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Category Archives: Politics

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

Economics, Politics

Martin Flodén, the deputy governor of Sweden’s central bank, announced that because Australia and Canada were “not known for good climate work”.

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.

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.

THESE THREE FIRMS OWN CORPORATE AMERICA

Economics, Politics

Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street are the largest shareholders in 90% of S&P 500, 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.