After observing the challenges journalists and editors encountered while covering and editing climate articles, Tendai Guvavombe decided to offer training for media professionals, an initiative that is quickly spreading across southern African countries. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | After graduating as a journalist in 2012, Tendai Guvamombe’s desire to …
Read More »Were Ancient Egyptians Black or White? Netflix’s Queen Cleopatra has revived a century-old controversy
The Netflix docudrama Queen Cleopatra, released on May 10, sparked controversy for casting a black actress as the famous Egyptian queen, reviving a decades-old debate over skin colour. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | “I announce on this day to the media that Cleopatra was not black. Cleopatra was Greek, …
Read More »Snake antivenom crisis: Woman snake handler to the rescue
Eswatini is facing a critical shortage of antivenom to treat the numerous victims of snake bites in the country. The woman founder of the country’s antivenom foundation has a solution. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | While collecting firewood in a remote forest in Lubombo, eastern Eswatini, a deadly black mamba …
Read More »Five African countries to join tier-topping economic growth list amid GDP rebound
Five of Africa’s top-performing economies, pre-pandemic, are set to rejoin the world’s top ten fastest-growing economies this year as the continent’s GDP rebounds ANALYSIS | BIRD AGENCY | Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Tanzania are on course to post some of the strongest economic growth rates globally – a …
Read More »Closing the Divide: Virtual universities transforming higher education in Africa
A new era of virtual universities is revolutionising learning in Africa, through accessible, tech-driven platforms. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | West Midlands Open University (WMOU) is Nigeria’s first private virtual institution to “go live”, part of wave of openings that is sweeping the continent. The country’s National University Commission …
Read More »Nancy Karigithu is on course to become first woman to lead UN maritime organization
Nancy Karigithu is one of seven contenders pitching for the top job at the International Maritime Organization. If successful in the July elections, Karigithu would be the first African and first female elected in IMO’s 75-year history. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | Nancy Karigithu, a globally recognised maritime expert …
Read More »Newly commissioned Dangote Refinery to redefine Africa’s oil industry
Africa’s largest oil refinery goes live in Nigeria as the continent’s largest oil producer seeks to cut fuel importation costs. The refinery promises to turn Nigeria from a net importer to a net exporter of refined oil. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | In a ceremony attended by heads of …
Read More »Africa’s debt financing in the spotlight as Rwanda makes case
Rwanda’s successful Eurobond repayment serves as a reminder that there is resilience in African bond markets, despite the “perfect storm” of COVID-19, high inflation and trade disruptions SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | In the face of economic challenges, Rwanda has achieved a significant milestone by successfully repaying its $400 …
Read More »In the shadow of war, Sudan’s midwives nurture a new generation
As desperate civilians and expatriates flee the country, local midwives are stepping up and helping pregnant women bring new life into the world despite the intense clashes. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | In the heart of a war-torn Sudan, an ancient tradition is being rekindled amidst the chaos: midwifery. …
Read More »The supply chain problems created by a war in Khartoum go well beyond Sudan
Conflict in Sudan between rival military interests is not only impacting the country’s people. It also threatens the country’s fast-growing agriculture sector as well as its natural resources – including oil, gold and gum Arabic. Fizzy drinks and candy manufacturers the world over should be worried. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD …
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