OZY - Daily Dose

10 MUST READS TODAY

Monday
February 4, 2019

1	Fast Forward

Fast Forward

Africa Embraces an $8 Billion Solar Market for Going Off-Grid

From Kenya and Tanzania to Nigeria and Ivory Coast, off-grid African communities are embracing solar energy.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. So Tanzania, where 80 percent of the population has no reliable access to electricity, is planning to import biomass as fuel from Ethiopia this year and is building a $2 billion hydropower project threatening the Selous Game Reserve. Meanwhile, several thousand Tanzanians are finding an easier, eco-friendly solution: solar-powered LEDs available through a pay-as-you-go model.

Tanzania’s woes aren’t unique. The World Bank says annual outages in sub-Saharan Africa can range from 50 hours to 4,600 hours — at the latter end, that’s more than half a year. So an off-the-grid solution is proving valuable in the region and throughout Africa. From Kenya to Tanzania, Uganda to Rwanda, Nigeria to Ivory Coast and even war-torn Somalia, Africans are embracing solar energy solutions that help them power their homes even without being connected to the grid, on an unparalleled scale.

2	True Story

True Story

OZY's New Podcast: When my Daughter Became my Son

Transitioning tales may seem typical these days. But Karen and her son Dylan’s journey, marked by the wild ride of near suicide and bomb threats? Not at all.

Karen Barnes had wonderful twin daughters. Both were born healthy, with the right number of fingers and toes. But one of the twins, Erica, struggled to hit her stride — until, that is, she announced that she was transitioning. Erica was becoming Dylan.

Being a supportive parent was one thing. But getting loved ones to understand Dylan’s needs was quite another. Karen struggled with how to tell her larger family because she wanted Dylan to be treated well by them — to be loved and accepted. So she put pen to paper, sending her family a heartfelt letter. And to her great surprise, the extended family responded with loving support. The relatives, in fact, seemed to treat Dylan better than ever before.

3	Rising Stars

Rising Stars

From Local Boy Made Good to Kashmir Nationalist

Shah Faesal became a star for his success on a national civil service exam. Now he’s turning to politics, and it’s getting rough.

Shah Faesal is susceptible to an easy smile. It lingers on his oval, cherubic face during a conversation. Most pictures of him reflect it too. And as often happens in Kashmir, even your appearance can take on a political meaning. As an Indian administrative officer, Faesal’s smiling face enhanced his image as India’s youthful Kashmiri poster boy in a state battling a decades-long separatist revolt. Those photos of a smiling Faesal also came in handy for a section of nationalistic media that juxtaposed them with ones of unsmiling bearded Kashmiri rebels to counter the latter’s narrative.

Five days before we met in mid-January, Faesal, 35, suddenly resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in protest against New Delhi’s policies on Kashmir and the killings of fellow Kashmiris by government forces. Those same smiling photos hit the media again, but the mind of the man in the images has changed. Faesal’s turn has thrown the state’s politics into a churn. And the former bureaucrat is keeping national and state political parties guessing about his next moves, as India embarks on the world’s largest democratic exercise this year.

Opinion

These Permanent Changes Will Be Credited to Trump

The American disrupter-in-chief has a number of achievements under his belt, and his legacy is secure.

Flashback

How to Swear Like a 19th-Century Sailor

They’ve made pretty salty contributions to English language and culture, starting with some well-known profanity.

Good Sh*t

Love Doughnuts? You Gotta Try 'Amish Crack'

If you eat one of these cinnamon caramel treats, you might not be able to stop.

Acumen

Life After Facebook: What Would the World Lose ... and Gain?

If Facebook suddenly disappeared, we’d lose out on a lot more than just photo sharing and messaging.

8	Fast Forward

Back to the Future: Japanese Youth Flee Cities for the Countryside

The fast pace of cities is starting to drive younger Japanese generations back to rural living.

Acumen

Australia's Corporate Boards Shrink the Gender Gap

Critics warn that quotas may be necessary to reach parity, but Down Under they’re making progress without them.

10	True Story

The Twisted Crawl From Gangbanger to Preschool Teacher

If you’d been a gangbanger on your way to a lengthy prison stay, the last detour you’d expect would be one to a preschool.

You Should Know This


Telling Fortunes in Bite-Sized Snacks

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