Why Zambia’s upcoming poll risks tipping the balance against democracy
Image of a polling station sign in Kasama, Northern Province, in 2015. Nicole Beardsworth Nicole Beardsworth, University of Warwick Zambia is one of the fastest eroding democracies in the world. This is according to the Varieties of Democracy Project (V-dem), one of...
COVID vaccines: why waiving patents won’t fix global shortage – scientist explains
Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock Anne Moore, University College Cork COVID-19 vaccines are key to ending the pandemic. From a humanitarian, moral and pragmatic perspective, the countries must unite to ensure fair and rapid access to these vaccines, worldwide. As political and...
Some Basic Considerations for the Dry Season
Many farming areas in Namibia have received a lot of rain compared to the previous seasons, recording above the usual annual averages. The rangeland productivity has improved in some areas although the quality of the grazing materials is still not the finest. However,...
New research shows South Africa’s levy on sugar-sweetened drinks is having an impact
Photo by Peter Kovalev\TASS via Getty Images Karen Hofman, University of the Witwatersrand Three years ago South Africa introduced Africa’s first major tax on sugar-sweetened beverages based on grams of sugar. The tax now stands at about 11% of the price per litre. We...
Scientists invent home COVID-19 test using coffee machine capsules
Nespresso machines, which brew espresso and coffee from coffee capsules, can be used for covid tests. Manu Padilla/Shutterstock Mark Lorch, University of Hull Transitioning to home working had its challenges for us all, but when your job involves researching...
Answer questions well enough to ace a job interview
An essential step in the employment process is interviewing qualified candidates. An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides the answers. It refers to a conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee....
Why being endowed with oil is not always a boon: the case of Nigeria and Angola
Young Angolans protest for bettter living conditions in the capital Luanda in 2020. EFE-EPA Ross Harvey, University of Johannesburg In countries with weak governance institutions, natural resource wealth tends to be a curse instead of a blessing. Where citizens are...
Child victim, soldier, war criminal: unpacking Dominic Ongwen’s journey
Dominic Ongwen enters the court room of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, on December 6, 2016. Photo by Peter Dejong/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Kjell Anderson, University of Manitoba Dominic Ongwen, a former Ugandan child soldier, has been convicted...
A few guidelines for buying a vehicle
With the Bank of Namibia Monetary Policy Committee's decision to keep the Repo rate at a historic low of 3.75 percent and the introduction of the extended repayment terms, this is the ideal time to buy a vehicle. However with any purchase, planning is essential. Below...
Some legislatures have held governments to account during COVID-19. But not all
Brazil’s Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello at a press conference about the distribution of nearly 6 million doses of a vaccine. Photo by Rodrigo Paiva/Getty Images Nic Cheeseman, University of Birmingham and Rebecca Gordon, University of Birmingham The coronavirus...