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Gregory Breetzke

Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria
Gregory Breetzke is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology at the University of Pretoria. His formal education includes a BSc and BSocSci at the University of Pretoria and an MSc cum laude in Geographical Information Science (GIS) from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) in The Netherlands. Prof Breetzke received his PhD at the University of Pretoria in 2008, with a specialization in geodemographic offender profiling. His research interests include analysing the spatial-temporal patterns and trends of offender origins and crime incident locations. Other current interests include the development of indigenous theories of crime as well as examining crime as a development issue.

Prof Breetzke is a member of the Society of South African Geographers (SSAG), American Society of Criminology (ASC), and former committee member of the New Zealand Geographical Society and founding student member of the Geographical Information Society of South Africa (GISSA). He has over 80 international research outputs and has won a number of local and international prizes for his research. He is a member of Environmental Criminology and Crime Analysis group (ECCA) which is an association of leading international scholars in the fields of environmental criminology, crime science, situational crime prevention, intelligence-led policing and problem-oriented policing. He has been quoted frequently in print and online media both in South Africa and abroad and has given numerous presentations of his work at academic conferences and symposia around the world. He has previously consulted with the South African Police Services (SAPS) as well as New Zealand Police and has active research collaborations with colleagues in the United States, and New Zealand.

When temperatures rise, so do crime rates: evidence from South Africa

Aug 08, 2018 13:02 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Over the past few decades there has been a growing worldwide interest in examining the relationship between weather and various types of crime. Most research in this area has however produced inconsistent and often...

Economy

Gordie Howe International Bridge Set to Open, Boosting U.S.-Canada Trade Links

The long-awaited Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, is expected to open within weeks, marking a major milestone for cross-border trade and transportation between the United...

South Korea Q1 GDP Growth Revised Higher as AI-Driven Exports Boost Economic Outlook

South Koreas economy grew faster than previously estimated in the first quarter of 2026, according to revised figures released by the Bank of Korea on Tuesday. The updated data highlights the countrys strong export...

China Trade Surplus Surges in May 2026 as Exports and AI-Driven Imports Accelerate

Chinas trade surplus expanded more than expected in May 2026, supported by strong export growth and rising imports linked to the countrys growing semiconductor and artificial intelligence sectors. According to customs data...

Asian Currencies Gain as U.S. Dollar Softens Ahead of Key Inflation Data in 2026

Asian currencies traded mostly higher on Tuesday as the U.S. dollar retreated from a two-month high, with investors closely monitoring the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran and preparing for crucial U.S. inflation...

Asian Stocks Rebound as AI and Chip Shares Recover; Easing Iran Tensions Boost Sentiment

Asian stock markets moved higher on Tuesday, supported by a strong rebound in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares after heavy losses in previous sessions. Investor sentiment also improved as...

Politics

Alaska Senate Candidate Named Dan Sullivan Faces Investigation Over Alleged Voter Confusion Scheme

Alaska election officials have launched an investigation into a U.S. Senate candidate who shares the same name as Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan, amid allegations that his candidacy was designed to confuse...

Trump Administration Defends Anthropic AI Restrictions in Ongoing Federal Lawsuit

The Trump administration has defended its decision to restrict the use of Anthropics artificial intelligence products, arguing in a new court filing that the federal government acted lawfully after the AI company resisted...

Iran and Israel Halt Attacks After Trump Appeal as Regional Tensions Remain High

Iran and Israel announced they had suspended direct attacks against each other following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, easing fears of a wider Middle East conflict. However, Tehran warned that military action...

Taiwan Simulates Repelling Chinese Invasion in Major Coastal Live-Fire Exercise

Taiwans military conducted a large-scale live-fire coastal defense exercise on Tuesday, simulating the destruction of an invading Chinese force during an amphibious assault. The drill, held along Taiwans west coast facing...

Trump Claims Iran War Victory Near as Oil Prices Expected to Drop

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Monday evening that the United States is nearing victory in its conflict with Iran, adding that global oil prices could decline significantly once the war comes to an end. During a...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

OpenAI Files Confidential IPO Draft as AI Giants Race Toward Public Markets

OpenAI has confidentially submitted a draft S-1 registration statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), taking a major step toward a potential initial public offering (IPO). The move positions the...

Apple Unveils Enhanced Apple Intelligence and Next-Generation Siri at WWDC 2026

Apple has introduced the latest version of its Apple Intelligence platform at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026, signaling a stronger push into the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence market. The...

Qualcomm Stock Gains After Jensen Huang Endorsement

Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) shares moved higher in after-hours trading on Monday, rising approximately 2% after NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang publicly praised the semiconductor company and encouraged investors to...

Naver Stock Jumps on NVIDIA Partnership to Build South Korea’s AI Infrastructure

Naver Corp. (KS:035420) shares surged on Monday after the South Korean technology giant announced a major artificial intelligence partnership with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA). The news fueled strong investor...

Nvidia Expands South Korea AI Partnerships to Strengthen Data Center and Memory Chip Supply

Nvidia has announced a series of strategic partnerships with leading South Korean technology companies as the AI chip giant seeks to strengthen its supply chain and accelerate the growth of its artificial intelligence...