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Botswana

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Botswana. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Gaborone

Head of State

President Mokgweetsi Masisi

Head of Government

President Mokgweetsi Masisi

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the International Fund for Animal Welfare officers stand around a collared elephant in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, in April. Photo: AP

Animals

Zimbabwe to cull elephants and distribute meat to people

The move seeks to ease the ballooning population of the animals – the African nation has the second most elephants in the world.

4 Jun 2025 - 2:51AM

China-Africa relations

China still leads the pack in Africa’s critical minerals race as US falls behind

12 Mar 2025 - 11:16PMvideocam

Business of climate change

China miners accelerate overseas buying spree

6 Mar 2025 - 10:20PMvideocam

Celebrity children

Who are Julian Assange’s children – Daniel, Gabriel and Max?

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is finally free to be a normal dad after he pleaded guilty to violating US espionage law, returning home to Australia last week – here’s what we know about his family

8 Jul 2024 - 1:21PM

Julian Assange is finally free to reunite with his wife Stella and two young children, Gabriel and Max. Photos: AP, @MoreBirths/X

China-Africa relations

Chinese firm to acquire Zambian copper mine amid African minerals buying spree

With more African mines being bought by Chinese firms, Beijing is positioning itself to lead the green energy revolution.

1 Jul 2024 - 4:06PMvideocam

Tourism

World’s longest walk? 24,262km from South Africa to China

Russ Cook’s epic run across the length of Africa inspired Post Magazine to try devising the world’s longest walk. Here’s the result, including what to see on the way and countries to avoid.

14 May 2024 - 4:15PM

Style Edit

Style Edit: De Beers’ new campaign, Unveiling The Extraordinary

In 6 chapters it tells the story of finding, cutting and setting the precious stones to turn them into finished pieces of jewellery

13 May 2024 - 10:00AM

De Beers’ latest campaign, Unveiling The Extraordinary, tells the story of finding, cutting and setting the precious stones to turn them into finished pieces of jewellery. Photo: Handout

South Africa

South Africa bus crash kills 45 Easter pilgrims, transport ministry says

Seriously injured 8-year-old child is sole survivor after bus plunged off bridge and caught fire in province of Limpopo. President Ramaphosa earlier appealed to South Africans to take care when travelling.

29 Mar 2024 - 8:00AM

China-Africa relations

Green energy powers China’s investment boom in Africa after pandemic

Race for minerals vital for renewable energy drives rise in Chinese investments and construction deals in Africa.

16 Feb 2024 - 9:00AMvideocam

Obituaries

Namibia president and anti-apartheid activist Hage Geingob dies age 82

Geingob maintained close ties with the US and other Western countries but also forged a warm relationship with China. He had been receiving treatment for cancer.

5 Feb 2024 - 3:53AM

Namibia’s President Hage Geingob died on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong ‘aims to increase flight links to more belt and road countries’

Airport Authority chairman Jack So tells aviation symposium that city hopes to increase flight links beyond 40 belt and road countries already covered.

14 Dec 2023 - 8:25PM

Hong Kong is aiming to expand flight link to belt and road countries. Photo: Sam Tsang

North Korea

North Korea’s thwarted smugglers lay bare abusable UN sanctions regime

Japanese police raided a used-car showroom in Chiba recently on suspicion it had attempted to transfer a US$68,000 Lexus to North Korea, according to reports.

12 Dec 2023 - 5:07PMvideocam

North Korea

North Korea may recall ambassador to Switzerland by year-end

Sources say ambassador Han Tae-song may have been involved in the illegal trade of elephant tusks and rhino horns through deals in four African countries.

9 Dec 2023 - 12:58AM

Investing

Chinese miner MMG buys Botswana’s Khoemacau copper mine for US$1.9 billion

The metals miner said it had entered into a share purchase agreement worth US$1.88 billion to buy Canada-based Cuprous Capital, the parent company of the copper mine, amid a surge in demand for the metal needed in green energy transition.

21 Nov 2023 - 9:42AM

MMG’s copper mine in Las Bambas, Peru. The mining company has been hunting for copper assets for more than a year, amid a surge in demand for the metal. Photo: SCMP Handout

Luxury brands

5 new lifestyle finds that capture the wonder of nature

Designers draw on the beautiful sights and smells of our world to inspire jewellery by De Beers and Elhanati, placeholders from Buccellati, Diptyque candles and Korean brand Nonfiction’s perfumes

2 Nov 2023 - 5:44PM

Pieces from De Beers Enchanted Lotus collection. Photo: Handout

Tourism

‘It was sensory overload’: how sober travel is driving a new tourism trend

Alcohol-free travel companies such as Hooked and We Love Lucid are catering to a growing sober tourism trend driven by travellers looking for deeper experiences unclouded by booze and hangovers.

