More children drink in England than in any other country
According to a study conducted by the World Health Organisation, the UK has the worst rate of child alcohol abuse worldwide. The analysis also found that girls aged 13 and 15 in Great Britain were drinking, smoking, and vaping more than boys of the same age. The UK is notorious...
Current in Change
Plant diseases are increasingly destroying EU trees and crops
While farmers and conservationists struggle to contain previously introduced pathogens, new outbreaks are being detected. According to scientists, the problem will only get worse as temperatures rise. Infectious diseases don’t just threaten the health of humans and animals. Plants are also susceptible to new pathogens, and scientists are concerned that...
Does Arvind Kerjriwal’s arrest signal strained democracy in India?
The dramatic late-night arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi and chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21st has sent shockwaves across India's political landscape. Despite the ED seeking a 10-day remand, Kejriwal was remanded to their custody for 6 days until...
Xi meets US CEOs to stem China’s economic slump
Statistics in recent years have shown that China’s economy is declining and a meeting with more than a dozen CEOs from the US, reflects its efforts to mitigate the pressing issue. Last week, plenty of eyebrows were raised after it was revealed that China’s President Xi Jinping met with some...
Africa is witnessing a huge electronic waste problem
Africa is increasingly becoming a dumping ground for electronic waste from developed nations. Despite having the lowest annual e-waste production per capita, UN agencies project a growth rate of 3 to 5 percent annually - a trend likely to continue with further technology integration. The African continent has emerged...
Al Jazeera to be imminently banned from broadcasting in Israel
Netanyahu has announced an immediate ban on the Middle Eastern news company from operating in Israel. The US expressed concern, as Al Jazeera’s journalists have been some of the only officials able to broadcast from the ground. On Monday, Israeli parliamentarians voted in favour of a new law which...
A deep dive into the fight to end whale captivity
The SWIMS Act, introduced in January of this year, may finally come into force in the US, ensuring a better life for captive cetaceans and pulling a plug on any such in future. For decades, the cruelty of confining some of the world's most intelligent creatures to tiny tanks for human amusement has raged as one of the most controversial animal welfare debates. Haunting footage of whales smashing their bodies against...
Reforesting with the wrong trees could be worsening the climate crisis
Tree planting has been heralded as a saving grace in the face of a warming planet, but projects that use the wrong plant species are contributing further to the climate crisis and worsening biodiversity loss. By now, we are all aware of just how vital trees are to our planet’s ecology. They clean and cool the air we breathe, stand as homes for wild animals, and absorb natural and...
Is cloud seeding to blame for the Dubai floods?
Last week, approximately 25cm of rain – roughly twice the UAE’s yearly average – fell in a single day, leaving much of the city’s outdoor infrastructure under water. This has sparked a debate about weather modification.
In parts of the Northern Hemisphere, April is known as the month of showers.
This is due to the spring shift in weather patterns and is great for plant growth,
Canada’s cap on residents reflects mounting immigration concerns
For the first time, Canada has announced plans to reduce its share of temporary residents. The move highlights growing anti-immigration sentiment worldwide. Canada has long been somewhat of a haven for foreign visitors, whom it relies heavily on for economic growth. But in a major u-turn, the country has announced plans to scale back on its number of temporary residents in an effort to curb immigration levels. Outlined in a...
