<div style="max-width: 100%;"></div>
<script src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/c0AOssA7_default/index.min.js">
</script>
In an address to the nation on Monday night, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa extended adjusted level three of lockdown in South Africa. This extension came with 20 land ports of entry, including the Beitbridge post, being closed until the 15th of February. Now, the Zimborders Consortium recently secured funding for the upgrade of Beitbridge. Joining CNBC Africa to provide more detail into infrastructure plans amid the restrictions and beyond is Francois Diedrechsen, the CEO of The Zimborders Consortium.

How the lockdown is affecting the Beitbridge border post upgrade

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 18 (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa&#8217;s second wave of COVID-19 cases, which has already far outpaced its first, could be driven even higher by post-Christmas holiday homecoming and overcrowded funerals, the health minister said on Monday.
Africa&#8217;s most industrialised nation has recorded 1.34 million cases of COVID-19 so far, and some 37,000 deaths. Daily new cases, which surged to a record high of 21,000 earlier this month, have since fallen to just over 12,000 a day &#8212; around the level its first-wave peak back in July.
The pandemic and lockdowns to tackle it have damaged an economy that was already in recession and left millions dependent on food aid.
&#8220;We are worried that there will be a resurgence,&#8221; Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said, in a televised address to media in KwaZulu-Natal province, where he was visiting hospitals.
The second wave has been driven by a new coronavirus variant first discovered in the Eastern Cape, called 501Y.V2 and believed to be more contagious than earlier versions.
&#8220;From the holidays, people are going to be moving back to Gauteng. (We fear) that&#8217;s going to give us a huge resurgence,&#8221; Mkhize said, referring to the province that includes the capital Pretoria and main commercial city Johannesburg.
South Africans tend to travel to the countryside and to beaches over Christmas, many not returning until mid-January.
He said President Cyril Ramaphosa&#8217;s tougher lockdown restrictions, announced at the end of December and including an alcohol ban, had helped contain the spread. But he warned that funerals, which traditionally see big crowds, had become super-spreader events.
&#8220;We still get reports of &#8230; funerals attended by a large number of people,&#8221; instead of the 50 to which they are limited by COVID-19 regulations.
A brighter spot was the Western Cape, including Cape Town, where the first wave is thought to have started and which had seen numbers level for weeks.
&#8220;We are hoping that what we are seeing now is indications that it&#8217;s going to start declining,&#8221; Mkhize said.
He said the procurement of vaccines was going to plan.
South Africa plans to start vaccinating health workers next month, but analysts doubt it will be able to vaccinate significant numbers until much later in the year, given how slow it has been in signing deals to get doses. (Reporting by Tim Cocks Editing by Peter Graff)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

S.Africa fears post-Christmas homecoming, funerals to worsen COVID-19 2nd wave

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1110" height="677" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230597300-1110x677.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395099" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230597300-1110x677.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230597300-300x183.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230597300-820x500.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230597300-768x468.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230597300-1536x936.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230597300-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /><figcaption>WhatsApp logo on the App Store displayed on a phone screen and WhatsApp logo in the background are seen in this illustration photo taken in Poland on January 14, 2021. Signal and Telegram messenger apps gained popularity due to the new WhatsApp&#8217;s privacy policy. (Photo illustration by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



WhatsApp has delayed a privacy policy update that caused confusion and backlash among users over fears it could mean broader data sharing with the messaging app’s owner <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=FB">Facebook</a>.



“We’ve heard from so many people how much confusion there is around our recent update. There’s been a lot of misinformation causing concern and we want to help everyone understand our principles and the facts,” WhatsApp said in a blog post over the weekend.



The updates related specifically to features that allow users to message and interact with businesses on WhatsApp. Last year, Facebook announced that businesses using WhatsApp could store and manage their chats with customers using Facebook’s “secure hosting infrastructure.”



As part of this, a business can see the contents of the message between it and a user and may use that information for its own marketing purposes, which could include advertising on Facebook.



