Wednesday Morning Spice

Perfect Storm About To Hit South Africa’s Biggest Employers – South Africa’s agriculture and automotive sectors are facing a storm of epic proportions as the United States’ tariffs are about to kick in, and there’s near certainty that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) will end. [businesstech]

ANC Threatens DA With ‘Consequences’, Zille Says Stick By The Rules As GNU Tensions Grow – The ANC said it would reset the rules of the GNU and possibly open the door to other political parties. [news24]

Ukraine War Briefing: Zelensky Demands Answers Over Chinese Nationals Fighting For Russia – The Ukrainian president says the Chinese nationals were just two of many fighting with Russian forces. What we know on day 1,141. [guardian]

Rupert Murdoch’s Media Empire Is Freaking Out Over Donald Trump’s Tariffs – The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post have registered notes of panic about this week’s financial calamity, while Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham and Jesse Watters have mocked the naysayers as Chicken Littles. [vanityfair]

The Tide Is Turning On Shark Nets At Sydney’s Famed Beaches – In late November, a gaggle of open-water swimmers set out from Sydney’s Bondi Beach. About 500 meters (1,600 feet) from shore, they stopped and formed a line 150 meters (about 500 feet) long, treading water above the length of the beach’s shark net. [cnn]

Trump’s Sweeping Tariff Plan Kicks In As China Hit With 104% Levy – The US government on Wednesday began collecting tariffs imposed by President Trump on roughly 90 countries, including a whopping 104% levy on China. [nypost]

The ‘Boom Boom’ Aesthetic Fetishizes Wealth In An Era Of Chaos – It’s luxury as armor, capitalism as costume — but the power it mimics is still very real. [mashable]