insert_link Africa Light Rail and Tramways: Transforming African Cities with Innovative Urban Transport Solutions By Bonface Orucho, via bird story agency More African countries are deploying light rails and tramways to facilitate urban mobility as population growth in Africa’s major cities continues to surge. Angola’s capital is set to inaugurate its first tramway line in a partnership with Siemens, through the German company's railway construction subsidiary, Siemens Mobility. According to Metro Report International, a global railway news reporting agency, the US$1.4 billion (1.3 billion […] todayDecember 5, 2023 211
insert_link Africa African dinosaurs and the sixth mass extinction “It’s really important that we realise we need to take better care of the planet, otherwise we’ll also go the way of the dinosaur,” said Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan, palaeobiologist and professor at the University of Cape Town. She was speaking at GroundUp’s final Science for the People seminar for the year, hosted at Bertha House in Cape Town on Friday 1 December. Chinsamy-Turan has a species of Sabre-toothed cat named after her. The topic of […] todayDecember 5, 2023 9
insert_link Africa Youth-led African enterprises awarded $800,000 at COP28 for climate solutions Eight dynamic African young women-led businesses emerged as winners of the 2023 YouthAdapt challenge. Each business will receive grant funding of up to $100,000. They will also receive a comprehensive mentorship and coaching as part of a 12-month accelerator program. Since its launch in 2021, the YouthADAPT initiative has provided more than $5 million to 33 young entrepreneurs from 19 African nations. Jointly organised by the African Development Bank Group and the Global Center […] todayDecember 5, 2023 7
insert_link Africa Zambia yet to retrieve trapped miners days later Zambian officials have been unable to locate dozens of illegal miners believed to be trapped after a mudslide at an open cast copper mine on Friday. According to the BBC, the accident in Zambia's northern Copperbelt province occurred after heavy rains. Rescue teams have been pumping water from the underground pits at the Sesili mine in Chingola but have not made contact with the miners. todayDecember 4, 2023 3
insert_link Africa Tackling climate change can improve public health in Africa – new report highlights how By Chris Malley, University of York; Alice Akinyi Kaudia, University of Nairobi; Andriannah Mbandi, South Eastern Kenya University; Kevin Hicks, University of York; Philip Osano, Stockholm Environment Institute, and Youba Sokona, UCL African countries can simultaneously address climate change and improve public health by reducing air pollution. In many cases these actions also have other societal, economic, environment or health benefits. Addressing these together is challenging because they are often […] todayDecember 4, 2023 18
insert_link Africa Africa inches closer to manufacturing anti-HIV rings By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency After approval for the use of vaginal rings by nearly a dozen countries, Africa is inching closer to local manufacturing of the world’s first fully woman-controlled HIV prevention device. South Africa will be the first country on the continent to make and distribute the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between South Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturer and medtech company, Kiara Health, […] todayDecember 4, 2023 19
insert_link Africa Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman emerges 2023 Daily Trust African of the Year Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, a South African altruist, has emerged as the 2023 Daily Trust African of the Year. Dr. Sooliman, a medical doctor who gave up his career to pursue the field of humanitarian aid, which for him transcends the boundaries of race, religion, culture, class and geography, was chosen out of nine finalists drawn from a list of 736 nominations received at the end of the first phase of […] todayDecember 4, 2023 15
insert_link Africa Unveiling environmental activism: Ina-Marie Shikongo’s artistic resistance against threats to the Okavango Delta By Kate Okorie, via Bird Story Agency "This piece is for Ken Saro-Wiwa," said Ina-Marie Shikongo, pointing to a textile collage shaped like an inverted dome hanging above the grey sofa where she was seated, surrounded by other artwork referencing the earth's warming climate. In a world often muted by diplomacy, Shikongo stands out as a defiant burst of unapologetic activism. Since 2020, the Namibian climate activist has used her […] todayDecember 4, 2023 33
insert_link Africa Women’s Rights’ Coalition issues a strong appeal to African Governments for swift action against continued women’s rights violations In a firm and unequivocal declaration, the SOAWR Coalition, a consortium of over 70 women's rights organizations in 33 African countries dedicated to advocating for women’s rights in Africa, launched a Call for Action and Accountability in harmony with the objectives of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The Coalition expresses profound concern about the delayed realization of the promise of gender equality made to African women and girls by the AU […] todayDecember 4, 2023 11