WhatsApp was set to start prompting users on Feb. 8 to accept updated terms in order to continue using the app. But Facebook said that it is now pushing the date back for people to review and accept the terms. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on Feb. 8, Facebook added. People will “gradually” have the chance to review the policy “at their own pace” before the new business options are available on May 15.



The privacy updates caused “confusion,” WhatsApp said. Many users took it to mean that the app would be sharing more data, including messages, with Facebook.



Many users were concerned that the updated privacy policy signaled broader data sharing between WhatsApp and Facebook. But that is not the case. Since 2016, WhatsApp has shared certain data with Facebook such as your phone number.



But the contents of messages cannot be viewed by WhatsApp or Facebook. That’s because they are encrypted. That is not changing.



However, users concerned about their privacy looked to rival messaging apps Signal and Telegram. These two apps market themselves as privacy-focused and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/12/signal-telegram-downloads-surge-after-update-to-whatsapp-data-policy.html">both reported surging downloads</a>.



On Saturday, Signal suffered an outage due to an influx of users. Signal said it was “adding new servers and extra capacity at a record pace every single day” last week and the app came back online on Sunday.

Signal And Telegram Messenger Apps Gained Popularity

WhatsApp delays privacy update over user ‘confusion’ and backlash about Facebook data sharing

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1110" height="793" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/mental-health-3337026_1280-1110x793.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395053" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/mental-health-3337026_1280-1110x793.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/mental-health-3337026_1280-300x214.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/mental-health-3337026_1280-820x586.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/mental-health-3337026_1280-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/mental-health-3337026_1280.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /></figure>



From <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/11/flexjobs-top-companies-hiring-for-work-from-home-jobs-2021.html">working remotely</a> to getting comfortable with at-home workouts, the Covid pandemic has uprooted most of our routines, and interfered with our motivation.



Don’t miss:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/best-cash-back-credit-cards-with-no-annual-fee/?__source=select|makeitinlinelink">The best cash-back credit cards with no annual fee</a>



Motivation tends to drop when you feel a deficit in three key areas of life: your autonomy, competence and relationships,&nbsp;<a href="https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/psychology/faculty/faculty-directory/park.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lora Park</a>, associate professor and director of the Self and Motivation Lab at the University of Buffalo, tells&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/">CNBC Make It</a>.



“Covid wiped out like all three of those like instantly,” Park says.



The good news is there are ways to set up your life and routine so that you feel more motivated about your goals, whether you’re trying to stay focused at work or attempting an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/23/tips-for-successfully-switching-careers-in-the-new-year.html?">ambitious New Years resolution</a>.



Here are some research-backed ways to feel more motivated today:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-create-daily-rituals">Create daily rituals</h2>



A 2018&nbsp;<a href="http://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/jschroeder/Publications/Enacting%20Rituals%20to%20Improve%20Self-Control.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;out of Harvard University found that rituals — any predefined sequences of actions characterized by rigidity and repetition — increase people’s self-control and feelings of self-discipline.



“Rituals don’t have to be this elaborate thing, it could just be a very small routine that you do every day,” Park says. For example, putting your workout clothes beside your bed so you can exercise first thing in the morning is considered a ritual. So is taking time to meditate or relax once you get your kids set up for the school day or walking your dog after work.



Over time, rituals automatize behavior, Park says. When a habit becomes automatic, “it frees up your mental energy to then be able to focus on other things that require more time attention or energy,” she says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-set-up-routine-cues">Set up routine ‘cues’</h2>



We’re hard-wired to forge associations between ourselves and&nbsp;<a href="https://gdt.stanford.edu/the-habit-loop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cues in the environment</a>&nbsp;that trigger us to do something, Conroy says. This could be anything from knowing to answer a Slack when you hear or see the notification to taking out your keys to unlock the door when you get home.



