February 01
South Africa: South Africans Are Opting to Go Off-Grid - How They're Being Helped, and Hindered, in Their Efforts
Eskom, South Africa's state-owned power utility, struggles to generate and supply a stable flow of electricity to meet demand. In 2023, there were times when households and… Read more »
Ethiopia: Ethiopian Protest Music - the Songs of Hachalu Hundessa Reveal the Struggles of the Oromo People
The Oromo are the largest ethno-national group in Ethiopia, accounting for over 40 million people or more than one-third of the population. However, they have been politically… Read more »
Africa: Grammy Awards - Africa Finally Has Its Own Category - but At What Cost?
For the first time in its 65-year history the Grammy Awards in the US has introduced an African category, Best African Music Performance, which recognises the song of the year. Read more »
Nigeria: Slaves of God - Nigeria's Traditional Osu Slavery Practice Was Stopped, but the Suffering Continues
There are global efforts to fight modern slavery, but a few traditional systems still hold strong in west Africa. These include Osu, Ohu and Trokosi. Read more »
January 31
Africa: Oil Firms Forced to Consider Full Climate Effects of New Drilling, Following Landmark Norwegian Court Ruling
Norway's district court in Oslo recently made a decision on fossil fuels that deserves the attention of every person concerned about climate change. Read more »
Somalia: Houthi Militant Attacks in the Red Sea Raise Fears of Somali Piracy Resurgence
Renewed attacks on ships by suspected Somali pirates since November 2023 have fuelled fear of a new threat of piracy off the east coast of Africa. Read more »
South Africa: Wetlands Are Superheroes - Expert Sets Out How They Protect People and Places
In the past, wetlands were often seen as undesirable landscapes - waterlogged areas that were difficult to navigate, impossible to build on or farm, and a source of pests such as… Read more »
Africa: African Countries Are Struggling With High Debt, Demands to Spend More and Collapsing Currencies
Highly indebted African countries are facing stark trade-offs between servicing expensive debt, supporting high and growing development needs, and stabilising domestic currencies. Read more »
South Africa: South African Marriage Ruling Is a Win for Divorcees and Surviving Spouses
South Africa's Constitutional Court has fundamentally changed the country's marriage law, making it fairer to people who are married "out of community of property" when their… Read more »
January 30
Africa: Intelligence Doesn't Make You Immune to Conspiracy Theories - It's More About Thinking Style
Over the last two decades, and in particular over the last five years, there has been a growing scientific interest in conspiracy theories and people who believe in them. Although,… Read more »
Africa: The Surprising Reason Why Insects Circle Lights At Night - They Lose Track of the Sky
It's an observation as old as humans gathering around campfires: Light at night can draw an erratically circling crowd of insects. In art, music and literature, this spectacle is… Read more »
Ghana: Ghana's Looted Asante Gold Comes Home (For Now) - Asante Ruler's Advisor Tells Us About the Deal
After 150 years, 39 artefacts that form part of Asante's royal regalia are due to return to the Asantehene (ruler of the Asante people) in Kumasi, Ghana, in February and April this… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's Plastic Ban - Why It's Good and How It Can Work
Two weeks into January 2024, Nigerian authorities took steps to curb environmental degradation caused by plastic pollution in the country. Read more »
Congo-Kinshasa: 'We Miners Die a Lot.' Appalling Conditions and Poverty Wages - the Lives of Cobalt Miners in the DRC
It was a cool, dusty morning in July 2021, when I first visited the Kamilombe cobalt mine in Lualaba Province in south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Situated just outside… Read more »
South Africa: Nelson Mandela's Personal Items Under the Hammer in New York? Why It Outraged Some, and What's At Stake
An identity document, a pair of reading glasses, a hearing aid and a pair of worn shoes. These are just some of Nelson Mandela's personal items that were due to go on auction on 22… Read more »
Burundi: Burundi's Quota for Women in Politics Has Had Mixed Results, but That's No Reason to Scrap It
Since 2005, Burundi has set quotas to ensure that the country's three ethnic groups (Hutu, Tutsi and Twa), as well as women, are represented in its parliament, central government… Read more »
Ghana: V&A's Decision to Loan Looted Asante Gold Back to Ghana Has Implications for Other British Museums
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has announced a loan agreement with the Manhyia Palace Museum in the Asante region of Ghana to return gold and silver royal regalia that… Read more »
January 29
Africa: Neglected Tropical Diseases Persist in the World's Poorest Places
It's sobering to reflect that "neglected tropical diseases" are referred to as "neglected" because they persist in the poorest, most marginalised communities even after being wiped… Read more »
Kenya: Healthcare Workers Abuse a Third of Young Mums From Informal Settlements - Study
Adolescent pregnancy is a global public health concern: in 2022, about 13% of girls and young women gave birth before the age of 18. Read more »
Niger: Niger and Russia Are Forming Military Ties - 3 Ways This Could Upset Old Allies
In July 2023, Niger's military took over in a coup just two years after the country's first transition to civilian power. The coup has brought into sharp focus the role of foreign… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa Is Failing People Who Aren't Poor, but Aren't Middle Class Either
Many South African households are trapped. They are neither poor nor middle class. As a demographic they hover above the indigence threshold financially. But they are not yet… Read more »
Africa: Over Half of Charity Campaigns for International Causes Focus On Africa - Here's Why That's Harmful
The images used by charities and NGOs can become deeply ingrained in the memories of supporters, donors, development partners and the "beneficiaries" themselves. These stories… Read more »
Africa: That Sharp, Green Smell of Freshly Cut Grass? It's a Plant's Cry for Help - and It May Work As a Less Toxic Pesticide for Farmers
Have you ever wondered about that sharp, green note that hits your nose when you mow the lawn or cut flower stems? Those are green leaf volatiles, or GLVs: easily evaporated oils… Read more »
Africa: Afcon 2023 - Africa's Diaspora Footballers Are Boosting the Continent's Game - but They Are Also Creating Challenges
The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is approaching its conclusion in Ivory Coast and speculation is rife about which team will be the ultimate winner. It could be one of the… Read more »
January 28
Africa: Ruling By UN's Top Court Means Canada and the U.S. Could Be Complicit in Gaza Genocide
The International Court of Justice has issued a ground-breaking decision in South Africa's genocide case against Israel, ordering Israel to comply with six provisional measures to… Read more »