By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lamech-mwapagha-332522">Lamech Mwapagha</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/namibia-university-of-science-and-technology-3423">Namibia University of Science and Technology</a>


All organisms are unique. Each having a set of genetic instructions for their build-up and maintenance. This set of genetic instructions is contained in genes that makeup a genome. 

The <a href="http://www.who.int/genomics/geneticsVSgenomics/en/">World Health Organisation</a> defines genomics as the study of genes and their complex interplay in influencing the growth and development of an organism. Through genomics, gene sequences can be manipulated to prevent – or manage – certain diseases and hence prolong life and improve public health. 

More and more <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bmb/article/112/1/37/2747691">research</a> is showing that a better understanding of the genomics of pathogens can play a crucial role in preventing and treating infectious diseases. Identifying genetic risk factors for diseases can ensure timely interventions. It can also help curtail the spread of emerging infections and drug resistance.

Because of this, genomic research has huge potential in helping African countries address public health issues. The problem is that Africa lags behind other regions. This is true in terms of research, resources as well as policy.

<h2>Burden of disease</h2>

Africa faces a heavy disease burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. In the last <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/09/09/global-burden-of-disease-findings-for-sub-saharan-africa">two decades</a>, the continent has succeeded in decreasing some communicable diseases such as cholera and polio. But others such as <a href="http://www.who.int/bulletin/africanhealth/en/">malaria and HIV</a> remain quite high.

This disease burden has been aggravated with the emergence of drug-resistant strains. 

In addition, non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases are also on the rise. The number of deaths from these is <a href="http://www.prb.org/pdf15/ncds-africa-policybrief.pdf">projected</a> to increase over the next decade.

This high disease burden can be significantly reduced. But it needs a proactive approach. This should include a combination of public health strategies as well as the use of genomics to help identify genetic risk factors. 

<h2>Why genomics matters</h2>

Some examples of how genomic research has been used to address public health issues include:

<ul>
<li>The identification of a new <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/285/5433/1573">antimalarial</a> drug;</li>
<li>The development of new <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/193523">vaccines</a>; and </li>
<li>In the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3706975/">investigation</a> of causes of infectious disease outbreaks, including the Ebola virus.</li>
</ul>

Genomic analysis has also provided important prognostic indicators for breast cancer patients. This has helped identify the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15891269">drugs</a> that individuals could best respond to. It opened the door to the new era of <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/503689/Healthcare_UK_Genomics__Personalised_Medicine__DIGITAL.pdf">personalised medicine</a> that aims to tailor therapy according to each person’s genetic makeup. 

A good example was the use of genome sequencing that pointed to a new treatment regimen for <a href="https://cen.acs.org/articles/91/i28/Next-Generation-DNA-Sequencing-Finds.html">Nicholas Volker</a> who had a gastrointestinal disorder that was cured with a bone marrow transplant.

To date, the US Food and Drug Administration has <a href="http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/InVitroDiagnostics/ucm330711.htm">approved</a> 45 human genetic tests, and more than 100 nucleic acid-based tests for microbial pathogens. Most of this research is being carried out in the developed world. 

But scientists in Africa have also been attempting large-scale genome research studies focused on specific diseases. For example, the international <a href="https://www.genome.gov/10001688/international-hapmap-project/">HapMap</a> project and other previous studies have shown that people who live on the continent have the greatest genetic variation. Therefore understanding the genetic basis of both communicable and non-communicable diseases may provide useful insights into devising <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2953791/">effective strategies</a> to combat diseases that have had a large impact on the continent.

<h2>Challenges</h2>

Africa still lags behind the rest of the world in the field of genomic research. This is largely attributed to the following challenges:

<ul>
<li>The cost of research remains prohibitive for African research centres. This is mainly due to lack of enough government funding and support;</li>
<li>There’s a shortage of African scientists with genomic research and computational expertise who can translate genomic information into clinical medicine;</li>
<li>A lack of biomedical research infrastructure to undertake genomic research;</li>
<li>Lack of collaborative research among African scientists;</li>
<li>A climate of fear about the potential for misuse and misinterpretation of genomic information among the public and health professionals in Africa;</li>
<li>Poor engagement with national and regional agencies in the uptake of genomic research as novel methodologies to help tackle health problems; and</li>
<li>No proper policies and clear guidelines to inform medical and public health professionals about the level of confidence and use of genomic information.</li>
</ul>

<h2>What to do</h2>

African Union member states have set a target of 1% of GDP to be invested on <a href="http://uis.unesco.org/en/news/rd-data-release">research and development</a>. But most member states don’t meet this target. Only South Africa, Kenya and Senegal are close – at around 0.8%. 

It’s crucial that genomic research is given higher priority on the continent. The research should be supported by establishing the infrastructure for genomic studies, capacity building and improving collaborations with credible international partners. 

African genomic scientists should also build networks and collaborations that enable the exchange of new ideas and the transfer of knowledge. This could indirectly influence policy makers to support investments in genomic research.

