Two African states ratify Internet Future declaration, Kenya among countries awaiting parliamentary nod
Cabo Verde and Niger are the only two African countries that have signed ‘The Declaration for the Future of the Internet’. The United States also lists Kenya as one of the three from Africa to have committed to the cause, but Nairobi said they are yet to do so, since...
International bodies accuse Russian mercenaries of serious human rights violations in Central African Republic
Human Rights Watch on Tuesday said there was “compelling evidence” that Russian paramilitary troops were committing serious rights abuses and killing civilians in the Central African Republic. A civil war in the CAR that began in 2013, pitting numerous militias against a state on the verge of collapse, had eased...
Ethiopia launches national dialogue to stop people from going to the battlefront, heal wounds of war
As an 18-month civil war grinds on, Ethiopia is gearing up for a national dialogue aimed at bridging the country’s many fault lines. But key rebel groups have not been invited, and opposition figures are accusing the government of trying to orchestrate the process. The commission tasked with overseeing the...
Blurred lines vs complementarity: Professional question the boundary between researchers and support staff
Professionals at research organisations are typically split into two categories: academic staff and support staff. As professionals working in research environments in the Netherlands and Australia, we have straddled the dividing lines between these conventional divisions. We’ve also met many other professionals who have operated across this divide. And we...
With robots outperforming astronauts in space travel , debate is shifting to ownership of ‘outer worlds’
How much do we need humans in space? How much do we want them there? Astronauts embody the triumph of human imagination and engineering. Their efforts shed light on the possibilities and problems posed by travel beyond our nurturing Earth. Their presence on the moon or on other solar-system objects...
Hospitals in Tigray ask patients to bring old clothes for use as gauze during surgery after Ethiopian war ‘killed’ health system
After nearly 18 months of conflict between the federal government and Tigray rebels, the health system of the beleaguered region has “totally collapsed”, according to health officials and doctors there. Interviewed by phone health workers in Tigray said shortages are so acute they are using expired drugs to treat chronic...
US and Russia swap prisoners as tensions between the superpowers escalate over Moscow invasion of Ukraine
The parents of Trevor Reed, a 30-year-old US Marine veteran imprisoned by Russia who was released in a prisoner swap announced on Wednesday, described the moment they found out their son would be coming home. In an interview with CNN, Joey and Paula Reed said they were first notified by...
China State Council on research institutions focuses on ethics training to deter risky gene-editing scandals
China’s powerful State Council is calling on research institutions to expand and improve their ethics training. The directive, one of several detailed in a comprehensive ethics statement, is intended to address gaps in oversight exposed when Chinese researcher He Jiankui shocked the world by creating the first babies with edited...
New report accuses technology giants Apple and Intel of illicitly trading in ‘blood minerals’ from DR Congo
A new report has warned that a scheme set up to ensure mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not fuel conflict is being abused to launder tainted minerals. Global Witness says companies – including Apple, Tesla and Intel – are relying on the due diligence scheme to source...
Renewed Janjaweed attacks in Sudan’s Darfur region linked to scramble for gold, ICC cases
A major city in Sudan’s Darfur region has been under fierce attack, days after thousands of people arrived there seeking safety after their own town was set ablaze by horse-riding Arab militias known as Janjaweed. “For the first time in Geneina’s history, the hospital has been completely evacuated. All health...
