Новости за 02.03.2017

Amid all the confusion over Donald Trump’s presidency, there are few clues about how his administration will approach the US’s relationship with Africa. The continent was rarely mentioned in the run-up to election day, and so far, Trump’s only foray into African politics has been a pair of phone calls – one to President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, and one to President Jacob Zuma of South Africa.

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There’s do doubt about it: roller derby is enjoying a revival. The sport first rose to fame in the 1950s, ‘60s and '70s, when matches drew crowds of more than 15,000 people, and were televised to many more. Both men and women players were known for being rough, tough and skillful. The sport drew on elements of showmanship found in boxing and wrestling events – such as longstanding feuds and even scraps between rivals – and this spectacle helped the sport to maintain a strong fan base for many years. Читать дальше...

The House of Lords may have backed an amendment to protect the rights of EU nationals after Brexit, but the level of fear among nationals of other EU countries about their future has hit new highs.

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For all we hear about an escalation in mental health problems in adolescence, there is no persuasive evidence that the internet is to blame. My colleagues and I recently conducted a systematic review of the evidence and found only a weak correlation between teenagers’ use of social media and depression.

Kim Jong-nam, stepbrother to current North Korean strongman Kim Jong-un, passed away under circumstances as bizarre as they were suspicious. As in a game of Cluedo, we now have just about all the pieces of the puzzle: the murder was committed at Kuala Lumpur Airport, with VX nerve agent, allegedly by two unsuspecting young women who were apparently tricked into murder and offered a modicum of money for their services.

Muslims? www.shutterstock.com

Islamophobia simply cannot be overlooked anymore. It is a wide-ranging issue, impacting public and private lives in ways that are causing concern the world over. US president Donald Trump’s recent immigration ban and the UK’s Brexit vote are just two examples in a series of political acts that are shaping public attitudes about Muslims, with many experiencing stigmatisation and marginalisation as a result.

'Believe me' is one of Donald Trump's most often-used catchphrases. Evan El-Amin/Shutterstock

Storytelling is a key part of human culture. Where politics and power are concerned, stories become something not only to be told, but to be shaped and influenced – so that, in many cases, they are used to mislead or deceive. Recent research for a lecture on “fake news” led me to wonder if there was a reason why it seems to spike at certain times. I came to the conclusion that three main factors seem to create the conditions for fake news to surge... Читать дальше...

The parliamentary election in the Netherlands on March 15 is approaching rapidly. And with an incredibly fragmented field, it looks as though attempts to form a coalition government after the vote will prove a challenging task, to say the least.

Norway is not violating the rights of mass murderer Anders Breivik by keeping him in solitary confinement, according to an appeal ruling on March 1.

Former James Brown drummer Clyde Stubblefield playing in 2005. Paul VanDerWerf/Flickr, CC BY-SA

“Give the drummer some”, said the voice of funk soul pioneer James Brown as it rang out above his band on the 1967 recording of Cold Sweat. The drummer in question was Clyde Stubblefield who was said to be one of the most sampled and exploited musicians of all time.

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You might think comics are just packed full of superheroes, funny animals and silly jokes, and you wouldn’t be far wrong. But while the term “comic book” might also bring to mind something that is outdated and just for young kids, what you might not know is that comics are being used to great effect in many classrooms and lecture theatres around the world.

A good diet is key for a child's well-being. Shutterstock

One in three children aged 11 in the UK are overweight or obese. This not only costs the health service millions of pounds, but also affects children’s well-being and makes it very difficult for them to grow into healthy-weight adults. However, despite vast amounts of money spent on research, and many reports published, anti-obesity efforts so far have not made a difference. Obesity rates are still increasing and it is clear that a new approach is needed. Читать дальше...

Étienne Léopold Trouvelot, Trouvelot figure. Photograph of electrical effluvia around a coin 1888–89. © Musée des arts et métiers-Cnam, Paris. Photo Michèle Fava

Mark Twain associated it with surprise. DH Lawrence thought that it helped explain all sorts of interpersonal relationships, from those connecting children to parents to those linking lovers. For the American Romantic writer, Margaret Fuller, it was a constituent of “the especial genius of women”. And for James Joyce, it characterised the pleasurable effects of white wine. Читать дальше...

A colleague recently asked me how I would define “Trumpism”. Where do you start? Is it a new political ideology, or a revival of dangerous old populisms? A flash in the pan, or a draining of the swamp? Are we seeing the beginning of a new era of social media politics, or just a descent into pantomime?

Relaxing or risky? Shutterstock

Most cannabis users find that the effects of occasional use of the drug are pleasurable, but some regular users experience harm. Daily cannabis use can lead to cannabis dependence, and heavy use, over months and years, can lead some users to experience memory impairment and psychotic symptoms – hearing and seeing things that are not there.