Major International Business Headlines Brief::: 17 January 2025

[Bulls n Bears]

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Major International Business Headlines Brief:::  17 January 2025 

 


 


 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


 

ü  Ghana a Contender for Brics+ Alliance

ü  Central Africa: Rwanda Discovers 13 Oil Wells in Lake Kivu, Further
Exploration Needed

ü  Kenya: Govt to Impose New Sugar Development Levy Starting Feb

ü  Rwanda: How Kigali's Dedicated Bus Lanes Will Operate

ü  Kenya: US Firm That Accused Adani Group of Fraud Shuts Down

ü  Malawi: Paramount Holdings Penalized for Selling Defective Fertilizer

ü  Kenya: Pfizer to Reorganise Kenyan Operations Amid Evolving Market
Dynamics

ü  Kenya: Safaricom Recognised As Kenya's Top Employer in 2025

ü  Niger Resists in the Crosshairs of Sanctions and Climate Catastrophe

ü  Southern Africa: Angola and France Sign Six Legal Instruments

ü  African Countries Urged to Plug Wealth Loss, Stop Illicit Financial Flows

ü  Three reasons Trump tariffs aren't China's only problem

ü  Toyota unit to settle emissions scandal for $1.6bn

ü  Apple halts AI news alerts after errors

ü  US FDA officially authorises Zyn nicotine pouches for sale

 

 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

Ghana a Contender for Brics+ Alliance

Moscow — With heightening geopolitical interest in building a new Global
South architecture, Ghana's administration is considering joining the
'partner states category' of BRICS+, an association of five major emerging
economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).

 

The National Democratic Party (NDC) and the elected President John Mahama,
while crafting future pathways and renewing commitments over democracy and
governance, designing a new economic recovery programme as top priority,
could initiate discussions to put Ghana on higher stage by ascending into
the BRICS+ platform.

 

Certainly, ascending unto BRICS+ platform would become a historical landmark
for Ghana which has attained prestigious status in multilateral institutions
and organizations such as the Economic Community of West Africa States
(ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), the United Nations and also, from Jan.
2025, the head of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

 

Unlike South Africa, which has acquired a full-fledged membership status in
2011, and Ethiopia, Nigeria and Uganda were taken into the 'partner states'
category, Ghana has all the fundamental requirements to become part of
BRICS+ alliance.

 

 

It is necessary to understand the basic definition and meaning of BRICS+ in
the context of the geopolitical changing world. The BRICS alliance operates
on the basis of non-interference. As an anti-Western association, it stays
open to mutual cooperation from countries with 'like-minded' political
philosophy.

 

BRICS members have the freedom to engage their bilateral relations any
external country of their choice. In addition to that, BRICS+ strategic
partnership has explicitly showed that it is not a confrontation
association, but rather that of cooperation designed to address global
challenges, and is based on respect for the right of each country to
determine its own future.

 

South Africa and other African countries associated with BRICS+

 

South Africa is strongly committed to its engagement in the BRICS+. It has,
so far, hosted two of its summits. In future, Egypt and Ethiopia would have
the chance to host BRICS+ summit. Egypt and Ethiopia have excellent
relations with members, and simultaneously transact business and trade with
other non-BRICS+, external countries.

 

The New Development Bank (BRICS) was established in 2015, has financed more
than 100 projects, with total loans reaching approximately $35 billion, and
it is great that the branch of this bank operates from Johannesburg in South
Africa. Understandably, South Africa can be an investment gateway to the
rest of Africa. In 2021, Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and
Uruguay joined the NDB.

 

The BRICS bank works independently without any political strings, and has
further pledged financial support for development initiatives in non-BRICS+
countries in the Global South. Its tasks include investing in the economy
through concessional loans, alleviating poverty and working towards
sustainable economic growth.

 

According to President of the BRICS New Development Bank, Dilma Rousseff,
"The bank should play a major role in the development of a multipolar,
polycentric world."

 

Ethiopia and Egypt are the latest addition to BRICS+ association from
January 2024. South Africa and Egypt being the economic power houses, while
Ethiopia ranks 8th position in the continent. In terms of demography,
Nigeria is the populous, with an estimated 220 million people while Uganda
has a population of 46 million.

 

South Africa, Ethiopia and Egypt are full members, Algeria, Nigeria and
Uganda were offered 'partner states' category, but have the chance to pursue
multi-dimensional cooperation with external countries. BRICS+ has absolutely
no restrictions with whom to strike bilateral relationship.

 

>From the above premise, Ghana's new administration, within the framework of
BRICS+, could work out a strategic plan to establish full coordination with
and request support from African members, including South Africa, Egypt and
Ethiopia. Worth noting that membership benefits cannot be underestimated in
this era of shifting economic architecture and geopolitical situation.

 

Queuing for BRICS+ Membership

 

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger which historically share the cross-border
region of West Africa, are in the queue to ascend into the BRICS+
association. The trio formed their own regional economic and defense pact,
the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in Sept. 2023, and aspiring for
leveraging unto BRICS+, most likely to address their development and
security questions.

 

Brazil, as BRICS 2025 chairmanship, has set its priority on expansion of
BRICS+, the enlargement wave began by Russia. More than 30 countries are the
line join, hoping for equitable participation in bloc's unique activities
uniting the Global South.

 

Perhaps, the most crucial moment for Ghana which shares border with Burkina
Faso. Its military leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré was heartily applauded for
attending the inauguration of the new President John Dramani Mahama on
January 7th.

 

Burkina Faso, without International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, is
transforming its agricultural sector to ensure food security, building
educational and health facilities and sports complex which turns a new
chapter in its political history.

 

In early January 2025, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) took over
political power from the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Historically, the
political transition has been quite smooth and admirable down the years.
Ghana was ranked seventh in Africa out of 53 countries in the Ibrahim Index
of African Governance.

 

The Ibrahim Index is a comprehensive measure of African governments, and
methods of power transfer based on constitutional principles, rules and
regulations.

 

Ghana produces high-quality cocoa. It has huge mineral deposits including
gold, diamonds and bauxites. it has approx. 10 billion barrels of petroleum
in reserves, the fifth-largest in Africa. President John Dramani Mahama, has
reiterated to unlock the potentials, creating a resilient and inclusive
economic model that would empower citizens and ultimately attracts foreign
investments.

 

Ghana reduced the size of government, a required condition to secure funds
from the IMF for development and resuscitating the economy. Ghana's
involvement in BRICS+ will steadily enhance the dynamics of its traditional
governance in multipolar world.

