Latest Stories
-
Fear as the Magic Money Tree keeps on giving
Should we be relaxed about government debt? Spending and borrowing have risen astronomically in response to Covid-19, but governments seem less afraid of debt than in the past.
-
Despite Covid, Halloween can be spooktastic
Is it time to rethink Halloween? Its opponents are delighted that the pandemic has put a damper on this year’s fun. But fans of the festival are determined to find safe ways to celebrate.
-
Paul McCartney: my lockdown ‘messing around’
Is he the greatest songwriter of all time? Paul McCartney has announced a new solo album, nearly six decades on from the height of Beatlemania. It is already being tipped as a Christmas hit.
-
Google under fire for getting too big
Should we break up Google? The US government has launched a landmark antitrust case against the tech giant. The verdict could completely transform the digital world as we know it.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Bank warns ‘get ready for negative interest’
Is this the end of money? The Bank of England is considering negative interest rates for the very first time – in theory this means that the banks could pay you interest to take out a loan.
-
Great football shake-up triggers furious row
Should we put our trust in elites? Two Premier League teams have put forward a plan to reshape the running of English football. But critics say it is purely linked to their own ambitions.
-
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?
-
Row over Google zero carbon footprint claim
Can corporations solve the climate crisis? Google yesterday claimed to have compensated for all the carbon it has ever created. But critics say business cannot be trusted to save the planet.
-
England’s uncivil war over the ‘rule of six’
Is the "rule of six" wrong? Critics say that people should be free to go out and take risks with their own health. But others insist that we cannot put personal freedoms ahead of saving lives.
-
Sceptics haunted by spectre of second lockdown
Do lockdowns cause more harm than good? Without a vaccine, they might be our most effective tool for tackling Covid-19 – but some argue that shutting down society comes at too high a cost.
-
Behold the prophets – and profits – of doom
Should we be preparing for the end of the world? Many people expect to see the collapse of life as we know it. A new book reveals how a multi-billion-dollar industry has grown around them.
-
SpaceX capsule first splashdown in 45 years
Will Moon tourism be normal in 20 years’ time? For some, yesterday’s historic success of a manned commercial space mission is the start of a new era. But predictions are nearly always wrong.
-
Super-rich call for more taxes on themselves
Is tax the best way to share wealth? Eighty-three of the world’s richest people have written an astonishing letter to governments asking for more of their money to be taken away from them.