World

• The nation’s topography lays its citizens bare to cyclones, flash floods, erosion and drought – not to mention the significant socio-economic impact these bring.
• With the population expected to reach 220 million by then, that would equate to 6% being made homeless.
• The Ashrayan programme, launched in 1997, seeks to build new homes for people who are homeless and landless.
• I have found that when structures are built at speed, without the necessary support system in place, communities’ vulnerability to the climate crisis only increases.

What is an Ashrayan?

• An Ashrayan comprises anything from a few dozen barrack houses to several hundred, depending on the land available and the scale of the site.
• The standard house features two to three rooms, a kitchen, a toilet and a small veranda.
• Joint ownership of the land can be awarded in the name of both the wife and husband.
• Residents have access to technical training courses and micro-credit programmes, as well as community centres and prayer halls.
• However, critics point to the project’s failure to take geographical specificities and cultural nuances into consideration when Ashrayans are built.
• Moreover, when situated at a remote location, residents lose access to the socio-cultural networks that are key to rebuilding communities.

• Bush spoke of a “peace dividend” that would see money saved from reduced defence budgets transferred into more socially productive enterprises.
• Long-term benefits and rises in gross domestic product could have been substantial, according to modelling by the International Monetary Fund, especially for developing nations.
• With Russia ($86.4 billion) and China ($292 billion), the top three spenders account for 56% of global defence spending.
• Aside from the opportunity cost represented by these alarming figures, weak international law in crucial areas means current military spending is largely immune to effective regulation.

The new nuclear arms race

• Although the world’s nuclear powers agree “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought”, there are still about 12,500 nuclear warheads on the planet.
• According to the United Nations’ disarmament chief, the risk of nuclear war is greater than at any time since the end of the Cold War.
• Beyond the promise of non-proliferation, the other nuclear-armed countries are not subject to any other international controls, including relatively simple measures to prevent accidental nuclear war.

The threat of autonomous weaponry

• AI is not without its benefits, but it also presents many risks when applied to weapons systems.
• There have been numerous warnings from developers about the unforeseeable consequences and potential existential threat posed by true digital intelligence.
• But despite at least a decade of negotiation and expert input, a treaty governing the development of “lethal autonomous weapons systems” remains elusive.

Plagues and pathogens

• There are 51 known biosafety level-4 (BSL-4) labs in 27 countries – double the number that existed a decade ago.
• Finally, there are fears the World Health Organization’s new pandemic preparedness treaty, based on lessons from the COVID-19 disaster, is being watered down.

• It’s the largest women’s sporting event on the planet – and for the first time it’s being hosted in Africa.
• Four African teams have made the final 16 of the 2023 tournament, which takes place in Cape Town, South Africa from July 28 until 6 August.

How would you describe the state of the sport in Africa?

• The tournament’s presence in South Africa reflects the growing popularity and development of netball in Africa.
• While netball has historically been more prominent in countries with Commonwealth ties, its appeal has been spreading across the continent.

How do the four African teams rate?

• The competitiveness of African teams in the World Cup has likely improved over the years due to the increasing interest in the sport and the investments made in player development.
• Teams from South Africa, Malawi and Uganda have been particularly strong contenders and have the potential to cause upsets against more established netball nations.
• Based on these rankings, most of the African teams should reach the top eight placements.
• Netball South Africa has been making great strides in developing and growing the sport professionally across the country.

What’s the importance for South Africa of hosting the cup?

• She contends that success for the South African team – called the Spar Proteas – in the global showpiece would benefit the country greatly.
• This being the first time the tournament is held in Africa, it’s also expected to bring a new flavour to the event.
• It demonstrates South Africa’s ability to organise and host major sporting events, boosting its reputation as a destination.

And the impact for Cape Town?

• As the host city, Cape Town experiences direct benefits.
• The city will witness an influx of visitors, athletes, officials and media, leading to increased economic activity.

What does this do for netball in Africa?

• Sport and physical education promote and strengthen social cohesion among learners from various socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
• And platforms like this provide an opportunity for sporting talent to be unearthed and nurtured; today’s young participants are tomorrow’s sport stars.

• The 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup is probably the most highly-anticipated women’s football tournament ever.
• But there are ongoing issues that continue to jeopardise the women’s game.

1. Players and teams are having to fight for fairness

• Before the tournament began, key players from top teams such as France, Spain, Canada and Jamaica were protesting about poor support, resourcing and coaching by either refusing to play or openly criticising their federations and seeking advice from Fifpro, the international players union.
• As we have seen in the first few days, this means that many of the key stories of the tournament so far have been about the drama that is happening off the pitch, rather than the dramatic performances on it.

2. Serious injuries are decimating squads

• Many players will be missing during the World Cup due to a disproportionately high number of serious injuries that could have been prevented.
• The notorious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear (in the knee) and other serious injuries decimating squads have, in part, been connected to overly long studs (cleats) on football boots which are designed for men.

3. The European broadcasting deal came too late

• The media broadcasting rights for five European nations, including England, were only agreed less than six weeks before the tournament began.
• This fiasco arose from a blunder by Fifa, whose decision to decouple the men’s and women’s tournament broadcast rights was hyped to show the women’s game had “made it”.

4. Many teams have been poorly supported and prepared

• Many national federations have failed to provide adequate support, facilities and investment to adequately prepare teams.
• Coaching methods and management of some women’s teams have been heavily criticised, alongside cancellation of training camps and non-payment of players’ appearance fees.

5. Same old patronising marketing strategy

• The marketing of the tournament has been underwhelming and over-reliant on conventional “inspiration” themes aimed at young girls – strategies that have little proven impact on participation and are often seen as patronising.
• This strategy is not accurate, as it obscures the existing adult audience for women’s football.

Showing support

• Being aware of the issues can help us look past the hype and be mindful that the game is still in a precarious position.
• Join in the social pressure campaign to get proper support for the women’s game.
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