Editor's note

Few African countries place the same significance on soft power as world powers like China and the US do. Oluwaseun Tella argues that this is particularly true of Nigeria, which is arguably Africa’s largest economy and its most populous country. It has impressive soft power capabilities but hasn’t made very good use of them.

Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia are on the rise in low and middle-income countries. But access to care in developing countries such as South Africa is limited. In their research, Justine Ina Davies and Ryan G Wagner set out to establish access to care and the consequences for the country if this isn’t improved.

Ghanaian women who don’t have children face major social pressure. This often leads to the end of relationships, as well as to mental health issues and stigma. In today’s episode of Pasha, Jasmine Fledderjohann discusses these issues and how to go about resolving them.

Julius Maina

Regional Editor East Africa

Top Stories

French president Emmanuel Macron with Nollywood artists during a live show in Lagos, Nigeria. EPA-EFE/Ludovic Marin

Nigeria is punching below its weight despite massive soft power capacity

Oluwaseun Tella, University of Johannesburg

One of the most potent promoters of Nigeria's cultural soft power is arguably Nollywood.

Salty and fatty foods are driving up obesity. Shutterstock

Weighing up the costs of treating ‘lifestyle’ diseases in South Africa

Justine Ina Davies, University of Birmingham; Ryan G Wagner, University of the Witwatersrand

At the turn of the century, the greatest threats were posed by infectious diseases today, the biggest threats are posed by lifestyle diseases.

Science + Technology

Scientists split on South Africa’s winter and summer rainfall zones

Jennifer Fitchett, University of the Witwatersrand; Chris Curtis, University of the Witwatersrand; Sarah Roffe, University of the Witwatersrand

There are regions in South Africa where it hasn't been established if the rainy season is in summer or winter.

New research proves the long-held theory that lasers can create fractals

Andrew Forbes, University of the Witwatersrand

Nature can produce fractals, computers can, too. Could light be a fractal? The answer is yes.

Education

Rwanda university sets out to teach doctors medicine and management

Agnes Binagwaho, University of Global Health Equity

Many health professionals leave Africa because they don’t know how to handle the non-clinical systemic problems.

Fake qualifications are on the rise. How universities can manage the risk

Linda Ronnie, University of Cape Town; Suki Goodman, University of Cape Town

Fraudulent academic qualifications have increased dramatically in South Africa.

Podcasts

Pasha 5: The social stigma facing Ghana’s women

Ozayr Patel, The Conversation

There's heavy burden for women in Ghana who don't have children.

Pasha 4: The virtues of vertical farms

Ozayr Patel, The Conversation

Vertical farms have the potential to feed many on the African continent.

From our international editions

A nuclear treaty between Russia and the US is falling apart – can it be saved?

Jeffrey Fields, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

A Cold War era treaty helped dismantle more than 2,500 missiles between the US and Russia.

How to lose weight and keep it off – according to science

Kevin Deighton, Leeds Beckett University

Your body doesn't know when you've overeaten, but exercise can help.

Potential treatment for eye cancer using tumor-killing virus

Hemant Khanna, University of Massachusetts Medical School

When you think of viruses, you might think of the horrible illnesses they cause, like flu or Ebola. But now researchers are learning how to use the unique traits of viruses to treat disease.

The Syrian war is not over, it’s just on a new trajectory: here’s what you need to know

Mehmet Ozalp, Charles Sturt University

Now that the US has pulled out Syria, is the war actually over?

 
 
 
 

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