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South African dagga smokers – the colloquial word for marijuana - are celebrating after the Constitutional Court ruled that it’s legal for adults to cultivate and smoke weed in their homes. The country’s parliament now has 24 months to bring the relevant laws into line with the judgment. Mary Nel says the ruling is welcome because it ditches outdated moralistic and paternalistic approaches to pot.
Plants are all around us - but most people don’t pay much attention to them. Angelique Kritzinger explains why that’s bad news for plant science and crop security, and what can be done to change our collective attitude to plants.
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A man celebrates the landmark marijuana ruling.
KIM LUDBROOK/EPA
Mary Nel, Stellenbosch University
The Constitutional Court judgment is to be applauded for doing away with the assumption that marijuana use by adults in private is always wrong.
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Science + Technology
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Angelique Kritzinger, University of Pretoria
Plant blindness can be solved but it wont be easy.
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Lucy Wandiri Mbirianjau, Kenyatta University
Gender biases are revealed in enrolment inequalities and policies that favour male students.
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Politics + Society
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Miriam Bak McKenna, Lund University
The UK is increasingly isolated in its claim to the Chagos Islands. If an international court finds in Mauritius's favour, the implications could be huge.
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From our international editions
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Paul Bradley, Liverpool John Moores University
It's not all about tiki-taka football. Our new research revealed how a unique philosophy, excellent coaching and cutting edge sports science help FC Barcelona get the best from its players.
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Nicolai Due-Gundersen, Kingston University
Armed and backed by some of the world's largest known oil and gas reserves, Gazprom would be more powerful than US mercenaries such as Blackwater, and also closely linked to the Kremlin.
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Lauren Lluveras, University of Texas at Austin
It's been one year since a Category 4 storm turned Puerto Rico into a disaster zone. Today, nearly every pillar of society — including the economy, health care and schools — remains hobbled.
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