insert_link Africa DRC communities turn up heat on EU lenders funding palm oil giant PHC By Didier Makal, via Mongabay On May 24, 2024, clashes broke out between members of a local community and security guards at an oil palm plantation in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the latest such incident in a long-running dispute over some 58,000 hectares, or 143,000 acres, of land. A source in the town of Lokutu said the community members were protesting the […] todayAugust 13, 2024 35
insert_link Africa Smaller African economies are getting more investor attention By Conrad Onyango, via bird story agency Small African economies are punching above their weight to emerge as the most attractive to investors, bolstered by their higher economic and personal freedoms. A new study, ‘The 2024 RMB Where to Invest in Africa report,’ shows that investors are looking beyond markets with big populations and larger economies. Instead, they are seeking destinations with higher levels of stability and […] todayAugust 13, 2024 22
insert_link Africa Some solitary mammals have surprisingly social lives: what I’ve learned from a tiny South African rodent By Lindelani Makuya, University of the Witwatersrand We probably all know someone who lives a solitary life. But not everyone realises that there are solitary individuals in the animal kingdom, too. Examples of solitary species are some shrews, and large predators, such as black bears (Ursus americanus) and leopards (Panthera pardus). Solitary living is defined by the social organisation of individuals, where both males and females sleep […] todayAugust 12, 2024 13
insert_link Africa Historic night in the Big Apple as Africa United Youth Orchestra debuts at Carnegie Hall By Seth Onyango, via bird story agency The anticipation at Carnegie Hall was palpable. As the Africa United Youth Orchestra took to the stage, the venue buzzed with the promise of a historic performance that would echo far beyond the venerable walls of this iconic venue. A diverse audience, representing a tapestry of cultures, settled into their seats, their murmurs hushed by the dimming lights. The stage […] todayAugust 12, 2024 37
insert_link Africa Podcasts bring southern Africa’s liberation struggle to life – thanks to an innovative new audio archive By Tinashe Mushakavanhu, University of Oxford Much has been written about the struggles for liberation in southern Africa that took place between the 1960s and early 1990s in countries such as Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. This period of history has been transcribed, interpreted and written about in books, academic monographs and colonial treatises. But the sounds and voices these wars and conflicts produced have […] todayAugust 12, 2024 15
insert_link Africa African economic expansion need not threaten global carbon targets: study points out the path to green growth By Daniel M. Kammen, University of California, Berkeley and Oluwagbemisola Deborah Akinsipe, University of California, Berkeley Africa contributes only about 4% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. The continent consumes the least energy for each person, compared with other regions of the world. With over 560 million people who don’t have access to electricity, Africa has the lowest rate of energy access in the world. The continent […] todayAugust 12, 2024 10
insert_link Africa Ethiopia’s deadly landslides are caused by both nature and man – a geophysicist explains By Getnet Mewa, Addis Ababa University As many as 300 people were killed in landslides triggered by higher than normal rainfall in south-western Ethiopia in July 2024. More than 15,000 were also forced to leave their homes. Another less deadly landslide that occurred two weeks later killed a dozen. Getnet Mewa, a geophysicist who studies landslides and associated landmass movements, explains where and how landslides occur in […] todayAugust 12, 2024 23
insert_link World Raising revenue from land: what African cities might learn from Hong Kong’s unique land-lease system By Astrid R.N. Haas, University of Toronto Land prices across many African cities are soaring. This is because land is a city’s key asset. As urbanisation progresses, demand for land will rise, and therefore so will land prices, because the supply of land in cities is limited. Investments in public infrastructure, and zoning regulations that convert land to alternative uses, will also boost land value. In fact, […] todayAugust 12, 2024 18
insert_link Opinion Pieces Social media: Disinformation expert offers 3 safety tips in a time of fake news and dodgy influencers Boniface Muthoni/SOPA Images/LightRocke By Fabrice Lollia, Université Gustave Eiffel Social networks have revolutionised the way we communicate, stay informed and share moments of our daily lives. We use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok to keep in touch with our friends and family, share our experiences, keep informed, and express our opinions. But beyond these personal and often superficial uses, social networks play a much more complex […] todayAugust 9, 2024 16