What do Uber, Netflix and TikTok have in common?



It’s one word.



And working out how to remove it will become the most important strategic discussion for CEOs across the globe in the coming years.



It should already be the most important word.



And that word is friction.



The companies I named at the start are all early examples of how you can have global success by removing friction from your customer’s lives.



Uber, for example, removes friction by making it much easier and faster to pick up a ride than the metered taxi model it replaced.



Netflix removes friction by delivering quality, binge- able content without delaying consumer gratification with adverts or timetables.



And TikTok takes it to another level by removing the friction of viewers needing to spend time choosing what to watch. Its algorithm calculates what people want based on how they interact with the app. In fact, the more you think about it, the more obvious it becomes that the best companies are masters at removing friction. Google (frictionless search), Wise (frictionless  cross- border payments) and Amazon (frictionless shopping) are just three more examples.



On the other hand, the brands we love to hate are the ones that waste our most precious asset. Time.



For example, don’t you get frustrated with the excessive form-filling when hiring a car, queueing at a bank branch, or holding for a call center agent?



I know I do.



Fortunately, this is all about to change, and companies that have clung on to life like limpets despite wasting millions of hours of their customers’ lives will have to adapt to survive because of the widespread adoption of large language models, like ChatGPT.



Take the example of Klarna, a leading global payments and shopping service.



On February 27 2024, they announced that their new AI assistant had handled two-thirds of customer chats in its first month. That’s the equivalent workload of 700 full-time agents, which equates to an estimated



$40-million improvement in their bottom line. They went on to say that the AI agents were on par with customer satisfaction scores, were more accurate in errand resolution (leading to a 25% drop in repeat inquiries) and were able to resolve queries in less than two minutes, compared to the previous 11.



You don’t have to be a call center expert to understand that these are just staggering improvements which showcase the potential of moving from human to artificial intelligence. And you have to remember that this is version 0.1, and we should expect exponential improvements over the next few years.



In fact, the idea that a machine will be able to better communicate with humans in a more personalized, knowledgeable, and empathetic manner is no longer just science fiction. It’s fast becoming a science fact. 



Having just spent a wasted hour on the phone with my internet service provider, I can’t wait. I would pay extra to be able to deal with a bot that listens to my problems, understands my history, is able to take decisions without escalating, can respond not just in my language but in my accent or dialect and is able to pick up on any number of visual and audio queues to better understand me and make me feel valued and appreciated. Perhaps even loved.



And if this leads to hours-long call times because customers feel compelled to share their personal trials and tribulations, why not?



After all, our buying decisions are based on emotions, and who better to exploit that than a machine?



Because unlike human agents, the virtual kind are available 24/7 in every single corner of the globe and they know more about us than any human ever can.



These are not just my fantasies. The markets agree. When Klarna shared its AI successes, it was reported that a leading traditional call center company saw its share price drop in just one day.



CEOs now have no choice but to switch their investments from human to artificial intelligence to provide frictionless services.



The benefits for investors and customers are clear. It’s equally obvious that the millions of knowledge workers who operate today’s phones will have to find new vocations, and they will have to find them fast.



Which begs one big question. Do we really want a frictionless world if the cost is that human capital becomes worthless

TikTok To Be Banned From UK Government Phones

Remove This To Win, But Beware Of The Consequences

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Dating app Bumble said it’s removing billboards seemingly targeted at women that discourage celibacy after receiving backlash online from women who feel the messaging delegitimizes women’s freedom of choice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



After deleting all of its old posts on Instagram, Bumble teased a rebrand on its social media platforms, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6Yy8aXumhT/?igsh=eGl3OGgxZXZzbDY2" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">launched</a>&nbsp;April 30 by saying dating needs a “wake-up call,” and featuring historic images of women “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6WxszTJbPx/?igsh=YjNzb2NwOWM1Njc3" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">exhausted</a>&nbsp;from the dating scene.”



However, pictures of some of Bumble’s new billboards&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@madisonissofetch/photo/7368201692938013995?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESPgo8I6NUvFGxWd7SMDmdnIbmEVYr46g94WweCsKhaNTP008%2F3Dx%2Bww5Hm37zzmumluxAQ2CCjJIdnsQR%2BrMBGgA%3D&amp;_r=1&amp;checksum=d6d216e44631ba6181843626b73751a55e0066fd1cf458a4b30ba50bd88046bf&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAA56GKvbqlBu-PDz5ykOH3DgMGbj_1dbD6oIlfB-Ax-OW65ZCMuEh8xDPoy9r8rFJE&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=7368201692938013995&amp;share_link_id=38C5FD74-C2CA-4D65-8064-D989C60C8BB5&amp;sharer_language=en&amp;social_share_type=14&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1715615852&amp;tt_from=more&amp;u_code=da6mfjh616m2fm&amp;ug_btm=b0%2Cb2878&amp;user_id=6778275755265737734&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=more" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">went viral</a>&nbsp;on social media due to their suggestion that celibacy isn’t the answer to dating; the ads, which feature images of women, include messaging like “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun,” and “You know full well a vow of celibacy is not the answer.”



A Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C633OMnOp3t/?igsh=MWU0aGViaG8yMjRqeA%3D%3D" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Instagram post</a>&nbsp;from Bumble celebrating Mother’s Day was flooded with comments from users encouraging women to “stay celibate,” while others declared they will delete their Bumble accounts because the company’s “main interest is not women, but the patriarchy.”



Some social media users&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@madisonissofetch/photo/7368201692938013995?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESPgo8I6NUvFGxWd7SMDmdnIbmEVYr46g94WweCsKhaNTP008%2F3Dx%2Bww5Hm37zzmumluxAQ2CCjJIdnsQR%2BrMBGgA%3D&amp;_r=1&amp;checksum=d6d216e44631ba6181843626b73751a55e0066fd1cf458a4b30ba50bd88046bf&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAA56GKvbqlBu-PDz5ykOH3DgMGbj_1dbD6oIlfB-Ax-OW65ZCMuEh8xDPoy9r8rFJE&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=7368201692938013995&amp;share_link_id=38C5FD74-C2CA-4D65-8064-D989C60C8BB5&amp;sharer_language=en&amp;social_share_type=14&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1715615852&amp;tt_from=more&amp;u_code=da6mfjh616m2fm&amp;ug_btm=b0%2Cb2878&amp;user_id=6778275755265737734&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=more" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">feel like</a>&nbsp;Bumble’s new anti-celibacy campaign is “counterintuitive to its origin story,” which was a dating app “where women&nbsp;<a href="https://bumble.com/about" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">set the tone</a>,” and can find romantic relationships or new platonic friends.



One TikTok creator—whose&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@emangetalife/video/7368186297086758187?_r=1&amp;_t=8mJuLYRbEQU" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">viral video</a>&nbsp;has almost 450,000 views—said Bumble is “delegitimizing our celibacy because you want males to have more access to our bodies,” captioning the video “4B 4LLLLLL,” a reference to the Korean feminist&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thecut.com/2023/03/4b-movement-feminism-south-korea.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">4B movement</a>, which is the refusal of childbirth, heterosexual marriage, dating and heterosexual sexual relationships.



Bumble told Forbes Monday it included the celibacy ads “as a response to the frustrations of dating,” but it’s in the process of removing the ads due to the concerns it’s received from customers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“We have heard the concerns shared about the ad’s language and understand that rather than highlighting a current sentiment towards dating, it may have had a negative impact on some of our community,” Bumble told Forbes. “This was not our intention and we are in the process of removing it from our marketing campaign, and will continue to listen to the feedback from our members.&#8221;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Bumble was released in December 2014, and received over 100,000 downloads within its first month, according to Forbes’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2017/11/14/billion-dollar-bumble-how-whitney-wolfe-herd-built-americas-fastest-growing-dating-app/?sh=682cb625248b">reporting</a>. It set itself apart from other dating apps because it relied on women making the first move and sending the first message after a match. The point of this was to “feel more polite and walled-off” than other dating apps like Tinder—which is infamously known for its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.papermag.com/tinder-it-starts-with-swipe#rebelltitem18" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">hookup culture</a>. However, as a part of Bumble’s rebrand, the company launched the “Opening Moves” feature in April, which lets women put questions on their dating profiles, allowing men to send the first message after a match. Whitney Wolfe Herd—Bumble’s co-founder and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/11/06/former-billionaire-whitney-wolfe-herd-out-as-bumble-ceo-amid-stocks-80-slide/?sh=2d4eb8e1235e">former CEO</a>—<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/style/bumble-dating-apps.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;The New York Times the new feature was introduced after receiving feedback from women who felt like sending the first message was a burden.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



