Tag Archives: Tonga

23May/26

When the world’s biggest dams run dry

Rising Tides and New Horizons: Lake Kariba’s Hydrological Recovery and Energy Revival

Sat, May 23 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ —  Recent developments around Lake Kariba highlight a remarkable hydrological, economic, and safety transformation for the region. Following a severe El Niño-induced drought that caused water levels to plummet to just 13% of usable capacity in 2024, above-average rainfall in the 2025/2026 season has driven Lake Kariba’s water levels up to 42.40% by mid-May 2026. This rapid recovery has allowed the Zambezi River Authority to allocate 30 billion cubic meters of water for hydroelectric power generation, paving the way to ease crippling load-shedding in Zambia and Zimbabwe and triple electricity output at facilities like the Kariba South Power Station. Continue reading

28Feb/26

Beyond English: Scaling Zambia’s Local-Language AI Ecosystem for National Impact

Understanding Zambia: Demographics, Linguistic Diversity, and the Push for AI

28 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ —  The artificial intelligence revolution is occurring primarily in English, which structurally excludes people who rely on local languages for their daily lives and deepens existing inequalities. Developing AI systems that “speak” local languages can bridge critical gaps in healthcare and education in the following ways: Continue reading

13Feb/26

Vionde Music Mixtapes: From 1970s Zamrock to Modern Zed Beats

Why We Sing: The Hidden Science of Love, Zambia’s Golden Soul, and the Art of the Perfect Mixtape

Feb 13, 2026 /Mpelembe media/ — The impulse to share a specific song with a partner is among our most enduring romantic rituals, yet it represents a profound transition in the human experience: the shift from music as a fleeting acoustic performance to music as a curated, tangible artifact. This act of intentional construction is not merely about entertainment; it is the building of a “sonic identity” that serves as a physical representation of intimacy. To understand why music maintains such a visceral grip on our romantic lives, we must look to the intersection of evolutionary  ontogeny  and cultural heritage. From the rhythmic scaffolding of our ancestors to the “Golden Soul” of 1970s Zambia, music functions as a sophisticated toolkit designed to signal fitness, accelerate trust, and preserve our collective “affective heritage.”

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01Sep/22

Will Pakistan floods spur better climate disaster planning?

  • Disasters globally worsened by lack of planning
  • Cash shortages, lack of political will contribute to risks
  • Disasters often share causes, pointing to ideas for action

By Laurie Goering

LONDON, Aug 31 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A third of Pakistan is underwater, with at least 1,100 people dead – including 380 children – but monsoon rains “on steroids”, likely fuelled by climate change, are not the only cause of the nation’s misery.
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