VAT hikes can raise tax without hurting the poor: an economist sets out the evidence: South Africa’s 2025-6 budget has been subjected to more comment than usual. This is due to the political tensions generated by a proposed increase in value added tax (VAT). South Africa’s choices on how it manages the revenue and expenditure …
How the world fell in love with plastic without thinking through the consequences – podcast: Joaquin Traverso Traverso/Shutterstock Every year, 400 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide, and every year, approximately 57 million tons of plastic pollution is created. And yet in November, the latest round of negotiations on the first legally binding international …
Welfare payments are going digital in Africa – but this isn’t helping those without internet access or smartphones: If you have ever received financial support from the state because you were unable to work due to pregnancy, disability, sickness or old age, you’ve benefited from what is known as social protection. Social protection is a …
For many in the UK, 2024 was the year without a butterfly: Small tortoiseshell butterflies had their worst year on record. HWall/Shutterstock The charity behind the world’s largest butterfly survey has declared a national emergency. Butterfly Conservation’s annual Big Butterfly Count, which started in 2010, asks people in the UK to tally the number of …
Climate change: alarming Africa-wide report predicts 30% drop in crop revenue, 50 million without water: African countries will suffer significant economic loss after 2050 if global warming is not limited to below 2°C, a new study by the Center for Global Development has found. Environment and energy economist Philip Kofi Adom is the author of …
Ear seeds: what are they and why have they been controversially linked to ME without scientific evidence?: Research into CFS has been chronically underfunded in the US and UK Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images When Giselle Boxer recently pitched her brand of a needle-free form of acupuncture known as “ear seeds” to the investors …
AI could change how we obtain legal advice, but those without access to the technology could be left out in the cold: The legal profession has already been using artificial intelligence (AI) for several years, to automate reviews and predict outcomes, among other functions. However, these tools have mostly been used by large, well established …
Five tips on talking politics with family without falling out – from a conflict resolution expert: Family gatherings can be difficult, especially when politics enters the conversation. If you feel anxious about discussing divisive issues and falling out with people you love, you are not alone. The war between Israel and Gaza, climate change, culture …
How big UK housebuilders have remained profitable without meeting housing supply targets: Bself/Shutterstock We must “bulldoze through” the planning system to “get Britain building again”. So said Sir Keir Starmer at the Labour party’s last annual conference. He argued it’s time to “fight the blockers” and build the 1.5 million homes that he thinks Britain …
Israel and Palestine in the therapist’s office: how counsellors support people without taking sides: SeventyFour/Shutterstock War and politics can cause serious mental anguish and trauma, even for people thousands of miles away from a conflict. Counsellors who specialise in loss and grief may well meet clients who have lost relatives in conflicts such as those …
Solar power expected to dominate electricity generation by 2050 – even without more ambitious climate policies: Solar power is likely to become the dominant electricity source worldwide by 2050. Mny-Jhee/Shutterstock In pursuit of the ambitious goal of reaching net-zero emissions, nations worldwide must expand their use of clean energy sources. In the case of solar …
Guerilla gardening: how you can make your local area greener without getting into trouble: What are your rights if you want to become a guerrilla gardener? Goami/Shutterstock When Richard Reynolds first started gardening around London’s streets, he was so worried he might be arrested that he worked under the cover of darkness. Reynolds was one …
Three ways to get your nature fix without a garden: There are plenty of ways to benefit from nature in and around your home. fizkes/Shutterstock Spending time in a garden is good for you. It doesn’t matter if you’re watering plants or simply chilling on a deck chair – there’s a whole range of benefits …
How to make homes cooler without cranking up the air conditioning: Air conditioners often become the default solution when temperatures rise. Jose Miguel Sanchez/Shutterstock Temperatures around the world are soaring. Both California’s Death Valley and China’s Xinjiang region have seen temperatures climb above the 50? mark. A blistering heatwave is also sweeping across the Mediterranean, …
Four ways to have hard conversations with your friends – without making things worse: It’s painful to watch someone you care about make what you perceive as bad life choices – we all want what’s best for our loved ones. This can be particularly hard when they are dating someone you don’t think is good, …
Keto diet may slow cancer tumour growth in mice – but not without potentially deadly consequences: The keto diet is very low in carbohydrates. SewCreamStudio/ Shutterstock The ketogenic (keto) diet has been popular in recent years among people looking to lose weight and keep fit. But what many people don’t realise is that this low …
The legal aid sector is collapsing and millions more may soon be without access to justice – new data: A sector on the verge. edwardolive/Shutterstock The UK government has announced changes to legal aid access in England and Wales, updating means test thresholds to account for inflation. These thresholds are the maximum amount of capital …
The UK public sector is already using AI more than you realise – without oversight it’s impossible to understand the risks: DedMityay/Shutterstock The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) products like the text-generating tool ChatGPT has politicians, technology leaders, artists and researchers worried. Meanwhile, proponents argue that AI could improve lives in fields like healthcare, …