Category: General
Natural disasters push 26m into poverty each year, says World Bank
Study finds floods, storms and droughts cost global economy $520bn a year and highlights need to tackle climate change. Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis and other extreme natural disasters push 26 million people into poverty each year and cost the global economy more than half a trillion dollars in lost consumption, the World Bank has said. A […]
Thomas Adams School criticised for blowing up chemicals – BBC News
A school that blew up old chemicals on its playing field has been criticised for not providing a public warning of the blast. Residents in Wem, Shropshire, were alarmed when The Thomas Adams School carried out the explosion on Monday while children were trick or treating. The 19:30 GMT blast was supervised by police and […]
Use your wits! Can you solve these fiendishly difficult puzzles?
Isn’t it time we learned to reconnect with the idea of problem-solving for fun? After all, argues Alex Bellos, the best puzzles are pieces of poetry. In an exclusive extract from his new book, he selects some of his favourites. For those of us whose school memories include struggling with long division and quadratic equations, […]
Economic woes create anti-establishment movements around the world
In some western countries frustration with the status quo is boosting populist and rightwing political parties The US is not the only western nation to be undergoing political ructions over the faltering post-crisis recovery. New counter-establishment parties have emerged in several countries and, as in the UK, people have voted for dramatic change. Meanwhile, theres […]
A sleepover to die for: siblings spend night in Dracula’s Transylvania castle
Canadian brother and sister spend Halloween night in the castle that inspired legend, with coffins for beds, after winning an Airbnb competition. A Canadian brother and sister are passing Halloween night curled up in red velvet coffins in the Transylvanian castle that inspired the Dracula legend, marking the first time in 70 years anyone has […]