State capture to mafia state: Interlinking politics and business in South Africa’s evolution into organised crime centre
A report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (Gitoc) released in September 2022 argues that South Africa has increasingly become a centre of organised crime, transcending national boundaries. The picture emerging from the report is that there are organised networks inside and outside the state that enable, facilitate...
Kenyan court rules Facebook can be sued for exposing staff to mentally harmful social media posts
A worker who alleges reviewing graphic social media posts harmed his mental health can sue Facebook owner Meta, a Kenyan labour court says. Daniel Motaung claims he was paid about $2.20 (£1.80) per hour to review posts including beheadings and child abuse. He is also suing his then employer Sama,...
Overuse of antibiotics in animal farming linked to spike in drug resistance among human beings
The use of antibiotics in animal farming – a major contributor to antimicrobial resistance – is expected to grow by 8 per cent between 2020 and 2030 despite ongoing efforts to curtail their use, according to an analysis. Overuse of antibiotics in agriculture is thought to be a major driver...
Environmental scientists propose how Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt can end impasse over Africa’s largest dam
A team of environmental scientists has a proposal to end a long-running dispute between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan over Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam. Ethiopia is several years away from completing the almost-$5-billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the White Nile River, which is intended to provide electricity to a country...
WHO warns death toll from Turkey and Syria earthquakes could surpass 20,000 as 4,300 bodies recovered
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the death toll from the Turkey and Syria earthquakes could rise to over 20,000. The warning comes on the back of 4,300 confirmed deaths in either country, with reports saying more than 18,000 are still not accounted for more than 40 hours...
