Politics — Pete

The Guardian — World Aug 27 · 5 min read

‘Forever chemicals’ surge during pilot of Thames Water plan to combat drought

Exclusive: utility company wants to draw off tens of millions of litres of water a day from Thames and replace it with treated effluent Levels of a toxic “forever chemical” rose to 13 times the legal limit during Thames Water pilots for a controversial multimillion pound water recycling scheme that will pump millions of litres of treated sewage into the River Thames during drought. The data from the pilots is in stark contrast to public comments from Thames Water that their water recycling project in south-west London will not harm the riverine environment. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 27 · 4 min read

Ghent professors challenged expertise of Jason Arday’s plagiarism accuser

Allegations Nathan Cofnas was unqualified for Ghent role and would cause ‘negative impact’ made to senior leaders months ago Nathan Cofnas, the academic who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism , has been accused of having “very limited expertise” for his academic role by professors also working at Ghent University, who say he has a “far-right agenda”. Cofnas secured a postdoctoral research role “on the future of liberalism” at Belgium’s Ghent University in March. Weeks later, Ghent’s department of philosophy and moral sciences handed a 19-page statement to university officials, setting out why it believed it was “improbable” that Cofnas was the best candidate. Continue reading...

The Guardian — Politics Aug 27 · 6 min read

Does Nigel Farage know what people really think of him? I do – and he won’t like it | Aditya Chakrabortty

An anti-Farage army of voters is there to be galvanised, as exclusive data shows. But getting them out will be tricky Who can stop Nigel Farage? Which voters would actually dig out their ID and schlep down to the polling booth to fight him? Over the past year, these two questions have come to shape British politics. From Runcorn and Helsby to Caerphilly and Aberdeen South, via countless flimsy leaflets claiming “Only X can win here”, parties have jostled for the part of his majesty’s opposition to Reform. Those battles have given us Hannah Spencer and Andy Burnham; they have bulldozed Labour in Wales and forced Keir Starmer out of No 10. Aditya Chakrabortty is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 27 · 4 min read

Wild swimming linked to higher risk of stomach bugs and skin rashes

Findings from research into illnesses associated with bathing in lakes and rivers come amid boom in hobby Wild swimming has been linked to a higher risk of stomach bugs and skin rashes, according to the largest ever controlled study of illnesses associated with bathing in rivers and lakes. The research found that swimmers at locations in Hungary were more than twice as likely to develop skin problems, while the risk of contracting a stomach bug rose significantly in water with higher concentrations of E coli and other bacteria linked to faecal pollution. Continue reading...

The Guardian — US News Aug 27 · 5 min read

Muchová and Menšík win $1m US Open mixed doubles title in late-night thriller

Czech pair beat Bencic and Cobolli in deciding tiebreak Revamped event draws strong crowds at Arthur Ashe Singles stars dominate after doubles specialists exit To many who came to the US Open grounds this week, the showpiece of the mixed doubles championship came Tuesday afternoon, with the returns of Serena Williams (after four years away from tennis) and Carlos Alcaraz (after four months out with a wrist injury). To the players who remained in the field after Williams and Alcaraz exited in the quarter-finals, the real highlight was Wednesday night’s final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with its $1m in prize money on the line. Karolína Muchová and Jakub Menšík made the most of the spotlight, beating Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 1-6 (10-6) for the title. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 27 · 4 min read

Hot ticket: UK’s first sauna theatre draws swimwear-clad audiences

The 80-seat venue at Edinburgh fringe combines sauna rituals with theatre, music, storytelling … and sweat Tucked away behind the Summerhall arts centre is the hottest new venue at the Edinburgh fringe … quite literally. The Sauna theatre has proved popular among theatregoers at the world’s largest performing arts festival, with shows inside its purpose-built, 80-seat sauna drawing sweaty, swimwear-clad crowds. Visitors may be forgiven for thinking the sauna is a gimmick, especially at the fringe where absurd, experimental and ludicrous performances are not uncommon. This year they include a man drinking his own urine , someone singing the same song over and over , physical feats of exertion and several fully naked shows. Continue reading...

The Guardian — Politics Aug 27 · 4 min read

Forty children reported missing from UK asylum hotels still not found

Parliamentary committee welcomes fact most of 472 missing have been found but ‘extremely concerned’ for rest Forty children who went missing from hotels housing asylum seekers in the UK have still not been found, according to a parliamentary report. Ministers are facing calls from MPs and peers to explain what they are doing to locate the group, two of whom are believed to still be under 18. The figure emerged in a report on Thursday by the joint committee on human rights on how the social care system is failing young adults. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 27 · 3 min read

France to relax cheese production rules after drought takes toll on grazing land

Comté, beaufort and abondance makers can temporarily supplement cows’ diets as there is ‘no grass left to eat’ Strict production rules will be loosened for some of France’s most famous cheeses after drought and repeated heatwaves dried out grazing pastures, threatening the livelihoods of traditional dairy workers. Comté , a hard cheese made from raw cows’ milk in the Jura mountains, is France’s top-selling traditional cheese, with more than 62,000 tonnes produced last year. The government announced on Wednesday that its producers would be granted a temporary change to strict rules on grazing after farmers said extreme heat had scorched their pastures, putting production at risk. Continue reading...