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What to know about the Ebola outbreak now declared a global health emergency
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The World Health Organization declared Sunday the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. Africa’s top public health body first confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s Ituri province on Friday. By Saturday, it had reported 336 suspected cases and 88 deaths. All the cases are in Congo, except for two recorded in neighboring Uganda. Health authorities say the current outbreak is caused by
Ebola outbreak in Africa spurs global health emergency declaration
With hundreds of suspected cases and dozens of deaths already reported, the World Health Organization (WHO) is sounding the alarm about an Ebola disease outbreak by declaring a global health emergency.
Ebola outbreak in Central Africa declared a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, citing rising cases, cross-border spread and significant uncertainties about the scale of the epidemic.
WHO declares global health emergency over rare variant of Ebola outbreak in Africa
WHO Director-General declared the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern.
WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Central Africa a public health emergency after 80 suspected deaths
The WHO declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda an international public health emergency after dozens of suspected deaths were reported.
Now What? With Carbon Pricing Eroded and Pipeline Politics Advancing, Here Are the Pathways for Climate Success
At the end of a whirlwind week of news on carbon pricing and electricity strategy, capping a madcap year of pretty much non-stop, dramatic change, the word across much of Canada’s climate and energy transition community is that climate policy in this country has been shredded. Eviscerated. Hit with a sledgehammer by policy rollbacks that have pushed the country’s 2050 net zero target “well out of reach”. That means it’s never been more important to look for the rays of hope and glimmers of possibility. To glimpse the seeds of the next set of strategies to get Canada’s climate pollution under control and the country into the accelerating global dash away from fossil fuels. And then, once we’ve spotted those possibilities, get on with the hard, day-to-day slog of trying to make them a reality. Nothing takes away from the frustration and the deep disappointment so many climate and energy hawks are expressing, the sense of betrayal by the author of Value(s) and the former UN special envoy for climate action and finance. But we knew two things as the week drew to a close. We’re looking at the world as it most definitely is. And we don’t get to give up finding the pathways to confront climate change and deliver faster, deeper carbon cuts that leave no one else behind. So really, the first question we all have to ask ourselves is: What’s next? Subscribe All the Oxygen in the Room The outpouring of anger and grief over the carbon pricing deal between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been absolutely understandable. So much of the climate community poured years, more than a decade, into dragging the current federal pricing regime across the finish line, then defending it from a deluge of three-syllable rhymes after the Trudeau government proved utterly incapable of delivering its own message. The policy foisted on us by neo-classical economists took up all the oxygen in the room, burned through years of climate response time that we won’t get back, while cornering climate hawks into the position that the best response to the crisis of our lifetimes is a new tax…in an era of historic anti-tax sentiment. I mean, really—what could possibly have gone wrong? Against that history, let’s appreciate columnist Max Fawcett’s point that even a modest carbon pricing agreement with a government as off-the-wall libertarian/conspiracist as Danielle Smith’s—those adjectives are mine, not Max’s—is a win worth savouring (as long as Smith keeps her promises for a change). But part of living in the world as it is (no, I’m not letting that go) is to be clear-headed about what we can and can’t control. And one thing we get to decide, after seeing this week’s carbon price festivities take up all the oxygen yet again, is whether we want to keep letting that happen. Particularly when success down that road depends on a factor that no one with a climate agenda can control or influence—a provincial carbon pricing mechanism that has been manipulated and eroded beyond its lowest possible denominator. Thankfully, that’s not the way it has to go. Not when we have so many other powerful, practical tools at our disposal, including the ones still available to us through this abominable Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Canada and Alberta. Tools In Our Toolbox When I started roughing out this list, I didn’t expect it to grow to nearly a dozen bullet points. It’s probably still incomplete. Some of the greatest hits in today’s climate solutions toolbox include: • No Carbon Capture, No Pipeline: On Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney explicitly stated that there’s been no change to the MOU provision that there will be no West Coast pipeline without an industry commitment to build its massive, $16.5-billion carbon capture and storage (CCUS) hub in Northern Alberta, and vice versa. The two megaprojects were joined at the hip when the MOU was signed Nov. 27, and the implementation agreement this week affirmed that they still are. A parade of independent analysts have spent years pointing to the economic and technical flaws in CCUS, while the industry kept postponing its investment decision until it could arm-twist the government for more “clarity” (by which it meant even more lavish taxpayer subsidies) on the project. Now the industry itself is running away from the CCUS hub and insisting the pipeline should proceed without it, but Carney doesn’t seem to be budging from a central tenet of the MOU to which Smith has signed on. • No Subsidies, No Investors: Climate analysts and advocates have quite rightly been hammering away at Carney and his team, insisting that any new capacity the industry wants to build must proceed without new subsidies. The government has responded with a growing collection of funding and financing mechanisms for the very wide menu of industrial development and nation-building projects they say they want to take on, and that menu always includes fossil fuel infrastructure. But it’s hard to see how even the combined fiscal clout of the federal and supportive provincial governments will deliver the financial backing private investors would need when the business case for new fossil fuel development is evaporating before their eyes. Particularly when… • No Market, No Demand, No Investors: As our friend Markham Hislop at Energi Media (our apparently sleepless friend, given the massive volume of great material he’s been churning out) points out this morning, the biggest vulnerability in any pipeline deal is the assumption that Asian buyers will want the oil or liquefied natural ga that our fossil industry is so keen to send them. Hislop writes in part: Ottawa and Alberta are effectively betting that countries like China and India will continue increasing oil imports for decades as their economies grow and energy consumption rises. That assumption underpins the entire economic rationale for expanding oil sands production and building billions of dollars in new export infrastructure. But Asian energy systems are changing rapidly… China, India, South Korea, and other major hydrocarbon importers are now investing hundreds of billions of dollars into electricity systems built around wind, solar, batteries, nuclear, hydro, and expanded transmission infrastructure. Domestic “energy sovereignty” is increasingly replacing the old energy-security model based on stable oil and gas imports. Those investments are expected to sharply slow oil demand growth and eventually reverse it, even as overall energy consumption continues rising. There are also refining constraints. Many Asian refineries and petrochemical complexes are already optimized to process discounted heavy crude from the Middle East and Latin America. That raises serious questions about how much additional Canadian bitumen Asian markets can absorb at profitable prices. Small wonder that there’s still no private sector investor for the project, despite Smith’s government desperately beating the bushes to put together a deal. For now, Alberta is acting as proponent and covering early start-up costs for a pitch to the federal Major Projects Office, which could actually turn into the next tough hurdle for Smith and her pipeline to jump. • Canada Day Looms: How ironic that Canada’s birthday this year could become a major chokepoint for the