Skye Hohmann/Alamy Stock Photo Lisa Vanhala, UCL COP26, the recently concluded UN climate change conference in Glasgow, marked a critical turning point in global politics. From now on, the issue of climate justice will be unavoidable for rich countries. The Glasgow Climate Pact “urges” rich countries like the US (referred to as “developed countries” in the text) to increase funding for poor countries like Bangladesh (“developing countries”) to around US$40 billion (£29.8 billion) annually by 2025, to help them adapt to mounting floods, droughts and other effects of climate change. This is pret ..read more

Source: Sohaib Ghyasi I think I wrote this potentially just over a year ago? It was in memory of several Halo Trust deminers murdered in a surprise attack in 2021. Many aren’t aware Afghanistan is one of the most land-mine filled countries in the world, with 2/3rds of the victims being children. Stories like these make these facts more accessible and solidify those trying to make a change in history. The sunbeams and I wonder when I will become used to being fully dressed in the depths of summer. A year on, and I am still not acclimatized to the heat. Nor am I able to comprehend what I do. I m ..read more

On 14 February 2019, Kashmiri militant Adil Ahmad Dar all drove a car laden with explosives into vehicles carrying Indian security personnel. Forty-four Indian personnel were killed in the most significant attack on the country’s troops for decades.  Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack and, with elections pending in India, retaliation was swift. Indian planes crossed the line of control to carry out attacks in Pakistani territory.  Pakistan retaliated by shooting down an Indian fighter jet. Had it not been for shrewd statesmanship by Imran Kha ..read more

Source: Kelly Sikkema Written a month ago for another sociological platform, removed during the shortening process. The sociological understanding of mental health and illness can be traced through the work of a number of theorists. This writing will focus on work conducted in 1951 by Talcott Parsons into the sick role. To begin, it must be understood that Parsons is a functionalist and thereby see’s the world through a lens where each institution works as though it is in the body. So, education the lungs, healthcare the liver, media as your intestines. Each piece working together to supp ..read more

Source: Mark Daynes This post was written in January 2022, so the irony of it being a heatwave should be ignored. It takes a certain level of motivation to get up out of bed and force oneself to dress, get ready and once again go to the gym. Unfortunately, I go through this at least three times a week. As the years go by, it has not got any easier. Seven days into 2022, the gyms are already packed with New Year’s resolutioners hoping to make fitness progress. According to Bloomberg’s 2019 City Lab, the January spike in gym activity is a natural phenomenon that only dwindles in the following we ..read more

Source: Maria Oswalt My father came to Britain in 1963 and I at age four: I am not sure if that makes me an immigrant as I was naturalised, but it certainly makes me of immigrant heritage. As long as I can recollect (I’m in my mid 40s), I’ve witnessed ‘immigrant bashing’ in this country, whether proverbially or even at times literally. It seems to be a favourite pet topic of populist politicians and a source of constant complaint. Immigrants are often otherised, vilified, demonised and horribly mistreated.  Immigrants are blamed for much that is wrong with British society; they are accuse ..read more

For anyone aware of someone – a friend, a colleague, a family member – experiencing abuse and violence at home, one of the biggest questions is often why don’t they just walk away? It can be difficult to understand the extent of the coercive control and the practical hurdles in getting out, not to mention the complex feelings a survivor of abuse has to unpack. Four experts discuss why survivors might not ask for help, or feel unable to leave. Source: Charl Folscher Fear and control Cassandra Wiener, Senior Lecturer in Law, City, University of London Coercive control is a calculated strategy o ..read more

As promised, here is the next section. I do apologise if it isn’t as eloquent as someone in the industry for decades – Shaneka Knight “The next huge thing is to build a self-sustaining city on Mars and bring the animals and creatures of Earth there,” Musk told Time magazine. “Sort of like a futuristic Noah’s ark. We’ll bring more than two, though — it’s a little weird if there’s only two.” SpaceX had hoped to have people living in artificial enclaves by 2024. But in December 2021, Elon Musk came forth to say people should be living on Mars by 2026, two years behind the initial deadline of havi ..read more

Source: Luminas_Art Disclaimer: Jesus, looked at the archive and I hardly post. So, let’s go again. I began the year doing Space work which was just beautiful. I felt ultra stupid and had no idea what I was doing. So, I made a document walking myself through the process. I’ll release snippets of this document week by week. SpaceX has a dream whereby homo sapiens (from hereon referred to as humans) become multi-planetary by establishing an Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) that would allow for a permanent colony on Mars. But, of course, this is all in case of a catastrophic galactic event t ..read more

Source: Hosein Charbaghi A “proto-state”, a “socio-political movement, the ”beast“ – all names given to a single group that, at its height, seemed to embody the west’s worst nightmare. Islamic State appeared to be a motivated, well-led insurgency group dedicated to building its own “caliphate” in conquered areas across the Middle East. Now, the recent violent death of its leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi, in northern Syria, has left analysts wondering whether the group has largely been neutralised. But that’s doubtful, as IS has been able to change over the years to suit its circumstances. The ..read more