After many years of deferring to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court - the country’s apex court - have begun to scrutinise not only the energy regulator’s decisions but its methodology as well. Stephen Labson explains the significance of the recent Constitutional Court judgment against the energy regulator.
Informal settlements make up a huge part of developing cities yet conventional planning approaches - like slum clearance, high-rises and back-to-village programs - have often failed to manage them. This is what’s happening in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital city, where a community of 200,000 people face eviction to make room for “development”. Tanzil Shafique argues that the concept needs a rethink.
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Industrial users of gas have brought the energy regulator’s methodology under the scrutiny of the courts.
Stephen Labson, University of Johannesburg
South African courts have been reluctant 'to step into the shoes of the regulator', But the confirmation by the Constitutional Court of the ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal has changed all that.
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The Bangladesh government wants Karail, an established community of 200,000 people in the capital Dhaka, to make way for development.
Laura Elizabeth Pohl/Bread for the World/flickr
Tanzil Shafique, University of Melbourne
A community of 200,000 in Dhaka faces eviction to make room for "development". Is it time to rethink the concept, especially with a billion people now living in informal settlements worldwide?
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Politics + Society
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Stephen Asatsa, Catholic University of Eastern Africa
Untreated trauma is dangerous as it may develop into other mental health complications that lead to drug abuse, depression, anger and hatred.
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Mark A. Collinson, University of the Witwatersrand; Carren Ginsburg, University of the Witwatersrand
Keeping track of migration and urbanisation is challenging, but it's vital for population health that migration and urbanisation is well understood and planned for.
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Health + Medicine
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Ralph Martins, Macquarie University
Many chronic diseases increase our risk of Alzheimer's disease. This link between our bodies and our brains means certain healthy choices could protect our cognitive function.
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Charalampos (Babis) Rallis, University of East London
An enzyme called TOR could hold the secret to a longer, healthier life.
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Science + Technology
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Ulrike Rivett, University of Cape Town
South Africa's introducing coding as a school subject but until teacher education, IT infrastructure and internet connectivity issues, among others are addressed, the country has a long way to go.
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Miriam Frankel, The Conversation; Martin Archer, Queen Mary University of London
The fifth episode of the To the moon and beyond podcast series explores where we will be travelling in 2069.
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