 % enriched uranium, the bulk of Iran's near‑bomb‑grade stock after the June attacks. Iran has not disclosed the current location or condition of this material, and inspectors...
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STABILITY PAYS: Eastern Platinum Belt Peace Boosts Mining Output, Investment Confidence
Peace has returned to South Africa’s eastern platinum belt, ending three years of production losses at Northam’s Booysendal mine. From 2023 to 2025 the mine recorded zero output interruptions despite a lingering security incident count. A three‑pronged strategy—enhanced policing, joint...
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TRC Roulette : Mbeki and Zuma: Two Presidents, One Commission and the Lawfare over TRC Accountability
Former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma have petitioned the Gauteng High Court to remove retired Constitutional Court judge Sisi Khampepe as chair of the commission investigating political interference in Truth and Reconciliation Commission prosecutions. They argue her prior roles on...
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ANALYSIS: Trump Tariff Snotklap Is a Jolt of Note for SA’s Economy
The US Supreme Court rebuked President Trump’s broad tariff authority, prompting a 10% across‑the‑board duty that replaces the 30% reciprocal tariff South Africa faced. The reduction levels the playing field for SA exporters, while gold surged to a three‑week high...
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PHANTOM SHARES: The Finance Ghost: The Deal Machine Hums Into Life
The article reviews recent M&A activity across South African and African markets, highlighting Grindrod's post‑divestiture earnings boost, Sirius and Vukile's sizable REIT capital raises, MTN's $2.2 billion bid for IHS tower assets, and Araxi's R1 billion purchase of payments firm Pay@. It...
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WATTS UP: Inside the Paarl Solar Panel Plant Trading on Local Agility to Challenge Imported Panels
Ener‑G‑Africa inaugurated a solar‑panel assembly plant in Paarl, Western Cape, with an annual capacity of about 150 MW, capable of producing panels from 5 W to 620 W. The facility differentiates itself through a locally trained, all‑female workforce and a focus on the...
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CYRIL’S ARMY: Ramaphosa’s Decision to Deploy the SANDF Is Deeply Flawed. Here’s Why
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the withdrawal of roughly 700 South African soldiers from the MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, ending a 27‑year peace‑keeping presence. He simultaneously ordered the South African National Defence Force to support the police...
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MONETARY POLICY: Sarb Proposes Major Reform — Ditching Prime Lending Rate for Repo Rate
The South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) has released a consultation paper proposing to scrap the prime lending rate (PLR) and use the repo rate, known as the SARB policy rate (SPR), as the benchmark for loan pricing. The PLR currently...
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France Aims to Boost Decarbonised Power Production by 20% over Decade, Encourage Demand
France’s new energy planning law (PPE) sets a decarbonised electricity goal of 650‑693 TWh by 2035, up from 540 TWh today, and aims for 70% of total energy consumption to come from clean power. The decree trims wind and solar targets by...