May 06
Africa: U.S.-Africa Trade Deal Turns 25 Next Year - Agoa's Winners, Losers and What Should Come Next
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) is a landmark piece of trade legislation enacted by the United States in 2000. Its goal is to promote economic growth, development and… Read more »
May 05
Africa: African Countries Can't Resolve Their Debt Crisis Under a System Rigged Against Them
The debt situation in many African countries has escalated again to a critical juncture. Twenty are in, or at risk of, debt distress. Read more »
May 02
Africa: Personalised mRNA Vaccines - a Revolutionary New Approach in Melanoma Treatment
A personalised mRNA vaccine to treat melanoma has now reached late-stage trials in the UK. This is just the latest step in improving the cure rate of cancer. Read more »
May 03
Africa: Hadeda Ibises' 'Sixth Sense' Works Best in Wet Soil
Hadeda ibises (Bostrychia hagedash) are one of the most familiar species of birds across sub-Saharan Africa. They are large, long-legged birds with long, thin beaks for probing… Read more »
May 02
Africa: Lessons From Covid-19 - Preparing for Future Pandemics Means Looking Beyond the Health Data
The World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 5, 2023. In the year since, only two provinces -- Alberta and Ontario -- have published… Read more »
Africa: The Challenges African Election Bodies Face Go Beyond 'Democratic Backsliding' - Analysis
Election management bodies are essential democratic institutions. To deliver national polls effectively, they need to be properly resourced, impartial and free from government or… Read more »
May 01
Africa: The Covid-19 Pandemic Changed Our Patterns and Behaviours, Which in Turn Affected Wildlife
The Earth now supports over eight billion people who collectively have transformed three-quarters of the planet's land surface for food, energy, shelter and other aspects of the… Read more »
April 30
Africa: Jobs for Young Africans - New Data Tool Reveals Trends and Red Flags
An estimated 23.6 million young Africans (aged 15-35) are unemployed - that's one in 22 (4.5%). With this number projected to grow to 27 million by 2030, the need for jobs is… Read more »
April 29
West Africa: Russia Has Tightened Its Hold Over the Sahel Region - and Now It's Looking to Africa's West Coast
Armed troops in Niger overthrew the government in July 2023, seizing power for themselves. The following months were rife with speculation that the military government would align… Read more »
West Africa: Gum Arabic From Africa's Acacia Trees in the Sahel Is Used in Hundreds of Products - What's Worth Knowing
The conflict in Sudan has turned attention to a rarely discussed commodity: gum arabic. This product, the dried sap of certain species of acacia trees, is used mainly as an… Read more »
Africa: Teens See Social Media Algorithms As Accurate Reflections of Themselves, Study Finds
Social media apps regularly present teens with algorithmically selected content often described as "for you," suggesting, by implication, that the curated content is not just "for… Read more »
April 28
Africa: Talking to Teens About Sex - Advice for Parents On When, How, What to Say and Why It's So Important
The "birds and the bees". The "facts of life". Whatever you call it, many parents dread discussing sex and sexuality with their teenagers. They may be embarrassed, or worried that… Read more »
April 24
Africa: Our Laser Technique Can Tell Apart Elephant and Mammoth Ivory
In recent years, the global trade in elephant ivory has faced significant restrictions in an effort to protect dwindling elephant populations. Many countries have stringent… Read more »
Africa: Religion and Covid-19 - Methodists and Church of England Followers More Likely to Have Been Vaccinated Than Muslims and Pentecostals
There are many factors which affect how successfully a vaccine is rolled out. One of these is the public health communication strategy. Surprisingly, a key factor in determining… Read more »
Africa: R21 Anti-Malaria Vaccine Is a Game Changer - Scientist Who Helped Design It Reflects On 30 Years of Research, and What It Promises
Until three years ago nobody had developed a vaccine against any parasitic disease. Now there are two against malaria: the RTS,S and the R21 vaccines. Read more »
April 22
Africa: Sex Differences Don't Disappear As a Country's Equality Develops - Sometimes They Become Stronger
The more gender equal a society is, the more similar men and women will be, adopting more similar interests, personality traits and behavioural patterns. Or so many people seem to… Read more »
April 15
Africa: Our Research Suggests Eating an Unhealthy Breakfast Could Have a Similar Effect On Your Child's School Day As Having Nothing At All
Many parents know it is important for their teenagers to have breakfast before they go to school. Even though young people can be reluctant to eat it, breakfast provides the energy… Read more »
April 17
Africa: Fermented Foods Sustain Both Microbiomes and Cultural Heritage
Many people around the world make and eat fermented foods. Millions in Korea alone make kimchi. The cultural heritage of these picklers shape not only what they eat every time they… Read more »
April 15
Africa: 5 Questions Schools and Universities Should Ask Before They Purchase AI Tech Products
Every few years, an emerging technology shows up at the doorstep of schools and universities promising to transform education. The most recent? Technologies and apps that include… Read more »
April 24
Africa: Sugar in Baby Food - Why Nestlé Needs to Be Held to Account in Africa
Nestlé has been criticised for adding sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries. The Swiss food giant controls 20% of the baby-food… Read more »
April 23
Africa: Africa's Megacities Threatened By Heat, Floods and Disease
Cities cover just 3% of the planet. But they emit 78% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, absorb 80% of final global energy (what consumers use) and consume 60% of clean… Read more »
April 18
Africa: Understanding AI Outputs - Study Shows Pro-Western Cultural Bias in the Way AI Decisions Are Explained
Humans are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to inform decisions about our lives. AI is, for instance, helping to make hiring choices and offer medical diagnoses. Read more »
April 22
Africa: Planting Trees in Grasslands Won't Save the Planet - Rather Protect and Restore Forests
Tree planting is one of the nature-based solutions being used to offset greenhouse gas emissions. Trees absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. Many of these tree planting projects… Read more »
Africa: Two New Malaria Vaccines Are Being Rolled Out Across Africa - How They Work and What They Promise
Malaria incidents are on the rise. There were 249 million cases of this parasitic disease in 2022, five million more than in 2021. Africa suffers more than any other region from… Read more »
April 09
Africa: Flowers May Be More Ancient Than Dinosaurs - but Scientists Can't Agree On When They Evolved
Flowers may look delicate - but flowering plants, what scientists call angiosperms, are one of the most successful evolutionary organisms on the planet. Including more than 350,000… Read more »