The rise of celibacy among women has grown in recent years. Though it’s popular among religious groups, many young women have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-women-abstaining-sex-celibacy-dating-hook-up-culture-2023-4" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;they’re not celibate because of religion, but instead to reevaluate their relationships with men. Actress Julia Fox even weighed in on the celibacy conversation,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ferociouskatie/photo/7367755849294449963?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESPgo88eO0qVS1uRspk6%2FTRKIKdgRHOPkkHg5Gu4pfnLy%2FmAj4xbKm7mlbm3Y%2BuxbwvoZ338e26eWcxVt1kRHnGgA%3D&amp;_r=1&amp;checksum=6aa28a9dfb43210fd172ef3b58fe733eb334faaa0285f729041e49a1c74fd5a9&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAA56GKvbqlBu-PDz5ykOH3DgMGbj_1dbD6oIlfB-Ax-OW65ZCMuEh8xDPoy9r8rFJE&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=7367755849294449963&amp;share_link_id=4B235F1A-9440-48F8-A199-74565EE9BE47&amp;sharer_language=en&amp;social_share_type=14&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1715621854&amp;tt_from=more&amp;u_code=da6mfjh616m2fm&amp;ug_btm=b5836%2Cb2878&amp;user_id=6778275755265737734&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=more" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">commenting</a>&nbsp;“2.5 years of celibacy and never better tbh” on a viral TikTok video that featured pictures of Bumble’s celibacy ads.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



4 million. That’s how many paying users Bumble had in 2023, according to a February&nbsp;<a href="https://ir.bumble.com/news/news-details/2024/Bumble-Inc.-Announces-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2023-Results/default.aspx" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">announcement</a>. Its app revenue increased by 22% to $884.8 million last year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forbes-valuation">FORBES VALUATION</h2>



Forbes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/whitney-wolfe-herd/?sh=31c2a0493147">estimates</a>&nbsp;Wolfe Herd’s net worth at $400 million.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/11/06/former-billionaire-whitney-wolfe-herd-out-as-bumble-ceo-amid-stocks-80-slide/?sh=2d4eb8e1235e">Former Billionaire Whitney Wolfe Herd Out As Bumble CEO Amid Stock’s 80% Slide</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2017/11/14/billion-dollar-bumble-how-whitney-wolfe-herd-built-americas-fastest-growing-dating-app/?sh=682cb625248b">Billion-Dollar Bumble: How Whitney Wolfe Herd Built America&#8217;s Fastest-Growing Dating App</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/style/bumble-dating-apps.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Women on Bumble No Longer Have to Make the First Move</a>&nbsp;(New York Times)



<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/style/bumble-dating-apps.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tinder Is Helping Redefine &#8216;Hookup Culture&#8217;</a>&nbsp;(Paper)



<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-women-abstaining-sex-celibacy-dating-hook-up-culture-2023-4" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Frustrated with hookup culture, Gen Z women are swearing off sex and entering their &#8216;celibacy era&#8217;</a>&nbsp;(Business Insider)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/"></a>

Blackstone Seeks Payout From Bumble Loan Amid Online Dating Boom

Bumble Removing Controversial Celibacy Ads Following Online Backlash: What To Know

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



“Veneer techs” have gone viral on social media after a self-proclaimed tech confused users by shared his certificate of completion, and a separate TikTok user shared a horror story of her veneers falling out after two days, but dentists warn these techs are performing dental work illegally, and they put patients at risk for serious health issues down the line.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Veneer techs are people who illegally place veneers on patients after completing a two-day training course that typically cost around $2,000 to $3,000, after which these tech receive certificates of completion that do not certify them to perform dental work, Jandra Korb, dental director of healthcare company DentaQuest, told Forbes.



Licensed dentists have National Provider Identifiers they use at licensed dental supply stores, where they’re able to buy products and instruments, but some veneer techs use nail supplies like acrylic for their procedures, while others buy kits off sites like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=veneer+kit&amp;crid=3JTD9OB2MKUU8&amp;sprefix=veneer+kit%2Caps%2C100&amp;ref=nb_sb_noss_1" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.temu.com/search_result.html?search_key=veneer%20teeth%20kit&amp;search_method=user" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Temu</a>—which don’t check NPIs—Ashley Brede Ciapciak, dentist at Brede Ciapciak Dental, told Forbes.



Dentists are the only people who are legally allowed to perform veneer work, so veneer techs are “playing a risky game with patients’ health” since they may lack the proper knowledge on sterilization and dental health that formally trained dentists have, Whitney White, a dentist at Aspen Dental in Nevada, told Forbes.



Ciapciak warned these illegal techs can be criminally charged with practicing medicine without a license, which is a felony in most states, and patients can also sue them for assault and battery if their dental work goes wrong.



A Las Vegas woman who ran an illegal company called the Veneer Experts was&nbsp;<a href="https://news.yahoo.com/woman-accused-working-dentist-las-045141411.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;with felony counts of illegal practice of dentistry earlier this year after a patient’s teeth fell out, and the patient filed a complaint with the state.



Patients who seek out veneer techs often do so because they’re cheaper than traditional dentists—who may&nbsp;<a href="https://planofamilydental.com/cost-of-veneers-in-plano.html#:~:text=Porcelain%20Veneers%20FAQ&amp;text=A%20composite%20veneer%20can%20cost,%24900%20to%20%241950%20per%20tooth." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">charge</a>&nbsp;between $800 and $1,950 per tooth—but Ciapciak recommends going to a dental school to get this work done, since they’re “one-third to one-fourth of the cost of a private practice,” but still follow proper procedures with sterile instruments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-dental-veneers">WHAT ARE DENTAL VENEERS?</h2>



Dental veneers are custom made coverings that fit over the surface of teeth, and are typically used for cosmetic purposes like improving discolored teeth,&nbsp;<a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23522-dental-veneers" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the Cleveland Clinic. Though there are several types of veneers, there are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smiledentalcenterct.com/blog/cosmetic-dentistry/types-dental-veneers/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">five</a>&nbsp;common types. Porcelain veneers, or traditional veneers, are the most common form, and require the front of each tooth to be grinded down before the shells are placed on top. Composite veneers are made of tooth-colored composite resin—which is also used for dental bonding—and typically last 10 years. No-prep veneers are less invasive and take less time since the dentist only removes a small portion of enamel from the teeth. Though they can last up to 20 years, they’re thin and don’t cover stains on the teeth. Unlike the other types of veneers, same-day veneers don’t require multiple visits, and are best for hiding small visual imperfections.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.simplysmilesdentist.com/blog/understand-the-different-types-of-dental-veneers/#:~:text=Not%20all%20veneers%20are%20created,of%20composite%20materials%20or%20porcelain." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Palatal veneers</a>&nbsp;are typically made of gold or porcelain, and are applied to the inside of the upper teeth and used to treat wear and tear and prevent further damage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



An Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C5POSJjLM5_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;of a veneer tech posing with his certificate of completion went viral on social media, causing people to question what exactly a veneer tech does. Some dentists like Ben “The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thebentist/video/7362613284035448106?_r=1&amp;_t=8m36mg93SlX" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bentist</a>” Winters took to TikTok to persuade people from getting work done by these techs, and to warn their state’s licensing board. Ciapciak has made several TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@drciapciak/video/7323742878503849262?_r=1&amp;_t=8m35BRktSe6" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">videos</a>&nbsp;about the dangers of veneer techs after a tech—who has since made her account private, making her videos unviewable—went viral on the platform for performing botched work on a client. TikToker Tybabira88—who Forbes has reached out to for comment—claimed in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@tybabira88/video/7350774632833666347?_r=1&amp;_t=8m37CIMifoh" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">video</a>&nbsp;she drove over seven hours and paid $1,500 for an unlicensed veneer tech, who was working in the back of a barber shop, to do her veneers, though they only lasted two days. These techs may be putting people’s lives at risk because they’re typically not trained to check for the health of a patient’s teeth, Korb said. If a tech seals a veneer over a tooth with an infection, “the only place [the infection]has to go is inward,” which can enter the bloodstream and then make its way up to the brain since it&#8217;s so close to the mouth. The infection can be treated with antibiotics if it’s caught soon enough, but tooth infections&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/how-long-until-a-tooth-infection-kills-you" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">can lead</a>&nbsp;to death.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“[Veneer techs’] work can lead to severe consequences such as tooth damage, infections and even hospitalization,” White said. “It&#8217;s crucial that people seeking veneers prioritize their own safety by ensuring that they receive treatment from qualified and licensed dental professionals.”<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/"></a>

INDIA – Places To Visit

What To Know About Viral ‘Veneer Techs’—And Why Dentists Warn Against Them

Hamisha Daryani Ahuja’s Postcards on Netflix is centered around real-life stories without pitting both cultures against the other.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
&#8220;This is something that had not been done, and I had always wondered why.&#8221;
</blockquote>



Hamisha Daryani Ahuja&#8217;s path took her through the realm of business ownership before she made her mark in the world of cinema, thus fulfilling a childhood dream.