 

Outlining Ghana's potential benefits

 

Currently, Ghana has myriads of economic tasks to implement, aims at
recovering from the previous gross mismanagement. It could take advantage of
BRICS+ diverse partnership opportunities. Closing related to this, Ghana's
headquarter of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) further
offers an appropriate collaboration in boosting further both intra-BRICS
trade and intra-Africa trade.

 

With Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana, these put
together paints an African geographical representation in BRICS+, and
presents their collective African voice on the international stage.

 

After studying the report titled "Ghana Should Consider Joining the BRICS
Organization" (Source: http://infobrics.org), the author Natogmah Issahaku,
explained, in the first place, that Ghana's relations with other external
nations, particularly, those in the West, will not, and should not be
affected by its BRICS membership.

 

According to the expert, Ghana needs infrastructural development and
sustainable economic growth in order to raise the living standard of
Ghanaians to middle-income status, which could be achieved through
participation in BRICS+. In return, Ghana can offer BRICS+ members export of
finished and semi-finished industrial and agricultural products as well as
minerals in a win-win partnership framework.

 

As an Applied Economist at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom,
Natogmah Issahaku emphasized the importance of the BRICS New Development
Bank (NDB), that could play roles by financing Ghana's development agenda.
BRICS development cooperation model is based on equality and fairness, Ghana
can leverage its relations to optimize potential benefits.

 

Given the colossal scale of economic problems confronting the country,
President Mahama should take strategic steps to lead Ghana into the BRICS+
without hesitation.

 

Notwithstanding world-wide criticisms, BRICS+ countries have advanced
manufacturing and vast markets as well as technological advantages. As often
argued, BRICS+ is another avenue to explore for long-term investment
possibilities and work closely with its stakeholders.

 

These above-mentioned arguable factors are attractive for advancing Ghana in
the Global South. Based on this, it is time to grab the emerging opportunity
to drive increasingly high-quality cooperation, focus on hope rather than
despair and step up broadly for a more constructive parameters in building
beneficial relations into the future.

 

Kester Kenn Klomegah focuses on current geopolitical changes, foreign
relations and economic development-related questions in Africa with external
countries. Most of his well-resourced articles are reprinted in several
reputable foreign media.

 

IPS UN Bureau

 

 

 

 

Central Africa: Rwanda Discovers 13 Oil Wells in Lake Kivu, Further
Exploration Needed

Kigali — The Rwanda Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board (RMB) has announced the
discovery of 13 oil wells in Lake Kivu, marking a significant step in the
country's pursuit of energy resources. The revelation was shared by RMB's
CEO, Francis Kamanzi, during a meeting with the Parliamentary Committee on
Governance, Gender Equality, and the Ministry of Environment on January 15,
2025.

 

"The good news is that we have oil. Preliminary research in Lake Kivu
revealed 13 wells with signs of oil," Kamanzi stated, adding that further
studies are required to determine the quantity and extraction costs.

 

Rwanda's exploration efforts in Lake Kivu are buoyed by similar discoveries
in neighboring regions. Kamanzi highlighted the geological connection to
Lake Albert in Uganda, part of the same rift valley that extends through
Lake Kivu to Lake Tanganyika. "Our Lake Kivu is deeper than other lakes in
the region, so we might have more oil than our neighbors," he noted
optimistically.

 

 

Efforts to explore oil in Rwanda date back years but were paused in 2014.
They resumed after Canada-based Black Swan Energy identified parts of
Eastern Kivu as promising for oil and gas production. The presence of
methane gas in Lake Kivu, often found alongside oil, was an early indicator
of potential reserves.

 

Exploration Process and Costs

 

Initial studies confirmed oil presence through research conducted at depths
of up to 480 meters, where machines collected samples from the lakebed.
However, deeper exploration is needed to assess the type, quantity, and
commercial viability of the reserves. This next phase involves drilling to
collect additional samples, a process that is both complex and costly.
Drilling one well can exceed $15 million (approximately Frw 20 billion).

 

Earlier exploration phases cost Frw 1.7 billion, and future stages are
projected to require between Frw 8 billion and Frw 10 billion. Advanced
machines will be deployed to map the lakebed in detail, identifying precise
locations of oil and gas reserves.

 

Potential Impact

 

The discovery in Lake Kivu presents an opportunity to significantly boost
Rwanda's energy sector. Oil extracted from the lake could take various
forms, including solid asphalt, liquid fuels like diesel or gasoline, or
gas. Extraction methods would likely follow similar processes used for
methane gas, involving deep drilling, base reinforcement, and pumping oil to
surface storage tanks.

 

Parliamentarians welcomed the development, viewing it as a transformative
opportunity for Rwanda. However, they emphasized the need for substantial
investment and thorough research to unlock the full potential of the
resource.

 

With Lake Kivu's depth and geological advantages, the discovery raises hopes
of larger oil reserves than those found in neighboring countries,
positioning Rwanda as a potential leader in regional energy production.

 

Independent (Kampala).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kenya: Govt to Impose New Sugar Development Levy Starting Feb

Nairobi — Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced the
imposition of a new sugar development levy effective February 1.

 

According to Duale, the move is aimed at boosting the local sugar industry
through revenue generation that will be directed towards supporting the
development and sustainability of the sugar sector in Kenya.

 

The new levy will apply to both domestic and imported sugar.

 

The Sugar Development Levy Order, 2025, mandates a four percent levy on the
value of domestic sugar and four percent on the cost, insurance, and freight
(CIF) value of imported sugar.

 

"There is hereby imposed a levy, as prescribed in Section 40 (1) of the
Sugar Act, 2024, at the rate of four per centum of the value for domestic
sugar and four per centum of CIF value on imported sugar," read the legal
notice in part.

 

According to the new regulations, sugar millers will be required to remit
the levy for domestic sugar directly to the Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) as their
agents.

 

For imported sugar, the Kenya Sugar Board or its authorised agents will be
responsible for collecting the levy.

 

The payments are due by the 10th day of the month following the month in
which the levy becomes due.

 

The introduction of this levy is expected to support the country's sugar
industry, which has faced challenges ranging from fluctuating production
costs to competition from imported sugar.

 

The levy will also provide a steady stream of funding for the Kenya Sugar
Board to implement development initiatives and policies that aim to
strengthen local production and reduce dependency on imports.

