Why we welcome poetic justice and despair at poetic injustice
Sometimes people like poetic justice because the law is not in a position to mete out what is deserved.
The threat to South Africa’s democracy runs deeper than state capture
South Africa's democracy is in trouble. But the challenge is less about who should control state institutions, and more about how they can be refashioned to deliver to the poor.
Are NGOs responsible for the migration crisis in the Mediterranean?
Accused of cooperating with smugglers, NGOs defend migrants’ right to life and point to the inadequate policies of European states.
Qatar’s conflict with its neighbours can easily set the Horn of Africa alight
Qatar withdrawing its troops has reignited tensions between Eritrea and Djibouti which the UN and African Union are trying to mediate. This comes as Eritrea is also embroiled in the Yemen civil war.
African court’s landmark ruling gives hope to rural people across the continent
The African court has demonstrated its autonomy in a continent where judicial independence remains shaky in many states.
How a community-based approach to mental health is making strides in Zimbabwe
Lay workers are being trained to help Zimbabwe manage mental issues in communities. So far it's proving successful.
When a river is a person: from Ecuador to New Zealand, nature gets its day in court
New Zealand just conferred personhood upon the Whanganui River, giving it standing to legally defend its rights. Can this novel strategy save the environment?
India’s wells are running dry, fast
Hit by weak monsoons, India faces unprecedented water shortages.
Wrecking to ‘revitalise’: São Paulo expels drug users and razes buildings, claiming public safety
Luz, a once-elegant 19th-century neighbourhood in downtown São Paulo, is prime for redevelopment. The only problem: people live there, including at a homeless encampment known as “Crackland”.
Can we predict political uprisings?
A certain combination of demographics and corruption can lead to political upheaval.
How a South African company turned constraints into global strengths
The development trajectory of South African born brewer SABMiller peaked with the 2016 $104 billion merger with Anheuser-Busch InBev. Behind it lies an extraordinary journey.
Science has the power to boost farming in Africa. But a lot has to change
Governments on the African continent must increase their investment in research and development so that science can yield self-sufficiency.
How world cities moving forward on climate change leave the US President behind
Weeks after Trump's withdrawal from the Paris agreement, powerful US cities are asserting themselves like nation-states to maintain the pact made with the world to help save the planet.
What can Europe expect from a Macron government?
Despite a low voter turnout, the new French president has a solid majority in parliament. He will need it to push his reforms at home and in Europe.
Africa’s got plans for a Great Green Wall: why the idea needs a rethink
Africa's great green wall suffers from a major mismatch between ambition and effort. But that's not to say it should be ditched altogether.
How arts heal and galvanise the youth of Timor Leste
Art helps the youth of Timor Leste express their resistance to legal and political authority in the country.
The pioneering queer artists who opened Vietnam to gay culture
LGBT rights are a work in progress in Vietnam. But artists are in the vanguard of the movement, pushing for public acceptance.
In Mexico, a firebrand leftist provokes the powers that be – including Donald Trump
Can Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexican politics' long-time left-wing rabble rouser, finally win the presidency?
Lipstick Under My Burkha: when real women take over Indian screens
Alankrita Srivastava's feminist film has Indian censors in a tizzy.
Why journalists should engage with their readers: a view from Slovakia
Comments sections may be scary places for reporters but, as the experience of one Slovak daily shows, when journalists engage with readers, it makes for better news.