August 18, 2022
Africa: A Dog Has Caught Monkeypox From One of Its Owners, Highlighting Risk of the Virus Infecting Pets and Wild Animals
A dog in Paris has caught monkeypox from one of its owners, both of whom were infected with the virus, according to a scientific paper published on Aug. 10, 2022. This is the first… Read more »
South Africa: South African Reedman Linda Sikhakhane's New Album Is a Revelation
People were listening to (Duke Ellington and Count Basie) at home because we felt this is our music and these are our black heroes. The attraction ... was that the rhythms were… Read more »
August 17, 2022
Senegal: Why 2022 Election Results Herald a Big Political Shift
Senegalese voters went to the polls in July 2022, continuing a tradition of robust multiparty competition in the country. It is one of a handful of African countries that have… Read more »
Africa: A Lucrative New African Football League Is Coming - the Pros and Cons
The Confederation for African Football (Caf) recently announced plans for a continent-wide Africa Super League. It will kick off with 24 clubs from 16 countries in August 2023. Read more »
Africa: Ancient Megalodon Super-Predators Could Swallow a Great White Shark Whole, New Model Reveals
In a new 3D modelling study published this week in Science Advances, we show that the giant extinct shark, Otodus megalodon, was a true globetrotting super-predator. Read more »
Kenya: How Politics Has Subverted Conservation Efforts to Protect Mau Forest
The Mau Forest Complex is the largest montane tropical forest in East Africa. This is an ecosystem with rich biodiversity and characterised by high rainfall. Read more »
Africa: Academic Freedom and Democracy in African Countries - the First Study to Track the Connection
There is growing interest in the state of academic freedom worldwide. A 1997 Unesco document defines it as the right of scholars to teach, discuss, research, publish, express… Read more »
Africa: Covid Vaccine - How the New 'Bivalent' Booster Will Target Omicron
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved a bivalent COVID booster vaccine, making it the first country in the world to do so. Read more »
Africa: When Covid-19 or Flu Viruses Kill, They Often Have an Accomplice - Bacterial Infections
The 1918 influenza pandemic resulted in the loss of over 3% of the world's population - at least 50 million people. But it wasn't the flu virus that caused the majority of these… Read more »
Angola: The 2022 Election is an Unfair Contest the Ruling MPLA Is Sure to Win
Angolans go to the polls on 24 August to vote in parliamentary elections. The leader of the party with the most seats in parliament automatically becomes the president, so this is… Read more »
August 16, 2022
South Africa: State Capture Eroded Institutions. How the Revenue Service Is Rebuilding Itself
South Africa's Revenue Service is one of many state institutions in South Africa that have been fingered in the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. In addition, a… Read more »
South Africa: Proposed Fracking Regulations Should Do More to Protect Groundwater
South Africa is extremely water scarce, and water supply will become more challenging in the future. The population and economy are growing, increasing demand. Rainfall is variable… Read more »
South Africa: The Key to Treating TB May Be in a Common Carbohydrate. What We Know So Far
Curdlan is a popular carbohydrate in the food industry. Its name is derived from the word "curdle", and as it suggests, it's widely used as a thickener and stabiliser in everything… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's Breadmakers Have Been On Strike - the Head of Their Association Explains Why
The Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria, representing the interests of all breadmakers in the country, recently embarked on a national strike complaining about the… Read more »
South Africa: People With Intellectual Disability Have a Right to Sexuality - but Their Families Have Concerns
Many South Africans living with intellectual disability don't have opportunities to be part of community life. They may lack the opportunity to learn, work or enjoy leisure… Read more »
South Africa: Mobile App Offers New Learning Tools for Anatomy Students. but Tech Isn't a Silver Bullet
For most people who finished school or university even a decade ago, the idea of virtual reality in the classroom probably seems like the stuff of science fiction. But immersive… Read more »
Africa: Treating Monkeypox Like an STI May Help Control the Outbreak, but Stigma Is a Danger
The recent monkeypox global outbreak, now declared by the World Health Organization as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), is sadly yet another reason for… Read more »
Kenya: What William Ruto's Presidency Would Mean for Economy
William Ruto has been declared the winner of Kenya's 2022 presidential election. The close results have been queried, raising the risk of a prolonged political transition. But, if… Read more »
South Africa: Marikana 10 Years On - Survey Shows Knowledge of Massacre Is Low
To explore the patterns of collective memory in South Africa after nearly three decades of democracy, we set out to establish how much of the country's recent history people in the… Read more »
August 15, 2022
Nigeria: What's Behind Terrorist Attacks On Churches in Nigeria
In early June 2022, 40 people died, including children, in a mass shooting and bomb attack on a Catholic church in the city of Owo, southwestern Nigeria. Read more »
Kenya: Kenya Declares William Ruto As Its New President in an Election Drama That's Far From Over
Kenya's William Ruto was declared the winner of the August 9 election in the midst of chaotic scenes last witnessed on the eve of the infamous 2007-2008 post-election violence.… Read more »
Africa: The Rise of 'Dr. Google' - the Risks of Self-Diagnosis and Searching Symptoms Online
Virtual health care was adopted more widely during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many people accessing health-care providers remotely. However, easy and convenient access to… Read more »
South Africa: Legal Claims for Medical Mistakes Are On the Rise in South Africa - What's Behind the Trend
Medico-legal claims - claims based on medical negligence or malpractice - have skyrocketed in South Africa. Recent figures indicate a growth rate of 23% for medico-legal claims in… Read more »
Africa: African Digital Innovators Are Turning Plastic Waste Into Value - but There Are Gaps
Plastic pollution is a growing global menace. Between 2010 and 2020, the global production of plastics increased from 270 million tonnes to 367 million tonnes. Every year, more… Read more »
South Africa: Auto Manufacturing Is Changing - How South Africa Can Adjust to Protect Workers and Jobs
Technological changes in industry have given rise to contending schools of thought about their impact on work and workers. Automation is rapidly deepening and widening, reaching… Read more »