<h2 class="eplus-Xw9D5T has-black-color has-text-color eplus-wrapper">America in chaos over abortion ruling</h2>

Of Mice and Men opens with Lennie and George talking about their ambition to own a farm one day. They have their own version of the "American Dream", the idea that people can rise from rags to riches and make their lives a success. As the US tightens its belt and closes its doors to immigration, is the "American Dream" still alive?

Is the US criminalising pregnancy? After the ruling that there is no constitutional right to abortion, experts warn of profound consequences that could destroy America.

Is Nato still necessary? Joe Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, frequently threatened to leave the organisation for good.

Can individuals really get rid of deeply-held prejudice? A powerful new analysis concludes 'the gaping wounds of racial injustice' are as bad as ever.

America suffered a severe depression in the 1930s after the stock market crashed in 1929. One-third of Americans lost their jobs and many people lost their life savings, making the American Dream even more difficult to achieve. George and Lennie are lucky to have work at all, even though the pay is low. Are there similarities between then and now?

Have financial markets killed democracy? After less than a month, Liz Truss' government was forced into a humiliating U-turn. Some fear investors are now calling the shots.

Should rich firms do more to help? Millions of people are struggling to pay their bills as the cost of energy and food spirals. But few agree on who exactly should shoulder this burden.

Should everyone get a free lifetime income? News broke that several American cities have started providing monthly payments to residents. But some people remain sceptical.

Almost all of the characters in the book are lonely. Crooks, a Black ranch hand, is especially solitary as the colour of his skin means he has to live alone. He describes how the others on the ranch don't come into a coloured man's room very much. Many think that modern technology is causing a loneliness epidemic, making this novella more relevant than ever.

Does being alone mean being lonely? The last surviving member of an uncontacted tribe died in Brazil after 26 years of solitude. But is a life without others really such a bad thing?

Is it the leprosy of our times? The latest statistics show that loneliness is soaring to unprecedented levels. To make matters worse there is a powerful taboo around admitting it in public.

Is mental illness the world's biggest problem? The Duke of Sussex is one of a growing number of people who believe if we do not solve this crisis today, the future will be a disaster.

George looks out for Lennie, who has a mild mental disability but who has been his friend since childhood. Lennie has got them into trouble on several occasions: George admits to Slim, a well-respected mule-driver at the ranch, that they had to flee from their previous jobs after Lennie was accused of rape. The friendship between Lennie and George contrasts with everyone else's loneliness.

<h2 class="eplus-jFWHhP has-black-color has-text-color eplus-wrapper">Biden tells Nato leaders: 'America is back'</h2>

Is friendship our most basic human need? Friends have survived three long months of separation under strict lockdown rules. Now we can meet again, will we appreciate our friendships more?

Is it time to return to the old-fashioned phone call? People trying to keep cheerful during the lockdown rediscovered the joy of hours spent on the line to friends and relations.

Can you have more than 150 friends? Millions watched worldwide as the stars of hit sitcom Friends returned to the small screen. But just how many friends is the perfect number?

The only woman in the novella is Curley's wife, who does not even get a name. She once dreamed of being an actress but ended up married to the brutishRough and unpleasant, like the behaviour of a beast. Curley before Lennie accidentally kills her. While some characters feel sorry for her, others blame her for the trouble that she causes through her femininity. Nearly a century after the story is set, do women still face discrimination?

Is gender equality ever going to happen? The BBC has announced its annual list of 100 amazing women. But a UN report finds that women everywhere are still treated much worse than men.

Do Hollywood award ceremonies really matter? The Golden Globes have been criticised for some controversial snubs. But its defenders say the headlines miss the event's true purpose.

Will her death also be the death of US justice? Many said Donald Trump's move to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the presidential election was an abuse of power.

Novella - A long short story or short novel.

Great Depression - A severe worldwide economic depression that started in the US in 1929. When Roosevelt was elected, the US unemployment rate stood at over 20%.

Brutish - Rough and unpleasant, like the behaviour of a beast.