Mandelson goes to Washington – or does he? Why neither is a good option now
Jan 23, 2025 04:52 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Although it will impinge on the consciousness of few, the appointment of the next UK ambassador to the US is growing into a crisis. It would not do for the involvement of Peter Mandelson in anything to pass without some...

Informal mining in South Africa is here to stay. Police brutality won’t end it - here’s what will
Jan 23, 2025 04:51 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
In mid-January 2024 over 1,000 hunger-weakened miners exited two abandoned mine shafts in Stilfontein, near Johannesburg in South Africa. They had been starved out by the police in Operation Vala Umgodi meaning plug the...

Jan 23, 2025 04:51 am UTC| Insights & Views Law
As climate and biodiversity scientists, we spend most of our lives trying to understand how our planet works and how best to address the environmental challenges of our times. Yet, for the past three years, many scientists...

How ‘dupes’, fast fashion and China’s economic slowdown spell disaster for the luxury sector
Jan 23, 2025 04:50 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy
Alarm bells are ringing across the high-end sector. 2024 did not end as luxury brands had hoped, and the figures published by the sectors main conglomerates painted a picture of slowdown and some signs of exhaustion during...

Trump’s meme coin is nothing new: it takes a page out of the ancient world’s playbook
Jan 22, 2025 05:11 am UTC| Insights & Views Digital Currency
Nowadays, we probably never stop to think about why money was invented. If you are a cynical person, you wont be surprised to learn the prime motivation was to make a profit for rulers. About 2,600 years ago, the kings of...

Making aluminium uses 10% of Australia’s electricity. Will tax incentives help smelters go green?
Jan 22, 2025 05:11 am UTC| Insights & Views
Aluminium is an exceptionally useful metal. Lightweight, resistant to rust and able to be turned into alloys with other metals. Small wonder its the second most used metal in the world after iron and demand is set to soar....

Regeneratively farmed is the new buzz label on supermarket shelves – but what does it actually mean?
Jan 22, 2025 05:10 am UTC| Insights & Views Business
Have you noticed regenerative popping up on food labels or in marketing ads? It sounds promising farming that heals the soil and helps stop climate change. So, what does it actually mean? Will this label make any real...