30 Oct 2023 - 6:15PM

High Jewellery

LVMH tests the market for lab-grown diamonds in luxury watches and jewellery

The luxury conglomerate is experimenting with including man-made stones in high-end watches and jewellery, but continues to focus on marketing natural diamonds, particularly through Tiffany & Co.

17 Oct 2023 - 3:00PM

China-Africa relations

Why China’s focus on African food imports will not blur infrastructure outlook

New initiatives to boost Africa’s agricultural and industrial modernisation do not mean a shift away from infrastructure building but rather the launch of a parallel track, observers say.

8 Oct 2023 - 5:02PM

Kenyan avocados on display at a food and agricultural products expo in Shanghai. Dozens of other African countries have recently signed deals to export farm produce including chillies, cashews, sesame seeds and spices to China. Photo: Xinhua

Explainers: Politics

Explainer | Not just Trump: these leaders also got into legal trouble

There is a long history of leaders prosecuted before, during and after holding power with representation across continents.

7 Aug 2023 - 12:52PM

Luxury travel

Where are the world’s richest travelling for summer holidays in 2023?

It’s all about privacy, seclusion, bespoke experiences and escaping the ‘hoi polloi’ … here’s where the world’s wealthiest holidaymakers are travelling this summer and why

4 Aug 2023 - 2:45PM

Tourism

Why Bezos, Branson’s risky adventures aren’t what most wealthy tourists want

The likes of Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and OceanGate have made daring adventures available to the ultra-rich but, unlike Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, most wealthy travellers prefer exclusivity without the risk.

1 Jul 2023 - 5:15PM

Richard Branson likes to hang off skyscrapers, and his company Virgin Galactic takes the ultra rich to space. But these aren’t the preferences of your average wealthy traveler. Photo: Twitter / @richardbranson

Tourism

African wild dogs: a brief encounter with the elusive apex predators

Long misunderstood, African wild dogs are intelligent and highly social, and pose little risk to people. But, as usual, it is humans who have pushed these ‘heroes of the bush’ onto Botswana’s endangered list.

17 Jun 2023 - 1:15PM

African wild dogs have the highest hunting success rate in the continent, yet fewer than 7,000 remain in southern Africa. The writer witnessed a pack fresh from a kill in Botswana’s Okavango Delta (above), but they are generally elusive - and scarce. Photo: Duke’s Camp

China-Africa relations

Zimbabwe citrus firms gain access to China’s massive fresh food market

China lists 11 registered Zimbabwean citrus orchards and 6 citrus packing houses to export citrus to China, which may help bridge a gap in the Chinese market over summer

10 Jun 2023 - 6:00PMvideocam

International Cricket Council

New cricket revenue-sharing plan threatens growth of game, associates say

Cricket Hong Kong says need for development should carry ‘significantly more weight’ than it appears to get under new proposal from game’s world governing body.

31 May 2023 - 8:17AM

Banking & finance

Absa plans to open Beijing office to serve Chinese firms in Africa

The Pan African lender, which expects to launch the advisory office by the year-end, is awaiting approval from South African authorities.

15 May 2023 - 9:00PMvideocam

Absa Group controls banks in 10 African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Botswana and Tanzania and serves millions of customers on the continent. Photo: Shutterstock

Tourism

How The North Face co-founder and ex-Patagonia CEO sparked Argentina rewilding

Kristine and the late Doug Tompkins were captivated by the landscape of Argentina’s Ibera Wetlands and began buying up farmland. Now being rewilded, jaguars, pumas and deer roam Ibera’s ‘brilliant waters’.

5 May 2023 - 1:35PM

A jaguar at San Alonso in Argentina’s Ibera wetlands. Photo: Daniel Allen

Celebrity children

Where are the former US first kids in 2023? From the Trumps to the Obamas

From Donald Trump’s 5 kids and Barack and Michelle Obama’s daughters to George W. Bush’s twins, here’s what the former US presidents’ children have been up to in 2023 …

15 Apr 2023 - 1:00AM

High Jewellery

Will The Eternal Pink diamond set a new auction sales record?

The extremely rare jewel is expected to fetch over US$35 million, which could beat The Williamson Pink Star’s most expensive price per carat record

28 Apr 2023 - 2:57PM

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