provincial premier who’s been working so diligently to tear the country apart! The July 1 target date for Alberta’s pipeline proposal is baked into the MOU, was reaffirmed by the implementation plan, but it hadn’t dawned on me that it cuts both ways. As one very smart colleague wrote in an email yesterday, “they’ve thrown the ball into Alberta’s court to get the project proposal on the table really quickly and to have to do a whole pile of work to put together a massive, complicated project that would typically take years to assemble, and they’ve given them weeks to do it.” That makes July 1 a looming deadline that Smith won’t be able to run away from politically, especially with the separatists in her party and her caucus breathing down her neck. (See previous ref to off-the-wall.) But if Alberta comes in with a sloppy, incomplete submission, even after Carney bent over backwards to simplify the application process and the rules that govern it, it may be harder for the province or the industry to blame Ottawa and insist on the faster process they claim their investors are demanding. (Oh, wait—which investors would those be??) • We’ll See You In Court (Then We’ll See You Again): If Carney did cave, that would be just one more reason for Indigenous and other affected communities to take the government and the process to court—Just as Alberta First Nations did, successfully, in response to Smith’s half-baked separation referendum. Veterans of the Harper era have been warning that a shoddy process around fossil fuel infrastructure or other major projects will be a recipe for the very delays that process seeks to avoid. And now more than ever, with renewable energy and energy storage eating fossil fuels’ lunch in import markets around the world, a delayed pipeline or LNG terminal may be as good as a cancelled one. • Charged Up, Ready to Go: With its goal of doubling Canada’s electricity supply to meet a doubling of demand by 2050, the national electricity strategy that Carney unveiled Thursday has a lot to like. With its explicit language about speeding the shift from fuels to more efficient and affordable electricity, global investment and deployment patterns that already favour that shift, an emerging bidirectional power grid, the role of front-line options like rooftop solar and heat pumps, the emergence of electric vehicles as behind-the-meter energy storage, and the domestic jobs and manufacturing to make it all happen, the document doubles down on the essential cornerstone of a faster shift off fossil fuels. The strategy envisions a more prominent role for gas and nuclear power. But some of those provisions were already in the Clean Electricity Regulations that climate hawks are now fighting so hard to defend, inserted as a compromise in a futile attempt to mollify the industry and its political representatives in Alberta and Saskatchewan. But once again, gas will be a tougher sell when it’s more expensive and now so much more unpredictable than the clean alternatives. The new nuclear technologies are still speculative and deeply vulnerable to cost overruns. Increasingly, utilities, developers, and investors know it. Carney declared Thursday that “it doesn’t do us good to be sitting in court all the time with provinces. It doesn’t do us good to be talking past each other. What does do us good is to come together with specific projects.” There are no guarantees, but so much of the language and narrative-building in the electricity strategy suggests the lion’s share of those projects will be renewable. • The Party Has Already Started: The electricity strategy only rarely digs down to specific projects, but provinces representing three-quarters of Canada’s population are already embracing a faster transition. Hydro-Québec is working on a 10-year, $185-billion renewable energy and grid buildout by 2035. Ontario recently brought 10 provinces and territories together in a National Energy Corridor Agreement to boost interprovincial and -territorial transmission infrastructure. And the MOU implementation agreement commits Alberta to facilitate investment in renewable energy projects, a big step back from its continuing, punitive restrictions on renewables development. The electricity strategy envisions much of the financing and infrastructure that will be needed to pull those advances together into an integrated whole. • Delivering on Affordability: The MOU implementation plan has little or nothing to say about affordability (are you surprised?), but the electricity strategy does, with a top-line pledge to reduce home energy costs for seven out of 10 Canadian households by 2050, a total saving of $15 billion across the board. It’s just a start, but it puts affordability on the government’s narrative map. If they’re serious and deliberate about patching together a least-cost energy strategy, it’ll have little if any room for oil, gas, or nuclear—not with powerful evidence, for example, that electricity prices are higher when those prices are set by gas. • Smith Proves that Canada Works: By signing a deal that makes it harder to claim the federal government is blocking a new pipeline, Smith has helped prove Carney’s constant anti-separatist refrain that “Canada works”—incurring the rage, no doubt, of her own political base. Canada also needs to work for anyone who depends on a clean environment, healthy and thriving ecosystems, and safe, stable climate. But with Smith and her separatist constituents setting up as a fifth column for annexation by Donald Trump’s United States, let’s set aside any notion that 51st state status for Canada is a recipe for anything other than climate disaster (and so much else). Resisting and withstanding Trump (just 170 more sleeps until mid-term elections, which is a damn sight better than the 730 we started with) doesn’t mean a free pass for a pipeline, but we can still appreciate it that keeping Canada whole and sovereign is still Carney’s Job One. • The Words Not Spoken: Apart from a commitment to export a million barrels of “low-emission” Alberta bitumen per day (memo to Smith and Carney: You realize that that’s less than the industry is already exporting??), the MOU implementation plan says nothing about the international trade and economic sovereignty deals that Carney has been travelling the world to negotiate. It didn’t have to. Carney doesn’t need permission from Danielle Smith, her American enablers, or her separatist allies to continue building the alliances that will ratchet down our economic dependency on our unstable, unreliable neighbour to the south. But every connection he builds with countries outside North America helps align our economy and our future with a faster shift off fossil fuels. Little if any of this was on our bingo cards a year or two ago. But it’s the pathway that has opened up to us. And if it gives Canada any climate or energy gains at all in an era still dominated by Trump and his increasingly ridiculous tariffs, his loutish trade negotiations and his continuing annexation threats, we have to take the wins. Not least because they’ll be the point of departure for what we can achieve in 2027, 2029, and beyond, as Trump’s grip and this era begin to loosen and then fade. What is Carney Doing? If this line of thought is right—and it’s a possibility, not a prediction—it means that Carney’s actions and decisions are largely about buying time. Time for Trump’s power to wane. Time for Alberta’s separatist/conspiracist virus to spread, mutate, die out, or at least die back, with help from a vaccine of federal steadiness and calm (appropriate enough, for a movement populated largely by vaccine deniers) that no conspiracy theory can dismiss. And time for the government’s trade and investment agenda to deliver results—even knowing that some of those results will bring impacts that front-line communities will not and should not accept. In the immediate moment, none of this changes the way the wider climate community has to respond, from campaigners to investors to front-line practitioners. All of our voices are still essential. But those voices will be stronger and more confident if we have a clearer sense of the brutal game we’ve been pulled into, and a plausible path (or two it three) for playing it to the win we need. This conversation also underscores our biggest task for the remaining years of what was supposed to be the “decisive” decade for climate response: if we can shift the energy narrative in Canada, make it a mainstream view that the country’s preoccupation with oil and gas has us falling farther behind a changing world, we’ll see far better results in the 2030s and beyond. For many veteran climate advocates, taking on that part of the fight will begin with recognizing that most of our friends and family, neighbours and colleagues already understand that climate change is real and right in front of us: they’re looking away and staying silent because they don’t