Thousands of students in Bangladesh have taken to the streets over the past few weeks to demand an overhaul of how public sector jobs are distributed. The government had sought to reintroduce quotas that reserve 30% of these jobs for descendants of veterans from Bangladesh’s war of independence with Pakistan in 1971. The quotas, which had initially… Continue reading Bangladeshi students rise up in revolt, but a wider movement against the government looks unlikely
In the midst of a polarised and tense political landscape, Venezuela has once again become a focal point for international observers as its recent elections unfolded with high stakes and fervent expectations. The preliminary outcomes, though not yet fully confirmed, have already set the stage for significant political, social, and economic repercussions in the country.… Continue reading Venezuela’s contentious election stirs hope and fear for the nation’s future
The idea that sending less emails would have a significant impact on the environment was popularised by the book ‘How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything.’ This, released in 2020, was by Professor Mike Berners-Lee, a respected authority on the topic. Professor Berners-Lee mentioned that every email creates something from 0.3 to 50… Continue reading Are emails bad for the planet?
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will sweep away the remaining hereditary peers as the first step to reforming the House of Lords. New legislation will end what officials called the “outdated and indefensible” presence of members of the upper chamber who are there by right of birth. The Government also plans changes to the Commons, with… Continue reading Hereditary peers to lose seats in House of Lords under new plans
Tom Tugendhat has joined James Cleverly in publicly declaring his candidacy in the race to replace Rishi Sunak as Conservative Party leader. There will potentially be a crowded field in the contest as Mr Cleverly acknowledged he was not the only one giving it “serious thought” ahead of nominations opening on Wednesday evening. Sunak, who… Continue reading Runners and riders: Who will seek to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader?
Note: hay fever has no connection to hay. In the 1800s, people believed freshly cut hay caused it, hence the name. The true cause—pollen—was discovered in 1859 by British scientist Charles Blackley. Climate change affects not only the health of the planet but also that of people, worsening conditions such as hay fever, formally known… Continue reading Climate change is making hay fever worse
Cape Town, South Africa, known for its great white sharks, is facing a new threat: rabid seals. In a significant outbreak, 11 seals have been found with rabies, marking the first major occurrence of the disease among marine mammals. The World Health Organization estimates rabies kills 55,000 people annually, mainly in Africa and Asia, with… Continue reading Rabies outbreak among seals in Cape Town sparks concern
Fast-moving stars seen in a nearby star cluster within the Milky Way suggest the presence of an elusive black hole which may be the closest one to Earth, researchers say. The star cluster, Omega Centauri, is a collection of around 10 million stars, visible as a smudge in the night sky south of the Equator.… Continue reading Astronomers find nearest massive black hole to Earth
The COVID-19 pandemic’s rapid onset led to immediate reductions in travel and economic activities worldwide, drastically lowering air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions within weeks. This abrupt change provided scientists with a rare opportunity to observe outcomes typically achieved over years of regulation. A comprehensive new study, utilizing satellite data from NASA and other international… Continue reading Pandemic emission reductions led to unexpected atmospheric effects
A recent study by the School of the Environment at Queensland University in Australia found that humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) off the country’s eastern coast experienced significantly lower stress levels and better overall health during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic due to the reduction of human activity in the ocean during this period.… Continue reading Reduced human activity during early Covid pandemic lowered stress levels in whales