&#8220;I actually grew up dreaming of the film industry,&#8221; Ahuja reminisces in a conversation with FORBES AFRICA from the heart of Lagos, Nigeria, reflecting on her early aspirations. &#8220;It was something I felt I needed to do.&#8221;



Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish and run a successful restaurant business in Lagos for seven years. But she eventually sold it. &#8220;..and that left me very free to pursue my dreams wholeheartedly,&#8221; she explains.



Ahuja&#8217;s debut film production, Namaste Wahala, marked a moment in cinematic history as it brought together the colorful worlds of Bollywood and Nollywood in a way that had never been done before.



&#8220;I had the idea of bringing Bollywood and Nollywood together,&#8221; Ahuja shares. &#8220;This is something that had not been done, and I had always wondered why.&#8221;


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Hamisha-Ahuja-image-supplied-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61768" style="width:348px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Hamisha-Ahuja-image-supplied-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Hamisha-Ahuja-image-supplied-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Hamisha-Ahuja-image-supplied-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Hamisha-Ahuja-image-supplied-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Hamisha-Ahuja-image-supplied-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hamisha Ahuja; photo by Akinlabi Akinbulumo</figcaption></figure></div>


Despite her lack of formal educational experience in filmmaking, Ahuja&#8217;s hands-on approach and business acumen, honed through years of entrepreneurship, equipped her to navigate the challenges of the film industry seamlessly.



&#8220;The major challenge was learning&#8230; day one on the set was day one for me in the film industry,&#8221; she reveals. &#8220;But what I was able to learn&#8230; has really helped me grow.&#8221;



Ahuja&#8217;s latest project, the Postcards series, further showcases her commitment to storytelling that transcends cultural boundaries.



&#8220;With Postcards, I had Nollywood go to India for the first time&#8230; centered around real-life stories without pitting both cultures against the other,&#8221; she explains.



Through her work, Ahuja aims to contribute to the evolving landscape of gender representation in both industries, recognizing the pivotal role of women in creative leadership.



&#8220;I think Nollywood has moved really far&#8230; a lot of the stakeholders are women,&#8221; she notes. &#8220;We just need to put out more content from the women&#8217;s perspective.&#8221;



As Ahuja prepares for the global release of Postcards on Netflix, she emphasizes the importance of balancing creativity with commercial viability, ensuring that stories resonate with diverse audiences.



&#8220;If you are completely creative and don&#8217;t think about the business side of things, it may be harder to see the commercial side,&#8221; she advises.



For aspiring creative entrepreneurs, Ahuja offers a message: &#8220;Just do it&#8230; dream big. Be practical. If you have a day job or income from somewhere else, don&#8217;t necessarily quit that job. Back it up with action, education and learning.&#8221;

Hamisha Ahuja (third from left) on location for Postcards; image supplied

Lights, Camera, Collaboration: The Filmmaker Bridging Nollywood And Bollywood

With Baby Boomers aging and nursing home care costs climbing, obscure old sleeper laws on the books in more than half the states could come back to haunt the adult children of seniors who can’t pay for their own care.



In her five years as a Democratic member of Pennsylvania’s State House, Kristine Howard has fought for gun control, abortion rights, environmental protections and greater funding for public education. But this year, after the death of a colleague, Anthony M. DeLuca Sr., she took up his decade-long crusade to change an obscure state law under the provocative bill title: &#8220;Stop Bankrupting Pennsylvanians Over Family Medical Bills” Act.



The law Howard is seeking to change is Pennsylvania’s “filial support” law–a concept dating to colonial days, with the current version written into state law in 1937. It makes those with financial means legally responsible for nursing home, medical and other bills of destitute family members, including aging parents, adult children and a spouse.



“It can be a rude awakening for many people,” says Howard, a 62-year old lawyer representing Chester County in eastern Pennsylvania.



More than half the states and Puerto Rico have such laws on the books, though most of them are what Katherine C. Pearson, an elder law expert and law professor at Pennsylvania State University, refers to as “scarecrow” laws. That means they’re rarely enforced but left in the state code as a warning—in this case, to those who might consider shirking familial responsibility, whether it’s helping to pay parents’ bills or providing hands on care themselves. (An&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardgleckman/2023/11/07/forget-national-caregivers-month-think-about-what-family-caregivers-need/?sh=47cc1bcb19cb">estimated 42 million Americans</a>, the largest group of them women in their 50s, but increasingly men and younger folks too, provide caregiving to aging relatives.)



Two significant Pennsylvania cases, combined with the rising costs of long term care nationwide and yawning gaps in coverage for that care, show that these scarecrow laws can turn into a live threat–and not just to Pennsylvanians.



The Keystone state’s law, which provides an exemption if your parents abandoned you for 10 years or more while you were a child–but no break for adult estrangement–gained new relevance in 2012. That’s when the Pennsylvania Superior Court&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/superior-court/2012/536-eda-2011.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">held John Pittas</a>&nbsp;liable for his mother’s full $93,000 unpaid nursing home bill (resulting from a car accident), after she’d moved to Greece to live with two of her other children.



In 2019, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/supreme-court/2019/78-map-2017.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">ruled</a>&nbsp;that a Princeton, N.J. couple could be held liable for an unpaid $205,000 bill for the care of their severely disabled adult son at Melmark, a residential care facility in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. (New Jersey had been paying the tab, but stopped paying because it wanted him moved to a cheaper New Jersey facility. The couple wouldn’t have been liable under New Jersey law, but Pennsylvania’s high court decided it could hit the parents with Pennsylvania’s harsher rules.)



There’s no uniformity in the filial laws. While in Pennsylvania, the potential hit is wholly financial (including a possible lien on your property), in some states failure to support a parent can be prosecuted as a criminal offense. Massachusetts’&nbsp;<a href="https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter273/Section20" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">law</a>, written in 1915, imposes a fine of up to $200 and a prison term of up to one year (or both) for “neglect or refusal to support a parent.”



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“Most adult children do undertake responsibilities for their parents as they age&#8230; They do this without laws obligating them to do so, thank goodness.”Law Professor Katherine C. Pearson
</blockquote>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



North Carolina’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_14/gs_14-326.1.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">law</a>, which has been in its current form since 1955, makes it a misdemeanor–which could result in jail time–for a person to &#8220;without reasonable cause, neglect to maintain or support his or her parent or parents, if such parent or parents be sick or not able to work and have not sufficient means or ability to maintain or support themselves.&#8221; The law is still on the books, though recent history suggests it is not often enforced. Ditto in&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=51003" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Kentucky</a>.



Even in states where there hasn&#8217;t been an appetite to enforce filial support laws, there also hasn&#8217;t been much movement to repeal them. Economics–and that desired scarecrow effect—are likely the primary reasons.



While the federal Medicare program pays for the majority of medical care for those over 65, it does not–<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianeomdahl/2023/01/10/warning-medicare-does-not-pay-for-long-term-care/?sh=7e58463d5850">despite what many middle class Baby Boomers think</a>–cover long term custodial care. The confusion over Medicare stems from the fact that the federal program will pay for up to 100 days of rehabilitation in a skilled nursing care facility (after a three-day hospital stay) and some skilled nursing or physical therapists visits at home, but not for custodial care–the kind of help with activities of daily living (such as bathing, dressing and eating) a majority of elders end up needing either in a nursing home or their own or their children’s home.



It’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardgleckman/2022/04/15/is-long-term-care-a-predictable-need-or-an-unexpected-one/?sh=1e2daa5a4b87">hard to predict</a>&nbsp;whether any one individual will need extended long term care support–about four in ten of today’s 65-year-olds won’t need such care at all, but more than 20% of Boomers will&nbsp;<a href="https://acl.gov/ltc/basic-needs/how-much-care-will-you-need" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">need five or more years of care</a>. The cost of nursing home care varies based on geography and level of care, but it’s steep: on average, a semi-private room in a nursing home runs around $8,669 per month, while a private room will cost you $9,733 per month, according to Genworth’s annual Cost of Care&nbsp;<a href="https://www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">survey</a>. Home health care aides now average $33 per hour, with homemaker services running at $30 an hour, the survey found.



At those rates, many seniors who need years of care will run out of money. Private long term care insurance isn’t much of an option these days—a raft of carriers have stopped selling the policies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardgleckman/2024/02/21/voters-to-decide-on-washingtons-public-long-term-care-insurance-program/?sh=3a7e18ca5ea8">because the risk is so high</a>&nbsp;and healthy consumers aren’t buying policies because they fear premium increases. (The Obama Administration killed plans for a voluntary public insurance program after concluding&nbsp;<a href="https://howardgleckman.com/2011/10/20/what-we-learned-from-the-class-long-term-care-debacle/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">that premiums in them would be unaffordable</a>&nbsp;for most people.)



That is where Medicaid, a joint federal-state program, comes in. It is primarily geared toward low-income families, but picks up long term care costs for elderly once-middle class folks who have exhausted their assets.



