‘Your life becomes a nightmare’: how scam operations exploit those trapped inside – Scam Factories podcast, Ep 2: A few weeks after Ben Yeo travelled to Cambodia for what he thought was a job in a casino, he found himself locked up in a padded room. “It’s a combination between a prison and a madhouse,” …
AI in education: what those buzzwords mean: style-photography/Getty Images You’ll be hearing a great deal about artificial intelligence (AI) and education in 2025. The UK government unveiled its “AI opportunities action plan” in mid-January. As part of the plan it has awarded funding of £1 million (about US$ 1.2 million) to 16 educational technology companies …
Welfare payments are going digital in Africa – but this isn’t helping those without internet access or smartphones: If you have ever received financial support from the state because you were unable to work due to pregnancy, disability, sickness or old age, you’ve benefited from what is known as social protection. Social protection is a …
Africa’s wildebeest: those that can’t migrate are becoming genetically weaker – new study: Wildebeest – large African antelopes with distinctively curved horns – are famous for their great migrations on the grasslands of eastern and southern Africa. One hundred and fifty years ago, they migrated in huge numbers across the continent, in search of grazing …
AI could change how we obtain legal advice, but those without access to the technology could be left out in the cold: The legal profession has already been using artificial intelligence (AI) for several years, to automate reviews and predict outcomes, among other functions. However, these tools have mostly been used by large, well established …
Hypochondriacs die earlier than those who worry less about their health – what might explain this paradox?: HBRH/Shutterstock People who worry excessively about their health tend to die earlier than those who don’t, a recent study from Sweden has found. It seems strange that hypochondriacs who, by definition, worry yet have nothing wrong with them, …
Why iconic trees are so important to us – and how replacing those that fall is often complicated: The Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall, UK. Mark Godden/Shutterstock An ancient kola tree has been cut down in southern Ghana. Local tradition held that the tree had grown on the spot where spiritual leader Komfo Anokye …
Domicide: a view from Homs in Syria on what the deliberate destruction of homes does to those displaced by conflict – podcast: Homs was once the centre of the Syrian revolution. Today, 12 years on, much of the city remains scarred and deserted after years of siege and heavy bombardment. In this episode of The …
Why are those lost to COVID not formally memorialised? How politics shapes what we remember: Every Friday, volunteers gather on the Albert Embankment at the River Thames in London to lovingly retouch thousands of red hearts inscribed on a Portland stone wall directly opposite the Houses of Parliament. Each heart is dedicated to a British …
Yevgeny Prigozhin: Wagner Group boss joins long list of those who challenged Vladimir Putin and paid the price: Two months after challenging Vladimir Putin’s leadership in an apparent but abortive “mutiny”, Yevgeny Prigozhin – the former owner of the mercenary private military company Wagner Group – has joined a long list of prominent Russians to …
Why older people are some of those worst affected by climate change: shutterstock While we are all affected to some extent by extreme weather, it is older adults, especially older women and those with disabilities, who tend to be the most vulnerable. Who struggles most is partly determined by age but also pre-existing health conditions, …
Ghana’s national health insurance users often end up paying as much as those who don’t belong. So why join?: Ghana's national healthcare system is designed for all. But there are pitfalls. Getty Images Health financing is a challenge any country has to deal with to provide good healthcare services. It’s especially important for developing countries …
Living in Nairobi’s slums is tough – residents are 35% more likely to suffer from high blood pressure than those in rural areas: Slum-dwellers with high blood pressure struggle to get proper treatment AlexanderXXI/Shutterstock Hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a non-communicable disease that occurs when there is a sustained elevation in …
People who exercise only on the weekend have similar heart-health benefits as those who exercise throughout the week: Exercise is good for your overall health and your heart in particular. Guidelines recommend that we should be doing 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity a week. But does it matter when you do this exercise? Should you …
COVID in kids: younger children and those from deprived areas are at higher risk of being hospitalised – new research: Rido/Shutterstock At the heights of the pandemic, particularly since 2021, many children and teenagers admitted to hospital had COVID. However, it was never clear what proportion of them were in hospital because of COVID, indicating …
Pyramid schemes are on the rise – but do those who join up deserve prosecution or compensation?: diy13/Shutterstock Let’s say we invite you to invest £1,000 in our new and brilliant business. We promise you an impressive return on your money, and all we ask is that you persuade a few of your friends to …
The Last of Us – a show that surprised and challenged audiences, even those who had played the game: Warning: this article contains spoilers The first season of HBO’s The Last of Us has come to an end. The TV adaptation of a hit game was a raging success with 8.2 million tuning in to …
Many Turkish people who migrated to European countries are worse off than those who stayed at home: Many people migrate to another country to earn a decent income and to attain a better standard of living. But my recent research shows that across all destinations and generations studied, many migrants from Turkey to European countries …