 

Capital FM.

 

 

 

 

Rwanda: How Kigali's Dedicated Bus Lanes Will Operate

In September 2024, the City of Kigali announced that it was set to pilot
Dedicated Bus Lanes (DBL) within the next six months.

 

Four months later, the city is preparing a lane exclusively for buses.

 

Dedicated bus lanes are designed to separate buses from general traffic,
allowing them to bypass congestion and move more freely through the city.

 

The initiative is part of a broader government strategy to reduce traffic
congestion by phasing out the use of private cars on certain roads in
Kigali, encouraging increased use of public transport.

 

The initial pilot will cover two lanes of the Central Business
District-Rwandex-Sonatubes-Giporoso road.

 

One of the key characteristics of this road is that it has four lanes, which
makes it easy to dedicate two to buses that are carrying passengers in peak
hours, while the remaining two are used by private cars.

 

 

In addition, it is a road that has high commutability demand.

 

City Spokesperson Emma-Claudine Ntirenganya, on January 15, explained to The
New Times how Kigali's Dedicated Bus Lanes will look and operate.

 

Signposts and road markings

 

"DBLs will be characterized by unique signposts and road markings,
indicating where buses have dedicated lanes during specific days and hours,"
she explained.

 

She noted that this will allow buses to use dedicated lanes exclusively,
enabling commuters to reach their destinations quickly and efficiently.

 

Operating schedules

 

She said that the dedicated bus lanes will be in use from Monday to Friday
during morning and evening peak hours.

 

ALSO READ: Kigali to pilot dedicated bus lanes in six months

 

Preparatory work underway

 

Preparations for the pilot of the Dedicated Bus Lanes (DBL) have started
with the Gereza (former 1930 prison)-Downtown Bus Park-City Centre
Roundabout road.

 

"We have prepared part of this road to be dedicated to buses once the pilot
starts. We marked this section with the 'ONLY BUS' signpost to guide
commuters," Ntirenganya explained.

 

She said that this road has been expanded and painted to indicate the
dedicated bus lane.

 

"We are now in the process of installing signposts to guide passengers and
inform them about the dedicated bus lane," she added.

 

Some dedicated bus lanes to operate all hours

 

On the Gereza (former 1930 prison)-City Centre Roundabout road, as well as
the Downtown-Rubangura section, the dedicated bus lanes are expected to
operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she explained.

 

DBLs to also allow 'unrestricted vehicles'

 

The official stated that, in addition to public buses, the dedicated bus
lanes will also allow unrestricted vehicles.

 

These unrestricted vehicles include police vehicles, firefighting vehicles,
and ambulances, among others.

 

Traffic lights

 

She said that traffic lights and streetlights on the dedicated bus lanes
will be improved to enhance traffic flow.

 

In 2023, Rwanda and Japan signed a grant agreement worth $14.6 million to
establish a new transport control system aimed at reducing traffic
congestion and improving mobility in Kigali.

 

Dubbed "Intelligent Transport System", the project consists of developing a
traffic control system and signal control system together with intersection
improvements.

 

In addition to the Dedicated Bus Lane (DBL) system that will occupy two
lanes of the CBD-Sonatubes-Giporoso road during peak hours (early morning
and evening), this technology will allow the monitoring and real-time
control of traffic flow across different parts of Kigali.

 

The government plans to upgrade Chez Lando and Gishushu in Gasabo District,
and Sonatubes in Kicukiro District road junctions in the City of Kigali
starting from July 2025 so as to ease urban transport, according to the
Minister of Infrastructure, Jimmy Gasore.

 

The same project will also avail designated bus lanes, cyclist lanes among
others.

 

On December 4, 2024, AfDB Group announced that its Board of Directors
approved a loan of $100 million (approx. Rwf140billion) to Rwanda for the
implementation of Kigali Urban Transport Improvement (KUTI) project.

 

New Times.

 

 

 

Kenya: US Firm That Accused Adani Group of Fraud Shuts Down

A US-based short-seller which had published reports accusing top financial
entities in India and abroad of financial wrongdoings and fraud is set to
shut down.

 

Nate Anderson, the founder of Hindenburg Research, announced on Wednesday
that he was disbanding the company almost eight years after starting it.

 

The firm had made headlines in India in 2023 after publishing explosive
reports about billionaire Gautam Adani's conglomerate, sparking political
rows and major losses for the company.

 

Mr Anderson didn't share a specific reason for his decision, but expressed a
desire to spend more time with friends and family in the future.

 

 

Started in 2017, Hindenburg Research shot to fame for exposing alleged
financial irregularities in some big-name businesses. The firm's reports
have led to businesses, both in India and abroad, losing billions of dollars
in market value.

 

"Nearly 100 individuals have been charged civilly or criminally by
regulators at least in part through our work, including billionaires and
oligarchs. We shook some empires that we felt needed shaking," Mr Anderson
wrote in the statement where he announced his decision.

 

In 2020, the company accused electric truck maker Nikola Corp of misleading
investors about its technologies. In 2022, the company's founder, Trevon
Milton, was found guilty of lying to investors and convicted of fraud.

 

In 2023, it published a report accusing the Adani group of decades of
"brazen' stock manipulation and accounting fraud". Mr Adani and his company
denied the allegations, calling them "malicious" and an "attack on India".

 

In the days following the report, the Adani group saw about $108bn wiped off
their market value but firm's financial health has bounced back since.

 

Last year, Hindenburg Research accused Madhabi Puri Buch - the chief of
market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) - of having
links with offshore funds used by the Adani group. Both Ms Buch and the
Adanis denied any wrongdoing.

 

Allegations by the firm have sparked furious political rows in the country,
with India's main opposition Congress party accusing Prime Minister Narendra
Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of not taking action against the Adani
group.

 

Mr Adani, who is one of Asia's richest men, is perceived as being close to
Mr Modi and has long faced allegations from opposition politicians that he
has benefited from his political ties, which he denies.

 

In his statement, Mr Anderson expressed a desire to open-source Hindenburg's
research methodology in the future.

 

"Over the next six months or so I plan to work on a series of materials and
videos to open-source every aspect of our model and how we conduct our
investigations," he wrote.

 

Short-sellers like Hindenburg bet against stocks of companies that they
believe have been involved in fraud or other financial wrongdoings, based on
their investigations. The process involves borrowing a stock, immediately
selling it and then repurchasing it when its value goes down to pocket the
difference.

