Morocco arrests 30 people suspected of trafficking newborns, report says
Moroccan authorities arrested 30 people this week in the city of Fes on multiple charges as part of a wide-ranging case involving blackmail, threats, and trafficking of newborn babies. The North African country's state-run news agency, MAP, reported on Wednesday that the suspects — including law enforcement agents, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals — were arrested earlier this week. They are accused of working with unwed mothers to sell babies to families wishing to adopt. Their scheme, the report said, also involved blackmail, fraud, and theft of medications that are not sold without a prescription. Some suspects are accused of helping facilitate abortions, which are illegal outside of emergencies in Morocco.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 03, 2024 03:54 UTC
Union Budget 2024 gives thrust to multi-modal connectivity & efficiency to improve logistics industry
Union Budget 2024 gives thrust to multi-modal connectivity & efficiency to improve logistics industryShare This News Story:NEW DELHI : The Union Budget 2024-25 has given a thrust to multi-modal connectivity by implementing economic railway corridors and port connectivity corridors, logistics and port players said on Thursday. “These initiatives will go a long way in improving logistics efficiency and reducing cost. “With a strong focus on infrastructure development, last-mile connectivity, and social and geographical inclusivity, it effectively complements the vision of a ‘Vikasit Bharat’ (developed India) by 2047. These initiatives aim to enhance logistics efficiency and reduce costs.”Rajesh Jaggi, Vice Chairman for real estate at the Everstone Group, said the Interim Budget’s focus on transportation infrastructure aligns with our expectations for enhanced logistics connectivity. It will not only strengthen the overall efficiency of transportation network but also improve the reliability and safety of passenger trains.”
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 03, 2024 03:27 UTC
Nigeria’s alGROWithm secures funding to scale Growth Talent Accelerator Programme
Nigerian startup alGROWithm has secured funding to scale its proprietary Growth Talent Accelerator Programme to more people across six African countries. Founded in March 2022, alGROWithm is the company behind the Growth Talent Accelerator Programme, which provides ed-tech solutions to growth hackers. Meanwhile, alGROWithm has also launched GTAP Lite and GTAP Pro, two dynamic programmes crafted for individuals and companies, respectively. There’s a persistent demand for more growth hacking talent, demonstrated by the swift employment of our past trainees. Secondly, we observed that many companies also sought to up-skill their existing teams instead of starting from scratch with new talent,” said alGROWithm founder and chief growth officer Bili Sule.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 03, 2024 03:22 UTC
How Can Responsible Tech Principles Shape the Future of AI? - IT News Africa
Artificial Intelligence (AI) takes the lead in Gartner’s Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2024, emphasizing AI augmentation and democratization. That AI is powerful is indisputable, but how best to wield it in a responsible and ethical way remains up for debate. Therefore, it’s business-critical to support our colleagues as the transition to AI in the workplace takes effect. To harness AI for growth, every organization needs to play their part through responsible adoption at scale and for the benefit of all. This platform showcases ethical AI integration and its tangible benefits, notably enabling a potential 79% reduction in electricity usage – a consequential step towards cutting Scope 3 carbon emissions – achieved through its AI-powered digital orchestration layer.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 03, 2024 01:32 UTC
From Africa to Byzantium, and back again
Not only does the Mediterranean belong to the Christian traditions bequeathed by the Roman Empire in Constantinople, but so does East Africa. It should be noted, however, that this exhibition does not draw aesthetic or functional analogies between the Christian art of East Africa and other artistic traditions of sub-Saharan Africa. The exhibition signals this cultural and political divergence between Africa and Byzantium with a change in wall tones. The post-Islamic Christian traditions of Africa are shown to be rooted in the early traditions of Christian Byzantium, but they are also revealed to be complex, innovative and very beautiful. But it reminds us of connections between East Africa and Byzantium that we can scarcely imagine – even as such objects challenge us to try.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 03, 2024 01:30 UTC
‘Different territory’: How African football underdogs caused AFCON upsets
But there are also Cape Verde and Angola who have never even reached the semifinals before. And some of the other results have been unbelievable: Equatorial Guinea triumphed 4-0 over Ivory Coast, even as Cape Verde won 2-1 against Ghana. “African football is a different territory. Between 2016 and 2022, funding to the tune of $2.8m was made available to 211 MAs, according to the latest FIFA Forward Report. “Successes on the pitch and growth off it can only impact African teams and the 2026 World Cup will give African countries the opportunity to show what they are capable of,” Fernandes predicts.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 23:03 UTC
Kenya: Renewable energy sector expansion on the cards
A renewable energy drive in Kenya has received a $46.39 million cash injection from the Trust Fund Committee of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF). Currently, the share of renewable energy in Kenya is almost 90%. “The plan contributes to the expansion of variable renewable energy, such as wind and solar, from 19% to 30% by 2030.”Have you read? Renewable energy capacity addition in Sub-Saharan Africa still laggingIn December, Kenya said it is to consider implementing loadshedding following a major power outage across the country. “This programme is expected to promote gender balance among the professionals and resource persons who undergo training, creating a gender-responsive and diverse pool of skilled manpower in the renewable energy sector.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 22:53 UTC
MENACTRIMS Update Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
The Middle East North Africa Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (MENACTRIMS) released an update to their 2019 guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). A panel of experts who manage MS in the MENA region issued the revised 2023 guideline published in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. Consider treatment for patients with RIS if they have multiple risk factors and evidence of new lesions. Related ContentRelapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS)There are over 20 disease modifying therapies (DMTs) that are approved for the treatment of RRMS. Multiple Sclerosis in MENA RegionsWith the increase in MS incidence and prevalence worldwide, including the MENA regions, the establishment of specific guidelines becomes increasingly important.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 21:18 UTC
Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi sentenced to three years
Ghannouchi’s Ennahda Party is accused of receiving foreign funds as President Kais Saied continues crackdown on opposition. A Tunisian court has sentenced opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi to three years in prison over accusations that his Ennahda Party received foreign contributions, official news agency Tunis Afrique Press (TAP) reported, amid an escalating crackdown on dissent in the North African country. Ghannouchi’s son-in-law Rafik Abdessalem, a former foreign minister, was sentenced to three years in jail as well. A former speaker of the Tunisian parliament, Ghannouchi, 82, was arrested last year and sentenced to one year in jail on separate charges of incitement. Rights groups previously denounced Ghannouchi’s detention, accusing the government of President Kais Saied of repressing political opposition.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 19:25 UTC
Algeria: Will South Africa support Kabylie’s independence? – The North Africa Post
South Africa is already known for its support for the eians and the Hamas terrorist group in their conflict with Israel, as well as for the Polisario, a terrorist movement based in the Tindouf camps in the Sahara, Algeria. According to Western analysts and information from Sahel Intelligence, there is now a question of how South Africa will react in the case of Kabylie, given Pretoria’s history of supporting independence movements and its commitment to the right to self-determination. The exiled president of the Kabyle separatists, Ferhat Mehenni, leader of the Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie (MAK), is confident in some African countries for their support in the African Union forums. Attention now focuses on whether South Africa will express support for Kabylie’s independence or adopt a more nuanced position.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 19:00 UTC
VW plans low-cost electric SUV from India before 2030
The information comes from Piyush Arora, CEO of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India. We are evaluating which VW Group platform can be best adapted to build a compact electric SUV in India,” he told Reuters. Volkswagen is therefore also considering exporting the new electric vehicle to South East Asia, the Gulf States and North Africa. The Indian government is aiming for electric vehicles to account for 30 per cent of the total market by 2030. VW is also working with partners in China on cheaper electric vehicle platforms.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 18:55 UTC
Morocco Launches UNDP’s Green Growth and Jobs Accelerator Project – The North Africa Post
Morocco has launched this week the Green Growth & Jobs Accelerator Project (GGJAP), a program initiated by the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP). This program, a partnership between the UNDP Regional Office for the Arab States, the Danish-Arab Partnership Program (DAPP) and the UNDP Nordic Representative Office, covers four countries, namely Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan and aims to support VSMEs/SMEs to accelerate green growth, while creating green jobs. Speaking at the launch ceremony in Rabat, UNDP Resident Representative in Morocco, Edward Christow, welcomed the Kingdom’s commitment to putting economic inclusion at the heart of its priorities to guarantee sustainable development, in accordance with the New Development Model (NMD). In this regard, he emphasized the relevance of the GGJAP which is in line with Morocco’s ambitions within the framework of the NMD, thus underlining the coherence between the program’s goals and the national vision for inclusive and sustainable economic development. “SMEs play a crucial role in the Moroccan economy, and entrepreneurship is recognized as a key driver of economic growth, despite persistent challenges such as access to financing,” Christow said, adding that GGJAP aims to support young Moroccan entrepreneurs through coaching, mentoring, and development of solid business plans.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 18:52 UTC
The best African music performance Grammy is new. Its global appeal is not
At the center of that growth are newer genres of Afrobeats — the renowned blend of distinct West African music styles — and amapiano, which fuses South African kwaito with African jazz, house music and soulful vocals. And some tracks meld the genres under the African music umbrella. AdvertisementThat reach is particularly interesting considering that African music is produced for its people, embodying all aspects of their lives from their culture and experiences to their struggles, LeriQ says. The continent leads mobile device web traffic in the world, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration, translating to more market opportunities for artists. “And they like that experience.”___Mureithi reported from Nairobi, Kenya, and Magome reported from Johannesburg, South Africa.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 18:11 UTC
A new defence strategy for Europe
Facing a major war in Europe, as well as an expanding conflict in the Middle East, it is increasingly important for European leaders to meet the security challenges of tomorrow. This week, the inaugural event of ECFR’s new defence initiative brought together a strategic community of leaders and practitioners to think creatively and practically about how Europe can strengthen its role as a geopolitical actor and global power. From the event in Brussels, Mark Leonard welcomes distinguished policy fellow Camille Grand, who is the former assistant secretary general for defence investment at NATO and is now leading ECFR’s work on defence and disruptive technologies in European security. Together, they discuss where Europe’s defence sector is headed. Bookshelf:Les Aveuglés, comment Berlin et Paris ont laissé la voie libre à la Russie | Sylvie Kauffmann
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 18:01 UTC
ANALYSIS: AFCON 2023: North Africans dumped out of Cote d’Ivoire
However, the 2023 AFCON witnessed a departure from this pattern as all North African teams, including Egypt, lost out by the round of 16. Beyond the scoreboardPeople frequently attribute the decline in the performance of North African teams at the 2023 AFCON to fatigue and a notable level of complacency stemming from past successes. Tactical rigidityThe North African teams may not have adapted effectively to the evolving tactical landscape of African football, where unpredictability and physicality reign supreme. The trend of underperformance by North African countries in West Africa during AFCON, except for Egypt, raises questions. ‘’Most of the North African nations where this argument stemmed from have very hot climate and should be used to the heat.
Source:The North Africa Journal
February 02, 2024 16:14 UTC