Pixabay, CC BY-SA The UK supreme court has just heard an appeal from Uber that has far-reaching implications for UK drivers and the wider gig economy. Uber wants to overturn an employment tribunal ruling from 2016, which improved the lot of its drivers by classifying them as “workers” instead ofContinue Reading
Homicides against human rights defenders increased by 88 percent in 2020 Hermes Pete, leader of the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca, during the virtual press conference organized by the Association of Indigenous Councils of Cauca, June 5, 2020. Screenshot by the author, used with permission. On July 7, unknownContinue Reading
Many people believe that warm weather protects us from respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19. The concept of “catching a cold” in summer is counter-intuitive. Yet what does the data say about the effect of the weather on the spread of the coronavirus? In our research, we set out to analyseContinue Reading
Photo: Public domain from Pikist. By Ian Inkster In most of the Western media, the focus on the COVID-19 attack has concerned government policies, their character, efficacy, and extent—as well as their economic cost. Debates on lockdown, face masks, social distancing and the tragedies within care homes and among migrantContinue Reading
Turkey’s increasingly authoritarian government led by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has always made use of crises to consolidate its power. The coronavirus has been no exception. The regime has cracked down on opposition and attempted to undermine its effectiveness, while endeavouring to legitimise the rule of the long-servingContinue Reading
Pexels The COVID-19 pandemic has made many of us reevaluate our health and take up new exercise regimes. Running and cycling have become increasingly popular as activities that can be carried out by most people without much equipment, while observing social distancing. There are, of course, a wealth of benefitsContinue Reading
This image of the NGC 1398 galaxy, which is located in the Fornax cluster, was taken with the Dark Energy Camera. Dark Energy Survey/Flickr, CC BY-SA Dark energy is one of the greatest mysteries in science today. We know very little about it, other than it is invisible, it fillsContinue Reading
People in the UK will be soon be required by law to wear masks in shops to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This follows the introduction of mandatory face coverings on public transport in June. There is evidence that supports the public health benefits of wearing face coverings in public.Continue Reading
‘We want to transform reality with art and culture’ Photo by Rayner Peña for EFE, used with permission. During the COVID-19 lockdown in Venezuela, the artistic cultural group Zona de Descarga (meaning “discharge area” or “dump area”) was born. In the José Felix Ribas neighbourhood in Petare, one of the hardest-hit communitiesContinue Reading
What a contrast it was. In early May 2000, Vladimir Putin strode through the Kremlin’s gilded corridors, his progress relayed on live TV across the world’s largest country, and beyond. I was reporting from Moscow for the BBC. Putin looked purposeful, slim and sober as he swore to uphold theContinue Reading
