WORLD - The African Mirror

May

31

2025

One couple, two apartments, different surnames for the children: how ‘two places to stay’ is shaping families in China

WORLD

DURING fieldwork in cities in China, I came across a new marital practice, locally described as liang-tou-dun, literally “two places to stay”. A bride and groom, each an only child of their respective family, receive from each set of parents a wedding apartment. The young couple thus has two marriage apartments which they may occupy at different times. If a couple with “two places to stay” has two children, it is likely that one will have the father’s surname and the other the mother’s. This ensures that the familial lines of both families continue, but it can also entrench inequalities…

May

30

2025

By RITA BAROUD

Rita’s Gaza evacuation diary, part one: The final weeks were the hardest

WORLD

This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian.By Rita Baroud I did not think leaving Gaza was possible. I had lost hope after the Rafah border crossing with Egypt was taken over by Israel and shut down at the beginning of May last year. But after nearly 570 days of war and siege and forced starvation, on 23 April, my family and I were among 115 Palestinians evacuated as part of a French programme providing protection to scientists and artists. The final weeks I spent in Gaza were the hardest of the entire war. Hunger was no longer a…

May

30

2025

By MARIEL PADILLA

Justice Department to pay $5 million to family of Ashli Babbitt

WORLD

This story was originally reported by Mariel Padilla of The 19th. Meet Mariel and read more of her reporting on gender, politics and policy. THE Trump administration has agreed to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Ashli Babbitt, one of five people who died in or immediately after the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, according to The Washington Post. The Department of Justice will reportedly pay Babbitt’s family nearly $5 million. Babbitt, then a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from California, was at the front lines of rioters rushing the Capitol doors leading to the Speaker’s…

May

29

2025

By The African Mirror

UN warns of imminent famine in Gaza, calls for immediate surge in aid amid insufficient Israeli distribution efforts

WORLD

THE story of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is one of desperation, urgency, and repeated pleas from the United Nations for meaningful action. As Israel’s controversial aid distribution plan began, UN agencies sounded the alarm, demanding not just a trickle but a “surge” of life-saving supplies to prevent starvation and further catastrophe. For nearly three months, Gaza endured a complete blockade. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described the aid that finally entered as “vastly insufficient.” “The speed and scale of the killing and destruction are unlike anything seen in the [Gaza] Strip in recent history,” OCHA…

May

29

2025

By NEIL BEASLEY and MADELEINE PICKLES

Trump surrounds himself with sycophants. It’s a terrible way to run a business – and a country

WORLD

SINCE the start of his second term in office, US President Donald Trump has cultivated a political atmosphere that discourages freedom of thought. He also actively villainises and punishes any dissenting opinion. Worryingly, this atmosphere looks like it is spreading across other democracies. Commentators have described Trump as both narcissistic and authoritarian. Yet, running parallel to these factors, one character trait is glaringly common among Trump supporters: sycophancy. You just have to examine the pre-election rhetoric of Trump loyalists. One backer, Stephen Miller, declared him “the most stylish president … in our lifetimes”. Miller is now the deputy White House…

May

29

2025

By TAMARA SAADE

Coping with trauma in Lebanon, when the war never really ends

WORLD

This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian. By Tamara Saade A ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel in late November 2024 brought an official end to more than a year of conflict, but six months later, people across Lebanon are still grappling with the psychological impact of heavy bombing and mass forced displacement. In a country that has been through constant cycles of violence and economic collapse for nearly 50 years, trauma is nothing new. But that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with, or mean there are more resources available for everyone who needs help. The recent…

May

28

2025

By NINA SIVERTSEN; ANNETTE BRILEY and TAHLIA JOHNSON

Images of Gaza’s starving babies have gone round the world. This is what malnutrition does in the first 1,000 days of life

WORLD

LAST week, the United Nations warned more than 14,000 babies would die of malnutrition in 48 hours if Israel continued to block aid from entering Gaza. After the figure was widely reported, that timeline has been walked back, with a UN spokesperson clarifying the projection is for the next 11 months. Between April 2025 and March 2026, there will be 71,000 cases of acute malnutrition among children under five, including 14,100 severe cases. Severe acute malnutrition means a child is extremely thin and at risk of dying. An estimated 17,000 breastfeeding and pregnant women will also require treatment for acute…

May

27

2025

By CANDICE NORWOOD

These mothers fought for their sons killed by police. Now they’re fighting for the country

WORLD

This story was originally reported by Candice Norwood of The 19th. Meet Candice and read more of her reporting on gender, politics and policy. ADRIENNE Hood sat back in her chair as she stared at the detective sitting across from her. “I see your son wasn’t a felon,” he said casually, glancing down at the notebook in his hand. It was June 8, 2016. Just two days prior, two plainclothes officers had fatally shot Hood’s 23-year-old son in Columbus, Ohio. Henry Green V — her “bubby,” as she calls him — was the person in the family to make everyone…

May

28

2025

By MATTHEW PITTMAN

How does a person become famous when they’re just a kid?

WORLD

CURIOUS KIDS is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. How does a person become famous when they’re just a kid? – Anushka, age 9, St. Augustine, Florida First, consider what kind of fame you want. Some kids, such as Blue Ivy Carter or Suri Cruise, are known for having famous parents – in their cases, singer Beyoncé and actors Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise. That’s something you can’t really control. Maybe you want to be a star athlete, like basketball player Caitlin Clark or…

May

27

2025

By AMRA LEE

Israel’s new aid delivery system for Gaza is sparking outrage. Why is it so problematic?

WORLD

SOME 2.1 million Gazans are facing critical hunger levels, with many at risk of famine following Israel’s 11-week blockade on aid intended to pressure Hamas. According to the United Nations, 57 children have already died from malnutrition since the aid blockade began on March 2. A further 14,000 children under 5 years old are at risk of severe cases of malnutrition over the next year. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu permitted a limited number of aid trucks into Gaza amid increasing pressure from allies who have drawn a line at images of starving children. However, Israel is controversially…