Capital FM.

 

 

 

 

Malawi: Paramount Holdings Penalized for Selling Defective Fertilizer

Paramount Holdings Limited has been ordered to refund K6,160,000 to a
complainant for selling defective fertilizer, following a crackdown by the
Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) on unfair trading practices
and anti-competitive behavior.

 

The penalty is part of K6.5 million in total refunds the Commission has
directed various companies to pay to affected consumers.

 

The CFTC adjudicated 49 cases, closing 26 at the preliminary stage due to
lack of merit or early resolution. Three companies, including Paramount
Holdings, were slapped with fines calculated as a percentage of their annual
revenue, in accordance with the Competition and Fair Trading Act (CFTA).

 

Additionally, the Commission has recommended the authorization of 12 mergers
under the COMESA Competition Commission, as part of efforts to maintain
fairness in the market.

 

Brenda Bota, CFTC's Director of Consumer Affairs, stated that companies
found guilty of unfair practices have 30 days to comply with the fines.
"Failure to comply within this period will result in court action to enforce
the penalties," she warned in a statement to MIJ Online.

 

This decisive action by the CFTC underscores its commitment to protecting
consumers and ensuring businesses adhere to ethical trading practices.

 

Nyasa Times.

 

 

 

Kenya: Pfizer to Reorganise Kenyan Operations Amid Evolving Market Dynamics

Nairobi — Biotech and pharmaceutical company Pfizer has announced plans to
reorganise its activities in Kenya amid emerging market dynamics.

 

A company spokesperson said the reorganisation will target certain aspects
of its operations to maintain a multi-function commercial presence in the
Kenyan market.

 

"After assessing our activities in Kenya, we have made the decision to
reorganize and refocus our business to better align our operations with the
evolving market dynamics. This strategic realignment will allow us to
continue to deliver our products to patients efficiently," the firm stated.

 

The firm reiterated its commitment to collaborating with government partners
and healthcare stakeholders to ensure access to its latest innovations and
to support advancements in healthcare..

 

"Pfizer regularly assesses its commercial operations to best meet the needs
of the business and deliver medicines to patients in the most efficient and
effective way," it added.

 

For over 70 years, Pfizer has partnered with governments, regulators,
healthcare professionals, and communities to deliver world-class healthcare
services, thus changing the lives of millions of patients in Africa.

 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the company donated thousands of doses of
vaccines to Kenya in efforts to help the country step up its fight against
the coronavirus disease.

 

Capital FM.

 

 

 

Kenya: Safaricom Recognised As Kenya's Top Employer in 2025

Nairobi — The Top Employer Institute (TEI) has certified Safaricom as a Top
Employer 2025 in Kenya and Africa for the fourth year running, and as
Kenya's number one employer based on its Human Resource (HR) policies and
people practices.

 

The Top Employers Institute certification is based on an extensive review of
employer practices across six HR domains consisting of 20 areas including
People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity &
Inclusion, Well-being, and more.

 

"We are pleased to be recognized as a top employer alongside some of
Africa's biggest companies. This certification is an endorsement of the
strong employer brand that Safaricom has created over the years by providing
an agile working environment and numerous opportunities for employees to
grow in their chosen crafts," said Dr. Peter Ndegwa, CEO Safaricom PLC.

 

 

The Top Employers Institute, which was established over 30 years ago, is the
global authority on recognizing excellence in People Practices. Through the
Top Employers Institute Certification Programme, participating companies can
be validated, certified, and recognized as employers of choice. The
programme has certified and recognised over 2,400 Top Employers in 125
countries/regions across five continents.

 

Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink says: "In a time of rapid
change--where technological, economic, and social factors continually
reshape our world--these extraordinary times bring out the best in people
and organisations. This year's Top Employers Certification Programme
showcases the resilience of the certified Top Employers 2025, who
consistently prioritise the growth and wellbeing of their people, as they
enrich the world of work. We are proud to celebrate these people-first
leaders and teams as the Top Employers for 2025!"

 

This recognition comes as Safaricom gears up to celebrate 25 years of
transforming lives and is laying the foundations to be Africa's leading
purpose-led technology company by 2030. The certification and first place
ranking have also been awarded to Vodacom Group, Vodacom South Africa,
Vodacom Mozambique, and Vodacom Tanzania.

 

Safaricom first received the Top Employer certification in 2022 and has
retained it four years in a row. The company continuously enhances its
Employee Value Proposition with elements such as hybrid working,
flexi-benefits, and a comprehensive set of talent development initiatives
that enable its people to upskill and pursue future-fit digital careers.

 

Capital FM.

 

 

 

 

Niger Resists in the Crosshairs of Sanctions and Climate Catastrophe

How is Niger enduring the consequences of unprecedented floods last year
that devastated an economy already crippled by sanctions?

 

In the aftermath of the devastation left behind in the wake of unprecedented
floods last year, Nigeriens are rebuilding their livelihoods with the help
of government relief measures to drastically cut prices of essential
commodities and services.

 

The Sahel-wide flooding between June and October 2024 exacted a high toll on
the people of Niger, destroying crops, cattle, houses, and infrastructure in
one of the world's poorest countries. By late-September, at least 339 people
had been killed, many more were injured, and 1.1 million had been displaced.

 

The storms affected almost 190,000 hectares of cultivated agricultural land
in a country with one of the world's highest child malnutrition rates.
Maradi region, the agricultural hub of south-central Niger, was the worst
affected, with "the equivalent of an entire month's worth of rain falling in
a day," according to Aboubakar Alassane, a member of the coordination
council of West Africa Peoples Organisation (WAPO). Masses of livestock, one
of the most important sources of foreign exchange and the sole livelihood of
nomadic communities, were washed away in the Agadez region in the Sahara
desert in the central north.

 

 

The 2024 floods further eroded a food supply that had already been dwindling
for over five years with agricultural land and pastures shrinking due to low
rainfall. This climate catastrophe also took place as Niger was already
suffering under sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS). The West Africa regional bloc, egged on by France,
implemented these harsh measures following the ouster of the regime of
Mohamed Bazoum, perceived domestically as a puppet of the former colonial
power, in July 2023. The coup, preceded by mass protests against France's
military deployment and economic domination of Niger, was led by the head of
Bazoum's presidential guard, General Abdourahamane Tchiani. A military
government called the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland
(CNSP) was formed.