have what climate communicator Katharine Hayhoe calls “efficacy”. As Hayhoe recently pointed out in a feature interview with The Energy Mix, it amounts to science denial to keep hammering away at the dire news about global warming without also helping audiences understand what they can do about it, with multiple studies telling us why that won’t work. Far better to open those conversations with the dominant crises like energy security, food security, emergency preparedness and business continuity, affordability, and financial security that have knocked climate change far lower on the list of public priorities, and will likely keep it there. We Knew This Would Happen Climate hawks have always known this day would come. For decades, we warned that everyone had to pay attention to climate change right now, because it would be much tougher to respond once the crisis itself started affecting our daily lives. We were right, and here we are. But now, thanks to decades of hard work, communities and countries have an alternative to doubling down on fossil fuels. “In 10 years everyone will have ‘always known’ that solar and batteries were going to win,” Morgan Solar Executive Chair Mike Andrade writes on LinkedIn. With the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz roiling energy priorities around the world, Canada and the United States are among the shrinking number of countries that are still very keen on fossil fuel development. Understanding that gap is a first, essential step in spotting the opportunities ahead, and averting the deep economic as well as environmental and social risk we face if we don’t seize them. Thanks for reading The Energy Mix Weekender! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work. Subscribe Mitchell Beer traces his background in renewable energy and energy efficiency back to 1977, in climate change to 1997. Now he and the rest of the Energy Mix team scan 1,200 news headlines a week to pull together The Energy Mix and The Energy Mix Weekender. Chart of the Week BYD Eyes 20 Dealership Locations After Canada Greenlights Chinese EV Imports ‘Sledgehammer’ Carbon Price Deal Boosts Emissions by 230Mt, Aims for Fall 2027 Pipeline Approval ‘Worse Than Harper’: Regulatory Rollback Would Stop Canada from Assessing Project Impacts, Critics Warn Electricity Strategy Aims for Doubling by 2050, Allows ‘Flexibility’ for Gas Power Plants Opposition Mounts as O’Leary’s Data Centre Approved in Drought-Stricken Utah Diluted Carbon Price Misses ‘Reality of the World We’re In’, Could Impede Diversified Trade: Climate Institute $200B in Clean Energy Investment Will Need On-Time Delivery, Reliable Policies, Trade Association Says ‘Sovereign Pipeline’: CEO Pitches to Keep Trans Mountain in Government Hands What a Supercharged El Niño Could Mean for Canada Canada’s future is electric, and here’s how a power grid superhighway would get us there (Toronto Star) The Perilous Waters of Hecate Strait (Globe and Mail) Saudi Aramco profits jump despite conflict in Middle East (The Guardian) Farmers confront rising cost of fertilizer and fuel as spring seeding under way (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Clarkson forecasts 24% decline in offshore oil, gas capital expenditures (Oil & Gas Journal) Pipe Dreams: How Oil and Gas Fail to Deliver Economic Development in Africa (Oil Change International) Developing countries must hold the pen to script the fossil fuel transition (Climate Home News) Iran war threatens the dream of a post-oil economy in the Gulf (Washington Post) U.S. Oil, Gas Work Force Hits Lowest Level Since 2022 (Rigzone) Why Polestar Is Doubling Down on Net Zero as Rivals Pull Back on EVs (Bloomberg) Why this Michigan utility plans to sell its hydro dams for $13 (E&E News/Politico) Levees can no longer save New Orleans (Vox)
DRC health minister warns ‘very high’ Ebola lethality rate as toll hits 80
Africa CDC concerned that outbreak of Bundibugyo strain could spread rapidly due to intense population movement.
UN Global Compact Africa Business Leaders Coalition Unveils New Roadmap to Accelerate Intra-African Trade and Sustainable Growth
/PRNewswire/ -- The Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC), a CEO-led platform convened by the UN Global Compact to bring together leading African CEOs and...
What to know about new Ebola outbreak that has killed 65 people in Congo
Africa’s top public health body has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s Ituri province, the 17th since the disease first emerged in the country in 1976.
A look at major Ebola outbreaks and when the disease was first identified
African health officials say there is a new outbreak of the Ebola disease in the Central African country of Congo, with at least 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths
A new Ebola outbreak is confirmed in a remote Congo province, with 65 deaths recorded
Africa CDC, the continent’s top public health body, on Friday confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s remote Ituri province, with 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths recorded so far.
Scientists Find Fossils Of Southeast Asia's Giant Dinosaur In Thailand
According to the researchers, the largest predator in the ecosystem was a relative of the giant African meat-eating dinosaur Carcharodontosaurus.
How a little-known virus on a cruise ship put the world’s health security framework to the test
When the United Kingdom notified WHO on 2 May 2026 of a cluster of severe respiratory illness cases aboard a Netherlands-flagged cruise ship in the Atlantic, passengers from 23 countries were on board. Within days, cases of hantavirus (Andes strain) had been confirmed in the Netherlands, South Africa and Switzerland. The ship was still at sea.
Scientists Discover Signs Africa May Be Splitting Apart Beneath Zambia
Unusual helium signatures detected in Zambian hot springs may signal that a hidden tectonic rift is actively developing beneath southwestern Africa.
Ebola outbreak kills 65 in eastern DR Congo's Ituri province
Africa's top health agency says around 246 cases have been reported.
Africa top health body confirms new Ebola outbreak in remote Congo province
Africa’s top public health body has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s remote Ituri province
Africa's top health body confirms new Ebola outbreak in remote Congo province
Africa's top public health body has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s remote Ituri province.
Africa's top health body confirms new Ebola outbreak in remote Congo province
Africa CDC says Ebola outbreak confirmed in Congo's Ituri province
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Friday that there was a confirmed outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Congo's Ituri province.
Around the MHS
The latest news from around the Military Health System for the week of May 11-15, 2026, includes nationally recognized scores for military hospitals, a U.S. Navy audiologist’s efforts to protect hearing, and a U.S. Armed Forces partnership that’s strengthening relationships between the U.S., Africa, and global allies.
Scientists find clues that a new tectonic plate boundary is forming
Sub-Saharan Africa could split up in a few million years, and scientists believe they might be witnessing the early stages of this geological process.
Jim Cramer on Affirm: “This Is Now a Very Profitable Business”
Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM) was among Jim Cramer’s stock calls on Mad Money as he discussed how semiconductor and AI infrastructure stocks are driving the market higher. Cramer noted a “great opportunity” in the stock, as he said: Alright, what do we make of these numbers from Affirm Holdings, the king of buy now, pay […]
Agriculture in Africa: science and research can’t make an impact without investment and good policies
Science can only change the world when societies decide to give it the means to do so.
Scientists Think Africa May Be Cracking Along a New Tectonic Plate Boundary
If the rift keeps growing larger, the African continent could end up splitting in half, researchers say.
Nurses Are Not A Cost To Health Systems. They Are The Power Holding Them Together.
Recently, I met with African nursing leaders who told me stories of nurses in countries such as Ghana and Nigeria earning the equivalent of only a few hundred
A warning from the UK for America’s political class
Americans are only a little less satisfied with our system of government than the people of South Africa, which is really saying something, given that South Africans as a whole are about half as sa…
Sacramento County resident may have been exposed to hantavirus on a plane, health official says
A resident from Sacramento County is being monitored at home after being briefly exposed to a person on a plane in South Africa who later died of Andes hantavirus, California’s top public health official said on Monday.
