Editor's note

There’s been a surge in China’s wedding industry, fed by a new generation of Chinese brides and grooms who are brand-conscious and brand-reliant. Brides can sometimes wear up to five dresses on their big day. Sara Sterling explains that this might sound over the top and wasteful but it also offers lessons of sustainability.

Almost 50 million people in Nigeria defecate in open areas because they do not have access to safe, private sanitation. This comes with huge risks to public health, and compromises people’s dignity. Juan Pablo Rud, Britta Augsburg, Francisco Oteiza, Laura Abramovsky and Melanie Lührmann examine the country’s approach to solving the problem and suggest how some elements could be changed for the better.

Moina Spooner

Commissioning Editor: East and Francophone Africa

Top Stories

Ahlau/Shutterstock.com

Chinese brides wear as many as five dresses – yet provide inspiration for a sustainable fashion future

Sara Sterling, Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University

This might sound over the top and rather wasteful. But rental wedding dresses are not uncommon.

Billions of people globally don’t have access to safe, clean toilets. Clive Chilvers/Shutterstock

Nigeria needs a more effective sanitation strategy. Here are some ideas

Juan Pablo Rud, Royal Holloway; Britta Augsburg, Institute for Fiscal Studies; Francisco Oteiza, UCL; Laura Abramovsky, Institute for Fiscal Studies; Melanie Lührmann, Royal Holloway

Research shows that targeting poor communities will go a long way in solving the country's open defecation issues.

Business + Economy

Sperm banks recruit unpaid donors by playing into masculine stereotypes

Laetitia Mimoun, City, University of London

How sperm bank marketing meets the growing demand for donations.

More work lies ahead to make Africa’s new free trade area succeed

Frank Mattheis, University of Pretoria; Ueli Staeger, Graduate Institute – Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement (IHEID)

Africa's new continental free trade area, the AfCFTA, is a remarkable achievement. However, decisive diplomatic, technical and social action is needed for it to succeed.

Politics + Society

DRC’s new president faces fresh challenges with old-guard premier

Reuben Loffman, Queen Mary University of London

Felix Tshisekedi must come out from under former premier Joseph Kabila's thumb.

Violence climbs in Colombia as president chips away at landmark peace deal with FARC guerrillas

Fabio Andres Diaz, International Institute of Social Studies

Colombia's new president opposes the 2016 peace deal with the FARC guerrillas. As trust between the government and militants erodes, at least 1,700 former insurgents have returned to armed struggle.

Science + Technology

Eyes in the sky: How satellites can monitor infrastructure health

Peifeng Ma, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Population growth is creating a huge demand for infrastructure, even as environmental risks grow. To detect problems early, satellites can provide rich data to help assess infrastructure "health".

We taught bees a simple number language – and they got it

Scarlett Howard, Université de Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier; Adrian Dyer, RMIT University; Andrew Greentree, RMIT University

We're left wondering whether we as humans are so very special after all – that perhaps the ability to learn mathematics could be universal.