The world's economy has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic for the last two years, but towards the end of last year, it started to recover - at long last. Then came the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the possibility of a third world war looming large. This sent the financial markets into another tailspin, but the rand remained surprisingly strong. News24 podcasts

On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the further easing of Covid-19 regulations. But, the National State of Disaster was extended yet again, drawing criticism from some quarters. It is now set to expire on 15 April, more than two years since it was declared at the start of the pandemic. News24 Podcasts

This week on The Story, an aviation expert tells News24 the grounding of Kulula and domestic British Airways flights, operated by Comair, should have been a "last resort". He criticised the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) for its lack of transparency. News24 podcasts

An aviation expert believes the grounding of Kulula and domestic British Airways flights, operated by Comair, should have been a "last resort" and has criticised the SA Civil Aviation Authority for its lack of transparency. After safety concerns, Comair flights were cancelled with immediate effect last Saturday, but the suspension was lifted late on Wednesday night.

Suffering continues in Ukraine as Russia steps up its onslaught. Several ceasefire agreements to allow citizens to flee cities have failed. And on Wednesday, a hospital in the port city of Mariupol was hit by a Russian airstrike, leaving three people dead. News24 podcasts

2021 has been a tough year for South Africans. Loadshedding, Covid-19, a changing political landscape, and a battered economy has all taken its toll on the health and emotional wellbeing of most South Africans. News24 podcasts

The discovery of a new Covid-19 variant has sent the world into panic mode. South African scientists announced the discovery of the variant last week, sparking travel bans against the country. Health officials believe the new variant, named Omicron, is driving up infections, with Gauteng at the epicentre of cases. News24 podcasts

South Africa's official opposition, the Democratic Alliance, has reaped the benefits of smaller parties uniting against their common enemy, the ANC. The DA won mayorships in Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and the City of Johannesburg. The ANC has now lost control of the biggest and most important metros in Gauteng, the economic heartbeat of the country, News24 podcasts

The government's withdrawal of its support for the Miss SA pageant has sparked controversy ahead of the Miss Universe contest in Israel next month.

Organisers of Miss South Africa refused to boycott the event, despite the government's advice to withdraw from the competition. News24 Podcasts

South Africans have had a rough week as Eskom bounced between stage two and stage four load shedding. Faced with up to three outages a day, many South Africans are despairing about the future of this country, and whether Eskom will ever be able to meet power supply demands. News24 podcasts · News24 Podcasts