What Awaab Ishak’s death says about the state of social housing in the UK – expert Q&A: The inquest into the death of a two-year-old-boy, Awaab Ishak, in Rochdale, has found that black mould and the landlord’s repeated failure to fix the problem, was to blame. Delivering her verdict, senior coroner Joanne Kearsley said: “I’m …
Menopause: HRT linked to depression – here’s what the evidence actually says: Women use HRT to manage a variety of menopause symptoms. Image Point Fr/ Shutterstock A growing number of women are turning to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to alleviate distressing symptoms of the menopause – including hot flushes, bladder weakness, vaginal dryness, joint pain, …
Mercury Prize 2022: what rapper Little Simz’ win says about the UK independent music scene: Andy Gallagher / Alamy Speaking after she won the 2022 Mercury Music Prize, Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, aka Little Simz, was clearly honoured to be given the award. It wasn’t about the money (£25,000), or at least it wasn’t just …
Liz Truss: a brief guide to her economic ideas and what the evidence says about them: For some, Liz Truss’s headline policies since she became the UK’s prime minister have been shocking. Markets have been shocked, voters have been shocked, and many of her own colleagues in the Conservative party seem a little uncomfortable. So …
The horseracing industry is ignoring what science says about whipping: Is it time to rethink whipping in horse races? Lukas Gojda/Shutterstock When the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) released its recent whip consultation report, it claimed to have consulted the science. But it insists whipping doesn’t hurt horses and fails to recommend that the racing industry …
Anti-monarchy protesters arrested – an expert on what the law says: DaLiu / Shutterstock For many, the week following the death of the Queen has been a time of mourning. It has also been one of tension around the question of free speech and protest. There have been several instances of police arresting or questioning …
Tory leadership race: will Liz Truss’s tax cut proposals win her votes? Here’s what voter data says: When the results of the Conservative leadership race are announced next week, the UK’s new prime minister will be facing a formidable set of challenges. There is the worst cost of living crisis in 50 years, a war …
Wooden housing boom needed to boost climate goals, says new study – but is it possible?: Flystock/Shutterstock Housing 90% of people moving to cities in mid-rise buildings made from engineered wood could save the construction industry 106 billion tonnes of CO? by 2100, according to a new study. This, the researchers argued, would rein in …
Check out this Camps Bay Beach image: fred says hi Image by dolanh Image automatically curated and published by www.free-mail.co.za – CLICK HERE to learn more about WP Robot for WordPress. Have you tried: Diving with Sharks?
What Russian visit says about South Africa’s commitment to human rights in the world: Thandi Modise, South Africa's defence minister. Michal Fludra/NurPhoto via Getty Images South Africa’s foreign policy is aimed at contributing to democracy, human rights and justice in the world. Yet its conduct often suits autocrats and despots. This is why defence minister …
UK house prices: history says the market is in for a long slowdown not a crash: It’s going to be easier to get on the property ladder following a recent decision by the Bank of England to relax some of the criteria for getting a mortgage. Combined with expectations of a slowdown in the property …
Nudge theory doesn’t work after all, says new evidence review – but it could still have a future: Can nudging help us shop more sustainably? BearFotos/Shuttestock At the end of last year (2021), there was lots of excitement about the first comprehensive analysis of past research on techniques designed to change people’s behaviour (known as …
What science says about the best ways to cool down: Heatwaves can leave you desperate to cool down. Shutterstock We spend most of the year complaining that Britain is too cold and wet but gripe with just as much enthusiasm about the heat. Although moaning about the weather is satisfying, it’s better to take action …
Do optimists really live longer? Here’s what the research says: Women who reported themselves to have high levels of optimism lived longer on average. FamVeld/ Shutterstock Do you tend to see the glass as half full, rather than half empty? Are you always looking on the bright side of life? If so, you may be …
UK inflation: how experts pick goods to track price changes and what it says about UK consumers: What goes into the shopping basket of goods used to track inflation? Tara Clark/Unsplash, CC BY-SA For the first time in several generations, inflation is a concern for people in the UK. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose …
Is intermittent fasting actually good for weight loss? Here’s what the evidence says: Many people find intermittent fasting to be more flexible and easy to follow than other diets. Marcin Malicki/ Shutterstock If you’re someone who’s thought about losing weight or has wanted to get healthier in the past few years, you’ve probably come across …
Cost of living crisis: what research says about the potential psychological impact: SB Arts Media | Shutterstock Over two thirds – 69% – of low-income private renters in England will be unable to eat and heat their homes at least one day per week because of rising living costs, the UK charity Crisis recently warned. …
Why Denmark is voting on its defence relationship with the EU – and what it says about democracy in Europe: On June 1, voters in Denmark will take part in a referendum on whether to end the country’s opt-out from EU defence policy, which prohibits Denmark from participating in EU defence matters. This means that …