Politics
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Excuse me for pressing you on this, but…
Have we lost the art of the interview? A series of classic conversations with 20th-century icons has just been reissued by the BBC. It reveals the surprising power of old-fashioned TV.
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Millennials losing their faith in politics
Can democracy survive? As national leaders worldwide move to curb local mayors and leaders, a new survey shows that millennials are losing faith in democratic systems altogether.
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Attenborough calls for the rewilding of Earth
Can we still save the planet? A new EU report shows that three quarters of Europe’s species require better conservation, and 80% of its key natural habitats are in poor or bad condition.
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Tensions rise in great global vaccine race
Is liberal democracy going to be the biggest Covid victim? Russia and China have shunned safety to surge ahead in the search for a vaccine, reigniting old battles between East and West.
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Twitter and Facebook in censorship row
Should social media sites decide what news we read? Some argue that they play a key role in suppressing fake news – but others fear giving them too much power over the information we access.
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Boris battles the boffins over lockdown
Should we follow the science? As British politicians clash over whether to impose a corrective two-week lockdown, the role science plays in our decision-making has come under the spotlight.
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US militias hoping to spark power struggle
Is talk of US civil war overblown? As Donald Trump plunges in the polls, some worry that his most hardline supporters will try to keep him in power – even if it means an armed conflict.
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Society on the brink as second lockdown looms
Does loneliness threaten democracy? Charities warn of a mental health “time bomb” as lockdown drives soaring levels of alienation – leading to a surge in angry populism and social breakdown.
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World on edge as China flexes its muscles
Is Xi Jinping echoing Hitler? China is ramping up the aggression towards its neighbours, prompting some to liken it to Nazi Germany. Others say the West is deliberately stoking tensions.
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The karate kid racing into the history books
Is Lewis Hamilton the world’s greatest sporting champion? As part of our series on modern role models to mark Black History Month, we look at the motor-racing ace’s extraordinary career.
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Massive data blunder puts many lives at risk
Is all government useless? The UK’s latest Covid fiasco unleashed harsh criticism of state inefficiency. But what if a bit of inefficiency is actually an essential part of healthy democracy?
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Chaos, confusion, contradiction and karma
Is it right to say that Donald Trump’s Covid infection is “karma”? Did the truth-defying, science-mocking leader of the free world get what he deserves? Or is this just shallow moralising?
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‘Empty your minds. Be water, my friend.’
Should we be more like water? He is best known as an actor and martial artist. But now a new book is set to introduce the philosophy of Hollywood star Bruce Lee to the next generation.
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No winner as Trump and Biden slug it out
Is the election result any clearer? In all the fire and fury, neither candidate triumphed in last night’s verbal fight. Both camps are claiming victory as the first public reactions come in.
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Shot to death by police in her own home
Will there be justice for Breonna Taylor? As tensions rise again in the US over the police shooting of a young black woman, some campaigners are turning their attention to reform.