Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
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Alcohol pricing
A new report on the effects of setting a minimum price for alcohol in Scotland in 2018 suggests that the heaviest drinkers didn’t cut their alcohol intake and the poorest of them reduced their spending on food and heating to pay for the higher drink prices. Other studies have found more positive effects, but after alcohol-related deaths rose during the pandemic, the Scottish government is coming under pressure to rethink its approach.
#JordanToo
A physics professor at one of Jordan’s leading universities has been suspended after being accused of sexual harassment by several female students. The case has prompted an outpouring of support for the women on Twitter and widespread media coverage, an unusual development in Jordan, a country in which women still play a relatively small role in public life.
Coastal erosion
Sir James Bevan, the chief executive of the Environment Agency, said this week that Britain must face up to the fact that many coastal towns and villages cannot be defended from coastal erosion. Instead, he said, local and national government – as well as individuals – will have to prepare for a future in which some homes are abandoned to the sea, or proactively demolished. Is this a sensible way to prepare for an uncertain future – or a defeatist approach to a solvable problem?
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'Enforcement of rulings remains spotty at best'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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Book reviews: 'King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution' and 'Gwyneth: The Biography'Feature How the Iranian Revolution began and Gwyneth Paltrow's life in the spotlight
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Garrett Graff's 6 favorite books that shine new light on World War IIFeature The author recommends works by James D. Hornfischer, Craig L. Symonds, and more
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Cloudbursts: what are the 'rain bombs' hitting India and Pakistan?The Explainer The sudden and intense weather event is almost impossible to forecast and often leads to deadly flash-flooding and landslides
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What do heatwaves mean for Scandinavia?Under the Radar A record-breaking run of sweltering days and tropical nights is changing the way people – and animals – live in typically cool Nordic countries
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Blue whales have gone silent and it's posing troubling questionsUnder the radar Warming oceans are the answer
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Acid rain is back: the sequel nobody wantedUnder The Radar A 'forever chemical' in rainwater is reviving a largely forgotten environmental issue
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Why is the world so divided over plastics?Today's Big Question UN negotiations on first global plastic treaty are at stake, as fossil fuel companies, petrostates and plastic industry work to resist a legal cap on production
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Tuvalu is being lost to climate change. Other countries will likely follow.Under the Radar Sea level rise is putting islands underwater
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Melting glaciers may lead to more volcanic eruptionsUnder the radar We're in for a boom
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Europe's heatwave: the new front line of climate changeIn the Spotlight How will the continent adapt to 'bearing the brunt of climate change'?
