insert_link Africa Mali is still unsafe under the military: why it hasn’t made progress against rebels and terrorists By Oluwole Ojewale, Institute for Security Studies; Freedom C. Onuoha, University of Nigeria, and Samuel Oyewole, University of Pretoria The scale of casualties suffered by the Wagner group and Malian forces during a recent assault in the Tinzaouaten region reveal vulnerability in Mali’s counterinsurgency posture. The attack was reported in the media as the biggest loss for Russian paramilitaries in several years of operating in Africa. Although there […] todayAugust 9, 2024 20
insert_link Entertainment Sexual abuse and bad pay: women’s struggles in South African live music exposed VolodymyrKozin/Getty Images By Gwen Ansell, University of Pretoria Women working in live music as performers and in other onstage and behind-the-scenes roles in South Africa experience exclusion from decision-making, unequal pay, pressure to fit stereotyped roles, constant micro-aggressions, and real danger of gender-based violence. This is according to new industry research commissioned by the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (Samro). Samro is South Africa’s oldest royalty collection and […] todayAugust 8, 2024 23
insert_link World How the Olympics opening ceremony triggered a debate on ‘woke ideology’ in France By Alexandre Frambéry-Iacobone, Université de Bordeaux France was hurt, divided and in need of a great federating event after recent elections. And Emmanuel Macron framed the Olympic Games as an opportunity to “unite around a France that welcomes the world”, calling for a “political truce” during that time. Conservatives, however, believe that the great moment of national cohesion has yet to take place. From the Republican […] todayAugust 8, 2024 25
insert_link Africa Young, urban, African: research explores what it means to be a good citizen in Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania By Amy S. Patterson, Sewanee: The University of the South; Megan Hershey, Whitworth University, and Tracy Kuperus, Calvin University Young people between the ages of 18 and 35 make up two-thirds of Africa’s population. The number is expected to reach 75% by 2030. They live in an environment of rapid urbanisation, high unemployment rates and poor state services. These are some of the factors that incline young people […] todayAugust 8, 2024 26
insert_link Health / Medical What your nails can tell you about your health An example of koilonychia (‘spoon nail’). iweevy/Shutterstock By Dan Baumgardt, University of Bristol As a medical student, nails were one part of my anatomy course that I really struggled with. I found it difficult, at first, to stomach the sight of painful nail injuries. My squeamishness may have stemmed from witnessing someone sharply removing a plaster from their stubbed big toe – only to take the whole toenail […] todayAugust 8, 2024 39
insert_link Health / Medical Eating quickly saves time, but it takes a toll on your health – here’s how Simona pilolla 2 / Shutterstock By Esther Martínez Miguel, Universidad Nebrija and Silvia Gómez Senent, Universidad Nebrija Our fast-paced modern lives often rob us of time for basic activities like eating. Many of us grab something quick for breakfast on the way out of the house, or wolf down our lunch so we can gain a sliver more time to be productive at work, or to dedicate to our […] todayAugust 7, 2024 15
insert_link Environment Oceans without sharks would be far less healthy – new research Gray reef sharks and blacktip reef sharks near Tahiti, French Polynesia. Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Images By Michael Heithaus, Florida International University There are more than 500 species of sharks in the world’s oceans, from the 7-inch dwarf lantern shark to whale sharks that can grow to over 35 feet long. They’re found from polar waters to the equator, at the water’s surface and miles deep, in the open […] todayAugust 7, 2024 10
insert_link Opinion Pieces Four reasons why physically punishing school children doesn’t work a Conrad Hughes, Université de Genève When I was a child I went to school in South Africa. This was the late 1970s. At school, the teachers would hit us. It was called getting the cane, the cane being a long, flexible stick. This tradition, exported from a Dickensian Victorian English model, was very popular with some teachers. They were seen as terrors: you didn’t want to get the cane […] todayAugust 7, 2024 25
insert_link Health / Medical Heat risk isn’t just about the highs: Large daily temperature swings can harm human health – maps show who is affected most Low-income neighborhoods with lots of concrete and few trees can heat up faster than surrounding areas. AP Photo/Richard Vogel By Shengjie Liu, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Emily Smith-Greenaway, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences This summer has shown how quickly high temperatures can pose serious health risks, with record-breaking heat waves claiming thousands of lives around the world. However, it’s not just high […] todayAugust 7, 2024 22