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The Herald Scotland
13-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Why are women in Scottish politics still facing hurdles?
Based on a survey of 159 women across Scotland's political parties, it laid bare the grim challenges faced by women pursuing political office in Scotland. This includes entrenched sexism, opaque selection processes, caring barriers, and widespread abuse with a 'default male model' still favoured over women. Crucially, these experiences are putting women off from running in our political spaces. 'I have no desire to put myself forward for the level of abuse that is expected," one respondent said. A lack of female retention in politics is a threat to democracy - a pillar of our society based on equal representation. Translated from Ancient Greek, democracy is 'the power (or rule) of the people'. Given that women make up just over half of those people, they have a right to be fairly represented in our parliaments. Without urgent cultural reform within parties, progress toward gender parity could stall or, worse, reverse - the report warns. While the 2021 Holyrood election was rightfully lauded at the time for gender equality as it secured a historic 45% representation rate among women MSPs, it's not the full story. Read more: Holyrood 2026: Fears over female MSP representation Report reveals widespread sexism and abuse in politics Female councillor on 'male aggression' in Scottish council There are now fears that a rollback in measures such as women quotas for selection processes ahead of Holyrood 2026 will leave the parliament with fewer female MSPs. One of the main reasons there was decent equal gender representation four years ago was due to the use of gender quotas by the SNP, Scottish Labour and the Scottish Greens. However, the use of such quotas relies on parties continuing to opt-in. For next year, the SNP are not putting in place a previously implemented a policy of replacing a quitting MSP with a woman because it achieved just over a 50/50 representation of women within its ranks at the last Holyrood election. The Herald also understands there are concerns across the political parties over a lack of all women-shortlists - although some are still being implemented by Labour and the Lib Dems. In 2021, measures such as all-women shortlists for constituency selection contests and zipped lists, where female and male candidates are alternated on a party's regional lists, were put in place to improve representation of women. The largest party in Holyrood, the SNP currently have 32 female MSPs and 29 male MSPs, which they say prevents them for using gender quotas. Under recently updated EHRC guidance, parties are only able to use all-women shortlists when their group is under-represented. With more female MSPs than male MSPs, the SNP classify as "over-represented". Across the chamber, there are currently 58 female MSPS and 70 males MSPs. But with reports that measures to ensure gender equality in the parties are being 'dialled back' ahead of 2026, it's likely men will once again dominate Holyrood's corridors. Some parties are not even likely to return any women. The Scottish Lib Dems are now faced with the threat of returning an all-male Holyrood team after their only female MSP Beatrice Wishart announced she was stepping down next year. Only 30% of the Scottish Tory MSPs are women. Out of their 30 representatives, they have 9 female MSPs and 21 male MSPs. The party does not use quotas but instead focuses on mentoring and outreach programmes for women. Despite their party not yet electing a female leader, Scottish Labour currently has 10 female MSPs with 12 male MSPs and they operate selection processes which allow women to pick a female candidate to run against a man. However, there are fears in this party that, this year round, they will be made up largely of blokes. For others, representation isn't doing too badly in terms of women candidates. The Scottish Greens currently have four female MSPs (four male MSPs) and their party requires there to be at least one woman in a leadership position. However, women quotas are currently under review. So what's the solution to prevent a rollback in gender equality? There are still measures the SNP and other parties could use to drive up female numbers which are not restricted by EHRC guidance. This includes zipping lists as well as shortlisting candidates before entering a selection process. Engender suggest that Scotland follow the example of the Welsh Government and publish voluntary guidance on diversity and inclusion for political parties. This should include adopting strategies to increase candidate diversity; collecting equalities monitoring information; and using quotas. In their latest report, the feminist policy organisation stated: "Without the backing of robust legislation to enforce them, the transformative impact of quotas is diluted." And is that such a tall order? For crying out loud, we passed the Police Act in 1839 which makes it an offense to fire a cannon within 300 yards of someone's home with intent to annoy. I'm sure our politicians, our legislators, can knock their heads together and work out a way to pass legislation to improve gender representation in our parliament and beyond. We don't need sticking plasters which work one time round but not the next. We need consistent and effective change that's here to stay.
