The so-called ‘Supermoon’, or the full perigee Moon to use its more scientifically accurate name, will be visible across the world today and tomorrow. The Supermoon event is caused by the Moon reaching its perigee – the point in its orbit where it is closest to the Earth.
Having seen most of its major cities awash with construction cranes, it seems pace is beginning to slow, with the UK's construction sector recorded its weakest performance in four years between July and September. Overall it seems levels have fallen by 1.1% according to the Office for National Statistics.
India has long suffered lost taxes, stemming from illicit transactions built on the back of an overwhelmingly cash-based economy. In a surprise move, the Indian government is to suspend the use of 500 and 1,000-rupee bank notes. All old notes deposited in banks will be subjected to tax laws in an attempt to recover revenue from off the books activity. Keen to calm concerns, Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says "honest people" have no need to worry about the decision to scrap 1,000 and 500 rupee notes.
It’s hard not to be surprised by the result of this year’s election. To many, Donald Trump proved divisive, old fashioned and hard to understand. And yet somehow his campaign has tapped into the American majority. Those feeling left behind by Washington saw a vote for Trump as a way of striking back, a way to topple the status quo. The polls had suggested throughout that a victory for Hilary was inevitable, they were wrong.
The Indian capital city, Delhi, is currently suffering from severe levels of toxic air pollution which is making life unbearable for its citizens. The smog has become such an issue that many people are removing their families from the city in fear for their lungs and lives. For seven days the city has been enveloped by smog. These conditions have been caused by combination of smoke from the recent Diwali celebrations and farmers to the north of the city burning their fields to improve the health of their plants and soil.
China seem hell-bent on developing their investments in other parts of the global. We’ve seen some extraordinary development in the South China Sea, with China building artificial islands as a means to claim sovereignty over long disputed fishing grounds. Tighter restrictions across Australia have been imposed as a means of preventing vast Chinese investment in mining and farming land. London too has been exposed to large Chinese investment, as house prices continue to climb beyond local affordability.
The Hubble telescope revolutionised the way in which we saw our place in the universe. The telescope and its 2.4 metre wide mirror were sent up into space to peer into the dark places of existence and found them to be filled with light and wonder. Where we once saw nothing, Hubble revealed millions of galaxies, forcing us to reconsider the size of reality and how small our proud civilisation really is.
Currently under construction in Saudi Arabia is the next big thing, the Jeddah Tower. This marvel of construction is set to become the world’s tallest building when construction completes in 2020. The current record holder (The Burj Khalifa, in Dubai) sits at 828 metres, this new building will top out at an incredible 1,008 metres.
The UK Treasury has alerted businesses that they must begin preparations for the new £1 coin which is to be introduced in March 2017. This follows in the footsteps of the new £5 note which has recently entered circulation. There will be a six month transition period, but in the meantime businesses will have to adapt to a 12 sided £1 coin. Everything from vending machines to pay-and-display parking ticket meters will have to be upgraded.
As the internet and computers continue their unstoppable takeover of our everyday lives our reliance on the internet and computer related infrastructure has become one of our largest national security concerns. Recent cases of large scale chaos after cyber-attacks include the Yahoo hacking scandal, in which 600 million users’ personal information was stolen, as well as TalkTalk, whose customers details were stolen along with bank account information affecting an estimated 157,000 people.
The UK has long debated the merits of a high-speed rail network, unifying the major cities with economic stability. It seems a big gamble as such projects cost vast amounts to procure, and can garner resentment from those moved to make way. Time, the very thing the new links look to save is also on the heavy side, with estimated completion times spanning decades. With such high stakes can it all be worth it?
In a landmark ruling that could have implications for millions of workers, the tribunal rejected Uber's argument that the drivers do not work for Uber, but merely use its technology. As workers they are entitled to essential workers’ rights, such as sick pay and holiday. The case will directly affect tens of thousands of Uber driver as well as possibly having implications for companies such as Hermes and Deliveroo.
It wasn’t so long ago that diamonds were the investment choice of the seasoned expert. Nowadays the market has opened up to the everyday investor. It’s staggering to think that just 15 years ago, 80 percent of all rough diamond business was handled by one single business, De Beers. They also had a hand in the production, controlling almost half of global diamonds produced annually.
Bananas are the number one most consumed fruit in the world and have been for a long time. The first evidence of banana cultivation can be found in South East Asia – specifically in the Kuk Swamp of Papua New Guinea where evidence of banana cultivation goes back to 5,000 BCE. From there, the banana spread from Asia through to Africa and the Middle East.
In one of many radical changes brought around by new mayor of London Sadiq Khan, the next big change heading for the capital will take place on Oxford Street, the largest and most iconic shopping street in Europe.
Migration has been one of the most difficult subjects faced by the European Union. As a mixture of people are drawn towards Europe from both the Middle East and Central Africa, the European continent is faced with a difficult decision, just where do we place these people?
Today marks fifty years since one of the UK’s worst industrial disasters which occurred in the Welsh village of Aberfan, near Merthyr Tydfil. The disaster killed 116 children and 28 adults on 21 October 1966. The collapse was caused by the build-up of water in the accumulated rock and shale tip, which suddenly slid downhill in the form of slurry. More than 1.4 million cubic feet (40,000 cu metres) of debris covered a section of the village in minutes.
The debate over whether to build a new runway at one of London’s major airports, either Heathrow or Gatwick, has been a political hot potato for many years. Even if we ignore the human and environmental costs, which we certainly should never do, there is no easy decision in this debate.
Located 21 miles off the coast of Sao Paulo is a small island called Ilha de Queimada Grande, which seems ideal for those looking for some private time away from the mainland. Yet this small unassuming island is off-limits to the public, with the Brazilian government declaring it too dangerous for people to visit. In fact, the only people authorised to travel there are the Brazilian military and the countries scientific community.
What was once the booming heart of Cyprus future economy, Varosha proved to be a stark reminded of a country divided by conflict. Varosha forms the southern quarter of the Cypriot city of Famagusta, and proved to be extremely popular tourist destination during the 1970’s. Ranked as one of the most popular destinations in the world, it attracted celebrities such as Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot.
