Non-state actors have the expertise to tackle conflict in northern Kenya but damaged trust in government’s a barrier
Conflict and insecurity have been synonymous with northern Kenya since independence. Thus, in recent weeks, cases of bandit attacks in the region have left villages terrorised and led to several deaths. In October 2022, the government launched a multi-agency security operation aimed at curbing further attacks. Northern Kenya is characterised...
Rohingya: We belong to Myanmar and Myanmar belongs to us…so calling us stateless is dehumanising
The use of the terms “stateless” or “statelessness” when referring to the Rohingya population is demotivating and inaccurate, says Aung Kyaw Moe, who serves as a human rights advisor to Myanmar’s National Unity Government – the civilian government-in-exile formed in the wake of the February 2021 military coup. Aung Kyaw...
Rohingya refugees in a catch-22 state: Life in refugee camps and exile is at risk as back home
As Southeast Asian leaders gather in the Cambodian capital this week for a regional summit, the escalating violence in Myanmar is atop the agenda, but Rohingya refugees and activists are urging that the plight of those driven out of the country is not forgotten. More than five years after escaping...
Researchers advocate for common standards for accounting, reporting and reducing military carbon emissions
No methodologies for tracking greenhouse gas emissions on military bases or in conflict areas have been published. Therefore, there is no data to help understand the impact of emissions linked to military base and aircraft. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is reportedly developing such a framework for its members....
While world’s largest militaries are heavy emitters green-house gases, this truth is hidden from public
The world’s militaries are heavy emitters of greenhouse gases. No one knows exactly how much. Estimates range between one percent and five per cent of global emissions, comparable with the aviation and shipping industries (two per cent each). Yet militaries are largely spared from emissions reporting. This must change, or...
Quitting smoking cigarettes before the age of 35 years enhances life expectancy, says new research
Despite dangers inherent in smoking cigarettes, the pastime still remains a popular activity. New research findings detail how quitting the habit is associated with reduced mortality risk. Researchers are now working to understand the full health impact of smoking. The clear message is: smoking cigarettes is a habit that is...
East Africa on high alert as Uganda grapples with rising incidence of Ebola that’s already killed 43 people
More than a month after an Ebola outbreak was declared in Uganda, infections continue to climb and the World Health Organisation has upped its Ebola risk assessment for both the country and wider region since it reached the capital, Kampala. Rather than Uganda having contained the virus, “the risk can...
Egypt COP27: Why governments should set attainable targets for clean energy to cut carbon emissions by 2025
It’s been a year since global leaders renewed their climate pledges at the landmark summit in Glasgow, UK. Next week, they’ll convene again in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, during the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) to carry on negotiations aimed at reining in global warming. But...
One for the road: Why moderate to heavy alcohol drinkers aged 20 to 39 years are prone to stroke
In a new study, researchers have found that moderate and heavy alcohol use are linked to a higher risk of stroke after analysing the relationship between alcohol consumption and stroke risk among young adults in Korea. As a result, the researchers and health experts recommend that young adults reduce their...
How ‘food sexism’ has turned Nigeria into a pariah nation where land access is restricted by patrilineal inheritance
Last year, Nigerian farmer Odam Obat lost about two thirds of her cassava crop to devastating floods at her home in the Niger Delta – a densely populated but erosion-prone region on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. To avoid such a loss again, she decided this year to...