During the pandemic, cues that would typically prompt you to do something (like walking into an office and feeling ready to work or stopping at the gym on your commute home) have been disrupted, Conroy says. In fact, people who are working from home might be subconsciously confused by cues (like your couch or TV) that they would usually only encounter on the weekend, he says.



Creating cues in your physical environment will help keep you on track, Park says. For example, if you’re working from home, designate a workspace. That way, you’ll feel set up and mentally prepared to work when you enter that space — and be able to disconnect when you’re in other places.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reward-yourself-the-right-way">Reward yourself the right way</h2>



Rewards can increase your intrinsic motivation or desire to do an activity, Park says. But&nbsp;<a href="https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/04.11.2019-Fishbach-Ayelet-PAPER-Its-About-Time.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a>&nbsp;shows that the timing of the reward matters. Essentially, you have to pair an activity with something that you find enjoyable to do during or right after the activity, she says.



So, while you run on the treadmill, you could watch a favorite Netflix show as a “reward.” Or, you could have a treat like a cup of coffee or a piece of chocolate while you tackle a tedious work task. (The key is to make sure the rewards are not self-destructive, she adds.)



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-make-room-for-moments-of-positivity">Make room for moments of positivity</h2>



Finding ways to cultivate positive emotions every day can have a real impact on your motivation and productivity, Park says. This can be as small as watching a funny video or sending a text to a friend, she says.&nbsp;<a href="https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-positive-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a>&nbsp;has shown that experiencing positive emotions can improve your performance at work, as well as your physical and mental health, social relationships, community involvement and income.



Negative emotions, on the other hand, “tend to narrow your focus and make you not want to get out of your comfort zone,” she says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-be-too-hard-on-yourself">Don’t be too hard on yourself</h2>



There are two main types of motivation: intrinsic, which is doing something for the pure enjoyment of the activity itself (aka “flow”), not focused on the outcome, rewards or even punishments; and extrinsic, which is driven by external rewards or punishment.



“Your motivation can ebb and flow,” Park says. “So, you might start off very extrinsically motivated, but then over time as you get good at something, or it becomes part of your identity, then it becomes something that you truly enjoy.”



One thing that often gets in the way of motivation is when people internalize external pressure or feedback, and connect their performance to their self-esteem and ego, Park says. (In psychology, this is called “<a href="https://positivepsychology.com/self-determination-theory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">introjected self-regulation</a>.) That’s because when your self-esteem and ego is wrapped up in your performance, negative feelings about yourself can hinder your ability to reach a goal.



So it’s important to acknowledge where pressure is coming from and not be so hard on yourself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-know-your-triggers">Know your triggers</h2>



Everyone feels unmotivated sometimes, so it’s important to recognize what your triggers are, and adjust accordingly to help get your motivation back, Park says. For example, when you’re feeling overworked or burned out, and you’re lacking motivation, that can be a “screaming signal” that you need to slow down or take some time off, she says.



Another common trigger for a lack of motivation? Getting negative feedback. “It can be very demoralizing, in many fields, when things are rejected or you get negative feedback, criticism or bad evaluations,” Park says. In those moments, you may feel like your ego has been threatened. “One way to naturally rebuild the motivation is to put it away, do other things and then come back to it,” she says.



<a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1999-05760-004" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a>&nbsp;has shown that having a very specific and concrete a contingency plan for these moments when you feel your motivation dip can be effective, Park says. “Create a script in your head of what you’re going to be doing,” she says. “It’s kind of automating your behavior so that you don’t have to like completely paralyzed in that moment.”