There are programmes that are supporting initiatives like this. These include the <a href="http://aasciences.ac.ke/programmes/easa/alliance-for-accelerating-excellence-in-science-in-africa-aesa/">Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Africa</a>, created by the <a href="http://aasciences.ac.ke/">African Academy of Sciences</a> and the <a href="http://h3africa.org/">Human Heredity and Health in Africa</a>. These programmes support studies led by African scientists by providing research funds that foster genomics research, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4138491/">capacity building</a>, as well as specific scientific goals.

But there’s scope for considerable expansion. 

Overall, policymakers need to be involved from the beginning in all discussions and debates involving genomics research. They should be engaging with communities, academics and public health professionals to help develop research questions. They should also be involved in preparing to set up legal regulatory frameworks. This would go a long way towards ensuring the translation of genomic research findings into public health benefits.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110212/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lamech-mwapagha-332522">Lamech Mwapagha</a>, Lecturer of Biochemistry, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/namibia-university-of-science-and-technology-3423">Namibia University of Science and Technology</a>

This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-african-countries-need-to-give-genomic-research-a-major-boost-110212">original article</a>.

Why genomic research on the African continent needs a major boost

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/saheli-roy-choudhury/">By Saheli Roy Choudhury</a>



<a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=FB">Facebook</a> has been paying people in secret to install an app that allows the tech giant to collect data on how they use their smartphones, <a class="" href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/facebook-project-atlas/">TechCrunch reported Tuesday evening</a>.



Since 2016, the social networking giant has been paying teenagers and adults up to $20 a month plus referral fees to install the so-called “Facebook Research” app on their Apple or Android phones, according to TechCrunch. To mask Facebook’s direct involvement, the program is said to be administered through beta testing services Applause, BetaBound and uTest and is referred to as “Project Atlas.”



TechCrunch revealed that according to a security expert, the app allows Facebook to collect data including private messages in social media apps, photos and videos to sent, emails, web searches and web browsing activities. It can also track ongoing location information from other location tracking apps installed in the user’s phone, according to the report.



A Facebook spokesperson acknowledged to CNBC that the company is running the program to gather data on usage habits.



“Like many companies, we invite people to participate in research that helps us identify things we can be doing better,” the spokesperson said. “Since this research is aimed at helping Facebook understand how people use their mobile devices, we’ve provided extensive information about the type of data we collect and how they can participate.”



“We don’t share this information with others and people can stop participating at any time,” the spokesperson added.



The move from Facebook could potentially be a violation of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=AAPL" class="">Apple</a>&nbsp;policy since many of the users on board the program are installing the app on iPhones.



Apple did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comments but a spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company is aware of the issue.



Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/22/apple-removes-facebook-onavo-app-from-app-store.html" class="">Apple removed Facebook’s Onavo security app</a>&nbsp;from the App Store because it did not comply with its privacy rules that stated apps “should not collect information about which other apps are installed on a user’s device.”



<a class="" href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/facebook-project-atlas/">Read more about TechCrunch’s report on how Facebook pays users to install an app to collect data on them</a>.



This article was first published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/29/facebook-paying-users-to-install-app-to-collect-data-techcrunch.html and is republished with its permission.

Is Facebook paying users to install an app that could collect all kinds of data from their phones?

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/todd-haselton/">By Todd Haselton</a>



There’s a <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/28/apple-facetime-bug-lets-you-listen-even-if-someone-doesnt-answer.html">massive privacy bug on iPhones</a> that lets people call you with FaceTime to hear you and see you — even if you don’t pick up the call.



Here’s the gist of how it works: Using the bug, someone can listen in or see you through your iPhone.



<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=AAPL" class="">Apple</a>&nbsp;has since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/29/apple-removes-facetime-group-calling-as-it-tries-to-fix-spying-bug.html" class="">disabled Group FaceTime until it has a more permanent solution later this week</a>. To be extra safe, here’s how you can turn off FaceTime on your iPhone to prevent anyone from trying to snoop on you in the meantime.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Open Settings.</li><li>Choose FaceTime.</li><li>Toggle the button so that FaceTime is off (there’s no green showing.)</li></ul>



That’s it. I tested it on my own iPhone and it stopped FaceTime calls from coming in entirely, so nobody could just listen in or try to watch me through my iPhone’s camera.



Here’s the full response Apple provided to CNBC: “We’re aware of this issue and we have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week.”



 This article was first published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/29/how-to-disable-facetime.html?__source=twitter%7Cmain and is republished with its permission.

Here’s how to disable FaceTime so people can’t spy on you by exploiting a bug

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/todd-haselton/">By Todd Haselton</a>



There’s a FaceTime bug that lets you hear through someone else’s iPhone, even if they haven’t answered your phone call. It was previously reported on Twitter by user Benji Mobb and <a class="" href="https://9to5mac.com/2019/01/28/facetime-bug-hear-audio/">reported by 9to5Mac</a>.



CNBC tested it and verified that it’s a real bug. I tried placing a video call to my editor from my iPhone using Apple’s FaceTime app. Then, before he picked up, I used the menu option to add somebody else to the call and, as 9to5Mac’s directions state, I added myself to the call. Suddenly, I could hear my editor, even though he never picked up. We continued having a conversation while his phone only gave him the option to answer. There was no indication that the call had already gone through.



