‘No identity’: Why is Kenyan music failing to break through globally? | Arts and Culture

‘No identity’: Why is Kenyan music failing to break through globally? | Arts and Culture

Nairobi, Kenya – In November 2023 when the Grammy Awards announced five inaugural nominees for the Best African Music Performance category, only South Africa and Nigeria were represented. The news sparked a debate about the continuing trend of contemporary music from both countries – Amapiano and Afrobeats – dominating the…

UN official warns of possible war crimes, rape as a weapon in Sudan | Conflict News

UN official warns of possible war crimes, rape as a weapon in Sudan | Conflict News

The United Nations human rights chief has said that the apparent deliberate denial of safe access for humanitarian agencies within war-torn Sudan could amount to a war crime. “Sudan has become a living nightmare. Almost half of the population – 25 million people – are in urgent need of food…

Zambia declares national disaster after drought devastates agriculture | Climate Crisis News

Zambia declares national disaster after drought devastates agriculture | Climate Crisis News

Drought crisis brought on by El Nino and climate change will affect more than a million households, President Hakainde Hichilema says. Zambia has declared the drought the country is currently going through a national disaster, with President Hakainde Hichilema saying the lack of rain has devastated the agricultural sector, affecting…

Why is Chad boiling over ahead of long-awaited elections — and what’s next? | Military News

Why is Chad boiling over ahead of long-awaited elections — and what’s next? | Military News

Heavy gunfire erupted in Chad’s capital N’Djamena on Wednesday, just hours after announcements of a long-awaited election date in the central African country. The Chadian government said its security forces pushed back against members of the opposition Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF), who led an attack on state security forces…

Bfree, a Nigerian startup enabling lenders recover debt ethically, gets $3M backing

Bfree, a Nigerian startup enabling lenders recover debt ethically, gets $3M backing

Bfree, a tech-enabled debt collection startup based in Nigeria, was founded to automate and introduce ethical debt recovery processes after its founders witnessed the use and adverse effects of aggressive retrieval techniques, such as incessant calling and debt-shaming, by predatory digital lenders. After its launch in 2020, the startup introduced…

Chad announces several deaths after foiled intelligence office attack | Elections News

Chad announces several deaths after foiled intelligence office attack | Elections News

The attack happened just hours after the announcement that Chad will hold a presidential election on May 6. An overnight attack on the offices of Chad’s internal security agency in the capital, N’Djamena, has killed several people, the government said on Wednesday, accusing “elements” of an opposition party. While blaming…

The Malawians braving climate shocks and red tape to make banana wine | Agriculture

The Malawians braving climate shocks and red tape to make banana wine | Agriculture

Karonga, Malawi – Regina Mukandawire has been growing bananas on her small farm in the Karonga district in northern Malawi for more than 16 years. But heatwaves, floods and disease outbreaks that have hit the country since 2010 have gradually reduced her yields from half a tonne to only a few…

Two people shot dead as Guinea protest turns bloody | Military News

Two people shot dead as Guinea protest turns bloody | Military News

The strike comes a week after the Guinean military unexpectedly dissolved the transitional government without providing a reason or announcing when a new one would be installed. Two youths were shot dead Monday in Conakry as Guinea’s capital was paralysed on the first day of an open-ended general strike against…