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Working as I do on the international affairs desk, my week has been dominated by two stories: the war in Ukraine and the violence in Sudan. It’s the latter that has, frankly, been the most upsetting to watch on the nightly news. I spent a very happy year as an English teacher at Khartoum University in my twenties and have fond memories of the Sudanese people for their kindness and hospitality, their sense of humour and their resourcefulness in the face of what, in the famine of the mid-1980s, were extremely hard times.
We’ll be following the situation closely in the days and weeks ahead. But Sudan is just one of several strife-torn countries across Africa that have a common denominator: the alleged involvement of foreign mercenaries. Myriad intelligence sources and news reports have named Russia’s shadowy Wagner Group, which is also heavily involved in the war in Ukraine, as a big factor in the violence and disruption of strategically important or resource-rich countries from Mali and Burkina Faso in the west to Chad, Central African Republic and Sudan in central Africa. Our team of experts has this assessment of the situation.
We also have this vivid account, by an academic who was trapped in South Sudan during the vicious fighting which erupted in 2013. She was evacuated. Do remember the people who cannot leave and have no option but to stay in the middle of a civil war, struggling to find food and water.
Back on home turf, the UK is preparing for the coronation of Charles III in a country which is vastly different to the realm that his mother promised to govern “to the utmost of your power”, not least in terms of the deference which is paid to the monarchy in the second decade of the 21st century. Setting the tone of the coverage will be a tricky business for broadcasters.
This week we also explored the concept of “ethical non-monogamy” (well, some people did, but I wouldn’t dare). We discussed why finding your purpose in life matters and offered some tips about how to find yours. And we enjoyed a brief history of the mullet – which, we’re told, is more a political statement than a haircut.
From our colleagues in the global network, we have this fascinating history of South African jazz and how it is being restored, we heard of an experiment which involved giving volunteers a sixth finger and what it may mean for the
future of prosthetics. And, from the US, the news of the death of Carolyn Bryant Donham, whose false accusation led to the lynching of young Emmett Till in 1955.
As ever, try to find time to listen to our podcast, the Conversation Weekly. This week’s episode revealed the extent to which dirty old used cars are being exported, along with all their pollution, to Africa.
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