<a class="" href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/28/18201383/apple-facetime-bug-iphone-eavesdrop-listen-in-remote-call-security-issue">The Verge</a> reports that, if the person you’re calling tries to end it by tapping the power button on their phone, it sends video but no audio. That means the person calling you can see a video of you or your surroundings as if you’d answered the call. I replicated this with a friend.



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">Now you can answer for yourself on FaceTime even if they don’t answer?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Apple?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Apple</a> explain this.. <a href="https://t.co/gr8llRKZxJ">pic.twitter.com/gr8llRKZxJ</a>&mdash; Benji Mobb™ (@BmManski) <a href="https://twitter.com/BmManski/status/1089967572307640325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>




This bug seems to rely on the FaceTime Group Call feature, since you’re trying to add another person to the call.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/20/how-to-use-group-facetime-on-iphone-ipad.html" class="">Group FaceTime launched last year</a>.



There’s obviously a big privacy concern here. You could theoretically call anyone with FaceTime and, using the steps above, listen in on their conversations.



<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=AAPL" class="">Apple</a>, which is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/28/apple-q1-2019-earnings-preview-what-to-focus-on.html" class="">scheduled to report earnings on Tuesday afternoon</a>, said a fix is coming this week. “We’re aware of this issue and we have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week,” a spokesperson told CNBC. It also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/29/apple-removes-facetime-group-calling-as-it-tries-to-fix-spying-bug.html" class="">deactivated Group FaceTime to prevent people from exploiting the bug</a>&nbsp;before it releases a fix.



In the meantime, and to be extra safe, the fastest fix right now is to just turn off FaceTime. Here’s how:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.</li><li>Choose FaceTime</li><li>Toggle FaceTime to off.</li></ul>



 This article was first published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/28/apple-facetime-bug-lets-you-listen-even-if-someone-doesnt-answer.html?&amp;qsearchterm=facetime and is republished with its permission.

There’s a bug on Apple’s FaceTime that lets you listen in on people you call, even if they haven’t picked up their iPhone

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/alexandra-gibbs/">By Alexandra Gibbs</a>



Today, TransferWise is trusted by millions of customers worldwide, with the likes of Richard Branson and Peter Thiel having <a class="" href="https://transferwise.com/gb/about/our-story">invested in</a> its vision. Rewind 10 years or so however, and the picture was a lot different.



In 2008, Kristo Kaarmann — who’s now TransferWise’s CEO — was working as a management consultant in London and had received a Christmas bonus of £10,000 ($13,147), which he wanted to put to greater use.



Speaking to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46985443" class="">the BBC</a>, the businessman explained that as interest rates were higher in Estonia at the time, he chose to transfer the earnings from his British account to his Estonian savings account — expecting this would help him earn more from the money. This didn’t, however, go as hoped.



“I paid my U.K. bank a £15 fee, and transferred the £10,000, and then a week later I saw that £500 less than I had expected had arrived in the Estonian account,” Kaarmann <a class="" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46985443">told the U.K. broadcaster, BBC News</a>. The CEO explained how he looked into how this had occurred, and realized that he “had been incredibly stupid.”



“I had foolishly expected that my U.K. bank would have given me the exchange rate I saw when I looked on Reuters and Bloomberg,” he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46985443" class="">said</a>, adding that instead, “the bank had used an exchange rate 5 percent less favorable, which is how it and all the other banks get their cut. It was my mistake.”



As one of the latest business leaders to be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46985443" class="">profiled by the BBC</a>, Kaarmann said in its “The Boss” series, that this incident went onto see him try to discover a way of transferring cash overseas in a more cost-effective way. This led to Kaarmann meeting his soon-to-be business partner.



According to&nbsp;<a href="https://transferwise.com/about" class="">TransferWise’s website</a>, the two founders, Kaarmann and Chairman Taavet Hinrikus, met at a party and found out that they both worked in London but needed different currencies.



Kaarmann was paid in pounds but had a mortgage back in Estonia that was done in euros, while Hinrikus was paid in euros but needed British pounds to pay his bills in London.



After teaming up, the pair would&nbsp;<a href="https://transferwise.com/about" class="">informally transfer money</a>&nbsp;between one another, by looking at the mid-market rate of a certain day each month, allowing them to attain a fair exchange rate without paying additional bank charges.



This led to the businessmen building a network of Estonian friends transferring money,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46985443" class="">according to the BBC</a>, which went onto spark the start of their own business: TransferWise, which was launched in 2011.



Today, the money transfer service&nbsp;<a href="https://transferwise.com/help/article/1922918/basic-information/tips-for-getting-started-with-transferwise" class="">acts as an online account</a>&nbsp;for its 4 million-plus customers, allowing them to send money, get paid and spend money internationally, without being faced with high fees.



