Scramble for minerals, markets by foreign firms is forcing US to recalibrate security strategy in Africa
“The US has recalibrated its approach. We will not only seek to empower the African continent in the field of security, development and governance, but we will also strive to help them address the drivers of instability and conflict to meet the ambition and promise of Africa.” This is according...
Preliminary data for Omicron infection, deaths in China show Covid outbreak peaked in December
China’s massive Covid-19 outbreak probably peaked in late December, according to a preliminary analysis on the number of infections late last year and data on travel between cities. But public-health experts are frustrated by a lack of official data on the magnitude and severity of the outbreak. For close to...
India’s caste barrier: Some premier institutions are admitting more students from marginalised groups
Some premier institutes in India are doing a little better when it comes to access to education for all castes. At the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, a group of 38 labs, 18 per cent of researchers (combining senior staff grades) were Dalits and 4 per cent Adivasis, according...
Ethiopia’s Oromo insurgency fuelled by under-representation at highest levels of government
Complicating matters in Ethiopia’s multiple conflicts is the involvement of the Fano, an Amhara militia, in the south, where Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) is on the offensive. Fano claims to be defending Amhara civilians and interests and has launched several attacks into Oromia. “In my village alone, 37 civilians were...
New report links baldness and excessive male hair loss to high consumption of sugary liquids
Male pattern hair loss (MPHL) is on the rise and scientists are linking it to increased consumption of sugary liquids. According to research findings, the phenomenon is the most common form of hair loss in men, affecting around 30-50 per cent of men by age 50. According to Medical News...
As embers of war in Tigray die, Oromia in Ethiopia’s south is burning, people killed daily
The war in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has cooled down since the signing of a peace deal on November 2. But a separate conflict is intensifying further south in Oromia, where civilians are suffering as anti-government rebels step up attacks. Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) rebels were previously confined to the...
How Erik Ten Hag’s strict code of conduct railroaded Man United back to a football phenomenon
When Erik ten Hag arrived at Manchester United in May, the new manager was asked by one of the coaching staff how he would like to be addressed. Ten Hag thought about the question for a moment. “Well,” he said. “You know I’m the boss, and I know I’m the...
Man City react cautiously after London court clears defender Mendy of nine counts of rape
Manchester City have released a statement after Benjamin Mendy was found not guilty of five rape charges, one count of attempted rape and a separate accusation of sexual assault. The French defender is facing a retrial on June 26 after the jury failed to reach verdicts on one count of...
How ‘Other Backward Classes’ tag derived from caste system stalls diversity in science in India
Samadhan is an outlier in his home village in western India. Last year, he became the first person from there to start a science PhD. Samadhan, a student in Maharashtra state, is an Adivasi or indigenous person – a member of one of the most marginalised and poorest communities in...
Britain’s Office for National Statistics says pubs, restaurant spurred economic growth in November
The UK economy unexpectedly grew in November, helped by a boost from the World Cup, official figures show. The UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) – a key economic measure of services, construction and manufacturing output – rose by 0.1 per cent. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said pubs and...