 

A week later, sanctions were implemented. State assets were frozen. A no-fly
zone was imposed. The borders of the landlocked country were closed
immediately. Even trucks that had already cleared paperwork were halted at
the borders. Between 30 July and 31 October 2023, 42,037 tons of various
goods, worth over $23 million, were prevented from crossing into Niger.

 

Alassane recounts that immediately after sanctions were imposed, the price
of staples nearly doubled. "Within a week, people were forced to line up in
long queues" to buy the limited supplies of food items that had to be
rationed, he says.

 

The foreign market for onions, one of Niger's main irrigated crops over 90%
of which used to be exported, was cut off. Hundreds of thousands of farmers
were unable to sell their produce. Many more who were involved in the
agricultural supply chain and export industry lost their livelihoods.

 

Neighbouring Nigeria, on which Niger depended for 70% of its electricity,
cut off power in violation of bilateral agreements. "Electricity was
rationed to four hours per neighbourhood in Niamey," says Alassane. "Dosso
and Tillabéri only had electricity for six to eight hours when the old
thermal generators, purchased in the 1980s, did not break down." Students
were not able to study after dark. Meanwhile, Nigerien uranium powered
France's nuclear plants.

 

A divided Niger unites

 

According to Alassane, sanctions have always been imposed to make the people
suffer "to turn them against their governments", from "Cuba, Russia, DPR
Korea, Iraq, Iran, Venezuela, Libya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and now Niger".
However, he maintains, it has typically "had the opposite effect".

 

In the immediate aftermath of the coup removing Bazoum, Niger was divided
between those who supported the coup and those who opposed it. It was amid
this confrontation that ECOWAS imposed sanctions and threatened war with the
backing of France.

 

"We had never given anyone the mandate to kill us because a president was
deposed by a coup," says Alassane. He describes what followed as a
"patriotic surge" that united the country behind the CNSP. The government
consolidated its popular support by ordering the French troops out of the
country and committing to implement the popular will. France refused,
provoking mass demonstrations outside its military base and embassy in
Niamey.

 

"The march amid the pouring rain on 2 September, 2023, was an unprecedented
display of popular strength in the history of Niger," says Alassane. "Some
even say that the proclamation of the country's independence did not draw as
large a crowd proportionally to the population."

 

Later that month, neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso vowed to defend Niger
if attacked. They had also suffered sanctions after similar popularly
supported coups in recent years removed French-backed regimes and forced
French troops out. The trio came together to form the Alliance of Sahel
States (AES).

 

ECOWAS, on the other hand, was divided, with its member states facing
domestic opposition to the war from popular movements and opposition
parties. France announced its retreat in late-September 2023 and completed
the withdrawal of its troops by the end of the year.

 

In January 2024, the AES states announced their decision to withdraw from
ECOWAS, threatening to halve its geographical expanse and disrupt the
15-member bloc's trade and service flows worth almost $150 million annually.
Amid this existential crisis, the West African leaders met in late-February
and lifted the economic sanctions "on purely humanitarian grounds".

 

Nonetheless, Alassane says Nigeriens "still feel the effects". With no
confidence in the economy, which suffered missed deadlines for payments due
to a freeze on transactions, he says "businesses are closing one after
another". "Spare parts for vehicles and other mechanical equipment are slow
to arrive. We are forced to repair using second-hand parts, which are often
defective. The automobile fleet, which is essential for a landlocked
country, is shrinking more and more. Every day, we see people struggling
with old broken vehicles," he explains.

 

Niger relies on the port of Cotonou in Benin for most of its imports of
machines, spare parts, equipment, and food essentials, while exporting cash
crops, uranium, and other minerals. Although the border closures were
lifted, Alassane says the CNSP has been forced to keep the border closed
from Niger's side due to threats of terror attacks.

 

France's official reasons for stationing troops in its former colonies in
this region was to fight the terror groups it had helped spawn across the
Sahel through its participation in the war in Libya. During its nearly
decade-long troop deployment, however, terror attacks only increased.
Moreover, after being compelled to withdraw, France is accused of aiding
terror groups to destabilise AES states. "France has set up new military
bases on the Beninese side of the border to train terrorists to carry out
attacks on Niger and Burkina Faso," alleges Alassane.

 

Relief measures

 

It was while Niger was already reeling under the pressure of an economic
crisis that it was hit by countrywide floods. Although heavy rains are
common in this season, the scale of devastation was "unprecedented."

 

In the aftermath, the CNSP has taken several measures to provide relief,
including "a 50% reduction in the cost of medical procedures, examinations,
and other services in public hospitals and health centres," says Alassane.
To increase domestic food availability, the government has banned exports of
cereals and pulses outside AES countries. This contrasts to the last few
years, he says, when "more than 50% of the harvest were exported to Nigeria"
despite Niger's reliance on imports because farmers could not find
remunerative prices in local markets. To mitigate this problem, the CNSP has
launched a campaign to buy farmers' produce above market price, while making
it available for domestic consumers at a subsidised rate.

 

80% of farming is done on highlands that escaped the devastating impact of
the floods, Alassane adds. In fact, yields have been "excellent" due to
above-average rain. The government is prioritising securing this harvest.
All these measures have "drastically" dropped the prices of cereals, he
says. As of November 2024, the price of a 75 kg sack of millet was down by
about 45% since July.

 

With the price of cement slashed by 50% through a waiver on certain tax
exemptions, "new construction projects are visible in capital Niamey and
other main cities", says Alassane.

 

Over the past couple of years, Nigeriens have endured great travails in the
crosshairs of climate catastrophe and sanctions. These difficulties,
however, have not undermined popular support for the CNSP, according to
Alassane. He points out that "each time the CNSP announces the holding of
the National Consultative Council" under pressure from ECOWAS, France, and
their Western allies, it has been forced to backtrack due to popular
opposition. The idea behind such a council, he explains, is to declare that
the military is only ruling as a "transitional government" whose decisions
will be reviewed by the council until a new constitution is drafted and
power ceded to a civilian government. Mali and Burkina Faso have constituted
such councils.

 

However, Nigeriens do not want to see this happen. When there have been
coups in the past, such councils have often served as "a door for Western
imperialism" to intervene, ensuring another French puppet takes power when
the transitional period comes to a close, says Alassane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southern Africa: Angola and France Sign Six Legal Instruments

Paris — The governments of Angola and France signed on Wednesday in Paris
six new cooperation agreements in various fields, with emphasis on defense
and internal order and the preservation of biodiversity.

