The world’s most popular coffee bean, arabica, is under threat in the country where it was first found. According to new research, rising temperatures and…
THERE MIGHT BE GIANTS
An ancient Islamic city has been found under an Ethiopian town where local lore spoke of giants
The residents of Harlaa, a small town in eastern Ethiopia, have always suspected there was something special about their city. For years farmers have been…
MUKULA
Chinese demand for rosewood furniture is decimating a rare, slow-growing species of African tree
The making of traditional Chinese furniture is an art form whose craftsmanship dates back as far as 1,000 BC. The furniture is made from hongmu,…
POACHED
Ivory smuggling continues to hurt China’s alliances in Africa
Chinese and Ugandan diplomats found themselves in an awkward position this week. Ordering an investigation, Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni personally accused local officials and two…
CHILDHOOD
The 10 worst countries in the world to be a child are all in Africa
A child in Angola is 20 times more likely to die before the age of 5 than one in the United States. Children in parts…
ERUPTION
One of Africa’s Great Lakes is at risk of a massive gas explosion
In 1986, fishermen and villagers in northwest Cameroon experienced one of the world’s strangest natural disasters. Lake Nyos, a crater lake near a chain of…
DATA
Kenya’s mobile internet beats the United States for speed
Kenya has the world’s 14th-fastest mobile internet speed, according to a report from the content delivery network Akamai, which collects data from more 130 countries.…
FRENEMIES
China is in the middle of diplomatic spat with one of its oldest allies in Africa
Zambian authorities have detained 31 Chinese citizens on suspicion of illegal copper mining, according to Chinese officials who have formally complained about the arrest. “The…
The US withdrawal from the Paris climate accord will hit Africa the hardest
African countries contribute little to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, but they still bear the brunt of global warming. Seven out of the world’s 10…
MADARAKA EXPRESS
Kenya’s $3.2 billion Nairobi-Mombasa rail line opens with help from China
More than a 100 years ago, the British opened the “Lunatic Express,” a 600-mile railway running through Uganda and Kenya, to cement its colonial claims…
DIGITAL HEGEMONY
Almost all internet searches in Africa bring up only results from the US and France
A Google search for “Accra,” the capital of Ghana, returns its Wikipedia entry, travel advice from Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor, and a few news websites…
SEA CHANGE
Gambians are accusing a Chinese company of destroying their coastline
Villagers in the Gambia are accusing a Chinese company of polluting a local wildlife reserve. According to local media and environmentalists, a Chinese fish meal…
