Money Talks

As South Africa and the rest of the continent move towards economic recovery, Turkish companies believe they can be a vital partner in helping to achieve that. The World Co-operation Industries Forum is set to take place next week here in Istanbul. We got more on this with Utku Bengisu in Istanbul. He's the Founder of the Bosphorus Trade Centers, and the Head of the African Trade and Export Centers.

#TurkeyEconomy #AfricaTrade #WorldCooperationIndustriesForum

South Africa's economy grew 1.2-percent in the second quarter compared with the previous three months, as the country eased COVID-19 restrictions. The number was much higher than analyst forecasts of 0.7-percent growth.

#SouthAfricaEconomy #GDP #Pandemic

El Salvador has become the first country to accept bitcoin as a national currency. From Tuesday, banks, businesses and government institutions have been ordered to accept payments in the cryptocurrency. President Nayib Bukele is hoping to entice people with handouts of bitcoin worth 30 dollars. But many oppose the government's move and as Mobin Nasir reports, winning-over critics could be difficult, given the volatility of cryptocurrency prices. For more on this, we spoke to Jeffrey Tucker in Austin, Texas. He's a crypto market analyst and president of the Brownstone Institute for Social and Economic Research.

#ElSalvador #Bitcoin #CryptoCurrencies

The coup leader that seized control of Guinea at the weekend has lifted a curfew on mining activities in the resource-rich West African nation.. while land and air borders have been re-opened. Colonel Mamady Doumbouya has urged mining companies to keep operating, after global aluminium prices soared to 10-year highs on fears that bauxite mining in the country would be disrupted. As Liz Maddock reports, Doumbouya has promised to set-up a government of national unity to lead the transition of power.

#GuineaCoup #NaturalResources #PoliticalUncertainty

Lockdowns and restrictions during the pandemic led to unprecedented improvements in air quality and a drop in pollution last year. But the UN's weather agency says the changes were only temporary. According to the World Meteorological Organization's latest Air Quality and Climate Bulletin, the level of harmful airborne particles, largely emitted by motor vehicle traffic and energy production, fell by 40-percent in Southeast Asia. China, Europe and North America also saw a drop in emissions. We spoke to Oksana Tarasova in Geneva. She's Head of Atmospheric Environment Research Division

at the World Meteorological Organization.

#Pollution #AirQuality #PandemicLockdowns

Now to Afghanistan where the Taliban appears to have cemented its control of the country. The group's spokesperson says fighters have captured the Panjshir Valley, the last pocket of resistance against its rule. And a new government is expected to be announced soon. Markets across Afghanistan have reopened.. While for some, it's business as usual, others are struggling to survive under the country's new rulers. Mobin Nasir reports. For more on this, Nafay Choudhury joined us now from Cambridge in the UK . He's Research Fellow at the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies. He's also a Jeremy Haworth Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge.

#AfghanistanEconomy #TalibanRule #Cabinet

An environmental think tank in the UK is calling for more government investment in the circular economy where products are repaired or refurbished to keep them in use for as long as possible. The Green Alliance believes 450,000 new jobs could be created in the sector and wants to see more incentives and tax breaks for businesses. Matt Goodrick has more from London.

#CircularEconomy #UK activists #GreenAllience

A US court has approved a bankruptcy plan for the maker of the painkiller, OxyContin. The deal gives the owners Purdue Pharma - the Sackler family - sweeping immunity from future lawsuits over claims they helped to fuel the US opioid crisis.

The Sacklers will give up ownership of the company and pay out 4-and- a-half billion dollars over the next 10 years to settle existing lawsuits. We spoke to Robert Kanter in New York. He's a drug addiction recovery advocate focusing on the opioid epidemic.

#OpioidCrisis #PurduePharma #OxyCotin

A state of emergency is in place for New York and New Jersey after record rainfall that's come from the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Local media are reporting that at least 14 people have died. The trail of destruction caused by Ida's storm is estimated to cost insurers almost 18-billion dollars in damages.. but now with roads, homes and subways flooded, that number is set to balloon. Natasha Hussain reports.

#FlashFloods #HurricaneIda #NewYorkCity #StateofEmergency

As China's crackdown on tech continues, this time ride-hailing services are in the crosshairs. Market giants Didi Chuxing, Meituan and nine other companies operating in the industry have been summoned by regulators. They're accused of recruiting unlicensed drivers and vehicles and using misleading advertising, in their quest to gain market share. It's the latest in a string of measures taken by Beijing to rein in exploitative practices by technology companies. Mobin Nasir reports. For more on this, tech sector analyst Daniel Ives joined us from New York. He's managing director at Wedbush Securities.

#ChinaCrackdown #MarketPower #ChineseTechCompanies