Chadian women defy discrimination, violence to assert their rights to own and control land
Village chief Marie Djetoyom, a woman in the hereditary role, said that she was afraid to take action and risk being imprisoned in retaliation. She asserted that she must act within the customary land laws. Despite the lack of support from traditional leaders and local authorities, women in the village of around 120 people have found strength in the collective.
Flowers of Good: Brazilian women spearhead campaign for medical marijuana for sick children
In drugstores, a 30 millilitre bottle (1 fluid ounce) of the CBD that Murillo’s paediatrician prescribed for his condition costs as much as 900 reais ($180) – more than half Silva’s monthly wages as an office assistant. Since June, she has spent zero on Murillo’s CBD medication. Twice a day, she drips the oil into the boy’s mouth and each bottle lasts about 45 days.
Domino effect of 10 million uprooted Sudanese ricochets far and wide as host families are stripped savings, privacy
Host families interviewed said they are sheltering people out of a sense of comradeship, and because of a desire to help ameliorate the vast humanitarian disaster and famine that now threatens millions of lives.
Nigerian cows crossing: Give way, herders are grazing their animals to ease gravity of climate change
Fulani herders like Abubakar are traditionally nomadic and dominate West Africa’s cattle industry. They normally rely on wild countryside to graze their cattle with free pasture, but the pressures of modernisation, the need for land for housing and crop farming and human-caused climate change are challenging their way of life. To keep cattle off of Abuja’s major roads and gardens, some suggest that herders need to start acquiring private land and operating like other businesses. But to do that, they’d need money and government incentives.
Affective polarisation is fuelled by negative campaigning that’s become a staple of modern electoral messaging
One potential explanation for the intensity of partisan political hatred in the US comes from a 2022 study published in the British Journal of Political Science. Examining data from 20 Western democracies since the mid-1990s, it found that people’s anger over political disagreements on issues like migration, religion and LGBTQ+...
Divided we stand: Why political animosity is fed by ‘affective polarisation’, no longer policy
Congress, mired in perpetual gridlock, struggles to pass even the most essential legislation, undermining the principles of democracy. This legislative stalemate reflects a broader societal trend where Americans increasingly see those with opposing views not merely as adversaries, but as enemies.
Dealing with stress, Nigerian way: Swinging a sledgehammer in ‘rage room’ is the latest fad in Lagos
Times are tough in Nigeria, a country of about 250 million people where growing frustration among youths led to recent mass protests in which several people were killed by security forces. The inflation rate has reached a 28-year-high of 33.4 per cent, while the naira currency has fallen to record lows against the dollar.
New study reveals medical benefits of fasting that should thrill Muslims and Christians more besides spiritual revival
Researchers have been investigating the potential health benefits of fasting for decades, and there is evidence that the practice can help to delay certain diseases and lengthen lifespan in rodents. But the underlying biological mechanisms behind these benefits have been a mystery.
Reformed poacher offers hope for Zimbabwe’s tourism industry and endangered wildlife species
Tembanechako Mastick and a group of men scanned bushes near their village in southeast Zimbabwe, on the hunt for the den of hyenas that had recently attacked livestock. Scattered fragments of goat bones showed the way, and Mastick peeped cautiously into a deep hole in the earth. “They are probably...
Russia tightens hold on Sahel region and Africa’s west coast as US scrambles to retain disgruntled allies
Niger’s closer ties with Russia come a month after senior US officials visited Niger and expressed concern over the country’s potential relationships with Russia and Iran. Following the meeting, a spokesperson for Niger’s military, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, criticised the “condescending attitude” of the Americans for denying the Nigerien people the right to choose which countries they partner with.