Swarovski Namibia hosted its first annual event with customers as well as the public at its recently-opened shop at Grove Mall Namibia. This occasion was attended by a small crowd, including the international jewellery company’s brand ambassador Cassia Sharpley, regional manager Jonathan Minter and owner Wagner Luis. Minter expressed excitement at usinginfluential Namibians who align...
Business
HAN: Domestic tourism on rebound
The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) said it is still premature to comment on the effect that Namibia’s new visa regulations will have on the domestic tourism sector. However, HAN CEO Gitta Paetzold noted there is no use denying tourism industry concerns. In a statement issued last week, she said the industry is concerned “mainly...
Oil-tainted lake a symptom, symbol of Venezuela’s collapse
MARACAIBO (Venezuela) – A putrid smell hangs over the black-stained shores of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, where an oil slick is emblematic of the steep decline in the country’s once-enviable petroleum industry. Here, much like elsewhere in what was once Latin America’s richest country, economic hardship drives much of the discussion ahead of July 28...
Seattle plant eyes 2025 Boeing 777X commercial launch
EVERETT (United States) – In a mammoth factory that a Boeing manager calls the largest “on the planet” by volume, the aviation company is assembling the world’s biggest double-engine aircraft: the 777X. The Seattle-area plant is filled with several of the flying behemoths at various stages of production, with the snow-capped mountains of Washington state...
Global computer crash has minimal local impact
The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) on Friday issued a passenger advisory to confirm all scheduled flights to its airports were normal, despite a worldwide computer crash. The crash was caused by an antivirus software update by a company called CrowdStrike on Microsoft’s cloud computing service. “In the wake of the global information technology issue...
Debmarine gains ground in synthetic diamond battle …assures President of environmentally-sustainable mining
Environmental sustainability is a benchmark of marine diamond production for De Beers Marine Namibia (Debmarine). In fact, the company replaces 99% of the material it extracts off the seafloor where most of the sediment resettles within a few hours, and the finer sediment settles in a few days. Thereafter, the impacted environment returns to its...
ECB eyes summer pause on bumpy road to disinflation
FRANKFURT – European Central Bank policymakers were expected to leave borrowing costs on hold yesterday, buying time to make sure inflation is on the right track before cutting interest rates again. The ECB’s governing council reduced interest rates for the first time in five years at last month’s meeting, following an aggressive cycle of monetary...
EV sales growth stalls in Europe
PARIS – Europe is supposed to fully switch to electric vehicles in little over a decade but sales growth of the climate-friendly vehicles stalled in the first half of the year, data showed yesterday. Instead, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) showed that the modest 4.4% overall growth in the sales of new...
Global airline passenger traffic to double in 20 years
PARIS – Airlines expect overall passenger numbers to double over the next two decades from the 4.3 billion who flew last year, with growth led by emerging markets such as Asia Pacific and the Middle East, the main global airline body said yesterday. The projected surge in traffic could put further pressure on carriers to...
Green sponsors NIRO Career Guidance Conference
The NIRO Career Guidance and University Readiness Conference 2024 is currently taking place in Windhoek. Pupils, teachers, parents, exhibitors and industry representatives have gathered under the theme “Embracing Future Skills.” Discussions focused on career guidance, motivations and future skills. NIRO is a locally-registered company established in 2008, and offers full-time tutoring, student development and university...