The assisted dying debate has been about safety not sanctity – here’s why I think the bill passed the test: KieferPix/Shutterstock British MPs’ approval of the assisted dying bill made history – and revealed a rare kind of parliamentary debate. While the bill must still pass through the House of Lords, it is now widely …
Can aching joints really predict the weather? Exploring the science behind the stormy debate: For centuries, people have claimed that their aching joints can predict changes in the weather, often reporting increased discomfort before rain or cold fronts. Given the scale and duration, there is a sense of legitimacy to these anecdotes – but this …
Some African governments are spending millions to spy on their citizens – stifling debate and damaging democracy: Governments around the world use surveillance technology to monitor external threats to national security. Some African governments are also spending vast sums on mass surveillance of their own citizens. They are using mobile phone spyware, internet interception devices, …
Scientists can’t agree on when the first animals evolved – our research hopes to end the debate: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock There are estimated to be nearly 8 million species of animals living today, making up the majority of Earth’s documented biodiversity and inhabiting almost all of its environments. However, for most of Earth’s history animals were completely …
Expanding London’s Ulez has sparked fractious debate – psychologists explain how it can be de-escalated: The expansion of London's Ulez has caused acrimonious controversy. Koca Vehbi/Shutterstock Drivers of the most polluting vehicles are now charged £12.50 a day (or more for heavier vehicles) to drive within London’s M25 orbital motorway, following an expansion to the …
Who won the first US Republican presidential debate? An expert reviews the highlights: The reigning champion, and undisputed winner, from the first Republican debate of presidential hopefuls? Donald Trump. Even in his absence, he was the main spectacle. That much was predictable. Although many tried to dance around him, every candidate had to address the …
Did our mammal ancestors live alongside dinosaurs? New research hopes to end long-running debate: david.costa.art/Shutterstock If you were asked to think of a mammal, chances are high you would think of a placental mammal – horses, dogs, cats, humans, even bats and rats all fall into that category. It includes some 6,000 species who live …
African cities and climate change: the real debate is who should pay to fix the problem: Most mayors and managers of African cities know too well that climate change is real GettyImages For most city mayors and managers in Africa, the debate about whether climate change is real is a moot topic. They know it …
COVID origins debate: what to make of new findings linking the virus to raccoon dogs: Voodison328/Shutterstock The origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, has long been a topic of heated debate. While many believe SARS-CoV-2 spread to humans from an animal at Wuhan’s Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, others have argued the virus was …
Non-racial South Africa: book shows debate on nation building is still relevant today: The African National Congress’s fully black leadership belies its commitment to non-racialism. Ihsaan Haffejee/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images There has been much comment recently on the lack of representation of minorities in the leadership structures of South Africa’s governing party, the African …
A cool Cape Town image: Idasa – State of the Nation Debate – Spin St. Cape Town. Image by Idasa Reflect on the state of the nation with Idasa, held on the 15 February 2011 at Cape Town Democracy Centre. Image automatically curated and published by www.free-mail.co.za – CLICK HERE to learn more about WP …
Coronavirus origins: the debate flares up, but the evidence remains weak: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock Nearly three years since SARS-CoV-2 first emerged, we’re still not certain where the virus behind COVID-19 came from. The location of the initial outbreak close to the Wuhan Institute of Virology drew suspicion that it may have been a lab leak. But …
In China, a debate over sanitary pads on trains reflects long-held beliefs about women and menstruation: tommaso79 / Shutterstock Discrimination against and repression of women is a global problem. In authoritarian states, it is also intertwined with regime survival. Take recent events in Iran, where women-led protests against strict hijab laws are challenging the country’s …
Iran protest at enforced hijab sparks online debate and feminist calls for action across Arab world: Iranian authorities have cracked down on protests which erupted after the death in custody of a 22-year-old woman who was arrested by the morality police for not wearing the hijab appropriately. The death of Mahsa Amini who was reportedly …
Prince of Wales: why William inheriting the title from Charles has sparked a debate: In his first televised address the day after the passing of the Queen, King Charles proclaimed Prince William and his wife Catherine as the new prince and princess of Wales. The speed of the appointment reflected the crown’s desire to outwardly …
Why are strip-searches not a matter of public debate in the UK?: The recent story of Child Q, the 15-year-old black schoolgirl who was accused by her teachers of smelling of cannabis and subjected to a strip-search at her school in Hackney, London, without an appropriate adult present, has rightly elicited outrage. The Metropolitan Police …
Land reform in South Africa: what the real debate should be about: Land ownership in South Africa remains skewed towards white farmers. David Silverman/via Getty Images Land reform in South Africa is an emotive and politically fraught subject. That’s because land was at the heart of the dispossession of Africans by colonial settlers. Successful land …
Debate over closing UK parliament bars: MPs in survey drink more than the general population: Shampanskiy/Shutterstock The UK business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, said that closing the bars in parliament would be “excessively puritanical” as a response to concerns about a culture of inappropriate and sexist behaviour in the UK’s House of Commons. However, alcohol does …