insert_link Africa Cheaper data beckons in Africa as satellite internet roll-out intensifies By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency A year after the introduction of commercial-scale satellite internet by Elon Musk’s Starlink in Africa, significant developments are beginning to reshape the continent's internet landscape, with cheaper and faster internet increasingly available in Africa as satellite infrastructure rollouts expand and competition among providers intensifies. In May, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a major internet player with a presence in 14 countries […] todayJuly 29, 2024 72
insert_link Africa SADC assessing Namibia’s readiness to hold November elections A team from the SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) is currently in Namibia on a pre-election mission to assess the country’s readiness to hold the general elections later this year. Leonard Sesa, who represents Botswana in the council, told Nampa on Monday that they are in the country for a duration of two weeks to engage with different electoral stakeholders. “Our main task is to meet different […] todayJuly 29, 2024 29
insert_link Africa Africa leads in reducing new HIV infections – report By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Africa's prevention measures in the fight against new HIV infections are paying off, according to a new report by UN AIDS. The report, "The Urgency of Now: AIDS at a Crossroads," unveiled on July 22 at the 25th International AIDS Conference in Munich, highlights that sub-Saharan Africa has achieved the steepest reduction in HIV cases compared to 2010. “Four […] todayJuly 29, 2024 28
insert_link Africa Fossil algae show a lake once existed on Lesotho’s Mafadi summit but it vanished about 150 years ago By Jennifer Fitchett, University of the Witwatersrand and Anson Mackay, UCL Lesotho is a small, land-locked, mountainous country located in the middle of South Africa. Its Eastern Lesotho Highlands are often referred to as the region’s “water tower” because they receive some of the highest rainfall amounts in southern Africa, providing water to South Africa and electricity to Lesotho through the Lesotho Highlands Water […] todayJuly 29, 2024 16
insert_link South Africa South Africa is changing its retirement rules to help boost country savings: how it will work By Adrian Saville, University of Pretoria A study of 160 countries, spanning 60 years of economic history, establishes that there is no country that has been able to transition from “poor to prosperous” without a high savings rate. And that households - in other words you and me - are one of the most important contributors to a country’s overall level of savings rate. Yet, […] todayJuly 29, 2024 21
insert_link Environment Hippos don’t fly – but the massive animals can get airborne Unlike the birds that often share their space, hippos can’t fly. Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket By John R. Hutchinson, Royal Veterinary College In 1872 Leland Stanford, the founder of California’s Stanford University, hired an eccentric inventor named Eadweard Muybridge to help resolve a supposed (but undocumented) bet: did a trotting horse’s feet leave the ground with all four feet or not? Muybridge was a skilled photographer and […] todayJuly 29, 2024 7
insert_link Namibia Not all children read at the same pace – Namibia study shows how teachers can help those falling behind Not all children read at the same pace and level. Martin Harvey Tsitsi Mavambe, Stellenbosch University and Nhlanhla Mpofu, Stellenbosch University Reading is a powerful tool. It introduces children to new ideas. It shapes their academic journey and progress. It also equips them with skills to navigate the world, both at school and beyond. Sadly, it’s estimated that more than 202 million children and young […] todayJuly 25, 2024 16
insert_link Africa Human rights in Niger ‘in free fall’ since coup: NGOs Human rights in Niger are "in free fall" on the eve of the one-year anniversary of a coup that saw the military seize power, three international NGOs said Thursday. General Abdourahamane Tiani, heading the military regime, seized power on July 26 last year, after deposing elected president Mohamed Bazoum over allegations of failing to protect the West African nation from jihadist attacks. "The military authorities in […] todayJuly 25, 2024 15
insert_link Africa How the Kenyan Gen Z protests ushered in a new way of demanding accountability and transparency By Esther Musembi, via bird story agency A pink-coloured water canon is aimed at the protestors who are shouting ‘haki yetu, haki yetu’ (our right! our right!). Quickly dispersed by the high-pressure water and teargas, one group starts to sing the Kenya National anthem waving small Kenyan flags. The images are soon trending across most social media platforms and before the day is out, make headlines […] todayJuly 25, 2024 28