Politics Archives - Ponderwall

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS EVOLVING – HERE’S HOW IT WILL CHANGE AFTER BREXIT

How about a Slovenian cyclist being interviewed in English language by a French journalist about his performance in an Italian cycling event.

MENTAL HEALTH: ONE IN THREE YOUNG PEOPLE IN ENGLAND ARE STRUGGLING – NEW REPORT

Politics

Over 38% of young people in England are struggling with poor mental health. This is the highest proportion since the 2006 survey.

WHY FLOOD INSURANCE NEEDS AN OVERHAUL: 6 QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Economics, Politics

Homeowners’ insurance does not cover damage caused by flooding. A homeowner must have a separate flood insurance policy to cover flood-related losses.

ASBESTOS IN SCHOOLS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Politics

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by asbestos. It causes five times more deaths among school teachers than the general population.

WHY ASBESTOS LITIGATION WON’T GO AWAY: BECAUSE ASBESTOS WON’T GO AWAY

Politics

Asbestos and mesothelioma cancer lawyers are helping victims to get high compensations from companies that exposed them to that dangerous material.

YOU’RE PROBABLY PAYING MORE FOR YOUR CAR LOAN OR MORTGAGE THAN YOU SHOULD

Economics, Politics

The main components of the cost you pay to borrow money are a benchmark rate, credit risk and how much profit a lender wants to make.

ALMOST 50 YEARS OF EQUAL PAY LEGISLATION – BUT THE WAITING CONTINUES FOR WOMEN

Politics

It will take 217 years for women to achieve equal pay according to the WEF. So we can expect many stories such as the case of Carrie Gracie at the BBC.

COLLEGE-EDUCATED COPS ENFORCE THE LAW MORE AGGRESSIVELY

Politics

Study found that college-educated law enforcement officers were more likely than others to search the vehicles they pulled over.

LONDON’S EXTRAORDINARY SURPLUS OF EMPTY LUXURY APARTMENTS REVEALED

Politics

Around one in 20 homes in Central and West London lies empty, according to the United Kingdom government’s statistics agency.

ARE THERE 400,000 FEWER CHILDREN IN POVERTY IN THE UK THAN THERE WERE IN 2010?

Politics

Boris Johnson’s bold claim about children in poverty needs careful consideration – it is a very partial truth that completely misrepresents wider realities.

CLIMATE CHANGE: WHY SWEDEN’S CENTRAL BANK DUMPED AUSTRALIAN BONDS

Economics, Politics

Sweden’s central bank says it will no longer invest in assets from governments with large climate footprints, even if the yields were high.

OVER 70% OF THE EU MILLIONAIRE BANKERS LIVE IN THE UK, EBA REPORT REVEALS

Economics, Politics

The UK continues being home to the large majority of the EU millionaire bankers. About 3,567 of them live in the UK, whereas only 390 live in Germany, 233 in France and 201 in Italy.

IMPEACHMENT: TWO QUOTES THAT DEFINED THE FIRST DAY OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

Politics

Wednesday’s public testimony in the House of Representatives’ impeachment hearings did not make a lot of news about the substance of what is at stake.

IRAQI PROTESTERS BRING A LION IN RESPONSE TO POLICE DOGS

Politics

The police threatened the Iraqi protesters with trained dogs. One of the protesters answered by bringing a lion and threatening to let it attack both the dogs and the police.

OIL COMPANIES ARE THINKING ABOUT A LOW-CARBON FUTURE, BUT AREN’T MAKING BIG INVESTMENTS IN IT YET

Politics

An analysis by the Carbon Disclosure Project shows that investor-owned oil companies currently are spending 1% to 4% of their capital investment on low-carbon energy sources.

CAPTIVE BREEDING HAS A DARK SIDE – AS DISTURBING CZECH DISCOVERY OF TRAFFICKED TIGER BODY PARTS HIGHLIGHTS

Politics

The rotting remains of a number of tigers, lions and cougars were recently discovered in a raid in Prague. Exotic wildlife trade is booming in Europe.

THE US IS A WHOLE LOT RICHER BECAUSE OF TRADE WITH EUROPE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER EU IS FRIEND OR FOE

Politics

The European Union is the largest U.S. trading partner in terms of its total bilateral trade and has been for the past several decades.

‘I HAVE A JOB BUT I’M HOMELESS’ – THE WORKING POOR WHO CAN’T AFFORD TO RENT

Politics

One in every 200 people in Britain is homeless – sleeping on the streets or stuck in temporary accommodation, including hostels and B&Bs.

MONSANTO WINS $7.7B LAWSUIT IN BRAZIL – BUT FARMER’S FIGHT TO STOP ITS AMORAL ROYALTY SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE

Politics

A Brazilian court has decided in favor of Monsanto, the agribusiness conglomerate, in a landmark class-action lawsuit filed by Brazilian farmers’ unions.

MCDONALD’S FIRED ITS CEO FOR SLEEPING WITH AN EMPLOYEE – RESEARCH SHOWS WHY EVEN CONSENSUAL OFFICE ROMANCES CAN BE A PROBLEM

Politics

McDonald’s ousted its CEO over a consensual relationship with an employee, just a week after U.S. Rep. Katie Hill stepped down due to a similar allegation.

