Special Reports

Things have been topsy turvy lately on the roadsides of West African nations where cheap contraband petrol from Nigeria has abruptly doubled in price, upending an informal sector that is central to the region's economic activity. Since Nigeria scrapped a state fuel subsidy on May 31, black market fuel vendors and commercial drivers in Cameroon, Benin and Togo who were heavily reliant on petrol smuggled from Nigeria have seen their businesses collapse. With supplies dwindling, queues have been forming at official petrol stations, where fuel is now competitively priced. In Garoua, a town in northwest Cameroon about 60 km (37…
Inside the stables of Paleis Noordeinde in The Hague is a golden coachembellished with images of colonial offerings to Dutch rulers that many, including the current Dutch king, regard as a symbol of exploitation that, according to a new study, netted three Dutch rulers the equivalent of more than €545m (£465m). Historians calculated the staggering value of colonial profit for Willem III (also king of England, Ireland and Scotland), Willem IV and Willem V for a report published at the request of the Dutch parliament last week before a widely expected apology over slavery from the Dutch king. The study,…
Beneath your feet in the depths of our planet, there’s an unbelievably vast ecosystem teeming with life. In recent years, a massive international team of scientists revealed how billions upon billions of microorganisms live miles beneath Earth’s subsurface. Presenting their work at the American Geophysical Union's annual meeting in 2018, the researchers calculated the size of this mysterious treasure trove of life for the first time – and it was way bigger than they expected. They reported that approximately 70 percent of the total number of microbes on the planet live underground. In total, these microbes represent around 15 to…
The international economic architecture built after 1945 was based on a powerful idea: economic interdependence is crucial, if insufficient, for global peace and prosperity. The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the predecessor to the World Trade Organization were founded in response to the three preceding decades of ceaseless instability, when the world had been devastated by two world wars, the Great Depression, and political extremism. It had also been a period of deglobalization, in which countries retreated into increasingly isolated trading blocs. In the rubble of World War II, governments sought to construct a new system that, by…
Across the west, popular misery and ‘elite overproduction’ are fuelling crisis, argues data-driven historian Peter Turchin. So what can we do to turn things around? In February 2010, Peter Turchin, a relatively obscure researcher at the University of Connecticut, wrote a letter to the distinguished journal Nature. He was responding to their “2020 visions” issue – an upbeat dawn-of-the-decade exercise that collected predictions of progress from across science and politics. Turchin assumed the role of Cassandra. “The next decade is likely to be a period of growing instability in the United States and western Europe,” he wrote, “which could undermine…
The rugged, chilly coast of northern Norway, beyond the Arctic Circle, is not usually thought of as prime agricultural land. But far down a dead-end road on the shores of Skjerstad Fjord sits Salten Smolt, one of the most advanced farms in the world. Rather than crops or cows, though, the firm produces fish. Inside its 7,000 square metre main building are tanks capable of producing 8m smolt—juvenile Atlantic salmon—every year. Fish farming is the fastest-growing form of food production in the world. Seafood accounts for around 17% of the world’s protein intake (in some parts of Asia and Africa,…
The young woman was catatonic, stuck at the nurses' station - unmoving, unblinking and unknowing of where or who she was. Her name was April Burrell. Before she became a patient, April had been an outgoing, straight-A student majoring in accounting at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. But after a traumatic event when she was 21, April suddenly developed psychosis and became lost in a constant state of visual and auditory hallucinations. The former high school valedictorian could no longer communicate, bathe or take care of herself. April was diagnosed with a severe form of schizophrenia, an often devastating…
Future historians may well mark the second half of March 2023 as the moment when the era of artificial intelligence truly began. In the space of just two weeks, the world witnessed the launch of GPT-4, Bard, Claude, Midjourney V5, Security Copilot, and many other AI tools that have surpassed almost everyone’s expectations. These new AI models’ apparent sophistication has beaten most experts’ predictions by a decade. For centuries, breakthrough innovations – from the invention of the printing press and the steam engine to the rise of air travel and the internet – have propelled economic development, expanded access to…
In today’s rapidly advancing world, technology plays a crucial role in shaping our lives and society. As emerging technologies continue to evolve, their impact on various aspects of our lives becomes increasingly significant. From transforming industries to revolutionizing communication, emerging tech has the potential to bring about both positive and negative changes. In this report, we will explore some of the most important technologies of our time and delve into their impacts on society, the economy, and individuals. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has emerged as a game-changer in various fields, including healthcare, finance, transportation, and even NHL…
Africa has witnessed increased mobile internet coverage. The GSMA reports that “by the end of 2021, 22% of the total population in Sub-Saharan Africa was using mobile internet (and 40% of adults over 18 years of age).” The association also states that during the past five years, the proportion of the population covered by a mobile broadband network has more than doubled. Today 3G, 4G and 5G mobile handsets make up over half of all connections in the region, according to the GSMA. This means greater connectivity across Africa and with the rest of the globe. But this easier access…
March 26, 2025

Pepper prices surge 225%, tomato jumps 114%

The cost of agricultural produce has seen dramatic price increases in March, with pepper experiencing…
March 26, 2025

Afenifere condemns emergency rule in Rivers, announces burial plans for late leader Ayo Adebanjo

The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has strongly condemned the declaration of a state of emergency…
March 27, 2025

Beyond skills: How strong character defines great leaders

Rodger Dean Duncan It’s been said that character is what we do when we think…
March 23, 2025

Mr Macaroni declines donations amid N500m debt revelation

Popular comedian and activist, Mr Macaroni, has clarified that he is not seeking financial assistance…
March 24, 2025

Bandits ambush, kill 10 security personnel in Zamfara

Tragedy struck in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State as six operatives of the…
March 27, 2025

Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 538

Hundreds stage Gaza protest against Hamas after conflict resumes Hundreds of Palestinians have protested in…
March 26, 2025

How long does automatic transmission fluid last and when should you change it?

Everybody makes a big deal about regular engine oil changes, and with good reason. Just…
January 08, 2025

NFF appoints new Super Eagles head coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Éric Sékou Chelle as the new Head Coach…

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