Kasonde24

  THE INSIDER  LIBYA'S TOP RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY RULES AGAINST WEARING NIKE CLOTHES: WHEN FASHION MEETS RELIGION Article by Rodgers Mangwela | KASONDE24 A pair of Nike sneakers, a branded T-shirt or a tracksuit bearing the famous Swoosh logo might seem like ordinary fashion choices. But in Libya, one of the world's most recognisable sportswear brands has suddenly found itself at the centre of a religious debate that raises bigger questions about faith, consumer culture and the meaning behind the symbols people wear. Libya's highest religious authority has issued a ruling against Muslims buying, selling or wearing clothing displaying the Nike logo. The decision has attracted international attention, not simply because of the popularity of the American sportswear company, but because of the religious reasoning behind the ruling. At the heart of the controversy is a familiar symbol that millions of people across the world recognise without necessarily knowing its hist...

  ZAMBIA EXPLAINS THE DAY TUPAC SHAKUR TURNED A FAN'S PROM DREAM INTO REALITY: THE EXTRAORDINARY 1996 STORY Article by Rodgers Mangwela | KASONDE24 Imagine writing a letter to one of the world's biggest music stars, making a half-joking request, and then discovering that the superstar has actually shown up at your doorstep. For one young American student in 1996, this was not a movie script. It was an experience she would remember for the rest of her life. The superstar was Tupac Shakur, one of hip-hop's most influential and controversial figures. The request? A date to her high school prom. A LETTER THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING According to an account attributed to Tashaunna Howard in a 1996 MTV interview, the young student had recently experienced a painful breakup with her boyfriend. With her high school prom approaching, she decided to write a letter to Tupac's fan club. Her request was simple but extraordinary. She jokingly asked whether the famous rapper...

  THE INSIDER LAIKA: THE STRAY DOG THAT REACHED SPACE BEFORE HUMANS – THE HEARTBREAKING STORY OF THE SOVIET UNION'S UNLIKELY SPACE HERO Article by Rodgers Mangwela | KASONDE24 A DOG, A ROCKET AND A JOURNEY WITHOUT RETURN Imagine being picked up from the streets, taken somewhere unfamiliar, trained by strangers and eventually placed inside a spacecraft destined for a journey beyond anything you could possibly understand. You cannot ask questions. You cannot understand the mission. You certainly cannot know that the world is watching. That was the reality for Laika, a little stray dog from Moscow whose name would eventually become part of human history. On 3 November 1957, the Soviet Union sent Laika into orbit aboard Sputnik 2. She became the first living creature to orbit the Earth, achieving something that no human being had yet accomplished. It was an extraordinary scientific milestone, but behind the celebrations was a deeply uncomfortable truth. Laika was never ex...

  The Insider  SOMETIMES MANUAL WORK BECOMES THE LAST LINE OF SURVIVAL IN LIFE Article by Rodgers Mangwela | KASONDE24 The Lessons We Never Knew We Were Learning Sometimes, the education that saves your life is not the one you receive inside a classroom. Sometimes, it is the education that makes you sweat, gets your hands dirty and teaches you how to survive when everything else falls apart. I grew up and went to school during an era, particularly between 1993 and 2005, when manual work was an ordinary part of school life. We swept classrooms, cleaned schoolyards, watered flowers, cultivated gardens and participated in various school maintenance activities. Sometimes, we were instructed to report to school carrying hoes, brooms and water containers. Even during holidays, schoolwork could find its way into our schedules. To pupils of my generation, these activities were not always exciting. Many of us hated them. We questioned why we had to work when we had come t...

  THE INSIDER DOES DRINKING ALCOHOL REALLY KEEP YOU WARM? THE SCIENCE BEHIND A COMMON BELIEF Article by Rodgers Mangwela | KASONDE24 Imagine sitting outside on a cold evening, feeling the wind against your skin. Someone offers you a glass of whisky, brandy or another alcoholic drink, assuring you that it will warm you up. You take a few sips, and suddenly your face feels warmer, your body seems more comfortable, and the cold no longer feels as uncomfortable as before. But what if that comforting feeling is misleading? For generations, alcohol has been associated with warmth, particularly during cold weather. From traditional drinking habits to the popular image of a hot alcoholic beverage on a chilly evening, many people believe that alcohol helps the body fight the cold. However, scientific evidence tells a different story. Alcohol can make you feel warmer without actually increasing your body's core temperature. In certain conditions, it can even increase the risk of...

  THE INSIDER JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE'S NEW DOCUSERIES REOPENS OLD WOUNDS: JANET JACKSON AND BRITNEY SPEARS CONTROVERSIES RETURN TO THE SPOTLIGHT Article by Rodgers Mangwela | KASONDE24 Sometimes, the biggest stories in entertainment are not about new music, sold-out concerts or award-winning performances. They are about the past, the decisions people made and the consequences that followed. For Justin Timberlake, two names continue to attract attention whenever conversations about his career turn towards controversy: Janet Jackson and Britney Spears. Nearly two decades after some of the most talked-about moments in early 2000s pop culture, the American singer is reportedly preparing to revisit these chapters in a new four-part documentary series. The project is already attracting attention because it promises to bring back conversations about celebrity relationships, public accountability and the unequal treatment of women in the entertainment industry. According to a re...