Voting Rights
— The Good Law Project has expressed concern over the new voting rules, which they fear may lead to the disenfranchisement of certain groups, especially young people.
TODAY
Geopolitics
— The index on nuclear weapons shows that Russia and the US have the most nuclear weapons in the world, while China and other countries have much fewer. Worrying at a time when the world is currently facing multiple geopolitical tensions.
COVID-19
— A campaign group of bereaved families who lost relatives to COVID-19 and want the government to account for its errors during the pandemic are dissatisfied with the COVID Inquiry and feel they are being sidelined.
COVID-19
— Experts are warning Britons to wear masks on public transport as the COVID variant Arcturus spreads. Despite milder symptoms and eased restrictions, COVID-19 remains a threat.
Demography
— According to recent UN population estimates, India has overtaken China as the world’s most populous country.
UK Strikes
— The train drivers’ union, Aslef, has declared three 24-hour strikes on 12 May, 31 May, and 3 June.
King Charles III
— Recent research has uncovered evidence that direct ancestors of King Charles III and the royal family were involved in the buying and exploitation of enslaved people on tobacco plantations in Virginia.
Stats
— The US, Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, and the Netherlands are the top five prepared countries to use frontier technologies, while Guinea, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the least prepared.
X (Formerly Known As Twitter)
— Under Elon Musk, Twitter has verified far-right group Britain First giving it a gold tick while its leader got a blue tick. Is Twitter promoting extreme content?
Environment
— A recent poll shows that 60% of British respondents believe that chief executives of water companies should receive prison sentences if they are found responsible for serious incidents of water pollution.
COVID-19
— The ongoing emergence of COVID-19 variants every two months is concerning due to the virus’ ability to evolve unpredictably. The potential impact of the new Arcturus strain on vulnerable populations, students, and the economy is a cause for concern.
UK Politics
— A new book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the chaos and downfall of Boris Johnson’s premiership, including how the former PM’s indecisiveness and knack for pointing fingers led to his downfall, and how Dominic Cummings and Carrie Johnson influenced decision-making in Downing Street.
Opinion Polls
— A recent opinion poll shows that a large majority of people answered “yes” when asked if they thought Dominic Raab was right to resign from his role in government.
Resignation Letter
— Dominic Raab has resigned from Rishi Sunak’s government and criticized the “flawed” findings against him in the bullying investigation in his resignation letter. Rishi Sunak responded to Raab’s resignation with a letter expressing “great sadness” at his departure.
COVID-19
— Arcturus, a subvariant of Omicron first identified in India, has been included in the CDC’s monitoring list following its involvement in 7% of the COVID infections in the United States. A strain that has also been reported as causing red and itchy eyes in young patients.
COVID-19
— Over 5 million people in the UK are eligible for a COVID-19 booster this spring.