 

The legal instruments were signed by the diplomatic chiefs of the two
countries, Tête António and Jean-Noel Barrot, respectively.

 

These are the new General Cooperation Agreement (AGC), the Cooperation
Agreement in the Field of Security and Internal Order (ACDSOI) and four
Memoranda of Understanding, one of which relates to the implementation of
the Palanca Yetu Biodiversity Conservation Project.

 

 

It includes the establishment of political consultations, the implementation
of the Irrigated Agriculture Development Support Project (PROREGA) and
projects in the field of youth and sports.

 

In the General Cooperation Agreement, both parties expressed desire to
strengthen friendly and cooperative relations based on the principles of
equality and mutual respect for their respective national sovereignty.

 

The commitment of the parties extends to the promotion of ever greater
understanding between their two peoples, who are committed to the reform of
international financial institutions, a fairer international economic order
and the well-being of all peoples.

 

The legal instrument emphasizes the importance of global issues, such as the
preservation of biodiversity and climate change, for the sustainability of
life on the planet.

 

It reaffirms the need to strengthen international peace and security, in
accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, and
maintains the commitment to continue the cooperation under the previous
General Cooperation Agreement signed in Luanda on July 26, 1982.

 

The new agreement aims to lay the foundations for cooperation that takes
into account the evolution of the world.

 

ANGOP has learned that this is a framework agreement that covers all areas
of bilateral cooperation, namely cultural, scientific, technical,
development and economic, security and defense, in which the two parties
decided to continue strengthening cooperation, the modalities and conditions
of implementation of which will be defined in each of these areas through
complementary agreements according to needs.

 

The parties will also develop cultural, scientific and technical
cooperation, in particular in areas such as educational content, including
the professional development of teachers and support for educational
managers, as well as professional training.

 

Higher education and research, sport, culture and cultural and creative
industries, gender equality and the rights of women and girls, and health
are also among the areas covered by the agreement. IZ/SR/DAN/AMP

 

ANGOP.

 

 

 

 

African Countries Urged to Plug Wealth Loss, Stop Illicit Financial Flows

Bulawayo — Africa loses billions of dollars annually through illicit
financial flows, resulting in the continent failing to improve the lives of
millions of people despite vast mineral wealth, according to experts.

 

Agencies say more needs to be done to turn the continent's natural resources
into prosperity at a time governments are struggling to address challenging
economic conditions that have spawned high poverty levels.

 

According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), poverty levels increased
in 2022, with 281 million people affected by hunger, up by 11 million the
previous year.

 

 

The grim data was a cause for concern among experts during the recent
African Economic Conference in Gaborone, Botswana, who lamented that despite
the continent's undisputed mineral deposits, such high levels of poverty
have persisted.

 

By tapping into existing natural resources, experts believe this will result
in better debt management as countries remain saddled with unserviceable
loans.

 

This is also coming against the background of growing calls for debt
forgiveness, as critics say loans from international lenders will burden the
continent's future generations.

 

"We cannot eat diamonds or bauxite," said Said Adejumobi, Director of
Strategic Planning at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

 

"Other regions with fewer resources have transformed their economies by
adding value to what they produce. Why not us?" Adejumobi added in an
address during the Gaborone conference.

 

The ECA estimates that Africa loses USD 90 billion annually through illicit
financial flows, and the plunder has crippled services such as the health
sector and infrastructure development.

 

This loss is also being felt in the continent's efforts to address lingering
debt and unserviceable loans, with ECA noting that the external debt of more
than half of African countries will soon exceed USD 1 trillion.

 

"Sometimes we borrow just to repay previous loans, which is unsustainable,"
said Sonia Essobmadje, Chief of the Innovative Finance and Capital Markets
Section at the Economic Commission for Africa.

 

"There's a need for economic diversification, fiscal discipline, stronger
public debt management strategies, and, above all, the establishment of
domestic capital markets," said Essobmadje.

 

Researchers have long raised concerns about the loss of potential mining
revenue to international criminal syndicates where African countries have
failed to plug holes that have seen billions of dollars being lost.

 

However, experts note that for Africa to succeed, robust policymaking will
be crucial to ensure adherence to continental protocols that seek to both
protect and reclaim lost wealth.

 

"Policy is not first aid," said Raymond Gilpin, the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Africa's Chief Economist.

 

"It's about building structures for the future," Gilpin said, highlighting
the lack of adequate long-term planning to protect the continent's wealth.

 

It is, however, not all gloom and doom, as experts have pointed to Africa's
young population as offering hope for potential growth despite the lingering
challenges.

 

"We are optimistic because Africa has unique assets: a young, dynamic
workforce, vast renewable energy potential, and urbanization," said Caroline
Kende-Robb, Director of Strategy and Operational Policies at the African
Development Bank (AfDB).

 

"It's not all about crises--it's about opportunity," she added.

 

As part of broader efforts to plug the continent's wealth loss, regional
technocrats must innovate for governments to adopt implementable
evidence-based solutions.

 

"As leading institutions on the continent, the AfDB, ECA, and UNDP must step
up, not just in articulating smart ideas, but in fundamentally rethinking
how we operate. The Africa of today is dynamic and evolving--our strategies
must evolve with it. This is about action, not aspiration," said Gilpin, the
UNDP economist.

 

For Africa to move past its many challenges, solutions must emerge from
within the continent itself, believes Zuzana Schwidrowski, Director of the
Macroeconomics, Finance, and Governance Division at the Economic Commission
for Africa.

 

"Africa is not asking for handouts," Schwidrowski said.

 

"Every challenge brings with it an opportunity. Amidst global fragmentation
and trade wars, Africa has the chance to carve out new niches and seize
emerging opportunities. We must work together to capitalize on them."

 

Going beyond safeguarding Africa's abundant wealth, more still needs to be
explored to spread the continent's revenue base, some experts contend.

 

"We have the tools to create change, but tools alone are not enough," said
Anthony Simpasa, Director of the Macroeconomic Policy, Forecasting, and
Research Department at the AfDB.

 

"We need practical, evidence-based solutions to transform economies,
diversify growth drivers, and build shock absorbers for future crises.
Political commitment and policy coherence are critical to creating an
environment that fosters growth and resilience," Simpasa told the
conference.

 

The African Economic Conference, held under the theme Securing Africa's
Economic Future Amidst Rising Uncertainty," was yet another platform where
policymakers and experts gathered to map Africa's future, and was met with
guarded optimism among some delegates.

