24 staff investigated over conduct
JAGGERY/GEOGRAPH North Wales Police’s report into standards is one of a series being commissioned across the UK North Wales Police is investigating 27 misconduct claims relating to 24 of its staff, the force has announced. Thirteen cases relate to violence against women and girls, including sexual misconduct and domestic abuse. Police misconduct reports have been […]
The world’s most prized pepper?
Andia/Getty Images Kampot pepper has made a comeback after the Khmer Rouge lost power (Credit: Andia/Getty Images) Only by the late ‘90s, long after the Khmer Rouge lost power, did local farmers – many with generations’ of peppercorn farming running through their veins – return to their roots. A recent re-emergence of a flowering vine […]
BME label insulting, says ex-minister Priti Patel
PA Former cabinet minister Priti Patel says she has warned Conservative colleagues not to “label me as BME”. She told BBC Radio Kent she found the commonly used abbreviation for Black and Minority Ethnic “patronising” and “insulting”. The former international development secretary and leading Brexiteer did not rule out a bid for the Conservative leadership […]
Japan’s formula for life satisfaction
JGalione/Getty Images Japan has a huge number of craftsmen, reflecting the immense value placed on devoting your life to a single purpose (Credit: JGalione/Getty Images) The term ikigai is a succinct way to describe what gets you up in the morning – be it work, family or a well-loved hobby – much like a prosaic […]
a simple guide to three polls on 20 July
Reuters Voters go to the polls on Thursday 20 July in three by-elections which will provide a major test of Rishi Sunak’s authority. The prime minister faces the possibility of losing three Conservative seats after their previous MPs left the political stage. A poor performance by the Tories would raise new questions about Mr Sunak’s […]
The millionaires’ club with too few women
Booking.com Gillian Tans is chief executive of Booking.com Amid the ongoing fallout from widespread sexual assault and harassment allegations and the #MeToo campaign, gender equality is high on the Davos agenda this year, but the elite annual gathering still has its own issues to solve. Gillian Tans is softly spoken and unassuming. The 47-year-old isn’t […]
Why you really don’t want to catch Covid-19
Anadolu Agency/Getty Images From the surprisingly treacherous path to herd immunity to the potentially superior protection offered by vaccines, there are many reasons to avoid Covid-19. All throughout history, people have gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid infections. In the Middle Ages, it was common to douse oneself in “four thieves vinegar” – a concoction […]
Leaders face reckoning as rare vote looms
Getty Images The elections will be the first among Palestinians in 15 years Palestinians are preparing for their first general election in a decade and a half. Many hope for a democratic revival after years of stagnation and splits. The pot of Palestinian politics is being stirred. But that’s also awakening anxieties. It was the […]
New US law is bad news for Indian tech workers
Reuters US President Donald Trump has suspended visas for highly-skilled workers until the end of this year. The White House said the move would create jobs for Americans hurting economically due to the pandemic. But critics say the White House is exploiting the coronavirus pandemic to tighten up immigration laws. The H-1B visa is among […]
The invasive weed that travelled the world
Alamy Salvinia has an enormously rapid growth rate and can engulf a lake, smothering the ecosystem and killing fish and mammals (Credit: Alamy) An invasive water weed has decimated the wildlife and economy of one of Cameroon’s most significant lakes. But a tiny, ravenous weevil could reverse the region’s fortunes. A flock of water birds […]