insert_link Namibia Nedbank and AMT mobile planetarium school excursions commence The UNAM/Africa Millimetre Telescope (AMT) programme began late last month with school excursions in Windhoek to provide hands-on astronomical education and inspire young minds in the field of astrophysics and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The UNAM/AMT Mobile Planetarium is an inflatable, interactive facility designed to bring the wonders of the cosmos directly to learners in Namibia. Senior AMT team member Emmy Iiyambo told Nampa on Thursday […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 55
insert_link Africa From Dreaming to Drawing: Omotunde Akiode’s Journey from Screenwriter to Acclaimed Animator By Gbemisola Esho, via bird story agency Omotunde Akiode sits at her workstation in Lagos, appearing to doodle. To the occasional visitor, this may look like play but the result of the creative session will be a very real cartoon character, possibly for an acclaimed African cartoon series -- like Supa4. “I grew up watching Sesame Street, the Muppet show animations on television. I saw the […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 18
insert_link Africa AU summit seeks to raise Africa’s voice on global stage Addis Ababa, Feb 15, 2024 (AFP) - The African Union's annual summit will open on Saturday against the backdrop of coups in Gabon and Niger and a political crisis in Senegal, posing challenges for the bloc as it seeks to amplify its international presence. Set up more than two decades ago, the 55-member bloc has long been criticised for being ineffectual and for taking little decisive action in the […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 14
insert_link Africa Nigerian E-payments eclipse South Africa’s 2022 GDP, in latest surge When the Nigerian Central Bank introduced newly designed currency notes in November 2022 and a month later put a cap on the maximum amount of hard cash that individuals and corporations could withdraw, the idea was to tame money laundering in the country. During that year’s Christmas festive season and in the run-up to the 2023 Nigerian presidential election in February 2023 –– two high spending seasons –– the country […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Zambia’s Kundananji lifts the earnings power of Africa’s women footballers with a world record transfer fee By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Racheal Kundananji, a Zambian woman professional footballer, has become the first African football player -- male or female -- to break a world transfer record. This milestone reaffirms the growth of African women’s football, not only in skills and development but also in commercial terms. The forward from Spanish women’s league side Madrid CFF signed to California-based women’s soccer club Bay […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 20
insert_link World Cute grandpa or authoritarian in waiting: who is Prabowo Subianto, the favourite to win Indonesia’s presidential election? By Tim Lindsey, The University of Melbourne Ambitious and mercurial, with a dark past, former army general Prabowo Subianto has spent a lifetime vying for the ultimate prize in Indonesian politics. Now, with a large lead in the latest polls ahead of this week’s election, it looks as though the presidency is finally within his grasp. So, who is Prabowo and how will he change Indonesia if […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 9
insert_link Opinion Pieces Prabowo Subianto is poised to succeed in lifelong quest to become Indonesia’s president. This is why it’s so worrying By Tim Lindsey, The University of Melbourne Controversial former general Prabowo Subianto, the former son-in-law of long-time authoritarian leader Soeharto, looks set to be Indonesia’s next leader after securing what appears to be a convincing victory in this week’s election. It may be a month before official results are confirmed, but exit poll “quick counts” from Indonesia’s well-regarded polling companies show Prabowo winning close to 60% of […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 25
insert_link Africa Investors bet big on Africa’s logistics potential By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Africa's logistics sector is growing into a lucrative market and strategic hub within the global logistics network as investors' confidence in the sector increases. A new report by logistics company Agility confirms the global logistics industry is considering expansion plans or first-time investments in the continent’s logistics sector. According to Agility Vice Chairman Tarek Sultan, “This is the most optimism we’ve […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 14
insert_link Uncategorized Mungiki, Kenya’s violent youth gang, serves many purposes: how identity, politics and crime keep it alive By Bodil Folke Frederiksen, Roskilde University Kenya has scores of youth gangs known for their violence and links to the politically powerful. None is more infamous than the Mungiki movement, with a past membership estimated to be at least a million. Though banned, it’s constantly in the news as a tool or target of big political players. Bodil Folke Frederiksen, who has studied Mungiki as part of […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 5