Using the pressure of the sun's rays to propel spacecraft, solar sails will allow future unmanned missions to be longer and cheaper while reaching the outer solar system—and possibly beyond. Hear about the advances in technology that are harnessing energy from the sun to allow us to explore other planets and the objects that move around them. #Moonshot​ #Space #Solar

Eastern Cape entrepreneur Candy Androliakos has developed a novel range of disposable sanitary products after she was asked by an elderly resident at the old age home where she works to come up with a cost-effective, dignified solution. Since then, she has expanded her range to children's nappies and women's sanitary solutions, adding clever design features along the way. Earlier this month Candy’s business, Leafline Washable Sanitary Wear was awarded R1.3m in prize money at the SAB Disability Empowerment Awards where she took first place. The Awards are aimed at promoting social innovations that improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through assistive devices, training or employment. Leafline Washable Sanitary Wear, founded by Candy Androliakos and based in Port Alfred, was awarded R1.3m. Leafline employs people living with disabilities to manufacture affordable and biodegradable sanitary products, nappies, chair and bed protectors made from natural fibre. This interview is brought to you by FirstRand. For more stories of South African success, visit the Good Hope section at BizNews.com

Dr Kate Couchman shares the moving story of how she became a health coach to help others after learning how to control her own debilitating epilepsy. Smart health coach Dr Kate walks the walk and explains how she works with your own personal circumstances and requirements to become healthier, happier and lead a more fulfilling life. Book your free Zoom call with Dr Kate today at drkatehealthcoaching.com.

Hin Leong was one of the most powerful and secretive names in Asia’s oil trading industry. But an epic gamble by its founder Lim Oon Kuin left the Singaporean company badly exposed, eventually leading to its collapse. Listen to this fascinating story of how one of the world’s biggest oil traders collapsed as the Covid-19 pandemic exposed hidden losses and lies to major banks. This report was brought to you by BizNews partners at Bloomberg. For more analysis on the world’s big business stories, visit BizNews.com. #oil #trading #

Justin Rowe-Roberts, of BizNews.com, sets out some of the announcements from JSE-listed companies, with a view to providing pointers to stock investors. He picks up on: Spar, which has lost market share, Shoprite; Steinhoff; Aveng; WBHO; Value group delisting.

It is now legal to cultivate a small amount of dagga for personal use since the 2018 Constitutional Court ruling. This has led to a proliferation of ‘grow clubs’ and an enthusiastic group of people eager not only to cultivate for own use but to put pressure on the government for the commercial use of dagga. Supporters of commercialisation include Finance Minister Tito Mboweni who is eager to lay his hands on taxes from the industry. A new cannabis academy has been established in Johannesburg, called the Cheeba Cannabis Academy that wants to train skilled people who want work in the industry. The CEO and Founder of Cheeba, Trenton Birch, told Linda van Tilburg that he is confident that it will grow into a multi-billion rand industry despite the current regulatory hurdles.

Carrie Adams sits down with Michael Fridjhon - a wine critic and specialist - to discuss government's handling of the liquor industry during the Covid-19 lockdown. Adams describes the award-winning journalist and wine expert as 'an overall asset to the South African wine industry'.

Bitcoin has been rewarding its supporters. And, previous sceptics are entering the arena as the cryptocurrency enters the mainstream. Should you get in now? A blockchain company boss says 'yes'; a world expert on asset bubbles, says 'no' - Bitcoin doesn't even qualify as an asset. Take a listen to their comments to BizNews partner Bloomberg.

* Inflationary pressures and currency weakness could force central banks in some key African economies to tighten monetary policy, even as the slow rollout of coronavirus vaccines and new mutations of the disease pose risks to economic growth. * The South African government had been counting on the Pfizer shot, developed with German partner BioNTech, to step up its vaccination programme after administering the first Johnson & Johnson (J&J) doses on Wednesday. But, new research suggests (in the New England Journal of Medicine) it may only have very limited protection against Covid-19. * Namibia has Namibia plans to go ahead with the roll-out of the AstraZeneca vaccine even after neighbor South Africa stalled its use. * Sinopharm vaccines from China arrived in Zimbabwe on Monday. The new coronavirus strain first detected in South Africa is estimated to account for about 61% of cases in Zimbabwe. * A Facebook employee warned that the company reported revenues it “should have never made” by overstating how many users advertisers could reach, according to internal emails revealed in a newly unsealed court filing, reports the London-headquartered Financial Times. * In Australia, Facebook blocked news in an unexpected retaliation to a proposed law that will force the company and Google to pay Australian publishers for news content. * Keith Gill, one of the most influential voices that pushed GameStop on the WallStreetBets Reddit forum, was hit with a lawsuit that accused him of misrepresenting himself as an amateur investor.

