BIG Scoop

Key takeaways Angola imports 70% of its fuel due to a mismatch between refinery output and domestic consumption. Fuel subsidies became fiscally unsustainable as rising demand, a weaker kwanza, and higher global oil prices pushed Angola’s fuel import bill above $3 billion annually. Declining oil reserves and production threaten fiscal stability – reserves have shrunk, and output has fallen nearly 40% from peak levels, undermining revenues. Subsidy removal is economically necessary but politically...

Last year on BIG Media’s site, I talked about CCUS – carbon capture, utilization and storage. It is the process of extracting carbon dioxide (CO2) from smokestacks, refineries, cement plants, biofuel facilities, and other human-made sources, then using it to make new products, or storing it permanently underground in geological formations. CCUS is an important strategy for reducing net CO2 emissions from human activity, as I said then: “CCUS encompasses established, reliable technologies and innovative new...

The United States government’s withdrawal of President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) funding earlier this year has left budget deficits in countries across the Sub-Sahara. The program has been crucial in the fight against human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) on the African continent. Since its inception in 2003, the U.S. government has invested over $100 billion in HIV/AIDS response globally, reportedly saving over 25 million lives, preventing new infections, and supporting countries with...

Sometimes when one dives into the data, there are assumptions about anticipated findings that are completely overturned by the raw numbers. On other occasions – as is the case on this project – the data confirms the original assumptions, but provides clarification and deeper understanding. It is unlikely to surprise anyone to learn that house prices in larger cities are typically more expensive than in smaller cities. It is widely known that your average homebuyer...

As much of the western world anxiously awaits the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 8, political rhetoric and irresponsible media coverage are amping up. While ill-informed (or ill-intentioned) media reporters and editors continue to use phrasing such as "baseless", "bogus" and "false claims" – and perhaps the favourite: "conspiracy theories" – to describe any insinuation that it is possible that a U.S. election could be tampered with significantly, sensible humans are simply hoping for a fair...