22 May 2023 /Conflict and War/ –Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, began a tour of African countries this week in an effort to challenge Russian influence in the “Global South.” Kuleba met with foreign ministers from Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and Morocco to discuss the war in Ukraine and to seek their support for Ukraine’s position. Continue reading
The pyramid you are referring to is the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is the largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis in Egypt. It is also the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Great Pyramid was built for the Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu over a period of 20 years, and it originally stood at 146.5 meters (481 feet) tall. However, over the centuries, the pyramid has lost some of its height due to erosion and the removal of its outer casing stones. Today, the Great Pyramid stands at 137 meters (449.5 feet) tall. Continue reading
April 24, 2023 /Entertainment/ — The casting of Adele James as Cleopatra is controversial because there is no consensus on what Cleopatra’s race was. Some historians believe that she was of Macedonian Greek descent, while others believe that she had African ancestry. The casting of James, who is a black British actress, has been seen by some as an attempt to “blackwash” history. Others have defended the casting, saying that it is important to represent Cleopatra as a diverse figure. Continue reading
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.
Philippe Burger, University of the Free State
Public debt repayments in some African countries are at their highest levels since 1998. The Conversation Africa’s founding editor Caroline Southey talks to dean and economics professor Philippe Burger about the danger of debt problems some African countries face.
Jenny Jenkins, Durham University
An extremely large earthquake has occurred in the southeast of Turkey, near the border with Syria. Data from seismometers which measure shaking of the ground caused by earthquake waves suggest this this event, in the early morning of February 6, was a magnitude 7.8 out of 10 on the moment magnitude scale. Seismic waves were picked up by sensors around the world (you can watch them ripple through Europe) including places as far away as the UK.
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By Samuel Woodhams | Digital rights researcher and journalist Last week, WhatsApp announced a new proxy support feature that will help people stay connected during internet disruptions. The app is often targeted by government censors because messages on the end-to-end encrypted service can’t be intercepted, enabling people to organise protests and share critical information in private. |
John Hammond, University of Reading and Yiorgos Gadanakis, University of Reading
Welcome to this special report on the food industry, the fourth instalment in our series on where the global economy is heading in 2023. It follows recent articles on inflation, energy and the cost of living.
Claire Gilmour, University of Bristol
The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 was a monumental event for archaeology. It was the first largely intact ancient Egyptian royal tomb to be found and hence provided major insights into the burial practices of royalty. It also gave a glimpse of what other undiscovered, lost or robbed tombs of pharaohs might have been like.
Patrick E. Shea, University of Glasgow
Countries across the world are drifting towards a debt crisis. Economic slowdowns and rising inflation have increased demands on spending, making it almost impossible for many governments to pay back the money they owe.