Expert Comment

Tensions between Taiwan and China are at their worst in forty years, according to Taiwan's defence minister, who has warned of the risk of an accidental strike. Read more in BBC News. Professor Shaun Breslin, expert in Chinese International Relations from the University of Warwick, offers his comment.

With a number of energy suppliers collapsing in recent weeks, and reports today of two more companies ceasing trading, Professor David Elmes from Warwick Business School and Professor Mike Waterson from the Department of Economics comment on some of the factors that have led to this situation.

As the Government publishes its consultation on extending the ‘right to request’ flexible working to the first day of a job, Dr Erika Kispeter of the Institute for Employment Research comments on the impact this could make.

The UK Government has announced that folic acid is to be added to flour in the UK to help prevent neural tube defects in pregnancy. Professor Ponnusamy Saravanan of Warwick Medical School comments on what the current research on folic acid supplementation tells us.

A new paper in the journal Nature argues that most fossil fuels, such as oil, gas and coal, will need to remain in the ground if we are to meet the target of keeping global temperature rise to 1.5C. Professor Michael Bradshaw of Warwick Business School and Dr Caroline Kuzemko of Politics and International Studies give their expert view on the conclusions below.