April 03
Nigeria: Microplastics in Nigeria's Osun River - New Study Flags Alarmingly High Levels
The Osun River is one of the major rivers in southern Nigeria. It flows from its source in Ekiti State, through several states, before emptying into Lagos state's Lekki Lagoon. It… Read more »
Rwanda: Children Born of Rape - the Devastating Legacy of Sexual Violence in Post-Genocide Rwanda
Trigger warning: this article contains accounts of sexual violence. Read more »
Rwanda: 30 Years After Genocide - Rwanda's Older Generations Fear a Return of Ethnic Tensions, but Youth Feel More United
It's 30 years since a genocide ripped through Rwandan society, leaving up to a million Tutsi and non-extremist Hutu dead. Read more »
Africa: Even Hands-Free, Phones and Their Apps Cause Dangerously Distracted Driving
Do you ever use your cellphone while driving? Don't feel too guilty about saying yes - nearly 60% of drivers admit to using their phone in hands-free mode while driving. Read more »
Somalia: Turkey and Ethiopia Have Had Close Ties for Many Years - Somalia Maritime Deals May Shift the Dynamics
Ethiopia and Turkey, which have had cordial ties since the early 20th century, have drawn even closer in recent years as both battle criticism from the west over domestic policies.… Read more »
April 02
Mozambique: Jihadism in Mozambique - Southern African Forces Are Leaving With Mixed Results
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) military mission in Mozambique (Samim), which was deployed on 15 July 2021 to fight the Islamic insurgents terrorising the… Read more »
Kenya: Kenya's Mission to Haiti - How the 1,000-Strong Force Is Preparing for Planned Intervention
Kenya has temporarily halted controversial plans to send a specially trained contingent of 1,000 police officers to Haiti, where armed gang violence recently took a turn for the… Read more »
Africa: Affordable Stroke-Risk Screening Could Save the Lives of Many Children in Sub-Saharan Africa With Sickle Cell Disease
Most of the estimated 300,000 babies born every year with sickle cell disease, an inherited red blood cell disorder, live in sub-Saharan Africa in nations where there are few… Read more »
Ghana: Rich People, Bribes and Depression - Study Finds Link Between Corruption and Mental Health Among Ghanaian Students
Corruption comes in many forms in Ghana. Bribery, misappropriation of funds, extortion and administrative theft remain pervasive and affect key sectors of Ghana's economy. In a… Read more »
April 01
Africa: Undersea Cables Are the Unseen Backbone of the Global Internet
Have you ever wondered how an email sent from New York arrives in Sydney in mere seconds, or how you can video chat with someone on the other side of the globe with barely a hint… Read more »
Africa: Africa's PhDs - Study Shows How to Develop Strong Graduates Who Want to Make a Difference
The challenge for universities is to produce graduates who can work with others to produce knowledge and research that can change institutions and societies for the better. Read more »
Africa: El Niño Disasters - Govts Know What's Coming, but Are Unprepared - What Must Change
Drought disasters in southern Africa are mainly attributed to a lack of preparedness, inadequate response and mitigation and poor risk reduction measures. With little to no… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's Laws Aren't Geared to Protecting Against Climate Change - Judges Are Trying to Fill the Gap
South Africa has plenty of environmental laws but none that specifically oblige government officials to consider the risks and impacts of climate change when they approve new… Read more »
Nigeria: Fuji Music in Nigeria - New Documentary Shines Light On a Popular African Culture
Nigerian singer Síkírù Àyìndé Barrister (1948-2010) pioneered fújì, a Yorùbá genre of popular dance music. In… Read more »
Africa: After 10 Years of Work, Landmark Study Reveals New 'Tree of Life' for All Birds Living Today
The largest-ever study of bird genomes has produced a remarkably clear picture of the bird family tree. Published in the journal Nature today, our study shows that most of the… Read more »
March 31
Africa: Digital Trade Protocol for Africa - Why It Matters, What's in It and What's Still Missing
In February 2024, African heads of states adopted a draft protocol to regulate digital trade within the continent. This significant yet challenging course for Africa's digital… Read more »
South Africa: Stingray Sand 'Sculpture' On South Africa's Coast May Be Oldest Example of Humans Creating an Image of Another Creature
South Africa's Cape south coast offers many hints about how our human ancestors lived some 35,000 to 400,000 years ago during the Pleistocene epoch. These clues are captured in the… Read more »
South Africa: Zimbabwean Migration to South Africa - How Technology Helps Keep Families Together
Political instability and economic decline in Zimbabwe have accelerated migration to South Africa in the last two decades. Because of the overriding socio-economic focus of the… Read more »
March 28
Senegal: Bassirou Diomaye Faye - From Prison Runner-Up to President of Senegal
Bassirou Diomaye Faye was elected as Senegal's fifth president on 25 March 2024. Incumbent president Macky Sall and his candidate, former prime minister Amadou Ba, were both quick… Read more »
Gambia: The Gambia May Allow Female Genital Mutilation Again - Another Sign of a Global Trend Eroding Women's Rights
The Gambia's ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) since 2015 is under threat. Proposed changes before parliament could permit medicalised female genital cutting and allow it for… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's New Energy Plan Needs a Mix of Nuclear, Gas, Renewables and Coal - Expert
South Africa's economy has been hard hit by 15 years of loadshedding (rolling blackouts). The country's coal-fired power plants have a maintenance backlog and frequently experience… Read more »
South Africa: Protected Products - What Makes Lamb From South Africa's Karoo and France's Mont Saint-Michel So Special
A meal or food shopping experience can be more interesting and enjoyable when you know more about a particular product, like what region it came from and the culture that shaped… Read more »
March 27
Africa: New TB Skin Test Could Offer Cheaper and Easier Way to Detect the Disease
Detecting tuberculosis early could play a significant role in eradicating the world's most deadly infectious disease. The World Health Organization says 1.5 million people die from… Read more »
South Africa: What Political Parties Say in Their Election Manifestos About Solving the Electricity Crisis
South Africa is in the middle of a deep electricity crisis. In 2023 the public, many of whom are voters, experienced the worst loadshedding to date, losing power for an average of… Read more »
Africa: Venomous Snakes Could Start Migrating in Large Numbers If We Hit 5ºc Warming
A global group of scientists has predicted that climate change may cause dramatic movements in venomous snake populations across many countries in Africa. The scientists took into… Read more »