MDPI - Publisher of Open Access Journals

20 pages, 312 KiB

Open AccessArticle

No to Third Term! Pastoral Statement by the Church in Zimbabwe as an Indictment on President Mnangagwa’s Bid to Amend the Constitution

by James Ndlovu and Tigere Paidamoyo Muringa

Religions 2025, 16(4), 489; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16040489 - 10 Apr 2025

Viewed by 759

Abstract

The Second Republic of Zimbabwe has witnessed continued political and socio-economic crises. Despite the worsening crisis under the new dispensation, there have been calls for extending the current administration’s term limit beyond 2028. The impending crisis has attracted several responses and criticisms across various sectors. The church collective in Zimbabwe has raised concerns over the crisis and issued several statements commenting on the developments in the national landscape. However, the church has been criticised for failing to speak with one voice, especially on political matters. The purpose of this article is to analyse the ecumenical statement that was released by the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) on 21 January 2025, titled ‘Statement on Presidential Constitutional Term Limit’. The letter is the church leader’s response to the ongoing pronouncements for extending the presidential term limits to allow the incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rule beyond his constitutionally mandated two terms, into 2030. The paper seeks to establish the role of the prophetic voice of the church in defending the constitution and the implications of such actions on the nature of the church–state relations in the Second Republic of Zimbabwe. The paper draws data from the issued ecumenical statement, the official government response to it, and general responses to it available online. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Politics: Interactions and Boundaries)

16 pages, 828 KiB

Open AccessReview

Powering Indonesia’s Future: Reviewing the Road to Electric Vehicles Through Infrastructure, Policy, and Economic Growth

by Natalina Damanik, Ririen Clara Octavia and Dzikri Firmansyah Hakam

Energies 2024, 17(24), 6408; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17246408 - 19 Dec 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2291

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) emerged as a help for Indonesia as a pathway to address environmental challenges related to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. Despite governmental efforts, including Presidential Regulation No. 55/2019, EV adoption rates in Indonesia remain low, although sales are increasing annually due to limited charging infrastructure, high upfront costs, and consumer perception. This study distinguishes itself from previous research by moving beyond a singular focus on policy, adoption factors, barriers, or economic opportunities. Instead, it integrates these dimensions into a cohesive analysis while placing particular emphasis on government policies. By adopting this multidimensional approach, the study presents a nuanced understanding of EV adoption in Indonesia, exploring not only the drivers, challenges, and economic potential but also the tangible benefits of EV manufacturing and usage for both producers and consumers within the current regulatory framework. It highlights the transformative impacts of EV adoption on key areas such as job creation, GDP expansion, and energy security, offering strategic insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders. Future research could explore rural infrastructure development, local battery production impacts, and long-term economic implications of EV in Indonesia’s ecosystem. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electric and Hybrid Vehicles: Technology Trends, Challenges and Opportunities—2nd Edition)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

8 pages, 261 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Race: How the Post-Genomic Era Has Unmasked a Misconception Promoted by Healthcare

by Donna Schaare, Ludovico Abenavoli and Luigi Boccuto

Medicina 2023, 59(5), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59050861 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2443

Abstract

The term “race” has been employed to categorize human beings into distinct groups based on some perceived biological distinctions. This concept was debunked with the completion of the Human Genome Project and its revolutionary findings that all humans are >99% genetically identical, subsequently making the term “race” obsolete. Unfortunately, the previous misconception is being propagated by the continued use of the term to capture demographic information in healthcare in an attempt to improve equity. This paper seeks to review the history of the term “race”, analyze the current policy, and discuss its limitations. It is important to note that our analysis was exclusively focused on the United States healthcare system and the Affordable Care Act; as such, it may not reflect other regions’ policies, including those in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. However, we feel that this policy analysis may serve as a model to recommend alterations that mirror the post-genomic era. The need for this policy change was recently highlighted in the 2022 ASHG presidential address, One Human Race: Billions of Genomes, and will reflect the knowledge gleaned by the scientific community through the conclusions of the Human Genome Project. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Legacy of the Nobel Prize for Medicine Awardee Renato Dulbecco 10 Years Later: The Post-Genomic Era)

23 pages, 566 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy and Water Policies in Chile, Two Different Endings with Implications in the Water-Energy Nexus

by Roxana Bórquez and Rodrigo Fuster

Energies 2021, 14(11), 3286; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14113286 - 4 Jun 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2983

Abstract

Energy and water have faced important levels of conflicts in the last 20–25 years in Chile. However, the way that they have been politically addressed in the last decade differs. These differences emerge from how these fields have been historically configurated, impacting on how the policy problems and policy options have been framed. Using thematic analysis of 93 interviews and documentary analysis, this article analyzes by contrasting two participatory processes which nourish the formulation of the energy and water policies in Chile in 2014–2015. It seeks to understand the factors that may influence why the development, impact and inclusion of new voices in public policies related to water and energy have been different, and how that can impact the water–energy nexus. Five factors emerge as determinants in this difference: structure of use, number of actors, governance and institutional framework, elite conformation, and legal framework. These factors impacted the policy processes and the scope of the policy outcomes, generating two different results: a long-term energy policy, and a water policy that did not survive the presidential period. Thus, the water–energy nexus is under pressure as a result of the tension between power structures, social responses to environmental issues and decision-making, environmental limitations, and climate change stressors, creating greater vulnerability and conflicts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue A New Water-Energy Nexus: The Transition to Sustainable Energy)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 795 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Estimating Interest Rate Setting Behavior in Brazil: A LSTR Model Approach

by Yosra Baaziz

Economies 2015, 3(2), 55-71; https://doi.org/10.3390/economies3020055 - 17 Apr 2015

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 6681

Abstract

Given limited research on monetary policy rules in emerging markets, this paper challenges the applicability of a nonlinear Taylor rule in characterizing the monetary policy behavior of the Brazilian Central Bank. It also investigates whether and how the process of setting interest rates has been developed in response to contingencies and special events. We extend the linear Taylor rule to a regime-switching framework, where the transition from one regime to another occurs in a smooth way, using a Logistic Smooth Transition Regression (LSTR) approach. In this sense, we empirically analyze the movement of the nominal short term interest rate of the Brazilian Central Bank using quarterly data, covering the period 1994.Q4–2012.Q2. We find that the nonlinear Taylor rule provides a better description of the Brazilian interest rate setting and is consistent with historical macroeconomic events. In particular, our results show that adopting a nonlinear specification, instead of the linear, leads to a costs reduction in terms of ﬁt: 190 basis points in 1995 and 140 basis points in the mid-2002 presidential election campaign in Brazil. Moreover, the Brazilian monetary policy exhibits nonlinear patterns that better captures special events and may contain relevant information rendering it applicable to unusual conditions, i.e., a financial crisis, which require disconnection from the automatic pilot rule and use of judgement to make decision. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Search Results (5)

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI

Saved Queries

Search Filter Reset All

Years

Feature Papers

Subjects

Journals

Article Types

Countries / Regions

Search Results (5)

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI