Egypt’s fears about Ethiopia’s mega-dam haven’t come to pass: moving on from historical concerns would benefit the whole region: A new round of angry exchanges has broken out between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). On September 1, Cairo wrote to the UN security council to protest against Ethiopia’s continued filling …
Why we haven’t evolved better knees – new research: fongbeerredhot/Shutterstock The groans of pain as we get up from the sofa or the sound of crunching cartilage when taking the stairs are all too familiar. Many of us look down at our aching knees and curse them – wondering why they seemingly evolved to hurt so …
Western sanctions haven’t curbed Russian oil profits, but the green energy transition could: Oil tankers at sea. Avigator Fortuner/Shutterstock Western sanctions that put a price cap on Russian oil exports from December 2022 aimed to cause the country significant economic pain after its invasion of Ukraine last year. The idea was to curtail the amount …
Seven likely consequences from the banking crisis that most people haven’t realised yet: Wobbly times. PhBodrova With four banks down in the US and Europe and at least several more wobbling, we’re currently in the throes of the worst banking strife since 2007-08. Aggressive interest rate hikes have meant that banks are sitting on hefty …
Most humans haven’t evolved to cope with the cold, yet we dominate northern climates – here’s why: Humans have used technology to adapt to the cold Yvette Cardozo / Alamy Stock Photo Humans are a tropical species. We have lived in warm climates for most of our evolutionary history, which might explain why so many …
January 6 US Capitol attack: deep state conspiracies haven’t gone away: Two years after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol building, the conspiracy theories about a malign group controlling the country have not gone away. This continues to corrode US democracy, fuelling stark polarisation that is deepening distrust and political violence. Many in …
Malaria in Africa: why most countries haven’t beaten it yet: 80% of malaria deaths are in children younger than five. Olympia de Maismont/AFP via Getty Images Malaria remains one of the most devastating parasitic diseases affecting humans. In 2020 there were around 241 million cases and 672,000 malaria-related deaths. This is a sharp increase from …
Tigray’s healthcare workers haven’t been paid in over a year — and bear the brunt of the war: The unfolding crisis will only worsen the situation in Tigray. Eduardo Soteras/AFP via Getty Images Tragic stories of suffering and death have emerged from Tigray since 2020, when civil war erupted between the central Ethiopian government and …
Tanzanian TB patients have a lower quality of life than people who haven’t had the disease: Survivors face ongoing disability and increased mortality risks beyond treatment completion. PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Getty Images Numerous researchers have documented the quality of life and mental health of specific population groups. Examples include people living with HIV, the elderly, …
Why factory jobs for Ethiopian women haven’t translated into greater participation in politics: Ethiopian women at a garment factory at the Hawassa Industrial Park in the country's southern region. Eyerusalem Jiregna/AFP via Getty Images Until the war in Tigray started in November 2020, Ethiopia was a favoured investment destination. It had experienced strong economic growth …
Haven’t had COVID yet? It could be more than just luck: I Wei Huang/Shutterstock We all know a few of those lucky people who, somehow, have managed to avoid ever catching COVID. Perhaps you’re one of them. Is this a Marvel-esque superpower? Is there any scientific reason why a person might be resistant to becoming …
Three reasons universal basic income pilots haven’t led to policy change – despite their success: Yulia Grigoryeva / Shutterstock Universal basic income – a tax-free, unconditional sum of money regularly given to everyone in a society – has repeatedly been shown to help the most vulnerable groups in society. Numerous successful trials have found that …
Why some South Africans who are willing to be vaccinated still haven’t had the jab: There are large inequalities between those who have been vaccinated and those who have not. Luca Sola/AFP via Getty Images South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa set a target to get 70% of the country’s adults vaccinated by the end of …
A nice South African City image: for things that haven’t come yet Image by timsnell just before i went to africa i upgraded my camera kit and bought a new nikon d810. it’s been nine years since my first nikon slr, and three years since i got my nikon d5300, but that’s been playing up …
Why haven’t petrol prices gone back down yet? A new business model might explain why: Petrol prices reflect lots of elements not just crude oil wholesale cost. Tomas K/Shutterstock Across the UK the cost of filling up cars shot up in November when wholesale oil prices rose. But when crude oil prices went down again, …
South African voters are disillusioned. But they haven’t found an alternative to the ANC: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the campaign trail. Gianluigi Guercia/AFP via Getty Images South Africa’s historic 2021 local elections have highlighted a deep hole in its party politics – the governing party is in decline, but most voters will not …
HPV vaccine cuts cervical cancer cases by almost 90% – but one in ten girls still haven’t been vaccinated: The HPV vaccine protects against cervical cancer. KT Stock photos/ Shutterstock A vaccine to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV) has been found to cut cases of cervical cancer by nearly 90%, according to a recent study …
Breast milk companies are popping up around the globe – why haven’t governments stepped in?: Nor Gal/Shutterstock Over the last few decades, the demand for breast milk has grown. The message “breast is best” has driven parents and caregivers to buy breast milk. Even the unwell, bodybuilders and “clean eaters” are known to use it. …