insert_link Africa Nigeria under cost of living pressure: 8 essential reads on rising tensions By Adejuwon Soyinka, The Conversation In recent times, Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy, has been under intense pressure. Assailed by rising inflation, food insecurity and the rising cost of fuel and energy, Nigerians have had to endure diminished purchasing power, hunger and youth unrest. These factors have led to agitations by various segments of society, including demands for higher wages by government workers. At The […] todayAugust 1, 2024 22
insert_link Africa Protests in Kenya and Uganda highlight corruption at the top – but political elites don’t give in without a fight By Inge Amundsen, Chr. Michelsen Institute The recent protests by young people in Kenya and Uganda have highlighted a form of corruption that is difficult to deal with: political corruption. Compared to its cousin, administrative or bureaucratic corruption (such as a civil servant soliciting a bribe to provide a public service), political corruption is much more difficult to fight. This is because it is perpetrated […] todayAugust 1, 2024 29
insert_link Africa German colonialism in Africa has a chilling history – new book explores how it lives on By Henning Melber, University of Pretoria Germany was a significant – and often brutal – colonial power in Africa. But this colonial history is not told as often as that of other imperialist nations. A new book called The Long Shadow of German Colonialism: Amnesia, Denialism and Revisionism aims to bring the past into the light. It explores not just the history of German colonialism, […] todayAugust 1, 2024 30
insert_link World Hamas leader’s killing in Tehran likely to further escalate violence in Middle East By Ian Parmeter, Australian National University Palestinian militant group Hamas says its top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, has been killed in his home in Tehran. It blames Israel for the attack, saying it was “a Zionist airstrike on his residence in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of Iran’s new president”. Iran has not yet given any details on how Haniyeh was killed, […] todayJuly 31, 2024 14
insert_link Opinion Pieces Rich countries are paying poorer ones to manage their refugee crises: 3 reasons this is dangerous By Ali Bhagat, Simon Fraser University and Genevieve LeBaron, Simon Fraser University In recent years, western nations have been sending asylum seekers who arrive at their borders to other countries. This is a practice known as offshoring. The UK has become the recent poster country of this practice. The UK, whose plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was later scrapped after domestic and […] todayJuly 31, 2024 17
insert_link Health / Medical Ticks in South Africa are becoming resistant to pesticides – and may become uncontrollable By Luther van der Mescht, University of the Free State Ticks that suck the blood of South Africa’s cattle are developing resistance to the only pesticides that kill them and have become increasingly difficult to control. If not contained, the spread and resistance to pesticides of these small parasites will affect farmers’ incomes and could reduce the country’s meat and milk production. South Africa […] todayJuly 31, 2024 25
insert_link Africa Green energy for all: Zimbabwe will need a new social contract to roll out projects like solar power By Ellen Fungisai Chipango, University of Johannesburg and Long Seng To, Loughborough University The Zimbabwean government is racing against time to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7: affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030. However, the race towards green energy is top-down and mostly privatised. New technology is being introduced or sold to individuals or small families, but renewable […] todayJuly 31, 2024 17
insert_link Business / Economics Saving for retirement in South Africa? Four tips to navigate the new pension rules By Adrian Saville, University of Pretoria South Africa is changing its pension laws. The new system is designed to give individuals the opportunity to access only a portion of their retirement funds before they retire in the case of dire need – or even in case of desire. To an extent, this makes sense, given the low savings rate in the country. It forces individuals […] todayJuly 31, 2024 13
insert_link South Africa South Africa’s unity government could see a continuation of the ANC’s political dominance – and hurt the DA By Roger Southall, University of the Witwatersrand The ANC’s loss of its majority in the recent election, and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s formation of a government of national unity, have been interpreted by some commentators as indicating the end of the ANC as a “dominant party”. That is, one which recurrently wins elections and hence dominates a political system. Their argument, and it is not unconvincing, is […] todayJuly 30, 2024 24