January 12
Africa: Afcon - Everything You Need to Know About a Record Year for Africa's Biggest Football Event
Africa's biggest football festival - the men's Africa Cup of Nations 2023 - is being hosted by Côte d'Ivoire in west Africa and will culminate in its final match on 11… Read more »
January 11
Africa: Long Covid - Damaged Mitochondria in Muscles Might Be Linked to Some of the Symptoms
It's estimated around 3% of people in the UK experience long COVID - persistent, long-lasting symptoms after a COVID-19 infection. Read more »
Ethiopia: Ethiopia's Quest for Access to the Sea - Success Rests On Good Relations With Its Neighbours
On 1 January, Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a memorandum of understanding granting Addis Ababa direct access to the Gulf of Aden. This strategic agreement paves the way for… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's New Intelligence Bill Is Meant to Stem Abuses - What's Good and Bad About It
When South Africa became a constitutional democracy in 1994, it replaced its apartheid-era intelligence apparatus with a new one aimed at serving the country's new democratic… Read more »
January 10
Africa: From Besting Tetris Ai to Epic Speedruns - Inside Gaming's Most Thrilling Feats
After 13-year-old Willis Gibson became the first human to beat the original Nintendo version of Tetris, he dedicated his special win to his father, who passed away in December… Read more »
January 09
South Africa: South Africa's Genocide Case Against Israel - Legal Expert Weighs Potential Outcomes
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will be holding public hearings on 11-12 January at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the court, in a case brought by South Africa… Read more »
Africa: Viruses Aren't Always Harmful. 6 Ways They're Used in Health Care and Pest Control
We tend to just think of viruses in terms of their damaging impacts on human health and lives. The 1918 flu pandemic killed around 50 million people. Smallpox claimed 30% of those… Read more »
Africa: Phd Students' Mental Health Is Poor and the Pandemic Made It Worse - but There Are Coping Strategies That Can Help
A pre-pandemic study on PhD students' mental health showed that they often struggle with such issues. Financial insecurity and feelings of isolation can be among the factors… Read more »
Africa: South Africa Is Taking Israel to Court for Genocide in Palestine. What Does It Mean for the War in Gaza?
South Africa has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ, also known as the World Court) in The Hague claiming genocide has been committed against Palestinians… Read more »
Ghana: Ghana's Electricity Crisis Is Holding the Country Back - How It Got Here
For well over a decade Ghana was exalted as one of the most promising and fastest growing economies on the continent. Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's New Plan to End Power Cuts Is Seriously Flawed. Here's Why
South Africa experienced unprecedented electricity shortages in 2023 as ageing coal plants became increasingly prone to breakdowns. The country urgently needs to develop new… Read more »
Southern Africa: Studying Engineering Is Tough - 6 Insights to Help University Students Succeed
Engineering courses are a popular choice among South African university students. But these courses are also gruelling and the attrition rates are high. The Council on Higher… Read more »
Africa: Some Believe the 1889 Russian Flu Pandemic Was Actually Caused By a Coronavirus - Here's Why That's Unlikely
COVID-19 was the first coronavirus pandemic. The original Sars virus from 2003 and the Mers virus that created a health emergency in South Korea in 2015 were both coronaviruses,… Read more »
Africa: Wanting to 'Move On' Is Natural - but Women's Pandemic Experiences Can't Be Lost to 'Lockdown Amnesia'
The COVID-19 pandemic was - and continues to be - hugely disruptive and stressful for individuals, communities and countries. Yet many seem desperate to close the chapter entirely,… Read more »
January 08
West Africa: Scramble for the Sahel - Why France, Russia, China and the United States Are Interested in the Region
The Sahel, a region 3,860km wide located south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east-west across the African continent, has been a focus of attention around the world recently. Read more »
South Africa: Five Years On the Road in Africa - How Lerato Mogoatlhe Became a Travel Writer
South African journalist Lerato Mogoatlhe set off for three months in west Africa. She ended up drifting across the continent for five years. In 2019 she wrote a book about her… Read more »
Africa: How to Maintain a Healthy Gut Microbiome in 2024
We all know by now that the pillars of a healthy lifestyle are regular exercise, eating enough fruit and vegetables, a good night's sleep and staying hydrated. All of these things… Read more »
January 07
Senegal: Senegal's Small Scale Gold Miners Still Use Poisonous Mercury - How to Reduce the Harm
"Do not fish in these waters." "Contains high levels of mercury." Read more »
Africa: Young Africans Could Disrupt Authoritarian States but They Don't - Here's Why
Africa has the world's largest youth population. By 2030, 75% of the African population will be under the age of 35. The number of young Africans aged 15-24 is projected to reach… Read more »
South Africa: Taxes On e-Cigarettes - South Africa Must Strike a Balance Between Economic Arguments and Health Concerns
The 21st century has seen a massive expansion in the ways that people can consume tobacco and nicotine. Innovative new products include electronic nicotine delivery systems ("ENDS"… Read more »
January 04
South Africa: Peter Magubane - Courageous Photographer Who Chronicled South Africa's Struggle for Freedom
Peter Sexford Magubane, a courageous South African photographer whose images testify to both the iniquity of apartheid and the determination and devotion of those who brought about… Read more »
Africa: Africans Discovered Dinosaur Fossils Long Before the Term 'Palaeontology' Existed
Credit for discovering the first dinosaur bones usually goes to British gentlemen for their finds between the 17th and 19th centuries in England. Robert Plot, an English natural… Read more »
South Africa: Bullies in South African Schools Were Often Bullied Themselves - Insights From an Expert
"Pupil stabbed to death at Gauteng school had suffered history of bullying". "Grade 6 learner commits suicide after bullying". "Grade 11 learner takes her own life after taunts… Read more »
January 03
Africa: Stressed Out? Why Mindfulness and Meditation Help Us Cope With the World
In a world fraught with anxiety, stress, and environmental and humanitarian disasters, people are looking for ways to cope. Many have turned to practices originating in ancient… Read more »
South Africa: School Uniforms May Trigger Sensory Overload in Kids Who Are Sensitive to Fabrics - Our Research Can Help
Many people live with what's known as sensory over-reactivity or over-responsiveness. Those with this condition experience an over-reaction to sensory stimuli, such as touch. When… Read more »