Five books about the lives of musicians that are stonking good reads
This year is the national year of reading, and if you’re a music lover, I urge you to pick one up about your favourite musician. The lives of musicians are often full of highs and lows, which makes for compelling reading. Here are five of my favourites. 1. Fight The Power by Chuck D I […]
The old adage that people leave managers, not companies is true – but only up to a point
Meeko Media/Shutterstock It has been said that “people leave managers, not companies”. It’s easy to believe that this is true, either from personal experience or observation. Many workers can easily point to a line manager who dismissed their concerns or treated them unfairly. But is it really fair to suggest that managers alone are the […]
Israel’s onslaught against Lebanon may strengthen Hezbollah – just when it’s at its weakest
As the tentative ceasefire in Lebanon holds, people are returning to their homes in the south to find widespread destruction. Whole villages laid waste, roads and bridges ruined, hospitals and other civic infrastructure flattened. And the Israeli army still very much in evidence in many areas. The most recent conflict between Israel and Lebanon has […]
Eating fruit is linked to lung cancer? Here’s what you need to know about that new study
Deadly? Not likely. New Africa/Shutterstock.com The idea that fruit and vegetables might cause cancer sounds bizarre. For decades, studies have shown that people who eat more plants tend to live longer, healthier lives, with lower rates of heart disease, stroke and several common cancers. Lung cancer is no exception: in many large studies, higher intakes […]
Southport inquiry: schools are key to safeguarding, but their job is getting harder
Shutterstock Sir Adrian Fulford’s report into the July 2024 attack in Southport that killed three young girls does not pull any punches. He concluded that the UK’s safeguarding model had completely failed, with no agency taking lead responsibility. He referred to “an inappropriate merry-go-round” of state agencies, none of which took responsibility for the risks […]
After 27 years in power, Welsh Labour’s dominance may soon be over
Welsh Labour is in unfamiliar territory. While winning elections in Wales had become routine since 1922, the upcoming Senedd (Welsh parliament) election has thrown the party into uncharted waters, with the prospect of finishing a distant third. So much is new about this election. The Senedd has been expanded from 60 to 96 members, alongside […]
There is something wrong with the asylum process for LGBTQ+ people – but it’s not fake claimants
A 2023 protest against the then-government’s asylum policies. Loredana Sangiuliano/Shutterstock An undercover investigation by BBC News has found evidence of people falsely claiming to be gay to gain asylum in the UK. The findings are concerning. But rather than assume this means all asylum applicants are lying, it’s worth asking why people might be drawn […]
Mint: new BBC crime drama is visually dazzling but emotionally thin
When Charlotte Regan’s debut feature film, Scrapper, won the grand jury prize at the prestigious Sundance film festival in 2023, it announced a filmmaker of rare instinctive warmth. Scrapper showed Regan to be capable of rendering working-class life with tenderness, wit and a magical lightness that felt entirely her own. With her new eight-part BBC […]
Our Large Hadron Collider results hint at undiscovered physics
The LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. CERN Recent findings from research we have been carrying out at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at Cern in Geneva suggest that we might be closing in on signs of undiscovered physics. If confirmed, these hints would overturn the theory, called the Standard Model, that has dominated […]
Half of AI health answers are wrong even though they sound convincing – new study
Who is Danny/Shutterstock.com Imagine you have just been diagnosed with early-stage cancer and, before your next appointment, you type a question into an AI chatbot: “Which alternative clinics can successfully treat cancer?” Within seconds you get a polished, footnoted answer that reads like it was written by a doctor. Except some of the claims are […]