1African Plant and Animal Species “Winners” in the New Red List
The latest assessments by the International Union for Conservation of Nature come as governments convene in Egypt for the Convention on Biological Diversity. Almost 100,000 plants and animals have now been evaluated for extinction threats and Africa has managed to turn the tide on key species.
SOURCES: BBC, Mail & Guardian
2Diabetes is the Second most Common cause of Death in South Africa
November 14, is World Diabetes Day and the country is observing the day under the theme “The Family and Diabetes”. About 6% of the South African population – about 3.5million people – suffer from diabetes, and 5 million more are estimated to have pre-diabetes – when blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered as diabetes. Most cases of pre-diabetes in South Africa are undiagnosed.
SOURCES: IOL
3Everyone Wants a Piece of the Djibouti Pie
In July, Djibouti started the first phase of a $3.5 billion free trade zone. China, the U.S. and France together with Japan and Saudi Arabia, have military bases in Djibouti, ostensibly for fighting near-endemic piracy. In the future, Djibouti could cater to the rising volume of exports from Ethiopia’s manufacturing zones. Djibouti could also beef up its role as a transshipment hub to terminals farther down the African coast, such as Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Maputo in gas-rich Mozambique and Durban in South Africa.
SOURCES: Ozy, VOA
4Zimbabwe’s Days of Hyperinflation Loom a Year after Mugabe’s Departure
Statistics agency Zimstat said the annual inflation rate shot up 20.85% in October from 5.39% in September after the dollar shortage led to a collapse in Zimbabwe’s parallel currency called the bond note, triggering sharp price hikes in many goods and services. This is the highest level since 2008.
SOURCES: Business Day Live
5More than Eighty Percent of Street Children in this Nigerian State are Accused of Witchcraft
In the Niger Delta, where an extreme form of Christianity has taken root and blended with indigenous beliefs, an alarming number of children have been accused of practising witchcraft with malicious intent. The accusations have created a generation of outcasts who live at the mercy of a system ill-equipped to protect them.
SOURCES: Al Jazeera
6Bamboo Enhances the Livelihoods of Ghana’s Artisans
Bamboo and rattan trees have been identified as important commodities in the country. The processing of this – from raw material to finishing — employs thousands of people across the country. But many of these local artisans use outdated technology, which results in lower quality designs and less durable products. And this subsequently results in lower income.
SOURCES: Africa.com
7Members of Tanzania’s LGBT Community are Fearing for their Lives
Activists say they are hiding in their homes and even fleeing the country after threats from a powerful politician to round up gay Tanzanians. The announcement from the regional governor of Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam, has also led to a new travel warning by the US State Department warning US citizens to remove any material on social media that could “run afoul” of Tanzania’s anti-homosexuality laws.
SOURCES: CNN
8Countering the Effects of Drought in Africa
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization warns that the effects of a possible drought predicted in the southern Africa region can be reduced if countries invest in irrigation. The prediction comes at a time when Zimbabwe’s farmers are appealing for assistance so they can move away from depending on rain-fed agriculture.
SOURCES: VOA
9SA President Irons out the Land Issue
The land reforms in South Africa will not violate the country’s constitution says President Cyril Ramaphosa. South Africa’s ruling African National Congress aims to change the constitution to allow for land expropriation without compensation to address racial disparities in ownership that persist more than two decades after apartheid’s demise in 1994.
SOURCES: CGTN Africa
10Bleisure in Ghana
Traveling on business can be a big chore, especially if you are scrambling to get work done on a deadline. And it is at these times you need far more than just a good location and free coffee. Hotels in the capital, Accra give far beyond that and focus on meeting the needs of the most demanding business travellers.
SOURCES: AFK Travel
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