BRONZE AGE DISCOVERY REVEALS SURPRISING EXTENT OF BRITAIN’S TRADE WITH EUROPE 3,600 YEARS AGO

History, Politics

Research reveals evidence of a copper-mining bonanza in Wales 3,600 years ago that reached France, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

US GREEN ECONOMY GROWTH DWARFS DONALD TRUMP’S HIGHEST HOPES FOR THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY

Economics, Politics

While Donald Trump may be “the world’s most powerful climate change denier”, our latest research suggests that he took over over a thriving green economy.

HALF A BILLION ON HALLOWEEN PET COSTUMES IS LATEST SIGN OF AMERICA’S OUT-OF-CONTROL CONSUMERISM

Economics, Politics

Americans will spend US$8.8 billion on Halloween candy, costumes and decorations this year, including half a billion dollars on costumes for their pets.

WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT: EUROPEAN COMMISSION EXCEEDS ITS 40% TARGET

Politics

The European Commission has exceeded the target set by President Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014 committing that, by the end of his mandate, 40% of the Commission’s middle and senior managers should be women.

WHY DO POOR CHILDREN PERFORM MORE POORLY THAN RICH ONES?

Politics

Research has shown that children of poorer parents display substantially worse math and reading skills by the time they start grade school.

SCHOOL FUNDING: PROMISED INCREASES ARE ACTUALLY REAL-TERM CUTS – AND POORER SCHOOLS ARE HIT HARDEST

Politics

The NEU suggests that, when inflation is taken into account, over 16,000 schools will have less income in April 2020, compared to 2015.

EVEN WITH A DEAL, EVEN WITH AN ELECTION, THESE BREXIT QUESTIONS WILL STILL NEED TO BE ANSWERED

Politics

Once out of the EU, Britain has less bargaining power. Its future relationship is still to be negotiated – and that arrangement will last.

IN 19 STATES, IT’S OKAY TO HIT KIDS WITH A WOODEN BOARD

Politics

Sadly, despite all evidence to the contrary, many principals do believe that corporal punishment is effective for some students.

THESE CELEBRITIES CAUSE 10,000 TIMES MORE CARBON EMISSIONS FROM FLYING THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON

Politics

The jet-setting habits of Bill Gates and Paris Hilton mean that they produce 10,000 times more carbon emissions from flying than the average person.

WE ANALYSED 101 COMPANIES’ STATEMENTS ON MODERN SLAVERY – HERE’S WHAT WE FOUND

Economics, Politics

Something as criminal as forced labour and modern slavery makes it hard for buyers to act in any other way than reporting it to the authorities.

LONDON BECOMES THE WORLD’S FIRST NATIONAL PARK CITY, COMMITTED TO GIVING PEOPLE ACCESS TO NATURE

Geography, Politics

London has been officially designated the world’s first national park city, with a week-long festival of free outdoor events and a ceremony at City Hall to mark the occasion.

SPACE MAY SOON BECOME A WAR ZONE – HERE’S HOW THAT WOULD WORK

Politics, Science

At a summit in early December 2019, NATO is expected to declare space as a “warfighting domain”, partly in response to new developments in technology.

PAUL GASCOIGNE TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS WHY MOST WOMEN DON’T REPORT SEXUAL ABUSE OR RAPE

Politics

The jury of eight men and four women found Paul Gascoigne not guilty of sexual assault. He was also cleared of the lesser charge of common assault.

WHO OWNS THE MOON? A SPACE LAWYER ANSWERS

Politics, Science

Countries such as Russia and somewhat less explicitly Brazil and Belgium hold that the moon and asteroids belong to humanity as a whole.

THE JOKER’S ORIGIN STORY COMES AT A PERFECT MOMENT: CLOWNS DEFINE OUR TIMES

Arts, Politics

One of the most famous jester figures of the modern age is the Joker, who made his debut in the first issue of Batman comics in 1940.

IF IMPEACHMENT COMES TO THE SENATE – 5 QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Politics

If the House of Representatives concludes its impeachment inquiry by passing articles of impeachment of President Trump, attention will turn to the Senate.

OPIUM, RAT HAIR, BEAVER ANAL SECRETIONS – AND OTHER SURPRISING THINGS YOU MIGHT FIND IN FOOD

Politics

For example, a natural flavoring called castoreum is a thick odorous secretion obtained from the anal glands of beavers.

ON GERMANY’S NATIONAL SOCCER STAGE, WHY HAVE EAST GERMANS GONE MISSING

Politics, Sports

Why is German soccer so dominated by players and clubs from the West? And what does this imbalance say about the state of the German reunification?

FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY SEES THE FUTURE IN HARD-TO-RECYCLE PLASTIC

Economics, Politics

How will they adapt as fossil fuel demand wanes with the rise of renewable energy and battery power? The answer is plastic.

POLICE PHOTO LINEUPS: HOW BACKGROUND COLORS CAN SKEW EYE WITNESS IDENTIFICATION

Politics, Science

Identification parades can be powerful evidence in securing convictions in criminal cases. But eyewitness evidence is notoriously prone to errors.

