Ageing (April & May) Increasing longevity does not have to mean old people suffering many years of ill health, according to a new book, The Ageless Generation, by biogerontology expert Alex Zhavoronkov. Advances in preventive and regenerative medicine will enable Americans to have many more years of healthy working life within a decade, provided there is a ‘national sense of urgency’ to address the issue.
Chinese railways (February & March) Liu Zhijun (pictured), China’s disgraced former railways minister who built the world’s largest high-speed network, could face the death penalty, say Chinese media. Liu was charged in April with corruption and abuse of power, including skimming off 822 million yuan, or £88 million, in bribes.
Nordic model (December & January) Finland is the best country to be a mother, followed by Sweden, Norway and Iceland, according to a survey by Save the Children which assessed maternal health, child mortality, education, working income and political status of women. The Democratic Republic of Congo was ranked last.