insert_link Africa West Africa trade will take a hit as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso leave Ecowas By Olivier Walther, University of Florida The membership of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has been whittled down from 15 to 12 following the unilateral withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso in February. Founded in 1975, Ecowas is one of eight regional economic communities recognised by the African Union to foster regional integration on the continent. Its main objective is to create a […] today15 February, 2024
insert_link Lifestyle Romance isn’t always rosy, sometimes it’s sickening – lovesickness, erotomania and death by heartbreak explained Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock Natasha McKeever, University of Leeds and Luke Brunning, University of Leeds Hundreds of millions of people worldwide use dating apps. But only half of users say that they have had positive experiences. Indeed, a shocking 11% of female users under 50 have received threats of harm. Surely there’s a better way to build these apps. Dating sites and apps have made it easier to find sexual and romantic partners, […] today14 February, 2024
insert_link Business / Economics Josef Sheehama reacts to the decision of Bank of Namibia to keep repo rate unchanged By Josef Sheehama The decision of Bank of Namibia to keep repo rate unchanged is a shocking because inflation rates is stable, and our international reserve remain strong. The policymakers try to navigate risks to inflation and the timing of when global interest rates will start to fall. I understand that the decision influences by several factors contributing to the status quo. We are aware that Namibia's currency, […] today14 February, 2024
insert_link Lifestyle Romance isn’t always rosy, sometimes it’s sickening – lovesickness, erotomania and death by heartbreak explained Irina Marwan Dan Baumgardt, University of Bristol Absence makes the heart grow fonder. All you need is love. It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. If cliches and pop songs are anything to go by, humans spend a substantial portion of waking and sleeping hours thinking and dreaming about the pursuit of love – in all its many forms. But is love all […] today14 February, 2024
insert_link Lifestyle Are you really in love? How expanding your love lexicon can change your relationships and how you see yourself Language can steer your heart in unexpected ways. VLADGRIN/Stock via Getty Images Plus Georgi Gardiner, University of Tennessee What is love? Could those feelings you label as love be something else? What about infatuation? Obsession? A passing fancy? Being smitten? Enthrallment? Beguilement? Lust? A crush? A squish? Platonic admiration? Why do people categorize some attachments as romantic love but not others? Suppose Holly meets someone on vacation. They quickly become […] today14 February, 2024
insert_link Africa Kelvin Kiptum: the Kenyan runner who redefined what it takes to win marathons By Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu, Stephen F. Austin State University Kenyan athletics has lost Kelvin Kiptum, the marathon world record holder who was destined to be the first person to run the race in under two hours. The runner, aged only 24, died on 10 February in a car accident that also claimed his coach Gervais Hakizimana, 37, from Rwanda. The accident occurred near one of the high-altitude […] today14 February, 2024
insert_link Lifestyle ‘Self-love’ might seem selfish. But done right, it’s the opposite of narcissism Bart Larue/Unsplash Ian Robertson, University of Wollongong “To love what you are, the thing that is yourself, is just as if you were embracing a glowing red-hot iron” said psychonalyst Carl Jung. Some may argue this social media generation does not seem to struggle with loving themselves. But is the look-at-me-ism so easily found on TikTok and Instagram the kind of self-love we need in order to flourish? The language […] today14 February, 2024
insert_link Opinion Pieces 200 million voters, 820,000 polling stations and 10,000 candidates: Indonesia’s massive election, by the numbers By Stephen Sherlock, Australian National University Indonesians are going to the polls to elect a new president on Wednesday. There are three candidates running, alongside their vice presidential candidates. According to opinion polls, the favourite is Prabowo Subianto, leader of the Greater Indonesia Party (Gerindra), a populist and nationalist party he founded in 2008. A former army general, Prabowo has already stood unsuccessfully for president twice before. He […] today14 February, 2024
insert_link Africa Nigeria’s popular wara cheese has a short shelf life: we’ve found a way to keep it fresh for longer By Malomo Adekunbi Adetola, Obafemi Awolowo University Cheese is a highly nutritious food produced in hundreds of varieties around the world. It’s all made by fermenting milk but the results range widely in flavour, texture and end uses. The global market value of cheese was about US$83.4 billion in 2022 and is projected to exceed US$120 billion in 2028. In Nigeria, the most popular cheese is wara, a […] today13 February, 2024
