insert_link World ‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in India By Sofia Ammassari, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a likely third consecutive victory in the Indian general election, starting today. While much ink has been spilled on Modi’s populist leadership and personality cult, the same […] todayApril 22, 2024 17
insert_link World Why is the Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but the Bondi tragedy isn’t? By Greg Barton, Deakin University Just days after the deadly Westfield Bondi attacks, a second knife attack in Sydney has generated widespread shock and grief. This time, a 16-year-old entered an Assyrian church and rushed forward to stab the popular bishop presiding over a service, together with a priest who rushed to his defence. The shocking events were captured on the church’s video stream, and the news […] todayApril 19, 2024 19
World Global coral bleaching caused by global warming demands a global response Bleached coral at the Keppel Islands in the southern Great Barrier Reef in early March 2024. © AIMS | Eoghan Aston By Britta Schaffelke, Australian Institute of Marine Science; David Wachenfeld, Australian Institute of Marine Science, and Selina Stead, Newcastle University The fourth global coral bleaching event, announced this week, is an urgent wake-up call to the world. While the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s announcement is […] todayApril 19, 2024 27
insert_link South Africa South Africa’s electricity crisis: a series of failures over 30 years have left a dim legacy By Mark Swilling, Stellenbosch University In 1994, apartheid ended and the African National Congress (ANC) won South Africa’s first ever democratic elections, promising “Electricity for All” as part of its Reconstruction and Development Programme. Back then only 36% of all South Africans had electricity in their homes. The development programme promised to double that number by electrifying an additional 2.5 million homes by 2000. This seemed […] todayApril 19, 2024 19
insert_link Science & Technology Understanding AI outputs: study shows pro-western cultural bias in the way AI decisions are explained AI models’ outputs need to be properly explained to the people affected. DrAfter123/Getty Images By Mary Carman, University of the Witwatersrand and Uwe Peters, Utrecht University Humans are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to inform decisions about our lives. AI is, for instance, helping to make hiring choices and offer medical diagnoses. If you were affected, you might want an explanation of why an AI system produced the […] todayApril 19, 2024 21
insert_link Africa How to get vaccines to remote areas? In Sierra Leone they’re delivered by foot, boat or motorbike By Niccolo Francesco Meriggi, University of Oxford In Sierra Leone almost 59% of the population live in remote, rural areas. Roads may be non-existent or in bad condition, making it very difficult for rural dwellers to access healthcare. This is one of the key reasons why COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country are low. During an innovative vaccine programme mobile vaccine clinics were dispatched to the furthest […] todayApril 19, 2024 25
insert_link World Ukraine is losing the war and the west faces a stark choice: help now or face a resurgent and aggressive Russia By Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham and Tetyana Malyarenko, National University Odesa Law Academy Ukraine is now experiencing a level of existential threat comparable only to the situation immediately after the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. But in contrast to then, improvements are unlikely – at least not soon. Not only have conditions along the frontline significantly worsened, according to the Ukrainian commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, […] todayApril 18, 2024 28
insert_link Africa How to end hunger in sub-Saharan Africa: fight inequality, gender imbalances and climate change By Helen Onyeaka, University of Birmingham A greater part of Africa’s population can’t afford a healthy diet than any other regional population. Food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa is caused by climate change, high levels of poverty, rapid population growth, low economic growth, inadequate infrastructure and conflicts. Women are the backbone of agricultural labour in the region. The problems of limited access to land, water and technology faced […] todayApril 18, 2024 17
South Africa Social media for sex education: South African teens explain how it would help them Social media platforms can provide safe, accurate and confidential information about sex to teens. Nattrass/Getty Images By Ayobami Precious Adekola, University of South Africa Most teenagers dread talking about sex with their parents. Their parents feel the same way. In some societies it’s considered taboo to even broach the subject. And, even where sexuality education is taught at schools, research has shown that effective communication between young […] todayApril 18, 2024 52