9 MILLION MOZAMBICANS LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE – WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE NATIONAL BUDGET AND HOW TO FIX IT

Mon 21 October 2024: Mozambique ranks in the bottom 20 of the human development index. This measures a country’s progress based on key dimensions such as a long and healthy life and a decent standard of living. Nearly two-thirds of Mozambicans – 18.9 million people – live below the national poverty line of US$0.70-a-day. The country also struggles to […]

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GAS ISN’T A GOOD ALTERNATIVE TO COAL – SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD FOCUS ON SOLAR, WIND AND GREEN HYDROGEN

Mon 07 October 2024: South Africa is immersed in a “just energy transition” from a fossil fuel-based energy system to a cleaner, low-carbon energy system. This new system will be based primarily on renewable energy, such as solar, wind and green hydrogen. Such a transition is deeply contested. Those with direct and indirect commercial interests in […]

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REMEMBERING SALADIN’S LIBERATION OF JERUSALEM

Wed 02 October 2024: On 2 October 1187, Ayyubid Sultan Salah Al-Din (known in the West as Saladin) liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders nearly a century after they captured the holy city from the Fatimid Caliphate. What: Saladin’s liberation of Jerusalem Where: Palestine When: 2 October 1187 The Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem With a cry of ‘Deus vult!’ […]

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HAS THE HOUR OF ‘ABANDONMENT’ ARRIVED?

Tue  01 October 2024: It is not the time to address the earth-shattering attack on the central command of Hezbollah, the horrific assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and the regional and international repercussions of the attack. The operation crowned an unprecedented wave of escalation using airstrikes, drones, and cyber attacks (the “Pager” and “Walkie-Talkie” explosions) […]

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HOW WASHINGTON LOST ITS BID TO CHALLENGE CHINA’S INFLUENCE IN AFRICA

Sun 29 September 2024: Consecutive United States administrations have failed to make Africa a priority, giving China more than enough time and space to make its mark. For years, Washington’s economic influence in Africa has stalled. Sanctions, low-policy priorities, selective outreach and changing investment volumes have collectively ensured the United States has little financial leverage […]

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GETTING SHORTER AND GOING HUNGRIER: HOW CHILDREN IN THE UK LIVE TODAY

Wed 25 September 2024: Children’s lives in the UK are changing. They are becoming shorter in height. More of them are going hungry than they were a few years ago. Recently, more have died each year than they did a few years ago. Increased poverty, more destitution and the effects of ongoing austerity are the clear culprits. But why did this happen to our […]

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SOUTH AFRICA HAS A NEW EDUCATION LAW: SOME LOVE IT, SOME HATE IT – EDUCATION EXPERT EXPLAINS WHY

Mon 23 September 2024: South Africa has a new law governing education. The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act changes several aspects of how schools are managed. It was introduced to address inequalities in the school system by standardising rules on admissions, language policies, discipline, and even the operation of homeschooling. But it has sparked controversy. Education professor […]

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HOW A BEAUTY QUEEN BECAME THE FACE OF SOUTH AFRICA-NIGERIA TENSIONS

Wed 18 September 2024: After Chidimma Adetshina suffered xenophobic abuse online, young Nigerians say they feel unwelcome living in South Africa. Johannesburg, South Africa – Anita Odunyao Solarin, a 21-year-old Nigerian who has spent her entire life in South Africa, finds it safer not to disclose her West African roots. She does her best to assimilate […]

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