Latest Stories
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Reboot Santa! Christmas rebels call for change
Is it time to rethink Christmas? The festival evolves gradually every year as new traditions are adopted – and now some argue it has changed so much that it needs to be reinvented.
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Christmas saved but many ask if it’s worth it
Do people really want a lockdown break? The UK is to announce a five-day Christmas amnesty tomorrow. Many other governments plan similar moves. But will they live to regret the consequences?
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In the shadow of terror: France still on edge
Is the freedom to offend essential? In France, the fifth anniversary of its deadliest terror attack sees renewed tensions over questions of blasphemy, terrorism and religious tolerance.
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The dark night when terror came to Vienna
Is ISIS back? Monday night’s murderous attacks in the Austrian capital have increased fears that the Islamic terror group is starting to regroup after the crushing defeat of its caliphate.
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The stubborn roots of modern anti-Semitism
Will the world ever be free of it? A new report into anti-Semitism in the British Labour Party has led to the suspension of its former leader – but some see a much more intractable problem.
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The judge who could change the face of the US
Is it right to call Monday “one of the darkest days in Senate history”? In the USA, the appointment of a right-wing Supreme Court judge days before a presidential election has sparked rage.
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New book reveals unsolved ghost mysteries
Could ghosts really exist? A new book tells the true story of a suburban housewife in the 1930s whose extraordinary experiences obsessed the public – and baffled expert ghost-hunters.
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‘Empty your minds. Be water, my friend.’
Should we be more like water? He is best known as an actor and martial artist. But now a new book is set to introduce the philosophy of Hollywood star Bruce Lee to the next generation.
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Publish or pulp: the return of Charlie Hebdo
Should Charlie Hebdo have republished cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad? In 2015, they provoked a terrorist attack — and their return threatens to reignite a ferocious debate over free speech.
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Mutant bugs released to fight disease
Is it wrong to release modified mosquitoes into the wild? Supporters say genetically altered insects could eradicate deadly diseases, but opponents are warning of dangerous consequences.
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‘Mind-blowing’ new AI can do ‘almost anything’
Should we be worried by AI? A groundbreaking program called GPT-3 can learn almost anything without human help. The possibilities are limitless, but some are saying so are the risks.
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Nazi guard, 93, guilty of his teenage crimes
Is it justice to punish a 93-year-old man for a crime committed 75 years ago? Bruno Dey has been convicted for his part in the killing of over 5,000 prisoners in a Nazi death camp.
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China accused of ‘gross’ human rights abuses
Is China guilty of genocide? A case is being brought against the superpower at the International Criminal Court, accusing it of mistreating its Muslim Uighur minority on a massive scale.
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Close-up reveals tiny ‘campfires’ on the Sun
How do we know the Sun will rise tomorrow? Thanks to stunning new satellite images, we know more about the Sun than ever. But we are still no closer to solving the deepest problem of all.
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Silence, the world’s most precious commodity
Should we have a right to quiet? An ingenious invention promises to protect us from unwanted noise, returning us to a state of calm which has been prized by thinkers across the centuries.