Contributed, Author at Future Media News

South Africans are opting to go off-grid: how they’re being helped, and hindered, in their efforts

By Germarié Viljoen, North-West University and Felix Dube, University of Pretoria Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power utility, struggles to generate and supply a stable flow of electricity to meet demand. In 2023, there were times when households and businesses had no power for up to 11 hours a day. Eskom has warned that load shedding will be worse in 2024. The result is that many South Africans […]

2 February, 2024

South Africa

Illegal dumping swamps Nelson Mandela Bay

Residents burn rubbish outside the Motherwell NU8 clinic. Photos: Joseph Chirume By Joseph Chirume via GroundUp An ever-increasing number of illegal dump sites that are not getting cleared by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is making life unpleasant for people living in the townships of Gqeberha. It may also be impacting their health. GroundUp visited Motherwell, Kamvelihle, Wells Estate, and Kuyga, and found garbage blowing about the streets and a […]

2 February, 2024

Africa

Three new species of frogs found nestled in Madagascar’s pandan trees

Guibemantis rianasoa, a new frog species from Madagascar. Image courtesy of Hugh Gabriel By Liz Kimbrough via MongaBay Scientists have described three new frog species that dwell exclusively in the spiky leaves of pandan trees in Madagascar’s eastern rainforests. Lead researcher Hugh Gabriel, from the Technical University of Braunschweig in Germany, described the frogs’ sounds as “soft clicks that sound like rain falling on leaves.” And he would know. Gabriel […]

2 February, 2024

Health / Medical

Surge in Syphilis Cases Leads Some Providers to Ration Penicillin

Vials of injectable penicillin in cold storage at the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville, Tennessee. Injectable penicillin is the go-to treatment for syphilis and the only treatment considered safe for pregnant people with the disease. In mid-2023, the health department began rationing the injectable to just pregnant women because of a nationwide antibiotic shortage. Patients who test positive for syphilis and are not pregnant are given an oral antibiotic […]

2 February, 2024

Local

Bank of Namibia warns against fraudulent investment scams.

The Bank of Namibia (the Bank) has noted with concern an escalation in the number of fraudulent investment scam activities, targeting and using references to the Government, its Ministries, Offices, and Agencies. The Bank has identified fraudulent investment scam activities, offering unsolicited financial assistance to fund Namibia’s developmental initiatives, with perpetrators applying particular focus on senior public figures, high-ranking government officials, politicians, and civil servants, to promote the fraudulent […]

2 February, 2024

Health / Medical

How dieting, weight suppression and even misuse of drugs like Ozempic can contribute to eating disorders

Although semaglutide drugs like Ozempic are indicated to treat Type 2 diabetes, they are increasingly prescribed off-label because of their observed effectiveness at inducing weight loss. (Shutterstock) Samantha Withnell, Western University and Lindsay Bodell, Western University Up to 72 per cent of women and 61 per cent of men are dissatisfied with their weight or body image, according to a U.S. study. Globally, millions of people attempt to lose weight […]

2 February, 2024

Africa

Slaves of God: Nigeria’s traditional Osu slavery practice was stopped, but the suffering continues

By Michael E Odijie, UCL There are global efforts to fight modern slavery, but a few traditional systems still hold strong in west Africa. These include Osu, Ohu and Trokosi. The Conversation Africa’s Godfred Akoto Boafo spoke to Michael Odijie who has researched one of the systems – Osu – and what can be done to finally put a stop to it. What is Osu? Osu is a traditional […]

2 February, 2024

Entertainment

Grammy Awards: Africa finally has its own category – but at what cost?

By Eric Charry, Wesleyan University For the first time in its 65-year history the Grammy Awards in the US has introduced an African category, Best African Music Performance, which recognises the song of the year. The Grammys is the most prestigious award in the largest music industry in the world. Its focus has always been US music styles in categories like pop, R&B, rap, country, jazz and classical. […]

2 February, 2024

Opinion Pieces

ChatGPT is the push higher education needs to rethink assessment

Sioux McKenna, Rhodes University; Dan Dixon, University of Sydney; Daniel Oppenheimer, Carnegie Mellon University; Margaret Blackie, Rhodes University, and Sam Illingworth, Edinburgh Napier University The COVID-19 pandemic was a shock to higher education systems everywhere. But while some changes, like moving lectures online, were relatively easy to make, assessment posed a much bigger challenge. Assessment can take many forms, from essays to exams to experiments and more. Many institutions and […]

1 February, 2024