Learner profile: Balanced
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A man with a cough walks into an empty bar
Is it wrong to make jokes during a crisis? The pandemic – like many tragic and difficult situations throughout the centuries – has brought fear, but also inspired a tidal wave of humour.
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‘Everyone suddenly burst out singing’
Could the virus help bring us together? Social distancing is the new normal as the pandemic takes over the world – but some people predict that, in other ways, we may become closer than ever.
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Secrets of England’s greatest treasure trove
Should we all be neo-Saxons now? A new exhibition will highlight the dazzling artistic creations of the Anglo-Saxons and the lessons we can learn from their way of life, 1,400 years on.
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Sumo wrestler’s tears make waves in shock win
Are tears good for sport? A sumo wrestler has thrown tradition out of the ring. His tears of joy delighted his fans, but raised doubts about whether it is ever acceptable for athletes to cry.
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Science shows resolutions NOT a waste of time
Are New Year resolutions worth it? Around one-quarter of people give up their resolutions after just one week, while fewer than one in 10 will maintain their goal to the end of the year.
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Election, emojis, aliens: here’s what YOU say
Do teenagers know best? Each term, The Day runs daily polls to find out what you think about everything — from international politics to the Loch Ness monster. What did you have to say?
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Baby Yoda takes the internet by storm
Is cuteness a science? The ancient, alien sage has been reborn as an infant in a new Star Wars spin-off. One doctor says that our frenzied reaction to Baby Yoda has a scientific explanation.
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‘The American festival we all should celebrate’
Should Thanksgiving go global? It seems like a holiday that’s as American as pumpkin pie. But there are variants of this day all around the world, revolving around the concept of gratitude.
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Bloomberg sets up battle of the billionaires
Can he beat Donald Trump? Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has finally stepped into the crowded presidential race. Supporters say he has the money and credentials to get under Trump’s skin.
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‘Law of the jungle’ as US backs settlements
Is the liberal international order collapsing? The Trump administration just smashed years of legal history by declaring that Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank are now acceptable.
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Britain faces international war crimes trial
Is Britain’s military a force for good or evil in the world? A year-long probe has uncovered evidence that the British Government covered up atrocities by troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Australia’s bushfires rage out of control
Are bushfires the price for using fossil fuels? Huge infernos are burning across eastern Australia. Critics say they are linked to the climate crisis, and the country must stop mining coal.
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Two cannabis-based medicines approved for NHS
Does this go far enough? Charities have welcomed the move, although campaigners who have been fighting for access to the drugs said the new guidelines were a “massive missed opportunity”.
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Call to drop Remembrance Sunday causes a storm
Should we stop marking Remembrance Sunday? Guardian journalist Polly Toynbee believes the day has been hijacked by nationalist nostalgia, but others say she is entirely missing the point.
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‘Garden of Eden’ discovered in Botswana
Are we all Africans? New research suggests that all humans alive today are descended from people living in southern Africa, 200,000 years ago. But are they right? And does it matter?