Now considered amongst Europe’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/10/transferwise-earnings-second-year-of-profit-revenue-surges.html" class="">“unicorn” start-ups</a>&nbsp;— which are companies valued with at least $1 billion — TransferWise is thriving, with it being reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/22/transferwise-2018-disruptor-50.html" class="">in 2018</a>&nbsp;that it had valuation of $1.6 billion.



<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46985443" class="">Read the BBC’s article in full here.</a>



—CNBC’s Ryan Browne contributed to this report 



This article was first published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/28/transferwise-kristo-kaarmann-on-what-led-up-to-the-business-idea.html and is republished with its permission.

How a simple mistake set in motion the start of a billion-dollar business

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/courtney-connley/">By Courtney Connley</a>



Roughly <a class="" href="http://rh-us.mediaroom.com/2018-06-06-More-Companies-offering-promotions-without-Raises-AND-many-workers-willing-to-accept-them?mod=article_inline">39 percent</a> of HR managers today say it’s common for their company to offer employees a promotion without a raise, according to data from the staffing firm OfficeTeam. That’s a 17-point increase from HR managers who said the same in 2011.



While receiving a promotion without extra pay isn’t ideal, career expert Lindsey Pollak says it can be okay to accept this deal&nbsp;—&nbsp;if&nbsp;the new promotion is in alignment with your long-term goals.



“If it is tremendously valuable to you to have that career title because of your career profile and the job you want next, then I don’t think you should&nbsp;not&nbsp;accept, ” she tells&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/" class="">CNBC Make It</a>.&nbsp;But Pollak warns that this situation should be temporary.



Below, Pollak and <a class="" href="https://www.monster.com/">Monster.com</a> career expert Vicki Salemi outline three things you should do now if you’re offered a promotion without a raise:



 1. Set a timeline



If you work for an organization where finances are tight, then it’s likely common for promotions to be offered without additional pay. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid initiating the conversation.



In fact, Pollak says when you are first offered the promotion you should ask your boss for an exact date when you can revisit the conversation about compensation. She says you can tell your boss something like, “I am very happy to take on this additional title and role, but in six months I would like for us to revisit the compensation component.”



Salemi agrees and says that whenever you have the discussion around pay, you should be sure to have the conversation in person or over the phone, rather than via email or text.



“The key is to just do what you can because at some point it is out of your control” she says. “But, what you can control is checking in, staying on top of your pay, following up and keeping track of your accomplishments.”



She adds that “how your boss reacts could be more motivation for you to just look for another job.”



 2. Negotiate for other benefits



Aside from negotiating pay, Salemi says there are other benefits you can ask for that will help you to better leverage your new position.



“Think of all the ways you can polish up and learn a new skill set that you can incorporate into your newly-revised resume,” she says. “Maybe there isn’t a budget for a raise, but you can ask if there is one for online learning or for traveling to attend a big conference in another area.”



Regardless of what you’re able to negotiate, Salemi says, you should “always keep your eyes on the prize” and think of your current promotion without pay as a temporary situation that’s helping you to build your resume.



3. Start applying for other opportunities



If salary conversations aren’t going in the direction you had hoped, then Salemi says it’s time for you to start seeking opportunities outside of your company.



As a suggestion, she says you should set up job alerts so that you can stay in the loop on any new positions that match your skill sets. She also advises employees to keep their resume updated and to be as detailed as possible about their new position and responsibilities.



“Let’s say before you were an associate director and now your new title is director,” Salemi explains. “You will need to get really quantifiable in your resume about the amount of the budget you’re managing, how many people you are managing, etc.”



Your promotion, she says, can be viewed as a way to help prepare you for the “job that maybe seemed out of reach” at one point, but is now in line with where you are career-wise.



 This article was first published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/25/what-to-do-youre-offered-a-promotion-without-a-raise.html and is republished with its permission.

3 things to do if you’re offered a promotion without a raise

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/abigail-hess/">By Abigail Hess</a>



Perhaps the hardest part of being a member of the workforce today is predicting which skills and which jobs jobs will be needed in the economy of tomorrow.



On Thursday, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/automation-and-artificial-intelligence-how-machines-affect-people-and-places/" class="">Brookings Institute</a>&nbsp;released a sobering report that details the impact technologies such as Automated Intelligence (AI) will have on workers. “Almost no occupation will be unaffected by technological change in the AI era,” reads the report, which predicts one-quarter of jobs are at “high risk” of being automated.



One tool that can be used to predict which jobs will be in demand in the coming “AI era” is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cognizant.com/jobs-of-the-future-index?utm_source=newsletter&amp;amp;utm_medium=email&amp;amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosfutureofwork&amp;amp;stream=future" class="">Cognizant Jobs of the Future (CJOF) Index</a>. The CJoF Index tracks the popularity of 50 jobs predicted to be in high demand in the future. Earlier this week, the index released its latest figures from the fourth quarter of 2018, providing insight into the jobs of the future.



