Africa
UN Predicts Dire Future for Planet Unless People Change Their Ways Now
Mother Earth got a bad health report from the United Nations this week, and the scientific team that conducted the exam didn’t shirk from delivering the bad news. The word “dire” comes to mind. The assessment is contained in the…
Droughts Lead to Higher Levels of HIV in Lesotho
Extreme events such as droughts are known to put agricultural communities under pressure. A new paper in PLOS One now suggests that there is also a link between severe droughts and the spread of HIV in Lesotho. A Population-Based HIV…
Lions Have Adapted to Hunt Seals and Seabirds in Namibia, Study Finds
Lions in Namibia have turned to hunting seabirds and seals in the face of scarce food resources in the desert landscape, research has found. The desert lions, which are found exclusively within the country’s Skeleton Coast region, are the only…
Africa Tunes in to Solar TV
Developer Azuri says the technology provides not just entertainment but also education and community bonding. Solar TVs are boosting education rates and community engagement across off-grid areas of Africa. That’s according to Azuri, which says its solar TV is having a…
“Cheesy” Solar Charger Kit Empowers Students in East Africa
Playful in its design and highly functional, SunMade Cheese features a charger for flashlights, lighters, radios and even cellphones powered by mere sunlight. The device was developed by YOLK, the solar company applauded for its Kickstarter project ‘Solar Paper’ in 2015 that…
Norway Becomes World’s First Country to Ban Deforestation
Norway has become the first country to ban deforestation. The Norwegian Parliament pledged May 26 that the government’s public procurement policy will be deforestation-free. Any product that contributes to deforestation will not be used in the Scandinavian country. The pledge…
Online Ivory Trade Perpetuated by Yahoo Japan, Weak Legislation
Yahoo Japan is the single biggest online platform for elephant ivory sales in Japan, according to a new TRAFFIC investigation, which recorded a staggering 4,414 ivory items plus 35 whole tusks for sale over a four-week period in June and…