By Derek Ward-Thompson, Professor of Astrophysics, University of Central Lancashire
Megan Argo, Senior Lecturer in Astronomy, University of Central Lancashire
Nasa’s Curiosity Mars rover has detected the largest organic (carbon-containing) molecules ever found on the red planet. The discovery is one of the most significant findings in the search for evidence of past life on Mars. This is because, on Earth at least, relatively complex, long-chain carbon molecules are involved in biology. These molecules could actually be fragments of fatty acids, which are found in, for example, the membranes surrounding biological cells.
Scientists think that, if life ever emerged…
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By Daragh Murray, Senior Lecturer in International Human Rights Law at Queen Mary University of London, Queen Mary University of London
Pete Fussey, Professor of Criminology and Head of Department for Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology, University of Southampton
It’s a dangerous time for protest rights in the UK. The government has introduced a bill that would make it a criminal offence to conceal your identity at a protest.
The crime and policing bill establishes an offence if a person conceals their identity within a specifically designated area. That is, an area where the police believe that a protest is taking place, or is likely to take place, and that involves, or might involve, the “commission of offences” (people breaking the law).
These powers are preemptive…
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By Amnesty International
Responding to reports of widescale damage from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake reported in central and other parts of Myanmar, Amnesty International’s Myanmar Researcher Joe Freeman said: “This earthquake could not come at a worse time for Myanmar. More than three million people remain internally displaced from armed conflict that has raged since the 2021 military coup. […] The post Myanmar: Urgently facilitate access to humanitarian aid for earthquake survivors appeared first on Amnesty International. ]]>
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By Amanda Dunn, Politics + Society Editor
Ashlynne McGhee, Digital Storytelling Editor
After months of speculation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has dissolved parliament and called a federal election for May 3. Michelle Grattan speaks with political editor Amanda Dunn about the close…
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By Anastasiya Zavyalova, Associate Professor of Strategic Management, Rice University
Christopher A. Hartwell, Professor of International Business Policy, ZHAW School of Management and Law
Georgian legislation directly mirrors a contentious law Russia passed more than a decade ago to stifle dissent and quash the power of civil society groups.
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By Tharaphi Than, Associate Professor of World Cultures and Languages, Northern Illinois University
US cuts in overseas aid will hurt the myriad opposition groups that have been fighting the army in a complex and regionalized conflict.
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Top left: The wreckage of a Tajik ambulance that was attacked near a bridge by the Kyrgyz-Tajik border in Chorbog, on September 16, 2022.© 2022 Jean-Baptiste Gallopin/Human Rights Watch. © 2022 Jean-Baptiste Gallopin/Human Rights Watch. Top right: The courtyard of the house of an 83-year-old woman from Khistevarz (Tajikistan), who was killed on September 16, 2022, when an artillery shell hit the house. © 2022 Jean-Baptiste Gallopin/Human Rights Watch. Bottom left: A man looks at a house damaged during fighting in Batken,…
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By GroundViews
Dairy farmers in northern Sri Lanka are facing challenges as external crop cultivators acquire traditional grazing lands. For centuries, these grasslands have been vital feeding grounds for dairy cattle.
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By Bridianne O'Dea, Little Heroes Professor of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Flinders University
Young people are waiting more than three months for mental health care, and are struggling to cope while they wait.
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By Fei Gao, Lecturer in Taxation, Discipline of Accounting, Governance & Regulation, The University of Sydney, University of Sydney
Andrew Terry, Professor of Business Regulation, University of Sydney
Tuesday night’s federal budget revealed a sharp drop in what was once a major source of revenue for the government – the tobacco excise.
This financial year, the government expects to earn revenue from the tobacco excise of A$7.4 billion. That’s down sharply from $12.6 billion in 2022–23, and an earlier peak of $16.3 billion in 2019–20.
The government expects this downward trend to continue. Australia’s heavy tobacco taxation has…
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