August 22, 2023
Africa: 'Dirty Red' - How Periods Have Been Stigmatised Through History to the Modern Day
About a year ago, at a friend's wedding, a fellow guest asked whether I knew that modern sanitary towels owe their origins to resourceful World War I field nurses who discovered… Read more »
Zimbabwe: Can Nelson Chamisa Win? He Appeals to Young Voters but the Odds Are Stacked Against Him
Nelson Chamisa, the 45-year-old leader of Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), is making a second bid to be Zimbabwe's next president. Read more »
Zimbabwe: Young Zimbabweans Are Using YouTube to Ridicule Politicians and Educate Voters
As Zimbabwe holds its 2023 elections, young creatives are taking to social media like YouTube to discuss politics and to create comic spoofs and critiques that speak back to the… Read more »
August 21, 2023
Kenya: Faith Kipyegon Lifts Gold - From Walking to School in Rural Kenya to Setting World Athletics Alight
All eyes are on Faith Kipyegon at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. That's because the Kenyan 1,500 metre and 5,000 metre star broke three world records… Read more »
Kenya: Faith Kipyegon - From Walking to School in Rural Kenya to Setting World Athletics Alight
All eyes are on Faith Kipyegon at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. That's because the Kenyan 1,500 metre and 5,000 metre star broke three world records… Read more »
Africa: Africa Is Being Courted By China, Russia and the U.S. Why the Continent Shouldn't Pick Sides
Some three decades since the end of the Cold War, the world order is undergoing a structural transformation. At the heart of it is the challenge posed to the hegemony of the US.… Read more »
Africa: Beginning of the End - How Elon Musk's Removal of the Block Function On X Could Trigger Its Hellish Demise
On Saturday, X (formerly Twitter) chairman Elon Musk tweeted he would be removing the microblogging platform's block function. It would remain intact for direct messages, but would… Read more »
August 20, 2023
Zimbabwe: President Was Security Minister When Genocidal Rape Was State Policy in 1983-4. Now He Seeks Another Term
Trigger warning: this article contains accounts of sexual violence. Read more »
Africa: Civilian Support for Military Coups Is Rising in Parts of Africa - Why the Reasons Matter
On the night of 13 January 1963, Togo's President Sylvanus Olympio was shot dead by rebels in the first military coup staged in Africa. A long list, as shown below, was to come.… Read more »
August 18, 2023
Africa: How Genetically Modifying Mosquitoes Could Strengthen the World's War On Malaria
It's been 126 years since British medical doctor Sir Ronald Ross discovered that mosquitoes in the Anopheles family are primarily responsible for transmitting malaria parasites… Read more »
August 17, 2023
West Africa: Niger - Ecowas Military Intervention Could Trigger 3 Bad Outcomes
The threat of military force to end the coup in Niger has led to significant divisions in the region. Read more »
South Africa: Teen Mums in South Africa - Largest Ever Study Explores What It Takes to Go Back to School
Imagine the weight of responsibility for caring for a child when you are not yet fully grown yourself, and the fear of being shamed by parents, fellow learners, and even strangers… Read more »
Gabon: Gabon Elections - How the Bongo Family's 56-Year Rule Has Hurt the Country and Divided the Opposition
Gabon's president Ali Bongo Ondimba (2009-present) recently announced his intention to stand for re-election in the country's presidential poll scheduled for 26 August. He is, to… Read more »
Africa: Can Coffee or a Nap Make Up for Sleep Deprivation? A Psychologist Explains Why There's No Substitute for Shut-Eye
There is no denying the importance of sleep. Everyone feels better after a good night of sleep, and lack of sleep can have profoundly negative effects on both the body and the… Read more »
August 16, 2023
Nigeria: Nigerian Women Ensure They Get the Best Possible Healthcare By Managing Unequal Power Relations With Men
Nigeria is a patriarchal society. Authority is vested in men, who tend to exert power and control over women in various spheres of life. This has an impact on women's health and… Read more »
Uganda: World Bank Freezes Loans to Uganda Because of Anti-Gay Laws. but It Doesn't Mean It's Becoming a Human Rights Watchdog
Many people may be tempted to view the World Bank's recent announcement that it will freeze new loans to Uganda because of the country's vicious anti-LGBTIQ+ law as a harbinger of… Read more »
Kenya: Kenya and the U.S. Are Negotiating a Trade Deal That Could Be a Model for Africa
The US and Kenya announced a trade and investment partnership in July 2022. Talks have been progressing on the way forward in nine areas, including agriculture, anti-corruption,… Read more »
August 15, 2023
Africa: The Orgasm Gap and Why Women Climax Less Than Men
Imagine a steamy sex scene involving a woman and a man from your favourite television show or movie. It's likely that both parties orgasm. But this doesn't reflect reality. Read more »
South Sudan: South Sudan Is Gearing Up for Its First Election - 3 Things It Must Get Right
The people of South Sudan have not exercised the right to choose their leaders since the referendum that secured independence from Sudan in 2011. Instead, they have suffered… Read more »
Ghana: Ghana's Plans for a National Cathedral Are Mired in Controversy and Delays
Ghana's government aims to build a national cathedral: a multidenominational, monumental undertaking to house religious services and state events. Plans include a 5,000-seat… Read more »
Nigeria: Bandits in Nigeria - How Protection Payments to Militias Escalate Conflict in the North-West
North-western Nigeria has become increasingly violent. This is due to the activities of militias, known locally as "bandits". These are loosely organised armed groups, reportedly… Read more »
Ghana: Mobile Money in Ghana Isn't All Good News - Customers Are Paying a Hefty Price
Fintechs, notably mobile money, have transformed banking and finance in developing and emerging economies in Africa and beyond. Financial technology (better known as fintech) is… Read more »
August 14, 2023
South Africa: Telemedicine Can Help Women Get Early Abortions Safely - South African Study
In South Africa, it is legal to have an abortion upon request until the 13th week of pregnancy. The procedure is performed by trained certified midwives or registered nurses at… Read more »
Africa: 3 Ways AI Is Transforming Music
Each fall, I begin my course on the intersection of music and artificial intelligence by asking my students if they're concerned about AI's role in composing or producing music. Read more »
Africa: Florida's Academic Standards Distort the Contributions That Enslaved Africans Made to American Society
The state of Florida ignited a controversy when it released a set of 2023 academic standards that require fifth graders to be taught that enslaved Black people in the U.S.… Read more »