insert_link Africa WHO approves first Mpox vaccine for Africa The World Health Organization has approved the use of an Mpox vaccine for the first time, which it says should facilitate “timely and increased access” for millions at risk in Africa where the latest outbreak has infected more than 20,000 so far this year. Matt Wells from UN news reports. today16 September, 2024
insert_link Africa Online classrooms where students run the show: we tested how this unconventional model can work Bringing together different ideas and experiences enhances the virtual classroom experience. Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images By Matthew Wingfield, Stellenbosch University; Bettina von Lieres, University of Toronto, and Laurence Piper, University of the Western Cape The Zoom meeting window opens, immediately revealing scores of smiling or anxious faces. Some people have quirky backgrounds; some are in the same room as friends and family, who appear occasionally on camera. The South […] today16 September, 2024
insert_link Africa Violence at the Kenya-Ethiopia border: what’s driving insecurity in the region By Oscar Gakuo Mwangi, University of Rwanda Communal conflict is endemic in the vast arid region on both sides of the Kenya-Ethiopia border. Fresh alarm has been sparked in both countries following a kidnapping and armed attacks on police and civilians in Kenya’s Marsabit county, in the extreme north of the country. Oscar Mwangi Gakuo, who has studied the roots of conflict in the border region, sets […] today13 September, 2024
insert_link Africa African countries are adopting two houses of parliament to boost democracy – but that’s not always what happens By Thalia Gerzso, University of York At independence, most African states had two legislative chambers – a lower and upper chamber – in their parliament. African leaders saw that as a colonial legacy and as inefficient, so most states removed the upper chambers. Before 1990, only two states kept these bicameral parliaments: Liberia and Nigeria. Since then, however, 40% of the 44 sub-Saharan African states that hold regular […] today13 September, 2024
insert_link Africa Tyla makes history with first VMA win for Africa South Africa’s Tyla has won her first MTV Video Music Award for Best Afrobeats for her hit song Water, making history as the first female African artist to win a VMA. Taylor Swift, who had 12 nominations, won seven, including Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration for Fortnight featuring Post Malone. She is now the most-awarded artist in VMA history. Tyla says the impact her song has had globally is a […] today12 September, 2024
insert_link Africa Zimbabwe considers elephant culling for food amid drought Zimbabwe is considering culling elephants for the first time since 1988 as the country grapples with a devastating drought. Environment Minister Sithembiso Nyoni told lawmakers in Mount Hampden, near Harare, that discussions are underway to cull elephants and distribute the meat to drought-stricken communities in need of protein. This move comes as Zimbabwe faces one of the worst droughts in recent decades, leaving many communities food insecure. According to Bloomberg […] today12 September, 2024
insert_link Africa Hustle academies: west Africa’s online scammers are training others in fraud and sextortion By Suleman Lazarus, London School of Economics and Political Science and Mark Button, University of Portsmouth As the world becomes increasingly connected, digital fraud has evolved from a local problem into a global one. West Africa, particularly Ghana and Nigeria, is witnessing the rise of “hustle kingdoms” – informal academies that train individuals to carry out digital scams. The term “hustle kingdoms” originated from online scammers themselves, used […] today12 September, 2024
insert_link Africa Sudan is burning and foreign powers are benefiting – what’s in it for the UAE By May Darwich, University of Birmingham The United Nations has accused foreign players of prolonging the war in Sudan, making it harder for the country to find peace. The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces started in April 2023. It was sparked by two generals competing for power after a failed political transition. Since then, the conflict has taken on a regional […] today12 September, 2024
insert_link Africa South Sudan floods: the first example of a mass population permanently displaced by climate change? Abandoned homes in South Sudan. rameesha bilal shah / shutterstock By Liz Stephens, University of Reading and Jacob Levi, Charité – Berlin University of Medicine Enormous floods have once again engulfed much of South Sudan, as record water-levels in Lake Victoria flow downstream through the Nile. More than 700,000 people have been affected. Hundreds of thousands of people there were already forced from their homes by huge floods […] today12 September, 2024
