insert_link Africa Violence displaces 5.7 million in the DRC Clashes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have now uprooted 5.7 million people across north Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri province. In an alert, the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR said that the violence has reached a devastating new level. UNHCR and partners have provided emergency shelters as part of the humanitarian response, said UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh. The United Nations Refugee Agency has meanwhile sounded the alarm on the […] todayMarch 27, 2024 37
insert_link Africa We built an AI tool to help set priorities for conservation in Madagascar: what we found By Daniele Silvestro, University of Fribourg Artificial Intelligence (AI) – models that process large and diverse datasets and make predictions from them – can have many uses in nature conservation, such as remote monitoring (like the use of camera traps to study animals or plants) or data analysis. Some of these are controversial because AI can be trained to be biased, but others are valuable research tools. […] todayMarch 27, 2024 20
insert_link Africa Nigerian bandits strategically target school children for kidnappings – here’s why By Oluwole Ojewale, Institute for Security Studies It is every parent’s worst nightmare: armed criminals attacking their child’s school, kidnapping students and teachers. In some parts of Nigeria, this scenario is not just the stuff of nightmares – it has become all too common in the past 10 years. The most famous incident was the mass abduction of 276 students from a girls’ school in Chibok, a […] todayMarch 27, 2024 12
insert_link Africa Protracted conflict in Ethiopia sparks genocide concerns Following reports of continued fighting between government troops and local militias in Ethiopia, the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu has sounded the alarm about the heightened risk of genocide and related atrocity crimes in the Tigray, Amhara, Afar, and Oromi regions. SA-based political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast explains why it's taking so long to resolve the crisis. The Director of the Namibia Media Trust, […] todayMarch 26, 2024 54
insert_link Africa Foreign mining companies under fire for permit issues in the DRC An indigenous community in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has accused two foreign-owned mining firms of obtaining licenses without consulting all the communities affected by their activities. The community says the Canadian and South African mining companies have violated the law that stipulates the process of obtaining exploration permits. todayMarch 26, 2024 55
insert_link Africa Health risks at home: a study in six African countries shows how healthy housing saves children’s lives The WHO has developed guidelines outlining the attributes of healthy housing. These include structural soundness, as well as access to a local community that enables social interactions. Healthy housing protects inhabitants from the effects of disasters, pollution, waste and extreme heat or cold. It provides a feeling of home, including a sense of belonging, security and privacy. Health risks in the home environment are important to think about because of […] todayMarch 26, 2024 44
Africa bird TenX: Ten influential women in African politics By Esther Musembi, bird story agency With more than a third of African countries headed to the polls in 2024, African women are showing increasing interest in holding leadership positions, including the presidency. Their stories inspire resilience, determination, and visionary leadership, serving as beacons for future generations of female leaders across the continent. The following is a selected list of some influential women in African politics: 1. […] todayMarch 26, 2024 9
insert_link Africa Congo and Togo record Africa’s highest increase in happiness levels By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency The Republic of Congo and Togo are amongst the countries that have seen happiness levels amongst their citizens increase the most over the past 12 years. The two African countries are listed among seventeen countries globally that recorded increases in average life evaluations of a full point or more. The World Happiness Report 2024 ranks the Republic of Congo in […] todayMarch 26, 2024 40
insert_link Africa Ghana’s decades-old ambition to build an integrated aluminium industry faces a new hurdle: the clean energy transition By Theophilus Acheampong, University of Aberdeen and Matthew Tyce, King's College London It has been more than 60 years since Ghana’s first post-independence leader Kwame Nkrumah first mooted the idea that Ghana should produce aluminium from the country’s ample supply of bauxite. Under the Volta River Project, Nkrumah’s vision was to construct a dam on Ghana’s Volta River to provide dedicated electricity to a newly built smelter. […] todayMarch 26, 2024 12