Check out:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/11/types-of-burnout-and-signs-and-symptoms-emily-ballesteros-coach-tips.html">There are 3 different types of burnout — these are the signs to look out for</a>



Don’t miss:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/the-best-credit-cards-for-building-credit/">The best credit cards for building credit of 2021</a>

mental-health-3337026_1280

How the pandemic killed your motivation, and 6 simple ways to get it back, according to science

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 15 (Reuters) &#8211; South African scientists have discovered chemical compounds that could potentially be used for a new line of drugs to treat malaria and even kill the parasite in its infectious stage, which most available drugs do not.
The research led by the University of Pretoria, published in the Nature Communications journal this week, found that chemical compounds undergoing trials for the treatment of tuberculosis and cancer &#8212; the JmjC inhibitor ML324 and the antitubercular clinical candidate SQ109 &#8212; can kill the disease-causing parasite at a stage when it normally infects others.
The World Health Organisation said in November that deaths from malaria due to disruption during the coronavirus pandemic to services designed to tackle the mosquito-borne disease will far exceed those killed by COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa.
Malaria killed more than 400,000 people across the world in 2019, according to the latest WHO figures, all but a few thousand of them in Africa. There were 229 million cases across the world, 215 million of them on the continent.
&#8220;Our innovation was around finding compounds that are able to block the transmissible stages and we if we are able to do so then we stop the spread of malaria,&#8221; Research Chair in Sustainable Malaria Control and biochemistry professor Lyn-Marie Birkholtz, who was part of the team, told Reuters on Friday.
Most drugs kill malaria as it gets established in the liver or after it has infected red blood cells, but cannot tackle it once the parasite is released from the cells, which is when it is transmissible to other people via mosquito bites, she said.
The one drug that can have an effect during the transmissible phase, primaquine, is not widely used, owing to concerns about side effects.
&#8220;If we can develop these compounds &#8230; then we have an additional new tool that we can use to eliminate malaria,&#8221; said Birkholtz.
More tests would still need to be carried out before the compounds could be approved as a treatment for malaria but the breakthrough would also address concerns over drug resistance, she said.
(Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg Editing by Tim Cocks and Alison Williams)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

South African scientists discover new chemicals that kill malaria parasite

<div style="max-width: 100%;"></div>
<script src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/c0AOssA7_default/index.min.js">
</script>
It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the South African retail sector. The industry has had to adapt to various COVID-19 restrictions, a smaller consumer pocket and changing habits. Investment Analyst, Christopher Gilmour joins CNBC Africa to provide insight into the performance of retail.

Here’s how SA’s retail sector fared over the festive season

Nigerian equities sustain week-long rally

<div style="max-width: 100%;"></div>
<script src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/c0AOssA7_default/index.min.js">
</script>
Nigeria’s headline inflation rose to 15.75 per cent in December 2020, this is 0.86 percentage points higher than the rate recorded in November at 14.89 per cent. On a month-on-month basis, headline inflation rose by 1.61 per cent. Dumebi Udegbunam, Fixed Income Trader at UBA joins me as we look at how this data point could impact activities at the capital markets as well as wrap up the trading week.

Nigeria’s headline inflation rises to 15.75% in December

Jan 15 (Reuters) &#8211; Finland will extend the ban on passenger flights on routes to Britain, Ireland and South Africa for a week until Jan. 25 due to the spread of a new variant of the coronavirus, the state transport office said on Friday. (Reporting by Tarmo Virki in Tallinn, editing by Louise Heavens)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Finland extends UK, Ireland, South Africa flight ban to Jan 25

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/105691903-1548163290191gettyimages-1085604158.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-353452" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/105691903-1548163290191gettyimages-1085604158.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/105691903-1548163290191gettyimages-1085604158-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/105691903-1548163290191gettyimages-1085604158-696x391.jpeg 696w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Workers listen during a briefing inside the Congress Center, the venue for the World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019.
</figcaption></figure>



The World Economic Forum (WEF) is aiming to attract around 1,000 delegates for its Singapore summit in late May and wants the iconic Marina Bay Sands complex to host the event, two sources familiar with the organization’s plans said.



The sources, who did not want to be identified as negotiations are ongoing, said the plans for the May 25-28 event were still fluid given the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic raging across the world.



