All eyes are on the skies as space debris from China’s Tianhe-Long March rocket launch edges closer to a fall from orbit, with parts of the African continent still within the range of places that could be affected by any rocket debris that falls to earth. The latest update from…
Morocco and Kenya are leading the way on Africa’s clean energy transition, but more progress is needed as two-thirds of the continent’s expanding power generation is still supported by fossil fuels. That’s according to a new Global Electricity Review released by campaigners with the British NGO Ember. At 16 percent,…
Tanzania is implementing new pandemic restrictions meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections, according to an announcement from health minister Abel Makubi. The new rules include a ban on all flights to or from India, where the coronavirus is spreading at an alarming pace and emerging variants are adding…
Increasing rainfall linked to climate change is a main factor causing the water level of Lake Tanganyika to rise, with Burundi – one of four African nations bordering the lake – taking the hardest hit. More than 30,000 people have now been affected, with the rising waters forcing people from…
Ugandan officials say they’ve confirmed the first case of a COVID-19 variant that emerged in India and has contributed to that nation’s overwhelming coronavirus outbreak. The Ministry of Health confirmed the presence of the B.1.617 variant on Thursday, noting that it was identified in travelers who returned from India to Kampala…
China’s foreign ministry spokesman warned against “big power” competition Wednesday when asked about United States influence on the African continent, following diplomatic meetings in which President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria suggested that the U.S. relocate its African headquarters closer to its African operations. Buhari’s remark followed a virtual meeting with U.S….
French oil major Total says it has backed out of its US$20 billion LNG project in Mozambique, just days ahead of an expected decision on military intervention in the southern African nation. “Considering the evolution of the security situation in the north of the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique, Total…
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says his country will begin reducing carbon emissions in 2025, 10 years earlier than previously projected. “With regard to our energy resources, we plan to build capacity to generate over 17 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030,” said Ramaphosa, speaking at the Leaders Summit on…
The British government’s investment in developing liquified natural gas (LNG) projects in Mozambique – projects contributing to the conflict and instability in the country’s north – is headed for judicial review following a successful legal filing from the Friends of the Earth. The London-based NGO says the decision to approve…
The University of Cape Town and scholars across the globe are working quickly to see how they can replace treasured materials that were destroyed during the Table Mountain wildfire last weekend. UCT’s Special Collections consist of print and audiovisual material on African studies and other specialized subjects, including more than…
President Idriss Déby of Chad has died following injuries sustained during fighting in the country’s north, according to a state spokesman. The longtime leader of Chad died Tuesday following wounds inflicted at the weekend, according to Gen. Azem Bermandoa Agouna in an announcement on state television. The death was quickly confirmed…
The Eritrean government acknowledged for the first time Friday that its troops are active in the Tigray conflict zone in northern Ethiopia, in a letter from Sophia Tesfamariam, the Eritrean ambassador to the United Nations. Tesfamariam wrote the letter in response to last week’s U.N. Security Council meeting, in order…
There are at least 32 million more people living in extreme poverty across sub-Saharan Africa because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and countries in the region will need about $425 billion in additional external funding over the next five years, the IMF said on Thursday. “The outlook for sub‑Saharan Africa is…
The explosive La Soufrière volcano in the Caribbean continues to affect the atmosphere over the African continent, with enormous sulfur dioxide (SO2) plumes stretching across the Atlantic Ocean. Experts including Mark Parrington, a senior scientist with Europe’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, are sharing forecast and model images that show the…
Congolese Prime Minister Sama Lukonde said Monday that the announcement of a new government is “a first step taken” toward progress in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the nation distances itself further from former leader Joseph Kabila. Lukonde, who became prime minister under President Felix Tshisekedi in February, presented…