By Ezgi Unsal, Lecturer in Development Economics, SOAS, University of London
Turkey is making electrification a central theme of this year’s UN climate summit, Cop31, which it is currently hosting in the Mediterranean city of Antalya alongside Australia. The ambition is to raise the share of global energy demand met by electricity from 20% today to 35% by 2035.
But there is a tension in this agenda. More electrification will only cut emissions if the electricity comes from cleaner sources. In Turkey, coal and natural gas still account for more than half of electricity generation, while…
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By Preetika Joshi, Assistant Professor of Accounting, McGill University
Budget 2026 offers targeted relief to low-income households, but its biggest tax incentive rewards business investment in the hope of future growth.
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By Ezenwa E. Olumba, Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow, Aston University
Thomas Stubbs, Professor of Global Political Economy, Royal Holloway, University of London
One of the deadliest attacks on Israel in 2024 came not from an Iranian missile or rocket, but from a single Hezbollah drone attack. On October 13, 2024, a drone struck the dining hall of a military base near Binyamina, south of Haifa, as Israeli soldiers were eating. It killed four people and injured 67.
Houthi rebels have been using drones to attack airports and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, causing havoc in the Gulf kingdom. Israel and Saudi Arabia are two wealthy countries and have powerful militaries…
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By Ibrahim Al-Marashi, Adjunct Professor, IE University; California State University San Marcos
After the 1991 Gulf War, Saddam Hussein, the former president of Iraq, declared “dignified victory” despite a military defeat. He had survived the invasion, while his adversary George HW Bush was facing a recession at home. Bush would go on to lose the 1992 elections to Bill Clinton, who swept to victory with the slogan: “It’s the economy, stupid”.
Even with Iraq’s armed forces devastated, Saddam was…
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By Ebru Surucu-Balci, Assistant Professor in Circular Supply Chains, University of Bradford
Gokcay Balci, Lecturer in Sustainable Freight Transport and Logistics, University of Leeds
The UK government’s recent “Be Ready” campaign advises households to keep a three-day supply of food and drink in case of emergency. Sales of bottled water and tinned foods have soared, as households ready themselves for a powerful storm, a long power cut or a cyber-attack.
And preparing for three days of self-resilience seems like a sensible measure. But what happens on day four?
The hope would be that order is restored, with no further need for people to rely on their own supplies.
…
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By Lindsey Blumell, Lecturer in Journalism, City St George's, University of London
After years of caution, journalists can now exchange the word “alleged” for “convicted” when describing Russell Brand as a sexual predator. Following a four-week trial, where six women testified in detail, the former comedian was jailed for ten years and six months for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was cleared of two further counts of rape and one of attempted indecent assault.
When sentencing Brand, Justice Joel Bennathan emphasised the women’s…
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By Tim Jarvis, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing, Anglia Ruskin University
M. John Harrison blends genres in his work of speculative fiction, taking inspiration from everything from theological thrillers to domestic sagas.
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By Vincent K.L. Chang, Assistant Professor of the History and International Relations of Modern China, Leiden University
For more than a decade, China and Russia have sought to align their official memories of the second world war. They have staged prominent joint commemorations and military parades, while also coordinating remembrance dates and harmonising their official discourses about the war.
The latest example of this “memory alliance” came in September when the Chinese and
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By Paul M. Collins Jr., Professor of Legal Studies and Political Science, UMass Amherst
If Republicans attempt to confirm a nominee, they will trigger a historic fight and hand Democrats the justification needed to reshape the high court.
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By John Robert Hacker-Wright, Professor of Philosophy, University of Guelph
A compelling imitation, Aristotle argues, is delightful because we love to learn, and imitation teaches us. Is this why droves of people are going to cinemas to watch an almost three hour-long documentary?
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