Booming construction industry in Somali capital Mogadishu pushes the poor and vulnerable to margins of society
The urbanisation free-for-all has a social cost, discriminating as it does against those living on the margins of society – the displaced and the urban poor. They lack documentation and legal protections, and, as land values increase, there has been a related rise in forced evictions in a city where those with money and clan backing can act with impunity.
Medical coder in Arizona details how huge ‘financial incentives led hospitals in US to use Covid treatments that killed patients’
Under the Covid-19 hospital protocols, patients “would be on the ventilators for 30 days or more sometimes, which was incredibly rare,” Smith said. “On top of that, they weren’t talking about disconnecting these patients from the ventilator, which should be something they’re talking about within 24 hours, because the longer you’re on, the less likely you are to come off the ventilator.”
South Sudan braces for permanent mass displacement due to climate change as Lake Victoria overflows
Around 2.6 million people were displaced in South Sudan between 2020 and 2022 alone, a result of both conflict and violence (1 million) and flooding (1.5 million). In practice, the two are interlinked, as flooding has caused displaced herders to come into conflict with resident farmers over land.
How menopause sets off persistent toothaches and other dental problems, but they can be managed
Decreasing bone density and receding gums exacerbate these problems. If the socket that holds the tooth is less dense, Sollecito said, it’s more vulnerable to bone loss. And gum recession can leave some tooth surfaces without the enamel that protects them from cavities.
Tree of life: Why African baobab is a ‘superfood’ consumers in US and Europe are jostling for
The global market for baobab products has spiked, turning rural African areas with an abundance of the trees into source markets. The trees, known for surviving even under severe conditions like drought or fire, need more than 20 years to start producing fruit and aren’t cultivated but foraged.
Nigerians resort to fortified bouillon to cut steep rise in malnutrition as Africa grapples with climate-enforced hunger
If public health advocates and the Nigerian government have their way, malnourished households in the West African nation soon will have a simple ingredient available to improve their intake of key vitamins and minerals. Government regulators on September 17 are launching a code of standards for adding iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin B12 to bouillon cubes at minimum levels recommended by experts.
From historicisms, rat-stabbers, lions, devils to birds, gods and colours: How nicknames inspire football teams
The Bahamas, aka ‘The Rake and Scrape Boys’, are named after a famous local dance. Demonstration here. It would be a travesty if Egypt were called anything other than ‘The Pharaohs’, while Thailand are menacingly nicknamed ‘The War Elephants’, with the country known for its historical use of those animals in battle.
Land ethic: In Uganda, state is like an engineer who respects mechanical wisdom because he created it, but disrespects ecological wisdom
The Uganda government is likely to continue with bulldozing the construction of dams in total disregard of sustainable ecology, sustainable environment, sustainable development and environmental justice because it lacks the concept of democratic development, which takes away people’s traditional wisdom, traditions, culture and spirituality in account, preferring mechanistic development, which is committed to sowing the sterile culture of money that international financial institutions such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are committed to proliferating in every part of the world.
How Kenyan church named Good News presided over cult massacre that haunts survivors
Many of Africa’s evangelical churches are run like sole proprietorships, without the guidance of trustee boards or laity. Pastors are often unaccountable, deriving authority from their perceived ability to perform miracles or make prophecies. Some, like Mackenzie, can seem all-powerful.
How Central Africa Republic has become staging ground for America and Russia battle for influence in Africa
Moscow aggressively expanded its military cooperation by using mercenaries like Wagner, who have operated in at least half a dozen countries since around 2017. They’re tasked with protecting African leaders and in some cases helping fight rebels and extremists.
