Africa: Backing Pan-African Trajectory Is Helping Africa Grow

Coal has been a major contributor to global carbon dioxide emissions, but a COP29 deal aims to phase out new unabated coal power plants to align with net zero goals. The coalition of nations, including Australia, is pushing for the transition away from fossil fuels, despite a recent increase in coal power capacity. Climate financing and just transitions are key priorities at COP29 to support developing countries in moving towards renewable energy and away from...

President-elect Donald Trump's advisors are pushing for a new US-Africa policy centered on business deals, conflict mitigation, and conservative values, potentially prioritizing evangelical Christian interests over LGBT rights. Despite his dismissive past attitude towards African nations, Trump's first term aimed to counter China's influence in Africa. His advisors believe his business-focused approach will help America outcompete other nations on the continent, although experts caution against over-optimism given the change in leadership with President Joe Biden...

The City of Ekurhuleni will increase food hygiene and safety inspections at food-handling premises, including spaza shops, to address the rise in food-borne illnesses, especially among children. Community members are urged to be vigilant when purchasing food and report illegal food trading facilities to the Environmental Health offices. Non-compliant businesses are encouraged to register, and the public is advised not to take matters into their own hands but to let the authorities handle them. Full...

A hyena and a lizard engage in a surprising battle over a zebra carcass, with the lizard displaying remarkable determination by slapping the hyena multiple times. The young ecology student, Nicola Marneweck, captures the intense encounter and highlights the lizard's bold behavior in challenging the much larger predator. Despite the lizard's efforts, the hyena eventually claims the carcass, showcasing a unique wildlife interaction. Full Article

Andela has partnered with CNCF to train 20,000 African developers in cloud-native technologies like Kubernetes, offering certifications such as KCNA and CKAD. The program targets Andela's talent marketplace of 150,000 tech professionals in Africa to address the global shortage of skilled cloud professionals. This initiative aims to empower African talent and provide developers with the skills needed to access high-value opportunities in the global technology industry. Full Article

The Earthshot Prize (TEP) is now accepting entries for its 2025 cohort, with MultiChoice serving as an official Africa nominator, following a successful awards ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa. Winners from the previous cycle, including Green Africa Youth Organisation and Keep IT Cool, showcase innovative solutions to environmental challenges and receive £1 million in prize money. TEP is seeking impactful, inspiring, and inclusive ideas to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future by the...