Only 3 years left – new study warns the world is running out of time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change: Bad climate news is everywhere. Africa is being hit particularly hard by climate change and extreme weather, impacting lives and livelihoods. We are living in a world that is warming at the …
Violence in South Sudan is rising again: what’s different this time, and how to avoid civil war: A rise in political tensions in South Sudan and an escalation of violence in the Upper Nile State have raised fears of a return to civil war in the world’s youngest nation. In early March 2025, neighbouring Uganda …
How to avoid being hacked: start by upping your password game – ‘12345’ doesn’t cut it: Strong passwords can make a huge difference to your cyber security. Boris Zhitkov If you type the term “password cyberattack” into Google News, the results will show just how often cyber criminals are getting hold of important data belonging …
South African university students use AI to help them understand – not to avoid work: Students are not adopting digital and AI-powered tools uncritically. tzido/iStock When ChatGPT was released in November 2022, it sparked many conversations and moral panics. These centre on the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on the information environment. People worry …
Hepatitis C: Britons getting tattoos and cosmetic procedures abroad may be at risk – here’s how to avoid it: If proper sterilisation procedures are in place, your chances of contracting hepatitis C from a tattoo are extremely low. Hryshchyshen Serhii/ Shutterstock A growing number of people living in the UK are going abroad to have …
Chatbots for medical advice: three ways to avoid misleading information: We expect medical professionals to give us reliable information about ourselves and potential treatments so that we can make informed decisions about which (if any) medicine or other intervention we need. If your doctor instead “bullshits” you (yes – this term has been used in …
Seven techniques to avoid weight regain, approved by experts: Breakfast – especially a high-fibre one – may help prevent weight regain. Red Stock/ Shutterstock Losing weight is challenging. But as anyone who has ever successfully lost weight knows, it’s avoiding weight re-gain that’s the real challenge. This is true no matter what method you follow …
Manchester Baccalaureate: how the proposed vocational GCSE route would work – and the pitfalls it must avoid: Juice Flair/Shutterstock From September 2024, GCSE pupils in Greater Manchester may be able to embark on a educational pathway created specifically for them. Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, announced his plans to introduce a Manchester Baccalaureate …
US gun crime: why tourists are being warned to avoid and beware: The year 2023 is on track to be the worst in recent history for mass shootings in the US, according to the Gun Violence Archive database. Some commentators are questioning whether security fears surrounding gun violence and mass shootings could keep international fans …
GCSEs: what to say and what to avoid if you want to help teenagers combat exam anxiety: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock GCSE exams are under way and many students will be feeling the pressure to get the grades they need to pursue their education or employment goals. They may be experiencing exam anxiety, which is linked …
Digital bank runs: social media played a role in recent financial failures but could also help investors avoid panic: SObeR 9426/Shutterstock A crisis of confidence in the US banking sector led people to pull their money from banks including Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse, and more recently, First Republic Bank and California-based PacWest Bancorp. …
Power cuts and food safety: how to avoid illness during loadshedding : Keep as little food as possible in your fridge and freezer. Shutterstock South Africa has been grappling with power cuts for 15 years, which have worsened in recent years. The persistent power outages have disrupted every facet of life, including food safety. The Conversation …
Ukraine war: US issues Nato weapons playing cards to help Ukraine avoid friendly fire: Nato members and other western countries are stepping up their supply of weapons to Ukraine. The UK recently pledged to send 14 Challenger 2 tanks, while the US has promised 31 Abrams tanks, and is sending older models to get them …
US-China tensions: how Africa can avoid being caught in a new Cold War: Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and then U.S Vice President Joe Biden shakes hands in Beijing on December 4, 2013. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images China’s foreign ministry published a 4,000-word analysis entitled US Hegemony and its Perils on 20 February. It’s an indictment …
Algorithms are moulding and shaping our politics. Here’s how to avoid being gamed: Bakhtiar Zein/Shutterstock In 2016, evidence began to mount that then-South African president Jacob Zuma and a family of Indian-born businessmen, the Guptas, were responsible for widespread “state capture”. It was alleged that the Gupta family influenced Zuma’s political appointments and benefited unfairly …
Rugby injuries: how pre-season training can help players avoid the sidelines: The list of injured players in the Six Nations Championship is, once again, long. Unsurprising you may say, given the physical nature of the sport. That’s often cited as one of the elements that captivates fans and attracts players. Nevertheless, there is a fine …
How to avoid falling victim to an online scam — research says slow down: It's easy to fall for an online scam if you're in a hurry Bits And Splits/Shutterstock Keeping up with the latest digital cons is exhausting. Fraudsters always seem to be one step ahead. But our study found there is one simple …
When two elephants fight: how the global south uses non-alignment to avoid great power rivalries: An Indonesian military honour guard marks the 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference in Bandung in 2015. Achmad Ibrahim /AFP via Getty Images An African proverb notes that “when two elephants fight, it is the grass underneath that suffers”. Many …