Author: Staff Writer

The Volvo EX30 possesses the smallest carbon footprint of any fully electric Volvo car to date1. That’s according to the life cycle assessment (LCA) of the Volvo EX30, available here, which concludes that it has a total carbon footprint of 23 tonnes per 200,000 km – approximately 60 per cent less than the XC40 ICE (petrol)2. The carbon footprint report identifies the key contributing materials and processes to the car’s emissions. Exclusively focused on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the report covers the car’s life cycle, starting with the extraction and refining of raw materials and ending with the car’s end-of-life.…

World Cloud Security Day takes place tomorrow, 3rd April and serves as a reminder to businesses and individuals to relook, revaluate and strengthen digital defences. Jessica Tandy, partner at Bizmod, says that Cloud computing is increasingly becoming a necessity for all sizes of businesses especially as it helps to reduce infrastructure costs, improve accessibility, and streamline processes. Tandy says that in 2024 we will see data breaches and cyber-attacks significantly increase and as a result so too will the need for high-level cybersecurity professionals to protect systems and networks, as organisations invest in protecting their digital infrastructure. The South African…

Pepkor Holdings Limited shares become available for trade on A2X Markets today with a market cap of R68.98 billion. Pepkor has the largest retail store footprint in Southern Africa with 5 900 stores operating across nine African countries and in Brazil. Pepkor Holdings is home to many of the most trusted brands on the continent including Ackermans, PEP, Russells and HiFi Corp as well as Avenida in Brazil. The company joins other prominent retailers with a secondary listing on A2X including, Dis-Chem, Mr Price, Clicks, Truworths, Pick n Pay, Shoprite and Woolworths. Pepkor Holdings is listed on the Johannesburg Stock…

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Infrastructure Tracker: Buyer and Cloud Deployment, spending on compute and storage infrastructure products for cloud deployments, including dedicated and shared IT environments, increased 18.5% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2023 (4Q23) to $31.8 billion. Spending on cloud infrastructure continues to outgrow the non-cloud segment with the latter growing 16.4% year over year in 4Q23 to $18.9 billion. The cloud infrastructure segment saw unit shipments decline 22.8% in the quarter with an increase in average selling prices (ASPs) mostly related to higher than usual GPU server shipments to hyperscalers.…

The Data4 group, a French operator and investor in the data centre market, and the University of Paris-Saclay, Europe’s leading university and one of the top 20 in the Shanghai rankings, started apartnership to launch a prototyping experiment to reuse some of the heat produced by data centres. This is project is the first-of-its-kind and was launched beginning of 2024 in Essonne (Paris-Region). Spearheaded by the Conseil Départemental de l’Essonne, which created the ABIOMAS Innovation Chair within the University, and the Fondation Université Paris-Saclay, the project will be run by a multi-disciplinary, multi-skilled team (biomass specialists, digital, AI, physics/chemistry, etc.),…

On March 25, 2024, during the XIII International Forum ATOMEXPO 2024, Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom and Eskom signed an action plan for the period of 2024-2026. This agreement builds upon the cooperation agreement on a human-centric approach to personnel training initially established at COP28 in Dubai, UAE. The plan encompasses various collaborative initiatives aimed at enhancing personnel development. It includes joint educational programmes for employees, the implementation of joint degree programmes in partnership with universities associated with both Rosatom and Eskom, and business education efforts. Notably, the plan incorporates a hydrogen train-the-trainers programme developed by Rosatom. Additionally, both parties have…

Surpassing a robust lineup of contenders, the EX30 proudly earned the esteemed title of 2024 World Urban Car during an event held yesterday at the prestigious New York International Auto Show. Additionally, the full electric SUV was honoured as one of the top three vehicles globally, outshining 38 other nominees on the list. “Winning this award with the EX30 is incredibly gratifying and a firm validation of our ambitious electrification strategy,” says Jim Rowan, our Chief Executive. “Customer response to the EX30 has exceeded our expectations, and it has proven to be a perfect car for today’s marketplace as a…

The ascent of artificial intelligence (AI) poses a threat to as many as eight million jobs in the UK, particularly impacting those with lower skill levels, according to Sky News. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) cautioned that the effects of generative AI are already evident, with approximately 11% of tasks performed by workers currently susceptible to automation. Sky News added that the report indicated that back-office, entry-level, and part-time positions face the greatest risk of disruption in what is termed the “first wave” of AI impact, with women and young individuals being disproportionately affected. However, further analysis suggests…

South Africa has welcomed the adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution Demanding an immediate Ceasefire in Gaza “South Africa has welcomed the adoption of Resolution 2728 (2024) by the United Nations Security Council on 25  March 2024, which demands an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for the Holy Month of Ramadan,” said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in a statement. Earlier on Monday, the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, and “the urgent need to expand the flow” of aid into…

Not only is cybercrime bad for business, but employees also pay the price. Researchers have identified a correlation between the spectre of cybercrime and employee health and wellbeing. Stress, fear, and uncertainty are leading to poor health, such as burnout, hypertension, strokes, and posttraumatic stress disorder and these concerns deserve attention. This situation is not limited to security teams, even though they are under the greatest pressure. Cybersecurity responsibilities, disappointment when failing to prevent an attack, and the general uncertainty around cyber risks affect all employees across organisations. “Security teams are under tremendous pressure,” says Gerhard Swart, Chief Technology Officer…