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Herbs & Plants. Africa. Vernonia amygdalina. The bitter leaf

Vernonia amygdalina, (family Astaraceae) is a medicinal herb commonly known as bitter leaf. This plant is indigenous to tropical Africa and has enormous medicinal uses and is regarded as a gold mine by many African communities. The plant is normally found along rivers and lakes, in forest margins, wood land and open grass land in […]

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Belize. The Maya. The art of basket weaving

Mayan arts and crafts are an exclusive manifestation of their lifestyle and dominant culture. Their skills and talents prove that they were an advanced civilization that developed technologies, ideas, concepts, designs, and architecture that still amaze us today. There have been discoveries of elaborate Mayan sculptures, artifacts, paintings, pottery, and innovative creations and designs. Like

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Global military spending surges amid war, rising tensions and insecurity

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), total global military expenditure reached $2443 billion in 2023, an increase of 6.8 per cent in real terms from 2022. This was the steepest year-on-year increase since 2009. The 10 largest spenders in 2023 – led by the United States, China and Russia – all increased

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Kigelia Africana. A medicinal plant with a cosmetic potential

Kigelia africana (Lam), Benth (Bignoniaceae family), is a highly valuable medicinal plant that is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. The name ‘Africana’ reflects that the tree is African.  Although there are several species of the genus ‘Kigelia’, Kigelia Africana is the major species that is found across a large part of Africa. The tree is commonly

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African arms imports drop while European imports double

Over the last decade, imports of major arms by African states have fallen by half, mainly due to big decreases by Algeria and Morocco, while China has been taking a greater share of the continental market from Russia. This is according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which has just released new data

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Mission Diary. Sr. Maria Reina: “There is always a reason”

After her first missionary experience in Peru, she was appointed to Tapachula, in Chiapas, in southern Mexico, to work with migrants who arrive mainly from Central America and Haiti. Sr. Maria Reina Ametepé, a Togolese Comboni Sister, talks to us about her missionary experience and the new challenges she must face. I am originally from

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South Africa. A Century of Faith and Commitment

The Comboni Missionaries celebrate 100 years of their presence in the country. In 1924, the Comboni Missionaries arrived in South Africa, a vast land of diverse peoples. Only a few hundred were Catholic, and they were primarily European gold-diggers and adventurers. Charged with establishing the Catholic faith in the region then known as Eastern Transvaal,

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