Movement

Colonial statues in Africa have been removed, returned and torn down again – why it’s such a complex history

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

It also ignited debates about historical symbols of oppression, such as statues of figures associated with racial injustices.

Key Points: 
  • It also ignited debates about historical symbols of oppression, such as statues of figures associated with racial injustices.
  • These debates presented colonial statues in Africa as having been contested and toppled for many years, ever since African states gained independence.
  • As a scholar of African heritage, I recently published a study examining colonial statues and how they have been regarded in postcolonial Africa.

Colonial statues at independence (1950s-1980)

  • As African countries gained independence from the 1950s to the 1980s, colonial statues faced three main fates: recycling; defacement or toppling; and on-site preservation.
  • Recycling involved relocating statues from former colonies to former colonial metropolises.
  • The reasons for these repatriations were multiple and included the desire to keep alive memory of colonial times and to feed colonial nostalgia.
  • Some African leaders at independence were pro-Europe, having been educated there or having worked there during colonial times.

The empires strike back (1990s-2000s)

  • It’s easy to see why: the millions of US dollars in aid that Belgium gives the DRC every year.
  • However, this statue of Livingstone can also be seen as an international event, linked to colonial monuments built with France’s cooperation.
  • This is notably the case of the 2006 Savorgnan de Brazza memorial erected in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of Congo.

Renewed contestations (from the 2010s)

  • Such protests have accelerated in recent years and have become more visible, thanks to social networks.
  • The most famous case is the Rhodes Must Fall movement.
  • This movement opposed neoliberal economic systems which had failed to respond to fundamental change, especially in areas such as education.

A complex issue

  • While acknowledging successes in removing colonial statues, it is important not to overlook the substantial support for (neo)colonial monuments all over Africa.
  • Such support can be explained by pressure from former colonial powers and the links of elites with these countries.


Sophia Labadi has received funding from the Humboldt Foundation and the Fritz Thyssen Foundation.

Urethral sounding: why some people find it pleasurable to insert objects into their urinary tube

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

In case you’re wondering, the human urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body.

Key Points: 
  • In case you’re wondering, the human urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body.
  • Some people find it sexually pleasurable to insert objects – known as sounds, which are typically small glass or metal rods – or even fluid into the urethra.
  • Many objects have been used for sounding, however, and that’s one of the reasons the practice is so hazardous.
  • The urethra is a narrow outflow tube, usually less than 9mm wide, so squeezing objects into it isn’t usually recommended.
  • Megalouretha can lead to retention of objects in the urethra or bladder from clinical examinations such as cervical screening.

Risky business

  • It takes several turns to pass through the pelvic floor muscles, prostate and then, if inserted far enough, the bladder.
  • Urethral damage exposes the underlying connective tissues which can cause blood in the urine, as well as erectile dysfunction and even bladder rupture.
  • Trauma and damage may lead to further narrowing of the urethra in later life which may require medical intervention.

Sounds painful

  • But sounding can be highly sexually gratifying for some people.
  • The arousal and subsequent stimulation of the erectile tissue of the penis and clitoris usually occurs through one of two mechanisms: psychogenic (images or thoughts) or reflexogenic (touching).
  • The reflexogenic pathway is served by nerves which also innervate the lining of the urethra – the dorsal nerve(s) of the penis or clitoris.


Adam Taylor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

High levels of PFAS forever chemicals found flowing into River Mersey – new study

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Huge volumes of toxic and cancer-causing forever chemicals are flowing into the River Mersey in north-west England.

Key Points: 
  • Huge volumes of toxic and cancer-causing forever chemicals are flowing into the River Mersey in north-west England.
  • The recent State of Our Rivers 2024 report from The Rivers Trust found that one of the most concerning groups of synthetic chemicals, per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), contaminates almost every river in England.
  • Known as forever chemicals because they can take thousands of years to break down, PFAS persist in the environment and accumulate in living things.
  • They threaten ecosystems and human health, not just in the Mersey, but in every industrialised river around the world.

Dilute, disperse and detect

  • Most cities, including Liverpool and Manchester, have been built close to rivers and seas, partly to dilute pollution and transport it away.
  • Today, enormous volumes of toxic waste are discharged into rivers and seas because dilution reduces chemical concentrations to extremely low or undetectable levels.
  • These forever chemicals have been detected almost everywhere we look, including in Antarctica, in whales and polar bears and in rainwater.

