insert_link Business / Economics Young people are lukewarm about Biden – and giving them more information doesn’t move the needle much Young voters in Ann Arbor, Mich., fill out applications to cast their ballot in the midterm elections in November 2022. Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images By Neil O'Brian, University of Oregon and Chandler James, University of Oregon Recent polling for the November 2024 election shows that President Joe Biden is struggling with young voters, who have traditionally supported Democrats. A December 2023 poll showed that 49% of […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 2
insert_link Africa Africa’s debt crisis needs a bold new approach: expert outlines a way forward By Danny Bradlow, University of Pretoria It hasn’t been easy for African states to finance their developmental and environmental policy objectives over the past few years. Recent events suggest that the situation may be improving. For the first time in two years, three African states have been able to access international financial markets, albeit at high interest rates. Kenya, for example, is now paying over 10% compared to […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 8
insert_link Health / Medical 80% of premature baby deaths happen in poorer countries. Five simple measures that can help save them By Andrew Shennan, King's College London and Megan Hall, King's College London Worldwide in 2020 a baby died every 40 seconds because of complications of prematurity. Preterm birth is the leading cause of death among children under 5 years old. The burden of preterm birth is heavier in in low- and middle-income countries, where around 80% occur. The countries with the highest recorded preterm rates in Africa are […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 11
insert_link World Free movement in west Africa: three countries leaving Ecowas could face migration hurdles By Franzisca Zanker, Arnold Bergstraesser Institute; Amanda Bisong, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Leonie Jegen, University of Amsterdam For Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, a recent decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has thrown up questions about how they will navigate regional mobility in future. Ecowas covers a variety of sectors, but migration is a major one. The bloc’s protocols since 1979 […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 7
insert_link World Ukraine Warns the World: It’s Now or Never for Prosecuting Putin President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Feb. 14, 2024. A hard-core group of countries headed by Ukraine has been trying to set up a special court to try Putin for the crime of aggression. But a larger group of countries, led by the United States, wants a lesser version of such a tribunal. Frustrations are mounting in the first camp as Russia’s full-on war in Ukraine grinds into its third year. […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 5
insert_link Environment Earth’s early evolution: fresh insights from rocks formed 3.5 billion years ago The Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains look peaceful today - but 3.5 billion years ago the earth there was roiled by volcanoes. Instinctively RDH/Shutterstock Jaganmoy Jodder, University of the Witwatersrand Our Earth is around 4.5 billion years old. Way back in its earliest years, vast oceans dominated. There were frequent volcanic eruptions and, because there was no free oxygen in the atmosphere, there was no ozone layer. It was a dynamic and […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 17
insert_link Africa Lagos: drugs, firearms and youth unemployment are creating a lethal cocktail in Nigeria’s commercial capital By Adewumi I. Badiora, Olabisi Onabanjo University Lagos is the most populous city in Africa and a regional economic giant, having west Africa’s busiest seaport. It is the centre of commercial and economic activities in Nigeria. The city’s population is estimated to be 20 million people. The existence of informal settlements makes it difficult to come up with a more precise number. Lagos has grown rapidly since […] todayFebruary 21, 2024 17
insert_link Business / Economics How politicians can draw fairer election districts − the same way parents make kids fairly split a piece of cake Unchecked, politicians are likely to try to grab as much electoral power as they can. Fabrice LEROUGE/ONOKY via Getty Images Benjamin Schneer, Harvard Kennedy School; Kevin DeLuca, Yale University, and Maxwell Palmer, Boston University Redistricting – the process of determining the boundaries of election districts in which people vote – is a key element of politics that has more of an effect than people might realize. One Republican political consultant […] todayFebruary 21, 2024 17
insert_link Entertainment Why does a leap year have 366 days? Leap Day is coming. Marvin Samuel Tolentino Pineda/iStock, via Getty images Bhagya Subrayan, Purdue University Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Why does a leap year have 366 days? Does the Earth move slower every four years? – Aarush, age 8, Milpitas, California You may be used to hearing that it […] todayFebruary 21, 2024 12