Technology: British takes Internet blimps to Zanzibar in a fragile market where Google flopped, pulled out
The Tanzanian islands of Zanzibar and Pemba are about to become a test site for a mobile internet network its creators hope will not just revolutionise lives there, but possibly across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. Only around 20 per cent of Tanzanians use the internet, according to the World Bank....
US federal agencies consider creation of integrity council to shield science from political meddling after Trump missteps
US federal agencies need to strengthen the policies that protect science used in government decision-making. They should also create a scientific-integrity council spanning many agencies, to help address political meddling by government officials. Those are some of the top conclusions of a long-awaited report from a taskforce convened by US...
Human rights: The minute the word gender enters dialogue, some regions get up and leave conference room
Since the beginning of the war in Tigray in November last year, more than 1,300 incidents of rape have been reported, while many argue that more cases went unreported due to societal stigma surrounding the topic. A high number of cases of gender-based violence including gang-rape and other atrocities were...
NASA’s outer space engineering wonder flawlessly unfurls its mirrors, sunshield to formally become a telescope
After several tense days of unfurling and clicking its various parts into place, the biggest and most sophisticated space telescope ever launched is now complete. On January 8, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope slowly swung the last three of its 18 hexagonal mirror segments into position, locking them together into...
By 2080, millions of species will need to migrate to new regions, even new continents to survive
There are laws of nature that relate to the ways in which we, as humans, behave. As laws of human behaviour, they are both narrower and messier than the broader laws of biology; they are as much tendencies as laws. Yet they are tendencies repeated across times and cultures, tendencies...
The dangers of the future: Nature is an afterthought in our contemplation of what comes next
When we humans imagine the future, it is common to picture ourselves nested within an ecosystem populated by robots, devices and virtual realities. The future is shining and technological. The future is digital, ones and zeros, electricity and invisible connections. The dangers of the future – automation and artificial intelligence...
Prevailing uncertainty in South Sudan makes it difficult to resettle millions of returning refugees, IDPs
Political divides are at the root of the displacement of the Shilluk and must be resolved before sustainable and equitable returns can take place. Yet, if returns are to occur – in the run-up to next year’s polls – various electoral processes will likely lead to violent contestations over administrative...
Africa’s political leadership mounted a robust response helped to mitigate impact of Covid
As omicron continues to make its impact across the globe, scientists in Africa are rapidly learning more about the new coronavirus variant. Omicron was first identified in southern Africa in November. Dr John Nkengasong, the director of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The World’s host Carol Hills...
Why the return of refugees and internally displaced people is such a thorny issue in South Sudan
South Sudan’s government wants millions of people who fled the country’s devastating civil war to return home ahead of national elections tentatively scheduled for 2023. But some humanitarians worry that returns could be risky as violence continues to flare around the country despite a 2018 peace agreement and the subsequent...
Covid management: Too many projects on health and disease in Africa are pursued in silos
Africa’s Covid-19 management proved that building regional control and capability will be key to containing future disease outbreaks. This means strengthening national public-health institutions, such as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Zambia National Public Health Institute in Lusaka. It also means strengthening and empowering the Africa CDC...
