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UN passes Africa-backed map resolution 164-1, US the lone dissenter — Sep 4, 2026The United Nations General Assembly is set to vote on an Africa-led resolution, backed by the African Union and spearheaded by Togo, urging the use of Equal Earth and other equal-area maps to reflect more accurate continental sizes rather than maintaining the Mercator projection, though it does not ban Mercator. Proponents argue the Mercator distortion downplays Africa and other equatorial regions, and the vote seeks to establish a more proportional global norm across governments, schools, and tech platforms.

Elena Vasquez Fine by me if schools switch to Equal Earth, kids should learn the real proportions of continents instead of that old skewed version.

‘Is That What You Said?’: Kevin O’Leary Takes On Left-Wing Podcaster Who Called Tesla ‘South African-First’ Company — Mar 20, 2025“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary sparred with left-wing podcast host Angela Rye Wednesday as she argued that Elon Musk’s leadership at Tesla makes it a “South Africa-first” company. Anti-Musk demonstrators have attacked…

Kruger Private Reserve Reborn as Conservation Hub 2026 — Aug 17, 2026Travelers and wildlife enthusiasts are being offered a range of Africa-focused experiences, from a weekend at Canberra’s National Zoo celebrating African Wild Dogs to bespoke safaris and conservation-driven developments across Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania, including new luxury reserves and multi-destination sky safari itineraries. The offerings highlight conservation efforts, community engagement, and immersive, off-the-beaten-path adventures that pair wildlife viewing with cultural experiences and sustainable tourism choices.

US Plans $100 Million Africell Loan to Counter Huawei — Sep 11, 2026The Trump administration plans to lend nearly $100 million to Africell, Africa's only American-owned telecom, to invest in US- and allied-supplied network technology in order to counter Huawei's dominance in Africa. The financing aligns with a broader push to promote non-Huawei telecoms abroad and follows Africell's prior US-backed financing, underscoring Huawei's sizable share of Africa's 5G infrastructure and the administration's 2025 executive-order directive on promoting American technology overseas.

Nicole Hardy This loan should help Africell expand with trusted equipment and slow Huawei's grip on African networks.

Afriski Africa's Alpine Gem Draws TouristsTravel — Jul 21, 2026Afriski Mountain Resort in Lesotho’s Maluti Mountains is the continent’s only fully operational ski destination in sub‑Saharan Africa, relying on high altitude and extensive artificial snowmaking to sustain a 17‑hectare, roughly 1‑kilometer groomed run that draws thousands of visitors, mainly from South Africa, and supports tens of thousands in regional tourism spending and hundreds of jobs. Yet the resort faces climate and resource pressures, including drought and the energy-intensive snowmaking needed to keep slopes open, highlighting the fragile balance between its economic impact and environmental challenges in a warming Southern Hemisphere.

First African-American Cardinal Seeks Common Ground With Biden AdministrationReporting — Nov 24, 2020Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, D.C. who this week will become the first African-American cardinal, said on Tuesday he wanted to find common ground with the incoming U.S. administration despite…

First Openly Gay Afro-Latino US Congressman: ‘Never in My Wildest Dreams’Reporting — Nov 14, 2020Growing up in the Bronx poor, Afro-Latino and gay, Ritchie Torres said he never imagined that he would one day be elected to the United States House of Representatives. But in a few weeks, Torres, 32, a Democrat from…

TotalEnergies Partners With GIP on $1.8 Billion African Infrastructure Deal — 15hTotalEnergies and Global Infrastructure Partners, a BlackRock affiliate, have agreed to a US$1.8 billion investment into TotalEnergies’ African oil and gas midstream assets in exchange for a throughput-based tariff lasting up to 15 years, allowing monetization while preserving operational control. The deal signals a broader strategy to unlock value from midstream infrastructure and attract major investors to Africa’s energy sector.

Priya Raman BlackRock's affiliate backing African oil infrastructure at this level should draw more serious money into the sector.

African diaspora teens relearn ancestral languages to reconnect with grandparents — Sep 6, 2026A renaissance is underway for Africa’s languages, driven by diaspora reconnecting with roots and online learning, with examples like a Lagos game show where English is a loss and a Canadian teen learning Shona to talk with Zimbabwean grandparents, supported by platforms such as ZimbOriginal. Experts note Africa hosts 1,500–3,000 languages spoken by over a billion people, creating new business and tech opportunities as linguistic heritage moves into commerce and education through social media, storytelling, and online courses.

Rachel Meyers Love that game show idea, penalizing English is clever way to force people back into their mother tongue for fun instead of guilt.

South African Groups Seek Data-Centre Construction Halt — Sep 4, 2026Civil society groups in South Africa are urging a temporary halt on new data-centre approvals until the industry’s use of water, land and electricity is properly assessed, with the SAHRC reporting more than 250 submissions. The push coincides with rapid expansion by US firms like Amazon, Microsoft and Equinix, including a Cape Town hyperscale facility estimated to need about 160 MW, as President Ramaphosa notes SA hosts roughly 70% of Africa’s data-centre capacity and calls for greater transparency and clearer resource-regulation.

