Spurred on by Scotland: Catalonian President signs decree for independence referendum September 27, 2014 The independence movement in the Spanish region of Catalonia is gathering momentum. This morning, its President Artur Mas signed a decree calling for a referendum to take place on 9 November. Earlier in September, Catalonian lawmakers voted in favour of going ahead with an independence referendum by a margin of 106 to 28. The [...]
UK parliament approves air strikes in Iraq, but how did the parties vote? September 27, 2014 On Friday, the UK parliament voted in favour of conducting air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq. The extremist group has been taking over large parts of Syria and northern Iraq in recent months, and is notorious for the brutal methods it uses at it attempts to establish a religious state in [...]
Conservatives: 20pc off house prices for first-time buyers under 40 September 27, 2014 The conservatives have announced that if they are voted in at the next general election in May, people under 40 will be able to buy their first homes for 20 per cent less than market value. Prime Minister David Cameron revealed the plan ahead of the Conservatives' annual party conference starting tomorrow. He said [...]
How to make a difficult decision: Why we’re programmed not to think strategically September 26, 2014 Normally past experiences are key to the decision making process. Our brains pull past information together to determine how to behave in new situations. But researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute have shown that when faced with a particularly unpredictable or difficult situation, the brain temporarily disconnects information about the past, triggering random [...]
Threat of Islamic State to the UK is enough to require ground troops, says think tank September 26, 2014 Today's parliamentary debate will determine whether or not the UK joins America and its Arab allies in carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq. It follows on from Prime Minister David Cameron's declaration earlier this week that the UK is “ready to play its part” in the campaign against the extremist [...]
Could anthrax be scientists’ secret weapon in the race to cure cancer? September 26, 2014 One of science's perennial truths – that two negatives equal a positive – also applies to disease, it turns out. The deadly anthrax bacterium could soon be used to rid us of equally destructive cancer cells. The very feature that makes the anthrax bacterium so dangerous – its efficient machinery for injecting toxic proteins [...]
De La Rue share price plummets on unexpected profit warning September 26, 2014 Shares in the world's biggest commercial banknote printer and passport manufacturer De La Rue fell by 26.2 per cent to 560.5 pence this morning, after it issued an unexpected profits warning. In its economic outlook for the remainder of this financial year and into next, De La Rue said it was lowering guidance because [...]
EU votes to continue paying carbon dioxide emission allowances for industries September 25, 2014 The European environment committee has voted against a proposal which would bring an end to the payment of substantial carbon dioxide emission allowances on behalf of industries. The European Union faces a conundrum when it comes to reducing its carbon dioxide emissions. On the one hand, charging companies for their emissions can encourage a [...]
Have scientists found Waterworld? New planet suggests there could be life beyond our solar system September 25, 2014 Water is fundamental to our existence. And not just ours – for any organism to exist, it must have access to a healthy dose of H2O. That's why scientists have been searching in space for the vital molecule – which us earthlings are lucky enough to be surrounded by in abundance – for many [...]
Are we going to war over IS? David Cameron says UK “ready to play its part” September 25, 2014 Speaking at the UN in New York, Prime Minister David Cameron has said the UK is ready to “play its part” in the fight against extremist group the Islamic State (IS). He said the militant group was an “evil against which the whole world must unite”, adding past mistakes did not count as an [...]
