insert_link World Japan birth rate falls to lowest on record New data shows that the speed of depopulation in Japan is in-creasing. The country’s fertility rate and number of new births fell to a record low in 2023. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo: todayJune 6, 2024 8
insert_link Africa Mapping malaria in Africa: climate change study predicts where mosquitoes will breed in future Water bodies such as the Nile River, pictured here running through Juba in South Sudan, are included in the new model. Frontpage By Mark Smith, University of Leeds and Chris Thomas, University of Lincoln The relationship between climate and malaria transmission is complex and has been the subject of intense study for some three decades. Mosquito vector populations sufficient to maintain malaria transmission occur within a […] todayMay 20, 2024 18
insert_link Africa Ghana’s forests are being wiped out: what’s behind this and why attempts to stop it aren’t working By John Tennyson Afele, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Ghana has around 7.9 million hectares of forested land (35% of the total land area), according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Around 7.6 million hectares are primary or naturally regenerated forest, and around 297,000 hectares are planted forest. In 2022, Ghana lost 18,000 hectares of primary forest, a nearly 70% increase from […] todayMay 15, 2024 14
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 15
insert_link Business / Economics Why do identical informal businesses set up side by side? It’s a survival tactic – Kenya study By Tim Weiss, Imperial College London The population on the African continent will have nearly doubled by 2050, according to UN projections. About 800 million more young Africans will enter the job market by then. Combine this forecast with the high youth unemployment rate in many African countries today, then the pressing question is: who will create stable jobs at mass scale? Many policies to create […] todayMarch 25, 2024 2
insert_link Namibia National youth population increases According to the 2023 Population and Housing Preliminary Report by the Namibia Statistics Agency, the country's population has almost doubled since independence, reaching 3.02 million in 2023. With the country’s youth making up 2.1 million of the population, labour experts, like Herbert Jauch, are foreseeing continued issues of youth unemployment, poverty, and inequality in the future. todayMarch 14, 2024 15
insert_link Africa Uganda’s staggering rate of teen motherhood can shatter life dreams A Ugandan nurse with a new mother. The country has one of the highest maternal death rates in the world, while in rural areas, young women have little access to sexual reproductive health care, including getting contraceptives to avoid becoming pregnant, often ending their life dreams of pursuing a university degree and a career. The hurdles reflect global trends. SOMERO In this East African country, many young women’s dreams of earning […] todayJanuary 19, 2024 11
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 8
insert_link Namibia Limited school space leaves parents stranded in Moses ||Garoeb Constituency By Linea Dishena and Daniella Izaaks Parents and guardians in Windhoek’s Moses ||Garoeb Constituency have been left frustrated by limited spaces in school, especially for Grade 1 learners. Speaking to Nampa here on Monday, constituency councillor Stefanus Ndengu said limited space is a challenge every year, as the constituency has only four primary schools and two secondary schools catering for its estimated population of 90 000 to 100 000 […] todayJanuary 16, 2024 33
Paying it forward: Kenyan coastal doctor Bashrahil Mohammed Mafudh has made it his life’s work to care for the most vulnerable in his community, at no cost.