HOW ONE NHS ANAESTHETIST IS FIGHTING INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH FRAUD

Politics, Science

Consultant anaesthetist at Torbay Hospital on England’s south coast has developed statistical methods to help spot signs of fraud in medical research.

WEBCAMS IN NURSING HOME ROOMS MAY DETER ELDER ABUSE – BUT ARE THEY ETHICAL?

Politics

Papp’s fight to monitor her mother’s care reflects a reasonable fear. About 1.3 million Americans live in nursing homes, and elder abuse can be a killer.

JUSTICE STEVENS, BABE RUTH AND THE BEST LAW CLERK ASSIGNMENT EVER

Politics, Sports

Babe Ruth’s famous, and controversial, “called shot” home run during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs

HOW MULTINATIONALS CONTINUE TO AVOID PAYING HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAX – NEW RESEARCH

Economics, Politics

New research estimates that $420 billion in corporate profits is shifted out of 79 countries every year. This equates to $125 billion in lost tax revenue.

HOW SWEDISH LITERATURE REFLECTS THE BENEFITS OF A SHORTER WORKING DAY

Arts, Economics, Geography, Politics

The world should be inspired by Swedish culture, with more fika, more time for leisurely reading about non-work topics, and more lagom towards jobs.

MORE THAN A MILLION UK SMALL BUSINESSES SEE BREXIT AS MAJOR OBSTACLE TO SUCCESS

Economics, Politics

Over one million UK SMEs, around a quarter of the total, were concerned about how Brexit would affect the success of their business.

WHY THE GERMAN LANGUAGE HAS SO MANY GREAT WORDS

Geography, Politics

Backpfeifengesicht may join other German words that have found a place in English, like Weltschmerz (world-weariness) and Zeitgeist (spirit of the time).

SOUTH AMERICA’S SECOND-LARGEST FOREST IS ALSO BURNING – AND ‘ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY’ CHARCOAL IS SUBSIDIZING ITS DESTRUCTION

Geography, Politics

The fires raging across the Amazon have captured the world’s attention. Meanwhile, the second-largest forest, Gran Chaco, is disappearing in plain sight.

HOW EDWARD SNOWDEN COULD LOSE HIS BOOK ROYALTIES TO THE US GOVERNMENT.

Politics

Instead of trying to ban Snowden book, the US authorities have tried something else. They are suing the publisher Macmillan, seeking to seize any profits.

ZERO-HOURS CONTRACTS HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON CAREER PROGRESSION – LABOUR IS RIGHT TO BAN THEM

Economics, Politics

Labour has reaffirmed its plans to rid the UK of zero-hours contracts, said shadow chancellor John McDonnell at the Labour Party conference.

MANUFACTURING STILL MATTERS: FIVE REASONS WHY THE IMF IS WRONG

Economics, Politics

According to new IMF research, countries need no longer rely on manufacturing for productivity growth. Here are five reasons why IMF is wrong.

BLACKROCK, VANGUARD AND STATE STREET OWN CORPORATE AMERICA

Economics, Politics

BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street are the largest shareholders in 90% of S&P 500 stock, including Apple, Microsoft, ExxonMobil, General Electric and Coca-Cola.

ARRESTS OF 6-YEAR-OLDS SHOW THE PERILS OF PUTTING POLICE IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Politics

The arrest of two six-year-olds in a Florida school in October has shown, sometimes one threat to the students is the officers themselves.

FOSSIL FUEL SUBSIDIES REACH US$87 BILLION IN EU COUNTRIES – AND THEY’RE GROWING

Economics, Politics

In 2017, EU countries spent US$87 billion subsidizing the cost of fossil fuels. This is nearly 2.5 times more than they spent in 2010.

NO, IT’S NOT OK FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO USE YOUR PRESCRIPTION DETAILS TO RECRUIT YOU FOR A STUDY

Politics

People providing their personal information to the government, to access government services, are doing so through necessity, not choice.

DRUG USE IN ENGLAND AND WALES IS UP FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW

Politics

One of the most striking elements of the data is the ease with which people, especially young people, can obtain controlled drugs.

NOW THAT CANNABIS IS LEGAL, LET’S USE IT TO TACKLE THE OPIOID CRISIS

Politics

There’s growing evidence for the use of cannabis in treating opioid addiction. A study of found that those who used cannabis used opioids less often.

MILLENNIALS ARE $1 TRILLION IN DEBT BUT THEY’RE BETTER AT SAVING THAN PREVIOUS GENERATIONS

Economics, Politics

Millennials have racked up over US$1 trillion of debt. Yet, in comparison to previous generations this group is significantly more fiscally conservative.

NEW YORK’S NEW RENTAL PROTECTIONS WON’T END THE OUTSIZE INFLUENCE OF BIG DEVELOPERS WHO PAY THE CITY’S BILLS

Politics

New York has the second most expensive rental market in the United States. More than half of all New Yorkers spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

SUPERBLOCKS: BARCELONA’S CAR-FREE ZONES COULD EXTEND LIVES AND BOOST MENTAL HEALTH

Geography, Politics

Barcelona’s urban superblocks are neighborhoods of nine blocks, where traffic is restricted to major roads, opening up streets to pedestrians.