A state of flux

  • To prevent further PFAS entering our rivers, more needs to be known about how they move into and through river systems.
  • As part of our study, we measured this flux.
  • Instead of measuring a chemical’s concentration, flux is a measure of how much PFAS, for example in kilograms per year, flows off the land and out to sea.


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Patrick Byrne receives funding from the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council.

Paolozzi at 100: exhibition highlights the revolutionary work of Britain’s leading pop artist

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

However, his work crossed a range of creative styles including paper collage, lithography, silk screen, textiles, murals and ceramics.

Key Points: 
  • However, his work crossed a range of creative styles including paper collage, lithography, silk screen, textiles, murals and ceramics.
  • Paolozzi’s influence on the 20th century artworld was immense and he helped shape several art movements with his unique insights.
  • For this work Paolozzi is considered an early pioneer of pop art and is often called the father of British pop art.
  • This exhibition is a testament to the breadth of his work and a true celebration of one of Britain’s greatest artists.

Paolozzi the pop artist

  • Paolozzi was appointed as a teacher at the Central School of Arts and Crafts from 1950 to 1955.
  • This approach can be seen in one the show’s highlights, the “tear sheets” in Take-off, one of the original 45 collages from his Bunk Pop Art series.
  • There is an ongoing debate about whether these collages were the first truly pop art works or simply pieces in Paolozzi’s many scrapbooks that were categorised after the pop art movement had been defined.

Silk screen printing as a new art form

  • Paolozzi’s exploration and use of silk screen print making techniques as an art form was ahead of other contemporary artists such as Andy Warhol, who latterly was exhibited beside him at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (1968).
  • One of the most striking examples of his silk screen work in the exhibition is As is When (1965).
  • Paolozzi exploits the unique colour separation properties of silk screen printing and includes quotes from the Viennese philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s writing.


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Blane Savage does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

As Erdoğan hints at retirement, how has his rule shaped Turkey?

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

The statement, made at a meeting for the Turkish Youth Foundation, was not an official announcement by any means.

Key Points: 
  • The statement, made at a meeting for the Turkish Youth Foundation, was not an official announcement by any means.
  • Rather, it was what appeared to be a frank statement communicated to a young party audience.
  • Mincing words is not usually Erdoğan’s style; he can be quite direct and candid, which has been one of the key appeals of his charismatic personality.
  • Understandably, response to the speech, both within and outside of Turkey, has so far been somewhat muted.

Erdoğan’s legacy

  • It is perhaps too early to judge Erdoğan’s political legacy comprehensively.
  • But his impact on the nation’s trajectory, its regional standing, social structures and government institutions has been undeniable.
  • The two sides had a falling out and Erdoğan accused the movement of being behind the failed coup in 2016.
  • From 2002 until the early 2010s, Turkey’s economy experienced unprecedented growth, fueled by increased foreign investment and large scale projects.
  • The economic success of these years lifted millions into the middle class and led to higher living standards overall.

A Post-Erdoğan era?

  • His son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, once touted as a clear frontrunner in the race to succeed him, has since left active politics.
  • If a new president continues much of the similar policies and has a non-disruptive approach, then a peaceful transition is plausible.
  • But Erdoğan’s party failing to concede a loss, or his voter base failing to recognize the results, may lead to a turbulent transition.


Yasar Bukan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

What can we expect from six more years of Vladimir Putin? An increasingly weak and dysfunctional Russia

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

The only real question is whether he will receive more than 75% of the vote.

Key Points: 
  • The only real question is whether he will receive more than 75% of the vote.
  • It could be tempting to see these results as a sign of the strength of the Russian system.
  • It is also increasingly dysfunctional, trapped in a cycle of poor quality and weak governance that cannot be solved by one man, no matter how much power he has.

The constitutional dark arts

  • This centralisation is the product of an increasingly common logic that I call the “constitutional dark arts”.
  • This logic generally holds that democracy and rights protection are best guaranteed in a constitutional system that centralises authority in one elected leader.
  • This line of thinking is present in many populist, authoritarian countries, such as Hungary and Turkey.
  • Thirty years later, however, we can see how this use of the “constitutional dark arts” backfired spectacularly.