Epoch Times
12-07-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
‘Middlemarch': The Power of Acceptance
When Mary Ann Evans disclosed her identity, the world was shocked. The English novelist has been dubbed one of the greatest modern authors for the psychological depth of her prose. But who was Evans, and what does her writing reveal about the need to accept fallibility as essential to moral growth? The Face Behind 'George Eliot' Mary Ann Evans (1819 – 1880) was born on the Arbury Hall estate in Warwickshire county, England. Her father managed the estate, and Evans could easily access its many resources, including books and libraries. She became a voracious reader. Her quick ability to learn convinced the Evans family to invest in an education available to few women at the time. Although her formal schooling stopped when she turned 16, Evans continued studying on her own, gaining a broad knowledge of the Western literary canon. She fell in love with Ancient Greek drama and later used its themes as inspiration for her writing. After a short but successful career in journalistic writing, Evans took to fiction. That's when she decided to adopt the nom de plume, 'George Eliot.' Female authors were often published under their own names, as she had been. In fiction, however, the stereotype was as Evans described it in ' ': Women could only write vain and shallow plots for lighthearted romances. She thought this stereotype unfair, but she also criticized her female peers for giving into it. Evans wanted to offer a better and deeper kind of literature. The pen name was a first step.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Divers exploring ancient shipwreck find artifacts, retrieve wreckage
Divers exploring the centuries-old Antikythera wreck retrieved intact pieces of the ship and found artifacts that shed light on life aboard the craft. The Antikythera shipwreck dates back to the first century, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The wreck site is near Crete. The ship was a trading or cargo vessel. First discovered in the spring of 1900, it has been the subject of multiple investigations since then. Previously, divers found life-size marble statues of horses, jewelry and hundreds of works of art and other artifacts. Human remains were also found aboard the ship in the 1970s. The most recent expedition was led by the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece and took place between May and June 2025, according to a news release. One of the main goals of the expedition was to retrieve three outer planks joined to the ship's internal frame. This "rare set" of hull fragments was found in 2024, but could not be removed from the wreck until this dive, the school said. The recovery of the planks and frame confirm the construction method used to create the ship, and offers "valuable insight into ancient naval techniques," the school said. The wood itself appears to be elm and oak and may date back as far as 235 BCE, the school said. The construction method used, where the outer hull is built before the internal parts of the ship, dates to between the fourth and first century BCE. It's not clear if the pieces are from the ship's upper segment, a smaller vessel or a repair that may have been done. Researchers are studying the pieces to learn more about them, the school said. The divers also found small fragments of a nude male statue. The statue's marble base and part of the left leg was clearly identified. Other fragments are trapped within the wreck site and cannot currently be extracted, the school said. A terracotta mortar used for crushing and mixing food was also found in the wreck. Meanwhile, a number of Chian amphorae, a type of Ancient Greek jar used for storage and transport, were found "spread across two distinct zones of the wreck," the school said. The divers exploring the wreck had to take extra steps to ensure they could safely search the area, the school said. The wreck is about 140 to 170 feet below the surface, which is too deep for standard scuba diving but too shallow for remotely-operated vehicles, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The Swiss School of Archaeology divers used closed-circuit rebreathers with gas mixes to ensure they could safely explore the wreck. Underwater drones also monitored the dive in real-time. Sneak peek: Who Killed Aileen Seiden in Room 15? Everything we know so far about the deadly Texas floods Philadelphia nonprofit teaches kids how to ride horses and transforms lives
Business Insider
08-07-2025
- Business Insider
I work in AI, and now I use it for parenting my 5 kids. Shielding them from it would be a mistake.
Adam Lyons trains people how to use AI and is the dad of five. He uses AI for homeschooling, stopping arguments, and streamlining bedtime. Using AI is going to be imperative for the next generation, he says. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Adam Lyons, partner and chief AI officer at It has been edited for length and clarity. As a dad of five kids ranging in age from 5 to 15, I use AI throughout the day. It's my profession, but it's also a powerful tool for parenting. It not only makes my life easier in some ways — it also helps my kids prepare for the world they're entering. AI is inevitable. I like to tell people, "You're not going to lose your job to AI." But you will lose it to a person using AI. AI is the tool that's going to shape our future, so I've integrated it into our household. AI helps with homeschooling I homeschool all five of my kids. I try to follow the Ancient Greek model of education, where you learn, you do, you teach. My kids learn a skill and practice it, then they demonstrate their knowledge by teaching it to their siblings. If the little kids get stuck on a problem, they ask the older kids for help. But if the older kids can't help, they turn to AI. All of the kids have AI on their phones and tablets, and it acts as their tutor. This is most powerful when the kids get very frustrated with a problem — the type of problem that makes them want to throw