Loose canon 💥 Fifa’s grand plan shows us greed is often confirmation bias with a balance sheet

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PODCAST 📣 How do you start investing in art?

Is investing in art actually an investment, or just a pleasure posing as a share portfolio? Journalist Tim Cohen and Merchant banker and artist Mark Barnes discuss this with SPECIAL GUEST, executive director of auctioneers Strauss and Co. Susie Goodman

By Tim Cohen · Jun 2, 2026

Loose Canon 💥 David, Goliath, and the terrible revenge of the frisbee in both Iran and Ukraine

There are, currently, two great asymmetric wars unfolding at once: Ukraine’s defence against Russia, and Iran’s defence against the United States. Obviously both aggressors should have read the bible.

By Tim Cohen · May 31, 2026

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PODCAST 📣 South Africa’s agricultural sector is blooming

South Africa’s agricultural exports could well hit record levels in 2026, surpassing even a spectacular 2025, despite Donald Trump’s tariff cadenza last year.

By Tim Cohen · May 27, 2026

Loose Canon💥 Schadenfreude, Savoir-Vivre and Gatvol - the irresistible nonsense, and occasional truth, of cultural keywords

Do words that are specific to a language and which don't have easy translations tell you anything meaningful about that nation?

By Tim Cohen · May 24, 2026

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Podcast 📣 On foreign affairs and the longevity of Larry the Cat

Merchant banker Mark Barnes and journalist Tim Cohen talk to special guest journalist and foreign affairs correspondent Linda van Tilburg about why the 10 Downing Street cat Larry seems to have more chance of maintaining his domicile than other recent residents.

By Tim Cohen · May 21, 2026

Loose Canon 💥 Sympathy for the dismal science

The advent in July of the Rolling Stones’ 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues, raises the question of the Mick Jagger's approach to economics in general and Friedrich von Hayek in particular. Well ... sort of. But anyway ...

By Tim Cohen · May 16, 2026

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Podcast 📣 The Trappings of Debt. Literally.

What does it mean for you and your investments that global public sector debt has now breached the $100-trillion mark? Listen (or watch!) on our weekly ListenUP! podcast.

By Tim Cohen · May 5, 2026

Loose Canon💥 The AI policy that should have used more AI

There is a potential irony in South Africa’s now-withdrawn draft artificial intelligence policy, and it may not be the one

By Tim Cohen · May 1, 2026