What is assisted dying and how could UK law change?
MPs have voted in favor of a bill to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales, with 330 votes in support and 275 against after a passionate debate. The proposed Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would allow terminally ill adults expected to die within six months to end their own lives under strict safeguards. These include being over 18, having mental capacity to make an informed decision, approval from two independent doctors, and confirmation by a High Court judge, followed by a 14-day reflection period.
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a free trade agreement signed in 2018 by 11 Pacific Rim countries after the US withdrew from the earlier Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). It reduces tariffs, improves market access, and creates unified trade rules across key sectors like digital services and food safety. In 2023, the UK became the first European member, raising the bloc’s GDP share to 15% of the global economy.
Martial law in South Korea
Martial law in South Korea, invoked during periods of political turmoil, allowed military leaders to deploy troops, suspend civil rights, and suppress opposition. Key events included coups led by Gen. Park Chung-hee in 1961 and Maj. Gen. Chun Doo-hwan in 1979, both using martial law to consolidate power and stifle pro-democracy movements. The constitution permits martial law during severe crises but restricts its use, leading to controversy over its abuse in suspending democratic institutions and freedoms.
The Syrian conflict explained
The Syrian conflict began in 2011 with peaceful protests against high unemployment, corruption, and lack of political freedom, inspired by the Arab Spring, but escalated into a brutal war after the government used deadly force against demonstrators. Over the years, multiple groups, including the Free Syrian Army, Kurdish forces, Islamic State, and international players like Russia, Iran, Turkey, and Western powers, have become involved, creating a fragmented conflict with no clear frontlines. Millions remain displaced and reliant on humanitarian aid, facing ongoing violence, crime, and the challenges of returning to uncertain conditions in their homes.
Induction of Social Contagion
What is social contagion? How does friendship-nomination targeting enhance the spread of health education and behaviors in social networks?
Diversity and Social Mobility in the UK legal profession
I. Stephanie Boyce provides a current snapshot of diversity within the UK legal profession and how to drive inclusion going forward.
Olivier Blanchard on U.S. Pandemic-Era Inflation
Olivier Blanchard discusses the direct and indirect effects of product-market and labor-market shocks on prices and nominal wages. Professor Blanchard suggests most of the inflation surge that began in 2021 was the result of shocks to prices given wages, including sharp increases in commodity prices and sectoral shortages. However, the effects of overheated labor markets on nominal wage growth and inflation are more persistent than the effects of product-market shocks.
Peter Cappelli on the Future of the Office
Peter Cappelli lays out the facts in an effort to provide everyone involved with a vision of their futures.
Freedom’s Dominion
How has the American understanding of “freedom” served as a facade for racial oppression and resistance to federal authority throughout history? Explore the intricate dynamics in Jefferson Cowie’s “Freedom’s Dominion,” a compelling examination of white resistance shaping national policy and personal liberties.
Queer Lasting: Ecologies of Care for a Dying World
What queer modes of resilience and care can teach us about enduring environmental collapse
The First Black Archaeologist: A Life of John Wesley Gilbert
John W.I. Lee discusses the groundbreaking life of John Wesley Gilbert, an African American scholar who rose from slavery to become a pioneering archaeologist, educator, and advocate for interracial cooperation, contributing to archaeology in Greece and missionary work in Africa.
Blood in the Borderlands: Conflict, Kinship, and the Bent Family, 1821–1920
David C. Beyreis provides an in-depth portrait of how the Bent family creatively adapted in the face of difficult circumstances.