Rwanda reports six deaths from Marburg virus outbreak

Rwanda reports six deaths from Marburg virus outbreak

Six people have died from a Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, primarily affecting healthcare workers in an intensive care unit. According to the BBC, Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana reported that twenty cases have been identified since the outbreak was confirmed on Friday. Marburg, which can have a fatality rate of up to 88%, is related to Ebola and is transmitted to humans from fruit bats, spreading through contact with the […]

September 30, 2024 25

Africa

African Business ranks 2024’s largest banks

African Business Magazine has ranked the continent’s largest banks for 2024, with Standard Bank leading as the largest bank in Africa. The bank reported a net profit of $2.7 billion, an 18% increase from the previous year. Other top banks include First Bank of Nigeria, Equity Bank from Kenya, and the National Bank of Egypt. Meanwhile, FirstRand's net profits decreased to $1.4 billion, down 13%. According to the ranking, Mauritius […]

September 30, 2024 46

Africa

Cameroonian Separatist Leader Arrested in Norway Amid Ongoing Conflict

Lucas Ayaba Cho, a prominent Cameroonian separatist leader, has been arrested in Norway for his alleged involvement in the armed conflict in Cameroon. According to BBC AFrica, his arrest, based on charges linked to his social media expressions, comes as the Anglophone movement seeks independence from the predominantly French-speaking country. Since fighting began in 2016, the conflict has claimed over 6,000 lives and displaced nearly a million people.

September 27, 2024 11

Africa

Sudanese Army Launches Major Offensive Against RSF Amid Ongoing Civil War

The Sudanese army has initiated a significant offensive against the Rapid Support Forces in the capital, Khartoum, as it attempts to reclaim lost territory since the conflict began in April 2023. BBC Africa has it that government forces conducted dawn strikes on RSF bases in Khartoum and Bahri. The ongoing civil war has led to approximately 150,000 deaths and displaced over 10 million people, contributing to what the UN describes […]

September 27, 2024 3

Africa

Floods in Nigeria destroy crops for 8.5 million people

Floods in Nigeria have devastated crops that could have fed 8.5 million people for six months, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation. Bloomberg News reports that the floods hit just as the harvest season began, submerging farmland in Africa's most populous country. Farmers, who expected a bumper harvest this year, have seen their groundnuts, vegetables, and rice fields flooded. Moreover, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has […]

September 26, 2024 11

Africa

Western Cape leader advocates for climate action collaboration with Africa

Western Cape premier Alan Winde says Africa should not be left behind in global climate talks, as it is the breadbasket of the world. Currently in the United States as Africa's co-chair for New York Climate Week, Winde says the continent bears the brunt of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts, despite contributing less to the problem. The eight-day event concludes on Sunday.

September 24, 2024 20

Africa

Eswatini flags hundreds of illegal ship registrations

Hundreds of ships have been sailing under the flag of Eswatini without the country's authorization, according to a letter from its government. According to Bloomberg News, Eswatini informed the International Maritime Organization that a number of vessels are using its flag, despite the country not granting permission to any company or agency to register ships under its flag for international waters. The decision comes after the United Arab Emirates recently […]

September 24, 2024 37

Africa

Zambia’s President suspends three Constitutional Court Judges

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema suspended three Constitutional Court judges immediately, his office announced Monday, without providing the reasons. According to the Zambian Observer, the decision follows recommendations from a report submitted by the Judicial Complaints Commission. The three judges were appointed by Hichilema’s predecessor Edgar Lungu in 2016.

September 24, 2024 14

Africa

Female elephants rumble to say ‘let’s go!’ New study in Namibia shows males do too, a sign of unexpected social bonds

By Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell, Harvard University In elephant family groups made up of related females and their young, it is clear that the animals produce vocal sounds to coordinate action. This happens when it’s time to leave a waterhole, for example. The matriarch or dominant female steps away from the waterhole and turns to the direction she intends to move in. Then she flaps her ears as she […]

September 23, 2024 42