RADICAL REFORMS TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE GONE UNNOTICED AND UNCHALLENGED AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF BREXIT

Politics

Reforms to the way local authorities are funded are the most radical and least discussed changes made by conservative governments since 2010.

5 CHARTS SHOW HOW YOUR HOUSEHOLD DRIVES UP GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Politics, Science

Household consumption – food, housing, transportation, apparel and other personal services – is an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

WE ASKED PEOPLE TO DO CLIMATE CHANGE MATHS. THEIR ANSWERS DEPENDED ON THEIR POLITICS

Politics, Science

We asked people to do climate change maths. Their answers depended on their politics Will J Grant, Australian National University In an ideal world, people would look at issues with a clear focus only on

HOW BREXIT UNCERTAINTY IS HURTING THE UK ECONOMY – IN FOUR CHARTS

Politics

Each day brings with it new drama in United Kingdom’s politics and the course of Brexit – and it’s playing havoc with the UK economy.

SUSPENDING PARLIAMENT COULD BE THE ACT OF A CREDIBLE MADMAN OR MASTER BLUFFER – TOP GAME THEORIST ON BORIS JOHNSON

Politics

Boris Johnson has adopted what the late Nobel laureate game theorist, Thomas Schelling called the “madman theory” in his parliament suspension.

POLAND INVITES NATIONALISM IN ITS COMMEMORATION OF WWII BY MOVING LOCATION AND INVITING TRUMP

Politics

Poland changed the site of the usual WWII commemoration ceremony from Westerplatte to Warsaw and, for the first time, invited a U.S. president to speak.

SHOULDN’T THERE BE A LAW AGAINST RECKLESS OPIOID SALES? TURNS OUT, THERE IS

Politics

The number of Americans who died each year from a drug overdose while taking prescription painkillers soared from 3,500 in 1999 to more than 17,000 in 2017.

FACEAPP’S FINE PRINT MEANS YOU EFFECTIVELY CAN’T SUE THEM, UNLESS YOU SEND A LETTER TO THEIR RUSSIAN OFFICE

Politics, Technology

Faceapp can do whatever it likes with your photos. More concerning is the range of disturbing conditions users unwittingly sign up to.

WHY FEWER AND FEWER AMERICANS ARE GETTING DIVORCED

Politics

The number of divorced persons per 1,000 Americans fell from 4.7 in 1990 to 2.9 in 2016. Who is driving this downward trend?

KATY PERRY LIABLE FOR US$2.8M FOR DARK HORSE COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT – BUT THE REAL LOSER IS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Arts, Politics

A jury has decided that Katy Perry should pay $2.8m in damages to Flame for copyright infringement of his song Joyful Noise.

WE FOUND RESERVOIRS OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA ACROSS LONDON

Politics, Science

antibiotics resistant bacteria found in london reservoirs

Out of the 600 bacteria we found, nearly half were MRSA and multidrug resistant, meaning they were immune to treatment from several types of antibiotics.

GERMANY’S DEEP ROOTED OBSESSION WITH SAVING – A BRIEF HISTORY

Economics, Politics

Germans not only save more than their UK counterparts, but the deep rooted national habit has more implications for Germany than those numbers would reveal.

OPIOID EPIDEMIC MAY HAVE COST STATES AT LEAST $130 BILLION IN TREATMENT AND RELATED EXPENSES – AND THAT’S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

Politics

The devastating health effects of the opioid epidemic have been well documented, with over 700,000 overdose deaths and millions more affected.

HOW THE GOVERNMENT CAN STEAL YOUR STUFF: 6 QUESTIONS ABOUT CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE ANSWERED

Politics

Civil asset forfeiture laws let authorities seize property – cash, a house, a car, a cellphone – that they suspect is involved in criminal activity.

SPACE JUNK: A RECYCLING STATION COULD BE CLEANING UP IN EARTH ORBIT BY 2050

Politics

By 2050, Gateway Earth – a fully operational space station with a facility to recycle old satellites and other junk – could be up and running.

FACEBOOK ALGORITHM CHANGES SUPPRESSED JOURNALISM AND MEDDLED WITH DEMOCRACY

Politics

A few months before the 2016 election, an even bigger algorithm change toward friends and family posts took a second toll on publisher traffic.

WORLD BANK RULING AGAINST PAKISTAN SHOWS GLOBAL ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE IS BROKEN

Economics, Politics

Secretive World Bank tribunal ordered Pakistan to pay a mining company $5.8 billion — nearly as much as the IMF loan — to resolve a dispute.

BORIS JOHNSON BY NUMBERS: THE NEXT UK PRIME MINISTER’S CAREER SUMMED UP

Politics

It is hard to pin down just what it is Johnson believes in, given his habit of doing and saying whatever is needed to achieve his goals.

OUR DATABASE OF POLICE OFFICERS WHO SHOOT CITIZENS REVEALS WHO’S MOST LIKELY TO SHOOT

Politics

When all the officers that fired at a civilian were black, a person was 2.0 times more likely to be black than when all the officers who fired were white.

