Cape Argus 2022-01-18

ONE OF THE technology calendar’s biggest annual events, CES 2022, or the Consumer Electronics Show, took place in Las Vegas, US, from January 5 to 8. More than 40 000 people from 119 countries attended the event where 2 300-plus companies from all over the world showcased their latest technologies in digital health, food tech, automotive tech, space tech, Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs), gaming, autonomous vehicles, smart homes, 5G, and much more. The show displayed the next wave of innovation that would shape 2022 and the economy of tomorrow, such as the evolution of the metaverse and intelligent automation. According to Forbes, CES has often been the seismometer of the most seismic shifts in the recent history of technology. Wi-fi powered remote controls In the previous years of CES,…

Rachel Irvine THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the discovery of the Omicron variant in South Africa, just days before the country’s peak tourism season last year, only served to further the misery the sector has experienced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns. As the industry looks to recovery after a number of crises ranging from load shedding and water shortages to crime and corruption, which has now been laid bare in the Zondo Commission’s report on SAA, SAA technical and ground handling services, rebuilding South Africa’s brand as a tourism destination will require the government and the sector to work together to address a number of issues. Invest in developing skills The tourism and aviation sectors are vast and require a number of skills to function, from foreign…

Chris Nicklin | Western Cape Bee Industry Association YOUR ARTICLE “Record spike in pollination demands puts honeybees in danger” on December 6 refers. Commercial beekeepers, like my- self, appreciate media coverage of the issues that confront our industry. Apart from airing matters of interest and concern, it also helps inform the general public about the work we do and the vital role honeybees play in the food production chain, and the natural environment generally. The tone of that article was, however, unfortunate, painting a picture of mainly unscrupulous pollination contractors, intent on maximising income at the expense of their honeybees. To be sure, we are facing difficult challenges as the exponential growth of the local agricultural industry demands ever more beehives for pollination. The surge in production of…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za As the award ceremonies roll out across the world, so too are the film festivals. More recently, the 51st International Film Festival Rotterdam (IIFR) has been the talk of the town as it chose SA’s comedy feature Daryn’s Gym among a plethora of global releases to be showcased later this month. By the way, IFFR is one of the largest audience and industry-driven film festivals in the world. The festival’s Official Selection includes more than 570 feature, mid-length, and short films from almost 90 countries. In December, Daryn’s Gym launched exclusively on eVOD, which is eMedia’s streaming platform. The mockumentary comedy by Brett Michael Innes, who wears the hat of a writer and director, is produced by Paulo Areal and stars a host of familiar faces from…

Britney Spears has said that her family treated her worse than a “death row” inmate during her conservatorship as she continued her feud with sister Jamie Lynn. The 40-year-old pop star – who was locked in a conservatorship governed by her family from 2008 until 2021 – claimed that Jamie Lynn “did nothing” to help her and is “hurt” by previous accusations by her sister. During the promotion of her autobiography Things I Should Have Said, Jamie Lynn told Nightline that her sister “locked her in a room with a knife” as she exhibited “erratic behaviour”, to which Britney called her “scum” on social media. In taking to Twitter for a new open letter, Britney wrote: “Jamie Lynn ... I don’t think your book is about me at all…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za THE bail application date for Piketberg police constable Richard Smit, accused of killing his girlfriend Natasha Booise on January 2, has been set down for February 17. The court also reserved February 24 for bail judgment. Smit, 35, made an appearance at the Piketberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday where he faces seven charges, including the murder of Booise, two counts of attempted murder on Roslin Kaaiman and Erin Plaatjies, discharging of a firearm in public, handling of a firearm while under the influence of a substance which has an intoxicating or narcotic effect, and two counts of assault. The case was also postponed last week, after Smit changed his legal representative and hired a city-based lawyer, William Booth. However, Booth was not present in court and the case…