Arty Beat

Here's this week's segment of the African Arty Beats.

Burundi faces humanitarian crisis as 100,000 refugees arrive from DRC

Burundi is facing a growing humanitarian crisis as thousands of people flee violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. More than 100,000 refugees, mostly women and children, have crossed into Burundi since late 2025, putting immense pressure on health services and infrastructure. The World H…

Township businesses in Gauteng gain online market access through year-long programme

A group of 150 small and medium-sized enterprises from South Africa's Gauteng Province, have completed the Township Digital Market Access Programme, a year-long initiative run by the UK-South Africa Tech HUB - a startup campus and entrepreneurship hub, designed to help township businesses access e-…

Chinese car brands capture 17% of South Africa's vehicle market in late 2025

Chinese brands accounted for 17 percent of total vehicle sales in South Africa's automotive market in the last quarter of 2025.This is according to the TransUnion South Africa Q4 2025 Mobility Insights Report, which states that the country's automotive market closed 2025 at its strongest level in m…

SADC ministers meet in Pretoria to tackle regional integration and development

South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola has warned that rising geopolitical tensions, economic volatility and climate-related shocks are increasing pressure on economies across Southern Africa. Lamola was speaking on Thursday at a two-day Ordinary Summit of…

Breast Cancer Costs Seven African Nations Over $10bn in Lost Productivity

Breast cancer has cost seven African countries over 10-billion USD in lost productivity, mostly affecting women in their prime working years. Research at Roche Africa Press Day 2026, shows that every dollar invested in innovative breast cancer treatments generates up to USD 12.40 in economic return…

Mauritius Marks Independence Day, Celebrating 56 Years of Sovereignty

Today marks Independence Day in Mauritius, commemorating the moment the island nation gained independence from the United Kingdom on 12 March 1968, before becoming a republic in 1992. Over the decades, Mauritius has built a reputation as one of Africa's most stable democracies and one of the contin…

Human Rights Watch Urges Ghana to Protect LGBT Rights

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Ghanaian leaders to uphold international legal protections that guarantee the rights to equality, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, and privacy for all citizens. This appeal follows the reintroduction of a draconian bill targeting lesbian, gay, bisexu…

UN Warns of Humanitarian Catastrophe as Global Conflicts Escalate

The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe as crises across the Middle East and other regions continue to escalate. The UN's emergency relief chief, Tom Fletcher, says conflict is costing the world one-billion USD a day, even as billions are still needed to save millions of lives. …

South Africa Calls for Diplomacy as Middle East Tensions Escalate

South African Minister at the Department of Internatioanal Relations, Ronald Lamola has called on the United Nations Security Council to prioritize lives over geopolitical preferences. This comes as tension in the Middlle East between Iran, Israel and the United States escalates. Lamola condemned a…