GLOBAL INEQUALITY IS 25% HIGHER THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A CLIMATE-STABLE WORLD

Economics, Politics

The gap in GDP per capita between richer and poorer countries is 25% higher than it would have been in a climate-stable world.

WASHINGTON STATE’S BIG BET ON FREE COLLEGE

Politics

Washington state enacted the landmark Workforce Education Investment Act into law in May 2019. The main idea behind it is to make college more affordable.

SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS WILL SOON BE UNRECOGNISABLE – TIME FOR AN URGENT PUBLIC CONVERSATION

Politics

facial recognition surveillance camera london

Facial recognition use in UK surveillance cameras is now legal. Yet, the tremendous power offered by that technology has to be tamed before it’s too late.

GREEN BAY PACKERS FANS LOVE THAT THEIR TEAM DOESN’T HAVE AN OWNER – JUST DON’T CALL IT COMMUNISM

Politics, Sports

The Green Bay Packers are the only team with a president instead of an owner. All its money goes back to the community, the fans. A pioneering model.

WHEN WORLD LEADERS THOUGHT YOU SHOULDN’T NEED PASSPORTS OR VISAS

Politics

In 1914, France, Germany, and Italy made passports mandatory. The passport conference of 1920 wanted to restore the pre-war freedom of movement regime.

FURTIVE LOOKS, NERVOUSNESS, HESITATION: HOW NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION INFLUENCES THE JUSTICE SYSTEM?

Politics

Pauses in answers, body movements, elusive or angry looks, confusion, anxiety — the facial expressions and gestures made by witnesses matter in court.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO DISMANTLE THE AGENCY OVERSEEING 2 MILLION FEDERAL WORKERS

Politics

Trump wants to dismantle the agency overseeing 2 million federal workers – and weaken safeguards against partisanship.

U.K. PROPOSAL TO ‘BCC’ LAW ENFORCEMENT ON MESSAGING APPS THREATENS GLOBAL PRIVACY

Politics

The proposal’s function is to give law enforcement power to listen in on encrypted apps communications (like those on WhatsApp, for example).

COUNTERFEIT ALCOHOL, SOMETIMES CONTAINING JET FUEL OR EMBALMING FLUID, IS A GROWING CONCERN FOR TOURISTS ABROAD

Politics

Counterfeit alcohol brings a new level of risk, as it may include added ingredients, such as methanol, known to be extremely harmful to health.

FIVE OPTIONS FOR BREXIT TRADE EXPLAINED

Politics

Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement, a no-deal Brexit, staying in the customs union, staying in the single market, and the so-called Common Market 2.0 idea.

CHINA’S SPONGE CITIES AIM TO RE-USE 70% OF RAINWATER – HERE’S HOW

Politics

China’s sponge city initiative has an ambitious goal: by 2020, 80% of urban areas should absorb and re-use at least 70% of rainwater.

WHY THE U.S. REJECTS INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE: LOOKING BACK AT NUREMBERG

Politics

Faced with U.S. rejection of international criminal justice, supporters of the ICC usually invoke the precedent of the Nuremberg Trials.

AUSTERITY HAS PUSHED THE UK’S POOREST HOUSEHOLDS FURTHER INTO DEBT – HERE’S HOW

Politics

Debt is a growing problem for people on low incomes and it has been made worse by the austerity policies that followed the 2007-08 financial crisis.

NEOLIBERALISM HAS TRICKED US INTO BELIEVING A FAIRYTALE ABOUT WHERE MONEY COMES FROM

Politics

There is nothing natural about money. There is no link to some scarce essential form of money that sets a limit to its creation.

US POVERTY STATISTICS IGNORE MILLIONS OF STRUGGLING AMERICANS

Politics

Those who may have some income but lack other key necessities, like health insurance and quality education, are invisible in official poverty data.

LONG HOURS AT THE OFFICE COULD BE KILLING YOU – THE CASE FOR A SHORTER WORKING WEEK

Politics

UK employees have the longest working week in the European Union. But this does not make the UK a more productive nation.

WHY CREDIT RATING AGENCIES ARE STILL GETTING AWAY WITH BAD BEHAVIOR

Politics

The dominant credit rating agencies – S&P, Moody’s and Fitch – have been accused of faults including: false ratings, flawed methodology, and political bias.

RORY STEWART: SPIES HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF BECOMING POLITICIANS

Politics

One of the surprises of the contest to become leader of the Conservative Party – and with it prime minister – has been the candidacy of Rory Stewart.

MOST OF US DRUG ARRESTS INVOLVE A GRAM OR LESS

Politics

Roughly two out of every three arrests by state and local law enforcement target small-time offenders who are carrying less than a gram of illegal drugs.

TESTING OF BACKLOGGED RAPE EVIDENCE LEADS TO HUNDREDS OF CONVICTIONS

Politics

Hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits, also known as sexual assault kits (SAKs), languish in evidence storage facilities across the U.S.

GETTING POORER WHILE WORKING HARDER: THE CLIFF EFFECT

Politics

There is no place in the country where a family supported by one minimum-wage worker with a full-time job can live and afford a 2-bedroom apartment at the average fair-market rent.