NASA’s C-20A Flights Advance Understanding of Earthquake Dynamics
NASA’s C-20A aircraft completed a series of flights on April 29 over Central California to contribute new data to improve the accuracy of the region’s
The Latest: Trump rejects Iran’s latest response to ceasefire proposal ahead of his trip to China
Iran and the United States reached an impasse again over how to end their war while their ceasefire grew increasingly shaky, with the two sides exchanging fire in recent days, ships and Gulf states being targeted, and fighting flaring between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
DHA-GEIS strengthens biosurveillance, force health protection during African Lion 26
AGADIR, Morocco — A coalition of U.S. military and research organizations deliver integrated biosurveillance support, strengthening commanders’ situatio...
DHA-GEIS strengthens biosurveillance, force health protection during African Lion 26
AGADIR, Morocco — A coalition of U.S. military and research organizations deliver integrated biosurveillance support, strengthening commanders’ situational awareness and directly bolstering mission readiness during African Lion 26, April 20-May 8, 2026. The Defense Health Agency’s Global Emerging Infections Surveillance program coordinated subject matter experts and laboratory partners from Walter Reed Army Institute of Research‑Africa; Naval Medical Research Unit, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central; the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory; and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. Together they provided pre‑exercise risk assessments, rapid laboratory analysis and real‑time reporting that commanders and medical planners used to protect forces.
The unfinished business of Sonia Hayes and Mildred Frisby
Maryland Sen. Antonio Hayes reflects on the enduring influence of his mother, Sonia Hayes, and grandmother, Mildred Frisby, in a heartfelt Mother’s Day commentary about resilience, sacrifice and public service. Drawing from his upbringing in West Baltimore’s Penn North community, Hayes connects his legislative work to the struggles and hopes of the women who shaped his life and inspired his commitment to improving Baltimore neighborhoods.
East Africa Might Break Off From the Continent Sooner Than Scientists Thought—and a New Ocean May Fill the Gap
A new study suggests that a rift in Kenya and Ethiopia has reached a critical stage in the split-up process, and that water may flood it in a few million years
South Africa’s top court revives impeachment inquiry against president
The scandal centres on a large sum of foreign currency stolen from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farmhouse in 2020.
Botswana’s former President Festus Mogae dies aged 86
The former leader won praise for good governance and the fight against HIV/AIDS in the southern African nation.
Trump Administration Weighs Citing ‘Emergency’ to Admit More Afrikaners as Refugees
The move would further solidify the U.S. refugee program as a pipeline for the white minority from South Africa.
Fake rumors, real killings: Inside Congo's deadly health misinformation crisis
Angry mobs attacked and killed Four health workers conducting vaccination research in an episode that took place in October.
Usher’s Upcoming Tour Will Integrate An Internship Program To Provide Young Adults With Hands-On Experience In The Industry
Usher is paving the way for the youth to access opportunities in the entertainment industry.
Hantavirus: Race to trace passengers who left MV Hondius at St Helena
A 69-year-old woman who later died in South Africa is among those who left MV Hondius at St Helena.
Top 10 most powerful African passports, according to latest ranking
Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 most powerful African passports, according to the latest ranking
Scientists just discovered Africa is closer to breaking apart than we thought - Futura-Sciences
The Turkana Rift in East Africa is well-known for its wealth of early human fossils and its intense volcanic activity, caused by tectonic plate movements. Now, scientists report that the crust beneath this region has thinned far more than we previously understood, signaling the long-term breakup of the African continent...
Montana Free Press publishes ‘Big Sky Politics: Campaigns and Elections in Modern Montana 1945 to 2025.’
The book, now in its revised, expanded and updated second edition, is author Jon Bennion’s definitive history of electoral politics in Montana.
Zambia blasts the US over a $2 billion health deal in exchange for critical minerals
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zambia is accusing the United States of tying a $2 billion deal for critical health assistance to access to the southern African nation's rich mineral assets, and calling the outgoing U.S. ambassador's allegations of corruption “mischievous” and “undiplomatic."
U.S. Embassy Supports Tunisian Business Delegation at 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit - U.S. Embassy in Tunisia
U.S. EMBASSY SUPPORTS TUNISIAN BUSINESS DELEGATION AT 2026 SELECTUSA INVESTMENT SUMMIT The SelectUSA Investment Summit is the premier U.S. investment event, connecting thousands of investors, companies, economic development organizations, and industry experts to make deals happen. Media Note TUNIS, May 5, 2026 – U.S. Embassy Tunis is pleased to support a delegation of 11 Tunisian companies traveling to the United States to participate in the 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit at National Harbor, Maryland, May 3-6, 2026. The Summit is an opportunity for these dynamic entrepreneurs to establish new connections and explore business and investment opportunities in the United States. This year, three Tunisian women entrepreneurs and members of the delegation representing Spiraw and Sotetel were accepted into the Select Global Women in Tech year-long mentoring program which will kick off at the summit. Since 2022, more than 50 Tunisian entrepreneurs in fields ranging from e-gaming, robotics, software engineering, coding, online fashion, and green tech have participated in SelectUSA Investment Summits, where they have taken their businesses to the next level. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the SelectUSA Investment Summit is a one-stop shop for companies considering expanding to the United States and provides economic development organizations (EDOs) with the opportunity to meet directly with international companies to facilitate investment deals. Since inception, the SelectUSA Investment Summit has attracted tens of thousands of companies and economic development representatives, generating over $250 billion in new investment projects that support more than 125,000 jobs across the United States and its territories. The previous SelectUSA Investment Summit saw record-breaking numbers with more than 5,500 participants, including EDOs from 54 U.S. states and territories and over 2,700 business investors from 100+ countries, including Tunisia. The following Tunisian businesses will take part in this year’s SelectUSA delegation: AquaDeep – Revolutionizes aquaculture with AI-powered monitoring solutions, including a real-time larva counting system and a SaaS platform for environmental monitoring. The company is expanding operations across Tunisia, Europe, Africa, and the United States. Bouraoui Group – Specializes in event venues, hospitality experiences, innovative real estate development, and technology driven customer solutions. The business develops experience- focused and tech enabled lifestyle destinations that combine entertainment, culture, retail, and smart services, and is seeking international partners to co-develop hospitality, PropTech, smart retail, and experiential digital projects. Digital Cook – Builds HR and recruitment software solutions, including HRMS, ATS, and custom tools that streamline hiring, employee management, and talent development. It provides custom software, system integration, and scalable HR platforms for SMEs, large enterprises, and recruitment agencies seeking efficient, user-friendly ways to manage their workforce and improve recruitment. El Kanaouet – Provides high-quality and low-cost hydraulic infrastructure for the supply and distribution of drinking water. The company manufactures prestressed concrete structures based on current technological developments in the field and trends in integrated and digitalized management. El Kanaouet aims to enter the U.S. market with its production of centrifugal prestressed concrete pipes and other technical products and services. Fluoink Nanotechnologies – A deep‑tech startup developing next‑generation antimicrobial additives for paints, coatings, and industrial materials, enabling everyday surfaces to act as long‑lasting barriers against harmful bacteria and pathogens without changing their appearance or performance. Mare Custos – A subsea robotics company specializing in ROV-based underwater inspection services for offshore energy, ports, and marine infrastructure, using high-precision imaging, PAUT, and NDT to inspect structures in challenging conditions. SmartMed SA – A fast-growing digital health company operating in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, offering an integrated ecosystem that helps patients book appointments (MedPro), enables clinics to digitize workflows and EMRs (MedLink), and supports targeted digital marketing for healthcare and pharma (MedAds). With millions of appointments and users, SmartMed has become a leading e-health platform in North Africa. Sototel – Builds telecommunications networks and services, including fixed, radio, and mobile networks. Sototel focuses on technological innovation and continuous improvement, providing high-value-added digital solutions. SOTUPRIN HGE – Specializes in manufacturing household electrical appliances under the brand HGE and OEM. Expanded from the local market to North Africa, Central Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Spiraw by Food4Future – Designs and manufactures smart, AI-powered cultivation systems allowing individuals and businesses to grow fresh, highly nutritious food – starting with spirulina – directly at the point of consumption. Combining patented hardware, controlled-environment agriculture, and a connected app with an AI assistant, Spiraw aims to decentralize food production and create a new category at the intersection of agri-tech, consumer health, and smart home ecosystems. WaterSec (Istidama) – A climate-tech startup that uses IoT, AI, and smart sensors to help high consumption facilities (such as industries, hotels, and commercial buildings) monitor water use in real time, detect leaks, and optimize consumption. The company’s digital platform turns raw water data into alerts and actionable insights, making water management more transparent, proactive, and sustainable. Learn more about the SelectUSA Investment Summit at https://www.selectusasummit.us/. Follow live developments from the summit on X at https://x.com/SelectUSA.
Epidemiologist: Suspected deadly hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship raises questions
Reports of a suspected deadly outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean raised questions Monday for a Utah epidemiologist who called the circumstances “unusual.”
Be afraid, death as entertainment is back
After public hanging was banned in 1868, watching someone die became rare and shameful — but social media is reversing that
Mobile-health Network Solutions Enters into Non-Binding US$119 Million Strategic Framework with Hector Capital to Acquire BIMA and M&M Helix, Accelerating AI-powered Healthcare Expansion across Asia and Africa
Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2026) - Mobile-health Network Solutions (NASDAQ: MNDR) ("MNDR" or the "Company"), a leading AI-powered digital health platform, today announced the signing of a non-binding Strategic Cooperation Framework Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with Hector Capital Holdings Pte. Ltd. ("Hector Capital"). Under the framework, Hector Capital will invest up to US$119 million into MNDR to support the acquisition of majority shareholdings in MILVIK Singapore..
Apparent hantavirus outbreak kills 3, sickens at least 3 more on cruise ship, health officials say
A suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus on a cruise ship in the Atlantic off Africa killed three people and sickened at least three others, health officials say.
Global Health & WASH: May 2026 Funding Opportunities (14 new opportunities!)
The May update for Global Health & WASH brings new calls that cluster around three distinct shifts: LMIC research leadership moving from funder encouragement into a hard eligibility constraint, pharmaceutical and corporate-linked funders running structurally independent education and use-inspired research portfolios at substantial scale, and AI adoption shifting decisively from speculative tool to operational capability across health and WASH systems alike. In LMIC Research Leadership as Eligibility, Not Encouragement, Wellcome anchors the dominant signal of the month with three separate major calls that all require or strongly center LMIC leadership in their basic eligibility architecture. Wellcome’s ESIC Hubs (£1.5-£1.9M per hub over 3-5 years) explicitly requires an LMIC-based lead applicant, treating Global South leadership as a design constraint rather than a participation goal. Wellcome’s Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Development Award funds transdisciplinary teams whose lead must be a mid-career or established researcher based at an organization in Africa, South Asia, or Southeast Asia. Wellcome’s larger Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Award (£1M-£8M for optimizing licensed interventions) requires the administering organization to be in eligible LMIC regions and at least 50% of applicants based there. Around Wellcome, the same pattern shows up at smaller scale and across funders: CHINNOVA channels $1M into West and Central African research institutions for climate-health work; IBRO’s Neuroscience Training Grants explicitly tier ceilings by region of residence with Africa receiving the highest amount ($5,000); IHME’s GBD Emerging Researcher Award reserves at least one of its two annual awards for an LMIC researcher; Sidaction’s HIV Cure call funds research teams across France, the Netherlands, and eligible African countries with a minimum two-country collaboration requirement. Taken together, these calls signal a meaningful shift in how research equity is being operationalized — not as encouragement language at the bottom of a call, but as a structural feature of who can lead, where the work must be administered, and what proportion of the team must be regionally rooted. In Pharma-Funded Independent Medical Education and Use-Inspired Research, the lineup this month is unusually deep. Pfizer alone runs four parallel calls under independent education and quality improvement frameworks: a Migraine and Women’s Health RFP (200K x 2-year, $500K pool), Migraine IME ($200K, $1M pool), JAK Inhibitor evidence-based education ($100K), and Maternal Vaccination HCP Education in Saudi Arabia ($75K), plus a separate Pediatric Pneumococcal Surveillance research call in Saudi Arabia ($400K per project). Novo Nordisk Foundation runs four parallel calls of its own at substantial scale: Infectious Diseases Catalyst Grants (DKK 60M pool, up to DKK 7M collaborative), Non-Diabetic Endocrinology Collaborative Grants (DKK 53M pool, DKK 5-10M per project), Pioneer Innovator Grant Health (DKK 1.1M), and Distinguished Innovator Grant Health (DKK 6.8M). LEO Foundation deploys DKK 2-4M per project for dermatology research excellence. Pfizer’s framing across calls deliberately separates the funding from product promotion, emphasizing measurable practice-relevant change and structural distance between scientific outputs and commercial activity. Novo Nordisk’s “use-inspired” hard filter pushes researchers toward a credible translation pathway from mechanism to deployable tool. The pattern: industry-aligned funders are running structurally independent portfolios at meaningful $ that fund implementation evidence, not promotion. In AI as Operational Capability, Not Speculation, several calls this month explicitly treat AI adoption as a near-term operational question with real evidence and governance requirements, rather than a speculative trend to be watched. Wellcome’s ESIC Hubs frames AI as “the accelerator” for evidence synthesis, asking hubs to translate technical innovation into adoption-ready workflows that can match real-world policy timelines. UNICEF Venture Fund’s new Climate Tech for Children’s Health call funds for-profit startups deploying AI, machine learning, and blockchain in low-resource environments, with a strict requirement that solutions must already have a working prototype with promising pilot results. The Water Research Foundation has launched two simultaneous AI calls treating reproducibility, cybersecurity guardrails, and human-in-the-loop deployments as core design constraints rather than nice-to-haves: one on GenAI and Agentic AI in water utilities ($200K), one on alternatives to water shutoffs that explicitly screens for implementation economics evidence. Nordic Innovation’s quantum technology call (NOK 4.5M) extends the same logic into life science and healthcare, demanding consortium-stage projects mature enough to test with real users. TEF-Health offers €300K in subsidized testing infrastructure for European healthcare AI and robotics SMEs. The pattern: funders are converting AI pilots into playbooks, requiring transfer evidence and risk controls before AI can move from experimentation to sector-wide operational practice. For LMIC-based researchers in infectious disease or evidence synthesis, the three Wellcome calls together represent the deepest concentration of LMIC-led research capital in recent memory — pair the Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Development Award (£200K, deadline May 19) as a strategic pipeline feeder into the larger Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Award (£1-£8M, deadline June 2), since the development award functions explicitly as a track into the larger trial scheme. For Nordic researchers, the four Novo Nordisk Foundation calls plus LEO Foundation and Nordic Innovation Quantum represent ~$30M in regional research capital this cycle, all with deadlines clustered in May-August. For WASH practitioners, the three Water Research Foundation calls together (each up to $200K) are a cluster worth reading across — one on AI deployment, one on shutoff alternatives, one rewarding applied innovation — and the strongest applicants will articulate how their work bridges utility operations to policy-relevant evidence. For US-based clinical researchers and educators, the four Pfizer calls plus the APF Portfolio’s 80+ programs form an unusually accessible recurring pipeline; APF’s prohibition on indirect costs is a meaningful structural feature for early-career applicants whose institutions might otherwise absorb significant overhead. Snapshot of New Opportunities Total Estimated Funding Pool: $100 Million+ USD The grants are organized into three categories: Open Calls: Current grant and opportunities with a deadline. Grants are listed by closing date. 39 open opportunities- 14 new! Rolling Applications: current grant and opportunities with rolling applications (but it’s still best to submit as early as possible). 14 rolling opportunities- 1 new opportunity! Long term planning: Grants that have closed their current rounds, but are expected to open new windows. 4 long term opportunities! A quick tip for returning readers: if you want to jump straight to the newest additions, use CTRL F to search for “New!” and navigate quickly to the latest funding opportunities This post is for paid subscribers. This helps support the time and effort it takes to curate and organize these opportunities. Subscribe To keep this accessible to everyone who needs it, we’re happy to offer pay what you can rates. You can find more details here. Open Calls: Migraine Competitive Grant Program: Migraine and Women’s Health (Quality Improvement and/or Research RFP), Pfizer.*Closing soon!* Pfizer, in collaboration with the American Headache Society, is seeking independent quality improvement and research projects that close persistent gaps in migraine care for women across the United States. The funding logic centers on measurable, practice-relevant change: proposals should generate actionable evidence, tools, or system improvements that can be shared and used widely, not just within a single site. Priority areas span menstrual migraine and screening in women’s health settings, the role of hormonal fluctuations across the lifespan, sex-specific risk factors, comorbidities and quality-of-life burden, and disparities in outcomes by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The call is structured as a two-step competitive process with an initial Letter of Intent, with the strongest concepts expected to translate scientific insight into implementable improvements in diagnosis, management, and equity. Geographies: United States. Who can apply: U.S.-based organizations (not individuals), including professional schools, healthcare institutions, professional organizations, and other entities focused on healthcare improvement. Funding amount: Up to USD $200,000 total over 2 years; total pool USD $500,000. Targeted Sectors / SDGs: Health; Focus areas: migraine, women’s health, quality improvement, clinical research, menstrual migraine, health disparities. Deadline: LOI: May 5, 2026; Full proposal (by invitation): August 28, 2026. Learn more and apply here. This RFP rewards “shareable impact”: the most competitive submissions will pair rigorous methods with a clear plan for system uptake and dissemination beyond the originating institution. ReSSARC: Strengthening the Health Sector and Food Security in the Central African Republic (AID 013381/01/0) Call for Proposals, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). *Closing soon!* AICS is seeking a limited set of high-capacity humanitarian partners to deliver an integrated package that stabilizes essential health services while reducing acute malnutrition and strengthening food security resilience in priority areas of the Central African Republic. The funder’s logic is explicitly nexus-based: proposals should meet urgent, life-saving needs while reinforcing local systems, coordination mechanisms, and community-level capacity so results persist beyond the emergency window. AICS emphasizes inclusion and protection outcomes, expecting gender-sensitive design and explicit measures for groups facing compounded vulnerability, including women, children under five, internally displaced people, and people with disabilities. The call also signals a localization pathway, encouraging stronger collaboration with national NGOs and balanced partnerships, alongside clear coordination with existing cluster and humanitarian actors to minimize duplication and improve coverage. Geographies: Central African Republic (Bangui, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Lim-Pende, Lobaye). Who can apply: Non-profit organizations registered with AICS, plus eligible non-profits without an office in Italy that have a pre-existing collaboration agreement with an AICS-listed organization. Funding amount: Total pool EUR €1,800,000; max EUR €800,000 (single applicant) or EUR €1,000,000 (ATS). Targeted Sectors / SDGs: Health; Focus areas: malnutrition prevention and treatment, maternal and child health, community health services, food security and resilience, localization partnerships Deadline: May 5, 2026. Learn more and apply here. This call is structured to reward partners who can link frontline service delivery to system durability and localization, not just short-term coverage gains. Contracts for Innovation in drug and alcohol addiction healthcare, Innovate UK. *Closing soon!* Innovate UK, on behalf of the Office for Life Sciences Addiction Healthcare Goals program, is procuring R&D to accelerate innovations that can improve treatment outcomes, strengthen recovery, and reduce harm and deaths linked to drug and alcohol addiction. The competition is positioned as a market-facing readiness push: selected projects are expected to advance solutions toward later-stage validation, generate evidence of user acceptability and UK market fit, and map credible routes through regulatory and certification requirements. Innovate UK signals a preference for innovations that can be field-tested in relevant UK settings and progressed to TRL 6 or 7, with practical plans for commercialization after contract completion. This structure favors applicants that can execute most work in-house, co-develop with service providers and people with lived experience, and translate technical progress into deployable tools for addiction healthcare delivery. Geographies: United Kingdom. Who can apply: Single organizations of any size (including EU, EEA, or international) leading delivery, with most work and key deliverables carried out in the UK; subcontractors for specialist skills only. Funding amount: GBP £200,000–1.5 million per project (inclusive of VAT); Total pool: GBP £20 million (across two strands). Targeted Sectors / SDGs: Health; Focus areas: Mental Health, Health Systems Strengthening, Research & Development, Technology Access. Deadline: May 6, 2026 (11:00am). Learn more and apply here. This call uses procurement to pull near-market addiction innovations toward operational proof and adoption pathways in UK services.
Africa CDC Launches the African Strategic Advisory Group on Genomics
I’m today announced the launch of the African Strategic Advisory Group on Genomics (ASAG), a new continental advisory mechanism established to provide independent, multidisciplinary, and trusted technical guidance on the strategic governance and implementation of genomics across Africa. The launch of ASAG marks a pivotal step in advancing Africa CDC’s vision to democratize access to […]
3 dead, 3 ill in suspected hantavirus infections on cruise ship
One of the six believed to be affected by hantavirus is in intensive care in South Africa, the World Health Organization said.
