‘Pylon wars’ show why big energy plans need locals on board: David Iliff / shutterstock Thousands of new electricity pylons are to be built across parts of England under the government’s plans to decarbonise the electricity. And some people aren’t happy. A glance at recent Daily Telegraph articles seem to suggest most of the genteel …
Ukraine: it’s clear right now there are no serious plans for peace: When it comes to the sincerity, or otherwise, of Vladimir Putin’s apparent willingness to talk peace with Ukraine, the Russian leader has given us plenty of hints. He may insist he wants to see a deal done and an end to the killing. …
Why Trump’s plans for tariffs on foreign films probably won’t have a happy ending: Bill Chizek/Shutterstock With its tariffs policies, the administration of US president Donald Trump aims to correct the country’s persistent goods trade deficit. The president has argued that the US has been “looted, pillaged, raped and plundered” by other countries. Trump feels …
King’s speech 2024: experts react to the new government’s plans: The king’s speech has been delivered, marking the state opening of parliament (technically, this was the first king’s speech with a Labour government in 74 years). The speech was written by Keir Starmer’s government, not the king, and lays out the government’s agenda for the …
Malawi faces a food crisis: why plans to avert hunger aren’t realistic and what can be done: Malawi is heading towards a severe food crisis later this year. Drought brought on by the El Niño weather pattern has affected the harvest of maize, the staple food grown by nine out of 10 farming households in …
COP28: South Africa pioneered plans to transition to renewable energy – what went wrong: South Africa’s experience in piloting a new type of climate finance vehicle can inform debates about how to fund a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Two years ago at COP26, South Africa piloted the first Just Energy Transition …
Leasehold reform: why UK government’s plans could make housing less affordable and less fair: Most flats in England are owned under leaseholds. Shutterstock The UK government is introducing plans to reform the system of leasehold property in England and Wales to parliament. The leasehold and freehold reform bill aims to empower leaseholders and achieve greater …
Slovakia may be about to elect a government which plans to halt aid to Kyiv: Slovakians head to the polls on September 30 to elect a new parliament. The result will not only have a huge impact on the domestic affairs of this small central European state but also, beyond its borders, on the balance …
UFOs: how Nasa plans to get to the bottom of unexplained sightings: Raggedstone / Shutterstock As reports continue flying in about what were traditionally called UFOs (unidentified flying objects), Nasa is taking the topic very seriously. In fact, following the publication of a report from an independent committee of experts in fields including astronomy and …
All the evidence against the UK’s plans to expand oil and gas drilling: StudioByTheSea/Shutterstock The UK will extract as much oil and gas from the North Sea as possible, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday as he announced more than 100 new drilling licenses. Only a few days earlier, United Nations chief António Guterres …
Why UK court ruled Rwanda isn’t a safe place to send refugees – and what this means for the government’s immigration plans: The Court of Appeal has ruled against the UK government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, adding a significant legal hurdle to the prime minister Rishi Sunak’s promise to “stop the boats”. …
How China is increasing its influence in central Asia as part of global plans to offer an alternative to the west: The Kazakh port of Aktau will be useful in the expansion of trade routes in the region. Matyas Rehak/Shutterstock As G7 leaders were preparing for their recent summit in Japan, China’s president Xi Jinping …
Dubious partnerships: new plans to curb wrongdoing by UK-registered firms are riddled with loopholes: 'Not a problem.' A Lot of People What links the UK with the theft of over a billion US dollars from Moldovan banks and the global money laundering schemes operated through the infamous Russian and Azerbaijani “laundromats” that allowed more billions …
How China makes economic plans: key moments explained: A meeting of some of China’s most senior politicians at the end of April 2023 concluded with a fairly cautious assessment of the country’s economic recovery. Things are improving, they said, but domestic demand needs to improve. The meeting in Beijing, headed by President Xi Jinping, was …
The UK’s unworkable immigration plans allow the government to blame others for its failure: The illegal migration bill, which purports to end small boat crossings and would effectively bar asylum seeking, has made its way through committee stage. The controversial policy is more likely to be challenged in international courts than to curb small boat …
Cannabis industry plans for South Africa have stalled: how to get them moving again: Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images) South African president Cyril Ramaphosa recently reiterated plans to accelerate the commercialisation of hemp as well as cannabis plants. His speech setting out government’s priorities for 2023 was a reminder of a pledge in …
Nigeria’s cities are growing fast: family planning must be part of urban development plans: Government investments in infrastructure in Nigeria will remain insufficient as urban populations grow. Frederic Soltan/Getty Images Nigeria is rapidly urbanising, with more people living in urban areas than in rural communities. A recent World Bank estimate shows that 53% of the …
Israelis protest Netanyahu government’s brutality and plans to undermine rule of law: It’s a week since hundreds of Israeli settlers descended on the Palestinian village of Hawara to terrorise civilians and burn cars and buildings. The killing of two young settlers sparked the violence that led Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli finance minister, and now also head …