U.S. LAWS PROTECT POLICE, WHILE ENDANGERING CIVILIANS

Politics

U.S. Laws Protect Police While Endangering Civilians. The ritual of an unnecessary police killing with no real accountability has become painfully familiar.

HOW UK POPULATION WILL LOOK LIKE BY 2061 UNDER HARD, SOFT OR NO BREXIT SCENARIOS

Politics

What the UK population will look like by 2061 under hard, soft or no Brexit scenarios DeymosHR/Shutterstock Nik Lomax, University of Leeds; Paul Norman, University of Leeds; Philip Rees, University of Leeds, and Pia Wohland,

NEW ZEALAND TO PRIORITIZE WELL BEING OVER GDP IN NEW ‘WELL BEING’ BUDGET

Politics

The Wellbeing Budget signals a new approach to the way governments work, by placing the wellbeing of New Zealanders at the heart of what we do.

INDIANA BECOMES 34TH STATE TO PAY EXONEREES FOR WRONGFUL INCARCERATION

Politics

Indiana governor signed legislation to provide state compensation for innocent Hoosiers who were exonerated of crimes they did not commit.

GENETICS EXTENDS THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW

Politics

Genealogists help solve crimes, sometimes identifying suspects with the DNA of distant relatives they’ve never met. Concerns about privacy issues persist.

THROUGH HIS ART, A FORMER PRISONER DIAGNOSES THE SYSTEMIC SICKNESS OF FLORIDA’S PENITENTIARIES

Politics

While imprisoned, he made a series of pencil drawings on the back of stray sheets of paper to document the brutality of his time spent behind bars.

EUROPEAN ELECTIONS GUIDE: HOW SHOULD REMAINERS USE THEIR VOTE

Politics

what are the options for Remainers in the European Elections? With so many options, the vote is likely to be split across several parties.

DECLASSIFIED ARCHIVES SHOW US HELPED ARGENTINE MILITARY WAGE DIRTY WAR THAT KILLED 30,000

Politics

Newly declassified United States military and intelligence documents recently delivered to Argentina offer new details about the country’s brutal military.

NEW DATA PAINT AN UNPLEASANT PICTURE OF POVERTY IN THE US

Politics

The annual cost of child poverty comes to around $1 trillion. Meanwhile, every dollar spent reducing child poverty is estimated to yield $7 in the future.

SOMERVILLE ANNOUNCES LAWSUIT AGAINST BIG PHARMA OPIOID COMPANIES

Politics

The suit alleges these companies deceptively and illegally promoted opioids and that they failed to investigate, report, maintain effective control, and take steps to terminate suspicious orders of the highly addictive prescription drugs.

CHEATING WORKERS OUT OF WAGES IS EASIER THAN EVER

Politics

Workers timekeeping software was the focus of a study that documents how it could be used to facilitate wage theft. And it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

HE HELPED WRONGFULLY CONVICT A VEGAS MAN. TWO DECADES LATER, HIS DAUGHTER WORKED ON A LAW TO MAKE AMENDS

Politics

Nevada bill will compensate men and women wrongfully convicted in the state for the years they spent behind bars and grant them certificates of innocence.

APRIL 15 IS THE DAY TOBACCO COMPANIES PAY $9 BILLION COMPENSATION, BUT IS IT ENOUGH?

Politics

April 15 is the day when the five largest tobacco companies pay US$9 billion dollars to state governments, each and every year, forever.

STUDY SHOWS HOW SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS IN GERMANY AND ENGLAND PRESENT EUROPE IN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT WAYS

Politics

Europe is seen more expansively and positively in the German textbooks. Unlike the English books, German materials presented clear loyalties to Europe.

FORMER BOXER PUNCHES POLICE DURING PARIS YELLOW VESTS PROTESTS

Politics

Video of a former French boxer punching a group of policemen and pushing them back during the yellow vests protests in Paris.

PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULDN’T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A JOB AND A HEALTHY BABY

Politics

Pregnant women in low-income work often face an unappealing choice: lose their job or perform duties that endanger their health and that of their baby.

CANADA AND MEXICO GET RICH TRADING MARIJUANA

Politics

Medical Marijuana industry was worth about US$7.2 billion in 2016, according to Forbes, and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 17%.

WHY ARE AMERICANS GETTING THEIR MEDICAL DEGREES IN CUBA? HIGHER QUALITY AND DEBT-FREE SYSTEM

Politics

Cuba medical degrees have become popular among American students. The Cuban education system is debt-free and the medical program is very advanced.

US ACCUSED OF FEEDING DEAD KITTENS TO HEALTHY ONES IN ANIMAL CANNIBALISM EXPERIMENTS SINCE 1982

Politics

In a long animal cannibalism experiment, the US is accused of feeding dead kittens to healthy ones since 1982. The experiment used over 3000 cats.

LINUS TORVALDS WAS APPROACHED BY THE NSA FOR BACKDOOR IN LINUX

Politics

Linus Torvalds was approached by the National Security Agency for backdoor in Linux, according to his father Nils Torvalds.

