Today’s newsletter covers British student debt, under-reported methane emissions, PTSD, Iraq compensation to Kuwait, and more.
Britain government announces reforms to restructure student loans
The British government announced reforms to restructure student debt so that the state saves money, hoping more students pay their loans in full. It is estimated that students could need to reimburse over 500 billion pounds by April 2043. At the same time, 77% of current and future students may never pay their debt to the state in full.
Governments report much lower methane emissions from the energy sector than reality
Satellite images show that methane emissions from the energy sector are 70% higher than official statistics reported by governments. Leaks of methane could supply all of the gas used in Europe.
Oxygen to treat post-traumatic stress disorder?
A small study in Israel showed promising results in reducing post-traumatic stress disorder with oxygen treatment in a high-pressure chamber. It may improve brain plasticity and help recover from brain damage caused by trauma. It brings a biological approach to treating anxiety disorders rather than trying to heal only with psychotherapy.
Iraq can stop compensating victims of its Kuwait invasion in 1990
The United Nations Security Council approved the end of Iraq’s compensation to Kuwait for its unlawful invasion in 1990. Iraq paid $52.4 billion to 1.5 million claimants over 31 years. It was the first time the U.N. set up a fund to compensate victims of a conflict.
Sri Lanka needs to organize power outages to save cash
Sri Lanka needs to impose temporary power cuts because the island faces shortages of fuel disrupting its power grid. The country lacks cash and foreign reserves to import fuel.
Adapting to a new economy and recycling passenger planes into cargo jets
While air travel has been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and online shopping soared, converting passenger planes into cargo jets has become a business opportunity for an Israeli company.
Inquiry by the Catholic Church into past and present sexual abuse in Spain
The news comes only a few weeks before the government is expected to vote on a parliamentary inquiry on Church sex abuses. The church for years rejected the idea of an investigation but instead encouraged victims to come forward and report their allegations to the diocese. Some victims remained skeptical about the genuine intention of the Church.
