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Don BiggCopyright: Don Bigg

Taoufik Hazeb, known as Don Bigg, Bigg da Don or just Bigg, is one of Morocco’s most influential rappers – but he only got into hip-hop because: “I didn’t have a beautiful voice, so the choice was made.”

His latest hit is a collaboration between Nigerian singer-songwriter Teni and Hamid El Kasri, a master musician of Gnawa – a deeply hypnotic trance music that originated in Morocco’s enslaved communities.

Son of a Slave addresses Morocco’s history of slavery in a powerful and uplifting way.

It's taken Bigg a long time to confront the issue – even though for 20 years he built his reputation on being outspoken on controversial matters including politics, corruption, police brutality and domestic abuse.

Quote Message: I didn’t have the guts to talk about the subject [of slavery] because I didn’t want to just talk about something that’s not my culture.”

I didn’t have the guts to talk about the subject [of slavery] because I didn’t want to just talk about something that’s not my culture.”

But then he realised that slavery was part of his own family’s history – his own grandfather is descended from enslaved people.

Don Bigg started out back in 2004 and became a big star in 2006.

He’s credited as pioneering Morocco’s rap movement. He knew in 1989 – when he was six years old - that he wanted to get into music. He was watching a Michael Jackson concert on TV.

“I didn’t understand a word, but I’m just feeling the vibe of his singing.

“When the crowd yelled at the end of the song, I got goosebumps - and I just had this feeling that this is what I want to do.”

Bigg began rapping in English, but soon realised that rapping in Darija, Morrocan Arabic, was the way to connect with the people.

He’s collaborated with many of the younger generation of Moroccan rappers, including Dizzy Dros, Dragonov, Khtek and El Grande Toto.

Bigg believes that Moroccan rap is entering a new era.

Rappers in Morocco are heard all over the world, celebrated in the mainstream and even get the support of the king.

Quote Message: I'm really proud to see my country as it is right now. We had this dream back in the day.”

I'm really proud to see my country as it is right now. We had this dream back in the day.”

He says that Moroccan rap is also freeing itself from the influence of US and European rap as artists turn towards the rest of Africa for collaborations.

“I think people are starting to understand that Africa is the future – because it’s there that you can find a lot of different cultures.”

And you can certainly hear those different vibes in Don Bigg’s collaboration with Teni.

You can find DJ Edu’s conversation with Don Bigg here.

Results from the world’s first double-blind clinical trial to find a treatment for fungal mycetoma, a chronic disabling disease, have shown that a new oral treatment, fosravoconazole, is safe, patient-friendly and effective.

Mycetoma, also known as Madura Foot or Nabat in Arabic, is one of the world’s most neglected diseases.

The drug was tested in Sudan which, along with Mexico, reports some of the highest number of cases globally.

Mycetoma is caused by a fungus. Infection begins most often in the foot, after a cut allows the fungus to enter from the soil or animal dung.

It infects people who often walk barefoot.

The disease eats away at the flesh and is very difficult to treat.

If caught early enough there is a drug that can already be used but a patient has to take up to four pills a day for an entire year.

Too often, amputation to treat the infected foot is the only option.

According to trial results, the fosravoconazole treatment is cheaper and has fewer side effects than the current drug. Plus a patient will only need to take two pills a week.

The next step is for the drug to be registered for general use in Sudan. But the war is having devastating consequences and patients do not have access to the treatments they desperately need.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Funding constraints and rising humanitarian needs could force the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) to halt assistance to more than a million people in Chad many of whom have fled the conflict in Sudan, the UN says.

Sudan's seven-month civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has forced more than six million to flee their homes.

Some of those have left the country including 450,000 who have crossed into neighbouring Chad, according to the UN's refugee agency.

"To insure continued support to crisis-affected populations in Chad over the next six months the WFP urgently requires $185m (£150m),” said the UN secretary-general's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq.

If the UN does not receive the money then in December the WFP would have to suspend food aid to the internally displaced and refugees in Chad, Mr Haq said this week. He added that in January help would then be halted to all those receiving it across Chad and also to any new arrivals from Sudan.