THE FED WON’T LET GERMANY INSPECT ITS OWN GOLD

Politics

The Federal Reserve refused in 2013 to let Germany inspect its own gold stored in the US. This raised questions about whether it still in the vaults or not.

AMAZON HQ: TEXAS EXPERIENCE SHOWS WHY NEW YORKERS WERE RIGHT TO BE SKEPTICAL

Politics

New York offered Amazon US$3 billion to build a second HQ on the promise of 25k jobs. Later, Amazon backed out, citing political opposition to its plans.

DRUG AND DEVICE MAKERS PAY THOUSANDS OF DOCTORS WITH DISCIPLINARY RECORDS

Politics

Critics of industry payments to doctors say they can influence recipients to prescribe drugs that cost more, may not be necessary or are similar to cheaper generics.

HOW BIG PHARMA IS HINDERING TREATMENT OF THE OPIOID ADDICTION EPIDEMIC

Politics

Drugs do exist to reverse opioid overdoses or treat long-term opioid addiction. But while opioids have become easier and easier to obtain through illicit markets and sellers on the dark web, a drug that could save countless lives has become increasingly out of reach.

BARRACKING, SHEILAS AND SHOUTS: HOW THE IRISH INFLUENCED AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH

Politics

Irish influence on Australian English and on Australians is less than you’d expect on the surface, but everywhere once you start looking.

POTENT PAINKILLER MAKER EXPLORED EXPANDING INTO OPIOID ADDICTION TREATMENT MARKET

Politics

Not content with billions of dollars in profits from a potent painkiller, its maker explored expanding into the treatment of opioid addiction.

LONG-LOST RECORDS SURFACE IN WRONGFUL CONVICTION CASE

Politics

When the lawsuit went to trial in 2010, the judge granted a request by attorneys to disallow questioning about the officer’s disciplinary history.

FACT CHECK: HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ENSLAVED IN THE WORLD TODAY?

Politics

In 2017, a coalition of states and non-government organizations estimated that there were some 40 million people enslaved worldwide.

HOW CIA’S SECRET TORTURE PROGRAM SPARKED PUBLIC RECKONING IN NORTH CAROLINA

Politics

In 2005, The New York Times reported that two planes used in the CIA torture program were operated by a contractor based in North Carolina.

CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE COULD SAVE TRILLIONS – BUT HOW TO FUND IT?

Politics

Adapting to climate change will be a big challenge for cities and citizens around the world. The good news is that investing in it can be cost-effective.

IN DEFENSE OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES (AND WHY THE TERM IS A MISNOMER)

Politics

Conspiracy is a common form of human behavior across all cultures throughout recorded time, and it has always been particularly widespread in politics.

RECYCLING ALL THE PLASTIC GARBAGE IN THE WORLD CAN MAKE YOU BUY THE NFL, APPLE AND MICROSOFT

Economics, Politics

How much plastic is in the ocean? According to statistician Liberty Vittert, there are 7.2 trillion grocery bags of plastic waste on Earth today.

The EU steps up action against disinformation

Briefs, Politics

The EU steps up action against disinformation European Commission – Press release Brussels, 5 December 2018 To protect its democratic systems and public debates and in view of the 2019 European elections as well as

The EU awards 12,000 travel passes for 18 year-olds to explore Europe in 2019

Briefs, Politics, Sidebar

The EU awards 12,000 travel passes for 18 year-olds to explore Europe in 2019 European Commission – Press release Brussels, 29 November 2018 The European Commission is launching a second DiscoverEU competition. From today (12:00

OIL AND GAS EXECS OUT-EARN THEIR PEERS THANKS TO THE PAY-FOR-LUCK PROCESS

Politics

Oil prices are highly variable and completely out of the control of individual executives. So why do executives earn more when oil prices go up?

WHY DO INNOCENT SUSPECTS CONFESS TO CRIMES THEY DID NOT COMMIT?

Politics

The Reid technique can even convince some innocent suspects that they are guilty. Suspects will sometimes reenact a crime they did not commit.

IT’S HARDER THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT FOR CHARITIES TO GIVE BACK TAINTED MONEY

Politics

When these scandals strike, charities face a dilemma – keep the money given by the now-tarnished donor or return the tainted funds.

WHAT BIG PHARMA PAYS YOUR DOCTOR

Politics

Receiving money from opioid makers in one year is associated with doctors prescribing more opioids the next year, according to disclosed data.

TRUCK DRIVERS ARE OVERTIRED, OVERWORKED, AND UNDERPAID

Politics

Research shows that economic pressure pushes drivers to work extremely long hours, contributing significantly to truck crashes.

RACE OF MASS SHOOTERS INFLUENCES HOW THE MEDIA COVER THEIR CRIMES, NEW STUDY SHOWS

Politics

Media tend to cast the violent acts of white criminals as unfortunate anomalies of illness. For black shooters they render them as inherent criminality.

GERMAN GOVERNMENT FACES A CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLAINT FOR ILLEGAL HACKING OF MOBILES PHONES

Politics

Digitalcourage filed a complaint at the Constitutional Court against the German government for using Trojan spyware to illegally read encrypted messages.

