The two Scottish female novelists who outsold and inspired Jane Austen
Last year marked 250 years of Jane Austen, one of the world’s best-known authors. Her enduring appeal is reflected in the myriad celebrations that took place to honour this anniversary, including exhibitions, festivals and a special six-part podcast series from The Conversation. Austen at 250 cemented her global status as one of the most-loved literary […]
Medicine leaflets are failing patients – and sometimes frightening them
Song_about_summer/Shutterstock.com Patient information leaflets are meant to help people use their medicines safely. But many people find them confusing, overwhelming or even frightening. If a document designed to keep people safe ends up putting them off their treatment, it’s a sign that something isn’t working. These leaflets appear in every medicine pack. They explain what […]
Children’s sport is great at keeping them busy – but are they learning?
Fotokostic/Shutterstock When families look into getting their children involved in sport and physical activities, there is often a lot to consider. For some, this means choosing between clubs and activities. For others, cost, transport or availability can make organised sport harder to access. But there is another question we might rarely ask. What will my […]
Many presidents have had a bad press – but Donald Trump’s decision to ban selected media from the White House is extreme
Donald Trump’s fight with the media has escalated with the news that five major broadcast networks, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC, have suspended their pool coverage of the White House. Their decision comes after the Trump administration banned CNN, along with MS Now and Politico, from the White House for alleged “fake news” […]
The challenge ahead for Andy Burnham if he wants a codified UK constitution
Flickr/House of Commons, CC BY-NC-ND Andy Burnham’s call for a codified UK constitution has revived debate about how the UK is governed. It would be a huge departure for the UK, and a major undertaking. But beyond its historic significance, there is another question: how do you make sure the population understands what the constitution […]
Two more election defeats pile pressure on German chancellor Friedrich Merz
Friedrich Merz’s demeanour was grim as he stepped before the cameras on Sunday evening to address his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party after two more disappointing state election results. Following what the German chancellor had called the CDU’s “worst defeat in many years” in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks ago, Merz described the result of Sunday’s Mecklenburg-Western […]
‘Small, flowering islands’: German city reveals how nature thrives when neighbours care for street tree beds
DirkVG/Shutterstock When Olivia Besters began caring for the patch of soil beneath the chestnut tree outside her home in Freiburg, Germany, more than 35 years ago, biodiversity was not on her mind. “It was the optics,” she told me. The ground was compacted and littered with trash and dog “legacies”. Besters simply wanted the space […]
Inclusion is central to England’s education policy – but what it means is changing
Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock Inclusion has become one of the most prominent concepts in contemporary education policy in England. Its position at the centre of the Department for Education’s ambitions can be seen in recent guidance on the creation of “inclusion bases”, spaces that support pupils with additional needs, in mainstream schools. It is also present in wider […]
How a love of gossip could make you a better reader
Gossip by Charles Haigh Wood. Wikimedia In case you missed it, Rachel Cusk’s new novel Life of M has been the centre of heated online debate. Dubbed a “biogossip” (biography based on gossip) allegedly inspired by the actress Natalie Portman, the novel investigates fame, power and truth with a particular emphasis on storytelling. Much of […]
No surprise as Putin’s party wins election billed as ‘referendum’ on war in Ukraine
In one of the least surprising pieces of election news this year, preliminary results indicate that the ruling party, United Russia, is on track to retain its overwhelming majority in the national parliament, or Duma. There is a striking degree of continuity in the results of this election with the previous one. United Russia, the […]