Autism and ADHD: people need support before diagnosis, but getting one can change their lives
For some adults, receiving an autism or ADHD diagnosis can transform how they understand themselves, but finding appropriate mental health support can remain difficult. VH-studio/Shutterstock I hated myself so much…and now I love myself. I’m not perfect. But I’ve accepted myself now. That was how one person described the impact of receiving an autism and […]
What was going on with the dancing in Sense and Sensibility? A Regency expert explains
I’m not going to lie. When I saw Georgia Oakley’s new adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, I was swept away. The expansive pastoral landscapes and rocky seascapes are breathtaking. The pond scene at Norland House Park with its stately, if overgrown, stone steps and wild purple flowers was perfection. Each scene is a visual delight, […]
The Holborn and St Pancras byelection doesn’t answer the big questions about British politics – but it provides hints
Holborn and St Pancras is a very unusual constituency. While often referred to as being in “north London”, a significant chunk of it covers the west end, including parts of Covent Garden, Fitzrovia and all of Bloomsbury. It is also home to three of the UK’s largest mainline train stations, two of the three Inns […]
The gut-muscle link: why fermented foods could boost muscle health
Protein-rich fermented foods, such as kefir, cottage cheese and yoghurt, may be good for both the gut and the muscles. Mariya Surmacheva/ Shutterstock Gut health and muscle health are often thought of as separate concerns. The first brings to mind eating fibre and probiotics, while the other centres on, exercise and protein. But researchers are […]
Art imitates art in Barbara Kingsolver’s new book – what to read, see and watch this week
Barbara Kingsolver’s new book is a canny feat of art imitating art. Partita is about a pianist, Livia, looking back at her life and trying to understand what art means to her. It’s structured the same way the composition from which it takes its name is. A partita consists of a series of dance movements, […]
Jane Eyre: a Musical – an intimate Brontë adaptation that misses the novel’s darkness
Jane Eyre may describe herself as “plain, and little”, but how do you make a little musical about a literary heroine who looms so large? That question lies at the heart of Jane Eyre: a Musical, currently on at London’s Southwark Playhouse. Adapted by John Caird and Paul Gordon from Charlotte Brontë’s novel, the production […]
Mecca pact: Pakistan and Turkey have answered Saudi Arabia’s call for help – but don’t expect them to fight the Houthis
Within two months of it being signed, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan invoked the Mecca mutual defence pact in response to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebel forces. The three countries agreed on October 5 to activate what Saudi defence minister Khalid bin Salman called collective deterrence measures against the Houthis. Islamabad and Ankara have undertaken […]
When Burnham went to Berlin: Germany the key to future UK-EU relationship
Andy Burnham’s decision to choose Berlin for his first trip to an EU member state on October 8 will have delighted many in the German capital’s political circles. In our recent analysis of the UK-Germany relationship, we noted some disappointment among political figures in Berlin that it took Rishi Sunak 18 months to make a […]
Zack Polanski loses his byelection bid – and the Green party’s Zionism motion has outraged its closest allies in Europe
It has been a rollercoaster year for the Green Party of England and Wales. It’s little more than 12 months since the election of the charismatic Zack Polanski as party leader. And months later, the equally charismatic Hannah Spencer became the Greens’ fifth MP. But Polanski couldn’t repeat this win in Keir Starmer’s former constituency […]
England made organ donation the default, so why are fewer families saying yes?
True Touch Lifestyle/Shutterstock England changed its organ donation law in 2020. All eligible adults are now presumed willing to donate their organs after death unless they opt out. The change was intended to increase the supply of donated organs, but 8,746 people in the UK are still waiting for a transplant, and just 1,650 transplants […]