Politics — Pete

The Guardian — World Oct 22 · 1 min read

Thursday news quiz: Liz is absurd, Apu finds words and a bloke steals a bird

Test yourself on topical news trivia, pop culture and general knowledge every Thursday. How will you fare? The Thursday quiz is aware of standard international units of time, such as the Liz Truss (49 days) and the Scaramucci (11 days). Now a new unit of measurement has entered the chat: the Zacharia (five days). But whatever arbitrary length of time the world invents to measure chaos, political downfalls or social media meltdowns, the Thursday news quiz remains resolutely fixed. It is always seven days apart, unwavering, inescapable and ultimately reliable. Which means, once again, it is time for some questions on topical news, pop culture and general knowledge, with no prizes on offer except pride. Or shame. Allons-y! The Thursday news quiz, No 270 Continue reading...

The Guardian — US News Oct 22 · 6 min read

Strongmen like Trump would destroy the planet out of pure spite – and Brazil shows we’re all in peril | George Monbiot

If Flávio Bolsonaro is elected, Brazil’s ecosystems will face collapse. The ruling class would rather burn the world than share it with the poor However grim the trajectory might seem, I’ve always believed that sense will ultimately prevail. As the great perils of dismantling the living world become increasingly obvious, even the most rapacious exploiters must come round. Nobody wants to live on a dead planet, do they? There are – or were – signs that this wasn’t just wishful thinking. Since 2015, mostly thanks to China, the area of the planet being reforested has increased , while thanks in large part to Brazil, the global rate of forest destruction has declined. The area of the Brazilian Amazon forest cleared each year is one-sixth of what it was when records began in 1988. In the past four years, as a result of Brazilian government policy, the deforestation rate has fallen by 71% . If Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is re-elected president on Sunday, the country could reach zero deforestation by 2030. The arc of the moral universe seems to have bent towards justice. Continue reading...

The Guardian — Politics Oct 22 · 3 min read

Wanted: new No 10 adviser to help citizens deal with rise of AI

Andy Burnham advertises for policy experts in technology, economic growth and cost-of-living challenges Andy Burnham is to recruit a number of advisers to plug gaps in No 10, including an expert on how AI will affect society. The roles advertised by Downing Street give a glimpse into the biggest challenges facing the prime minister – and what he has decided to prioritise. Continue reading...

The Guardian — Politics Oct 22 · 7 min read

Everyone hates Oxford Street. Will pedestrianisation save it?

In a few days the busiest shopping street in Europe will be closed to traffic. The hope is that an unloved and polluted thoroughfare will turn into somewhere that people actually want to spend time In February, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced that Britain’s best-known thoroughfare, Oxford Street, would be pedestrianised. To the surprise of every Londoner that I have spoken to in the past few months, it is actually happening. On Monday 26 October, the busiest shopping street in Europe – or, precisely, half of its 1.2-mile stretch – will be closed to traffic, putting an end to several decades of bitter arguments, obstructions and delays. Cars, lorries, vans, taxis, buses, bicycles, ebikes, scooters will be banned. Nothing but pedestrians (and emergency vehicles) will be allowed in. This change will mark the most remarkable transformation to the streetscape of central London since at least 2003, when Trafalgar Square was turned from a glorified roundabout into one of London’s most recognisable public spaces. It will also form the most visible part of the mayor’s legacy, whether or not Khan runs for a fourth term in 2028. Three years ago, Khan published a memoir and manifesto, Breathe , attributing his asthma to growing up inhaling London’s polluted air. For the mayor, pedestrianising Oxford Street is the culmination of a mission to create a greener city that is oriented around public health, walking and cycling. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Oct 22 · 3 min read

Waitrose opens first new supermarket in eight years in north London

Grocer launches Cricklewood store as part of £1bn investment plan, with Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, to follow next month As part of a £1bn investment plan , Waitrose has chosen Cricklewood in north London as the location for its first supermarket in eight years. The upmarket grocer will open the store on Thursday and another supermarket in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, next month. It also plans four smaller stores next year, including a supermarket in Oakham, Rutland, and three convenience stores in Bedminster (Bristol), Chalk Farm (London) and Springstead Village (Cambridge). Continue reading...

GovTrack — Health 5d ago