Environment & Science Archives

Heatwave fuels widespread wildfires across North Africa

An intense heatwave sweeping across North Africa has been fuelling major wildfires in multiple countries, with significant blazes reported in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. The fires have placed pressure on local emergency services as temperatures continue to climb across the region, raising concerns about the broader impact on communities, agriculture, and ecosystems. Scale of the […]

Heatwave fuels widespread wildfires across North Africa Read More »

Humpback Whale Supergroup Sightings Rise Along South Africa’s Coastline

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

Humpback whales moving in unusually large gatherings known as supergroups are being recorded with increasing regularity off the South African coast, drawing the attention of marine researchers and ocean enthusiasts alike. The trend underscores the country’s growing reputation as one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most rewarding destinations for observing large cetaceans. A Remarkable Marine Gathering

Humpback Whale Supergroup Sightings Rise Along South Africa’s Coastline Read More »

Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir Continues to Show Strong HIV Prevention Results in Africa

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

A long-acting injectable drug, lenacapavir, administered just twice a year, continues to demonstrate strong protection against HIV infection in ongoing studies across Africa, according to recent reports. The development marks a significant step forward in the global effort to expand prevention options for populations at risk of contracting the virus. A New Approach to HIV

Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir Continues to Show Strong HIV Prevention Results in Africa Read More »

Africa’s camels struggle as extreme heat pushes even the desert’s most resilient animals to their limits

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

Camels, long regarded as the most resilient animals in some of the world’s harshest environments, are increasingly showing signs of strain as record-breaking temperatures grip parts of Africa. Pastoralists and animal health specialists say the animals that have helped human communities traverse arid regions for centuries are now struggling to cope with heat that exceeds

Africa’s camels struggle as extreme heat pushes even the desert’s most resilient animals to their limits Read More »

Madagascar: A Crucible of Biodiversity and a Conservation Crossroads

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

Madagascar, the large island nation off the southeastern coast of Africa, stands as one of the planet’s most significant reservoirs of life, hosting a proportion of global biodiversity found almost nowhere else on Earth. Its separation from the African continent for more than 150 million years has produced an evolutionary laboratory whose forests, rivers, and

Madagascar: A Crucible of Biodiversity and a Conservation Crossroads Read More »

New Monkey Species Confirmed in Congo’s Forests

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

A previously undocumented primate has been confirmed as a new species by scientists working in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The animal, named Colobus congoensis, is distinguished by a black face framed by strikingly pinkish-orange lips, a feature that sets it apart from other members of the colobus monkey family. A Distinctive

New Monkey Species Confirmed in Congo’s Forests Read More »

New primate species with distinctive orange lips discovered in DR Congo rainforest

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

A team of scientists working in the dense rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo has identified a previously unknown primate species, distinguished by its vivid orange lips and other unique facial features. The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence that Central Africa’s tropical forests still harbour biological surprises largely unknown to science.

New primate species with distinctive orange lips discovered in DR Congo rainforest Read More »

Italy steps up Po River cleanup as algae bloom spreads amid heatwave

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

Italian authorities in Turin are intensifying efforts to remove dense algae from the River Po after weeks of high temperatures accelerated its spread along the country’s longest waterway. The thick blooms, visible across wide stretches of the river, have prompted renewed concern over water quality, ecological health, and the river’s usability for transport and recreation.

Italy steps up Po River cleanup as algae bloom spreads amid heatwave Read More »

South Africa Rolls Out Shingrix Shingles Vaccine Amid Questions Over Possible Brain-Health Benefits

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

South Africa has introduced Shingrix, a recombinant shingles vaccine, expanding access to a shot that has been available in wealthier markets for years and prompting renewed attention to emerging research suggesting it could help protect against dementia in older adults. A vaccine against a familiar — and painful — threat Shingles, caused by the reactivation

South Africa Rolls Out Shingrix Shingles Vaccine Amid Questions Over Possible Brain-Health Benefits Read More »

Record El Niño Raises Fears of Widespread Flooding from East Africa to Asia

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

Humanitarian organizations are warning that an exceptionally strong El Niño weather pattern could trigger widespread flooding and deepen food insecurity across parts of East Africa and Asia, placing millions of vulnerable people at risk. The warning underscores growing concern among aid agencies that climate-driven extreme weather is hitting some of the world’s most exposed communities

Record El Niño Raises Fears of Widespread Flooding from East Africa to Asia Read More »

UN Moves Early to Shield Thousands in South Sudan as Drought Threat Looms in Eastern Equatoria

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

The United Nations has launched a pre-emptive humanitarian operation in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state, aiming to shield thousands of vulnerable residents from an intensifying drought before the most severe impacts take hold. The initiative reflects a growing recognition among aid agencies that early action can be both more effective and less costly than emergency

UN Moves Early to Shield Thousands in South Sudan as Drought Threat Looms in Eastern Equatoria Read More »

Heavy Rainy Season Floods Kill 59 in Ivory Coast, Government Says

Environment & Science / Leave a Comment

Floods caused by an exceptionally wet rainy season have killed at least 59 people in Ivory Coast since mid-May, the government said on Wednesday. The announcement from authorities in Abidjan highlights the scale of the seasonal crisis confronting the West African nation as heavy rains continue to inundate homes, roads, and farmland. Government Statement A

Heavy Rainy Season Floods Kill 59 in Ivory Coast, Government Says Read More »