04 March 2023
Film/South Africa: Dance Me to the End of Time is a documentary that centres on the dying of breast cancer of London theatre director Nancy Diuguid, the life-partner of film-maker Melanie Chait. It is a “beautiful ode to lesbian love, an elegy of two women loving one another through sickness and health” and it is also about ecological and feminist politics.
https://theconversation.com/dance-me-to-the-end-of-time-south-african-film-on-death-is-a-powerful-celebration-of-life-200837
Gold: As the mining of gold the world over is extremely harmful for humans and the environment, the author suggests “a fully circular gold economy in which the world’s entire supply of gold (comes) from recycled sources”. The gold needed for dentistry and smartphones and the like (“industrial gold”) and jewellery would still be there, even if less – which would either push up prices or have people demand jewellery made of (cheaper and more durable) alloys of gold. If the end to gold mining was to become real, millions of people who make their living as artisanal gold miners would be left without their source of income.
https://theconversation.com/gold-mining-is-one-of-the-worlds-most-destructive-and-unnecessary-industries-heres-how-to-end-it-197447
Lake Chad Basin: Boko Haram, droughts, flooding have displaced 11.3 million of the 30 million people in the region with more than 11 million urgently needing aid. The article pleads, amongst others, for “local ownership, social inclusion, civilian protection and climate action” and more funding.
https://theconversation.com/the-lake-chad-basin-is-a-security-nightmare-5-guidelines-for-finding-solutions-199991
Green cities: The expansion of cities is a danger for green spaces (incl. public and private gardens, street trees, community parks, unmanaged vegetated land and reserves). Road construction, for one thing, has priority over the environment. The article looks into the many challenges of greening Tshwane (Pretoria).
https://theconversation.com/parks-versus-people-challenges-facing-the-south-african-capitals-greening-efforts-193560
03 March 2023
“The ear that listens does not have to be big”
BBC Africa Live 03 March 2023. 4:31 Proverb of the day. An Igbo proverb sent by Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Nwabuike in Enugu, Nigeria.
Mauritania: In this short (2’45’’) video interview, the president explains why his country has been successful in its fight against terrorism – basically it has done what’s necessary, first of all but not only in military terms, with the commitment needed. Pushed on the question by the BBC journalist, he clearly says that he would never accept to have Wagner in the country – Mauritania is a sovereign country. Though, for neighbouring Mali, he does not raise the same objections concerning Barkhane.
BBC Africa Live 02 March 2023. 19:18
Africa/Obesity: By 2035, the World Obesity Federation is expecting half of the world’s population to be obese or overweight; “almost all of the countries expected to see the greatest increases are low or middle-income countries in Africa and Asia.” Childhood obesity is of primary concern. See the report: https://www.worldobesity.org/news/economic-impact-of-overweight-and-obesity-to-surpass-4-trillion-by-2035.
BBC Africa Live 03 March 2023. 4:33
Ethiopia: Yesterday Thursday was Adwa Victory Day, the anniversary of the 1896 Adwa Battle where Menelik II’s army won against Italian troops. While the official celebration was held on Meskel Square, a parallel celebration was brutally suppressed by police firing tear gas and maybe even live ammunition with several people injured and maybe one person dead – the National Movement of the Amhara of the opposition saying one of its members was killed by police bullets.
BBC Africa Live 03 March 2023. 6:56
Ghana/Fishing: Accra having “Ghana committed to ensuring 100% electronic monitoring of its industrial fisheries at the One Ocean conference in Panama City”, all industrial fishing vessels that operate in Ghanaian waters are henceforth required to be fitted with electronic monitors including cameras.
BBC Africa Live 03 March 2023. 12:26