Articles
Universal credit - another poll tax?
11 Oct 2018
Sir John Major has called the government to rethink the nationwide roll-out of Universal Credit, warning of an unfair cost to families. Benefit changes coming into force next year have been compared to the poll tax…
Russia: Putin’s popularity decreasing
11 Oct 2018
A survey by the independent pollster Levada Centre shows the number of Russians regarding Putin as Russia’s most trusted politician has fallen significantly recently. The survey asked respondents to list five or six politicians whom they…
Europe: kicking the plastic habit
11 Oct 2018
The EU is taking a hard line on single-use plastics, with the European parliament's environment committee voting to bolster the Commission’s plastics policy. The report now lays out bans on plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and expanded…
Australia: ‘after-birth abortion’
11 Oct 2018
Researchers claimed in the Journal of Medical Ethics that if a baby is born with a disability that was not previously detected, or if a mother is unwilling to care for the infant, it should be…
Maldives: break the cycle of impunity
11 Oct 2018
An ethical cloud is over the Maldives, an idyllic tropical holiday destination. Islands and submerged coral lagoons have been leased out to tourism developers in no-bid deals. At least US$79 million from the lease fees was…
New UN report on climate change
11 Oct 2018
Following the remarks to the UN about climate change by Dominica’s foreign minister (see https://www.prayer-alert.net/worldwide-pa-site/item/11038-un-assembly-climate-change-a-global-responsibility), on 7 October a UN intergovernmental panel added to that warning by stating that preventing an extra single degree of heat…