The WEF and Marina Bay Sands declined comment. Singapore’s trade ministry did not immediately have comment.



The annual gathering of political and business leaders was moved from its usual home in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, from which it takes its informal name, to Singapore in December due to virus safety fears, organizers said.



If it goes ahead as planned, the event would be the first in-person global conference since Covid-19 started spreading widely in early 2020. The WEF’s previous summit in Davos in January 2020 was one of the last, and attracted 3,000 delegates and thousands of others for side events.



WEF is aiming for around 1,000 delegates in Singapore, the sources said, possibly up to 1,800 if conditions allow. The usual side events — which have in previous years seen the population of the Alpine town of Davos swell from 10,000 to about 30,000 — will be significantly curtailed due to the virus, the sources added.



Still, there is much uncertainty. Singapore, a Southeast Asian island nation of 5.7 million, has had its borders largely shut to visitors for almost a year, and imposed strict quarantine measures for returning residents.



The emergence of more infectious virus variants have led the city-state to impose further travel curbs on some countries in recent weeks.



WEF organizers hope attendees will be able to avoid quarantines through rigorous testing and by staying in a “bubble” cut off from the local population. Singapore is due to start a trial of a limited version of this scheme later this month, and has also said it will consider relaxing travel restrictions for vaccinated travelers.



Alvin Tan, a senior trade ministry official, said earlier this month there would be measures to manage interactions between WEF attendees and locals, but said specific details were still being worked out.



Finding a venue for this WEF bubble, where attendees can also eat, sleep and mingle, has led the organization to target Marina Bay Sands as potential hosts, the sources said.



Marina Bay Sands, owned by late billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands, is the most globally recognizable building on the wealthy city-state’s skyline, regularly featured on postcards and other tourist wares.



Resembling a surfboard perched atop three towers, it has more than 2,500 rooms and suites, a casino, shops and restaurants, as well as convention and exhibition facilities that can host over 45,000 delegates.



A virus-proofed business travel facility being built at a convention center near the airport could also be among the venues to host WEF travelers, authorities have said.

Stefan Wermuth | Bloomberg | Getty Images

WEF reportedly targets Marina Bay Sands for Singapore’s ‘Davos’ summit

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1110" height="624" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-984879432-1110x624.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-394944" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-984879432-1110x624.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-984879432-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-984879432-820x461.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-984879432-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-984879432-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-984879432-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /><figcaption>Lekki-Ikoyi bridge &#8211; stock photo</figcaption></figure>



The African Union (AU)’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development, Raila Odinga has called for the creation of an Africa-wide infrastructure fund to cut a funding gap estimated at as much as $90 billion.



Odinga, a former Kenyan Prime Minister, told African ministers of infrastructure the fund would be a long-term solution to Africa’s continuous underfunding of infrastructure which he estimated at between $60 and $90 billion annually.



“Such a fund would focus on a combination of domestic sources and private sector financiers,” Odinga told the virtual meeting. &nbsp;“We need effective and efficient plans to mobilize resources to fund the identified PIDA (Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa) projects.’’



PIDA is a continent-wide program to develop a vision, policies, strategies and a programme for the development of priority regional and continental infrastructure in transport, energy, trans-boundary water and Information Communication Technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Africa has the fewest road and rail networks of any region in the world because of colonial planning and chronic shortages of funds. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the underfunding as governments scrambled to protect incomes and source funds to buy vaccines.



The African Union estimates the continent needs $12 billion to buy enough vaccines to cover about 60 percent of its 1.3 billion people.



Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker El Markabi said the AU was determined move Africa’s infrastructure development agenda forward despite the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.



Addressing the same meeting, the AU Infrastructure and Energy Commissioner Abou-Zeid said the post-COVID-19 recovery strategy requires the fast-tracking of Africa’s infrastructure development to improve resilience and improve livelihoods and economies.



