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If climate change continues unchecked, low-lying island nations like the Maldives could soon become uninhabitable or completely submerged. This raises pressing legal questions, such as: can a nation still be recognised as a state under international law if all of its physical territory disappears?
The outlook is grim, warn legal experts Avidan Kent and Zana Syla of the University of East Anglia. They explain that all of the requirements for statehood under international law may no longer be met, meaning these vulnerable nations risk losing not only their land but also their statehood too.
Elsewhere, we look at why stamp duty hasn’t been reformed before now – despite being universally hated by housebuyers. And this piece examines how a new digital replica of the Auschwitz concentration camp risks distorting memory of the Holocaust.
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Sam Phelps
Commissioning Editor, International Affairs
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Some small island states, such as Tuvalu, are at risk of losing their land to rising seas.
Romaine W / Shutterstock
Avidan Kent, University of East Anglia; Zana Syla, University of East Anglia
Sinking island states face an uncertain legal future.
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David G40/Shutterstock
Paul Cheshire, London School of Economics and Political Science
Stamp duty has been around for centuries but it is bad in principle and poor in execution.
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The digital Picture From Auschwitz project.
Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
Emily-Rose Baker, University of Southampton
While the virtual site may digitally preserve and encourage historically rooted depictions of the camp, it cannot ensure ethical engagement with the Holocaust.
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World
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Chris Smith, Coventry University
The US vice-president recently said that all major wars end in negotiations. It’s a clue to how the US might approach ending the war in Ukraine.
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Rod Thornton, King's College London; Marina Miron, King's College London
And ‘land swap’ involving Ukraine ceding its strategically vital fortified cities in western Donetsk would be a disaster for Kyiv.
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Politics + Society
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Samuel Clark, University of Reading
Some contemporary satire prioritises affirming the prejudices of its partisan audience over delivering the democratic benefits it once promised.
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Samantha Friedman, University of Edinburgh
It is not realistic to suggest that the answer to modern difficulties lies in restricting technology or framing time outdoors as a replacement.
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Adam R. North, University of Manchester
Humour helps politicians create emotional connections and energise voters who feel let down by traditional politics.
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Arts + Culture
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Steph Rennick, University of Stirling; Seán Roberts, Cardiff University
Almost 60% felt that they do not play enough games to consider themselves a ‘gamer’ and more than 30% would be embarrassed to call themselves one.
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Environment
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Will de Freitas, The Conversation
There are many ways to cool down – or avoid getting hot in the first place.
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Jonathan Livingstone-Banks, University of Oxford; Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, UMass Amherst
Cigarette filters are one of the biggest sources of plastic pollution and they serve no purpose.
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Health
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Ahmed Elbediwy, Kingston University; Nadine Wehida, Kingston University
How does your neck size increase your risk of serious disease? A intriguing proposition and one that is discussed here.
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Adam Taylor, Lancaster University
The incurable autoimmune condition affects an estimated 3-12 in every 100,000 people.
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Mikael Palner, University of Southern Denmark
The magic mushroom longevity study that’s too good to be true.
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Science + Technology
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Peter Berthelemy, University of Bath
How researchers are working what out the incredible optical phenomena in Earth’s skies can tell us about other planets.
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