Bidenomics: why it’s more likely to win the 2024 election than many people think: Joe Biden has come out fighting against perceptions that he is handling the US economy badly. During an address in Maryland, the president contrasted Bidenomics with Trumpian “MAGAnomics” that would involve tax-cutting and spending reductions. He decried trickle-down policies that had, …
Why it’s good to talk about women’s health at work, according to research: Lucky Business/Shutterstock In the past couple of years, women’s health and wellbeing in mid to later life has gone from being whispered about in the shadows to being the subject of documentaries, newspaper articles and breakfast TV discussions. This “celebrity endorsement” of …
G20 summit’s plan to scare off monkeys by mimicking their ‘natural enemies’ may work – but not for the reasons it’s supposed to: Rhesus macaques are known for harassing people in cities. Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock The hosts of this year’s G20 summit in New Delhi, India, face a unique challenge: keeping monkeys from interfering with the …
Vulva health conditions: it’s time to shatter the silence: Mikhaylovskiy/Shutterstock I didn’t know I had a vulva until I was diagnosed with lichen sclerosus and stage three vulval cancer. These are the words of Clare Baumhauer, co-founder of Vulval Cancer Awareness UK. She spoke of her anger at how, despite numerous doctor appointments, her cancer …
It’s reassuring to think humans are evolution’s ultimate destination – but research shows we may be an accident: The Cambrian explosion, about 530 million years ago, was when most of the major groups of animals first appear in the fossil record. canbedone/Shutterstock Depending upon how you do the counting, there are around 9 million species …
The Conservatives have seized on cars as a political wedge – it’s a bet on public turning against climate action: “Talking about freedom, sat in Margaret Thatcher’s old Rover” read the UK prime minister’s tweet in July 2023. Earlier that day in an interview with The Telegraph newspaper, Rishi Sunak had declared that the Conservative …
South Africa’s government has been buying land and leasing it to black farmers. Why it’s gone wrong and how to fix it: The progress with South Africa’s land reform programme has not been properly monitored. This has resulted in an incorrect understanding of the real progress made to correct the racial distribution of farm land …
Women’s sexual desire often goes undiscussed – yet it’s one of their most common health concerns: Many women are afraid to voice concerns about low desire to their doctors. Lordn/ Shutterstock Female sexual desire is frequently misunderstood. Despite desire (also known as libido or sex drive) being the most common sexual health concern for women, …
‘When you get status the struggle doesn’t end’: what it’s like to be a new refugee in the UK: Maramade/Shutterstock When someone applies for asylum in the UK today, they may be waiting months or even years for their application to be decided, thanks to the record-high backlog that the government is failing to tackle. …
Central banks say interest rates will stay high but it’s unclear if this will be enough to curb inflation: Central bankers, policymakers and academics meet annually at Jackson Hole, Wyoming to discuss the economy. Sarah Hollemans/Shutterstock The US central bank, the Federal Reserve, has recently signalled that it will keep interest rates high for as …
Existential crisis: how long COVID patients helped us understand what it’s like to lose all sense of identity and purpose in life: Celiafoto/Shutterstock Lucy* used to be known fondly as the “iron lady” by colleagues at work. In her mid-50s and still the main breadwinner for her family, she had always thought of herself as …
We’re talking about AI a lot right now – and it’s not a moment too soon: LookerStudio / Shutterstock When OpenAI unchained the “beast” that is ChatGPT back in November 2022, the pace of market competition between tech companies involved in AI increased exponentially. Market competition determines the price of goods and services, their quality …
Trees, rivers and mountains are gaining legal status – but it’s not been a quick fix for environmental problems: The Whanganui River, New Zealand. Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock As the scale and severity of environmental issues become more obvious, lawmakers are experimenting with new ways to protect nature. One approach that has gone from blue-sky debate to …
Spain is the egg donation capital of Europe – here’s what it’s like to be a donor: Spain performs more than half of all egg donation treatments across Europe. The country is the largest provider of donor eggs across the continent. And every year, thousands of international fertility patients travel to Spain to access treatments. …
World Bank freezes loans to Uganda because of anti-gay laws. But it doesn’t mean it’s becoming a human rights watchdog: A gay pride rally in Entebbe, Uganda in 2014 before a tough anti-homosexuality law was passed. ISAAC KASAMANI/AFP via Getty Images Many people may be tempted to view the World Bank’s recent announcement that it …
World Wrestling Entertainment has long profited from racial stereotypes – it’s time for change: In April, former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) writer Britney Abrahams sued the company for alleged discrimination following her objections at racist and discriminatory storylines. The lawsuit also contains some damning examples, citing “offensively racist and stereotypical jargon used in WWE scripts”. …
Is climate change really a reason not to have children? Here’s four reasons why it’s not that simple: Should we consider having children to be the same as overconsumption? Piyaset/Shutterstock In 2009, statistician Paul Murtaugh and climate scientist Michael Schlax calculated that having just one child in a high-emitting country such as the United States …
The Post Office scandal is possibly the largest miscarriage of justice in UK history – and it’s not over yet: The Post Office scandal involves miscarriages of justice involving hundreds of innocent people who were wrongly convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting. It has been going on for over 20 years, with the Post …