Latest Stories
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Whale escapes from crocodile infested river
But is this really news? The story of the whale and the crocodiles made headlines yesterday all around the world. Why? Wasn’t this just a non-event? Or does it have a deeper significance?
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Celebrities boycott social media for a day
Are celebrities right to boycott social media? Some big names turned off Facebook and Instagram yesterday to protest against fake news, but many say they are hitting the wrong target.
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‘It doesn’t matter about your sexuality’
Is Strictly Come Dancing a force for good? Some see its same-sex announcement as profit-driven publicity-seeking, while others celebrate it as a positive step towards social change.
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The Disney film whipping up a desert storm
Should entertainers steer clear of politics? The makers of Mulan hope it will draw audiences back to cinemas. But critics say that it and its star are endorsing a brutal Chinese regime.
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Netflix deal makes Harry a Hollywood icon
Are they hypocrites? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to become TV stars after signing a multi-year Netflix deal, six months after saying they wanted to stay out of the spotlight.
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Black Panther’s legacy will ‘live on forever’
Is the future African? Black Panther fans are grieving the death of the actor who brought the superhero to life. For some, Wakanda was just a fantasy, but for others, it is the future.
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Angry fans split over future of James Bond
Should James Bond change with the times? As Hollywood producers ditch the iconic spy’s womanising ways for a more modern man, a new poll shows that fans still favour the old-fashioned 007.
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Beyoncé film sparks debate over Afrofuturism
Has Beyoncé romanticised Africa? The superstar’s new movie, the visual album Black Is King, has wowed the critics. But some say she has focused too much on what Africa was in the past.
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Book calls Trump ‘a terrified little boy’
Can Donald Trump survive the wrath of his niece? A devastating new book paints the president as a psychologically unhinged fraud. The diagnosis is personal and poisonous – but is it deadly?
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Kanye West declares bid for US presidency
Should we take Kanye seriously? He says he is running to be president of the USA. Elon Musk supports him. Politically, it seems unlikely. But this year has been anything but predictable.
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Politicians and advertisers turn on Facebook
Is Facebook bad for democracy? Advertisers are boycotting the social media site over its feeble response to hate speech, and a new parliamentary report is demanding immediate action.
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The unsolved murder that still haunts Sweden
What lies behind our fascination with true crime? It is fear? Swedish police have just called a halt to a long-running murder investigation which drove amateur sleuths to the point of madness.
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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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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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From near-death to birth, the show goes on
Is this the ultimate diversion strategy? Reaction is sharply divided this morning between celebration and exasperation as, once again, Boris Johnson’s personal life eclipses the grim facts.