The eligibility standards vary from state to state—in Pennsylvania, in 2024, a single nursing home Medicaid applicant must have income under $2,829 per month and assets under $2,000 (not a typo). Assets include stocks, bonds, investments, and bank accounts—and your IRA or 401(k) (fortunately, however, the retirement accounts of a non-applicant spouse are exempt). Assets that aren&#8217;t included are personal belongings, your vehicle, irrevocable burial reserves (up to 25% of the average cost of burial in one&#8217;s area), and often, your primary home.  The State of New York is a bit more generous when it comes to assets. While your income must be under $1,732 monthly, you can retain assets of up to $30,182. Unlike in Pennsylvania,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/medicaid-eligibility-new-york/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York exempts</a>&nbsp;your IRA and 401(k) plans if they are in payout status, meaning that you&#8217;re taking required minimum distributions (RMDs).



Bottom line: to afford years of long term care, you typically need to be wealthy enough to cover costs out of your savings, or needy enough to qualify for government assistance.



Some seniors plan to get to the &#8220;needy&#8221; level by giving assets away. Done right, and early enough, with professional help, Medicaid planning works, says&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolynrosenblatt/?sh=7f56d1296517">Carolyn Rosenblatt</a>, a California lawyer and nurse (and&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;contributor) who advises families on elder issues.



But the government has tough rules to discourage last minute maneuvers; when someone applies for Medicaid long-term care coverage, the government looks back at any asset transfers the applicant (or the applicant’s spouse) has made during the lookback period, typically 60 months. The government can deny coverage for an extended period based on the amount transferred and the cost of care and rules in each state. So, for example, Pennsylvania’s lookback rate is currently $11,548 per month. If you gave away $100,000 within the lookback window, you would be ineligible for almost 9 months. And there’s no time limit here–if you gave away $2 million, you&#8217;d be ineligible for 173 months. (As a practical matter, that would mean you’d have to wait five years after the transfer to apply at all.)



If an elder enters a nursing home, runs through his money, and then is found ineligible for Medicaid, a nursing home’s best bet is to come after the children with a filial suit (or more commonly, a threat of one) to cover the cost of care. The other alternative is eviction–not a terrific option when 24-hour-a-day care may be needed and no other nursing home will take a prospective resident with neither assets nor Medicaid coverage.



The Medicaid look-back rules might seem fair to taxpayers, who after all, pay the cost of the program. But filial laws are separate from Medicaid planning, good or bad. In Pennsylvania, for example, it doesn’t matter whether an adult child has received a penny of assets from his broke parent—only that the child has the financial resources to pick up unpaid bills. An ailing, aging parent could give all his money to Child A, who gambles it away and ends up busted. Then, if that parent is denied Medicaid because of the transfer, the nursing home could come after Child B, who got nothing from the parent, but has money in the bank because he works hard and saves.



That is where Pennsylvania State Rep Howard and her &#8220;Stop Bankrupting Pennsylvanians Over Family Medical Bills&#8221; Act comes in.



The bill would not repeal filial laws but would tweak them in a way that she thinks sounds fairer. Howard said it would modernize the law &#8220;to ensure spouses, children, and parents are only held liable for outstanding medical bills if the indigent individual has colluded with the family member to hide assets within the past five years, or if the family member fails to cooperate in the Medical Assistance process.&#8221; In other words, it would copy the Medicaid look-back process–kids would be on the hook if parents had recently transferred assets to them, but couldn’t be legally forced to cough up money they’d earned on their own to pay for their aging parents.



Law professor Pearson, no fan of filial laws, has worked for years to protect elders from financial exploitation. She observes she has “often heard from older parents who express worry about the possibility of ‘the government’ imposing a burden on their children,’’ but “has never heard one say they are relying on `the law’ to make their children do their duty.”



“Most adult children do undertake responsibilities for their parents as they age and especially if their parents’ abilities wane,’’ she adds. “They do this because it is the right thing to do. They do this without laws obligating them to do so, thank goodness.”

Calculate drug cost.,doctor is calculating cost of treatment

Why You Might Be Responsible For Paying Your Parents’ Medical Debts

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Food recalls in 2023 reached the highest levels the U.S. has recorded since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly driven by undisclosed allergens and listeria contamination, according to a new report released Thursday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Some 313 food recalls (impacting products that were still on sale) and alerts (involving products no longer on sale, but may be in consumers’ homes) were announced last year by the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an 8% increase from 2022 and the highest number since the COVID pandemic began in 2020, according to a report released Thursday by the nonprofit U.S. Public Research Interest Group Education Fund.



Contaminated food resulted in six deaths and over 1,100 illnesses last year, though the researchers suspect there were more illnesses since most people recover from food poisoning without medical attention.



The most commonly recalled food items in 2023 were snacks like cookies and granola bars, which accounted for one in five recalls, though other commonly recalled foods included fruit—mainly cantaloupes—beef, soup, salads and greens, poultry, cheese, vegetables, supplements and pet food, according to the report.



Almost half of all recalls (49.3%) in 2023 were related to allergens undeclared on packaging, while other major reasons for recalls were listeria contamination (15%), salmonella contamination (8.6%) and uninspected products (6.1%).



This uptick in undisclosed allergen cases was partially driven by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/allergic-sesame-food-labels-now-must-list-sesame-allergen#:~:text=As%20of%20January%201%2C%202023%2C%20sesame%20is%20required%20to%20be,milk" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">inclusion</a>&nbsp;of sesame—which accounted for 39% of the increase—as a required disclosed allergen, a rule that began in January 2023.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-5-biggest-food-recalls-of-2024-so-far">WHAT ARE THE 5 BIGGEST FOOD RECALLS OF 2024 SO FAR?</h2>



<ul>
<li>Dairy products: An investigation into a “multi-year, multistate” <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/02/08/costco-trader-joes-walmart-recall-dairy-products-over-listeria-outbreak-what-to-know/?sh=7902e28a47f5">listeria outbreak</a> was reopened after listeria was found in several food products containing dairy like queso fresco and cotija cheese. This outbreak includes cases dating back to 2014, and the FDA investigated it in 2017 and 2021, though it couldn’t link a specific brand to the outbreak. The most recent investigation was reopened in January, and manufacturer Rizo-Lopez Foods voluntarily recalled around <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/176015/download?attachment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">60</a> dairy products. Major retailers like Walmart, Costco and Trader Joe’s recalled products including salad and taco kits due to potential contamination. As of April 9, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-queso-fresco-and-cotija-cheese-february-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> the outbreak is over. The agencies said there were 26 cases, 23 hospitalizations and two deaths across 11 states.</li>



<li>Trader Joe’s Dumplings: Over 61,000 pounds of Trader Joe’s steamed chicken soup dumplings were recalled in March due to potential hard plastic contamination from a permanent marker. The products were voluntarily recalled by manufacturer CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporation, <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/cj-foods-manufacturing-beaumont-corporation-recalls-trader-joes-chicken-soup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a> to the USDA. The problem was discovered after customers submitted complaints of hard plastics in their dumplings, though no adverse reactions were reported.</li>



<li>Ground cinnamon: The FDA issued an <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-alert-concerning-certain-cinnamon-products-due-presence-elevated-levels-lead" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alert</a> in March warning it found unsafe levels of lead in six ground cinnamon products. These products were sold in discount stores like Dollar Tree and Family Dollar across several states. This recall came after the FDA investigated the recall of lead-tainted <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/02/07/lead-poisoned-applesauce-ecuadorian-cinnamon-processor-likely-source-behind-recalled-pouches-fda-says/?sh=27a6e3082618">cinnamon applesauces</a> in 2023 that led to over 500 reports of adverse events in children.</li>



<li>Trader Joe’s cashews: Wenders LLC, the manufacturer of the nuts, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/caileygleeson/2024/03/18/trader-joes-cashews-recall-product-pulled-in-16-states-over-salmonella-concerns/?sh=3ac5e89e58d4">recalled</a> four lots of Trader Joe’s 50% Less Sodium Roasted &amp; Salted Whole Cashews in March due to potential salmonella contamination. Though no illnesses have been reported, the potentially contaminated nuts were sold in 16 states.</li>



<li>Quaker Oats products: Quaker Oats <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/update-quaker-issues-revised-recall-notice-additional-products-due-possible-health-risk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expanded</a> its list of recalled products in January after it recalled several in December due to possible salmonella contamination. This expanded list included over 20 granola, protein and cereal bars, cereals, instant oatmeals and snack mixes sold in all 50 states. However, no adverse events have been reported.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



