NEWS - The African Mirror

Feb

14

2024

bird TenX: 10 African projects that show the power and versatility of blockchain technology

NEWS

BLOCKCHAIN, known for its secure and transparent digital ledgers, isn’t just about cryptocurrencies. Here are some African initiatives that showcase the technology’s potential to drive inclusion, efficiency, accountability, security, and transparency. 1. Catch of the Day (Senegal) The Bleu comme la mer platform connects fishermen and customers directly, eliminating brokers and financial gatekeepers. Payments for seafood can be made in Bitcoin, Ether and Tezos. Details like species, location, and dates are recorded by fishermen and shared with buyers on the blockchain in an attempt to reduce overfishing and waste. 2. Private Property (Kenya) e-Health company Afya Rekod uses blockchain to…

Feb

13

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Zambia hits copper jackpot with AI-powered exploration

NEWS

ZAMBIA’S mineral portfolio has received a major boost thanks to the discovery of the largest copper deposits ever recorded in the country. In an official statement posted on the social media site X, on February 5, KoBold, an American startup backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, announced the discovery of vast copper deposits at their Mingomba mine in northern Zambia. “Mingomba will be one of the world’s biggest high-grade, large copper mines. It is Kakula-scale in size and the core of it is >5% copper,” KoBold President Josh Goldman shared in the post. He draws a correlation to the…

Feb

13

2024

By JOEL OMOTTO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

AFCON 2023: Major wins from the most exciting Cup of Nations in history

NEWS

HOSTS Cote d’Ivoire are still celebrating their victory after edging Nigeria 2-1 in a thrilling final to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The Elephants stayed true to their character as they came from a goal down to defeat Nigeria, ending an event that had captured the attention of the world. AFCON 2023 has been lauded as the best in history and it is not hard to understand why, given the major wins achieved in Cote d’Ivoire on and off the pitch. The Elephants’ Resilience The Ivorians managed just one win in three group-stage games, beating Guinea-Bissau 2-0…

Feb

13

2024

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

African tourism, air travel to exceed pre-pandemic numbers in 2024

NEWS

PENT-UP demand for travel is expected to fuel the full recovery of Africa's aviation and tourism sectors, with both inbound and outbound travel showing impressive performance, according to recent air travel research. Tourists, long confined by the constraints of the pandemic and with vacation savings, will make up the bulk of visitors to the continent. This surge in demand is expected to not only resuscitate the aviation sector but also propel the tourism industry to new heights. Egypt, Kenya and South Africa are expected to witness the biggest rebound. International Air Transport Association (IATA) figures show that in 2023, the…

Feb

13

2024

By The African Mirror

Nigeria’s Access Bank Group CEO among six dead in California helicopter crash

NEWS

SIX people, including the group chief executive of one of Nigeria's largest banks, were killed in a helicopter crash in Southern California, authorities and the banking group said. Six people were on board the helicopter when it crashed around 10 p.m. Friday (0600 GMT Saturday) near Nipton, California, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. Access Holdings said its CEO Herbert Wigwe, his wife and son were among those who died in the crash. "We extend our deep and sincere sympathies to his family and loved ones," Access Holdings Chairman Abubakar Jimoh said in a statement on Sunday,…

Feb

12

2024

By DIADIE BA and NGOUDA DIONE

Three dead in Senegal protests over delayed presidential election

NEWS

THE death toll amid protests in Senegal over the postponement of the presidential election until December has climbed to three, as concerns grow that one of the remaining democracies in coup-hit West Africa is under threat. The announcement of the delay just three weeks ahead of the planned February 25 vote triggered violent clashes on Friday between protesters and police in Dakar and several other cities, in a wave of unrest that many fear will spill over into protracted instability. President Macky Sall has said the delay is necessary because electoral disputes threatened the credibility of the poll, but some opposition lawmakers…

Feb

11

2024

By CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Women-led ventures sparkle in a tough funding year

NEWS

AFRICA’S women-led startups retained their sparkle through 2023, against the backdrop of one of the darkest periods for global startup funding, raising US$200 million, 7% growth over the previous year, according to a report from Africa: The Big Deal. In 2022, these female-founded ventures had grown by 4%. The amount remains significantly lower than the US$ 2.7 billion raised by their male counterparts but the almost doubling in growth during such a difficult time indicates a growing interest in women-led startups from investors. “Though it remained small, the absolute amount and share of funding going to female-led ventures did grow…

Feb

13

2024

By The African Mirror

Seventeen Tunisians on migrant boat towards Italy missing

NEWS

AT least seventeen Tunisians who were on a migrant boat heading towards the Italian coast are missing, a Tunisian National Guard official said. The missing people, including a five-year-old child, had set sail on a fishing boat from Bizerte in northern Tunisia last week, the national guard official, Houssem Eddine Jebabli, told Reuters. Coast guard and Navy forces, supported by helicopter, have begun operations search operations, the official said.

Feb

12

2024

By The African Mirror

At least five dead after soldier opens fire at military base in Mogadishu

NEWS

AT least five people, including Somali military officials and a United Arab Emirates (UAE) soldier, were killed after a soldier opened fire at a military base in the capital Mogadishu, an army officer and hospital staff told Reuters. The UAE's defence ministry, however, said three members of its armed forces and one Bahraini officer were killed in a "terrorist act" in Somalia while they were training Somali armed forces. Two more were injured, the ministry added in a statement. The ministry did not give other details about the attack but said the UAE "continues to coordinate and cooperate with the…

Feb

11

2024

By MAXWELL AKALAARE ADOMBILA

U.S. museum returns Ghana’s first batch of looted gold regalia

NEWS

A U.S. museum has returned a batch of royal regalia to Ghana that was looted by British colonial soldiers 150 years ago, marking the first major return of stolen artefacts to the West African nation. The Fowler Museum at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) said the items, all royal objects from the Asante kingdom, were purchased by an American collector and donated to the museum after his death. Representatives of the museum handed them over to the Asante king, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in the city of Kumasi on Thursday. The move comes amid growing demand for the…