Latest Stories
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China crisis as Huawei ban provokes Xi Jinping
Is it too late for the West to resist China? The UK’s decision, yesterday, to ban Huawei from its 5G network has dramatically upped the stakes in a battle of economics and ideology.
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Mystery elephant deaths spark new virus fears
Is a new pandemic starting in Botswana? Hundreds of elephants have dropped dead in southern Africa, baffling environmentalists. Scientists now fear a lethal disease could be the cause.
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Insects in amber hint at Jurassic dreams
Could scientists bring dinosaurs back to life? Bugs preserved in amber offer a window into prehistory. But resurrecting the dinosaurs is not going to be as simple as it is in the movies.
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Arctic on fire as temperature records broken
Are we facing the end of the world? Or a new beginning? With a heatwave in Siberia, the climate crisis is more alarming than ever – but many see a moment of opportunity.
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‘To care for ourselves, we must care for nature’
Could animal poaching lead to a new killer virus? On World Environment Day 2020, we investigate the powerful links between human health and our attitude to nature and wildlife.
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Sick and on fire: the end of the American era
Will this be the week when it became clear the American era was over? As thousands take to the streets and a president threatens his own people, many predict a historic turning point.
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Invasion of the 94-stone body snatchers
Is it time to stop the return of the bear? Once threatened with extinction, these wild animals are making a comeback, raising serious concerns about the dangers to people and livestock.
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Heated exchanges – and maybe another Cold War
Has a second Cold War begun? China has been busy flexing its muscles in Hong Kong and elsewhere, suggesting that it sees the Covid-19 pandemic as a chance to claim global leadership.
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Send in the troops – there’s trouble on Mars
Is space the next war zone? As the superpowers step up their competing exploration programmes, experts worry that future conflicts could be decided outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
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Mile-wide asteroid gives Earth a near miss
Are asteroids our biggest threat? Several giant space missiles passed us by recently – and scientists are coming up with amazing plans to protect the planet from intergalactic impact.
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First baby bison born in the wild since 1876
Should this be the biggest news story of the day? These mighty beasts were driven to near-extinction 200 years ago. Conservationists are celebrating the birth as a historic turning point.
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‘A terrible situation but a big opportunity’
Is there a green way out of this pandemic? As restrictions begin to lift, minds are turning to how we want the post-corona world to look – and many want it to look as green as possible.
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‘A strong-man world threatens global peace’
Has the world forgotten the lessons of VE Day? The “long peace” of the post-war era has given way to a new age of nationalism. We urgently need international co-operation, says Theresa May.
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Climate emergency is deeper crisis than virus
Is the coronavirus making us forget the deeper climate emergency? There has never been a better opportunity to change things for the good of the planet – but many fear we will waste it.
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Forecasters see a new world after the pandemic
After Covid-19, will the world be reborn as a better place? Though the crisis is taking a terrible toll, some predict it will bring about far-reaching changes that will benefit humanity.