Malaria didn’t just kill early humans, it shaped who we became
Long before humans spread across the globe, a deadly disease may have quietly shaped where our ancestors lived—and even how we evolved. New research reveals that malaria didn’t just threaten early human survival; it actively pushed populations away from high-risk regions across Africa, fragmenting groups over tens of thousands of years. This separation influenced how different populations met, mixed, and exchanged genes, helping shape the genetic diversity we see today.
Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
Ghana has rejected a proposed health deal with the U.S. over provisions that would have allowed U.S. entities access to the nation’s sensitive health data without necessary safeguards, an official told The Associated Press on Friday. It was the latest African country to walk away from the deal ov...
Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
Ghana has rejected a proposed health deal with the U.S. due to concerns over data privacy
Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
Ghana has rejected a proposed health deal with the U.S. due to concerns over data privacy.
Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
Humanities Center and CAAPP welcome science fiction writer Nnedi Okorafor
The Pitt Humanities Center and Center for African American Poetry and Poetics will host Nnedi Okorafor, a Nigerian-American writer of science fiction and fantasy, for a weeklong seminar from May 4 to 8. Okorafor will discuss the work of fantasy and how dreaming of other worlds helps us survive this one. She is best known for her Binti Series, a trilogy of African-futurist science fiction novellas. She has won the Hugo, Nebula, Eisner and World Fantasy awards and was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Her most recent novel, “Death of the Author,” was heralded by the New York Times as
Yvette Benarroch says Angie Nixon's bullhorn protest left her with possible ear damage, files workers’ comp claim
'When we go on the floor like we shouldn't be afraid of getting hurt, especially by another member.'
Health Policy Watch: African leaders declare end of aid era at Nairobi World Health Summit, but the data tell a more complicated story
African leaders opened the World Health Summit Regional Meeting with a unified declaration that two decades of dependence on foreign aid for health is over.
Health Policy Watch: Ghana rebuffs US health deal – but South Africa and Zambia struggle without aid
Ghana became the latest African country to reject the US terms for bilateral health assistance, particularly the requirement to share sensitive health data.
Africa Is Splitting Apart Faster Than We Thought, Forming a New Ocean
It's reached a "critical threshold".
2026 Fellows Advancing Women's Health Research in Africa
Fellows from 11 countries represent a diverse group of researchers, clinicians, biotechnologists, and innovators committed to women's health research in Africa.
LIV Golf: Major changes with Saudi Arabia set to end funding of league starring Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm
Black business honored with historical marker
A historical marker is unveiled at the HJ Russel Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs building where prominent African American construction businessman, HJ Russell started his business 75 years ago. The community gathers to honor what the family has done for Atlanta.
Super Friday entertainment at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix announced
Afrojack, Flemming, Kraantje Pappie, Snelle and Snollebollekes have been announced for Super Friday at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort.
Ibogaine Hype Is Outpacing the Science
The hype surrounding the psychedelic drug ibogaine reached a fever pitch earlier this month, when President Donald Trump talked up its potential at a White House event promoting increased access to psychedelics. Ibogaine, which comes from the root of a West African shrub, has long been used for ceremonial and spiritual purposes. Now, for the first time, the Food and Drug Administration will allow a clinical trial of the drug.
Staying Alive: Breaking Apart Bruins Game 5 Win
BUFFALO, NY – A familiar connection kept the Boston Bruins’ season alive. The Bruins (2-3) beat the Buffalo Sabres (3-2) […] The post Staying Alive: Breaking Apart Bruins Game 5 Win appeared first on Boston Hockey Now.
City birds appear more afraid of women than men and scientists have no idea why
‘I fully believe our results, that urban birds react differently based on the sex of the person approaching them, but I can’t explain them right now’
Visual Voice and JAEBC Launch Strategic Partnership to Bridge Japan-Africa Entertainment Sectors
/PRNewswire/ -- Visual Voice Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya, Tokyo; CEO: Tetsuya Bessho), the operator of Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA)—one of...
Africa CDC Launches African High-Level Ministerial Committee to Shape Global Health Architecture Reform
Nairobi, Kenya | 27 April 2026 — Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) today launched the African High-Level Ministerial Committee on Global Health Architecture Reform (AHLMC) on the margins of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya. The Committee brings together Ministers of Health and Finance from across the continent to […]
Britain Politics
Richard Tice, Deputy Leader of Reform UK poses with campaigner Joseph Afrane as Reform UK holds a 'national fuel tax protest' to protest against the Government's plans to raise fuel
England's Hamilton wins first European Tour title
Esme Hamilton holds off challenge from fellow Englishwoman Cara Gainer to win her first European Tour title at the South African Open.
Mali rattled by ongoing armed attacks: What to know
Mali's security situation has deteriorated in recent years, as armed groups have carried out coordinated attacks.
Mali’s Defence Minister Sadio Camara killed amid coordinated attacks
Camara's house in the garrison town of Kati came under attack amid simultaneous attacks across the West African country.
Beyond the Athlete conference highlights mental health in sports
Students and community members gathered in McKinnon Hall for the first-ever Beyond the Athlete Conference. Leaders in sport spoke about the challenges that Black or African American and allied community members, identifying as women, face during and after their athletic career.
DNA research just rewrote the origin of human species
Scientists have uncovered a surprising new picture of human origins that challenges the long-held idea of a single ancestral population in Africa. By analyzing genetic data from diverse modern African groups—especially the highly distinct Nama people—and comparing it with fossil evidence, researchers found that early humans likely evolved from multiple intermingling populations over hundreds of thousands of years. Rather than a clean split, these groups stayed connected, exchanging genes even after beginning to diverge around 120,000–135,000 years ago.
Bats Test Positive for Rabies Across the U.S.—Health Officials Issue Warning
Find out what to do if you're exposed.
Adams County Health Department joins Drug Take Back Day efforts
Drug Take Back Day allows anyone with unneeded medications to dispose of them safely.
Accelerating action to end malaria: A test of Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty
By H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC As Africa marks World Malaria Day 2026, one fact remains inescapable: malaria continues to impose one of the heaviest and most avoidable burdens on the continent. In 2024, Africa accounted for an estimated 270.8 million malaria cases and nearly 600 000 deaths, representing 96% of global […]
Scientists just discovered Africa is closer to breaking apart than we thought
Beneath East Africa’s Turkana Rift, scientists have found the crust is thinning to a critical point, suggesting the continent is gradually breaking apart. This “necking” process marks an advanced stage of rifting that could eventually lead to a new ocean forming millions of years from now. Surprisingly, the same geological forces that are splitting the land may also explain why the region holds such a rich fossil record. Instead of being the birthplace of humanity, Turkana may just be where the story was best preserved.
Scientists revive ancient 24,000-year-old ‘zombie worm’ from Arctic ice
Scientists revived a 24,000-year-old microscopic organism frozen in Siberian permafrost, offering new insights into how life endures extreme conditions.
