Africa’s floods and droughts are messing with our minds. Researchers are trying to figure out how

The parched earth opened in jagged cracks. But it was the dead cows on the side of the road that did it. By October of 2014, the government had declared a state of emergency in KwaZulu-Natal. The prolonged drought left some 40 000 cattle dead,...

The new curse of critical minerals

Note: This column was first published 24/07/2025. We are re-promoting it today to accompany the publication of Policy Insight 147:Escaping the critical minerals curse. While both the energy and digital transitions rely on technologies that require...

FIA defends “democratic” presidential election process after Mayer’s criticism | Formula 1

The FIA has responded to strong criticism of its presidential election process by Tim Mayer after he stood down as a candidate today. Addressing media in Texas, Mayer claimed the organisation of the election had been arranged to prevent a credible...

Keeping Africa’s vaccines cool

Keeping Africa’s vaccines cool From a distance, Lilongwe Technical College (LTC) is a modest affair located along the M1 opposite Biwi, the southern gateway to Lilongwe Old Town. The single-storey blocks, concealed in a brick fence, give little...

‘Unstoppable Zanu PF engine of the nation’

Samuel Kadungure in MUTARE ZANU PF is the engine of national development and the party must continue focusing on membership growth, strategic planning and mobilisation to win elections, President Mnangagwa has said. In his keynote address to mark...

MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh plants sapling at Shree Swaminarayan temple Complex in Uganda

MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh plants sapling at Shree Swaminarayan temple Complex in Uganda Kampala: Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on Friday planted a sapling at Shree Swaminarayan temple Complex in Uganda’s capital...

Tanzania allocates Sh10 billion to Kibaha biotech factory for pesticide production in 2025/2026

Dar es Salaam. The Government of Tanzania has earmarked Sh10 billion for the Tanzania Biotech Products Limited (TBPL) factory in Kibaha, Coast Region, to support the development and production of various pesticides and related chemicals in the...

This week in mining: Strong Finishes and strategic shifts

The global mining sector closed out the week with a series of operational milestones, governance updates, and new signs of growth across Africa and the Middle East. Tharisa ends FY2025 on a strong note Tharisa has reported a solid close to its...

The 52 ages of travel: Our ultimate guide to the rules and restrictions

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our...

Frieze London Restores Market Confidence and Outsells Expectations

Frieze London and Frieze Masters opened on October 15. Photo: Linda Nylind | Courtesy of Frieze The energy on the opening day of Frieze London on October 15 felt less like a post-Brexit correction and more like the city sliding back into its...

Oil Giant Wins African ESG Award for Education Programme

ExxonMobil received the Environmental, Social and Governance Leader of the Year award at African Energy Week 2025, recognized for its commitment to advancing STEM education in Africa. The recognition comes as the oil major expands both its...

No bank at risk of collapse in Zimbabwe

The Bankers Association of Zimbabwe (BAZ) has sought to calm rising public concerns over potential bank collapses, asserting that the country's banking sector remains "safe and sound" and insulated from financial turbulence affecting some regional...

Safaricom Set to Benefit as Vodafone and Nokia Expand 5G Deal

Vodafone has extended its long-standing partnership with Nokia through a new five-year agreement aimed at accelerating 5G rollout across Europe and Africa. The renewed collaboration focuses on deploying Nokia’s advanced AirScale radio access...

SciTech | Oct 17, 2025 | 6 min read 15 mn in India affected by 2024-25 wildfires

Others SciTech #New Delhi Around 15 million people in India were affected due to wildfires in 2024-25, with Uttar Pradesh being the most impacted region, a global study has estimated. Uttar Pradesh was also found to have experienced its most...

Showing the team behind rhino success story

Rhino Ops, a powerful new documentary that profiles one of South Africa’s most ambitious and successful anti-poaching interventions launched this week. This film was produced by Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF), in partnership...

Military coup: Army colonel sworn in as Madagascar president

Days of unrest and a dramatic military intervention have left Madagascar facing a new political transition, with an army colonel set to take power on Friday. Army colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as Madagascar's president Friday, just...

NNN hails women influencers …as Namibia marks 25years of UN Resolution 1325

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called for global recommitment to equal and meaningful participation of women at every level of peace and security efforts. The President addressed a high-level gathering in Windhoek yesterday to commemorate the...

Blue Crane vulnerable as numbers decline

Alarming data from a long-running citizen science project, reveals a 44% decline in Blue Crane numbers in the Overberg region of the Western Cape between 2011 and 2025. Blue crane numbers have taken a huge knock in the Overberg. Photos: Ford...

How Southern Africa could unlock funding for critical minerals investment

As the world transitions to cleaner energy, Southern Africa’s abundant critical mineral resources, which could be key ingredients for many low-carbon technologies, have come into sharper focus. According to the ‘Financing Southern Africa’s Clean...

Implementation of women, peace and security agenda still uneven

Justicia Shipena Despite global commitment, implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda remains uneven, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said on Thursday. Nandi-Ndaitwah urged world leaders and regional blocs to strengthen their...