Power plays and betraying trust are strategies that ‘could backfire in Asia’, says Japanese former diplomat Hitoshi Tanaka Donald Trump’s approach to peace talks with North Korea has a high risk of “disastrous” results, according to a former senior Japanese diplomat who led breakthrough negotiations with the previous Kim Jong-il ... Read More »
The truth about blue light: does it really cause insomnia and increased risk of cancer?
The light emitted from our LED screens is blamed for everything from bleary eyes to much more serious health issues. So just how worried should we be? Long attached to visions of clear skies and calm seas, the colour blue historically could not be more welcome, refreshing and natural. Yet, ... Read More »
Italy’s political crisis could have devastating effects on the European economy
The departure of Italy from the single currency would be a significant weakening of the eurozone, yet retaining Italy in the system under a regime of fiscal chaos would be hardly more palatable There is a paradox at the centre of the Italian political crisis: what may be good for ... Read More »
Global warming is melting Antarctic ice from below
Warming oceans melting Antarctic ice shelves could accelerate sea level rise We all know intuitively that in a warmer world there will be less ice. And, since the North and South Pole regions contain lots of ice, anyone who wants to see evidence of climate change can look there. But ... Read More »
China Warns 2 American Warships in South China Sea
China’s military announced on Sunday that it had dispatched warships to challenge two United States Navy vessels that sailed through waters in the South China Sea that China claims as its own. The Chinese confronted the American ships and warned them to leave, the Ministry of National Defense said in ... Read More »
Planet Nine from outer space: is there another world beyond Neptune?
A newly discovered asteroid’s unusual orbit supports the idea that a massive planet lurks in the far reaches of the solar system An enormous planet containing 10 times the mass of the Earth could explain the unusual orbit of a newly discovered asteroid. If found, the giant world would represent ... Read More »
Donald Trump’s threat to Kim Jong-un: make a deal or suffer same fate as Gaddafi
Asked about ‘Libya model’, Trump says: ‘That model … was total decimation. That model would take place if we don’t make a deal’ Donald Trump has threatened Kim Jong-un with the same fate as Muammar Gaddafi if the North Korean leader “doesn’t make a deal” on his nuclear weapons programme. ... Read More »
Waste tea leaf extract offers hope of lung cancer treatment after ‘accidental’ discovery
‘It is still not clear what really happens and how the cancer cells are killed’ Extract from waste tea leaves could provide the key to a breakthrough treatment for lung cancer, following an “accidental” discovery by a team of scientists. Researchers from Swansea University and two Indian universities were creating ... Read More »
EU to reject Theresa May’s call for Northern Ireland ‘backstop’ to be time limited
European Commission officials tell The Independent Ms May’s plan would be unacceptable and would go back on previous commitments made by British negotiators Brussels has rejected Theresa May’s new customs proposal less than 24 hours after the prime minister set it out in a bid to placate Brexiteers in her ... Read More »
China rebuffs U.S. concerns about ties with Venezuela
China rebuffed U.S. concerns about its ties with Venezuela on Tuesday after Washington imposed new sanctions on the crisis-stricken oil-producing country following the re-election of its socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro, the 55-year-old successor to late leftist leader Hugo Chavez, hailed his win in Sunday’s election as a victory against ... Read More »