Africa: Can a Newly Discovered Soil Fungus Stop the Devastating African Armyworm When Chemicals Have Failed?

Africa: Can a Newly Discovered Soil Fungus Stop the Devastating African Armyworm When Chemicals Have Failed?

The African armyworm is a highly destructive migratory pest that damages maize, sorghum, millet and sugarcane. These caterpillars also cause indirect damage to livestock as they destroy grazing lands and pastures. The last major outbreak of armyworm in southern Africa was from February to April 2025. It affected South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, Gauteng and…

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Strong earthquake with 7.1 magnitude strikes southern Japan; tsunami alert issued

Strong earthquake with 7.1 magnitude strikes southern Japan; tsunami alert issued

A strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit southern Japan on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. A tsunami alert was issued. The alert was for a one-meter-(about one yard) high tsunami, according to the Reuters news service. Reuters said the quake struck Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture. The temblor measured at the highest possible level of seven on Japan’s…

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Africa: Refugee Camps Explained – Why South Africa Has Avoided Them

Africa: Refugee Camps Explained – Why South Africa Has Avoided Them

South Africa started processing undocumented migrants at a temporary repatriation centre in Musina, a border town with Zimbabwe, in July 2026. This followed weeks of intensified anti-migrant rhetoric and xenophobic violence. The facility has raised questions about whether the country could be moving towards a more camp-based approach to managing migrants and refugees. This would…

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LanDynamix highlights growing scourge of payment fraud in SA

LanDynamix highlights growing scourge of payment fraud in SA

LanDynamix Founder and CEO, Peter Clarke. Payment fraud is a critical and growing crisis in South Africa. It is costing billions of rands annually and showing massive spikes in digital banking and mobile app fraud. Criminals are increasingly utilising advanced social engineering, AI deepfakes and bank impersonation scams to manipulate victims into authorising transactions. This…

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Africa: ‘Science is Not the Problem’ – UNAIDS Says Political Choices Now Threaten HIV Response

Africa: ‘Science is Not the Problem’ – UNAIDS Says Political Choices Now Threaten HIV Response

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — The global HIV response stands at a defining moment, with health leaders warning that decades of progress are at risk as international funding declines and prevention programmes are scaled back across some of the world’s hardest-hit countries. Although new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have fallen to their lowest levels…

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Beijing warns of retaliation over US threats to Chinese AI firms

Beijing warns of retaliation over US threats to Chinese AI firms

China’s commerce ministry has accused the US of “AI hegemonism” and threatened countermeasures after senior US officials said Chinese AI companies could face investigations, sanctions and trade restrictions over the alleged theft of US technology. The ministry said on Monday that Washington was threatening Chinese companies with punishment based on allegations they used “distillation” to…

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