Africa: The Emergence of Jn.1 Is an Evolutionary ‘Step Change’ in the Covid Pandemic. Why Is This Significant?

[ad_1] Since it was detected in August 2023, the JN.1 variant of COVID has spread widely. It has become dominant in Australia and around the world, driving the biggest COVID wave seen in many jurisdictions for at least the past year. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified JN.1 as a "variant of interest" in December 2023 and in January strongly stated COVID was a continuing global health threat causing "far too much" preventable disease with worrying potential for long-term health […]

January 26, 2024 1

Africa

Africa: How Both Health and Safety Are Compromised for People Living With Long Covid and Intimate Partner Violence

[ad_1] What happens when a person is experiencing long COVID and intimate partner violence at the same time? There has been no attention paid to this question anywhere in the world since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. This is staggering, given previous research shows women who are victim-survivors of intimate partner violence are twice as likely to develop long-term illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. The World Health Organisation defines long COVID as the continuation, or development […]

January 25, 2024 2

Africa

Africa: Matchmaking for Green Cities? Accelerating Climate Finance in Urban Areas

[ad_1] By Liam O Connor, Francisco Martes Porto Macedo and Omar Siddique BANGKOK, Thailand, Jan 23 2024 (IPS) - Asia and the Pacific is home to 54 per cent of the world's urban population, who are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (ESCAP, 2023; IPCC, 2022). Why then, do climate action projects in cities commonly face delays in implementation? Crucial new developments in mitigation and adaptation including: renewable energy, public transport, and nature-based solutions, are needed to safeguard […]

January 25, 2024 3

Africa

Africa: Tiny Water-Walking Bugs Provide Scientists With Insights On How Microplastics Are Pushed Underwater

[ad_1] Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that can cause big problems when they enter the water supply. One way my fluid dynamics lab explores microplastic movement is by studying how tiny water-walking insects are pushed underwater by raindrops. Exposure to microplastic pollution can pose health risks, such as respiratory and digestive problems, increased risk of diabetes and disrupted sleep. But physicists like me can study how they move through water to learn how to clean them up. Water striders are […]

January 25, 2024 1

Africa

Africa’s Life-Sustaining Water Towers Have Been Overlooked for Too Long

[ad_1] International researchers' focus on ice to define natural water towers leaves Africa's critical systems off the map, and with little protection. Africa is a water stressed continent. It is home to 1.4 billion people - 18% of the world's population - yet has only 9% of global freshwater. By 2050, when Africa's population is projected to reach close to 2.5 billion, demand for already limited fresh water will be even higher. Yet it's not all doom and gloom. Despite […]

January 24, 2024 2

Africa

Africa: Biodiversity – What Is It, and How Can We Protect It?

[ad_1] The UN and its global partners will grapple with the massive loss of animal and plant species, and how to avoid further extinction, at a major conference beginning 23 January. Here's a primer on what, exactly, biodiversity is, and how the UN can help support efforts to enable nature to survive and thrive. What does 'biodiversity' mean and why is it important? In simple terms, biodiversity refers to all types of life on earth. The UN Convention on Biological […]

January 24, 2024 2

Africa

Africa: Good Lunchboxes Are Based On 4 Things – Here’s How Parents Can Prepare Healthy Food and Keep Costs Down

[ad_1] Heading back to school is a time of great anticipation for many families, but it is not without challenges. One of the big challenges is preparing healthy, easy, affordable and appealing lunchboxes. Lunchboxes are vital for supporting children's energy levels throughout the school day, which in turn helps maintain their concentration. What does a healthy lunchbox contain? How can you keep it fresh, while also keeping costs down? Making a healthy lunchbox A healthy well-balanced lunchbox should have four […]

January 24, 2024 1

News

Morocco: Moroccan Referee Bouchra Karboubi, First Arab Woman to Officiate Afcon Match

[ad_1] Rabat — Moroccan referee Bouchra Karboubi became, on Monday, the first Arab woman to officiate a football match at the Africa Cup of Nations (2023 AFCON). Karboubi led the decisive match between Nigeria and Guinea Bissau at the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, on the 3rd and final day of Group A of the 2023 AFCON. This achievement illustrates the proactive policy of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), which has been heavily involved in developing women's football, under the […]

January 23, 2024 2

Africa

Africa: The Birthrate Blues – allAfrica.com

[ad_1] Portland, USA — Increasing numbers of countries are experiencing a spreading demographic condition, below replacement fertility, with many governments bemoaning the birthrate blues. Without compensating international migration, a fertility rate below the replacement level, which in most instances is approximately 2.1 births per woman, leads to population decline, a near universal fear among nations that have become addicted to population growth. Fertility rates below the replacement level were relatively uncommon in the distant past with few if any countries […]

January 23, 2024 2

Sustainable Development