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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt across many aspects of life. This year’s United Nations International Democracy Day – 15 September – will be marked under the most difficult circumstances in recent memory because of the pandemic. To minimise the risk of infections, some nations have put their elections on hold, while others are proceeding under the most restrictive conditions. Free and fair electoral processes are a key tenet of democracy. Nic Cheeseman reviews insights from a new book, published by the British Academy, which sets out how elections can be held safely and democratically amid COVID-19. It covers a range of topics, including how to establish health protocols and manage the risk of
election violence. It also sets out the options for international election observers.
One of the rare upsides to the COVID-19 pandemic has been a dramatic fall in carbon dioxide emissions, as billions of people stayed at home and economies slowed. Was this, some people wondered, the turning point on climate action the world desperately needs? Unfortunately, the answer is clearly no. In fact, as CSIRO’s Pep Canadell and Stanford University’s Rob Jackson writes, Earth may temporarily hit the dangerous 1.5℃ warming limit by
2024, according to a major new report by the World Meteorological Organisation. Remember that the Paris climate agreement seeks to limit global warming to 1.5℃ this century. As the authors explain, we have a one in four chance of passing that in at least one of the next five
years – and the risk is growing.
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Thabo Leshilo
Politics + Society
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A campaign poster of John Magufuli of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party who is seeking re-election as president in October.
Ericky Boniphace/AFP via Getty Images)
Nic Cheeseman, University of Birmingham
International observation will not insulate controversial polls – such as Tanzania's in October – from malpractices, but will make them less likely and allow them to be exposed.
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Kelly Barnes/AAP
Pep Canadell, CSIRO; Rob Jackson, Stanford University
The report by the World Meteorological Organisation shows that with large and rapid emissions cuts, we can still avoid the most severe climate change. But worryingly, we also have time to make it far worse.
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Health + Medicine
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Priyanka Gogna, Queen's University, Ontario
Understanding terms like sensitivity and specificity can help us make sense of COVID-19 testing, the accuracy of tests and what the results mean.
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Emma Kinrade, Glasgow Caledonian University
Counting macronutrients offers more food flexibility – but may be most useful when trying to build muscle.
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Environment + Energy
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Roel Brienen, University of Leeds; Emanuel Gloor, University of Leeds
We analysed 210,000 tree ring records from 80 different species, and found the trade off between growth and lifespan may neutralise the forest carbon sink.
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Mitchell P. Jones, Vienna University of Technology
Going from a single spore to a finished fungi-derived leather product takes a couple of weeks. But raising a cow to maturity for bovine leather can take several years.
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Arts & Culture
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Charles T Orjiakor, University of Nigeria
The proportion of prisoners awaiting trial in Nigeria is disturbing, and prolonged imprisonment can have a damaging effect on their mental functioning .
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Gibson Ncube, University of Zimbabwe
The artist's body of work, through its very public focus on queer masculinity, offers alternative ways of thinking about what being a man is.
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En Français
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Laurent Mucchielli, Aix-Marseille Université (AMU)
Le discours sur une insécurité grandissante doit être mesuré par rapport aux enquêtes qui révèlent que c’est la dénonciation des problèmes qui croît sans cesse, et non leur fréquence.
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Stéphane Lemercier, Université de Montpellier
Les agissements rapportés dans l’enquête de Valentin Gendrot décrivent une réalité et attestent d’une attitude « jusqu’au boutiste » de plus en plus symptomatique de certains policiers.
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En español
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Clara Martínez, Universidad Pontificia Comillas
La escolarización es necesaria para satisfacer el derecho a la educación del niño, pero es también un medio para la realización de otros muchos derechos. El miedo al contagio puede privar al niño de mucho más que de recibir clases, especialmente cuando se trata de los colectivos más vulnerables.
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Diego Clemente, Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos
Un participante del ensayo de la vacuna de Oxford ha sufrido un evento que ha obligado a paralizar el ensayo.
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