Here are the jobs that had the largest growth in number of openings over the past year:&nbsp;



Software Developer/Engineer



≈ 84,000 more job openings



Cyber/Information Security Engineer/Analyst



≈ 12,000 more job openings



Cyber Calamity Forecaster



≈ 8,300 more job openings



UI/UX Designer/Developer



≈ 6,800 more job openings



The following jobs were the fastest-growing roles on the CJOF Index over the past year:&nbsp;



Fashion Designer



Job growth: +279 percent



Solar Engineer



Job growth: +257 percent



Career Counselor



Job growth: +181 percent



Social Media Strategist/Specialist



Job growth: +172 percent



Genetic Counselor



Job growth: +163 percent



Unsurprisingly, many of the jobs that topped the CJoF Index this quarter were roles in digital fields. “The employment growth in these areas reflects the greater demand for people with the software, cybersecurity and digital design to drive companies’ digital future,” states the Cognizant report.



However, many other more surprising roles also showed strong job growth. For instance, Cognizant reports that there was a 279 percent increase in the number of job openings with the title of “Fashion Designer” in 2018.



<a href="https://www.cognizant.com/futureofwork/author/details/benjamin-pring" class="">Benjamin Pring</a>, Director of the Cognizant Center for the Future of Work, says that these surprising and unsurprising job titles comes down to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) training.



“STEM-style jobs that people have been saying are going to be important — data science, machine learning, cyber security — those sorts of STEM-based jobs that people have been saying are going to be important, the data is absolutely supporting that argument,” Pring tells&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/" class="">CNBC Make It</a>. “The argument is being proven that if you’re 16, or if you’re 25, or if you’re 35, trying to get yourself into one of those STEM areas is absolutely the right thing to do. There’s a clearly a huge demand for that kind of capability.”



However, Pring also says there will still be opportunities for workers in the future even if they don’t have these in-demand STEM skills. The key, he says using technology competently and mastering uniquely human characteristics.



“The notion that every kind of person, whether or not you’re maths-based or STEM-based, needs to be in a technical job, that doesn’t make sense. A lot of jobs will be STEM-based, tech-based jobs, but loads wont be. They’ll have a tech component within them, but they wouldn’t be tech jobs, per se,” he explains. “You have to double-down on the things that differentiate a human being from software, or from a machine, and they are those human qualities — the ability to be empathetic, to care, to be creative, to sell, to help, to support — all of those things that machines are not going to do any time soon.”



 This article was first published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/25/cyber-calamity-forecaster-career-counselor-and-solar-engineer&#8211;here-are-the-fastest-growing-jobs-of-the-future.html and is republished with its permission.

These are the fastest-growing jobs of the future

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/tom-popomaronis/">By Tom Popomaronis</a>



We tend to think about success in terms of wealth and accomplishments. That’s a fair measurement, but the problem is that when we obsess over the victories, we tend to overlook the sacrifices required in order to get there. In fact, neglecting to account for the&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/30/13-things-you-should-give-up-if-you-want-to-be-successful.html">inherent sacrifices</a>&nbsp;is one reason why so many of us have a hard time sticking to healthy habits and following up on goals.



Time is a factor when it comes to making sacrifices. As Warren Buffett famously said, “It’s the only thing you can’t buy. I mean, I can buy anything I want, basically, but I can’t buy time.”



He’s absolutely right. In order to pursue hobbies with high returns when you only have 24 hours in a day, you must must forgo activities with low returns. Should you watch another episode of your favorite Netflix show&#8230;or give up TV for two months so you can plant that garden you always dreamed about?



Making the decision isn’t easy, but the good news is that we already do this innately. A&nbsp;<a class="" href="http://csjarchive.cogsci.rpi.edu/Proceedings/2009/papers/285/paper285.pdf">2009 study</a>&nbsp;from the University of Adelaide’s School of Psychology found that people are “far less willing to keep many options open” when some have bigger rewards than others. If the payoffs are unknown, however, we have a harder time giving them up. That’s why doing an activity audit is so important. You have to actually take the time to figure out the opportunity costs and gains of each and what to pursue over the other. 



Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, two incredibly successful business moguls, are two prime examples of how strategically giving up some activities to focus on more rewarding ones can help you reach your goals.The activity audit



While Gates’ love for technology helped him build a multi-billion-dollar company, he refuses to let it distract him from the important things.



“I stopped listening to music and watching TV in my 20s. It sounds extreme, but I did it because I thought they would just distract me from thinking about software,” the billionaire wrote in a&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://www.gatesnotes.com/Books/The-Headspace-Guide-to-Meditation-and-Mindfulness">blog post</a>. He applies the same values when it comes to parenting. Gates didn’t allow his kids to have cellphones until they were 14 (on average, kids are given their first cellphones at age 10). He also keeps a “no phones” rule during family meals.



Buffett is no fan of the distractions of technology, either. The Berkshire Hathaway CEO doesn’t keep a computer in his office. He limits Internet distractions by owning a flip phone — despite the many times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/10/warren-buffet-isnt-eager-to-trade-his-flip-phone-in-for-an-iphone.html" class="">Apple CEO Tim Cook tried convincing him</a>&nbsp;to join the iPhone revolution.Hobbies with high returns



Just because an activity is “productive” doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. The hobbies you do outside of work should always be rooted in what you’re passionate about. If you find it truly enjoyable and rewarding, stick with it. Simply sitting still can do wonders for your brain. It increases creativity, improves your decision-making skills and can even force you to come up with innovative solutions to existing problems.



