By Rice University,First Published,May 19, 2026 A newly developed bacterial cellulose manufacturing technique could lead to strong, multifunctional materials capable of replacing plastics. What if the next generation of high-performance materials did not come from a factory filled with petroleum-based plastics, but from living bacteria? Scientists at Rice University and the University of Houston have developed a new way to turn bacterial cellulose into an ultra-strong, multifunctional material that could eventually replace plastics in products ranging from packaging to electronics. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, describe a scalable manufacturing process that guides bacteria to…
Category: News Stories
Seychelles-Greece Reaffirm Bilateral Relations…As Prez receives Ambassador Designate
The President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr. Patrick Herminie, received the Letters of Credence of His Excellency Mr. George Psiachas, Ambassador-Designate of the Hellenic Republic of Greece to Seychelles an official statement issued in Victoria,Teusday,has disclosed. The accreditation ceremony the statement said,was held in the morning at State House. During their discussions,it added, President Herminie congratulated the new Ambassador of Greece and highlighted that Seychelles and Greece have enjoyed warm and longstanding f relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in July 1980. The President further expressed Seychelles’ appreciation…
LSEG Islamic Investment Review 2025 Launched in London
Story: Mohammed A. Abu The London Stock Exchange Group(LSEG) Data & Analytics, has announced in London,Teusday, the launch of its latest report “LSEG Islamic Investment Review 2025: 50 Years of Exponential Growth”. The report provides a comprehensive, data‑driven assessment of global Islamic investment markets, examining developments across sukuk, Shariah‑compliant equities and Islamic funds at a time of heightened macroeconomic uncertainty and market volatility. Offering a detailed snapshot of market size, growth and structural evolution in 2025, the report highlights the continued expansion and resilience of Islamic investment markets despite tighter…
AI Skills and Compute Africa Foundation Launches in Rwanda
The AI Skills and Compute Africa Foundation (AISCA Foundation) (https://AISCAfrica.org) officially launches in Kigali to dismantle the barriers to AI innovation, strengthening Africa’s artificial intelligence ecosystem says an official statement issued in Kigali,Monday. Through this initiative,it noted, AISCA Foundation aims to provide equitable access to compute, skills development, research support, and community building. Backed by seed funding from founding technology partner Cassava Technologies, AISCA Foundation is bridging the “compute gap” to ensure African AI researchers and innovators can develop world-class AI solutions locally, while building a scalable pipeline for continental talent development.…
Physicists Observe Strange Quantum Rotation Effect That Defies Intuition
By Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendor, First Published,17th May,2026 Researchers discovered that atomic rotations inside a crystal can unexpectedly flip direction while still obeying the laws of angular momentum conservation. An international team of researchers, including scientists from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, has directly observed for the first time how angular momentum moves and remains conserved inside a crystal lattice. By using powerful terahertz laser pulses, the team was able to precisely manipulate these motions and discovered an unexpected effect: during the transfer process, the direction of…
Italian Engineering Giant Webuild Clinches Samoter Innovation Award for Africa’s Largest Dam
By: Addis Insight,First Published,May 14, 2026 Italian construction titan Webuild has officially secured the prestigious Samoter Innovation Award 2026. The accolade recognizes the company’s groundbreaking work on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a project that is redefining the landscape of renewable energy in Africa. Why the GERD Won Big Presented at the Samoter International Construction Machinery Exhibition in Italy, the award celebrates more than just “building a wall.” The judges highlighted the GERD as a masterpiece of technological and engineering excellence. “The recognition highlights the GERD not only for its complexity but for its…
New Stroke Study Challenges Decades-Old Medical Beliefs
Lacunar stroke may arise from damage in the brain’s small blood vessels rather than fatty plaque in larger arteries, pointing researchers toward new treatment strategies. Scientists have found new evidence that calls into question a long-standing explanation for a common form of stroke, and it may help clarify why standard prevention treatments often fall short. The study suggests that fatty deposits in arteries are unlikely to be the cause of lacunar ischemic stroke, a type that makes up about one quarter of all ischemic strokes, which are strokes caused by…
How biodiversity markets shape nature recovery
First Published,11 May 2026 Land, Society and Governance Blog 3 minute read Mattia Troiano,Research Assistant, Dr Mark Hirons Senior Researcher Biodiversity markets are increasingly being used in conservation policy, but we still don’t fully understand how their design shapes who gets involved and what actually happens for nature on the ground. A new open-access article in Environmental Policy and Governance by Mattia Troiano, a researcher at the ECI, and colleagues looks at this question through England’s Biodiversity Net Gain system, based on interviews and participatory mapping work in Oxfordshire. Rather…
IEA opposes renewal of Gold Fields Tarkwa mining lease, calls for greater Ghanaian ownership
First Published,13 May 2026 6:31pm The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has intensified calls for Ghana to prioritise local ownership of its natural resources, opposing the renewal of Gold Fields’ lease for the Tarkwa mines as it approaches expiration in 2027. Speaking at a press conference in Accra, former Chief Justice and IEA Fellow Sophia Akuffo supported calls for increased Ghanaian participation in the management of the country’s mineral resources, stressing the need for greater national control over strategic assets. The IEA said the proposed lease renewal or extension…
GoldBod targets $400 million weekly gold purchases under GANRAP – CEO
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, Esq. has revealed that government, through the Ghana Accelerated National Reserve Accumulation Programme (GANRAP), is targeting the purchase of three tonnes of gold every week in a move expected to generate over $400 million weekly for Ghana’s economy through 2028. According to Mr. Gyamfi on TV3’s Key Points Program on Saturday, May 9, 2026, the programme seeks to purchase 2.45 tonnes of gold weekly from the artisanal and small-scale mining sector, while large-scale mining companies are expected to…
