Criminal Investigation of Trump Administration Now Has a Grand Jury The ongoing investigation conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on various affairs related to the embattled President of the United States has reached a new turning point. A federal grand jury has been impaneled for the purpose of hearing matters connected to the criminal investigation, which started…
On August 5, 2017, the people of Rwanda awoke to hear the much anticipated news that President Paul Kagame, the only head of state Rwandans have known this century, won his reelection bid to serve his third consecutive term. Early polls reported by the Associated Press suggested that President Kagame obtained nearly 99 percent of…
Despite the many ethnic tensions and high levels of unemployment that continue to plague many African nations, the continent is now being referred to as the “world’s most exciting economic frontier.” Africa is experiencing record economic growth rates, surpassing the vast majority of developed economies. Although there are many underlying factors behind the growth, most notably…
Ethiopia has long been considered a model for other African nations. The country’s unique style of federalism has up until now been successful at keeping ethnic tensions from dividing the nation, and this is in large part due to Ethiopia’s robust constitution. However, ongoing tensions between the federal government in Addis Ababa and the…
Kenya’s growing technological pursuits have coincided with a surge in entrepreneurial endeavors, particularly, among the country’s innovative youth. Tesh Mbaabu is a young Kenyan tech entrepreneur, having started several successful companies almost immediately after completing his degree in Computer Science from the University of Nairobi in 2015. Notably, Mbaabu’s ventures into the technological sphere commenced prior to earning his degree; having started Tesh Technologies Limited,…
As the most influential Silicon Valley company in the world, the footprint of tech giant Google in Africa has been mostly limited to branding its consumer products and financing humanitarian projects. However, things are starting to change in 2017, with Google paying more attention to the nascent tech startup scene and the potential of funding…
It has been two years since beloved Zimbabwean lion Cecil was tragically killed by an American dentist. The killing brought a viral wave of anger against the dentist and also shined a light on the troubling and growing trend of trophy hunting. Sadly, Cecil is in the news again after a similar death for his son, six-year-old…
The fake news epidemic that sought to destabilize the democratic electoral process in the United States and France in recent months has reached Kenya and South Africa. According to a BBC report published in late July, a fraudulent video made to resemble Focus on Africa, a regular segment of the BBC World News television program, was…
The Nigerian government made what could be a huge step forward in the continued growth of its democracy recently by passing the ‘not too young to run bill.’ After being passed by the Nigerian Senate on July 26, 2017, the bill then narrowly passed in the Nigerian House of Representatives on July 28. As a…
After less than two scandalous weeks on the job, the Communications Director handpicked by besieged United States President Donald Trump has been abruptly removed from his post. Anthony Scaramucci, a billionaire Wall Street investment banker, raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill as a profane and outspoken man who loved the spotlight and boasted of his brash…
Lack of efficient connections is one of the most difficult challenges experienced by regional economies in Africa. In Nigeria, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for nearly half of the country’s gross domestic product, and they employ more than 80 percent of the workforce; however, their financial output pales in comparison to industrialized nations. One…
One of the most hotly anticipated films of 2018 is Marvel’s Black Panther. One of the most exciting parts about this sure-to-be blockbuster is its focus on Africa. The groundbreaking film is the first major Marvel franchise fully set in Africa. You might even say that Africa and her rich, beautiful culture are a character in…
With 2017 in the rearview window, it’s time to look down the road to 2018. In addition to setting personal goals and resolutions for the new year, there are a number of big things for us all to look forward to this year. Here are a few things that might get you excited about 2018.…
The year 2017 will forever be remembered with a sense of apprehension since it marked the departure of former United States President Barack Obama, who handed the administration to Donald Trump, a former reality television star. Setting aside this unfortunate development, there were many positive aspects of 2017 that are worth mentioning and remembering: Women’s…
