Young men on South Africa’s urban margins: new book follows their lives over 10 years: South Africa’s young people, aged 15 to 34, who make up more than 50% of the country’s working age population, bear a disproportionate burden of unemployment. They have done so for more than a decade. Of this group, those aged …
India-Pakistan conflict over water reflects a region increasingly vulnerable to climate change: Water from the Chandra Taal lake in Himachal Pradesh, India, ultimately flows into Pakistan and the Indus river. ImagesofIndia / shutterstock In an unprecedented move, India recently suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, citing cross-border terrorism. This was one of a …
Malaria scorecard: battles have been won and advances made, but the war isn’t over: Sub-Saharan Africa continues to bear the brunt of malaria cases in the world. In this region 11 countries account for two-thirds of the global burden. World Malaria Day is marked on 25 April. What progress has been made against the disease, …
Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising: Sudan’s war, now entering its third year, has taken another unexpected turn. In March 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), also known as the Janjaweed, withdrew from Khartoum, abandoning the presidential palace and airport. This retreat marks a significant contrast to the paramilitary group’s …
The battle for Khartoum: tracking Sudan’s war over two years: Sudan has been engulfed in brutal conflict since 15 April 2023, when tensions between the country’s two most powerful military factions erupted into civil war. The conflict stems from a long-standing power struggle over military control and integration. Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and …
Putin mulls over US-Ukrainian ceasefire proposal – but the initial signs aren’t positive: While Donald Trump’s special envoy was en route to Moscow to talk about a possible ceasefire deal with his opposite numbers in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin enjoyed a meet-up with his old friend Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, and the atmosphere …
South Africa’s fight over VAT raises a key question: who should bear the burden of taxes?: The unprecedented postponement of the tabling of South Africa’s 2025 budget because of disagreement within the coalition government over a two percentage point increase in value added tax (VAT), highlights the country’s dilemma. The government needs to raise revenue …
Has finance for green industry had an impact in Africa? What’s happened in 41 countries over 20 years: The African continent finds itself in a predicament. Advanced economies in the rest of the world developed through industrialisation: their economies transformed from mainly agricultural to industrial. This involved burning fossil fuels like coal, generating greenhouse gas …
South Africa has taken over the G20 presidency from Brazil – what lessons can it learn?: South Africa has taken over the presidency of the world’s premier economic forum, the G20, from Brazil. The G20 presidency operates on a troika system made up of the current, previous and next holders. The three members cooperate with …
Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group seeks local power in DRC, not just control over mining operations: The violence wrought by the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23 Movement is often narrowly framed as intended to control eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s resource-rich mining sites. The rebel group launched its most recent offensive in 2021 and currently controls vast …
An Israeli invasion could push an already unstable Lebanon over the edge into total state collapse: For the past year, many have feared that the war between Israel and Hamas will spill over into neighbouring countries and drag the Middle East into a devastating conflict. While there is still hope that the most dire predictions …
Massive US-led naval exercises in Hawai’i and Pacific islands reflect over a century of colonial exploitation of the region: Since the last week in June, navies and naval assets from 29 countries have been taking part the world’s largest naval exercises. The US-led Rimpac 2024 (Exercise Rim of the Pacific), the 29th such exercise to …
Anatomy of a rebellion: why Keir Starmer’s first brush with parliamentary revolt over two-child benefit cap is a symbolic moment: Flickr/UK Parliament, CC BY-NC-ND Following the state opening of parliament, the House of Commons has been debating the contents of the king’s speech (referred to as the debate on the address). This unfolds over the …
Women’s sport and social media: the arguments over shared or separate accounts: Women’s sport has long battled for equal visibility in the media spotlight. But social media has become a powerful tool for sportswomen and women’s sport to control their narratives and connect directly with fans. This has sparked debate among communication experts about whether …
Over 26 million South Africans get a social grant. Fear of losing the payment used to be a reason to vote for the ANC, but no longer – study: Social grants to reduce poverty feature prominently in the campaign promises of political parties in South Africa’s 2024 national and provincial general elections, set for 29 …
Israel-Egypt peace treaty has stood the test of time over 45 years: expert explains its significance: The peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, signed in 1979 to end hostilities and normalise relations between them, turns 45 on 26 March. The Conversation Africa asked Ofir Winter, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, …
South Africa’s Agulhas long-billed lark: adapting and surviving despite farming taking over their nesting grounds: The Agulhas long-billed lark (Certhilauda brevirostris) is only found in South Africa. It builds nests on the ground mainly in Renosterveld fynbos, a type of vegetation filled with grasses and wild spring flowers that is critically endangered by agricultural expansion. …
Is China preparing for a war over Taiwan, or has the west got it wrong? Here are the indicators: At a time when Russia has been making gains in Ukraine and the Middle East appears to be on the brink of further regional conflict, a China-US military stand off is the last thing the world …