How 1958 Tutsi aristocracy arrogant response to Hutu push for equity sowed seeds of the 1994 Rwanda genocide
Moreover, Rwanda’s European colonial rulers were intent upon preserving what they saw as “traditional” structures of power in which Tutsi aristocrats ruled over Hutu peasants. This model, based on colonialist interpretations of monarchical structures in the centre of the country, was not accurate even for central Rwanda, much less for regions on the periphery.
How handwashing, after stiff resistance in Europe, became a game-changer in saving children
Why did his ideas fail to catch on? That question is at the core of Dr Semmelweis, a fascinating play produced by the UK National Theatre, and created by the writer Stephen Brown with the actor Mark Rylance, who plays Semmelweis. They powerfully capture the personal dramas that drove him to make his discoveries, the barriers to new ideas that were erected by ingrained beliefs and professional pride, and the ultimate tragedy made inevitable by the doctor’s personal flaws.
Embracing indigenous knowledge is key to resilience in northern Kenya, not donor project box-ticking
eople in the drylands have a long-established repertoire of ways of responding to a difficult environment. This is not just a pattern of passive “coping” but an active process of deliberate, well-planned response – a well-tuned strategy of living with uncertainty.
Rwandan horrors: Was genocide was part of a political programme of vengeance directed against Hutu?
Hundreds of thousands of people have died in the Great Lakes Region of Africa over the past four years. Most of them were innocent civilians massacred by armies or militias or decimated by disease or starvation as they fled from danger. These horrors can be traced to intense struggles overpower...
It’s chaos in US education as Black teachers quit citing burnout, low pay and politics
Nationally, about 80 per cent of American public school teachers are white, even though white students no longer represent a majority in public schools. Having teachers who reflect the race of their students is important, researchers say, to provide students with role models who have insight into their culture and life experience.
Insight: World battles to loosen China’s grip on vital rare earths for clean energy transition
The West’s push to develop independent supplies of critical minerals took on greater urgency after Beijing imposed export controls last month on the strategic metals gallium and germanium, raising global fears that China could block exports of rare earths or processing technology next.
Drums of another war as buildup of American forces in Persian Gulf point to imminent US-Iran conflict
or the US, keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping remains a priority to ensure global energy prices don’t spike, particularly as Russia’s war on Ukraine pressures markets. Gulf Arab nations need the waterway to get their oil to market and worry about Iran’s intentions in the wider region.
Study on political messaging via music and dance returns verdict: Kenya is ‘Luhyia cultural colony’
Political messaging via music is not unique to Luhyia. However, compared to other Kenya tribes, political mobilisation finds a lot of expression in compositions by artistes who have roots in western Kenya. For politicians it is a faster medium of connecting with their target audience and supporters.
Russia-linked Wagner mercenaries worked with Mali’s longtime US-backed military to kill and loot
Malian soldiers and foreign fighters, identified as members of the Russia-linked Wagner Group, have committed extrajudicial executions and forced disappearances of dozens of civilians in central Mali since December 2022, according to a new Human Rights Watch report shared with The Intercept. Researchers found that the longtime US-backed Malian military...