Briefings
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The Olympic Games
The world’s biggest sporting event has been postponed for a year because of the pandemic, disappointing millions of viewers, athletes, and organisers. How did the Olympic games come about?
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The Spanish flu
Coronavirus is often compared to the Spanish flu of 1918 – the most deadly pandemic in human history, which infected about 500 million people, nearly a third of the global population.
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Air pollution
Seven million people die from air pollution every year. It has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. What is it, how does it work, and what is being done to reduce it?
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Antibiotic resistance
With all the news about a killer virus, how much should we worry about bacteria and antibiotic resistance? Experts say superbugs are as big a threat to humans as climate crisis and war. Why?
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Censorship
The US has charged China and Iran of censorship over the coronavirus epidemic. Both Apple and Disney have been accused of censorship. What is censorship? And why is it such a hot topic?
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The mystery of gold
In 2017, astronomers witnessed an explosion 1,000 times brighter than a supernova, which sent gold and platinum cascading into the Universe and caused ripples in space and time itself...
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Alternative medicine
In 2019, the World Health Organisation reported that 170 countries used traditional or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). That is over 85% of all the countries in the world.
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St Valentine’s Day
In the USA alone, Valentine’s Day spending is predicted to hit £21 billion next week in gifts for partners, friends, pets, and more. That is more than the gross national product of Cambodia.
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Impeachment
In the US, impeachment means that Congress thinks the president is no longer fit to serve and should be removed from office. Here’s what you need to know about what it is and how it works.
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Royal refuseniks
Prince Harry is to step back from royal duties and earn his own income – but what does that really mean? The history of rulers resigning from their duties is fascinating and surprising.
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Islamophobia
For the last few years, there has been a steady rise in Islamophobia in Western countries. What is driving the prejudice and hate against Islam, particularly in Europe?
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FGM
In early 2019, a woman was found guilty of female genital mutilation for the first time ever in the UK. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison. But what is FGM? And where does it come from?
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Plastic
Up to 12.7 million tons of plastic waste are dumped into the ocean every year: about one garbage-truck of waste every minute. How harmful is plastic, and how can you use less?
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Online privacy
From the Cambridge Analytica scandal to online identity fraud, privacy has become one of the internet’s biggest battlegrounds. But there are still ways to protect yourself online.
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The House of Lords
The House of Lords currently has about 800 members. None are elected by the people, yet they still wield a lot of power. How does the Upper House work — and why do many people want change?