For Buffett, that hobby is playing&nbsp;<a href="http://whartonmagazine.com/issues/summer-2015/playing-mind-games-with-warren-buffett/#sthash.S7DpT8Oy.dpbs" class="">bridge</a>, a game that requires a lot of patience, strategy and tactics. “It’s got to be the best intellectual exercise out there,” he claims. “You’re seeing new situations every ten minutes. Bridge is about weighing gain-loss ratios. You’re doing calculations all the time.”



Buffett also has a lifelong hobby of reading. When asked about his secret to success during a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/16/warren-buffetts-reading-routine-could-make-you-smarter-suggests-science.html" class="">Columbia Business School talk</a>, he picked up a big pile of papers and replied, “Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest.” Even today, the billionaire investor spends 80 percent of his day reading.Every hour counts



In that vein, Malcolm Gladwell explains in his book “<a class="" href="https://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930">Outliers: the Story of Success</a>&nbsp;” how part of Gates’ success was built on the foundation of the “<a class="" href="http://www.talkativeman.com/bill-gates-10000-hour-rule/">10,000 hour rule</a>. ” The rule states that world-class mastery of a skill requires 10,000 hours of practice. In Gates’ case, it was programming practice.



Obviously, that’s a lot of time — and not all of us can afford to commit 10,000 hours into mastering a skill. The takeaway here is that Gates found something he loved, devoted his time to it, mastered the skill and built a business out of it. You can follow in his footsteps (to the best of your abilities, of course) by figuring out what you have the potential to be an expert in, and then selecting activities that will help you grow in that area.Keep moderation in mind



You can still enjoy the mindless joys of life. Go to happy hour. Binge on Netflix for an entire weekend. Go on a shopping spree if it’ll make you feel better. Gates’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2863117/" class="">break from TV and music only lasted about five years.&nbsp;</a>It’s just a matter of cutting back on the less productive ones. And when you’re feeling uninspired, remember the tunes of Kenny Rogers: “You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away – and know when to run.”



Tom Popomaronis&nbsp;is a commerce expert and proud Baltimore native. Currently, he is the Senior Director of Product Innovation at the&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://rhawkinsgroup.com/">Hawkins Group</a>. His work has been featured in&nbsp;Forbes, Fast Company&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Washington Post. In 2014, he was named one of the “40 Under 40” by the&nbsp;Baltimore Business Journal.



This article was first published by CNBC&nbsp;https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/24/warren-buffett-and-bill-gates-agree-giving-up-this-one-thing-will-make-you-more-successful.html&nbsp;and is republished with its permission.

Warren Buffett and Bill Gates prove that quitting this 1 bad habit will help make you more successful in life

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/karen-gilchrist/">By Karen Gilchrist</a>



Your first job may not always feel like the most inspiring. But according to billionaire businessman&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/jack-ma/">Jack Ma</a>, it will be your most important.



If he could share one piece of advice with young people, that would be it, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=BABA" class="">Alibaba</a>&nbsp;founder told an audience at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/davos-world-economic-forum/" class="">World Economic Forum in Davos</a>.



“Your first job is your most important,” Ma said Wednesday during a session entitled “Meet the Leader with Alibaba Executive Chairman Jack Ma.”



That doesn’t mean it has to be your “dream job” — or even one you particularly enjoy, he continued. But it does have to be one where you can learn from others and stretch yourself.



 “Not necessarily a company that has a great name, (but) you should find a good boss that can teach you how to be a human being — how to do things right, how to do things properly — and (you should) stay there,” said Ma. 



That requires staying the course, allowing yourself time to figure out your strengths and where you want to end up — and all that takes time.



“Give yourself a promise: ‘I will stay there for three years.’ Then you start to move.”



Ma, who has been at the helm of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/china/" class="">Chinese</a>&nbsp;e-commerce behemoth for almost two decades, said he’s seen young workers often quit their jobs prematurely without allowing themselves time to bed in.



“It’s not good,” he said, mimicking people scrambling. “I’ve seen a lot of disasters.”



Ma’s comments mirror common criticism of the millennial workforce, which is accused of job-hopping and valuing workplace perks over longer-term career progression.



The 54-year-old’s advice reflects his own experience. Ma famously started out his career as an English teacher in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/search/?query=Hangzhou" class="">Hangzhou</a>, China before banding together with a group of co-founders in the late-90′s to create what would become one of the world’s most valuable companies.



“One of the reasons I survived for 20 years was because I was a teacher,” Ma said, referring to his career at Alibaba.



That formative teaching job, he said, helped him learn to identify talented people and inspire them to excel. Having that skill enabled him to build and manage a strong team at Alibaba, he noted.



“You always want your students to be better than you, to be a mayor, not in prison,” said Ma.



“When I hire people, I hire the people who are smarter than I am. People who four, five years later could be my boss. I like people who are positive and who never give up,” he added.



