February 12
Africa: 100 Years of Radio in Africa - From Propaganda to People's Power
Radio is thriving across Africa. Exact figures are difficult to come by because audience research differs across countries. But studies estimate radio listenership to be between… Read more »
Africa: Migrating Animals Face Collapsing Numbers - Major New UN Report
The world's travelling animals - marine turtles, whales, sharks, elephants, reptiles, wild cats, birds, and even insects - have entered a period of sharp decline, new research has… Read more »
February 11
South Africa: Medicinal Plants Help Keep Children Healthy in South Africa - 61 Species Were Recorded
In 2021, almost 33 of every 1,000 South African children under five years old died. Read more »
Morocco: Morocco Dinosaur Discovery Gives Clues On Why They Went Extinct
66 million years ago, the last dinosaurs vanished from Earth. We're still trying to understand why. New fossils of abelisaurs - distant relatives of the tyrannosaurs - from north… Read more »
Kenya: Mungiki, Kenya's Violent Youth Gang, Serves Many Purposes - How Identity, Politics and Crime Keep It Alive
Kenya has scores of youth gangs known for their violence and links to the politically powerful. None is more infamous than the Mungiki movement, with a past membership estimated to… Read more »
February 09
South Africa: Ramaphosa Aims for Upbeat Tone in Annual Address, but Fails to Impress a Jaundiced Electorate
This year's State of the Nation Address - delivered annually in February by South Africa's president - was bound to be stuffed with electioneering messages and slogans. The country… Read more »
Africa: It May Be Too Late to Stop the Great Election Disinformation Campaigns of 2024 but We Have to At Least Try
Global liberal democracy faces a near unprecedented list of digital threats in 2024 as the increasing exploitation of AI and the rampant spread of disinformation threaten the… Read more »
February 08
Africa: Secrets of Soil-Enriching Pulses Could Transform Future of Sustainable Agriculture
From lentils to chickpeas, and even the humble baked bean, pulses are perhaps best known as an alternative, plant-based source of protein. These plants are environmental heroes:… Read more »
Africa: The Rise of African Prophets
Over the last 20 years there's been an unprecedented increase in charismatic Pentecostal prophets - or men of God as they're called in Pentecostal parlance. Across Africa their… Read more »
Tanzania: Tanzania's Elections Are Vulnerable to State Abuse - Urgent Law Reforms Are Needed
Tanzania's electoral law reform is overdue for an overhaul. This was made most apparent by the 2019 local elections and the 2020 general elections. The results were big wins for… Read more »
Africa: 'It Needs to Be Talked About Earlier' - Some Children Get Periods At 8, Years Before Menstruation Is Taught At School
Managing menstruation in public can be challenging at the best of times, but imagine being eight years old and having to deal with your period at school. You might need to change… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's Street Food - Tasty but Toxic? Expert Shares Advice to Make It Safer
In the lively streets of Nigeria's cities, where delicious street food is a daily delight, a wide variety of food can be bought and consumed instantly. From the sizzling suya snack… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's Popular Wara Cheese Has a Short Shelf Life
Cheese is a highly nutritious food produced in hundreds of varieties around the world. It's all made by fermenting milk but the results range widely in flavour, texture and end… Read more »
Africa: Anger, Sadness, Boredom, Anxiety - Emotions That Feel Bad Can Be Useful
Remember the sadness that came with the last time you failed miserably at something? Or the last time you were so anxious about an upcoming event that you couldn't concentrate for… Read more »
Zimbabwe: Books - Folklore and Fantasy Combine in Langabi, a Supernatural Historical Epic From Zimbabwe
In 2023, award-winning Zimbabwean author Christopher Mlalazi published a new book, Langabi: Season of the Beast. He's the author of novels like Running with Mother (2012), Dancing… Read more »
February 07
Africa: Using AI to Monitor the Internet for Terror Content Is Inescapable - but Also Fraught With Pitfalls
Every minute, millions of social media posts, photos and videos flood the internet. On average, Facebook users share 694,000 stories, X (formerly Twitter) users post 360,000 posts,… Read more »
Africa: Demography and Reproductive Rights Are Environmental Issues - Insights From Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa's population is growing three times faster than the rest of the world with an average of 4.6 births per woman in 2021. By comparison, the fertility rate in… Read more »
Ethiopia: Somaliland-Ethiopia Port Deal - International Opposition Flags Complex Red Sea Politics
The memorandum of understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland announced on 1 January 2024 set off diplomatic rows in the Horn of Africa - and beyond. Read more »
West Africa: Why Withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso Signals Trouble for the Sahel
On 27 January 2024, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced their plan to withdraw from membership of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), despite repeated… Read more »
Senegal: Macky Sall Throws Senegal's Democratic Credentials Into Doubt
Senegal's President Macky Sall announced in early February that presidential elections, originally scheduled for 25 February, would be postponed indefinitely. The announcement has… Read more »
Ghana: Kumasi City's Unplanned Boom Is Destroying Two Rivers - Sewage, Heavy Metals and Chemical Pollution Detected
Ghana's urban population has more than tripled in the past three decades, from 4 million to nearly 14 million people. Competition for land in cities has increased among various… Read more »
February 06
Africa: Microplastics Found in Nile River's Tilapia Fish - New Study
The Nile is one of the world's most famous rivers. It's also Africa's most important freshwater system. About 300 million people live in the 11 countries it flows through. Many… Read more »
Africa: Money Helps People Live Longer - Study
Nearly half of South Africa's 60 million people receive social grants, ranging from child support to pensions. The grants are designed to provide financial assistance to people… Read more »
Nigeria: The Plight of Women Fishers in Lagos's 'Floating Slum'
Makoko, a coastal fishing community in Lagos, Nigeria, was established by fishermen in the 19th century. It is considered the world's largest "floating slum". There are conflicting… Read more »
South Africa: Zuleikha Mayat - South African Activist Who Led a Life of Courage
Few Indian South African women have achieved wider public recognition than author, human rights and cultural activist Zuleikha Mayat, who passed away on 2 February 2024. An… Read more »