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[MOBIUS MOTORS] REUTERS On the edge of Nairobi, two doors down from a gleaming display of Germany’s luxury Porsche cars, another showroom offers Africa’s answer to the continent’s potholed roads. It’s called the Mobius. It has no flashy dials, alloy wheels or electric windows. In fact, it has no windows at all except for the windshield. Instead, the square car-cum-pickup with its aluminum panels has been stripped of extras to make it sturdy and cheap. “We are not trying to reinvent the wheel; we are just trying to make one that is a bit tougher,” says sales manager Aman Ghai…

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE In the blue waters off Cape Town, South Africa, a revolutionary experiment with an electronic barrier seeks to exploit the supersensitivity of sharks’ snouts to keep swimmers safe. The technology has been developed by South African experts who invented the electronic “shark pod” for use by surfers and divers — now marketed by an Australian company — and could be applied globally if successful. Years of research have shown that sharks will turn away when they encounter an electrical current. That fact has prompted this experiment on a much larger scale. A 100-meter cable with vertical “risers” designed…

Julia Rainer/IPS With annual economic growth rates of more than 10 percent and attractive investment conditions due to low infrastructural and labor costs, Ethiopia is eagerly trying to rise from the status of a low-income to a middle-income country in the next 10 years. Ethiopia, with 94 million inhabitants, is the second-most-populous country in Africa after Nigeria, but it remains predominantly rural. Only 17.5 percent of the population lives in cities, and most are in Addis Ababa. It also is one of the continent’s fastest-growing economies. Between 2015 and 2018, growth is expected to average 7.3 percent, according to a…

In the short history of Burkina Faso, one name towers above the rest: Thomas Sankara. Born into a working-class Catholic family in the northern town of Yako, Sankara entered the military at age 19. He rose through the ranks, impressing his fellow Soldiers with his charisma and work ethic. At 26, he took command of the nation’s prestigious Commando Training Centre, where he taught an elite fighting force. Later, he became a government information minister. He was known for the peculiar habit of riding to work on a bicycle and the even stranger habit of encouraging journalists to write critical…

CLUES This former Roman colony was founded in the first century, during the reign of the Emperor Nerva. The site has a large collection of mosaic pavings, illustrating myths and daily life. At 900 meters above sea level, the site is an example of Roman urban planning adapted for a mountain location. The well-preserved site includes an amphitheater that can accommodate 3,000 people. ANSWER: The Roman ruins of Djémila near Setif, Algeria

For decades, Africa has been host to many of the world’s peacekeeping missions. This has been challenging, but one benefit is that African nations now boast some of the world’s most experienced and well-trained peacekeepers. Year after year, these men and women are setting the standard for how to intervene in crisis zones. In 2013, more than 70,000 African peacekeepers served in African Union and United Nations peacekeeping missions. Nearly three-quarters of African nations –– 39 –– had peacekeepers deployed somewhere on the globe. Among the military leadership in African nations, peacekeeping is typically at the top of resumes, and…

In September 2014, Ugandan authorities discovered an al-Shabaab terrorist cell operating in our biggest city, Kampala. Explosives were discovered in the raid, and there is little doubt that this group of terrorists had no other intention but to cause carnage on the streets of the city. It was only four years ago when bombs planted by extremists ripped through two locations as crowds gathered peacefully to watch the football World Cup. Now, almost a year from the barbaric events of the Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi, these latest developments show that governments throughout East Africa can never let their guard…

REUTERS Côte d’Ivoire is increasing rice production and processing in hopes of beginning exports in 2018 and generating more than a million jobs. The country, better known as the world’s biggest cocoa producer, is investing about $4 billion on the regional staple food as part of a program to diversify its agricultural sector. The nation’s economy grew 9.8 percent in 2012, but unemployment among its 20 million people remains high, especially among the young. Although the nation currently is a rice importer, Yacouba Dembele, director of the National Rice Development Office, is targeting self-sufficiency within two years. “We want to…

BBC NEWS AT BBC.CO.UK/NEWS Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan formally launched a national electronic identity card in August 2014, which all Nigerians will need by 2019 if they want to vote. Jonathan received the first biometric card, which also can be used to make electronic payments. “The card is not only a means of certifying your identity, but also a personal database repository and payment card, all in your pocket,” Jonathan said at the launch in Abuja. “I have taken keen interest in this project, primarily because of the pervasive impact it can have on every facet of the socio-economic fabric…

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE The dunes of Merzouga tower over the small community in southeastern Morocco, where the Berber Ait Atta tribe makes a brisk living from tourism. For years, the formerly nomadic tribesmen have been running hotels and restaurants in Merzouga, a key stop on the Moroccan tourist trail on the edge of a sea of sand dunes. Now they’re turning to the sands themselves to attract visitors. For about 10 minutes, visitors are buried neck deep in the hot sand for therapy said to benefit those who suffer from ailments including rheumatism, lumbago, polyarthritis and some skin disorders. The therapy…