POLICE KILL ABOUT 3 MEN PER DAY IN THE US, ACCORDING TO NEW STUDY

Politics

Police in the U.S. kill on average more than 1,000 men per year, or about three men per day, about 8 percent of all adult male homicide deaths.

AN EARLY EXPRESSION OF DEMOCRACY, THE US PATENT SYSTEM IS OUT OF STEP WITH TODAY’S CITIZENS

Politics

The American patent system was designed to stimulate innovation, but some citizens argue that it’s hurting innovation and limiting access to technology.

TRUMP COULD BE USING ADVANCED GAME THEORY NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES

Politics

Trump is trying to throw world leaders off-balance so that he can extract more trade concessions from them; or he is just adrift.

SPOTTING THE POLITICAL CALCULUS BEHIND SOME ACTS OF CORPORATE CHARITY

Politics

Corporate charitable contributions may bend laws and regulations in ways that boost profits rather than serve the public’s interests.

BABE RUTH IN A KIMONO: HOW BASEBALL DIPLOMACY HAS FORTIFIED JAPAN-US RELATIONS

Politics, Sports

The role of baseball in Japanese-U.S. diplomacy has a long and rich history after it was introduced to the Japanese people in the 1870s.

FREEMASONS NO LONGER HAVE SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE IN THE BRITISH POLICE

Politics

Serving police officers being members of the Freemasons has been a recurring theme in policing in England and Wales for some 50 years.

28 MILLION INDIANS APPLY FOR 90 THOUSANDS RAILWAY POSITIONS

Politics

The Indian Railways company has received 28 million applications for its 90 thousands new positions, opened as part of a $130 billion modernization plan.

PORSCHE TO BLOCK WORK-RELATED EMAILS BETWEEN 7PM AND 6AM

Politics, Sidebar

Uwe Huck, the head of Porsche works council and deputy chairman of Porsche supervisory said that evening work-related emails should be returned to sender.

UNLUCKY COUPLE FLEES THE FIRST CONFLICT ZONE, THEN THE SECOND

Politics, Sidebar

Yachya and Maria met in 2010 in China and decided to move to Yachya’s hometown, the Syrian capital Damascus. As they were preparing for their marriage, the civil war broke out, in 2011. So they fled to Maria’s hometown, in eastern Ukraine.

CITY SAID PARK STAIRCASE COSTS OVER $65K BUT A RETIREE BUILT IT FOR $500 ONLY

Politics

CITY SAID PARK STAIRCASE COSTS OVER $65K BUT A RETIREE BUILT IT FOR $500 ONLY A retiree from Toronto, Canada, has built a staircase in a public park to safeguard residents from a risky slope.

KURDISH SNIPER WOMAN ESCAPES BULLET WHILE JOKING CARELESSLY

Politics, Sidebar

WORLD TAEKWONDO FEDERATION (WTF) CHANGES ITS NAME BECAUSE OF THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS OF THE ACRONYM WTF IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Politics, Sidebar

The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) general assembly has decided to change its name to World Taekwondo. The previous one, in use since the establishment of the federation in 1973, has been abandoned for its negative connotation, as it refers to the acronym WTF.

GERMAN WATCHDOG TELLS PARENTS TO DESTROY ‘MY FRIEND CAYLA’ DOLL OVER HACKING AND SPYING FEARS

Politics, Sidebar

LORD BUCKETHEAD WON 131 VOTES IN 1987 ELECTIONS AGAINST THATCHER AND 249 IN 2017 AGAINST THERESA MAY

Politics, Sidebar

In the UK elections of June 8th 2017, a man nicknamed Lord Buckethead ran against the Prime Minister Theresa May in Maindenhead. 249 people voted for him. This is not his first election. In 1987,

ACQUITTED AFTER HAVING SPENT 36 YEARS IN PRISON FOR A CRIME HE DID NOT COMMIT

Politics, Sidebar

On November 24, 2014, Michael Hanline walked out of the Ventura County jail a free man after serving 36 years for a murder he did not commit. The Ventura County District Attorney agreed to reversing

THE CHILLING MOMENTS WHEN THE ANGRY ROMANIAN CROWDS INTERRUPTED THEIR DICTATOR’S SPEECH, TRIGGERING REVOLUTION

Politics, Sidebar

YOUR CELL PHONE IS PROBABLY POWERED BY CHILD LABOR

Politics, Sidebar

A report published by Amnesty International and Afrewatch in 2016 states that the cobalt used to power cell phones and other electronic devices is mined by child laborers in Africa. It also suggests that the major electronics brands are failing to ensure the source of the cobalt used in their devices.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr62/3183/2016/en/

THE CREEPY DETAILS FACEBOOK KNOWS ABOUT YOU

Politics, Sidebar

ONE WEEK BEFORE INVADING KUWAIT, SADDAM SENT AN AMBIGUOUS MESSAGE OF FRIENDSHIP TO BUSH

Politics

On Wednesday July 25th 1990, the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein met with the US ambassador April Glaspie. The meeting’s outcome has had a vital impact on the whole region. Its ramifications are still haunting Iraq, Syria, Iran and the Gulf countries until now.