Victims can’t access their court transcripts because they’re too expensive – the government says AI might be the answer
For years, victims of crime and those trying to challenge convictions have said that the UK’s system for accessing court records is prohibitively expensive and unnecessarily bureaucratic. The government has taken steps to improve this transparency. In a recent investigation, I revealed that the government has abandoned its policy of destroying court records. But significant […]
How the world can avoid millions going hungry when supply chains collapse
Billion Photos/Shutterstock Millions more people will face hunger in the coming months if the conflict in the Middle East is not resolved soon, the UN has warned. The price of energy, which instantly affects the cost of producing and transporting food, has risen sharply due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The price […]
Westlife at 25: how the boyband emerged during Ireland’s economic boom
We were all flying without wings back in the heyday of Irish boy band Westlife. The group were formed in Dublin in 1998 and rose to international popularity during the early 2000s. The new release of their anniversary album, 25: The Ultimate Collection, affords an opportunity to reflect on the band’s story. They emerge as […]
Pregnancy is a chance to reshape family eating habits before the baby arrives
Rocketclips, Inc./Shutterstock Pregnancy is often regarded as a time to prepare the nursery, but it is also a useful moment to get the kitchen ready. For many expectant parents, the months before a baby arrives are filled with practical jobs: buying clothes, assembling a cot, choosing a pram, packing a hospital bag. Yet one of […]
How severe has the economic impact of the Iran war been for the Gulf states?
The US and Israel’s war on Iran has cast a long shadow over the Gulf. It has placed many of the economies that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regional grouping – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia – under substantial strain. Since the war began in February, […]
State opening of parliament 2026: experts on plans for cost of living, EU ties, tourist tax and more
©House of Lords/Roger Harris, CC BY-NC The government has set out its legislative agenda for the new parliamentary session in the king’s speech. Our panel of experts reveals the key points. Measures to ease high living costs Jonquil Lowe, Visiting Academic, The Open University Surveys suggest that the cost of living is still a major […]
Trump-XI summit: US president says he will discuss arms sales to Taiwan – breaking decades of US policy
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are likely to discuss many issues as they meet this week in Beijing. But alongside trade, technology and the war in Iran, one topic of conversation will stand out – the future of Taiwan. Taiwan has long been a sensitive issue in Sino-American relations. Beijing regards the island as a […]
Why the Caspian Sea has become so important in both the Ukraine and Iran wars
The recent attack by Ukraine of a Russian missile-carrying corvette stationed in the Caspian Sea more than 1,500km away from Kyiv has put the spotlight on this large, often overlooked body of inland salt water. The Caspian Sea hosts major offshore oil and gas fields and critical maritime infrastructure, including ports, pipelines and terminals that […]
Nasa bets big on nuclear engines to cut journey times to Mars
Illustration of a Mars mission that utilises nuclear propulsion. Nasa Nasa is developing ways to use nuclear power to send spacecraft to their destinations. Nuclear propulsion could greatly reduce the journey time to Mars, perhaps cutting a voyage of more than six months to three or four months. The idea of nuclear propulsion in space […]
From ‘French leave’ to ‘Irish goodbyes’: why you may be right to exit a party without saying goodbye
Rawpixel.com Whether you call it an Irish goodbye, French leave or filer à l’anglaise (leave in the English style), as the French prefer, the act of quietly slipping out of a party without fanfare is a familiar social impulse. The Brazilians called it sair à francesa (French style), the Germans a Polnischer Abgang (Polish departure), […]