insert_link Africa Should Kenya abolish all school exams? Expert sets out five reasons why they’re still useful By Beatrice M’mboga Akala, University of the Witwatersrand The role of examinations in Kenyan schools is under scrutiny. This is because there is a lot that is wrong with the country’s examinations, a situation that threatens to derail education gains made over the decades. For instance, for two consecutive years – last year and the year before – the periods during the country’s national examination period were marred by […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 10
insert_link Sport Meet the trailblazing women who are officiating at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations By Joel Omotto via bird story agency With the introduction of the first African woman referee at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2021 and three more women referees at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the expansion of women into football decision-making continues in the Ivory Coast where a total of six women are officiating at the 2023 AFCON tournament. The six are among 68 match officials appointed for […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 13
insert_link World UN Begs for Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine as War Hits Two-Year Mark A Ukrainian rescuing a cat amid fatal missile attacks by Russia, Jan. 2, 2024. The United Nations launched a humanitarian appeal of $4.2 billion for Ukrainians inside and outside the country for the year. “But we beg today,” said Martin Griffiths, the UN humanitarian relief chief, “please don’t walk away from Ukraine.” DEFENSE OF UKRAINE/LIBEROV By Michelle Langrand via PassBlue The United Nations launched an appeal on Jan. 15 for […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 15
insert_link Africa Ghana won Afcon four times, but the last time was 40 years ago. What went wrong with its football team? By Ernest Yeboah Acheampong, University of Education, Winneba The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is the most important football tournament in Africa. It has been contested by the male national teams of countries on the continent since 1957. Egypt is the most successful country in the tournament’s history, with seven wins, the most recent in 2010. Previously, Ghana was the dominant force with four wins. In spite of producing […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 8
insert_link Opinion Pieces Give Peace a Chance in Yemen Despite Regional Violence A screen grab of a Houthi video capturing the militia’s seizure of the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea, Nov. 19, 2023. The Houthis still control the ship. As violence between the rebels and certain Western countries rises, the author writes that the Omani-led peace deal for Yemen is still viable. EMILY SCHRADER/TWITTER By Arwa Mokdad via PassBlue The relentless bombardment in Gaza by Israel Defense Forces is […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 4
insert_link Africa Mozambique’s cyclone flooding was devastating to animals – we studied how body size affected survival By Jason P. Marshal, University of the Witwatersrand and Francesca Parrini, University of the Witwatersrand Anyone who watches the news will have seen the devastation that tropical cyclones can cause when they reach land, with very strong winds, high rainfall and flooding. A cyclone like this, Idai, moved over Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique in March 2019. At that time, it was the deadliest storm in Africa. Rainfall […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 14
insert_link Environment Agricultural nitrogen pollution is global threat, but circular solutions await By Claire Asher via MongaBay As the world grapples with escalating climate change, policymakers remain laser-focused on CO2, with humanity striving to decarbonize energy systems, capture carbon, issue carbon credits, and plant millions of trees to absorb emissions. But carbon dioxide is just one of several powerful greenhouse gases destabilizing the global climate, and just one of the human-produced pollutants severely impacting the natural world and threatening to push Earth out […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 17
insert_link Africa DR Congo’s election – the key to Félix Tshisekedi’s victory By Albert Kasanda, Czech Academy of Sciences On Sunday 31 December 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) announced the preliminary results of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential election held on 20 December. The incumbent president, Félix Tshisékédi, was declared the winner with 73.34% of the votes cast, while Moise Katumbi was credited with 18.03% and Martin Fayulu with 5.33%. There have been calls to cancel the elections […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 17
insert_link Health / Medical Kush: what is this dangerous new west African drug that supposedly contains human bones? DeanP/Shutterstock Michael Cole, Anglia Ruskin University A new drug called kush is wreaking havoc in west Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone where it is estimated to kill around a dozen people each week and hospitalise thousands. The drug, taken mostly by men aged 18 to 25, causes people to fall asleep while walking, to fall over, to bang their heads against hard surfaces and to walk into moving traffic. Kush […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 18
