Tag: russia
Putin foe Navalny to be detained for 30 days after returning to Moscow
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has been ordered to remain in pre-trial detention for 30 days, following his arrest upon returning to Russia on Sunday for the first time since a failed assassination attempt last year. Why it matters: The…
Indonesia’s aviation safety has improved, but a lot remains to be done
The Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 disaster serves as a warning for aviation safety regulators, not only in Indonesia but worldwide. Four minutes after taking off from Jakarta in heavy rain on January 9, the Boeing 737-500 nosedived into the ocean,…
The 10 Most Astonishing Archaeological Discoveries of 2020, From an Ancient Cat Carving to the Amazon Rock Paintings
Despite its many difficulties, 2020 gave us some incredible discoveries. Shortly after scientists confirmed that the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, owned Dead Sea Scroll forgeries, putting the authenticity of some 70 other known fragments in question, the…
The challenge of 2021: Vaccinating the world
Vaccinating the world will be perhaps the single greatest global challenge of 2021, and that process is now beginning in earnest. The big picture: If you’re reading this in Europe, the U.S. or one of several other wealthy countries, you…
The Caspian Sea is set to fall by 9 metres or more this century – an ecocide is imminent
Imagine you are on the coast, looking out to sea. In front of you lies 100 metres of barren sand that looks like a beach at low tide with gentle waves beyond. And yet there are no tides. This is…
Even with vaccine, COVID tests will be the passport to travel in 2021
The new normal for air travel in 2021 could include two, three or even more COVID-19 tests per trip until vaccines are widely available. The big picture: Global travel could begin to see a comeback later in 2021 as people…
The Overlooked Hallmark of the Trump Administration—and Other Autocracies
The images of the first people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine promise the end of this particular nightmare. But it’s likely that hundreds of thousands more will die in the United States before the pandemic is over. The return to…
Putin breaks his U.S. election silence to congratulate Biden on win
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a message of congratulations to President-elect Biden, the Kremlin announced Tuesday. Why it matters: Putin was one of the few world leaders to refrain from congratulating Biden for his election win. But after the…
The Paris Agreement 5 years on: big coal exporters like Australia face a reckoning
On Saturday, more than 70 global leaders came together at the UN’s Climate Ambition Summit, marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was denied a speaking slot, in recognition of Australia’s failure to set meaningful…
The Life and COVID Death of a Revered Siberian Doctor
The first day that Dr. Valery Shikankov tried to call an ambulance, he rang and rang, but after three hours he never got through, and so he gave up. Two days later, Shikankov tried again. He set out from his…
The Venus of Willendorf and Other Voluptuous Ancient Figures May Have Been ‘Ideological Tools’ to Shape Body-Image Norms
Europe’s prehistoric Venus figurines, dating from the Upper Paleolithic, are one of the world’s oldest art forms. With their voluptuous female figures carved from stone, ivory, horn, or clay, the sculptures have long been thought to have served as fertility totems.…
Children’s climate change case at the European Court of Human Rights: what’s at stake?
The European Court of Human Rights finally has the opportunity to take on climate change. And it is taking it seriously, thanks to a group of 8 to 21-year-olds. In September 2020, four children and two young adults from Portugal…
The Duelling Realities of the Coronavirus in Russia
The Russian part of my social-media feed has been making me feel as if I have lost touch with reality. Every morning, when I log on, I see pictures of people I know living lives that look bizarrely normal. They…
Scientists: Here’s how to fight back against anti-maskers, climate deniers and anti-vaxxers
“If we cannot talk about sex, then we cannot talk about good sex,” proclaimed gynecologist Jennifer Gunter on a trailer for Jensplaining, her show on female reproductive health. Gunter is an example of a scientist using non-traditional platforms to communicate…