Ma, who announced last year that he will&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/10/alibaba-jack-ma-succession-plan-daniel-zhang-to-take-over-as-chairman.html">step down as executive chairman of Alibaba</a>&nbsp;in September 2019, has said he hopes to return to his teaching career in the future.



This article was first published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/24/careers-advice-jack-ma-alibaba-says-first-job-is-the-most-important.html and is republished with its permission.

Why Alibaba’s Jack Ma says your first job is the most important

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/megan-leonhardt/">By Megan Leonhardt</a>



Online banks are leaving local banks in the dust when it comes to the interest rates offered on savings accounts. Yet many Americans have no idea.



A full 62 percent of people&nbsp;<a href="https://wallethub.com/blog/banking-survey/51819/" class="">surveyed by WalletHub last year</a>&nbsp;did not realize online-only banks tend to offer higher rates and lower fees. Currently, online banks offer an interest rate that is roughly six times higher, on average, than local banks and credit unions nationwide, according to an analysis by DepositAccounts.com.



Depending on what state you’re in, the difference can be even more dramatic. Oklahoma offers the highest average interest on a savings account, with 0.39 percent, according to DepositAccounts. Arkansas brick-and-mortar banks offers the lowest average: 0.13 percent.



Meanwhile, online banks offer an average APY of 1.47 percent as of January 1, 2019, the site’s analysis finds. And some offer even higher interest rates. Industry leaders like <a class="" href="https://www.marcus.com/us/en/savings/high-yield-savings">Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers 2.25 percent APY</a>. <a class="" href="https://www.ally.com/bank/online-savings-account/">Ally pays out 2.2 percent</a>, as does <a class="" href="https://www.synchronybank.com/banking/high-yield-savings/?UISCode=0000000">Synchrony</a>. That’s about 17 times higher than the Arkansas average.



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://infogram.com/_/kTkZBjqC4OGNwYbdTN2s" target="_blank">Average local 1-year savings account yields</a>



<div class="infogram-embed" data-id="_/kTkZBjqC4OGNwYbdTN2s" data-type="interactive" data-title="Copy: DAStates - Average savings"></div><script>!function(e,t,s,i){var n="InfogramEmbeds",o=e.getElementsByTagName("script")[0],d=/^http:/.test(e.location)?"http:":"https:";if(/^\/{2}/.test(i)&&(i=d+i),window[n]&&window[n].initialized)window[n].process&&window[n].process();else if(!e.getElementById(s)){var r=e.createElement("script");r.async=1,r.id=s,r.src=i,o.parentNode.insertBefore(r,o)}}(document,0,"infogram-async","https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js");</script>



No state’s local brick-and-mortar banks have an average interest rate that came close to even 1 percent, according to DepositAccounts. Overall, it finds, banks and credit unions nationwide pay an average of 0.24 percent interest on savings accounts.



It makes sense that online banks are able to pay higher rates: They don’t have the expenses associated with running and staffing branches. But it doesn’t change the math.How to bank online



“People are still a little worried about online banking or Internet-only banks,” Ken Tumin, founder of DepositAccounts.com, tells CNBC Make It.



The safety and security of these banks is one concern people have, he says, and the other, perhaps more common, worry is how much access you have to your money. “That really discourages people from trying an online bank or trying these online savings accounts,” Tumin says.



About two-thirds of Americans, 65 percent, consider it important for a bank to have a branch, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/financial-services/publications/assets/pwc-fsi-whitepaper-digital-banking-consumer-survey.pdf" class="">PricewaterhouseCoopers’s 2018 Digital Banking Consumer Survey</a>. It can be a real sticking point: One in four people say they wouldn’t open an account with a bank that doesn’t have at least one physical branch near by.



Online banks offer workarounds. You may not be able to have conversations with a teller, but you can pick up the phone and call in with questions. And Marcus, for example, offers a <a class="" href="https://www.marcus.com/us/en/banking-with-us/contact-marcus">live chat feature</a> that connects you with a savings specialist seven days a week.



To deposit money, generally, you can set up a direct deposit from your paycheck into the online savings account, or you can transfer money to it from another bank account.



Some online banks offer remote access. Ally, for example, gives you the ability to snap a photo or scan in a check to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ally.com/do-it-right/trends/ally-echeck-deposit-frequently-asked-questions/" class="">deposit your money</a>. It doesn’t allow cash deposits but, if you have another checking or savings account at a bank with a branch, you can always deposit the money there and transfer it electronically.



And while you likely won’t have to use an ATM much with your savings account, several online banks have robust ATM networks, too. Synchrony, for example, allows customers to use&nbsp;<a href="https://www.synchronybank.com/banking-resources/faq/" class="">any ATM without a fee</a>&nbsp;and even reimburses up to $5 in fees charged by the operator.



Overall, Tumin says, “Opening a savings account at an online bank is often the easiest and best way to take advantage of higher rates.”



This article was first published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/23/you-can-make-17-times-as-much-interest-on-savings-with-an-online-bank.html and is republished with its permission.