&nbsp;“The COVID-19 pandemic also accelerated digitalization, exposed gaps in energy in rural areas and highlighted the need to develop infrastructure that is smart, inclusive and sustainable.”



The African Development Bank’s Infrastructure and Partnerships Division Manager Mike Salawou highlighted the $7 billion the bank has spent on African infrastructure projects in the past ten years to spur economic development.

lekki-ikoyi bridge

AU SAYS AFRICA NEEDS INFRASTRUCTURE FUND TO PUSH DEVELOPMENT

<div style="max-width: 100%;"></div>
<script src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/c0AOssA7_default/index.min.js">
</script>
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many businesses to rapidly change and adopt new ways to use technology. Due to this, initiatives that would have taken years were implemented in just a matter of weeks and months. Paul Ducklin, Senior Security Advisor at Sophos joins CNBC Africa for more.

COVID-19: How the pandemic has changed how we look at cyber security

<div style="max-width: 100%;"></div>
<script src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/c0AOssA7_default/index.min.js">
</script>
A survey by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the impact of coronavirus on the Lagos business community shows that 81 per cent of SMEs were severely affected by the pandemic. But could the coming into effect of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement offer a path to recovery for these businesses? Muda Yusuf, Director General of the LCCI joins CNBC Africa for more.

AfCFTA: A recovery path for Nigerian MSMEs?

* U.S. yields bounce after report of $2 trillion stimulus plan
* Japan&#8217;s Nikkei hits fresh three-decade peak
* European shares, U.S. futures edge higher
* China tech giants jump after spared from U.S. blacklist
By Marc Jones
LONDON, Jan 14 (Reuters) &#8211; Investors shrugged off U.S. President Donald Trump&#8217;s second impeachment and focused instead on reports that his successor, Joe Biden, will lay out a new U.S. $2 trillion stimulus programme later.
Hopes for the supersized package lifted most major stock markets. Japan&#8217;s Nikkei hit a three-decade peak in Asia and Europe climbed 0.5% higher as traders largely ignored the prospect of another Italian government collapse.
Wall Street futures were pointing higher too while in the bond markets there was starting to be signs of selling again.
The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasuries &#8211; the benchmark for global borrowing costs &#8211; rose two basis points to 1.11% as traders contemplated a $2 trillion Biden COVID-19 aid package ramping U.S. debt levels up even further.
European yields were mostly being held in place with the region&#8217;s stricter COVID-19 lockdowns bolstering bets of more European Central Bank bond buying, but inflation expectation gauges were creeping higher.
Luca Paolini, Chief Strategist at Pictet Asset Management, said an ongoing rise in borrowing rates could unsettle markets if they start to accelerate.
&#8220;It could be a bit difficult,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Although I would rather have the Fed (U.S. central bank) hiking rates, bond yields at 4% and growth at 5% rather than everything at zero, because it&#8217;s more sustainable.&#8221;

BLACKLIST BOOST
There had been plenty of action overnight in Asia too.
Japan&#8217;s Nikkei hit its highest level since August 1990 taking its surge since late October to 25%.
Chinese data showed exports there grew more than expected in December &#8211; pointing to solid global demand &#8211; while machinery orders rose for a second straight month in Japan.
Chinese blue chips eased from a 13-year peak hit on Wednesday as investors took some profits though it didn&#8217;t tell the full story.
The Hong Kong listed shares of Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Tencent and Baidu all rose sharply after sources told Reuters and the Wall Street Journal that plans to extend a U.S. investment ban to the firms stocks had been scrapped.
Alibaba and Tencent alone are worth over $1.3 trillion and are two of three biggest emerging market stocks in the world, making up more the 10% of the widely-followed MSCI emerging market equity index.
&#8220;I think the market is relieved,&#8221; said Chinese equity portfolio manager at William Blair Investment Management Vivian Lin Thurston.
&#8220;However, concerns over this risk and therefore volatility of these stocks may continue in the near future until perhaps the new (Biden) administration’s China strategy becomes clear.&#8221;

