insert_link Africa Sudan’s catastrophe: farmers could offer quick post-war recovery, if peace is found By Khalid Siddig, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ; James Thurlow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ; Josée Randriamamonjy, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ; Mariam Raouf, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) , and Mosab Ahmed, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) More than a year of conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has weakened the country’s fragile […] todayAugust 13, 2024 14
insert_link Africa DRC communities turn up heat on EU lenders funding palm oil giant PHC By Didier Makal, via Mongabay On May 24, 2024, clashes broke out between members of a local community and security guards at an oil palm plantation in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the latest such incident in a long-running dispute over some 58,000 hectares, or 143,000 acres, of land. A source in the town of Lokutu said the community members were protesting the […] todayAugust 13, 2024 29
insert_link Africa Some solitary mammals have surprisingly social lives: what I’ve learned from a tiny South African rodent By Lindelani Makuya, University of the Witwatersrand We probably all know someone who lives a solitary life. But not everyone realises that there are solitary individuals in the animal kingdom, too. Examples of solitary species are some shrews, and large predators, such as black bears (Ursus americanus) and leopards (Panthera pardus). Solitary living is defined by the social organisation of individuals, where both males and females sleep […] todayAugust 12, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Ethiopia’s deadly landslides are caused by both nature and man – a geophysicist explains By Getnet Mewa, Addis Ababa University As many as 300 people were killed in landslides triggered by higher than normal rainfall in south-western Ethiopia in July 2024. More than 15,000 were also forced to leave their homes. Another less deadly landslide that occurred two weeks later killed a dozen. Getnet Mewa, a geophysicist who studies landslides and associated landmass movements, explains where and how landslides occur in […] todayAugust 12, 2024 13
insert_link Environment Oceans without sharks would be far less healthy – new research Gray reef sharks and blacktip reef sharks near Tahiti, French Polynesia. Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Images By Michael Heithaus, Florida International University There are more than 500 species of sharks in the world’s oceans, from the 7-inch dwarf lantern shark to whale sharks that can grow to over 35 feet long. They’re found from polar waters to the equator, at the water’s surface and miles deep, in the open […] todayAugust 7, 2024 9
insert_link Entertainment Sunscreens can hurt the marine environment – here’s how to choose one that’s healthy for you and the sea Krakenimages.com/Shutterstock By Anneliese Hodge, Plymouth Marine Laboratory Choosing which sunscreen to use can be mind-boggling. Should you choose one with the highest sun protection factor (SPF) or another with “reef-safe” or “coral-friendly” credentials? Is it best to opt for a spray or a lotion? What’s the difference between a mineral or chemical-based formula? On my ventures to the beach to snorkel and surf, I am forever seeing a […] todayAugust 7, 2024 5
insert_link Africa Data protection is poor for African farmers who use digital services: Kenya and Ghana cases highlight gaps By Heike Baumüller, University of Bonn and Bezawit Beyene Chichaibelu, University of Bonn Across Africa, agricultural producers are turning to digital solutions to get information about farming methods, market access or financial services. By 2022, there were 666 of these solutions operating on the continent, the highest number among all low- and medium-income regions. Advances in digital devices, such as smartphones, sensors and satellites, connected through the internet […] todayAugust 7, 2024 44
insert_link Africa Nigeria’s first space traveller will be chosen by the public: how this will boost the country’s progress By Anne Uruegi Agi, University of Calabar The Blue Origin space craft owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is to take six individuals to space from nations historically underrepresented in space exploration. Nigeria is one of the selected countries. Though a date is yet to be fixed for this particular trip, the Blue Origin space flight usually lasts about 11 minutes, during which participants are expected to undertake […] todayAugust 6, 2024 13
insert_link Africa Astronomy ‘Olympics’ is being hosted in Africa for the first time: 4 big talking points The South African Astronomical Observatory in Sutherland, in the country’s Northern Cape province. IAU General Assembly 2024 By James Okwe Chibueze, University of South Africa Cutting-edge telescopes, gravitational waves, black holes and our solar system’s central star, the Sun, are just a few of the topics that will be on the table in Cape Town, South Africa, for an event that’s a scientific version of the Olympic Games – […] todayAugust 6, 2024 31
