insert_link Opinion Pieces Why Trump’s control of the Republican Party is bad for democracy Republican elites have embraced Trump as their leader. AP Photo/Alex Brandon Erica Frantz, Michigan State University; Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Yale University, and Joseph Wright, Penn State As former President Donald Trump edges closer to clinching the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, our political science research has shown that a second Trump presidency is likely to damage American democracy even more than his first term did. The reason has less to do […] today31 January, 2024
insert_link Environment The surprising reason why insects circle lights at night: They lose track of the sky A multiple-exposure photograph of insects circling a light at night. Samuel Fabian, CC BY-ND Samuel Fabian, Imperial College London; Jamie Theobald, Florida International University, and Yash Sondhi, University of Florida It’s an observation as old as humans gathering around campfires: Light at night can draw an erratically circling crowd of insects. In art, music and literature, this spectacle is an enduring metaphor for dangerous but irresistible attractions. And watching their […] today31 January, 2024
insert_link Health / Medical Measles is on the rise around the world – we can’t let vaccination rates falter fotohay/Shutterstock Jaya Dantas, Curtin University In recent weeks a series of measles alerts have been issued around Australia, including in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, after the identification of a small number of cases in travellers returning from overseas. Meanwhile, places such as the United States and the United Kingdom have been contending with larger measles outbreaks. In fact, the World Health Organization reported a 45-fold increase in measles […] today31 January, 2024
insert_link Opinion Pieces Intelligence doesn’t make you immune to conspiracy theories – it’s more about thinking style The QAnon conspiracy theory has many powerful supporters. I T S/Shutterstock Darel Cookson, Nottingham Trent University Over the last two decades, and in particular over the last five years, there has been a growing scientific interest in conspiracy theories and people who believe in them. Although, some may think belief in such stories is linked to intelligence, research is beginning to show that how people think could be more important. […] today31 January, 2024
insert_link Opinion Pieces Labour hasn’t won a UK general election since 2010. Will 2024 be any different? By Rob Manwaring, Flinders University Democracy faces challenges around the globe in 2024: at least 64 countries will ask their citizens to elect a government this year. One of the most keenly observed will be the United Kingdom general election, likely to be held in November. The British Labour party has not won an election since 2010, and has lost the last four elections. At the last election in […] today31 January, 2024
insert_link Africa ‘We miners die a lot.’ Appalling conditions and poverty wages: the lives of cobalt miners in the DRC Labourers load sacks of cobalt onto bicycles at Mutoshi mine in July 2021. Roy Maconachie Roy Maconachie, University of Bath It was a cool, dusty morning in July 2021, when I first visited the Kamilombe cobalt mine in Lualaba Province in south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Situated just outside Kapata on the south-west outskirts of Kolwezi, a mining town that has historically served as an important centre for copper and […] today31 January, 2024
insert_link Environment Farmers need to gain access to agricultural information By Erastus Ngaruka, Technical Advisor: Livestock & Rangeland Management Agriculture is by far an economic pillar in Namibia as it directly or indirectly supports all livelihoods in the form of food, employment, and income. Besides that, agricultural production faces many challenges that are associated with climatic conditions, technology, markets, and knowledge or skills amongst others. For example, potential agricultural production in Namibia is vulnerable to climate change […] today31 January, 2024
insert_link Africa Burundi’s quota for women in politics has had mixed results, but that’s no reason to scrap it By Reginas Ndayiragije, University of Antwerp; Petra Meier, University of Antwerp, and Stef Vandeginste, University of Antwerp Since 2005, Burundi has set quotas to ensure that the country’s three ethnic groups (Hutu, Tutsi and Twa), as well as women, are represented in its parliament, central government and municipal administrations. Its constitution states that women should make up at least 30% of these institutions. The senate, Burundi’s highest chamber […] today31 January, 2024
insert_link Opinion Pieces Customer experience, efficiency to drive growth of Africa’s telco sector this year by Louis Avenant, Senior Project Manager at Itemate Solutions Africa's vibrant telco sector is set for a bumper year in 2024 as it expands operations and broadens service offerings to meet the needs of an increasingly digital-savvy customer base. Industry projections estimate the Africa telco sector will grow by $2.24-billion between 2020 and 2024, with longer-term growth expected to be powered by the rollout of high-speed 5G connectivity and a growing […] today30 January, 2024
