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Hotter Weather Fuels Riots, Violence

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Changes in climate, such as increased drought and above-average annual temperatures, have caused a rise in human violence across the world, according to a study published in Science.

Hotter temperatures and extreme rainfall have been linked to greater conflict, from domestic violence to riots, civil wars and the break-up of governing institutions and even civilisations.

The paper warns that rising greenhouse emissions could result in greater amounts of violence.

“If future populations respond similarly to past populations, then anthropogenic climate change has the potential to substantially increase conflict around the world, relative to a world without climate change,” it said.

There has been a scientific debate over whether climate plays a role in instigating human conflicts, with some studies finding evidence for climate’s role and others disputing it.

The new research, by a team from the University of California, Berkeley, and Princeton University, both in the United States, reanalysed the data from 60 papers from different disciplines, including archaeology, economics, political science, psychology and geography.

The researchers looked at data from around the world and events such as spikes in domestic violence in India, and the collapse of Mayan and Chinese empires.

“We analysed the studies under a common framework and found that small deviations in normal temperatures or precipitation lead to a very large increase in conflicts, and this happens both in poor and rich areas of the world,” Marshall Burke, one of the study’s authors and a researcher at Berkeley, told SciDev.Net.

To take into account the different climates found in different regions, and to be able to compare results across countries with different climate patterns, the researchers standardised the results by measuring so-called ‘standard deviation’.

A single unit of standard deviation shift towards hotter conditions — equivalent to, for example, warming an African country by 0.4 degrees Celsius for a year — caused a four per cent rise in the likelihood of personal violence, such as assaults and murder, and a 14 per cent increase in conflict between groups, such as riots or civil wars.

“These are moderate changes [in temperature], but they have a sizeable impact on societies,” Burke said in a press release.

“We know that in developing countries climate is related to conflict because it affects economic conditions”

Edward Miguel, professor in environmental and resource economics at Berkeley, added: “We often think of our society as largely independent of the environment, due to technological advances, but our findings challenge that notion”.

Around the world, temperatures are expected to rise by around 2-4 standard deviations by 2050, the paper said, amplifying the rates of conflict.

The study does not identify the specific risk factors that mediate the link between climate and violence, saying there may be multiple pathways and that they may differ between contexts.

“For example, we know that in developing countries climate is related to conflict because it affects economic conditions,” said Burke. “So if you get a very hot year or dry year, this will affect people’s livelihood and ultimately will influence decisions about joining conflicts.”

As economic factors and food security play an important role in triggering violence and political instability in developing countries, Burke believes that technological responses may help.

There are various ways to help poor societies avoid the conflicts linked to changing climate, Burke added. “For example, farmers can adopt varieties that are more tolerant to extreme weather or policymakers can think about insurance schemes.”

Luca Russo, a food security policy analyst at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, told SciDev.Net that the organisation has found similar links in its research on “the complex relationship between climate change, violence, social crisis and food security”.

“Crisis in developing countries is the result of a combination of environmental, social and economic factors,” he said.

“We found that countries that experience a prolonged state of crisis also have higher levels of food insecurity.

Culled from scidev.net


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Coscharis Technologies, Huawei Unveil IdeaHub S3 Interactive Board in Nigeria

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Coscharis Technologies Limited, a leading Information Technology distribution company in the Sub-Saharan African market, in collaboration with Huawei, has officially launched the innovative Huawei IdeaHub S3 interactive board into the Nigerian market.

The unveiling ceremony, which attracted top industry stakeholders, partners, and technology enthusiasts, was held at the prestigious Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, in the heart of Nigeria’s commercial hub.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Coscharis Technologies Limited, Dr. Sunday Mukoro, appreciated guests for attending and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to introducing cutting-edge technologies into the Nigerian market to accelerate the country’s technological advancement.

Dr. Mukoro described the Huawei IdeaHub S3 as a next-generation smart collaboration device equipped with advanced features designed to enhance productivity, communication, and digital collaboration across businesses, educational institutions, and organizations.

To further excite participants at the launch, he announced a special one-off 20 percent discount for early bird orders placed during the event.

Representing Huawei, Charles Chen, Huawei Nigeria eKit Manager, reiterated Huawei’s dedication to delivering world-class technology solutions tailored to modern workplace and learning environments. He emphasized that the IdeaHub S3 reflects Huawei’s continuous innovation in smart office and collaborative technologies.

The Huawei IdeaHub S3 is available in 65-inch, 75-inch, and 86-inch variants and comes loaded with several advanced features, including ergonomic design, ultra-low latency performance, 4K dual-lens camera with 5x zoom capability, and superior image quality with zero colour cast technology.

Other notable features include a 24-microphone array with up to 15-meter sound pickup range, high-fidelity stereo sound system, 4K soft light screen, intelligent tracking with auto-crop view, Acoustic Baffle 2.0 technology, ultrasonic projection, app multiplier functionality, and enhanced BYOM/BYOD collaboration capabilities.

