Latest Stories
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Call for cyberwar rules as US attacks Russia
Does the world need new rules of war? Yesterday, we learned that the US has placed malware deep in Russia’s power grid. Elsewhere, most of Argentina was mysteriously plunged into darkness.
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The struggle for the true meaning of Pride
Should Pride be a protest or a party? We are halfway through LGBT Pride Month. But alongside the parades and celebrations, there are fears that hard-won gay rights are under threat.
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We are built to believe, say scientists
Do humans need spirituality? An intriguing study has found that 71% of atheists believe in the supernatural. Why is belief so pervasive, even as we abandon traditional religion?
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Abortion, America and a history of #sexstrikes
Earlier this month, the movie star Alyssa Milano suggested that women go on a #sexstrike in response to new laws restricting abortion in Georgia. But is it really a good idea?
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Amazon faces facial recognition rebellion
Shareholders of Amazon will demand, today, that the company stops selling its system to the police. It is simply too powerful and invasive, they say. Is facial recognition going too far?
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Music, peace and a flicker of hope in Israel
Can Eurovision help solve the Israel-Palestine conflict? An absurd suggestion, perhaps. But, this weekend, all eyes are on Tel Aviv as it hosts the world’s biggest, glitziest talent contest.
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Alabama passes USA’s strictest abortion ban
Alabama’s new bill would outlaw abortion from the moment of conception, even in cases of rape and incest. It has sparked global outrage and fear for the future of women’s rights in America.
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New row erupts over use of animals in war
A funny-looking Russian spy is in the news this morning — a (very friendly) beluga whale. It may seem cute, but the use of military mammals is widespread and many are furious about it.
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Isis says it was behind Easter Day massacre
Islamic State admitted responsibility yesterday for the Easter Day bombings of churches and hotels in Sri Lanka that killed at least 321 people, including 45 children and eight Britons.
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Hope rises from the ashes of Notre Dame
The extraordinary global reaction to the huge fire in one of the world’s greatest cathedrals has prompted a profound debate about civilisation, spirituality and the failings of modernity.
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Rwanda remembers its genocide 25 years on
This week, Rwanda commemorates the massacres of 1994, in which 800,000 people were killed in just 100 days. The country is now stable, but how does any society recover from such a horror?
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Wales to ban parents from smacking their kids
Is this a good idea? Corporal punishment of children — including smacking — is outlawed in 54 countries around the world. But some parents say it is a loving way of disciplining their kids.
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‘Darkest day’ as world mourns mosque slaughter
Yesterday, the death toll in New Zealand rose to 50. In the UK, a man was arrested on suspicion of a copycat terrorist attack. Is divisive rhetoric and a climate of hate feeding extremism?
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Report finds work has become the new religion
Teenagers say having a job they enjoy is twice as important as getting married or having children, according to a major new American survey. But anxiety and depression are rising steeply.
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ISIS teen bride begs for return to Britain
Should she be allowed back? Four years ago, Shamima Begum fled Britain to join Islamic State. Now, with the caliphate in ruins, she wants to return. Her plea has caused division and uproar.