Latest Stories
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Elliot Page: I am transgender, says Juno star
Could this be a turning point for the film industry? A Hollywood icon has embraced his gender identity. Some say it is a landmark not only for him, but for the trans actors of tomorrow.
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‘Hi, honey – your dinner’s in the test tube’
Should we welcome laboratory-grown meat? Its advocates say it will help the environment and save animals from needless suffering. But first, producers have to overcome the “yuck factor”.
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UN chief warns of ‘suicidal’ war on nature
Do we value markets over morals? As we head towards climate armageddon, a prominent economist claims that we need to radically transform our understanding of value — or face extinction.
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‘Mr Greedy’ and the downfall of a tycoon
Is Philip Green a villain or a scapegoat? The Topshop boss is under fire for living it up while his employees lose their jobs – but isn’t a rotten society just as much to blame as he is?
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Football genius whose flaws made him a hero
Are virtuous heroes boring? As the world mourns footballing legend Diego Maradona, some commentators argue it was not his sporting achievements that made him an icon – but his personal failings.
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BBC names world’s most inspiring women
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.
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UK to launch new military space command
Will World War III be fought in space? A new space command, a national cyber force and an artificial intelligence agency will be part of Britain’s defence transformation programme.
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Lockdown loneliness reaches record levels
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.
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Genes, vaccines, God – and a great debate
Is genetic modification wrong? Some people may refuse to take two new vaccines against Covid-19 because they are genetically engineered – but scientists assure us that the jabs are safe.
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‘Truth decay’ ripping us apart warns Obama
Is truth REALLY decaying? Barack Obama argues that without a universal idea of truth, society cannot function. Others argue that truth is simply getting more complex – and more interesting!
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Nature bites back as killer whales attack
Is nature angry? Wildfires, plagues, hurricanes and now marauding orcas… experts warn that humanity’s treatment of the natural world has awoken a wrathful beast seeking revenge.
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Unfair! I won, I won! Give me another go!
Is losing as important as winning? President Trump’s refusal to concede defeat in the US election has attracted widespread criticism. Here we rank the 10 worst losers of all time.
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‘Historically she is more important than Joe’
Will Kamala Harris become president? She is set to be the first female vice-president and first black person in the post. And at 56, she is number two to a man who is 78 in just eleven days.
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Biden promises era of light after darkness
Is this a new chapter in our history? Donald Trump has often been likened to the ruthless populist leader Julius Caesar. Now many see Joe Biden as a new Cicero – defender of civic ideals.
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US election deadlock reveals media malaise
Is the US media fit for purpose? The world was told the US election would end in a resounding victory for the Democrats. By missing the true picture, the media has revealed its deficiencies.