Environment

Are human rights going backwards? Is Russia squaring up to Ukraine again? And why are we censoring maps?

UK to play host to UN Climate Change Conference in November

What has Greenland’s general election got to do with China? Why has Jordan’s royal family split? And who has been stripped of their honours in secret?

Boris Johnson is facing criticism from his own MPs, who say the lockdown is not being eased quickly enough amid the successful vaccine campaign

Cumbria council to review plans after opposition from climate change campaigners

Are British companies doing enough about modern slavery? How can we regulate digital repossessions? And why are we still opening new coal mines?

Creator of new ‘Penguin Protection System’ says the structures protect endangered species while combating climate change

Have you been paying attention to the year’s biggest events?

Veto on accepting overseas junk marks culmination of three-year reduction policy

And other stories from the stranger side of life

Several species face starvation if the icy giant blocks access to feeding grounds

Your guide to the best columns and commentary on Thursday 29 October

Study results trigger calls for environmentalists to ‘look in the mirror’

Your guide to the best columns and commentary on Tuesday 20 October

Your guide to the best columns and commentary on Monday 12 October

Your guide to the best columns and commentary on Friday 9 October

The two candidates are pushing radically different agendas amid all the name-calling and campaign chaos

Some experts believe the West Coast wildfires may be to blame for ‘unprecedented’ mass bird deaths in New Mexico

Cancellation of Hitachi nuclear plant in Wales threatens to derail Downing Street’s plans for eliminating CO2

Scientists warn that calving of largest remaining Arctic ice shelf could be ‘major centre of action for the deglaciation of Greenland’

Home secretary proposes reclassification that could see XR activists facing jail terms of up to five years

Where have New Guinea’s dogs been hiding? Is Africa being targeted by Big Plastic? And what will coronavirus do to gadgets?

And other stories from the stranger side of life

12-21 million tons of microplastics floating in top layers of Atlantic Ocean, new study finds

How a new breed of battery will help to power a lower-emission economy

Officials say the unsolicited packages have been mailed to residents in at least 27 US states

Chinese ban on exotic creatures could see robot revolution

MPs request review into why a country with its own space programme is being sent British aid

Landmark arrival offers hope that ‘sexed semen’ could halt decline of other uncommon breeds

Herd from Europe to be released in Kent in bid to ‘restore an ancient habitat’

Experts fear unexplained mass die-off may be result of unknown pathogen

Treasury is funding the No. 10 advisor’s experimental scheme despite ‘scepticism’ in Whitehall

Authorities insists no leakages or faults detected following rise in radioactivity levels across northern Europe

What is seasteading? Why are being prescribed video games? And what can we learn from a £100,000 speech?