Heatwaves: five reasons why Victorian houses are cooler than modern buildings
Alex Segre/Shutterstock More than four million homes were built in the UK during the Victorian era. Victorian homes were constructed long before the complex computer models used today to design buildings were invented. Yet, these homes, built over 100 years ago, are cooler in summer than many built more recently. Here are some fundamental architectural […]
Think before you flush: expert advice on how and when to save water at home
BaLL LunLa/Shutterstock. Water unites everyone on the planet, and as well as keeping us alive, it has thousands of other uses, yet we undervalue it, take it for granted and often waste it. As many countries are now experiencing hot weather more frequently, our demand for water increases. Water companies need to act to reduce […]
Eight ways to sleep well in hot weather
antoniodiaz/Shutterstock When temperatures rise, sleep often suffers. Hot nights can make it harder to fall asleep, increase waking during the night and leave people feeling less rested the next day. One reason is thermoregulation, the body’s ability to keep its internal temperature within a safe range. Sleep is closely linked to body temperature: to fall […]
Andy Burnham is back at Westminster: what this says about Britain’s changing political system
Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield byelection doesn’t simply mark the return of one of Labour’s most recognisable figures to parliament. With his clear ambitions to lead his party – and the country – it may also represent a landmark moment in English devolution. His thumping win – taking 55% of the votes and more […]
Donald Trump’s Iran ceasefire deal prompts strong feelings and profane language
After dining lavishly on lobster, caviar and truffles in the opulent surrounds of the Palace of Versailles last night, Donald Trump affixed his signature to the much-anticipated memorandum of understanding that will, all being well, begin a 60-day ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran. The document was subsequently signed in Tehran by the Iranian […]
Macron plays ‘Trump whisperer’ as the US president signs Iran ceasefire deal after a successful G7 summit
For the French president, Emmanuel Macron, this year’s meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) in the spa town of Évian-les-Bains from June 15 to 17 had several pressing issues to address. As well as reaching a coordinated approach towards artificial intelligence, trade and conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, Macron needed to get […]
Iran ceasefire deal confirms what we’ve been saying for years: military might doesn’t work
What a disaster the war against Iran has been for Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran signed on June 17 has formally brought a halt to the devastating war. Yet, as the ink dries on the 14-point preliminary framework, the reality of the document stands […]
Donald Trump’s popularity is at an all-time low. History says that matters
In his first term of office Donald Trump achieved the lowest average job approval ratings (41%) among Americans since the end of the second world war. In his second term he has fallen well below that with an approval rating of only 35% in a recent Economist/YouGov poll. Much of this can be explained by […]
Claims of Dartmoor pony cull reignite row over how to save Britain’s moorlands
Steven F Granville/Shutterstock The UK government has issued a denial after mounting speculation that 90% of Dartmoor hill ponies were to be culled. Speculation started over confusion around current grazing policy. So why have these animals been dragged into a political storm? Britain’s semi-wild pony herds should otherwise be a conservation success story. As concern […]
Why more births now end in caesarean section
LittleDogKorat/Shutterstock Official NHS maternity statistics show that caesareans accounted for 45% of deliveries in English NHS hospitals in 2024-25. More recent monthly NHS maternity data reported that 27% of deliveries under NHS maternity services in January 2026 were emergency caesareans. But a recent BBC analysis noted that this increase has not been accompanied by similarly […]