48 million. That’s how many Americans the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/2011-foodborne-estimates.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;get sick annually due to foodborne disease, totaling one out of six Americans. Out of that number, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Food gets recalled in one of four ways, according to the report. One way is consumers get sick, seek medical attention and then local officials or the CDC test fluids and trace an outbreak to a specific food item; another is consumers file a complaint with companies or regulators; a third is local, state or federal officials discover an issue through investigations or routine surveillance; and the other method is by companies self-reporting a problem after testing. The FDA regulates around&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/143704/download" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">78%</a>&nbsp;of the country’s food supply, and its oversight includes everything except meat, poultry and some fish and eggs products, which are regulated by the USDA. The FDA was behind 224 recalls in 2023, while the USDA accounted for 89, according to the report. Although the number of recalls via the FDA were virtually unchanged, the number of USDA recalls increased by 31% in 2023 compared with 2022—the highest levels since 2019.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/02/08/costco-trader-joes-walmart-recall-dairy-products-over-listeria-outbreak-what-to-know/?sh=7902e28a47f5">Costco, Trader Joe’s, Walmart Recall Dairy Products Over Listeria Outbreak—What To Know</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/02/07/lead-poisoned-applesauce-ecuadorian-cinnamon-processor-likely-source-behind-recalled-pouches-fda-says/?sh=27a6e3082618">Lead-Poisoned Applesauce: Ecuadorian Cinnamon Processor ‘Likely Source’ Behind Recalled Pouches, FDA Says</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/caileygleeson/2024/03/18/trader-joes-cashews-recall-product-pulled-in-16-states-over-salmonella-concerns/?sh=3ac5e89e58d4">Trader Joe’s Cashews Recall: Product Pulled In 16 States Over Salmonella Concerns</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

A Safeway Grocery Store Ahead Of Alberston’s Earnings Figures

2023 Had Most Food Recalls Since Start Of COVID-19 Pandemic, Report Finds

The milestone speaks for itself: it’s the 10th anniversary of FORBES AFRICA’S 30 under 30 list, and just like the honorees who have come before them, the class of 2024 too are driven by impact. Profits aside, it’s about achieving success with innovation, influence and individuality. They aren’t looking to fill big shoes but rather lace up their own and forge ahead with giant strides, leading by example and leaving an indelible path for the changemakers to come.



Words and Curation:&nbsp;Chanel Retief Additional research and reporting:&nbsp;Nicole Pillay&nbsp;With inputs from:&nbsp;Oluwatomisin Amokeoja Art Direction and Layout: Lucy Nkosi |&nbsp;Photography:&nbsp;Katlego Mokubyane |&nbsp;Photography Assistant:&nbsp;Sbusiso Sigidi |&nbsp;Studio:&nbsp;NewKatz Studio, Johannesburg |&nbsp;Styling: Deneal Van Wyk |&nbsp;Outfits supplied by: B Mashilo Designs, DFLO, Franc Elis, Ephymol and Preview Accessories |&nbsp;Hair &amp; Makeup:&nbsp;SnehhOnline Beauty



Known to the world as the actress who brought Puleng Khumalo to life in the Netflix original series Blood and Water, Ama Qamata describes this “passion project” as something she wanted to see do really well. 



“I was in varsity, and dropped out in my second year,” Qamata says to FORBES AFRICA. 



“And I really was new to the industry. It was my first time doing something that big. And I just remember the shooting being so stressful. I guess my mentality the whole time was ‘I just need to show up and give my best’. I remember at the Queen Sono premiere, the CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos, met me and said, ‘oh, I’m not worried about the show’.”



Sarandos was right. Months later, when the show premiered in May 2020, it ranked number one in South Africa, France, The Bahamas, Libya, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Kenya. It is also the fi rst South African show to reach number one in the United States.



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Under 30: South African Actress On The Raw Power Of Our Stories" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0R_HHgm1a9c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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“When it came out, it was insane. I didn’t even have time to process it because I was working,” Qamata laughs. 



In a 2023 report released by the streaming platform, Netflix stipulated that since entering key countries in sub-Saharan Africa, it has contributed across economic sector value chains within and adjacent to the cultural and creative industries and stakeholder ecosystems. It has contributed “directly” to job creation, skills development, and capacity-building in the local creative industry. 



“It’s about time. I think we have the most creative people in the world,” Qamata adds. “We have such beautiful stories, and what I love about our stories is that they are so raw… what we offer, the world has not seen yet.”

Most Attractive Youtube Thumbnail (3)

Under 30: South African Actress On The Raw Power Of Our Stories

At the 2024 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Awards, held at the Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on Friday, March 8, African stateswoman and South Africa’s former first lady Graça Machel took home the 2024 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Lifetime Achievement Award. Machel dedicated the award to women both past and present.



“It has been a long moment and a long journey. It has been nearly eight decades of my journey. And as I stand here, what comes across my mind literally is the hundreds and thousands across the continent, across the globe – many women, most of them who are not here but many millions that are represented here by you today,” the founder of The Graça Machel Trust told a packed ballroom, accepting her award.



“Imagine I am standing here with the likes of Ma’Sisulu… those who are in my generation… We had dreams together, we fought together. And there were times we didn’t believe it would happen not only to have countries be free but more importantly to have women, young women taking what I call center-stage.”



Machel’s dedication to service is rooted in Mozambique’s struggle for self-rule and international advocacy for women and children’s rights. She has also dedicated her life to building equitable rights for women and children.



Machel produced a ground-breaking United Nations Children&#8217;s Fund (Unicef) report, The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children, that changed the way the United Nations and member states respond in conflict zones. She has worked in advocating for global health, child welfare, and women’s rights and empowerment.



The Graça Machel Trust she founded in 2010 focuses on advocating for women’s economic and social empowerment, food security and nutrition, education for all, as well as good governance.



In her speech, Machel stated that she will be using this award to encourage young women to uplift the continent. “At the Graca Machel Trust, we say ‘the future is African and the future is female’; this is the expression of what we see here tonight.”



She added it is the first time she has received an award in the presence of her family.



The star-studded evening celebrated women excelling in different sectors and industries across the continent. Other winners included South African middle-distance runner and Olympic gold medalist Caster Semenya (2024 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Champion of Change Award), Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis, South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha (2024 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Entertainer Award), South African actress Connie Ferguson (2024 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Media Icon Award), and CEO at EbonyLife Mo Abudu (2024 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Businesswoman Award).



The 2024 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Awards gala was held as part of the ninth annual FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit on March 8.

‘The Future Is African… The Future Is Female’: Lifetime Achievement Award For Graça Machel At FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Awards Gala

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk on Thursday teased a potential successor to its blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy, the latest in a line of next-generation obesity treatments in development as consumers flock to the powerful drugs and competitors including Eli Lilly, Pfizer and an array of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/02/28/viking-weight-loss-drug-targets-ozempic-and-mounjaro-makers-supremacy---what-to-know/?sh=15da62cf2e43">startups</a> close in to claim a share of the lucrative market.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



At an investor event on Thursday, Novo Nordisk&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/03/07/novo-nordisks-new-obesity-pill-beats-wegovy-in-early-trial/?sh=20baa926456e">shared</a>&nbsp;data from an early stage clinical trial of an experimental weight loss drug called amycretin, an oral treatment that trial results suggest could be more powerful than the company’s popular weight loss drug Wegovy.



The pill, taken once a day, helped patients in the trial drop 13% of their weight over 12 weeks, a more impressive&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2796491" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">rate</a>&nbsp;than Wegovy, where patients lost around 6% at 12 weeks.



Amycretin effectively combines the functionality of two different drugs into a single molecule that targets two hormones involved in regulating hunger and blood sugar levels: GLP-1 and amylin.



GLP-1 is the same hormone targeted by semaglutide and tirzepatide—generic names for Novo and Lilly’s diabetes and obesity blockbusters Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound—and companies including Novo and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/zealand-pharma-presents-data-for-amylin-analog-zp8396-at-obesityweek/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Zealand Pharma</a>&nbsp;view amylin as a one potential target to build next generation of weight loss drugs around.



Novo is also testing a subcutaneous form of amycretin delivered through regular injections like Wegovy and Zepbound, though the early stage trial is ongoing and data is not expected to be released until around 2025.



Novo’s head of development Martin Lange Holst said the promising trial results justify further research into the pill and that a larger Phase 2 trial would begin in the second half of the year.



When will amycretin be available?



It will still be many years before Novo’s amycretin hits pharmacy shelves. Data from the mid-stage trial will not be available until around 2026, at the earliest, and regulators are likely to want an even more comprehensive trial to assess efficacy and safety to authorize it. It’s possible later trials won’t replicate the promising results from the early stage trial—the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrd.2016.136" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">majority</a>&nbsp;of drugs fail during clinical testing—or Novo may choose to focus its attention elsewhere. Data from the injectable amycretin is likely to have an impact on Novo’s future development pathway for the drug. Side effects and safety will also need to be monitored in a larger cohort of people to see whether the drug makes a viable treatment. Novo said the safety and side effect profile is in line with its other GLP-1 drugs, which can include a variety of gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea.



News Peg



Novo’s stock hit a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/03/07/novo-nordisks-new-obesity-pill-beats-wegovy-in-early-trial/?sh=20baa926456e">new high</a>&nbsp;after the company revealed some of its future plans on Thursday, gaining 9% and sending its market capitalization soaring to almost $610 billion. The company, which dethroned Bernard Arnault’s LVMH as Europe’s largest last year, is now more&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/03/07/ozempic-maker-novo-nordisk-more-valuable-than-tesla/?sh=27a8c60133f9">valuable</a>&nbsp;than Elon Musk’s Tesla.