The event climaxed with the formal unveiling of the Huawei IdeaHub S3, led by Dr. Sunday Mukoro alongside executives from Huawei and the Coscharis Huawei team, marking another milestone in the advancement of smart collaborative technology solutions in Nigeria

 


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Nigeria is World Bank’s Third-Largest Borrower with $18.5Bn – IDA

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Nigeria has retained its position as the third-largest borrower from the International Development Association (IDA), the concessional lending arm of the World Bank, despite a slight decline in its debt exposure in the first quarter of 2026.

Nigeria is World Bank’s Third-Largest Borrower with $18.5Bn - IDA

According to the IDA’s March 2026 financial statements, Nigeria’s exposure stood at $18.5 billion as of March 31, 2026, down marginally from $18.7 billion recorded at the end of December 2025.

The $200 million decline represents a 1.1 per cent reduction over the three-month period.

However, on a year-on-year basis, Nigeria’s debt exposure increased significantly by $1.2 billion, or 6.9 per cent, from $17.3 billion recorded in March 2025.

The latest ranking places Nigeria behind Bangladesh and Pakistan among the World Bank’s largest IDA borrowers.

Data from the report showed that Bangladesh remained the largest borrower with an exposure of $22.7 billion, followed by Pakistan with $19.2 billion, while Nigeria ranked third with $18.5 billion.

Other major African borrowers include Ethiopia with $14.4 billion, Tanzania with $14.3 billion, and Kenya with $13.2 billion in outstanding exposure.

The report also revealed that the IDA’s total loans outstanding stood at $230.8 billion as of March 31, 2026, slightly below the $231.1 billion recorded at the end of December 2025, reflecting a mild moderation in the institution’s lending portfolio.

According to the IDA, loans classified under non-accrual status represented only 0.4 per cent of the total portfolio, while provisions for potential loan losses amounted to $6.3 billion, equivalent to about 2.0 per cent of underlying exposures.

Nigeria’s exposure accounted for roughly eight per cent of the IDA’s total loan portfolio and approximately 13.3 per cent of the combined exposure represented by the institution’s ten largest borrowing countries.

The IDA noted that its ten largest country exposures collectively accounted for about 60 per cent of total portfolio exposure as of March 2026, highlighting the concentration of concessional lending among a relatively small number of developing economies.

Despite the slight quarter-on-quarter decline, Nigeria’s debt profile with the World Bank continues to trend upward over the longer term.

The report showed that Nigeria’s exposure rose from $17.3 billion in March 2025 to $18.5 billion in March 2026, underscoring the country’s increasing reliance on concessional financing to support development priorities and economic reforms.

Similarly, Ethiopia’s exposure increased from $13.2 billion to $14.4 billion over the same period, while Tanzania’s exposure rose from $12.6 billion to $14.3 billion.

Bangladesh’s debt exposure climbed from $21.2 billion to $22.7 billion, while Pakistan’s increased from $18.3 billion to $19.2 billion.

Ghana also recorded an increase from $7.1 billion to $7.4 billion.

Nigeria’s position among the top borrowers reflects the scale of its infrastructure, social investment, and reform financing needs under the World Bank’s concessional lending framework.

The Federal Government is also currently engaging the World Bank for additional financing support.

 

 


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NCAA Suspends ‘No Pay, No Service’ Policy Against Indebted Airlines

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Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has suspended plans to enforce its proposed “no pay, no service” policy against domestic airlines owing statutory charges, following consultations with operators and concerns over rising operational costs in the aviation sector.

Director-General of Civil Aviation, Chris Najomo, said the decision followed a review of prevailing challenges facing airlines, particularly the rising cost of Jet A1 aviation fuel.

The NCAA had earlier issued a memo on May 22 placing at least 11 domestic carriers on a “no pay, no service” list over outstanding debts owed to aviation agencies.

Affected airlines reportedly included Air Peace, Ibom Air, Overland Airways, Arik Air, United Nigeria Airlines, Max Air and Caverton Helicopters.

Industry sources said airlines immediately began discussions with the regulator after the directive was announced, leading to the temporary suspension of enforcement.

The NCAA clarified that the suspension did not amount to a cancellation or waiver of the debts, adding that all affected airlines remained responsible for settling their statutory obligations.

According to the authority, engagements with operators would continue to ensure compliance while avoiding disruptions to flight operations and passenger services.

The regulator also referenced earlier intervention measures approved by President Bola Tinubu, including a 30 per cent discount on outstanding charges owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies.

The measure, it said, was introduced to cushion the impact of high aviation fuel costs and stabilise the sector.

The NCAA defended the five per cent Ticket and Cargo Sales Charge imposed on airlines, describing it as a statutory levy established under Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Act.

“The charge is not part of airline revenue or operating profit and should not be treated as such,” the authority stated.

It added that the agency operates largely on a cost-recovery basis and depends on remittances from operators to sustain regulatory oversight and aviation safety functions.

According to the NCAA, suspending the enforcement action was intended to balance regulatory compliance with the need to maintain operational stability in the aviation industry.

The authority reaffirmed its commitment to recovering all outstanding debts while supporting the long-term sustainability of domestic airline operations.


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