National Payments Corporation of India logo.

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on May 2 said its overseas arm has signed a pact with the Bank of Namibia (BoN) for developing a Unified Payments Interface(UPI)-like instant payment system for Namibia.

Also read: Explained | India’s UPI push 

By leveraging technology and experiences from India’s UPI, the partnership seeks to help Namibia modernise its financial ecosystem. This includes improving accessibility, affordability and connectivity with both domestic and international payment networks, and interoperability.

Also read: Safe across borders: On Unified Payments Interface-PayNow link 

NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has signed an agreement with the Bank of Namibia (BoN) to support them in developing an instant payment system like Unified Payment Interface (UPI) for Namibia, a statement said.

This strategic partnership aims to enhance digital financial services and bolster real-time Person-to-Person (P2P) and Merchant payment transactions (P2M) in the African nation.

Through this collaboration, BoN will gain access to best-in-class technology and insights from NIPL, enabling the creation of a similar platform in Namibia for the digital welfare of its citizens, the statement added.

NPCI International CEO Ritesh Shukla said, “By enabling this technology, the country will gain sovereignty in the digital payments landscape and stand to benefit from enhanced payment interoperability and improved financial access for underserved populations.”

Bank of Namibia Governor Johannes Gawaxab said “Our objective is to enhance accessibility and affordability for underserved populations, achieve full interoperability of payment instruments by 2025, modernize the financial sector, and ensure a secure and efficient National Payment System.”

Once live, the platform will facilitate digital transactions in Namibia, driving financial inclusion and reducing cash dependency by catering to underserved populations. This collaborative effort seeks to offer essential and affordable financial services to all, with a particular focus on rural and informal sectors.

The world’s deadliest cave Kitum, located in Mount Elgon National Park in Kenya, could cause the next pandemic, as per a report in Science Times. The cave turned out to be home to some of the deadliest viruses in human history. Ebola virus and Marburg virus were reported to have started there. Now, experts worry that it may be home to the next pandemic- the Marburg virus, The World Health Organisation issued a warning, stating that the Marburg virus was “epidemic prone.”

According to the report, Marburg is a “highly virulent disease that causes hemorrhagic fever.” The illness lowers the body’s functional capacity and harms the cardiovascular system. With a mortality rate of up to 88 per cent, the virus is related to the virus that causes Ebola. Fruit bats, which are widespread throughout central Africa, can also spread the virus from person to person by contact with an infected person’s body fluids. Additionally, the disease can be transmitted to other people by touching towels or other objects that have come into contact with an infected individual.

Notably, the virus takes at least three weeks to “incubate” before a patient starts showing symptoms. However, the warning signs mostly resemble those of malaria and Ebola. Several people infected with the virus develop deep-set eyes and expressionless faces. It can also cause bleeding from the vagina, eyes, nose, and gums, in later stages. Unfortunately, no vaccines are available for the virus and doctors treat symptoms by medications and fluids.

Meanwhile, in 1980, while investigating Kitum Cave, a French engineer employed at a nearby sugar mill came into touch with the body-melting Marburg virus. He soon died at a Nairobi hospital. The man’s fast decline from viral hemorrhagic or blood-letting fever was described in a book about the case as “as if the face is detaching itself from the skull,” with his face seeming to hang from the underlying bone as the connective tissue dissolved. Years later, a Danish boy on vacation with his family became the victim of the deadly caves. He also died from a similar hemorrhagic virus called Ravn.

The important salty minerals discovered in the cave have drawn not just elephants but also buffaloes, antelope, leopards, and hyenas from western Kenya, making Kitum a breeding ground for zoonotic infections, the researchers said. The 600-foot-deep cave has been continuously dug and expanded by elephants, only to have disease-carrying bats make it their home, the Science Times report added.

Ultramarathon runner Russ Cook, also known as “Hardest Geezer,” is about to achieve a remarkable feat: running the entire length of Africa. This ambitious journey, dubbed Project Africa, will see him become the first person to ever complete such a trek. Cook began his adventure on 22 April, 2023 at the southern tip of South Africa and is expected to reach the finish line in Bizerte, Tunisia, on April 7th. Project Africa is an epic undertaking, spanning nearly 9,000 miles and taking him across a staggering 16 African countries.

