Editor's note

Africa’s potential workforce is growing all the time. By 2050 it will be home to 1.25 billion people who are of working age. Where will the jobs for these people come from? One approach will be to fund entrepreneurs. To this end a number of African countries have set up entrepreneurship funds. But, cautions Aubrey Hruby. Some have worked better than others. Understanding the pitfalls is essential.

South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world. This fact has been extensively discussed, analysed and studied. What’s been less examined, though, is the issue of wealth inequality and how wealth taxation could be used to reduce it. Ingrid Woolard explains.

Caroline Southey

Editor

Top Stories

Access to finance is consistently listed as the biggest obstacle for start-ups Africa. Wikimedia Commons/The Wot-If? Trust

Entrepreneurship funds in Africa: distinguishing the good from the bad

Aubrey Hruby, Georgetown University

Some entrepreneurship support models work better than others. Governance and structure is key to their success, or failure.

Johannesburg’s economic hub, Sandton, lies right next to the sprawling and extremely poor Alexandra township. Paul Saad/Flickr

Why South Africa should seriously consider taxing its wealthy citizens

Ingrid Woolard, Stellenbosch University

Wealth inequality in South Africa is not only intolerably high, its also not reducing.

Science + Technology

Red Sea stone tool find hints at hominins’ possible route out of Africa

Amanuel Beyin, University of Louisville; Ahmed Hamid Nassr., University of Ha'il; Parth Randhir Chauhan, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali

There's almost no place on earth that doesn't hold traces of humanity. But which routes did our ancestors follow first?

How we are developing immunotherapies relevant to Africa

Neelakshi Mungra, University of Cape Town; Krupa Naran, University of Cape Town; Trishana Nundalall

Most cancer research has been done in Europe, there's minimal data on African populations.

From our international editions

Spanish election: victory for Socialists as VOX surge fragments right-wing vote

Caroline Gray, Aston University

Sánchez seeks to build alliances but not a formal coalition as the Socialists win but fall short of an absolute majority.

Shutting down social media does not reduce violence, but rather fuels it

Jan Rydzak, Stanford University

Internet blackouts deprive people of impartial information and crucial connections with loved ones, without delivering improved safety or stability.

Is there a ‘feminine’ response to terrorism?

Mona Krewel, Cornell University; Sabrina Karim, Cornell University

After the Christchurch mosque shootings, New Zealand's prime minister didn't start a war on terror. She covered her head, cried, paid for funerals and passed gun control. Is it because she's a woman?

Eight reasons why comedians make good leaders

Kathleen Cronie, University of Aberdeen

Humour can diffuse tension, foster creativity and help build a team.

En français

Start-up de la viande artificielle, futurs Monsanto-Bayer de l’agriculture cellulaire ?

Cyrine Ben-Hafaïedh, IÉSEG School of Management

De nombreuses start-up se lancent à l’assaut de la « viande in vitro », et les investisseurs se jettent dessus. Une industrie qui pourrait révolutionner le monde de la viande… mais à quel prix ?

Et si on transformait Notre-Dame en entrepôt géant ?

Aurélien Rouquet, Neoma Business School

Les arguments qui plaident en faveur de cette piste, certes un peu farfelue, ne manquent pas…

En español

Elecciones generales en España: el ganador, el perdedor y la sorpresa

Juan Luis Manfredi, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha

Desde 2015 la política española ha vivido en una montaña rusa. Cataluña, el artículo 155, la moción de censura, la irrupción de Vox... El suspense, tras nuevo escenario tras el 28A, está asegurado.

La hora de la política: el nuevo escenario exige negociación para obtener mayorías estables

Josep Maria Reniu Vilamala, Universitat de Barcelona

El PSOE deberá desplegar una estrategia negociadora en un contexto complejo: en menos de un mes seremos llamados otra vez a las urnas para los comicios municipales, regionales y para elegir a los representantes en el Parlamento Europeo.

 
 
 
 

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