Editor's note

Breeding lions in captivity is an emotive subject. Those who defend it say it helps protect the iconic species. Opponents argue that the practice does nothing to protect lions in the wild. In South Africa the issue has become the subject of heated debate as the country considers changing its laws. Ross Harvey unpacks the issues.

The search for ways to beat TB continues to preoccupy scientists. The disease still kills more than 1.5 million people a year while 10 million continue to be infected annually. Even more chilling is the fact that a new threat has emerged — a strain of TB that’s resistant to existing drug regimens. There’s some good news on this front, as Andrew Nunn and I.D Rusen explain. Another challenge is that TB doesn’t just affect the lungs. Nazir Ismail sets out what other organs are prone to infection.

Nontobeko Mtshali

Education Editor

Top Story

Once cubs in captivity get too big to be stroked and cuddled by tourists, they’re sold into the canned hunting and Asian bone trade industries. Shutterstock

South Africa kicks the can down the road on captive predator breeding

Ross Harvey, South African Institute of International Affairs

While the international conservation community unites against the captive breeding of big cats in South Africa, the government stalls.

Focus on TB

TB doesn’t only attack the lungs – other organs are also vulnerable

Nazir Ismail, National Institute for Communicable Diseases

TB outside the lungs accounted for 14% of TB cases recorded globally in 2017.

Drug-resistant TB: a new study offers new hope

Andrew Nunn, UCL; I.D. Rusen, University of Toronto

New research shows that the treatment of drug resistant-TB can be reduced from the current duration of 20 to 24 months to less than a year.

Education

Fixing South Africa’s public schools: lessons from a small-town university

Di Wilmot, Rhodes University

Universities have both a responsibility and a degree of potential influence on public schooling that set them apart and impose a special duty of leadership.

From playground risks to college admissions: Failure helps build kids’ resilience

Nicole Racine, University of Calgary; Sheri Madigan, University of Calgary

Paying to get your kids into prestigious universities is an example of a 'bulldozer parenting' trend, which reduces exposure to failure and can lead to mental health difficulties.

From our international editions

Livestreamed massacre means it’s time to shut down Facebook Live

Jennifer Grygiel, Syracuse University

Children can't handle watching livestreamed massacres – and adults shouldn't have to.

Will the New Zealand gun law changes prevent future mass shootings?

Rick Sarre, University of South Australia

Evidence from Australia shows the Ardern government's moves to eliminate certain firearms from New Zealand will improve community safety.

Big gods came after the rise of civilisations, not before, finds study using huge historical database

Harvey Whitehouse, University of Oxford; Patrick E. Savage, Keio University; Peter Turchin, University of Connecticut; Pieter Francois, University of Oxford

God only started watching over us quite recently, according to a new study that analysed 414 societies from 30 world regions.

CERN: Study sheds light on one of physics’ biggest mysteries – why there’s more matter than antimatter

Marco Gersabeck, University of Manchester

A new experiment at CERN has discovered a source of asymmetry between matter and antimatter that could help explain why we are here at all.

En français

Au Mali, religieux et stars des médias bataillent pour capter l’opinion

Fousseyni Touré, Université des sciences juridiques et politiques de Bamako

Quelle a été l’influence des associations islamiques et de leurs représentants dans le débat public au Mali ? Et qui aujourd’hui leur oppose un autre discours ?

En Algérie, la longue marche de la société civile

Emmanuel Matteudi, Aix-Marseille Université ; Martin Péricard, Agence française de développement (AFD)

Le regard sur la société civile, hors du champ politique, permet d’éclairer la situation et la capacité de la société algérienne à prendre les choses en main et à agir, quand le pouvoir n’agit pas.

 
 
 
 

Would you like to republish any of these articles?

It’s free to republish, here are the guidelines. Contact us on africa-republish@theconversation.com in case you need assistance.