Technology is a powerful determinant of change but so are trade unions and the state Shutterstock Technology is a product of human labour. The working class and society can therefore shape its direction. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), long-term technological change has created more employment than it hasContinue Reading
Photo by Frédéric Soltan/Corbis via Getty Images An analysis of financial inclusion in South Africa shows that affordability limits poor households’ access to formal financial services. In our study, which looked at people’s use of financial goods and services between 2008 and 2015, we found that there was a generalContinue Reading
Situated on a plateau and surrounded by mountains, Mexico City is a bowl that traps smog and dust. AP Photo/Marco Ugarte Mexico City is a dust bowl, a polluted megalopolis where breathing is hard and newly washed clothes hung out to dry turn stiff by evening. Even before the COVID-19Continue Reading
When seeking to get a picture of the inequality and social injustice faced by black and minority ethnic groups in the UK, a good place to start is the government’s own figures). It’s starkly evident that major ethnic and racial inequalities persist in employment, housing and the justice system. BlackContinue Reading
Just a couple of days before Russians began voting in a constitutional referendum in late June that is likely to pave the way for Vladimir Putin to stay on as president until 2036, the government announced a tax rise for well-off Russians. It was widely seen as a populist gesture.Continue Reading
Rick Barrett/Unsplash, CC BY-SA To many environmentalists, the new agriculture bill for England and Wales seemed too good to be true. Instead of providing subsidies simply for owning and cultivating land, the bill – widely seen as a departure from previous farming governance under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy –Continue Reading
Following a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, Leicester has become the first city in the UK to enter a full local lockdown. All non-essential shops and schools have been closed, and the government’s plan to reopen pubs and restaurants has been postponed. The city has recorded more than 900 newContinue Reading
Follow Focus/Shutterstock COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on the restaurant industry. While a few restaurants have found ways to provide takeaway and dine-at-home offerings, the majority of businesses have shut up shop during lockdown. From July 4, restaurants in the UK are permitted to open – but dining outContinue Reading
Takashi Images/Shutterstock Museums and galleries in the UK are opening their doors to the public in July. But reopening will be conditional on their ability to implement safety measures. Social distancing is obviously vital in these institutions, which were often described as overcrowded when life was more normal. To beContinue Reading
South Africa can't afford new nuclear infrastructure with state funds in these times of budget shortfalls and ballooning debt. GettyImages On 14 June the South African Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy issued a controversial statement initiating a process that could lead to the construction of new nuclear power station.Continue Reading
