Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Fri, Apr 19, 2024 02:03 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Corné van Walbeek

Professor at the School of Economics and Principal Investigator of the Economics of Tobacco Control Project, University of Cape Town
Corné van Walbeek is currently a Professor at the School of Economics at the University of Cape Town. He joined UCT in 2000 as a Senior Researcher in the Applied Fiscal Research Centre, and began teaching in the School of Economics in 2001. Before joining UCT Corné was a manager in a fruit exporting company for three years and a lecturer at Stellenbosch University for six years. His research interests are primarily in the economics of tobacco control, and in particular how changes in the excise tax on tobacco products can affect cigarette consumption. Within this field, his research has focused on the estimation of price elasticities of demand, how excise tax increases impact the poor, changes in smoking by different demographic groups over time, and the industry’s reaction to changes in the tobacco excise tax. His PhD thesis, completed in 2005, was entitled “The Economics of Tobacco Control in South Africa”. Furthermore, he has consulted the government in Jamaica and research groups in East Africa about tobacco control. Recently his research has had a strong international and cross-sectional focus. Together with Evan Blecher, their work has popularised the idea that the effectiveness of excise tax increases should be evaluated in terms of cigarette affordability, more than simply the price of cigarettes. The concept, although simple and intuitive, is gaining prominence in the literature and with the World Health Organization, and affordability measures are included in cross-country surveys of tobacco variables.

Tobacco control: South Africa must do more to help people quit smoking

May 28, 2021 11:10 am UTC| Health

Each year on 31 May, the World Health Organisation (WHO) hosts World No Tobacco Day. The day aims to spread awareness about the risks of tobacco use and to encourage governments to implement effective tobacco-control...

Economy

Impact of Iran-Israel conflict on Stocks, Gold and Bitcoin

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. The information provided is for general purposes only. No information, materials, services and other content provided on this page constitute a solicitation, recommendation,...

Japan Posts 7.7% Growth in Machinery Orders

In a striking development that looks set to invigorate Japans economic prospects, a key gauge of capital spending in the country has seen its most significant jump in over a year. According to Cabinet Office data released...

How cuts to marginal income tax could boost the UK’s stagnant economic growth

The British prime minister recently claimed the UK economy has turned a corner. Rishi Sunak said inflation figures were encouraging, and proclaimed that 2024 would be the year Britain bounces back. According to his...

A sustainable future begins at ground level

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a call to action in global partnership. By 2023 it appears that our progress has been far from satisfactory in achieving these...

Digital trade protocol for Africa: why it matters, what’s in it and what’s still missing

In February 2024, African heads of states adopted a draft protocol to regulate digital trade within the continent. This significant yet challenging course for Africas digital economy fits into the broader trade agreement,...

Politics

Nvidia RTX 4090D Embroiled in US-China Tech Rivalry; South Korea Navigates Chip Export Dilemma

The U.S. government has tightened export restrictions on high-performance semiconductor chips to China, including the Nvidia RTX 4090D, and is urging South Korea to enforce similar curbs, marking a significant escalation...

Canada needs a national strategy for homeless refugee claimants

One year after the federal government closed Roxham Road, refugee claims in Canada continue to increase: there were 143,785 in 2023 compared to 91,730 in 2022. The surprise announcement in March 2023 to modify Canadas...

Who will Trump pick as his running mate?

Being second in line for leadership of the most powerful country in the world is not an easy job. But for Mike Pence, vice president under Donald Trump, things were even harder than usual. As insurrectionists descended...

US and Japan Boost AI, Semiconductor Alliance; EU Eyes Reduction in China Dependence

Japan and the United States are poised to deepen ties in the high-tech sector, signaling a strategic move to enhance their global partnership with a focus on artificial intelligence and semiconductor...

US Finalizes Ban List for Chinese Chipmakers; Boosts Mexico Semiconductor Ties

The United States is finalizing a list of Chinese chip factories banned from receiving vital technology, aiming to curb Beijings tech advancements amid national security concerns. Concurrently, a US-Mexico semiconductor...

Science

If life exists on Jupiter’s moon Europa, scientists might soon be able to detect it

Europa is one of the largest of more than 90 moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. It is also one of the best places to look for alien life. Often termed an ocean world by scientists, observations to date strongly...

Exploding stars are rare but emit torrents of radiation − if one happened close enough to Earth, it could threaten life on the planet

Stars like the Sun are remarkably constant. They vary in brightness by only 0.1% over years and decades, thanks to the fusion of hydrogen into helium that powers them. This process will keep the Sun shining steadily for...

An eclipse for everyone – how visually impaired students can ‘get a feel for’ eclipses

Many people in the U.S. will have an opportunity to witness nearly four minutes of a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, as it moves from southern Texas to Maine. But in the U.S., over 7 million people are blind...

How do airplanes fly? An aerospace engineer explains the physics of flight

Airplane flight is one of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century. The invention of the airplane allows people to travel from one side of the planet to the other in less than a day, compared...

The mystery of consciousness shows there may be a limit to what science alone can achieve

The progress of science in the last 400 years is mind-blowing. Who would have thought wed be able to trace the history of our universe to its origins 14 billion years ago? Science has increased the length and the quality...

Technology

Samsung's Exynos 2500 Rumored to Eclipse Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in Power Efficiency With 3nm SoC

Samsung is reportedly preparing to equip the Galaxy S25 series with the Exynos 2500, a chipset that utilizes 3nm technology and may perform better than Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. For the next Galaxy S25 series,...

Shibarium Soars 160% as Key Metric Rebounds, Signaling Recovery

Shibarium, Shiba Inus blockchain solution, has surged by an impressive 160% in just 24 hours, marking a notable recovery in vital metrics. This surge follows a recent decline in transaction volume, indicating a swift...

Robotic Baristas Serve Coffee and Crypto at Dubai's Token2049 Event

Visitors experienced the future firsthand as blockchain-powered robots served coffee and offered cryptocurrency rewards at Token2049, showcasing a new level of automation and digital incentives. Blockchain-Powered...

Shiba Inu Team Member Sounds Alarm, Calls for Immediate Action Against Scams

A Shiba Inu team member, Lucie, has issued an urgent warning to the SHIB community about increasing scam activities within the crypto space, urging investors to stay vigilant and cautious. Shiba Inu Team Alerts...

MEW Coin Eyes Recovery with New Bybit Listing, Sparks Investor Interest

Bybit, a leading global crypto exchange, has announced the upcoming listing of the Solana-based meme coin MEW, sparking investors hopes for a potential price recovery. Bybit Announces MEW Token Listing, Igniting Hope...