New Zealand’s 17 October election was originally scheduled on a historically significant day: 19 September, the annual anniversary of the date in 1893 when New Zealand women became the first in the world to legally vote. It was postponed because of Covid but was historic anyway: the Labour party became the first in 24 years … Continue reading “New Zealand gives Jacinda Ardern and Labour a Landslide”
All U.S. states are not equal when it comes to time and budget lavished on them by presidential candidates and political parties. Most of the focus is on states which are variously referred to as swing states, battleground states or purple states. In the presidential election, it’s not the national popular vote that counts, but … Continue reading “Red, Blue or Purple States: a Colorful Guide to U.S. Elections”
American poet Louise Glück won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature for “her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal”, the Swedish Academy said on Thursday. "It's too new … it's too early here." Take a listen to this brief conversation with new Literature Laureate Louise Glück, recorded shortly after the … Continue reading “2020 Nobel Prize in Literature for American poet Louise Gluck”
On 2 October, the White House announced that President Trump and the First Lady, Melania, had both tested positive for Covid 19, and were self-isolating in the presidential residence. Mr Trump therefore has to interrupt his campaign for re-election and the remaining presidential TV debates are put in doubt. Mr Trump announced the news in … Continue reading “Campaign Interrupted”
It’s already been an unusual election year in the U.S.A., with the later Democratic primaries cancelled because of Covid and delayed party conventions held online. As the virus continues to progress in the U.S.A., what are the possible consequences for the election? The parties are continuing as near to normal as they can. The focus, … Continue reading “U.S. Elections: the Year of the Unknowns”
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on 18 September means the political balance of the court is likely to swing right. Justice Ginsburg was a pioneering lawyer and judge who was at the forefront of battles for gender equality and women’s rights. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was one of three women out of … Continue reading “Goodbye RBG”
Maya Moore has won every medal and trophy in women’s basketball. But her biggest victory wasn’t on a basketball court. It was helping a man prove his innocence. And she’s just announced an extra happy ending to the battle. Moore started playing in the WNBA in 2011, for the Minnesota Lynx. She helped win four … Continue reading “Winning Justice”
The 17-year-old founder of the School Strike for Climate movement has been awarded the inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. And immediately announced that she would donate the one million euro prize money to environmental projects through her foundation. This is the first year the Portuguese philanthropic Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation awarded the Prize for Humanity, which … Continue reading “Greta Thunberg Donates Million Euro Prize”
The days when the public faces of NASA are only white men seem to be coming to an end. On 8 July, the space agency announced that it is renaming its Washington headquarters the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters in honour of one of the African American women mathematicians whose contribution to the space race … Continue reading “Times Are Changing at NASA”
The Visionary Honours is a new kind of awards ceremony: one that singles out art, media and entertainment that fosters social change and debate. The awards were created in 2019 by the Visionary Arts Foundation, which helps 16-29-year-olds get a foothold in the creative industries in the UK, encouraging them in their ambition to influence … Continue reading “Positive Vision”