A black market in Ivermectin has developed, with many South Africans opting for veterinary versions to ward off and stop Covid-19 from developing. Professor Colleen Aldous, a healthcare scientist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Medicine says there is compelling evidence that Ivermectin shows good promise in curing people infected with the coronavirus. Instead of obsessing about human trials to test Covid-19, scientists need to look at the other ways of assessing medicine for use under emergency conditions. She criticises some of the biggest names in SA science circle for having their blinkers on. She spoke to Jackie Cameron of BizNews, about how she moved from being an Ivermectin sceptic to a disciple. The regulatory authority in SA has approved limited use of Ivermectin, but some doctors have complained that their applications for the compassionate use of the drug have not been approved. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority is reported as telling Parliament that there is not enough evidence on the use of the drug - its safety and efficacy - to treat or prevent Covid-19.

Tim Hughes of the Injured Workers Action Group (IWAG) tells Jackie Cameron of BizNews why amendments to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Amendment Bill will create chaos in the health system - and put healthcare out of reach for many. Also at stake is a sizeable pot of taxpayers’ funds - into which every person who employs a domestic worker is expected to contribute.

In this episode of Inside Covid-19, we speak to Sandile Cele, a 32-year-old researcher at the Durban-based African Health Research Institute who has made global headlines for an important breakthrough in the fight against Covid-19. Cele found a new way to grow the 501.V2 variant and in so doing, reports the Financial Times, helped show scientists that the variant can escape antibodies and lead to reinfection. Also in this episode - Adrian Gore - We also hear from our partners at Bloomberg about how pharma companies are racing to retool their vaccine strategies as fast-spreading and potentially dangerous mutations of the virus emerge. First, the main Covid-19 stories making world headlines:

Bitcoin blew through another milestone, surging past $50,000 for the first time as the blistering rally in the largest cryptocurrency continues to captivate investors worldwide. Seth Ginns, Coinfund head of liquid investments, picks up on how Bitcoin is entering the mainstream.

BizNews journalist Jarryd Neves shares his thoughts on the impressive BMW 320i, a midsized premium saloon he describes as 'so accomplished that it justifies its price tag by being all the car one could ever need'.

* South Africa began administering its first coronavirus vaccines on Wednesday, dispensing Johnson & Johnson shots to health workers and top politicians . * South Africa’s High Court has ruled that Eskom can recover R10 billion ($681 million) from consumers, enabling the state power utility to raise electricity tariffs by 16%. * Meanwhile, many municipalities have collapsed and are unable to provide a stable electricity supply or pay their Eskom bills. Non-paying municipalities owe Eskom R36 billion. * Rising energy prices are fueling inflation expectations in South Africa, prompting traders to bet that rate increases are on the cards this year even as the economy remains in the doldrums. * The Wall Street Journal reports that Saudi Arabia plans to increase oil output in the coming months, reversing a recent big production cut. * South Africa’s biggest food producer Tiger Brands said on Wednesday it expected headline earnings from continuing operations in the six months to March 31 to rise as much as 20%.

Dr Frans Cronje, CEO of the IRR - the thinktank that played a key role in educating ANC leaders and the demise of apartheid - says the ANC is in the midst of an existential crisis. But, before it disappears, it will push through legislation that paves the way for State Capture Round 2. Dr Cronje, who has worked with Clem Sunter and has a PhD in scenario planning, says the ANC takes the question of whether it can survive the decade very seriously - much more so than business leaders and political opponents. Policy reforms needed to fix the SA economy are too challenging for President Ramaphosa and team to effect - and they do not appreciate what's needed to restore growth to the upward trajectory last seen when Thabo Mbeki was president. The ANC's newfound power through land expropriation without compensation is set to trigger a sweeping seizure of many assets, says Dr Cronje, who steps down at the end of this year.