Pipeline Proceedings and Papal Politics: Foreign Policy's Weekly International News Quiz
Test yourself on the week of April 18: Taiwan’s president faces travel troubles, U.N. secretary-general candidates assemble in New York, and Pope Leo concludes his…
Business Roundtable to lead corporate engagement at G20
The Trump administration is shifting how business voices are included in G20 discussions, elevating the Business Roundtable to lead corporate engagement.
‘How Black Music Took Over the World’ Review: Science and Rhythm
Many of the world’s most popular music genres have their origins in black traditions. Western notation can’t always capture African musical innovations.
The Trump administration has gutted US aid for family planning. Here’s how it’s impacting women overseas
A crisis in family planning medicine is playing out in Africa in the wake of sweeping US aid cuts, with medical providers highlighting deaths, layoffs and unintended pregnancies.
Stunning 132 million-year-old dinosaur tracks are rewriting history
A long-standing mystery in southern Africa’s fossil record is beginning to unravel. After massive lava flows 182 million years ago seemed to erase evidence of dinosaurs in the region, scientists have now uncovered surprising new clues along the Western Cape coast. Dozens of dinosaur tracks, about 132 million years old, have been discovered in a tiny stretch of rock near Knysna—making them the youngest ever found in southern Africa.
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa -
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa By Matthew K. Ribar, Stanford University Only 15% of African households possess a formal title for their agricultural land, despite the [...]
Considering History: Jackie Robinson, Japanese Americans, and the Best of American Sports and Community | The Saturday Evening Post
Jackie Robinson can help us better remember a largely forgotten teammate and childhood friend, Shigeo “Shig” Takayama, and the connections between African American and Japanese American baseball.
Meet Carter Faith, the breakout country star who’s not afraid to speak up
With witty and heart-breaking songs, Carter Faith is already playing sold-out rooms — and turning down a spot on the Kid Rock tour — even without radio airplay
Algeria eliminates trachoma as a public health problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Algeria as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the 10th country in WHO’s African Region and the 29th country globally to achieve this significant milestone.
A seminar led to environmental research and dual degree
Julia Froese has spent her time at Carolina in labs, shadowing doctors, promoting health equity, singing and more.
The Medical Minute: Your daughter’s first gynecological visit: A parent’s guide
From painful periods to questions they’re afraid to ask, a first gynecology visit can help your teen feel understood. A Penn State Health expert tells how care boosts reproductive health.
#EarthDay: Protecting Rhinos With Nuclear Science
Poaching remains one of the greatest threats to rhinos — a powerful symbol of our planet’s biodiversity. In South Africa, scientists are addressing this challenge with an innovative approach: using safe radioactive isotopes as invisible markers in rhino horns, enabling authorities to detect and trace them at borders.
Sisters, Science, and Spirit
Sisters Danielle, Adrienne, and JoJo Safranski, chose Gonzaga to prepare for careers in the health sciences.
Expert Quits US HIV Role, Rebukes Trump Global Health Approach
By Simon Lewis WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - The chief science officer for the U.S. flagship HIV/AIDS program left his role this week and criticized the Trump administration's cuts to foreign assistance and what he said was its use of aid as leverage for U.S. commercial interests. Republican ...
Oberlin Launches Rotberg Lecture in African Politics with April 22 Inaugural Talk | Oberlin College and Conservatory
Oberlin College and Conservatory has established the Robert I. Rotberg ’55 and Fiona J. Y. Rotberg ’90 Annual Lecture in African Politics, a new endowed series that will bring leading scholars to campus each year.The lecture series is designed to expand opportunities for students and the broader community to engage with the study of political development across the African continent—past, present, and future—while also reflecting Oberlin’s longstanding connections to influential African leaders and thinkers.
Wasted Investments, Looming Crisis: The Impact of U.S. Global Health Funding Cuts on HIV in South Africa
Executive Summary Starting in 2025, the Trump administration abruptly slashed and disrupted funding for global health, jeopardizing hard won public health gains and irreplaceable investments in infrastructure and partnerships for disease response, health security, and research. As of late March 2026 – more than a year after the disruptions began – HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and […]
The Death of Public Health
During the recent measles outbreak, the largest in more than 30 years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to clearly recommend the measles vaccine, saying instead that it was a “personal decision,” and that parents should “do their own research.” Similarly, during her recent confirmation hearing for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means was questioned by Senator William Cassidy (R, La). “You’re the nation’s doctor,” said Cassidy. “Would you encourage [a mother] to have her child vaccinated!” “I’m not an individual’s doctor,” Means said. “And every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body.” In June 2025, Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said that COVID vaccines for pregnant women should be a “personal choice”, even though every other country in the world recommended the COVID vaccine during pregnancy due to a higher risk for severe disease. It doesn’t end there. On January 5, 2026, RFK Jr. reduced the number of routinely recommended vaccines from 18 to 10. For vaccines that protected against influenza, COVID, and rotavirus, parents were urged to speak with their doctors—to make an individual choice. (On March 16, 2026, in a ruling by a federal court in Boston, RFK Jr.’s revised schedule was invalidated.) What’s happening? Why are public health officials moving away from making recommendations for the public? The origin of this change might be rooted in the first two years of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, during the first year on the pandemic, we didn’t have anything to stop a virus that was killing hundreds of people a day and could be spread asymptomatically. We didn’t have antivirals until October, monoclonal antibodies until November, and vaccines until December. All we could do was restrict travel, close businesses, shutter schools, and mask, isolate, quarantine, test, and social distance. During the second year of the pandemic, when we had vaccines to prevent COVID, people couldn’t go anywhere without their vaccine cards. They couldn’t go to their favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event or place of worship without proof of vaccination. Some people were fired from their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. For many, this was seen as massive government overreach and energized what has been called the “medical freedom movement.” Indeed, a headline in the New York Times declared, “How Health Freedom Became a Winning Rally Cry.” As expressed in the comments of RFK Jr., Casey Means, and Marty Makary, the medical freedom movement focuses on the individual not the community—the opposite of public health. In an article titled “Ethics and Social Value Judgments in Public Health,” ethicists from Yale University distinguished public health from medical freedom. “Public health policies,” they wrote, “are population oriented. Because individual health affects the health of others, public health measures regulate individual behavior to achieve population health goals. All raise questions about how individual autonomy and freedom should be balanced against public health interests…which respects individuals’ sovereignty over their bodies and actions as long as their actions do not harm others.” The medical freedom movement fails to recognize that it often limits the freedom of others. For example, a parent who is afraid to send a child to school where many of the students are unvaccinated. Or immune compromised children who depend on those around them to for protection. The question then becomes “Freedom for whom?” Is it your right, in the name of medical freedom, to catch and transmit a potentially fatal infection—and in so doing, take away the freedom of others? In Four Essays on Liberty, Isaiah Berlin sums it up best. “Liberty for the wolves,” he wrote, “is death to the lambs.” Thanks for reading Beyond the Noise! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe