Category: General Interest
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Australia’s pre-election polls prove inaccurate
Pre-election polls suggested that the Labor Party was set to win the Australian 2019 general elections. Exit-polls indicatethat the incumbent Liberal-National coalition will secure a surprise victory. Why were pre-election polls inaccurate?
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The Kushner plan starts with economic investment
Mr Trump’s deal to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict was expected to be unveiled after the 2019 Israeli elections. The White House has announced an economic ‘workshop’ in Bahrain to encourage investment in Palestinian territories. Why has the Trump administration focused on the financial component without addressing other issues that surround the conflict?
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China explores lunar craters
China’s lunar exploration program receives a boost as it’s Chang’e-4 mission successfully landed on the far side of the Moon. The first scientific report from the mission outlines findings related to the Moon’s mantle. What is behind the scientific focus on the Moon’s mantle?
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Anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has seen a surge in anti-Muslim violence following the Easter Sunday bombings. The government has introduced curfews and bans on social media to control the unrest. Are these measures enough to maintain order in Sri Lanka, given its history of communal violence?
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Bangladesh’s energy sector and competing interests
Bangladesh suffers from an acute energy deficit. China and India have competed over investments in Bangladesh’s energy sector. How is Bangladesh leveraging competing interests to its benefit? Is Bangladesh’s continued focus on fossil fuels to generate electricity sustainable?
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World poultry day
In conjunction with World Poultry Day on May 10th, the International Poultry Council is initiating an awareness drive on food insecurity. Will poultry be able to fill the gap in world protein supplies without any health concerns?
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Women, girls should be engaged in disaster risk management
Like society, disasters can be discriminative against people. Less access to social safety measures, financial conditions and support from the community, can add up to the woes caused by natural disasters. And, they discriminate gender wise too, as a recent World Bank report explains…
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Reforming Pakistan’s madrasas
Pakistan’s military announces plans to bring the country’s madrasas under government control. Why should Pakistan regulate its madrasas? Madrasas are Islamic seminaries, known in Pakistan as Madaris-e-Deeniya. Most of Pakistan’s Madrasas teach Islamic subjects. These include Tafseer (interpretation of the Quran)…
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Sturgeon calls for Scottish Referendum 2.0
Scotland should hold a new referendum on independence from the United Kingdom by 2021 if Britain leaves the European Union, said the Scottish leader, Nicola Sturgeon. The question remains, is Scotland ready to separate from the UK and apply for EU membership? Scottish independence….
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Japan apologises to victims of forced sterilisation
Twenty years after Japan repealed the eugenics law, it has agreed to compensate victims of the government program under which thousands of people were forcibly sterilized because of intellectual disabilities, mental illness or genetic disorders. Why is Abe apologizing now?….