By Onyedikachi Madueke, Teaching Assistant, University of Aberdeen
The Nigerian Senate confirmed the appointment of the immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as an ambassador in December 2025. This has resurfaced concerns about electoral integrity in the country.
Mahmood Yakubu stepped down as head of the electoral…
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By Hellen Agumba, Senior lecturer, University of Johannesburg
As universities in South Africa prepare to admit a new group of students, thousands of young people from rural parts of the country hope for a life-changing opportunity.
In 2023, public universities enrolled 258,778 first-time students. Demand is intense; for example, the University of Johannesburg received 358,992 applications…
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By Mahesh Nepal, Ph.D. Student in Electrical Engineering, Binghamton University, State University of New York
A new study investigated the source of a leak in a ‘miracle measurement’ from 2010 – and engineers found a potential solution.
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By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
On the backdrop of a solemn day in Parliament, the government and opposition moved closer to a deal to pass hate-speech laws.
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By Robert Joseph Gill, Associate Professor in Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology, Swinburne University of Technology
Even non tennis fans knew about ‘Fed’, ‘Rafa’ and ‘Serena’. The same can’t be said about today’s top tennis players.
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By Zulker Naeen
Bangladesh’s refusal to participate in 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup matches scheduled on Indian soil represents far more than a diplomatic standoff or a security dispute.
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Sunday, January 18, 2026
Nearly three years of war have plunged Sudan “into an abyss of unimaginable dimensions” and human rights must be at the centre of efforts to end the fighting and build lasting peace, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Sunday in Nairobi.
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By Douglas Sheil, Professor, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Wageningen University
Erik Meijaard, Honorary Professor of Conservation, University of Kent
Flawed scientific articles don’t just clutter journals — they misguide policies, waste taxpayer funds, and endanger lives. Errors in top-tier research persist due to a broken correction system. Consider our own recent experiences.
In March 2025, Communications Earth & Environment published a paper claiming oil palm certification reduces yields and drives land expansion. But the study misread satellite data – interpreting temporary declines during replanting as a loss of production area. When corrected,…
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By Jodi Rowley, Curator, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology, Australian Museum, UNSW Sydney
Grace Gillard, Technical Officer, Herpetology Collection Division, Australian Museum
Almost two-thirds of Australia is privately owned. But most of our scientific understanding of how threatened species are faring comes from research done on public lands. Traditional biodiversity surveys by professional scientists are time and resource intensive and navigating access to private lands can be tricky.
This means there’s a huge gap in our knowledge amid worsening biodiversity loss. That’s where citizen…
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Top row: Lok Bahadur Ghaley; Rinzin Wangdi; Chandra Raj Rai; Kumar Gautam. Bottom row: San Man Gurung; Birkha Bdr Chhetri; Omnath Adhikari; Chaturman Tamang. © Private The recent death of Sha Bahadur Gurung, one of Bhutan’s longest serving political prisoners, is a tragic reminder of the injustice and needless suffering endured by alleged government critics in Bhutan’s grim prisons. Gurung, 65, was arrested in 1990 while he was a member of the Royal Bhutan Army and accused of attending protests demanding rights for his minority Nepali-speaking community.…
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