You could earn 17 times as much interest on your savings if you make one simple banking change

KAMPALA (Reuters) &#8211; Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said telecom firm MTN Uganda needs to sell shares on the local stock exchange to facilitate domestic ownership of the company and ensure more of the money it earns stays in the country. 



A unit of South Africa’s MTN Group, the company is the East African country’s largest telecommunications firm, controlling a subscriber base of more than 10 million.



However, relations between MTN Uganda and authorities have become strained after the country this week deported two of its executives after accusations they were compromising national security.



Museveni made the comments while meeting MTN Group’s President and CEO Rob Shuter on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.



“It is important that you float shares on the local stock exchange to allow for local ownership,” Museveni was quoted as telling Shuter, according to a statement from his office on Thursday.



Museveni accused some unnamed telecoms companies of dodging taxes by under-declaring the volume of calls and that his government had bought machines that helped detect such activity.



Museveni also said telecommunication firms in Africa, which are often foreign owned, repatriate profits back home to the detriment of local economies.



“You should foresee these trade deficits. More locally owned companies should be allowed to earn money so that most of it remains here,” he said.



MTN Uganda did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.



The statement from the president’s office quoted Shuter as saying the firm was in negotiations with a Ugandan state-controlled National Social Security Fund (NSSF) for a possible sale of shares to the fund.



There was no confirmation from MTN.



MTN is in negotiations with Ugandan authorities for a ten-year extension of its operating license after it expired in October last year but there has been disagreements over the amount of licence fees to be paid.



Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Omar Mohammed/Keith Weir

Uganda’s Museveni wants MTN Uganda to sell shares on the local stock exchange, what you need to know…

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#WEF19: A Conversation with Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia

#WEF19: South Africa’s Ramaphosa speaks at Davos

#WEF19: More than GDP

#WEF19: Achieving a Single Market in Africa

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/emmie-martin/">By Emmie Martin</a>



If you’re <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/30/heres-exactly-when-youll-become-a-millionaire-if-you-save-500-per-month.html">putting away $500 per month</a>, you’re on track to become a millionaire in 33 years. Bump those monthly contributions <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/31/when-youll-become-a-millionaire-if-you-save-1000-per-month.html">up to $1,000 per month</a> and it will only take you 25 years to reach seven figures.



While experts recommend&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/01/how-much-of-your-paycheck-you-have-to-save-to-be-a-millionaire.html" class="">saving up $1 million by the time you retire</a>, typically around age 67, you might be on track to hit that milestone at a much earlier age.



How close are you?



Personal finance blogger Zach of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fourpillarfreedom.com/" class="">Four Pillar Freedom</a>&nbsp;created a simple chart that breaks down at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fourpillarfreedom.com/the-million-dollar-age-grid/" class="">exactly which age you’ll become a millionaire</a>, based on your current age and annual savings rate.



<a class="" href="http://www.fourpillarfreedom.com/the-million-dollar-age-grid/">Check it out</a> below. Keep in mind that the chart assumes you’re starting with zero savings and earning a seven percent rate of return.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/104724456-millionDollarAgeGrid-1110x916.png" alt="" class="wp-image-326206"/></figure>



Zach points out that, with diligent saving habits, it’s possible for anyone to become a millionaire in 30 years if they’re able to save and invest $10,000 a year. That’s about $833 per month, which isn’t outright impossible, but is still a far cry from the total amount most Americans have in savings:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/13/how-much-americans-at-have-in-their-savings-accounts.html" class="">less than $1,000</a>.



The chart also speaks to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/24/how-much-you-need-to-save-to-become-a-millionaire-in-20-years.html" class="">power of compound interest</a>.



“Anyone can become a millionaire before the traditional retirement age of 65 by saving only $4,000 per year starting at age 20,” Zach writes. That averages out to around $333 per month, which is still a substantial sum for many, but doable if you get started early.



No matter how close you are to becoming a millionaire, the key takeaway is to save whatever you can as soon as you can. The financial consequences of mismanaging your money only become more pressing as you get older, so it’s important to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/20/most-important-thing-to-do-with-money-in-your-20s.html" class="">develop good savings habits early</a>.



If you’re ready to put your money to work, the simplest starting point is to invest in your employer’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/20/five-401k-tips-for-recent-grads.html" class="">401(k) plan</a>, a tax-advantaged retirement savings account. Next, consider alternate retirement savings accounts as well, such as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/14/heres-how-young-people-should-invest-their-first-10000.html" class="">Roth IRA</a>, traditional IRA and/or a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/02/how-health-savings-accounts-can-help-you-save-for-retirement.html" class="">health savings account</a>.



You can also research low-cost <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/04/passive-investing-is-on-a-tear-and-for-very-good-reason.html">index funds</a>, which <a class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/26/3-ways-to-invest-like-warren-buffett.html">Warren Buffett recommends</a>, and online investment platforms known as robo-advisers.



This article was first published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/22/simple-chart-shows-at-what-age-youll-become-a-millionaire.html and is republished with its permission.

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This chart shows you at what age you’ll become a millionaire

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