Researchers in the United States say they’ve found a link between breast cancer risk and the use of hair dyes and straighteners, especially among African American women. The National Institutes of Health study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, was drawn from data on 46,709 women enrolled in the Sister…
The United Nations said Friday that the situation in Democratic Republic of Congo, where more Ebola response workers were killed in attacks this week in and around Beni, has become untenable for civilians and the health and humanitarian aid workers seeking to help them. Armed groups have been targeting civilians…
When it comes to migration on the African continent, it is climate change that is among the key drivers, according to the annual World Migration Report released Wednesday by the United Nations migration agency. Eastern and southern Africa are seeing more disasters and environmental changes, including both drought conditions and…
Young environmental activists in Zambia released a new video on Monday to call attention to the longstanding problem of lead poisoning in Kabwe, where more than a century of mining impacts led to environmental disaster and lasting health consequences disproportionately affecting children. “Several neighborhoods in our town, Kabwe, have some…
Another 10 people have died in an airstrike in Libya, with the news coming as the United Nations Security Council heard testimony Monday from Ghassan Salamé, head of the UNSMIL mission, who warned of intensifying violence and “a race against time to reach a peaceful solution.” Salamé said the attack…
Uganda’s Winnie Byanyima begins her role today as the new executive director for UNAIDS, overseeing the efforts of some 11 different United Nations agencies and their global partners united in the fight to end HIV/AIDS. Byanyima said she’s pleased to accept the position at such a critical time for UNAIDS,…
Four African presidents will lead the discussion Wednesday on “what’s next for Africa” as global government and corporate leaders in Riyadh meet this week at Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative, often known as “Davos in the Desert.” The four – Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, Niger’s Mahamadou Issoufou and…
Lupita Nyong’o has met with plenty of accolades, and now the Kenyan-Mexican actor is receiving a new one for her commitment to wildlife protection. Nyong’o was named this year’s Wildlife Champion on Monday by WildAid, a global conservation organization with a mission to end the illegal wildlife trade and a…
Two reports on Tanzania, released separately by the Amnesty and Human Rights Watch NGOs, charge President John Magufuli’s government with stifling the free press, opposition politicians and NGOs. The reports follow several years of progressively harsher laws and penalties since Magufuli was elected in 2015. The country has seen routine…
Authorities in Morocco say they found chemical agents in a cache of weapons and other items seized Friday, during raids on what they called a terrorist cell likely aligned with Islamic State. The raids happened near Casablanca, and in Chefchaouen and Ouazzane, according to a statement from the Bureau central…
China hosted a meeting of key BASIC environmental ministers at the weekend, a group that also includes South Africa, India and Brazil – all of them pressing the case to act on climate change. The South African agency was represented in Beijing by its chief climate negotiator, Maesela Kekana, and…
The National Election Commission (CNE) in Mozambique has certified the victory of President Filipe Nyusi and the Frelimo party following the disputed October 15 elections, although at least eight members of the commission dissented and said the CNE failed to guarantee a fair process. Nyusi won with 73 percent of…
This year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, awarded for exceptional achievements in human rights, goes to Ilham Tohti, an economist and widely recognized Uyghur defender who was sentenced to life in Chinese prison in 2014. Tohti was selected by the European Union from a short list of finalists that…
Egypt braced for another round of wicked weather on Friday night, as a storm spinning in the Mediterranean Sea just off the coast promised to deliver potentially flooding rains and high winds. The storm was expected to bring heavy rainfall with some thunderstorms in the country’s north, including Cairo, with…
President Mokgweetsi Masisi has been declared winner following this week’s elections in Botswana, with his Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) claiming the necessary seats in parliament to secure his next five-year term. The country’s chief justice, Terrence Rannowane, made the announcement Friday morning after verifying that the BDP had met the…