Pentagon Official Frets Climate Change Is Driving Africans To Join Jihadist Groups — Dec 12, 2024Climate change is complicating the fight to purge Africa of jihadists, at least according to one senior Pentagon official. Maureen Farrell , the Pentagon’s deputy assistant secretary of defense for African affairs…

African Parks Rescue 2,000 Rhinos for Rewilding ProjectReporting — Sep 7, 2023Conservation NGO African Parks has purchased 2,000 white rhinos for a rewilding project. The Johannesburg, South Africa, organization made the announcement Monday and offered details. “Platinum Rhino” was the world’s…

Elon Musk Calls Out the President of South Africa: Saying ‘Nothing’ About ‘Genocide’ of White CitizensReporting — Aug 3, 2023Elon Musk responded to a video of South African politician Julius Malema, singing “Kill the Boer (Whites), kill the White farmer” Monday. He said, “They are openly pushing for genocide of white people in South Africa.”…

Powerball Results Span Texas, UK; SA Draw Pending — 5dA quartet of lottery updates covers Texas Lotto and Powerball draw results, ahead-of-draw notices, and prize rules across the UK and South Africa. The reports detail Sept. 14, 2026 results for Texas Powerball, XTRA and Plus pre‑draw pages, the upcoming U.K. National Lottery Powerball jackpot and the strict claim procedures, and general South African lottery draw guidelines.

Matos Wins Rhode Island Democratic Primary Despite Fundraising Shortfall — Sep 10, 2026Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos won the Democratic primary with about 37% of the vote, defeating four challengers including Xay Khamsyvoravong, who conceded as Matos held a solid lead and will go on to face Republican John Loughlin in November. The race featured heavy fundraising, including a dark‑money PAC push in the final days, with Matos’s background as the governor’s pick and an Afro-Latina trailblazer shaping the backdrop to debates over corporate influence and policies like grocery-store covenants.

US Plans Namibia HIV Aid Phaseout After Dispute — Sep 4, 2026The United States will phase out its financial support for Namibia’s HIV response, providing $45 million in fiscal year 2027 before Namibia funds its own programs and the US offers only technical cooperation thereafter, as part of a broader move under the America First policy. Namibia rejected proposed data-sharing provisions with the US, citing privacy and sovereignty, while noting strong HIV targets, and the transition comes amid wider Africa-wide pushback to donor agreements.

Jared Kim This is part of a bigger pattern across Africa. Countries are pushing back on strings attached to donor money, not just Namibia.

David Livingstone's Heart Remains in AfricaGood News — FROM 1841David Livingstone converts and begins lifelong African explorations and evangelism.

Dolly Parton Death Reports Trigger Global Choir Tributes — Aug 26, 2026Chattanooga Boys Choir members recalled Dolly Parton with songs, books from her Imagination Library, and Dollywood memories as they rehearsed a somber refrain following her passing. In tributes from around the world, the USC Upstate Gospel Choir performed Nine to Five at a Greenville church on the day of her death, while the Ndlovu Youth Choir released an African-flavored Jolene tribute that featured a heart-shaped drone shot and sparked international praise.

South Africans to Enjoy Free National Park Entry — Aug 25, 2026Several national park systems marked fee-free days: South Africa’s SA National Parks Week from September 7–13, 2026 offering free day-entry at participating parks, and in the United States, the National Park Service’s 110th birthday on August 25, 2026 included a fee-free day for U.S. citizens and residents (international visitors still pay), with additional parks offering free or reduced access in Michigan, Florida, and other sites such as the Great Smoky Mountains.

Tyla's A*POP set for release, fans awaitEntertainment — Jul 21, 2026Tyla’s sophomore album A*POP arrives tonight with 14 tracks and a rollout built on intimate listening sessions, continuing her chart-successful run with singles like Chanel, She Did It Again, and Is It Love. The project expands her sound with collaborations from MaWhoo and Babalwa M, and she frames A*POP as a more personal, boundary-pushing statement releasing around late July, marking a maturation beyond a single African-artist label.

AfDB backs Morocco LFP battery gigafactoryBusiness — Jul 24, 2026The African Development Bank Group has approved a €100 million loan to Gotion Power Morocco to build Africa’s and the MENA region’s first integrated cathode-to-cell lithium iron phosphate battery gigafactory in Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, with up to €141 million more expected from partners under NAFAD. The initial phase targets 10 GWh of production, with plans to scale to 100 GWh and position Morocco as a hub for electric mobility and green technology, powered primarily by renewable energy and generating hundreds of local jobs.

M-KOPA Reaches 10 Million Customers Across Five African Markets — Jul 22, 2026M-KOPA has reached 10 million customers across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa through its More than a Phone platform that blends smartphone financing with embedded insurance and credit for Everyday Earners. Since 2020 it has added 9 million customers in six years, with Nigeria the fastest-growing market, about 10,000 new customers daily, and a Kenya assembly factory of 400+ staff that has produced more than 3.3 million devices, supported by a network of over 40,000 agents.

WAFCON Prize Up to $2 Million, 16 Teams — Jul 22, 2026CAF has raised WAFCON prize money to $2 million for the champions, up from $1 million, with Motsepe highlighting tangible investment in women's football. At the FIFA World Cup 2026, nine African teams reached the knockout stage—the highest ever percentage—sparking Motsepe's pride in Africa's performances alongside the broader prize increases for the tournament.

UN reports 144 migrants dead off MauritaniaWorld — Jul 21, 2026The UNHCR reports 144 refugees and migrants dead or missing off Mauritania after perilous West Africa-to-Europe sea crossings, with three rescue operations between July 14–18 that saved 387 people. By 2026, about 2,147 individuals have been rescued in Nouadhibou and Nouakchott, while cross-Atlantic migration remains deadly even as overall arrivals to Europe grow more cautious.

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