Environment South Africa’s Agulhas long-billed lark: adapting and surviving despite farming taking over their nesting grounds By Robert Leslie Thomson, University of Cape Town The Agulhas long-billed lark (Certhilauda brevirostris) is only found in South Africa. It builds nests on the ground mainly in Renosterveld fynbos, a type of vegetation filled with grasses and wild spring flowers that is critically endangered by agricultural expansion. The University of Cape Town’s FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology recently published the first study into the nesting practices of […] todayJanuary 23, 2024 10
Africa Africa’s cashless revolution is on, banking on virtual cards By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency International card companies are vying for Africa's fast-evolving electronic payments market as middle-class incomes rise and the quest for cashless transactions intensifies. UnionPay International, a subsidiary of China's Union Pay, is the latest entrant in the African card payments market, warming up to face-off with Visa and Mastercard. Notably, UnionPay International is partnering with the Standard Bank Group, the largest bank in […] todayJanuary 23, 2024 19
insert_link Africa Fintech and energy illuminate DR Congo’s nascent startup ecosystem By Conrad Onyango, via bird story agency The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), one of the world’s most resource-rich countries, is carving out a new prosperity niche as it emerges on the global tech scene. Known for its green metals, cobalt and copper, and the world's second-largest rainforest, the newest member of the East African Community is having a moment in the startup ecosystem. In 2023 the country raised […] todayJanuary 23, 2024 18
insert_link Opinion Pieces Syria’s Enduring Turmoil Heads Into 2024 Escalating violence in northwest Syria left 66 people dead in attacks by the government and Russia, according to the White Helmets/Syrian Civil Defense, above, in October 2023. The war, nearing its 13th year, has created the largest displacement crisis globally. Peacemaking efforts by the United Nations go on, but Russia’s crucial cooperation is growing more remote. By Jusaima Moaid-azm Peregrina via PassBlue The Syrian conflict, now nearing its 13th year, […] todayJanuary 23, 2024 22
insert_link Environment Conservationists aim to save South America’s super tiny wild cat, the guina Image courtesy of Jerry Laker/Fauna Australis. By Petro Kotzé via MongaBay For more than 200 million years, the ancient Valdivian Temperate Forest in southwestern Chile has been a refuge for plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth. This global biodiversity hotspot is home to monkey puzzle trees (Araucaria araucana), the endangered chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera), threatened southern pudu (Pudu puda) — the world’s smallest deer — and two critically endangered species: the […] todayJanuary 23, 2024 38
insert_link Sport Zion Bethonico talks about the brotherly love that fired him up to win Brazil’s first ever Winter Youth Olympic Games medal at Gangwon 2024 Zion Bethonico has been reflecting on becoming Brazil’s first ever Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) medallist and how having his brother there to share it with him made it even sweeter. At the end of the men’s snowboard cross event on Saturday, one Bethonico stood beaming on the podium, while another looked on with tears streaming down his face. Zion had just made history. Elder brother Noah tried to do […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 7
insert_link Business / Economics Major Belgian factory investment marks development of new harvester set to enhance arable farm efficiency World-leading combine harvester to be produced at New Holland’s Center of Harvesting Excellence in Zedelgem, Belgium Machine to be produced on completely renewed assembly line part-funded by government support alongside investment from parent firm CNH Industrial New CR11 combine extends further the productivity, efficiency and sustainability credentials of the existing world-record-holding CR10.90 In a major development in high-capacity harvesting set to help large farms gather their crops more efficiently […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 13
insert_link Africa Weaver Press is closing – how one small, brave Zimbabwean publisher made a difference By Tinashe Mushakavanhu, University of Oxford With the news that it is to halt operations it’s a fitting time to take stock of Weaver Press in Zimbabwe. The publishing house started small in 1998 and remained small, co-managed by its two full time employees, the husband and wife team of Murray McCartney and Irene Staunton. At the same time as Weaver Press was celebrating its 25th anniversary, McCartney revealed […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 17
insert_link Africa Rwanda pushes Africa towards universal smartphone access By Seth Onyango, via bird story agency Progressive policy reforms and the influx of budget-friendly smartphones are steering Africa towards complete digital connectivity in just over a decade. Rwanda's recently-announced, three-year target is the most ambitious on the continent, although statistics show that other nations are also rapidly closing in on similar milestones. As part of Kigali's innovative funding scheme, citizens can obtain handsets at the subsidised price of […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 19
