BN Briefing: SA healthcare catastrophe; DA on JP Smith; SARB governor’s “mutton reserves”?; and more

In this episode of the BizNews Briefing: Editor in Chief of the Bhekisisa Health Centre for Journalism, Mia Malan, details the severe impact of Donald Trump's freezing of global HIV programmes, with John Matisonn also weighing in on the situation. DA Chairperson of the Federal Council, Helen Zille, comments on the JP Smith saga. European nation Czechia's National Bank governor plans to start a strategic crypto reserve, Bitcoin guru James Caw gives his thoughts. ASML shares jump 12% on AI hype. And Microsoft investigates DeepSeek. Join host Bronwyn Nielsen for a rundown of the biggest stories of the day..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here..The seventh BizNews Conference, BNC#7, is to be held in Hermanus from March 11 to 13, 2025. The 2025 BizNews Conference is designed to provide an excellent opportunity for members of the BizNews community to interact directly with the keynote speakers, old (and new) friends from previous BNC events – and to interact with members of the BizNews team. Register for BNC#7 here..If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here.Listen here.BizNews Briefing highlights ___STEADY_PAYWALL___.US aid suspension hits SA health sectorThe suspension of US foreign aid is causing widespread disruption in South Africa's health sector. Many clinics providing antiretroviral treatment rely on funding from the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and are now shutting down, creating panic. Editor-in-chief of the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism, Mia Malan, highlights the crisis, while editorial contributor John Matisonn notes that confusion persists despite a waiver for HIV medication..DA councillors' offices raidedPolice have raided the offices of two DA councillors, JP Smith and Zanthia Limburg. Opposition parties are calling for their suspension, but DA federal chair Helen Zille states that no action will be taken until the party fully understands the situation and rules out political interference..Czech Republic eyes crypto as reserve currencyThe Czech central bank governor is considering allocating €7 billion into cryptocurrency as a reserve asset. James Caw from Simple B describes this as a fundamental shift in institutional attitudes toward crypto, potentially propelling Bitcoin toward the $1 million mark..SA Reserve Bank governor's crypto comments spark debateSouth African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago stirred social media discussion after referencing "mutton reserves" during a World Economic Forum panel. When asked about adopting Bitcoin as a reserve currency, his response raised eyebrows. Alec Hogg later spoke to him for clarification..ASML surprises markets despite tech sell-offDutch tech giant ASML, which was caught in Monday's tech stock sell-off, released stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results, pleasantly surprising investors. Bloomberg provides further details..Microsoft and OpenAI investigate China's DeepSeqMicrosoft suspects that Chinese entity Deepseek may have accessed OpenAI's technology before its major breakthrough. Both companies have launched a probe into Deepseek and its connections..Read also:.Nvidia's stock drop unravels a Wall Street mystery: Nir Kaissar🔒 Trump freezes HIV aid, 5.6mn South Africans affected: John Matisonn🔒 DeepSeek vs Nvidia: Can Blackwell reclaim the AI lead?

BN Briefing: SA healthcare catastrophe; DA on JP Smith; SARB governor’s “mutton reserves”?; and more

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