GRIM LANDMARK
In commodity markets, oil futures nursed modest losses as fresh surges in coronavirus cases stoke worries about more lockdowns and lower energy demand.
Global deaths from the virus are fast approaching 2 million and there has been further worrying news this week about a new Brazilian variant, China&#8217;s first recorded death since April, and tightening new social restrictions from South Africa to Scotland. For Reuters COVID case tracker click https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1063154666 or https://tmsnrt.rs/2FThSv7 in an external web browser.
Brent crude futures were down 0.5% at $55.75 a barrel and U.S. crude futures were at $52.70.
Gold, which has suffered as U.S. yields have climbed traded 0.2% lower at $1,840 an ounce &#8211; well below a two-month peak of $1,959 hit a week ago.
Biden is due to outline his economic plans later on Thursday and U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will also speak, either one of which could set yields rising again.
&#8220;The number one question for global markets and equities will be when will the Fed start tapering,&#8221; said Frank Benzimra, head of Asia equity strategy at Societe Generale in Hong Kong.
&#8220;This is where you can get some concern&#8230; but at the moment it is something that is a bit premature.&#8221;
Currency markets are taking a little more of a wait-and-see approach, as investors are short dollars and wondering whether the eventual tapering might limit the greenback&#8217;s decline.
The dollar rose 0.2% to 104.12 yen. The global recovery-sensitive Australian and New Zealand dollars firmed to $0.7761 and $0.7203 respectively, while the euro showed modest losses at $1.2125 and 126.24 yen.
&#8220;Fresh elections (in Italy) are still very much the outside bet but it does seem we could be on our way to our 132nd Italian government in the last 160 years.&#8221; said Deutsche Bank economist Jim Reid.
(Additional reporting by Dhara Ranasinghe in London and Tom Westbrook in Singapore; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Angus MacSwan)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

GLOBAL MARKETS-Stimulus helps stocks shrug off impeachment chaos

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 14 (Reuters) &#8211; Dubai-based airline Emirates said on Thursday it would temporarily suspend all flights to and from South Africa from Saturday due to operational reasons, without elaborating.
&#8220;Emirates flights to/from South Africa will temporarily be suspended from Saturday 16 January to 28 January 2021 due to operational reasons,&#8221; the largest carrier in the United Arab Emirates said in a statement.
Inbound travel to South Africa for leisure and business has dropped since mid December when the country identified a new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus, forcing countries such as England, Germany, Switzerland and several in Asia to cancel flights to and from the country.
The new variant is said to be behind a major spike in daily infections and rising deaths for the last month, with total cases currently standing at close to 1.3 million and over 35,000 deaths.
&#8220;Customers holding tickets with final destinations in South Africa from 16 January to 28 January will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin,&#8221; Emirates said.
Its local partner in South Africa &#8211; Airlink, which sells airline seats provided by Emirates for local destinations, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. (Reporting by Promit Mukherjee. Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Mark Potter)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Emirates to temporarily suspends flights to South Africa

