Can the Greens stick to their democratic principles?
Green Party members determine policies in votes at conference each year. A-Akram / Shutterstock The Green Party of England and Wales’ prospects have fluctuated dramatically in recent years. At times, it has appeared on the cusp of becoming a major force at Westminster. During this period, the Greens have had to balance their belief in […]
What’s behind the BBC’s funding crisis? An expert explains
In the run-up to the renewal of the BBC charter in January 2028, the corporation is facing perhaps its greatest ever funding crisis. It is staring down cost hyper-inflation across most programme genres and, unlike online-only streamers such as Netflix, it will still have to fund traditional broadcast networks until at least 2034. And of […]
‘Sodcit’ – after battlefield setbacks, Russia returns to destroying Ukraine’s morale
Ukrainian president, Volodymr Zelensky, recently told journalists that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has instructed his military commanders to abandon the rules of war that protect civilian targets. “He said there are no rules now,” Zelensky said – reporting that this information had been picked up by intelligence intercepts of Russian communications. That Putin’s commanders […]
Five types of disinformation – and how to spot red flags that trigger climate inaction
AndriiKoval/Shutterstock We’re living in an age of constant information: tweets, headlines, reels, reports. It’s everywhere, all the time. But here’s the challenge: not all of it is true. Some of it is intentionally misleading. A lot is AI-generated. From outright climate denial to more subtle greenwashing, disinformation is not just a digital nuisance – it’s […]
Night of a Thousand Hells: a subversive, shapeshifting tale of sisterhood, violence and grief
Making the longlist this week for the US National Book Award for translated literature, Intan Paramaditha’s Night of a Thousand Hells is a subversive, shape-shifting novel in which family tragedy becomes political reckoning, horror exposes social violence, and familiar stories turn sinister. Set in Indonesia, the novel opens in the aftermath of a suicide bombing […]
Cities are sinking – but citywide averages hide the real problem
Flooding in Muara Angke, a fast-sinking area in north Jakarta. Kevin Herbian / Shutterstock Cities worldwide are sinking at alarming rates, but that doesn’t mean the ground is sinking at the same rate everywhere. Some neighbourhoods may be far more affected than others close by, with serious consequences for their residents. Land subsidence – the […]
What an ancient volcanic eruption teaches us about resilience today
Mike Fuchslocher/Shutterstock When a massive environmental disaster strikes, do societies simply collapse and disappear? Or do people find a way to adapt, rebuild and recover? As a researcher studying ancient societies and their environments, these aren’t just academic questions to me – they can also offer useful perspectives on our own climate-threatened future. To understand […]
A record-breaking El Niño is still developing – likely bringing a cold winter to the UK
The UK could be in for a wet and stormy autumn followed by a colder, calmer winter – and an unusually powerful El Niño may be partly responsible. El Niño is a natural climate pattern in the tropical Pacific, but its effects can be felt around the world. This year’s event is already the strongest […]
Her Son’s Wife by Dorothy Canfield Fisher finds profound meaning and emotion in domestic life
UK publisher Persephone Books are continuing to reintroduce “lost” 20th century novels by women to the 21st century, featuring what they term “domestic feminism”. Coined by Persephone founder Nicola Beauman, domestic feminism acknowledges how significant the home is to human life while rejecting the assumption that it “justified a woman’s whole existence”. In her 1983 […]
A drug can make children with the most common form of dwarfism taller – but height isn’t the same as a better life
pixelaway/Shutterstock A drug that helps children with the most common form of dwarfism grow taller has sparked an ethical debate within the dwarfism community. Some parents hope that as well as increasing size, it will prevent serious health complications and improve their children’s independence. But critics worry that a treatment focused on increasing height sends […]