Briefing


USAID logo with a 100 dollar bill in front, being held by a hand

USAID: What projects have already been affected by aid cuts?

ByVictoria HeathFeb 20, 2025
From healthcare for Afghan women to education programs for children in Mali, discover what activities have halted following USAID freeze
Study author, Maëlan Tomasek, with a “volunteer” in the experiment conducted in the Mediterranean Sea

Wild fish able to recognise individual humans, study finds

ByVictoria HeathFeb 20, 2025
Wild fish can use visual differences between humans to recognise individuals which have previously rewarded them, new research shows
Against a backdrop of blue sky and sea, female hands squeeze sunscreen onto the palm

Sunscreen’s impact on marine life needs urgent investigation, new study reveals

ByVictoria HeathFeb 18, 2025
A single beach with 1,000 visitors can accumulate more than 35kg of sunscreen deposits each day - scientists call for more research into sunscreen's impacts
Ghost nets and their effects

AI is helping to clear out ‘ghost gear’ from oceans – here’s how

ByVictoria HeathFeb 17, 2025
New platform uses AI to detect where abandoned fishing gear is likely to be found on seabed floor, replacing time-consuming manual searching
El Salvador has become the first country in the whole world to make bitcoin as legal tender. Bitcoin assist in monetary system more than currencies like US dollar

Why is El Salvador turning away from Bitcoin?

El Salvador's attitudes to Bitcoin are changing. Doug Specht explores why and considers how other nations are sizing up cryptocurrency
flag of Ukraine and the United States of America

What critical minerals does Ukraine have – and why is Trump interested?

ByVictoria HeathFeb 14, 2025
Ukraine has one of the largest mineral deposits of any European country. What minerals does it house & how could they benefit the US?
Young mother walking in a park with children in pushchair. Mom and kids in a buggy walk in forest. Woman pushing a double stroller for twin boy newborn baby. Active family outdoors.

Why are more twins being born across the world?

ByVictoria HeathFeb 13, 2025
Twin birthrate has increased by around one-third in last 40 years – but what exactly is causing the 'twin trend'?
Huge selection of different used clothes for men, women and children on the rack in a second hand shop or thrift store. Concept of waste problem in fashion industry.

How fashion is becoming ever-faster

ByVictoria HeathFeb 13, 2025
Andrew Brooks considers whether recycling old clothes makes the fashion industry more sustainable or simply fuels even more consumption
Large four engine plane at cruising altitude

Why is the Ukraine war raising CO2 emissions?

ByVictoria HeathFeb 13, 2025
Planes avoiding Russian airspace must take significant detours, leading to global aviation CO2 emissions to rise by 1 per cent in 2023
Qingdao,China-Feb.2.2025:USAID is the U.S. government agency that administers foreign aid and development assistance.

Geo explainer: What is USAID – and why is it so vital?

ByVictoria HeathFeb 13, 2025
Discover more about the world's single biggest aid donor as it faces a 90-day pause in its activities under Trump
WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA/USA – OCTOBER 10, 2016: Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump holds a 'Trump Digs Coal' sign during a rally Oct. 10, 2016, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Does Trump mark the end of a coal-free US?

ByVictoria HeathFeb 12, 2025
With Donald Trump signing executive orders to lift fossil fuel regulations, is it possible that the US will backtrack on phasing out coal?
A Chinese calligrapher at work writing on a scroll

Which countries speak the most languages?

ByVictoria HeathFeb 10, 2025
Discover the countries with the most 'living languages' – at number one is a nation that speaks more than 800 different dialects
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