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A conflict spanning decades · At least 40,000 people have been killed in Turkey’s civil war, which has lasted more than 40 years. Hopes for a permanent resolution have been reignited by a new peace initiative, the first serious attempt since the failed negotiations of 2013-2015. · The first public indication of this latest initiative came in October 2024 from an unexpected source: Devlet Bahçeli, the far-right leader of the Nationalist Movement…

Popular culture in the 1980s reflected larger social, political, technological and media trends, from the rapid spread of cable television to the cultural peak of suburban malls. Here’s a look at five pop culture trends that heavily shaped the “Me” decade. · Women’s Power Dressing · Shoulder pads. Oversized double-breasted suits. The floppy silk “tie.” On runways and movie sets, in office buildings and boardrooms, women of the ’80s dressed in…

It's not yet official, but credible rumors are gaining momentum that the ridiculously tall skyscraper planned for Saudi Arabia which we covered last year is going ahead. If constructed, the incredibly ambitious 1.2-mile (2-km)-high building will dwarf all other man-made structures. · According to a recent report by the usually well-informed Dubai outlet MEED, the skyscraper will be part of a larger ongoing business district near Riyadh named…

Dr Isaac Featherston, the editor of the Wellington Independent, strongly attacked the New Zealand Company’s land policy in his newspaper on 24 March 1847. · Colonel William Wakefield, the Company’s Principal Agent in New Zealand, interpreted this editorial as a thinly disguised accusation that he was a thief. He challenged Featherston to a duel that apparently took place at Te Aro the following day. · Eyewitnesses reported that Featherston…

The whole “woke” agenda has become a delightful farce, warranting not so much bemusement as amusement. Take, for example, the recently announced decision by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to flagellate Shakespeare for his alleged role in promoting “white supremacist imperialism”. The SBT, which manages historical properties in Stratford-upon-Avon, has promised to “decolonize” its museum collections because “Shakespeare’s work has played a…

Chinese and New Zealand scientists have successfully completed a historic joint dive expedition to the Puysegur Trench—marking the first time humans have reached its deepest point. · Led by the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (China) and NIWA (New Zealand), the three-month expedition involved 68 scientists from eight countries and completed 32 dive missions aboard the Tansuo-1 research vessel using China’s full-ocean-depth manned…

Two new Acts—the Natural Environment Act and the Planning Act—will replace the Resource Management Act (RMA) by the end of 2025, with a bill introduced to Parliament in 2026 and passed before the next election. · The government claims that the reforms will slash compliance and administrative costs by 45 per cent. · Notably, the new Acts will drop the clause requiring adherence to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. · The legislation…

Everyone loves to complain that modern appliances don’t last like they used to—but does the data back it up? · A new study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology suggests the truth is that it’s not just a case of “they don’t make them like they used to”—it’s a mix of economics, technology, and how we live today. · While washing machines and ovens have seen their lifespans plummet since the 1990s, fridges and freezers have held…

A new AI model can predict the likelihood of premature death from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with around 95% accuracy. This is good news, though – because, by looking beyond the gut for early treatment of other chronic illnesses, the early mortality rate can be significantly reduced. · A new study by Canadian researchers from the University of Toronto, the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), and the SickKids Research…

Britain has laid the keel for the Royal Navy's largest-ever submarine. At BAE Systems's Barrow-in-Furness facility, the ceremony marked the "birth" of the nuclear-powered and armed HMS Dreadnought, one of the most advanced submarines to date. · Keel laying is the major milestone in the building of a ship. The keel is the main structural member of the ship's hull and laying it down is the equivalent to laying the cornerstone of a building.…