“Fuelled by grief and anger, the Kandake [“queen”], now blind in one eye, fought on.” Queen Amanirenas successfully did what few failed to do: fight against the Roman Empire and win. Although she initially marshalled her troops to fight defensively — preventing Rome from permanently annexing Nubia — she went all out on the offense after she lost her husband, her son, and her eye. After driving the Romans back to Primis, she forced Caesar Augustus to sign a treaty that would completely drive them out of her kingdom forever. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