Big Number



$100 billion. That’s how much some analysts <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-17/lilly-lly-and-novo-novob-seen-dominating-100-billion-obesity-market-in-2030" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">believe</a> the obesity drug market will be worth by the end of the decade. Some think the market is <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/28/obesity-drugs-to-be-worth-200-billion-in-next-10-years-barclays-says.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">potentially</a> worth much more. Novo, alongside Eli Lilly, dominate the market and are likely to continue doing so for some time.<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/"></a>

Ozempic Manufacturer Sued Over Side Effects Of Medication Used For Weight Loss

Ozempic Maker’s New Weight Loss Pill Beats Wegovy In Early Trial — What To Know About Novo Nordisk’s Amycretin

Chess unveils a boundless realm of imagination and possibility — a canvas where each match paints a unique tale of conflict and conquest, where kingdoms clash in a dance of uncertainty until the final, decisive moment. FORBES AFRICA takes a look at an NGO championing the game on the continent.



In the heart of the continent beats a timeless rhythm, a symphony of intellect and strategy that has resonated throughout the ages. In one West African nation, chess, a masterpiece of human ingenuity, transcends mere gameplay to become a captivating dialogue between minds, where moves speak volumes and every piece carries the weight of strategy.



And this Nigerian group is keeping the game alive. Chess In Slums Africa, a non-profit organization based in Lagos, uses an impact model to empower their champions, through several programs.



Regarding STEM education, robotics and digital skills, Tunde Onakoya, founder of the chess group, says, “This program aims to provide children with an immersive, hands-on learning experience in slum communities. It focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education, particularly robotics, computer programming, coding, website design, graphic design, and animation.”



“Project C.A.S.T.L.E is a program that uses the game of chess to engage children from marginalized communities. It&#8217;s a game and a strategic tool that teaches critical thinking, patience, and problem-solving. The program is structured to take children from the basics to advanced levels, fostering intellectual growth and strategic planning,” Onakoya adds.



Beyond the confines of the chessboard, the initiative extends its reach to encompass the cultivation of essential life skills such as leadership, teamwork, and resilience. Its overarching objective is to establish an educational haven, using chess as a vehicle for personal growth and empowerment. Through Project C.A.S.T.L.E, the aspiration is clear: to revolutionize lives, one strategic move at a time.



“LIFELINE is a dedicated initiative to promote long term personal and professional growth for children from underprivileged backgrounds. The program offers comprehensive support by providing educational scholarships and practical vocational training,” says Onakoya.



“It helps bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world skills. By empowering participants with mentorship, civic education, and financial literacy training, LIFELINE ensures well-rounded development and enables them to pursue their aspirations confidently. The program aims to nurture future leaders and innovators who drive positive change in their communities.”



When it comes to the academic, educational, and critical thinking skills cultivated by Chess in Slums Africa, Onakoya underscores the tailored approach of their program to address the unique challenges faced by the children they serve.



“Our program aims to address challenges stemming from limited access to quality education and resources by focusing on skills that are academically enriching, practical, and relevant to their daily lives,” he says.



Additionally, Onakoya highlights the ‘mental maths’ component, which enhances arithmetic skills and fosters quick thinking and mental agility.



“Through mental maths, children can rapidly perform complex calculations, strengthening their mathematical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking abilities.”



The incorporation of tech programs also introduce essential digital literacy skills such as computer proficiency and coding fundamentals. This, he states, prepares the children for success in an increasingly technology-driven world, opening doors to future educational and career opportunities in STEM fields.



The program equips children with academically beneficial, culturally relevant and empowering skills, enabling them to overcome obstacles, pursue aspirations, and succeed not only in chess but also in life&#8217;s challenges.



Central to Chess in Slums Africa’s methodology is community engagement, actively involving local stakeholders to ensure programs are contextually relevant and responsive. Moreover, the importance of innovation and creativity, advocating for approaches that transcend traditional classroom settings to foster independent thought.



Onakoya highlights sustainability, emphasizing the need to address both immediate needs and ensure long-term impact through sustainable partnerships and by empowering children as agents of change.



Emerging from an initial disinterest in the Chess in Slums Africa program in the Majidun community, Jamiu Ninalowo surpassed expectations, becoming a leading player who outperformed his earlier-starting peers. Under the nurturing umbrella of the Chess in Slums Africa Scholarship and child development unit, Ninalowo blossomed. Completing his secondary school education, he begins a new chapter at Nexford University as a freshman, pursuing a Business Administration degree, specializing in Product Management. He is simultaneously taking courses in cybersecurity, and his chess prowess is improving by the day.



Another player – Miriam Kayang, born in the local government area of Obanliku, is the eldest of six children and a local footballer in her community. Kayang was encountered during a project in the country’s Cross River State in November 2022, among over 50 girls to whom the game of chess was taught. She was placed under a scholarship program to complete her secondary school education in 2023, and is currently a linguistics (French) student at the University of Calabar.



Overcoming initial dismissal from the Chess in Slums Africa training sessions in 2019, Fethina Maumo, a child with cerebral palsy, was born into the bustling Makoko informal settlement. Unyielding, Maumo’s determination won him a place in the sessions. His first step in English was memorizing the chess pieces and his triumph as the junior category winner forever shifted his narrative. Now, under the full sponsorship of Chess in Slums Africa, he is enrolled in school, competes in tournaments, and has received widespread recognition.



Chess, in all honesty, is like any other game at first glance. However, the beauty of it is its ability to build a mental toughness in its players akin to no other, much like the game’s own stand against the test of time.

Close-up Businessman playing chess .

How This Board Game Is Making A Difference In Lagos

With a growing youth population, the African continent could find itself on the path towards a bright future. However, this may only become a reality if the continent is able to provide widespread upskilling initiatives and tangible employment prospects.



The International Labour Organization reported in August that more than 72 million youth in Africa are not in education, employment or training, with the majority being young women. Furthermore, it was reported previously that by 2030, young Africans are expected to make up 42% of the world’s youth.



The goal to empower Africa’s young people has become a collective one. One organization working towards this is Prince’s Trust International (PTI). Founded by His Majesty, King Charles III (then Prince Charles), the Trust partners with local stakeholders to develop programs that equip young people with the skills and/or interventions needed to create a future for themselves.&nbsp;



“As a result of Prince&#8217;s Trust International’s human capital development focused&nbsp;programming, we have been able to reach over 15,000 young people since 2019 and provide them with the key skills and opportunities to secure livelihoods,” Shabir Randeree, Chairman of Prince’s Trust International, tells FORBES AFRICA.



“We have also been able to partner with a number of fantastic organizations, working together to help improve the way training facilitators and teachers engage with young people on the continent. This work has helped to deliver more impactful programming with greater rates of positive outcomes and created a ripple effect beyond the young people who directly benefit from our programs.”


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Arunma-Oteh-and-King-Charles-image-supplied.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61387" style="width:464px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Arunma-Oteh-and-King-Charles-image-supplied.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Arunma-Oteh-and-King-Charles-image-supplied-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Arunma-Oteh-and-King-Charles-image-supplied-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Arunma Oteh and King Charles; image supplied</figcaption></figure></div>


CEO, Will Straw says that what started out as an organization that provided grants for people from disadvantaged backgrounds, when the organization was established in the United Kingdom (UK) over 40 years ago, has grown and evolved.



“Over time, [it] expanded into programs with employers, helping young people into job vacancies, where perhaps the employers were struggling to find work-ready youth. Then, more recently, on education programs and personal development programs in schools and other educational settings, helping young people to gain some of the core skills that are so important in the world of work – things like self-confidence, communication, problem-solving, teamwork, resilience, managing feelings, setting and achieving goals,” Straw says.



“And so Britain&#8217;s Trust International, founded in 2015, has sought to take those programs and insights about the needs of young people&#8217;s skills, and helping people to find meaningful work or set up their own business, to countries around the world.”



Currently, on the African continent, the organization has programs in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.



In addition to this, African Development Bank Group (AfDB) President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina and Straw met in November to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and to explore strategic partnerships to scale up youth employment, human capital, and entrepreneurship opportunities.



The MoU indicated the commitment of both the AfDB and PTI to work together to identify and develop partnership opportunities, in countries of common interest, to mainstream employability skills for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) projects, funded by the Bank. PTI is also expected to participate in the preparation, design, implementation and monitoring of TVET and skills development projects.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Participants-on-the-Get-Into-Programme-Nigeria-2023-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61471" style="width:584px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Participants-on-the-Get-Into-Programme-Nigeria-2023-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Participants-on-the-Get-Into-Programme-Nigeria-2023-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Participants-on-the-Get-Into-Programme-Nigeria-2023-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Participants-on-the-Get-Into-Programme-Nigeria-2023-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Participants-on-the-Get-Into-Programme-Nigeria-2023-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Participants on the &#8216;Get Into&#8217; Programme in Nigeria 2023</figcaption></figure></div>


It was reported at the time of this meeting that the Trust would be committed to “co-hosting a youth-focused investment summit in 2024 in the UK, in conjunction with the African Development Bank.”



