Irony of DR Congo owning world’s largest mineral deposits, yet ranks among poorest nations on Earth
The huge mining agency where Albert Yuma Mulimbi is chairman was nationalised and renamed under President Mobutu Sese Seko after Congo gained independence from Belgium in 1960. Gécamines once had a monopoly on copper and cobalt mining and, by the 1980s, was among the top copper producers in the world....
How unregulated artisanal mining attracts trespassers who often scavenge on DR Congo’s mineral wealth
Players in the clean energy revolution are increasingly caught in a cycle of exploitation and greed over resources. At the centre of it is the quest for a prized metal: cobalt, a key ingredient in electric cars. It’s a different story for the artisanal sector, where Albert Yuma Mulimbi –...
Cash transfers: Poverty isn’t just about the lack of money, it’s about the lack of opportunity, basic services
A basic-income experiment carried out by Finland in 2017-18 found that recipients felt more economically secure than a control group. Scores for days of employment, life satisfaction and self-reported depression were also slightly better for recipients than for controls. Since 2017, Niehaus has been part of a team of researchers...
Astronomers discover another Earth-sized exoplanet in ‘habitable zone’ that’s closest yet to our world
Astronomers have discovered a world only a little bit bigger than Earth, whirling around a bright star about 31 parsecs from our planet. The world, known as TOI 700 d, orbits in its star’s ‘habitable zone’ – the region in which liquid water could exist. Astronomers know of only a...
Reviving Sudan’s moribund economy is PM Hamdok’s primary goal, but winning over donors is a major challenge
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s administration is struggling with a mountainous in-tray of problems inherited from the 30-year rule of al-Bashir. Behind the scenes, the military resisted moves to hold them accountable for the deaths of civilian protesters, and the equally sensitive matter of liquidating the network of opaque business activities...
Sudan’s guardians of revolution speak for ‘voice of the streets’ to push for pro-poor economic agenda
Mass demonstrations are expected in Sudan this weekend, on the third anniversary of the country’s revolution, in a new test of strength between pro-democracy activists and the military, whose coup in October toppled the country’s fragile transitional government. Neighbourhood-based resistance committees are, once again, playing a key role in mobilising...
Equality: It’s racism, not race, that’s at the root of persistent disparities in physical, mental well-being
The scientific evidence is crystal clear: Early experiences literally shape the architecture of the developing brain. This widespread understanding is driving increased public support for universal pre-K to enhance school readiness for all children and level the playing field for kids who face adversity. But here’s something that’s less well-known...
Afghan academics feel marooned and abandoned by international community after Taliban takeover
Four months after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, academics say they feel marooned, and abandoned by the international community. With limited prospects for research, many scientists have left or are still trying to find routes out, so they can continue their careers. Researchers say they have been stripped of...
Stakeholders call for fast-tracking of South Sudan peace accord implementation to end years of starvation
Stakeholders involved in transitional justice processes in South Sudan have adopted a joint strategy and plan of action to accelerate the implementation of the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement and save the populace from further starvation, the team announced on Wednesday. The approval noted that the “Conference on sustaining momentum for...
South Sudan sets polls for 2023 but UN mission warns of ‘headwinds’ and ‘logjam’ that can derail peace
South Sudan President Salva Kiir has announced that the East African nation will go to the polls in 2023, but United Nations mission that is shepherding the Revitalised Peace Agreement casts doubts on the likelihood of elections without disrupting further the fragile peace. UN Special Envoy to South Sudan Nicholas...
