Ethiopia’s war may have ended, but the Tigray crisis hasn’t: For over 20 years, Ethiopia was led by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, a coalition of four ethnic-based political parties representing Tigray, Amhara, Oromo, and Southern nations, nationalities and peoples. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front was the most influential party within the coalition. However, …
Europe’s radical right has made challenging Brussels a winning formula – so why hasn’t the radical left made the same gains?: With roughly six months to go, the radical right looks set to make significant gains in the 2024 European elections. The biggest share of votes is still likely to go to parties of the …
Sex in space: why it’s worrying that the space tourism sector hasn’t considered the consequences: AstroStar/Shutterstock Humans have a knack for sharing intimate moments in unlikely places, as membership of the mile-high club demonstrates. So there is a significant chance that the launch of the space tourism sector may be swiftly followed by the first …
Wagner group mercenaries in Africa: why there hasn’t been any effective opposition to drive them out: Wagner has assisted rebel leader Khalifa Hiftar’s Libyan Arab Armed Forces GettyImages It is easy to understand what African rulers see in the mercenary group Wagner. Its fighters can be deployed quickly. It brings sophisticated arms with it and …
Keir Starmer hasn’t really called time on North Sea oil and gas – here’s why: Keir Starmer recently announced that the UK will grant no new licenses for oil and gas firms to drill in the North Sea if Labour wins the next election. It’s a decision that would terminate the UK’s 60-year policy of …
UK poultry can roam free outside again – but bird flu risk hasn’t gone away: David Tadevosian/Shutterstock The UK government recently announced that as of April 18, poultry and captive birds can be kept outside again as the threat from bird flu eases. These mandatory housing measures were introduced across England and Wales in the …
Why the promised fourth industrial revolution hasn’t happened yet: shutterstock It’s nearly a decade since the term “fourth industrial revolution” was coined, yet many people won’t have heard of it, or know what it refers to. Also known as industry 4.0, it’s a way of describing how connecting together different advanced technologies could transform how …
Putin’s state of the nation: why Russia hasn’t officially declared war and what difference it would make: As Vladimir Putin steps back from his state of the nation speech, it’s important to note that the Russian government has still not formally declared war on Ukraine. But from a Ukrainian and western viewpoint, we can all …
Nigeria ticks some boxes as a democracy. Why this hasn’t translated into a better life for most: Regular elections have not translated to development in Nigeria. Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images Since gaining independence on 1 October 1960, Nigeria has struggled to maintain a democratic government. The election of 1999 offered renewed hope after …
Kenya’s Lamu Port was meant to deliver great things. But, as the story of local fishermen shows, it hasn’t: A container ship docks at the Lamu Port in Kenya. Dihoff Mukoto/AFP via Getty Images For nearly two decades, successive Kenyan governments have promoted mega infrastructure projects as a pathway to development. The Lamu Port has …
Lilian Ngoyi: an heroic South African woman whose story hasn’t been fully told: Detail of a photo of Lilian Ngoyi making a speech in 1960. Azola Daniel/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Despite her key role in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, details about Lilian Ngoyi’s life remain sparse. The short paragraphs on her legacy …
Nigeria hasn’t been able to produce steel: remanufacturing could be the solution: A steel plant. Photo by Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images Nigeria has pumped more than US$ 8 billion into Ajaokuta Steel Company, a project which began more than 40 years ago but has yet to produce one tonne of steel. Several attempts …
Why Kenya’s experiment in giving local governments the power to manage food security hasn’t worked: A boy carries water in one of Kenya's arid regions that has been gripped by drought. Dong Jianghui/Xinhua via Getty Images The ability of Kenya’s 47 county governments to manage food security has been met with various challenges. These have …
Sue Gray report: why hasn’t Boris Johnson resigned? Key questions answered: Fresh revelations in the partygate affair have many asking why Boris Johnson feels no need to resign. The full version of the report by civil servant Sue Gray into gatherings at Downing Street during pandemic lockdowns included multiple images of the prime minister raising …
Ukraine: ‘I’m surprised the oil price hasn’t hit US0 a barrel yet’ – energy trading expert Q&A: Energy prices shot up after Russian President Vladimir Putin shocked the world by ordering a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Oil is trading over US$ 100 (£75) a barrel for the first time since 2014 and natural gas prices jumped …
The UK carbon dioxide shortage still hasn’t been resolved – here are some long-term answers: The UK’s supply of carbon dioxide (CO?), which is essential for everything from critical NHS operations to keeping food fresh while being transported, remains in jeopardy. It was recently ensured for the second time in a few months thanks to a …
Relaxing restrictions hasn’t made COVID cases spike – but this doesn’t mean herd immunity has arrived: Varavin88/Shutterstock Back in the summer of 2021, the UK government’s pandemic modellers predicted that there would be a significant COVID outbreak in the autumn. Yet so far, this hasn’t happened. Other countries with good COVID vaccine coverage have also …
South Africa in the news: The Sputnik vaccine case study (Part Three): The role of regulators — why South Africa hasn’t given approval: Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine is yet to be approved by any stringent regulators. Part of the problem: the manufacturer’s reluctance to share information about the jab. Here’s what it takes for …