their hands up and say, "No one can figure this out." In that moment, AI can guide them through solving the problem, showing them that it can be done. AI enhances kids' problem-solving In our house, "Have you asked AI for assistance?" is a common refrain. It doesn't just happen with schoolwork, either. Recently, the electronic gate on our ranch broke. No one in the family knew how to fix it, so we used AI to walk us through buying a multimeter and testing the electronics. It became a family project, and we all learned a lot. We've also used AI — followed by a trip to Home Depot — to fix our HVAC system. People worry that AI will hinder problem-solving, but I'm teaching my kids to use it creatively to enhance their problem-solving. I don't think it's too different from learning from another person. I use AI at bedtime and when the kids are arguing Like many kids, mine love to ask a million questions at bedtime. I'll answer the first three or four "but why?" questions, then I hand it over to AI. The computer system has relentless energy to answer questions from even the most persistent kid, and my children usually get tired out after a few minutes. I do the same thing when the kids are arguing. Sometimes, I'll ask AI for a second opinion. It leads to good conversations about objective facts versus opinions, and how we're influenced by the arguments we hear. AI is important — but so is screen-free time The biggest difference between humans and AI is that humans can think creatively. I want my kids to know how to step outside the box. My 15-year-old is working on a capstone project, creating a video game. He's using AI to do it, but he has about four different AI models involved. Using all those unique tools, he's able to build a game that's better than the sum of its parts. That's what I want my kids to understand about AI: It's most powerful in our hands. As we integrate AI into our lives, we also require some screen-free time. The kids spend time outside without electronics. Recently, they entertained themselves by swimming during that block, and the younger kids invented a new dice game that kept them entertained for days. Not getting the kids outside would be a mistake. But so too would shielding them from AI. By integrating it into their lives, I'm equipping them for their futures.
Daily Mirror
04-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
'Extraordinary' Great Pyramid of Giza discovery rewrites its slave history
Inscriptions found inside the Great Pyramid of Giza have finally put to bed the long-held belief that the ancient wonder was built by slaves, according to a new report Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery inside Egypt's Great Pyramid, finally confirming who truly built the iconic monument 4,500 years ago - and debunking the long-standing belief that it was constructed by slaves, according to MailOnline. The remarkable find, led by esteemed Egyptologist Dr Zahi Hawass and his team, indicates that the ancient marvel was not erected by 100,000 slaves as Ancient Greek sources once suggested, but by highly skilled, paid labourers working under a strict regime. "These findings confirm that the builders were not slaves. If they had been, they would never have been buried in the shadow of the pyramids," Dr Hawass explained on the Matt Beall Limitless podcast. "Slaves would not have prepared their tombs for eternity, like kings and queens did, inside these tombs." Narrow chambers "They were discovered in chambers that are challenging and perilous to access, and they use writing styles that only trained Egyptologists can accurately interpret," Dr Hawass stated. "It's nearly impossible that someone in recent times could have forged something like this. You must climb about 45 feet and crawl through tight spaces to even reach those chambers.", reports the Express. Revealing script In a groundbreaking discovery, archaeologists have unearthed tombs just south of the Great Pyramid, believed to be the final resting places of the very workers who built the iconic structure. These ancient graves held not only tools like flint instruments and pounding stones, but also statues that vividly portray labourers moving enormous stone blocks. Intriguingly, some tombs bore titles such as "overseer of the side of the pyramid" and "craftsman." But it's not just the tombs that are causing a stir; Dr Hawass has shed light on the actual construction methods of the pyramid. The limestone used was sourced just 1,000 feet away, with evidence suggesting it was transported using a ramp system made from rubble and mud, traces of which were found by Dr Hawass's team to the southwest of the pyramid. Dr Hawass explained: "The ramp had to come from the southwest corner of the pyramid and connect to the quarry," detailing the excavation at a site labelled C2 where they discovered remnants of this ramp - a mix of stone rubble, sand, and mud. Although the ramp was dismantled, not all evidence was erased, leaving behind clues for modern-day researchers. The Great Pyramid of Giza, erected under Pharaoh Khufu's reign during the Fourth Dynasty, stands as the largest pyramid on the Giza Plateau and a testament to human architectural prowess. Despite its fame, many secrets of its construction have been shrouded in mystery, until these recent excavations began to reveal the ingenuity of the ancient builders. "There's a popular myth that the workers ate only garlic, onions, and bread, but we found thousands of animal bones at the site," Dr Hawass revealed. "An expert from the University of Chicago analyzed them and found that the Egyptians slaughtered 11 cows and 33 goats every day to feed the laborers. This diet was enough to support around 10,000 workers per day." Dr Hawass now plans to launch a new expedition funded by podcast host Matt Beall - and for the first time in modern history, a robot will be sent deep into the pyramid to uncover more of its secrets. From the mythical to the tangible, these latest findings are dramatically rewriting the story of how the Great Pyramid was built - and by whom.
