Contributed, Author at Future Media News

World Bank’s IFC under fire over alleged abuses at Liberian plantation it funded

An investigation into the International Finance Corporation’s handling of human rights abuses at a project it financed in Liberia, the Salala Rubber Corporation, is expected to severely incriminate the World Bank’s private lending arm. The World Bank’s Compliance Advisory Ombudsman investigated whether the IFC did enough to address allegations of gender-based violence, land grabbing and unfair compensation by its client, Socfin, between 2008 and 2020. It’s anticipated that […]

8 April, 2024

Lifestyle

Loneliness can kill, and new research shows middle-aged Americans are particularly vulnerable

The desire to belong is a fundamental human need. Oliver Rossi/Stone via Getty Images By Frank J. Infurna, Arizona State University Middle-aged Americans are lonelier than their European counterparts. That’s the key finding of my team’s recent study, published in American Psychologist. Our study identified a trend that has been evolving for multiple generations, and affects both baby boomers and Gen Xers. Middle-aged adults in England and Mediterranean Europe […]

8 April, 2024

World

Jihadism in Mozambique: southern African forces are leaving with mixed results

By Thomas Mandrup, Stellenbosch University The Southern African Development Community (SADC) military mission in Mozambique (Samim), which was deployed on 15 July 2021 to fight the Islamic insurgents terrorising the northern Cabo Delgado province since 2017, is scheduled to end by June 2024. Mozambican security forces will then take full responsibility for security. We asked military science and defence expert Thomas Mandrup, who has published a paper […]

8 April, 2024

Africa

Why is Ghana so hot this year? An expert explains

By Yaw Agyeman Boafo, University of Ghana Ghana’s meteorological agency and the state’s health service have issued warnings about a period of very high temperatures expected in the first half of 2024 around the country. Ghana’s experience is part of a global phenomenon: record temperatures were recorded in 2023. Yaw Agyeman Boafo, the programmes coordinator and a senior research fellow at the University of Ghana’s Centre for […]

8 April, 2024

Africa

Zambia’s arts and creative sector is thriving

By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Zambia’s recent unveiling of a National Arts and Revised Film Policy is evidence of the growing interest in increasing investment and fostering the growth of the arts and creative sector. Besides committing to invest close to US$100 million in the arts and film sector between 2024 and 2028, the policy commits to improving artists' welfare in a bid to promote talent by […]

8 April, 2024

Business / Economics

South Africa is to shut down captive lion farms. Experts warn the plan needs a deadline

By Neil D’Cruze, University of Oxford; Angie Elwin, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Jennah Green, Manchester Metropolitan University The South African government has officially confirmed that captive lion farms will be shut down. A new ministerial task team report just released has cemented the government’s intention, first made public in 2021, to put an end to African lions being legally sold and traded live, both internationally and domestically. […]

8 April, 2024

Uncategorized

Africa’s stadium boom can be used to build prosperity beyond sports

By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Africa continues to strategically fortify its sports infrastructure, especially stadiums, not only to nurture its abundant talent but also to harness the lucrative economic potential of the sector. Morocco is currently on track with the development of a massive 115,000-seater stadium as it prepares to host the 2030 World Cup, jointly with Spain and Portugal. Last month, the country’s National Agency for […]

8 April, 2024

Africa

Twin rate cuts set Mozambique apart as African currency rally

By Seth Onyango, bird story agency Mozambique’s central bank has decisively cut its benchmark lending rate to 15.75% from 16.5%, setting a precedent as the first African country to slash rates twice in 2024. The move highlights Maputo’s aggressive push for economic growth amid a wider trend of cooling inflation and currency stability against the US dollar across Africa. Rate cuts in the southeastern African nation, prompted […]

8 April, 2024

Environment

Microplastics in Nigeria’s Osun River: new study flags alarmingly high levels

The Osun River in Nigeria has high levels of microplastics in its water, sediment and fish. Gideon Idowu, Author provided Gideon Idowu, Federal University of Technology, Akure The Osun River is one of the major rivers in southern Nigeria. It flows from its source in Ekiti State, through several states, before emptying into Lagos state’s Lekki Lagoon. It is an important source of water for the communities that live around […]

8 April, 2024