 

"Make sure that this conference does not degenerate into merely a generous
exchange of flattery," said Botswana's president, Duma Boko. "We must act to
lift our people from poverty and raise our continent to take its rightful
place as a leader in the world, and not just an emerging frontier."

 

 

IPS.

Three reasons Trump tariffs aren't China's only problem

China's economy rebounded in the last three months of last year, allowing
the government to meet its growth target of 5% in 2024, Beijing announced on
Friday.

 

But it is one of the slowest rates of growth in decades as the world's
second largest economy struggles to shake off a protracted property crisis,
high local government debt and youth unemployment.

 

The head of the country's statistics bureau said China's economic
achievements in 2024 were "hard won," after the government launched a slew
of stimulus measures late last year.

 

Beijing has rarely missed its growth targets in the past.

 

Experts had broadly predicted this rate of growth. The World Bank said lower
borrowing costs and rising exports would mean China could achieve annual
growth of 4.9%.

 

Investors, however, are bracing themselves: the threat of President-elect
Donald Trump's tariffs on $500bn (£409bn) worth of Chinese goods looms
large.

 

Yet that is not all that stands in the way of China achieving its growth
targets next year.

 

Business and consumer confidence is low, and the Chinese yuan will continue
to weaken as Beijing cuts interest rates in a bid to boost growth.

 

Here are three reasons why Xi has bigger challenges than Trump's tariffs:

 

 

1. Tariffs are already hurting Chinese exports

There is a growing chorus of warnings that China's economy will slow in
2025. One major driving factor of last year's growth is now at risk:
exports.

 

China has relied on manufacturing to help exit the slowdown - so, it has
been exporting a record number of electric vehicles, 3D printers and
industrial robots.

 

The US, Canada and the European Union have accused China of making too many
goods and imposed tariffs on Chinese imports to protect domestic jobs and
businesses.

 

Experts say Chinese exporters may now focus on other parts of the world. But
those countries are likely to be in emerging markets, which don't have the
same levels of demand as North America and Europe.

 

That could impact Chinese businesses that are hoping to expand, in turn
hitting suppliers of energy and raw materials.

 

Xi wants to transform China from the world's factory for cheap goods into a
high-tech powerhouse by 2035 but it's unclear how manufacturing can continue
to be such a big growth driver in the face of rising tariffs.

 

2. People are just not spending enough

In China, household wealth is largely invested in the property market.
Before the real estate crisis, it accounted for almost a third of China's
economy - employing millions of people, from builders and developers to
cement producers and interior designers.

 

Beijing has implemented a slew of policies to stabilise the property market
and the the financial markets watchdog, the China Securities Regulatory
Commission (CSRC), has said it will vigorously support reforms.

 

But there are still too many empty homes and commercial properties, and that
oversupply continues to force down prices.

 

 

Getty Images Pedestrians walk past a shopping mall decorated with red
lanterns and a sign reading 2025 Happy New Year to celebrate the upcoming
Chinese New Year on January 14, 2025 in Chongqing, China.Getty Images

Experts say deep issues in China's economy need to be addressed to fuel
spending

The property market slump is expected to bottom out this year, but Wall
Street banking giant Goldman Sachs says the downturn will be a "multi-year
drag" on China's economic growth.

 

It's already hit spending hard - in the last three months of 2024, household
consumption contributed just 29% to China's economic activity, down from 59%
before the pandemic.

 

That is one of the reasons Beijing has stepped up exports. It wants to help
offset sluggish domestic spending on new cars, luxury items and almost
everything else.

 

The government has even introduced programmes like consumer goods trade-ins,
where people can exchange their washing machines, microwaves and rice
cookers.

 

But experts wonder whether these kinds of measures alone are sufficient
without addressing deeper issues in the economy.

 

They say people will need more money in their pockets before pre-Covid
levels for spending return.

 

"China needs to bring back the animal spirit of the population and we are
still far from that," said Shuang Ding, Chief Economist for Greater China
and North Asia at Standard Chartered Bank.

 

"If the private sector starts to invest and innovate that could increase
income and the job outlook, and people will have more confidence to
consume."

 

Steep public debt and unemployment have also affected savings and spending.

 

Official figures suggest the youth jobless rate remains high compared to
before the pandemic, and that wage rises have stalled.

 

 

3. Businesses are not flocking to China like they used to

President Xi has promised to invest in the cutting-edge industries that the
government calls "new productive forces".

 

Until now, that has helped China become a leader in goods like renewable
energy products such as solar panels and electric vehicle batteries.

 

Last year, China also overtook Japan as the world's biggest car exporter.

 

Getty Images A ro-ro ship of clean energy vehicles, ''BYD Hefei,'' loads new
energy vehicles for export to Zeebrugge Port in Belgium at Haitong (Taicang)
Automobile Terminal in the Taicang Port district of Suzhou Port in Suzhou,
China, on January 11, 2025.Getty Images

Electric vehicle exports have been a huge growth driver for China

But the lacklustre economic picture, uncertainty over tariffs and other
geopolitical uncertainties mean the appetite of foreign businesses for
investment in China is subdued.

 

It's not about foreign or domestic investment - it's that businesses don't
see a bright future, said Stephanie Leung from wealth management platform
StashAway.

 

"They would like to see a more diversified set of investors coming in."

 

For all of these reasons, experts believe the measures to support the
economy will only partially alleviate the impact of potential new US
tariffs.

 

Beijing must either undertake big, bold measures or accept that the economy
is not going to grow so fast, Goldman Sachs' Chief China Economist Hui Shan
wrote in a recent report, adding: "We expect them to choose the former."

 

"China needs to stabilise property markets and create sufficient jobs to
ensure social stability," Mr Ding from Standard Chartered Bank said.

 

According to researcher China Dissent Monitor, there were more than 900
protests in China between June and September 2024 led by workers and
property owners - 27% more than the same period a year earlier.

 

These sort of social strains as a result of economic grievances and an
erosion of wealth will be a concern for the Chinese Communist Party.

 

After all, explosive growth turned China into a global power, and the
promise of increased prosperity has largely helped its leaders keep a tight
lid on dissent.-BBC

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toyota unit to settle emissions scandal for $1.6bn

Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors has agreed to pay $1.6bn (£1.3bn) and plead
guilty to deceiving US regulators about the amount of emissions produced by
its diesel engines.