Yesterday, he posted on Twitter that he was on the verge of completing his continent-spanning marathon in approximately five days.

“5 days to go. The last 347 days running through Africa have no doubt been the toughest of my life, but such an immense honour,” he tweeted.

5 DAYS TO GO.

The last 347 days running through africa have no doubt been the toughest of my life, but such an immense honour.

We have met incredible people in every single country we’ve been to that have welcomed us with love & kindness. The human spirit is a beautiful thing.… pic.twitter.com/bss7yU3FRl

— Russ Cook (@hardestgeezer) April 2, 2024

According to BBC, Mr Cook had originally planned to complete 360 marathons in 240 days.After complications with his visas, health scares, geopolitical issues and an armed robbery, he was forced to change his route, extending the challenge.

Cook’s passion for extreme running was sparked by a friend. Since then, he’s tackled challenges like running across Asia and even a beer-fueled marathon. Project Africa isn’t just about the distance; Cook is also raising money for charities. The challenge is in aid of The Running Charity and has raised 427000 pounds (Rs 4,47,62324) so far.

Despite facing visa issues, health problems, and even robbery, Cook’s determination hasn’t wavered. His journey has taken him through deserts, rainforests, and mountains, pushing him to his limits. A celebratory party with a performance by British punk band Soft Play awaits him at the finish line. This is one ultramarathon that will be remembered.

With the headquarters of the ruling party burning in the back, supporters of Niger’s ruling junta celebrate in Niger after a successful coup.
| Photo Credit: Fatahoulaye Hassane Midou

On August 30, Gabon’s president Ali Bongo Ondimba was ousted after mutinous soldiers launched a coup against his government. This comes after a coup in Niger a couple months back.

African nations have seen 220 coup attempts since 1950. Globally, 490 coup attempts were made during this period. So, Africa accounts for 44.8% for all coup attempts.

Of all African countries, Sudan has seen the most coups since 1950. In this period, the country saw 17 coup attempts.

There is a decreasing trend in coups worldwide. Data collected by U.S. researchers Jonathan M Powell and Clayton L Thyne on coups from 1950 to July, 2023 July shows that from a high of 12.3 coups per year on average between 1960 and 69, the figure fell to 2.44 for the decade 2010 – 19.

However, Africa stands out. In the 1950s, most coups occurred in Latin America. On an average, 4.1 coups happened in this region per year in this decade. In Africa, the figure was at 0.5. In the 2010s, Latin America saw no coup attempts, while Africa saw 1.7 per year on average. This is still lower than the 1950s average, but the highest among other regions for the 2010s.

After 2020, we see an uptick in total coup attempts. Four years – 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 (till July) – saw 14 coup attempts in total. This is against the 22 total coup attempts recorded in the whole decade between 2010 to 2019. In 2021 alone, seven coup attempts were recorded, the most since 2012. Six of them were in Africa

Not always a success

As per Powell and Thyne’s definition, a successful coup is one where the chief executive in power remains unseated for at least a week after the coup. Of the 490 coups that Powell and Thyne have recorded, 244 coups succeeded and 246 failed. In Africa, an exactly equal number of coups have failed and succeeded — 110 each. Since the 1980s, the number of successful coups have been lesser than failed coups. The 2020-23 period is an exception, with nine successful coups and five failed ones.

Why do coups happen in the first place? Holger Albrecht from the University of Alabama and Ferdinand Eibl from King’s College, London have studied who starts military coups and what their incentives might be. They stated that measures like increased military spending might discourage top-ranking military officers from starting coups. In the case of combat-level officers, they noted that increased social spending that reflects on their individual welfare might be an effective coup-proofing measure.

Also read |Explained: The coups in West Africa and the regional response

Some researchers say that the pandemic may have had an effect on the economy of countries, exacerbating public dissatisfaction with the ruling governments. Islamist insurgencies in the region add fuel to the flames, leading to coups against governments that cannot or will not tackle terrorists.