insert_link World Social media platforms are blocked in Iran. Candidates in this week’s presidential election are embracing them anyway By Amin Naeni, Deakin University After Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash on May 20, the Iranian government had to schedule an early election to choose a new president. The regime has approved six presidential candidates to run in the election on June 28. The pool includes four hardliners, one centrist and one reformist. The main competition is expected […] todayJune 26, 2024 12
insert_link Africa What’s next after Kenya’s deadly protests? By Rose TROUP BUCHANAN, Simon VALMARY After an unprecedented day of chaos and deadly violence, Kenya finds itself plunged into uncertainty on Wednesday, with lawmakers due to vote this week on deeply unpopular tax hikes that have sparked widespread protests. How did East Africa's economic powerhouse get to this point and what happens now? Tuesday's national strike against proposed tax hikes began peacefully, with […] todayJune 26, 2024 12
insert_link Africa Kenya protests: Gen Z shows the power of digital activism – driving change from screens to the streets By Job Mwaura, University of the Witwatersrand Nationwide demonstrations have erupted in Kenya over a controversial tax bill. The Finance Bill 2024, initially presented to parliament in May, has sparked discontent with an increase in an array of taxes and levies for Kenyans. The mass protests, initially organised in the capital city, Nairobi, have spread across the country. Demonstrations have taken place in […] todayJune 24, 2024 34
insert_link Africa The rise of Africa’s Gen Zs: From TikTok, X to the streets By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency On June 18, 2024, thousands of young Kenyans took to the streets to oppose proposed tax reforms, marking a significant shift in the landscape of youth activism and advocacy in Africa. Within hours, a colourful image that captures the essence of a youthful crowd in trendy attire protesting on the streets of Nairobi was doing the rounds […] todayJune 21, 2024 26
insert_link Health / Medical Surgeon general demands warning label on social media apps The like button is making parents rethink what the ideal age is to introduce phones and social media access to their children. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNN that the threat social media poses to children requires urgent action, and he demanded Congress, in the US to put a label on the apps as it does with cigarettes and alcohol. "The mental health crisis among young people is urgent, […] todayJune 18, 2024 33
insert_link Lifestyle How often do you lie? Deception researchers investigate how the recipient and the medium affect telling the truth Hunter Biden has been found guilty of making a false claim on a federal firearms application. AP Photo/Julio Cortez By Christian B. Miller, Wake Forest University Prominent cases of purported lying continue to dominate the news cycle. President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden was found guilty of lying on a government form while purchasing a handgun. Republican Representative George Santos allegedly lied in many ways, including […] todayJune 12, 2024 23
insert_link World Trump’s post-conviction windfall shows democracy is increasingly a pay-to-play game By Daniel Drache, York University, Canada and Marc D. Froese, Burman University In the hours immediately following Donald Trump’s recent hush-money conviction in a Manhattan courtroom, his presidential campaign raked in US$53 million from small donors. Why are regular people without deep pockets throwing so much money at a convicted felon? In the United States today, as in many other countries with a populism […] todayJune 10, 2024 14
insert_link Namibia Politicians urged to simplify manifestos to engage young voters https://youtu.be/94YOzZof2fs By: Valeria Handobe, via News on One Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) Youth Leader and Head of Communications, Julia Nekwaya called on political parties to make their manifestos more digestible for young voters. Nekwaya was speaking at the EduVote panel discussion, hosted by the Global Shapers - Windhoek hub, which aims to amplify the voices and perspectives of young voters, encouraging them to actively engage […] todayJune 3, 2024 14
insert_link Africa TikTok activism: how queer Zimbabweans use social media to show love and fight hate iZhenya/iStock/Getty Images Plus, CC BY By Gibson Ncube, Stellenbosch University and Princess Sibanda, University of Fort Hare In Zimbabwe, there is a long held public view that queerness is “unAfrican” and imported to Africa from the west. Even though numerous studies have proven this not to be true, reiterations of this lie by the state has led many to believe that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer […] todayMay 29, 2024 21