According to PTI, it’s the insights of the youth they work with and their local partners that inform the type of work that’s done. Straw echoes this, adding that the role of the Trust is simply to impart the knowledge gained over the past few decades.



“[It’s] a mixture of programs; it depends on what the specific needs are in any particular country, and which local partners we&#8217;ve identified already doing valuable, impactful work on the ground, supporting young people&#8217;s journey, in a sense, from education to employment,” he says.



“Then we&#8217;ll work with them either to introduce one of our own programs or potentially to adapt or add to a program they&#8217;ve already got in place with some of our content or methodologies, to make it even more impactful.”



PTI Trustee, Arunma Oteh, who was the Vice President and Treasurer at the World Bank from September 2015 to November 2018, shares her experience with the organization, saying, “I am honored to be a member of the Board of Prince’s Trust International. I believe that it has even greater potential to do more in Africa and particularly expand its activities in the six countries it already has a presence in, as well as establish its programs in several of the other African countries.”


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Winners-Enterprise-Challenge-Kenya-2022-2-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61470" style="width:634px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Winners-Enterprise-Challenge-Kenya-2022-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Winners-Enterprise-Challenge-Kenya-2022-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Winners-Enterprise-Challenge-Kenya-2022-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Winners-Enterprise-Challenge-Kenya-2022-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Winners-Enterprise-Challenge-Kenya-2022-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Winners Enterprise Challenge Kenya, 2022. </figcaption></figure></div>


“Its employability and entrepreneurship programs prepare young people for future success, teaching them valuable business and leadership skills, early in their lives. For example, a number of successful people of African origin, such as Idris Elba and Ozwald Boateng, got their break from Prince’s Trust.”



“I have a personal attachment to both Africa and Asia. I was born in South Africa of Asian origin when my family migrated from Northern India in the 1860s. The opportunity to internationally apply my experience, having also served on the board of The Prince’s Trust in the UK, was hugely appealing,” Randeree adds.



“Having had a career in business, it never ceases to amaze me what can be achieved by elevating educational aspirations of our youth. Last year, almost 30,000 young people were impacted positively by Prince’s Trust International in 18 countries. It was Nelson Mandela who said ‘education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world’.”

Kenya Royal Visit 2023 HMK with PTI participants

His Majesty’s Trust In Africa’s Youth:Helping Bridge The Education And Skills Gap

Amid economic challenges, the country&#8217;s latest budget speech draws critical analysis from economist Dawie Roodt, shedding light on the fiscal strategies&#8217; impact on economic growth and the path ahead for the nation.



In an era marked by economic turbulence, South Africa&#8217;s fiscal policy comes under scrutiny following the recent budget speech, aimed at addressing the nation&#8217;s pressing economic challenges. The speech was presented by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana last week. Dawie Roodt, a renowned economist and Director of the Efficient Group, offers a candid assessment of the outlined fiscal measures and their potential trajectory for South Africa&#8217;s economy.



According to Minister Godongwana, the 2024 budget implements strategic expenditure cuts, aimed at achieving fiscal stability and economic resilience. Specifically, it targets a reduction in non-interest expenditure by ZAR80.6 billion ($4.19 billion) over the medium term, as part of a comprehensive fiscal consolidation strategy.



This measure is complemented by revenue adjustments, which have been revised upwards by ZAR45.6 billion ($2.3 billion) over the same period, compared to the 2023 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement projections.



Additionally, the budget proposes a reform of the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account. These adjustments are integral to the government&#8217;s efforts to manage the budget deficit and national debt, reflecting a focused approach to fiscal management in response to current economic challenges.



Despite these state efforts to manage the deficit, Roodt critiques the sustainability of the fiscal account, warning of a looming financial crisis if the current borrowing trend continues in the face of a weak economy.



“The fiscal actions are part of the reason why the economy is not growing,” he says to FORBES AFRICA.



“The fiscal account has become unsustainable, and we are heading for a financial crisis,” Roodt adds, emphasizing the urgent need for a shift in fiscal strategy.



Highlighting state inefficiencies, Roodt points out that despite significant spending, outcomes, especially in education, are dismal.



“We spend a lot of money on education&#8230;but the outcome of education is horrible. The primary focus must be on the improvement of the efficiency of the state,” he says.



On healthcare, Roodt is skeptical about the implementation of significant spending towards health, including the National Health Insurance (NHI), citing financial constraints and efficiency issues.



“It&#8217;s simply going to cost too much money. We ran out of money already; and the government simply is not efficient enough to implement this.”



To combat the FATF greylisting, the government has allocated ZAR628 million ($32.7 million) towards implementing the FATF and State Capture Commission recommendations, totaling ZAR2.3 billion ($119 million) dedicated to these efforts. This budget allocation is part of a broader strategy to address the greylisting by enhancing legal and regulatory frameworks to meet international standards on anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT).



Roodt, however, remains skeptical, describing the difficulties presented by the FATF greylisting, especially in the financial services industry, and the broader negative effects on South Africa&#8217;s international business relations.



Addressing social grants and public employment as mechanisms to mitigate poverty and unemployment, Roodt argues these measures are unsustainable without economic growth.



“This is totally unsustainable. You need economic growth. You&#8217;re not going to create jobs or mitigate poverty by spending more money on people,” he advises, calling for policies that truly stimulate economic growth.



The 2024 budget speech, amidst South Africa&#8217;s economic challenges, reflects a critical juncture in the country&#8217;s fiscal management. The government faces the dual task of stimulating economic growth while managing its debt and deficit.



Roodt&#8217;s analysis underscores the importance of efficiency and targeted spending, particularly in education and healthcare, to navigate the path toward sustainable development.



As South Africa addresses international concerns such as the FATF greylisting, the emphasis on reform and compliance highlights the broader effort to secure economic stability. The road ahead requires a balanced approach, integrating fiscal responsibility with strategic investments to foster a resilient and inclusive economy.

South African Minister Godongwana Delivers 2024 Budget Speech In Cape Town

South Africa’s Budget Speech: A Fiscal Reality Check

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Researchers have potentially linked an antiviral protein produced by the body during infection as the cause of long Covid, according to a new study, and they’re optimistic the next step is making medications to treat the disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Researchers followed patients with long Covid for 2.5 years to determine why some recovered from their symptoms and others didn’t, according to the study published Wednesday in Science Advances.



Long Covid (or post-Covid) symptoms include shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste, brain fog or chest pain following recovery from a Covid infection that can last for weeks—or in some cases, for years—<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



When infected with the coronavirus, people produce an inflammatory protein called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4154595/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interferon gamma</a>&nbsp;(or IFN-y), which is part of the body’s natural response to fight off infection.



The production of the protein typically stops once infection goes away, but researchers discovered participants with ongoing Covid symptoms had high levels of IFN-y for up to 31 months after initial infection, which the researchers believe may be the cause of long Covid.



Over 60% of patients experienced relief from at least some of their symptoms during the study period, and participants who were vaccinated after infection saw significant decreases in their long Covid symptoms and IFN-y production, suggesting vaccination “improved” long Covid symptoms, according to the study.



Current long Covid treatment only targets symptom alleviation and not the underlying disease, but now that a potential cause has been identified, there’s “hope that this could help to pave the way” for creating medication to specifically target long Covid, and “give some patients a firm diagnosis,” Benjamin Krishna, the study’s co-author and an investigator at Cambridge University, said in a statement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“The number of people with long Covid is gradually falling, and vaccination seems to be playing a significant role in that,” Krishna said. “But new cases are still cropping up, and then there is the big question of what happens when the next coronavirus pandemic comes along. Understanding what causes long Covid now could give us a crucial head start.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



65 million. That’s how many people worldwide suffer from long Covid, according to a 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-022-00846-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>. The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7232a3.htm?s_cid=mm7232a3_w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimated</a>&nbsp;around 6% of American adults in June 2023 experienced long Covid at some point in their lives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



The study researchers believe because there are several symptoms of long Covid that can look very different from each other, more research is needed in order to create subgroups of the disease. It’s “unlikely” all symptoms are caused by the same thing since some patients are able to recover while others aren’t, so future studies into why should be conducted, according to the researchers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Several risk factors play into who’s more susceptible to long Covid, <a href="https://covid19.nih.gov/covid-19-topics/long-covid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a> to the National Institutes of Health: underlying health conditions like obesity and diabetes, going unvaccinated, experiencing severe Covid infection or hospitalization, older age and being a woman are all risk factors. Long Covid can affect several organs and body systems like the heart, lungs, kidney, reproductive system and brain and also trigger other health conditions like kidney disease, autoimmune disorders or diabetes. Other experts have attempted to identify the cause of long Covid. Some <a href="https://cardiab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12933-021-01359-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> have hypothesized tiny clots in the cells that persist for a long time may be the cause of some symptoms. The microclots may cause an inflammatory response, which causes exhaustion and fatigue, two of the most common long Covid symptoms. The Science Advances researchers believe their new findings suggest microclotting can’t be the only or most significant cause, though they don’t rule it out. The lowering of certain anti-inflammatory gut microbiomes during and after Covid—which causes an inflammatory response—may also trigger long Covid, according to a 2022 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9088471/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>. Another theory is that the coronavirus itself—not the body’s response to it—causes long Covid by damaging or altering cells, leading to lasting symptoms, according to a separate Science Advances <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abc5801" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paper</a>.