Now 51, Gidon Novick has packed more into his life than most do in three. An untraditional chartered accountant (and MBA), nine years after stepping down as CEO of Comair, he's jumped back into the industry he was born into. In this in-depth biographical podcast, the now 51 year old Novick explains what he has learnt from a global education, decades in the airline business, and a spell doing a supposedly dream job at SA's innovative financial services group Discovery. And how he is using this experience to help LIFT, SA's newest airline run by a graduate of car-hailing software business Uber - and like a gig economy company rather than the hierarchical structures of corporates which dominate the space.

* Taxpayers have forked out another R5bn so that South African Airways can pay severance packages to staff laid off as part of its rescue plan. * Bitcoin topped $50,000 for the first time, doubling in less than two months as the digital currency continued its run higher. * Glencore reinstated its dividend on the back of record trading profits as the world’s biggest commodity trader reports its final results under the leadership of billionaire Chief Executive Officer Ivan Glasenberg. * South African grocery retailer Spar Group said on Tuesday group sales rose by 9.8% in the 18 weeks ended Jan. 29 but the country’s ban on alcohol hit liquor sales. * Resilient stock rose about 5% on news about the potential sale of shopping malls.

South African entrepreneur Adi Kaimowitz has developed a collaborative of actuaries in a business model that has been referred to as “the Uber of actuaries”. In this interview with Jackie Cameron of BizNews, he shares the details of his start-up success, with tips for other aspirant entrepreneurs, and he explains how collaborations like Virtual Actuary can be applied across sectors. * This interview is brought to you by FirstRand. For more stories of South African success, visit the Good Hope section at BizNews.com

In this episode, wine expert Carrie Adams sits down with Winnie Bowman, a renowned Cape wine master. The pair discuss the history of brandy in South Africa - and the importance the often overlooked liquor has to the local wine industry.

* KPMG South Africa, at the centre of the state capture scandal that shattered the SA economy in the Jacob Zuma era, will become the nation’s first major auditor to stop offering consulting services to listed clients. * The South African currency has gained 5% against the dollar this month, the most out of more than 140 currencies tracked by Bloomberg. * Analysts at fund manager ARK, one of the US’s hottest fund providers, say that Microstrategy, Square and Tesla are showing public companies the way to add Bitcoin as a legitimate alternative to cash on their balance sheets. * Steinhoff’s share price gained about 20% on news that  former auditor Deloitte has agreed to pay $85 million to certain claimants as part of the retailer’s proposed $1 billion global lawsuit settlement plan. * Shoprite expects higher profits for the second six months of 2020.

Chamath Palihapitiya, an early Facebook executive who cashed out in 2011 and is the founder and CEO of Social Capital, wants his firm to be the Berkshire Hathaway of the 21st century. He has also been described as the king of special purpose aquisitions companies - Spacs. In this interview, he speaks to BizNews partner Bloomberg about his views on Bitcoin, Tesla and other investment-related topics.

There are no tax loopholes in SA, but there are steps you can take to reduce your taxable income - and keep the difference to boost your own personal wealth. Independent financial advisor Candice Paine, of PR Financial Services, shares her top tips to cut your income tax bill - now and over the next year. She speaks to BizNews editor at large Jackie Cameron.

* The Cape Independency Advocacy Group has issued a statement urging public consultation in the Western Cape for secession of the province. * Eskom in private property scandal: MyBroadband cites the examples of a farm that was purchased for R87,000 and sold 12 years later for R12m and a portion of a farm valued at R500,000 sold for R18m. * Britains’ economy is worse than its weather, with GDP tanking and Covid-19 deaths the highest in Europe even though the country has been under strict lockdown for many months. * UmKhonto we Sizwe military veterans are ready to do their level best to prevent former president Jacob Zuma being arrested in connection with corrupton. That’s according to the association’s spokesperson Carl Niehaus, who spoke to the Sunday Times. * If Tesla vanished tomorrow, it would have an insignificant effect on the economy, as Tesla’s operations are tiny, says BizNews partner The Wall Street Journal.

Mackenzie Scott - Jeff Bezos' ex-wife - is causing a stir through her giving. The woman who helped Bezos found Amazon has dished out billions of dollars. What does this mean for the Bezos fortunes? Will Jeff follow suit? Insights on philanthropy.