April 26, 2023 /Politics/ – The Patriotic Front (PF) is a political party in Zambia that was founded in 2001. The party has been in power since 2011, but lost the 2021 general election to the United Party for National Development (UPND).
In February 2023, the Registrar of Societies issued a formal warning to the PF for failing to update its office bearers’ credentials. The Registrar gave the PF a deadline of 14 days to comply with the law, or face deregistration. Continue reading
April 26, 2023 /Environment/ — Chilekwa Mumba is an environmental activist from Zambia who was awarded the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize for his work to hold the mining company Vedanta Resources accountable for the environmental damage it caused in Zambia.
Mumba started his activism in 2015, when he noticed that the Kafue River, which runs through his community, was becoming polluted. He investigated and found that the pollution was coming from the Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources.
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April 25, 2023 /Politics/ — US President Joe Biden announced his re-election bid on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. The announcement was met with mixed reactions from the public. Some people were excited to see Biden run again, while others were disappointed.
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Paul Jackson, University of Birmingham
A three-day ceasefire to mark the Islamic festival of Eid-al-Fitr in Khartoum appears to be dead in the water as fighting continues in the Sudanese capital. According to the World Health Organization, more than 330 people have been killed over the past week. Now, with reports emerging that arms are being sent from Egypt and Libya, there are growing fears the situation could develop into a civil war that could draw in regional powers.
April 21, 2023 /Conflict and War/ –The discovery of gold in the Sahel has had a significant impact on the region, both positive and negative. On the one hand, it has brought much-needed economic development and opportunity to some of the poorest countries in the world. On the other hand, it has also led to increased conflict and instability. Continue reading
April 21, 2023 /Environment/ –Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. The official theme for 2023 is Invest In Our Planet.
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April 21, 2023 /Politics/ – Dominic Raab, the UK’s Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, resigned on 21 April 2023 in the wake of a report that found he had bullied civil servants. The report, which was commissioned by the government, found that Raab had created a “toxic” and “intimidating” work environment.
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April 18, 2023 /World/ — The Ukraine war has divided the world in many ways. Some countries have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and have imposed sanctions on Russia. Others have been more hesitant to take action, fearing that it could escalate the conflict.
The war has also divided the world on a ideological level. Some countries see the war as a battle between democracy and authoritarianism. Others see it as a proxy war between the United States and Russia. Continue reading
Angus Nurse, Nottingham Trent University
Louise Casey’s review of the standards of behaviour and internal culture at the Metropolitan police makes for uncomfortable reading. It was commissioned following the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens, who was a serving Met officer at the time.
Casey highlights the prevalence of sexism and homophobia. Crucially, in considering police culture she draws different conclusions on the existence of institutional racism than the position taken in 2021 by Boris Johnson’s government on race.
April 17, 2023 /Economy/ — The global energy transition is a complex and challenging process, with many trade-offs to consider. On the one hand, we need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels in order to mitigate climate change. On the other hand, we need to ensure that the transition is fair and equitable, and that it does not lead to environmental or social problems.
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