ABUJA, Jan 14 (Reuters) &#8211; Vaccines are not yet Africa&#8217;s antidote to the coronavirus pandemic, a regional health official said on Thursday, after the African Union (AU) secured 270 million doses for the continent where a second wave is infecting about 30,000 people a day.
Africa has not started vaccinations and there is concern that more prosperous regions will get an unfair head start in the global fight against COVID-19.
But there was heartening news on Wednesday when AU chair South Africa said doses would be supplied this year by Pfizer , AstraZeneca &#8211; through the Serum Institute of India &#8211; and Johnson &amp; Johnson.
The 270 million shots, however, if administered two per person, would only cover around 10% of Africa&#8217;s roughly 1.3 billion people.
&#8220;We should not see vaccines as a magic bullet for now, it will take time for vaccines to be rolled out in a way that we have herd immunity,&#8221; said John Nkengasong, director of the AU&#8217;s Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Africa&#8217;s second coronavirus wave is infecting twice as many people per day as the height of the first wave last year, and has not peaked, said Nkengasong.
Infections have passed 3.1 million with more than 74,600 deaths over the course of the pandemic.
Speaking in an online press briefing, Nkengasong urged countries to keep public health measures such as mask wearing and movement restrictions.
However, nations should also start placing orders and approve the vaccines as a bloc or blocs, to accelerate getting doses out. &#8220;There is a fierce urgency of now,&#8221; he said.
The Africa CDC boss brushed aside concerns that lack of ultra-cold chain storage infrastructure would stop countries buying and using vaccines needing to be kept at extremely low temperatures &#8211; Pfizer&#8217;s and Moderna&#8217;s.
Countries would store and dole out such vaccines in cities, where demand is high and freezers can be maintained, he said. (Reporting by Paul Carsten; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Africa cannot relax now COVID-19 vaccines are coming, health boss says

<div style="max-width: 100%;"></div>
<script src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/c0AOssA7_default/index.min.js">
</script>
According to the World Bank, remittance flows to low and middle-income countries are projected to fall by 14 per cent to $470 billion in 2021.Iain Allison, Senior Director, Business Development (International), Xoom spoke with CNBC Africa on the sector&#8217;s performance in 2020 and what to look forward to in 2021.

Newsletter

How the lockdown is affecting the Beitbridge border post upgrade

S.Africa fears post-Christmas homecoming, funerals to worsen COVID-19 2nd wave

WhatsApp delays privacy update over user ‘confusion’ and backlash about Facebook data sharing

How the pandemic killed your motivation, and 6 simple ways to get it back, according to science

South African scientists discover new chemicals that kill malaria parasite

Here’s how SA’s retail sector fared over the festive season

Nigerian equities sustain week-long rally

Nigeria’s headline inflation rises to 15.75% in December

Finland extends UK, Ireland, South Africa flight ban to Jan 25

WEF reportedly targets Marina Bay Sands for Singapore’s ‘Davos’ summit

AU SAYS AFRICA NEEDS INFRASTRUCTURE FUND TO PUSH DEVELOPMENT

COVID-19: How the pandemic has changed how we look at cyber security

AfCFTA: A recovery path for Nigerian MSMEs?

GLOBAL MARKETS-Stimulus helps stocks shrug off impeachment chaos

Emirates to temporarily suspends flights to South Africa

Africa cannot relax now COVID-19 vaccines are coming, health boss says

2021: World Bank forecasts 14% decline in remittance flows to low & middle-income countries

News Tips

Advertise With Us

Newsletter

How the lockdown is affecting the Beitbridge border post upgrade

S.Africa fears post-Christmas homecoming, funerals to worsen COVID-19 2nd wave

WhatsApp delays privacy update over user ‘confusion’ and backlash about Facebook data sharing

How the pandemic killed your motivation, and 6 simple ways to get it back, according to science

South African scientists discover new chemicals that kill malaria parasite

Here’s how SA’s retail sector fared over the festive season

Nigerian equities sustain week-long rally

Nigeria’s headline inflation rises to 15.75% in December

Finland extends UK, Ireland, South Africa flight ban to Jan 25

WEF reportedly targets Marina Bay Sands for Singapore’s ‘Davos’ summit

AU SAYS AFRICA NEEDS INFRASTRUCTURE FUND TO PUSH DEVELOPMENT

COVID-19: How the pandemic has changed how we look at cyber security

AfCFTA: A recovery path for Nigerian MSMEs?

GLOBAL MARKETS-Stimulus helps stocks shrug off impeachment chaos

Emirates to temporarily suspends flights to South Africa

Africa cannot relax now COVID-19 vaccines are coming, health boss says

2021: World Bank forecasts 14% decline in remittance flows to low & middle-income countries

News Tips

Advertise With Us

Newsletters