A Covid-19 Vaccination Site As Children Under 5-Years Old Become Eligible For Shot

Possible Long Covid Cause Identified: Suggests Protein Might Be Culprit—And Medication Might Cure It

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Covid vaccines from companies like Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca were linked to rare occurrences of heart, brain and blood disorders, a recent peer-reviewed study found, though experts say the risks of developing Covid-19 greatly outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



Researchers from the Global Vaccine Data Network—a research arm of the World Health Organization—looked at expected versus observed rates of 13 medical conditions that were considered “adverse events of special interest” in a study population of 99 million vaccinated people eight countries, making it the largest Covid vaccine study to date.



Rare cases of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/myocarditis.html#:~:text=Myocarditis%20is%20inflammation%20of%20the,Shortness%20of%20breath" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">myocarditis</a>—inflammation of the heart—were identified in the first, second and third doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s mRNA vaccines: The highest rate was seen after the second Moderna dose (6.1 times the expected rate of cases), according to the study published in the journal Vaccine.



Another heart condition called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pericarditis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352510#:~:text=Pericarditis%20is%20swelling%20and%20irritation,and%20goes%20away%20without%20treatment." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pericarditis</a>&nbsp;had a 6.9-fold increased risk in those who took a third dose of AstraZeneca’s viral-vector vaccine, while a first and fourth dose of Moderna’s vaccine had a 1.7-fold and 2.6-fold increased risk, respectively.



There was a 2.5-times greater risk of developing the rare autoimmune disorder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/guillain-barre-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20362793" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guillain-Barre syndrome</a>&nbsp;among those who took AstraZeneca’s vaccine compared to the rate researchers expected, and a 3.2-times greater risk of getting blood clots among the same population.



There was a 3.8-times greater risk of developing the neurological disorder acute disseminated encephalomyelitis after the Moderna vaccine was administered, and a 2.2-fold increased risk after AstraZeneca’s vaccine, according to the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



13.5 billion. That’s how many Covid vaccines have been administered worldwide since the start of the Covid pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to science research organization Our World in Data. Around 71% of the world’s population has received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“The odds of all of these adverse events is still much, much higher when infected with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), so getting vaccinated is still by far the safer choice,” CEO of biotechnology company Centivax Jacob Glanville, who is not involved in the study, told Forbes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Covid vaccines are meant to prevent severe infection, and studies have indicated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/recs/grade/covid-19-moderna-vaccine.html%5C" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moderna</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/recs/grade/covid-19-pfizer-biontech-vaccine.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pfizer-BioNTech</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-what-you-need-to-know#:~:text=The%20AstraZeneca%20vaccine%20has%20an,about%204%20to%2012%20weeks." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AstraZeneca’s</a>&nbsp;vaccines are effective at preventing severe illnesses, hospitalizations and death. Meanwhile, the chances of having a neurological event after a Covid infection were up to 617-fold higher than following COVID vaccination, which suggests “the benefits of vaccination substantially outweigh the risks,” according to the Vaccine study researchers. The risk of developing myocarditis is higher post-Covid infection than after getting a Covid vaccine,&nbsp;<a href="https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/akiko-iwasaki/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, professor of Immunobiology at Yale University. Myocarditis risk after the second dose of a Covid vaccine is 35.9 per 100,000 people, compared to a 64.9 per 100,000 risk after Covid infection. The risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome after Covid infection was six times greater, and the risk of developing it after vaccination was 0.41 times greater than the control group, according to a 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000207900" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in Neurology. While most Americans have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot, uptake for booster shots that are updated to combat new coronavirus strains has remained slow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



The rapidly spreading Covid variant JN.1 caused an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/12/20/jn1-covid-variant-of-interest-spreading-fast-in-us---heres-what-to-know/?sh=2fe82e10ccce">uptick in cases</a>&nbsp;during the fall and winter months, causing a resurgence of the tripledemic—when cases of Covid, flu and respiratory syncytial virus simultaneously increase. JN.1 made up&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions%5C" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">96.4</a><a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">%</a>&nbsp;of all cases in the two week period ending in Feb. 17. However, Covid cases (down 0.6%) and deaths (down 6.9%) are&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variants-genomic-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">declining</a>—though hospitalizations are up 0.8%—signaling an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/caileygleeson/2024/01/19/tripledemic-surge-eases-as-covid-rsv-flu-figures-drop-for-second-week/?sh=5b629a4c64ac">end</a>&nbsp;to the tripledemic. The variant was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/18122023_jn.1_ire_clean.pdf?sfvrsn=6103754a_3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">classified</a>&nbsp;as a “variant of interest”—meaning it’s spreading in a way that may pose “an emerging risk to global public health”—by the World Health Organization in December. JN.1 is an offshoot of the highly mutated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/11/28/what-to-know-about-rapidly-spreading-pirola-covid-variant-ba286-and-if-vaccines-offer-protection/?sh=27f10c0e1978">Pirola</a>&nbsp;(BA.2.86) virus that some experts worried wouldn’t be protected against the updated monovalent Covid boosters, which specifically target XBB variants. However, vaccine makers ensured their shots provided some protection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/12/20/jn1-covid-variant-of-interest-spreading-fast-in-us---heres-what-to-know/?sh=2fe82e10ccce">JN.1 Covid ‘Variant Of Interest’ Spreading Fast In U.S. — Here’s What To Know</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/caileygleeson/2024/01/19/tripledemic-surge-eases-as-covid-rsv-flu-figures-drop-for-second-week/?sh=5b629a4c64ac">‘Tripledemic’ Surge Eases As Covid, RSV, Flu Figures Drop For Second Week</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/11/28/what-to-know-about-rapidly-spreading-pirola-covid-variant-ba286-and-if-vaccines-offer-protection/?sh=717483311978">What To Know About Rapidly Spreading ‘Pirola’ Covid Variant BA.2.86—And If Vaccines Offer Protection</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

Japan begins the third inoculation of COVID-19 vaccine

Covid Vaccines Linked To Small Increase In Heart And Brain Disorders, Study Finds—But Risk From Infection Is Far Higher

Story curated by Chanel Retief and Nicole Pillay Art Direction: Lucy Nkosi Photography: Katlego Mokubyane ; Assistant: Sbusiso Sigidi Styling: Deneal Van Wyk; Outfits supplied by Fashimo Styles Studio, Ukara, Suited For Her and Preview Accessories Hair &amp; Makeup:Vanessa Unamaca, MakoleMade Location: NewKatz.Studio, Johannesburg



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It’s the need of the hour that most entrepreneurs pivot in their approach to building businesses. This has become quite normalized in the tech space. Traditionalists see risks but not Dr Aisha Pandor, whose main goal has always been about building businesses that help those around her and help her plough back into her country’s economy. 



Pandor, a qualified human geneticist, started SweepSouth, an online home cleaning and gardening services platform, with her husband, software engineer Alen Ribic, in 2014. The idea came about when she had just left her corporate career. While they were reviewing different business ideas, the couple realized that they needed help at home, at the time.



“That sparked the idea that there are services like Lyft and Uber, but there&#8217;s nothing that helps to connect you to home services, using technology,” Pandor says.



Almost a decade later, Pandor walks in for the photoshoot at the NewKatz.Studio in Johannesburg, South Africa, ready to announce that she has stepped down as CEO of the online platform.



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“One of the great things about being a scientist is that when you&#8217;re building, you measure your impact as you&#8217;re going along, you do it in a datadriven way.


“Now, I&#8217;m thinking about work-life balance. And so, I think it&#8217;s important to also showcase this phase in [a] woman&#8217;s career,” Pandor adds, stating that she will not be leaving SweepSouth permanently but will rather focus more on building a business centered around health, health technology and genetics.


“This is often the time when you&#8217;re having children or your children are old enough that you start thinking about the time that you spend with them. I think this notion of not needing to find the perfect balance, but being able to hold lots of spaces at the same time – that is really what being a power woman is about. It&#8217;s not about perfection. It&#8217;s about constantly trying.”

Tag: COVID-19

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