Key Facts Scientific Breakthroughs & New Research Leading our roundup are several significant scientific and medical breakthroughs. Researchers in New York unveiled a potential “universal” antiviral strategy, reporting compounds that neutralized seven different viruses across multiple families in lab tests gavi.org. By targeting sugar molecules (glycans) common to many enveloped viruses, the team identified four…
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As of early 2023, Guinea had 13.46 million active cellular connections, about 96% of the population. The National Fiber Optic Backbone was completed in 2020, spanning 4,352 km, built by Huawei with a China Eximbank loan, connecting 33 prefectures and 62 cities and providing backhaul for mobile operators. Fixed broadband is extremely limited, with fewer…
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As of early 2025, about 1.8 million Sierra Leoneans used the internet, roughly 20% of the population. By 2024, 4G coverage reached about 79% of the population. The leading mobile operators are Africell, Orange (SL), and QCell, with the state-owned Sierratel in the process of privatization. Starlink arrived in Sierra Leone in 2023–2024, with hardware…
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As of early 2025, Liberia has about 1.84 million internet users, representing 32.4% of the population, up from 19% in 2019. There were over 5.11 million active mobile connections in 2025, roughly 90% of the population, with many Liberians owning multiple SIMs. By 2025, 87.2% of all mobile connections were on broadband 3G/4G networks, with…
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1.7 billion adults lack access to formal banking, about 31% of all adults, and 55% of the unbanked are women. BitPesa, a crypto-powered remittance firm in sub-Saharan Africa, has cut transfer fees by up to 90% compared with traditional methods. In Kenya, the Red Cross and Grassroots Economics launched a blockchain-backed community currency, enabling 25…
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