Latest Stories
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Wave of violent fury erupts across USA
Is the United State’s crisis, our crisis? The media presents American racism as a uniquely US problem. But evidence shows anti-black racism is rapidly worsening in the UK and Europe too.
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Trump accuses Twitter of stifling free speech
Is free speech under threat? President Trump has accused Twitter of trying to censor him, while British journalists claim that the government is using underhand tactics to thwart them.
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‘No apologies, no regrets,’ says No 10 adviser
Will Dominic Cummings go? The raging media storm over Boris Johnson’s right-hand man exposes the yawning gap between the practice of politics and the role of trust in public life.
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How too much news can mess with your head
Does news warp the mind? Our brains evolved to pay attention to threats, but we are constantly bombarded by negative stories. The 24/7 news cycle might be distorting our vision of reality.
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Germany reboots football behind closed doors
Could English football lose its top spot? The Bundesliga is the first European league to resume matches under strict social distancing rules – stealing the Premier League’s global audience.
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£8 million: the price of a human life today
Can we measure the value of a life in money? It sounds unthinkable and heartless. But our world is shaped by mathematical models that calculate how much it is worth keeping each of us alive.
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Alarm as UK death toll hits highest in Europe
Should we trust the government less? A lockdown scientist has quit after breaking the rules with his married lover. The chief scientific officer admits mistakes. The health secretary snaps.
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Tell us your secrets – it’s for your own good
Is loss of privacy a price worth paying? An app designed to trace the spread of Covid-19 launches, today, on the Isle of Wight. But will it make our personal details too easily available?
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Time to fire up the engines, says Johnson
Should we believe a natural orator? The UK’s PM marked his return to work with a metaphor-packed address aiming to hearten the nation and allay public fears over the end of the lockdown.
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As lockdown eases, ‘better future is possible’
Could life after lockdown be better than before? Many thinkers are saying the world has a chance to reinvent itself. Health, the environment, and inequality can become political priorities.
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Trump announces ban on immigrants to USA
Was yesterday the day America died? Founded by immigrants and a beacon of hope and freedom to the rest of the world, the United States is closing its borders and cutting off its aid.
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UK may be worst-affected country in Europe
Should Britain’s virus response get the wooden spoon? A government advisor warns that, despite its famed National Health Service, it could be a case study for poor public health management.
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Stricken Boris Johnson in intensive care
Can government carry on with a sick leader? The tradition of covering up and carrying on is tenacious. But history shows that there is little to fear from a period of illness at the top.
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Queen invokes Blitz spirit in message of hope
Can war metaphors be a mixed blessing? The Queen, last night, movingly evoked memories of World War Two. But many politicians worldwide have been less subtle in their choice of words.
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‘The cure could be worse than the disease’
Is it worth sacrificing the economy for the coronavirus? An increasing number of experts now say that the long-term impact of Covid-19 could be more devastating than the pandemic itself.