 

The truck company will also be banned from exporting its diesel engines to
the country for five years.

 

It comes after Hino was charged with fraud in a Detroit court for selling
105,000 illegal engines in the US between 2010 and 2022.

 

The settlement still requires approval by a US court.

 

 

According to the US Justice Department, Hino submitted "false and
fraudulent" emission testing and fuel consumption data in a "criminal
conspiracy" that allowed it to import and sell its engines in the United
States.

 

"Hino Motors engaged in a years-long scheme to alter and fabricate emissions
data in order to get a leg up over its competitors and boost their
bottom-line," said FBI Director Christopher Wray.

 

"To further this fraudulent scheme, Hino violated laws and regulations
intended to protect American's health and the environment."

 

On top of the five-year diesel engine import ban, Hino has also committed to
a compliance and ethics plan during that period.

 

"We take this resolution seriously and will ensure that the field fix, the
Environmental Mitigation Program, and further strengthening of our
compliance system ... are implemented," said Satoshi Ogiso, Hino's chief
executive and president in a statement.

 

"We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers and
stakeholders."

 

The US Environmental Protection Agency said Hino has also agreed to recall
some infringing heavy-duty trucks and to replace marine and locomotive
engines across the country to offset excess air emissions.

 

In order to cover costs resulting from its legal problems, Hino said that in
its second quarter financial results announced in October, it reported an
extraordinary loss of 230 billion yen (£1.2bn, $1.48bn).

 

In the last decade, several car makers admitted to lying about the emissions
produced by their diesel engines.

 

In what has become known as the dieselgate scandal, brands throughout the
Volkswagen corporate empire were implicated, including Audi, Porsche, Seat
and Skoda as well as Volkswagen itself.

 

Volkswagen has spent more than 30 billion euros (£25bn, $30.9bn) paying
fines, issuing recalls and compensating its customers.-BBC

 

 

 

 

Apple halts AI news alerts after errors

Apple has suspended a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that drew
criticism and complaints for making repeated mistakes in its summaries of
news headlines.

 

The tech giant had been facing mounting pressure to withdraw the service,
which sent notifications that appeared to come from within news
organisations' apps.

 

"We are working on improvements and will make them available in a future
software update," an Apple spokesperson said.

 

The BBC was among the groups to complain, after an alert generated by
Apple's AI falsely told some readers that Luigi Mangione, the man accused of
killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself.

 

 

The feature had also inaccurately summarised headlines from the New York
Times and the Washington Post, according to reports from journalists and
others on social media.

 

Media outlets and press groups had pushed the company to pull back, warning
that the feature was not ready and that AI-generated errors were adding to
issues of misinformation and falling trust in news.

 

The BBC complained to Apple in December but it did not respond until January
when it promised a software update that would clarify the role of AI in
creating the summaries, which were optional and only available to readers
with the latest iPhones.

 

That prompted a further wave of criticism that the tech giant was not going
far enough.

 

Apple has now decided to disable the feature entirely for news and
entertainment apps.

 

"With the latest beta software releases of iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS
Sequoia 15.3, Notification summaries for the News & Entertainment category
will be temporarily unavailable," an Apple spokesperson said.

 

The company said that for other apps the AI-generated summaries of app
alerts will appear using italicised text.

 

"We're pleased that Apple has listened to our concerns and is pausing the
summarisation feature for news," a BBC spokesperson said.

 

"We look forward to working with them constructively on next steps. Our
priority is the accuracy of the news we deliver to audiences which is
essential to building and maintaining trust."

 

Apple had said the feature, which rolled out to users in the UK in December,
was intended to make customers' lives more efficient.

 

It groups together and rewrites previews of multiple recent app
notifications into a single alert on users' lock screens.

 

The decision comes as the company faces pressure to show its AI
developments, which investors had been hoping would drive a new wave of
demand for iPhones and other technology.

 

The company's shares fell more than 4% in trading on Thursday after reports
sales were struggling in China.-BBC

 

 

 

 

US FDA officially authorises Zyn nicotine pouches for sale

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised Zyn nicotine
pouches to be sold to as a tool to quit smoking cigarettes.

 

Thursday's decision allows 10 Zyn flavours, including mint, coffee, cinnamon
and menthol, to remain on the market.

 

The pouches, which are made by tobacco giant Phillip Morris, have been on
the market for US adults for more than a decade as the FDA reviewed whether
to formally allow them.

 

Nicotine pouches do not contain any actual tobacco, unlike other forms of
oral nicotine, and have exploded in popularity in recent years.

 

 

A nicotine pouch is placed between the gum and the lips and slowly emits
nicotine, similar to traditional anti-smoking methods like a nicotine patch
or chewing gum.

 

They are similar to snus, an oral smokeless tobacco product primarily used
in Norway and also in Sweden, the only European Union (EU) country where it
is legal. Snus contains tobacco and is illegal in the UK and the rest of the
EU, but is permitted in the US.

 

The FDA decision does not mean that Zyn is safe to use, but instead that is
less harmful than other forms of nicotine and tobacco.

 

The agency's statement said that the company supplied data from a study
"showing that a substantial proportion of adults who use cigarette and/or
smokeless tobacco products completely switched to the newly authorized
nicotine pouch products".

 

Unlike E-cigarettes, which were authorised as a device for quitting smoking
before seeing a large spike in use by children, there is no evidence that
teens widely are flocking to nicotine pouches in the same way.

 

Less than 2% of American students say they used pouches last year, according
to the FDA.

 

The FDA says that even though the products have been given permission to be
legally marketed in the US, it "does not mean these tobacco products are
safe, nor are they 'FDA approved'".

 

"There is no safe tobacco product," the agency said. "Youth should not use
tobacco products and adults who do not use tobacco products should not
start."

 

On Wednesday, the FDA proposed a new rule to cap the amount of nicotine
permitted in cigarettes, cigars and rolling tobacco.-BBC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


 Invest Wisely!

Bulls n Bears 

 

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INVESTORS DIARY 2025

 


Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


Companies under Cautionary

 

 

 


 

 

 

 


CBZH

GetBucks

EcoCash

 


Padenga

Econet

RTG

 


Fidelity

TSL

FMHL

 


 

 

 

 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of
Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not
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been compiled from s believed to be reliable, but no representation or
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opinions expressed and recommendations made are subject to change without
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any companies referred to in this report. Other  Indices quoted herein are
for guideline purposes only and d from third parties.

 


 

 


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