Abuja Bitten by the Hiking Bug
An abandoned quarry in Nigeria has become a tourist hotspot after images were posted on social media earlier this month. The rocky cliffs climbing into a blue sky, a moss-lined footpath, small green hills and a lake that shimmers in the sun are quite breath-taking and a set of images shared on Twitter at the […]
Why African Families are Getting Smaller
Africa’s population is expected to double over the next 18 years but that is only one part of the story. In Northern and Southern Africa, families are getting smaller. This is also happening in other parts of Africa albeit at a slower pace. In this edition of The 77 Percent, Malawians say economic pressure is […]
New Information from Archaeological Site in South Africa
Researchers discovered fossilized grass beds sitting atop layers of ash in Border Cave. The well-known cave sits on a cliff between eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) and KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Inside, toward the back of the cave, researchers found bundles of panicoid grass, which is found in warm temperate areas. The grass had long since fossilized, […]
Mining Company Called Out for Environmental Abuse
The high court of Sierra Leone has granted an interim freezing order on the assets of Octea, a subsidiary of Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz’s BSG Resources in a lawsuit over alleged environmental damage around Octea’s diamond mine. The lawyer for the plaintiffs had requested a freezing order, saying there was a “clear and present risk” […]
Oil Spillage is the Biggest Threat to this African Bird Species
African penguin, recognised by their chest black horseshoe markings and their distinct bray-like calls, are native to South Africa and Namibia but can also be found in Mozambique. The last three decades have been riddled with symptoms of climate change and human activity such as overfishing and habitat destruction, which has seen their numbers fall […]
Africa’s New and Rejuvenated Relationships with Major World Powers
Since the turn of the century aid policies have become both complex and fragmented. Four major international development policies and goalsetting projects were launched in 2015 alone. These are the Paris Agreement, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. […]
South Africa Lifts Alcohol and Tobacco Ban
Across the country enthusiastic customers thronged alcohol stores and shops selling cigarettes, which could also be sold once more. Despite one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, South Africa has been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, with almost 600,000 cases and a death toll believed to be much higher than the official figure […]
Tug Boats Try to Remove the Japanese Wreckage Out of Mauritian Waters
A second team of Japanese experts left for Mauritius on Wednesday with special oil-absorbent materials to help clean up tonnes of oil that leaked from a Japanese-owned ship after it ran aground earlier this month. The team is bringing 20 boxes of special oil-absorbent materials capable of soaking up 1,200 litres (265 gallons) of oil […]
The Species of Africa’s Northern Rhinos Relies on IVF
Scientists in Kenya have harvested 10 eggs from the last two remaining northern white rhinos in the race to keep the species from total extinction. The two females – Najin and Fatuwill who are mother and daughter – live at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Because neither one would be able to carry a pregnancy to […]
Mali’s Junta in Charge for Now
Soldiers who ousted Mali’s president and government in a coup promised on Wednesday to oversee elections within a “reasonable” time, as calls abroad grew for a swift resolution to an acute political crisis. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita resigned and dissolved parliament on Tuesday after the mutineers detained him at gunpoint, further destabilising a country in […]