Poor quality governance in Russia

  • Although this centralised system has allowed Putin to dominate politics, it fosters weak and poor governance, particularly outside Moscow.
  • First, centralised decision-making in Russia is often made using incomplete or false information.
  • It was based on intelligence that the operation would be over quickly and Ukrainians would likely welcome Russian forces.
  • In his February 29 address to parliament, Putin tacitly acknowledged these problems, promising new national projects to improve infrastructure, support families and enhance the quality of life.

An increasingly dysfunctional Russia

  • Externally, this centralisation is likely to produce an increasingly unpredictable Russia, led by a man making decisions on the basis of an increasingly paranoid world view and incorrect or manipulated information.
  • It will likely foster harsher repression of any dissenting voices inside Russia, as well.
  • We are also likely to see an increasingly dysfunctional Russia, one in which roads, housing, schools, health care and other infrastructure will continue to deteriorate, particularly outside of Moscow.


William Partlett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

EQS-News: Cannovum Cannabis AG: Areas for more than 500 cannabis clubs are available in the cultivation alliance. Exclusive partnership with some of the largest agricultural companies in Germany

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Cannovum Cannabis AG: Areas for more than 500 cannabis clubs are available in the cultivation alliance.

Key Points: 
  • Cannovum Cannabis AG: Areas for more than 500 cannabis clubs are available in the cultivation alliance.
  • Cannovum Cannabis AG: Areas for more than 500 cannabis clubs are available in the cultivation alliance.
  • With the upcoming cannabis clubs, Cannovum Cannabis AG intends to generate significant revenues and create significant added value for shareholders and society.
  • Exclusive cultivation areas and services are already available for more than 500 cannabis clubs.

EQS-News: Wolftank Group reinforces sustainability commitment by joining United Nations Global Compact, OeKB ESG Data Hub and Open-es

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Wolftank Group reinforces sustainability commitment by joining United Nations Global Compact, OeKB ESG Data Hub and Open-es

Key Points: 
  • Wolftank Group reinforces sustainability commitment by joining United Nations Global Compact, OeKB ESG Data Hub and Open-es
    The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
  • Wolftank Group reinforces sustainability commitment by joining United Nations Global Compact, OeKB ESG Data Hub and Open-es
    Wolftank Group (Wolftank-Adisa Holding AG, ISIN: AT0000A25NJ6), a leading provider of environmental and energy technologies focused on emission reduction, has underlined its commitment to global sustainability and ethical business practices.
  • The Group has joined the world's largest corporate responsibility initiative UN Global Compact, the ESG Data Hub of Österreichische Kontrollbank (OeKB) and Open-es, an alliance among industrial, financial and institutional ecosystems.
  • The ESG Data Hub of OeKB serves as a crucial tool for sustainable finance, enabling companies to collect, manage, and share ESG data with financial institutions through standardized questionnaires, fostering transparency and efficiency.

EQS-News: Exasol Unveils New Suite of AI Tools to Turbocharge Enterprise Data Analytics

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

With these new features, Espresso AI provides organizations with the tools needed to harness the power of their data for advanced AI-driven insights and decision-making.

Key Points: 
  • With these new features, Espresso AI provides organizations with the tools needed to harness the power of their data for advanced AI-driven insights and decision-making.
  • By leveraging Espresso AI, data teams are equipped to address business-critical needs such as demand forecasting, fraud detection, and churn prediction.
  • Exasol has enhanced its versatile query engine, Exasol Espresso , with Espresso AI, bringing AI and business intelligence (BI) together to enable better BI reports with predictive machine learning (ML) models.
  • Exasol AI Lab: A new container-based solution that allows data scientists to integrate Exasol’s in-memory analytics database into their preferred data science ecosystem to create optimized AI models faster and deploy them at scale.

SWEF: January 2024 NAV

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

(4) Operating Income available to distribute comprises loan income recognised in the period less the cost of debt facilities utilised by the Group and operating costs incurred.

Key Points: 
  • (4) Operating Income available to distribute comprises loan income recognised in the period less the cost of debt facilities utilised by the Group and operating costs incurred.
  • (5) Unrealised foreign exchange gain/losses relate to the net impact of changes in the valuation of foreign exchange hedges and the sterling equivalent value of Euro loan investments (using the applicable month end rate).
  • Mismatches between the hedge valuations and the loan investments may occur depending on the shape of the forward FX curve and this causes some movement in the NAV.
  • These unrealised FX gains / losses are not considered part of distributable reserves.