Crisis in Abyei: South Sudan must act and stop violence between Dinka groups: Abyei – a territory roughly the size of Jamaica – is being contested by two countries, Sudan and South Sudan. Abyei, which covers just over 10,000km², is under special administrative status following the terms of a 2005 peace agreement between the two …
Taxes on e-cigarettes: South Africa must strike a balance between economic arguments and health concerns: ilkov_igor/Shutterstock The 21st century has seen a massive expansion in the ways that people can consume tobacco and nicotine. Innovative new products include electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS” or e-cigarettes) and heat-not-burn (HnB) products. One of the challenges this has …
This hand-painted film is a ‘must see’ – what you should watch this week: The mark of a good film, for me, is the way I feel when it’s over. If I jump up to brush off the popcorn and pull on my coat, it’s forgettable fare. If I’m still glued to my seat as …
COP28 president is wrong – science clearly shows fossil fuels must go (and fast): John Hanson Pye/Shutterstock According to the president of COP28, the latest round of UN climate negotiations in the United Arab Emirates, there is “no science” indicating that phasing out fossil fuels is necessary to restrict global heating to 1.5°C. President Sultan …
Turmoil at OpenAI shows we must address whether AI developers can regulate themselves: OpenAI, developer of ChatGPT and a leading innovator in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), was recently thrown into turmoil when its chief-executive and figurehead, Sam Altman, was fired. As it was revealed that he would be joining Microsoft’s advanced AI research …
Climate change: 3 key goals Nigeria must focus on at COP28: Global environmental stakeholders will converge in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, from 30 November to 12 December 2023 for the UN Climate conference known as COP28. The conference aims to continue negotiations to address the global climate crisis. Nigeria’s main agenda in the conference …
Ghana wants to restrict imports on 22 products – an economist explains how, why and what else must be done: Ghana’s Ministry of Trade and Industry has tabled in parliament a proposed ban or restrictions on imports of certain goods, including rice, sugar, poultry, fruit juices and animal intestines (tripe). The proposed legislation empowers the …
Antimicrobial resistance is a silent killer that leads to 5 million deaths a year. Solutions must include the poor: Microbes such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi form part of our everyday lives – they live in us, on us and around us. We need them for healthy digestion, immune function, and the synthesis of …
Insects are spreading a devastating plant disease in Italy – Britain must keep it out: Olive trees that have died after becoming infected with _Xylella fastidiosa_. Fabio Michele Capelli/Shutterstock Since 2013, over 20 million olive trees in Italy have succumbed to a devastating plant disease. The same disease now threatens many more plant species, across …
Many physicists assume we must live in a multiverse – but their basic maths may be wrong: Dr Norbert Lange/Shutterstock One of the most startling scientific discoveries of recent decades is that physics appears to be fine-tuned for life. This means that for life to be possible, certain numbers in physics had to fall within …
Gaza conflict: if the cycle of violence is to end we must not prioritise one side’s suffering over the other: Shortly after the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, people I know and respect were posting Palestinian solidarity notices on their social media feeds. I am supportive of the rights of the Palestinian people …
Bird flu in South Africa: expert explains what’s behind the chicken crisis and what must be done about it: An outbreak of avian flu – a highly contagious viral infection that affects wild birds as well as poultry – has hit poultry farms in South Africa. Two different strains are causing outbreaks in the country …
Liberia elections 2023: three things the next president must do: Liberia, Africa’s oldest republic, is about to choose its next president. On 10 October, 46 political parties and 20 presidential candidates will compete for two million registered votes at 5,000 polling stations in 15 counties. But whoever wins will confront a polarised Liberia. Liberia is …
Libya flood disaster: scale of the catastrophe must bring the two warring factions together: A century ago, the coastal city of Derna was well known for picture-perfect beaches, palm trees and whitewashed villas mainly inhabited by Libya’s Italian colonial occupiers. Today, in the aftermath of Storm Daniel, which brought 400mm of rain to the region, …
Morocco’s earthquake wasn’t unexpected – building codes must plan for them: More than 2,000 people died when a powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Morocco on 8 September. The epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) south-west of Marrakesh. Moina Spooner, from The Conversation Africa, asked José A. Peláez, a professor in geophysics …
Poverty in Britain is firmly linked to the country’s mountain of private wealth – Labour must address this growing inequality: Labour’s shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has said that a Labour government would not raises taxes on wealth, capital gains or higher incomes. She does not, she says, see “the way to prosperity as being through …
Ghana’s colonial past and assessment use means education prioritises passing exams over what students actually learn – this must change: Formal education in the Gold Coast, now Ghana, was introduced during the 15th century when Europeans came to its shores to trade. Education was only accessible to children of women married to western traders, and …
Climate change will affect hydropower — African countries must be prepared: Hydropower provides clean electricity to millions in Africa. It’s the largest source of renewable energy on the continent and accounts for nearly one quarter of total electricity generation in sub-Saharan Africa. Some countries, however, have a much heavier reliance on it than others. For …