Andabluesian: An elder descends through the distinctive alleys of the Medina of the northwestern Moroccan city of Chefchaouen, where the blue hues of its buildings are complemented by ornate mosaics. Photo: Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP

The ylang-ylang trade sustains about 10,000 producers in Comoros, which is significant in a country with a population of less than a million. But it also drives deforestation.

The fading forests of sensual ylang-ylang

The ylang-ylang trade sustains about 10,000 producers in Comoros, which is significant in a country with a population of less than a million. But i...

The war in Sudan is often reduced to numbers – 12-million people displaced – or shorthand – “two generals fighting for power”. Then there are the labels – “forgotten”, “nihilistic”, and “war about nothing”. This framing oversimplifies the actors at its centre and erases the people in its path. In North Darfur’s capital, El Fasher , residents who are organising to survive an ongoing 14-month RSF siege defy such flattening.

Sudan: Us vs them – in a good way

‘Stay with Gisma’ is one woman’s attempt to alleviate famine.

We asked Sudanese people to explain what the war is about. What emerges is clear: there is no such thing as a war about nothing.

Is the Sudan war really ‘about nothing’?

There's no such thing as a war about nothing. And Sudan's war is about everything

The who, why, and means of the Sudan war.

Foreign interests drive local dynamics

The who, why, and means of the Sudan war.

Golden age: Faid Kassime (centre), accompanies a gold dowry to his wife’s family home in Moroni, Comoros – as part of Grand Mariage rites held years after an initial Petit Mariage seals a couple’s union. Photo: Marco Longari/AFP

Blondie, a five-year-old research lion, was struck down in his prime by a trophy hunter. He was a dominant male with 10 cubs in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. His death risks destabilising his pride and increasing human-wildlife conflict in the area.

Cecil 2.0: Another research lion killed by trophy tourists

Defenders say trophy hunting benefits conservation, but others warn of the risks it poses to ecosystems and communities.

All Protocol Observed Welcome to Issue 208 of The Continent A gold discovery near Zambia’s West Lunga Park has triggered a chaotic rush. Thousands have flooded Kikonge, clashes have turned deadly, and illegal buyers are cashing in. It’s a gold rush with no rules — just risk, riches, and unrest. Read it here: https://bit.ly/TC_208

There’s money to be made in Tigray, which produces most of Ethiopia’s gold. But billions of dollars are being lost to an illicit trade run by ex-generals and smugglers bound for the Emirates.

Tigray’s plundered gold is being laundered through the UAE

There’s money to be made in Tigray, which produces most of Ethiopia’s gold. But billions of dollars are being lost to an illicit trade run by e...

All Protocol Observed. Welcome to Issue 206 of The Continent. After war ended in Tigray, a new invasion began — by profiteers. Ex-fighters dig for gold. Former generals seize mines like war trophies. Locals face chaos. Meanwhile, gold flows unchecked to the UAE — untraced, unregulated, and lucrative.