insert_link World Israel’s invasion of Rafah will not eliminate Hamas or end the war. So, what is Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan? By Ian Parmeter, Australian National University The Gaza war has now entered its eighth month and a resolution to the conflict still seems far off. Israel claims to have killed 13,000 Hamas militants so far. If that figure is correct, one can assume the number of wounded or incapacitated militants is at least twice or maybe three times that number. Prior to the war breaking out, […] todayMay 15, 2024 4
insert_link Entertainment Taylor Swift has got the 1830s all wrong By Emily Ireland, University of Liverpool Taylor Swift has become incredibly popular as a documenter of her dating history. But in her new album, The Tortured Poet’s Department, she tries her hand at writing about actual history. In the second verse of “I Hate it Here” (track 23 on the mammoth 31-track anthology version of the album), Swift sings about playing a game that involves […] todayMay 15, 2024 5
insert_link World Femicide: many countries around the world are making the killing of women a specific crime – here’s why it’s needed By Madhumita Pandey, Sheffield Hallam University An average of five women or girls are killed every hour by someone in their own family, according to UN data. And often their murders are intrinsically linked to them being women. Some countries are now passing laws to specifically criminalise femicide – an extreme manifestation of gender-based violence. The first documented use of the term “femicide” was in […] todayMay 15, 2024 4
insert_link Health / Medical Navel gazing: checking your belly button can tell you a lot about your health By Dan Baumgardt, University of Bristol Navels, belly buttons, innies or outies … whatever term you use, your umbilicus may have plenty to tell you about the state of your health. For some, they are the thing of nightmares – omphalophobia (the fear of belly buttons) is a real condition. For others, they are a fashion accessory to be shown off in a crop top, or decorated […] todayMay 15, 2024 3
insert_link South Africa South Africa will be president of the G20 in 2025: two much-needed reforms it should drive By Danny Bradlow, University of Pretoria South Africa will play an important international role in 2025 as president of the G20. The G20 is a group of 19 countries as well as the African Union and the European Union. Between them they represent 85% of global economy, 75% of world trade and 67% of global population. The G20 defines itself as the premier multilateral forum […] todayMay 15, 2024 6
insert_link Africa BGI Genomics launches first African public health initiative to screen cervical cancer. BGI Genomics have recently launched their first cervical cancer screening program in Africa with Rwanda being being the first beneficiary. The program that was initiated in Ngoma District in the Eastern Province of Rwanda will provide 20,000 Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA tests for local women, aiming to enhance cervical cancer screening and prevention efforts and improve local precision medical testing capabilities. The launching event was attended by Wang Xuekun, Chinese […] todayMay 15, 2024 2
insert_link Africa Ghana’s forests are being wiped out: what’s behind this and why attempts to stop it aren’t working By John Tennyson Afele, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Ghana has around 7.9 million hectares of forested land (35% of the total land area), according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Around 7.6 million hectares are primary or naturally regenerated forest, and around 297,000 hectares are planted forest. In 2022, Ghana lost 18,000 hectares of primary forest, a nearly 70% increase from […] todayMay 15, 2024 3
insert_link South Africa Over 26 million South Africans get a social grant. Fear of losing the payment used to be a reason to vote for the ANC, but no longer – study By Leila Patel, University of Johannesburg and Yolanda Sadie, University of Johannesburg Social grants to reduce poverty feature prominently in the campaign promises of political parties in South Africa’s 2024 national and provincial general elections, set for 29 May. The country’s social grants system is one of the largest in Africa in terms of number of beneficiaries. Research shows that this has helped reduce poverty. […] todayMay 15, 2024 4
insert_link Africa African health experts warn of climate change & rising vector-borne diseases Climate change has become a pressing public health crisis around the world, as disease patterns worsen and emerge in regions where they did not exist before. Health experts are particularly concerned about the role of climate change in the rise of vector-borne diseases in Africa’s low- and middle-income countries. Rising temperatures can expand and extend the life cycle of disease-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks and parasites. Health experts discussed […] todayMay 14, 2024 12
Paying it forward: Kenyan coastal doctor Bashrahil Mohammed Mafudh has made it his life’s work to care for the most vulnerable in his community, at no cost.
