insert_link Africa AU urges restraint in Somalia-Ethiopia tensions The African Union on Wednesday called on Ethiopia and Somalia to exercise restraint and take steps to de-escalate the current tensions amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Xinhua news agency reports that tensions continue to mount in relations between Ethiopia and Somalia after Ethiopia and Somaliland, a self-declared region of Somalia, signed an agreement earlier this month, allowing Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in return for […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 19
insert_link Africa Resistant mosquito threatens malaria fight A new species of mosquito is driving up malaria infections in Africa, fuelling a growing public health concern. The Anopheles stephensi mosquito, shortened by some entomologists to "steve", has so far been detected in seven African countries. According to the World Health Organization, the mosquito, which originated in South Asia, was first detected in Djibouti in 2012, since then, the new species has since spread to Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana. todayJanuary 18, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Urban Kenyans mistrust police even more than rural residents do: study sets out why it matters By Kristine Höglund, Uppsala University and Emma Elfversson, Uppsala University Across the African continent – from Nigeria and Ghana to South Africa – widespread protests have taken place to demand police reform in the wake of police misconduct and brutality. A continent-wide survey done in 2022 shows very low trust in the police and a prevailing perception of the police as the most corrupt among key institutions. Low […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Senegal’s pink lake is on the verge of disappearing – how to protect it By El hadji Sow, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar Lake Retba, better known as Lac Rose (the Pink Lake), is located around 35km from the city of Dakar, Senegal. It sits in a depression with a shoreline 6.5 metres below sea level. The lake is isolated from the sea by about 1km of sand dunes. Its fresh water comes from the seasonal water table in the dunes, which […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 15
insert_link Africa Rising megacities: A superhighway for Africa’s shared mobility market By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency As Africa's urban centres continue to grow and with an increasing number of cities now expected to surpass 10 million residents, the shared mobility sector is expanding fast too, raising prospects of more income for cab-hailing companies and drivers. Global management firm, Oliver Wyman, has revealed in a new report that ride-hailing, scooter or e-bike rentals, and car-sharing, which together make up […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 10
insert_link Africa Disputed Comoros election triggers street revolt Opposition supporters barricade a road during a demonstration in Moroni on January 17, 2024, following the announcement of the presidential election results. © Olympia De Maismon, AFP Two days after the Comoros electoral authorities announced the president's disputed re-election, angry youth gangs are battling soldiers in cat-and-mouse street battles. Braving teargas and torrential rain, a man in his twenties, his face hidden by a surgical mask, told AFP on Thursday why […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 16
insert_link Africa Kenya starvation cult leader charged with terrorism A Kenyan court on Thursday charged the leader of a starvation cult with terrorism over the deaths of more than 400 of his followers. Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 94 other suspects pleaded "not guilty" to charges of radicalisation. The cult leader was also charged with "organised criminal activity", according to documents from the Mombasa court seen by AFP. Mackenzie is alleged to have incited his acolytes to starve […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 7
insert_link Africa Should Kenya abolish all school exams? Expert sets out five reasons why they’re still useful By Beatrice M’mboga Akala, University of the Witwatersrand The role of examinations in Kenyan schools is under scrutiny. This is because there is a lot that is wrong with the country’s examinations, a situation that threatens to derail education gains made over the decades. For instance, for two consecutive years – last year and the year before – the periods during the country’s national examination period were marred by […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 10
insert_link Africa Ghana won Afcon four times, but the last time was 40 years ago. What went wrong with its football team? By Ernest Yeboah Acheampong, University of Education, Winneba The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is the most important football tournament in Africa. It has been contested by the male national teams of countries on the continent since 1957. Egypt is the most successful country in the tournament’s history, with seven wins, the most recent in 2010. Previously, Ghana was the dominant force with four wins. In spite of producing […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 8
