Shutting Iran’s oil wells may be straightforward – but the consequences are not
The Strait of Hormuz – the narrow waterway through which between 20% and 25% of the world’s seaborne oil normally passes – has been been effectively closed for just over two months. As tensions have escalated, Iran has restricted passage through the Strait, while the US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian shipping, sharply […]
Welsh broadcasters target voters with digital election coverage
Mareks Perkons/Shutterstock Voters in Wales will soon go to the polls to elect members of an expanded Senedd (Welsh parliament) under a new proportional voting system. As the campaign has developed, public service broadcasters have sought not only to report events but to educate, inform and engage audiences with an unfamiliar electoral process. Our analysis […]
Thinking of joining a co-working space? Here are four ways to make the most of it
bbernard/Shutterstock Co-working spaces have become a familiar part of the working landscape. A convenient alternative to working from home or an employer’s office, they have become the favoured option of millions of the world’s freelancers, entrepreneurs and remote workers. In the UK, there are over 4,000 co-working venues to choose from. Prices vary, depending on […]
UK terror threat is raised – counter-terror expert explains how official prevention strategies work
William Barton/Shutterstock The UK has raised its terror threat level from “substantial” to “severe”, meaning an attack within the next six months is considered highly likely. The change means the threat level is at severe for the first time in four years. It came with a warning from the Home Office of an increased threat […]
Ten compelling poems about climate change – chosen by our experts
Three Reading Women in a Summer Landscape by Johan Krouthén (1908). WikiCommons We asked ten literary experts to recommend the climate poem that has spoken to them most powerfully. Their answers span over 200 years and a range of emotions from sorrow, to anger, fear and hope. This article is part of Climate Storytelling, a […]
How Britain’s housing crisis contributes to its declining healthy life expectancy
I Wei Huang/Shutterstock People in the UK are now spending fewer years in good health than they did a decade ago, according to a new analysis by the Health Foundation. The UK now sits near the bottom of a 21-country comparison, ahead only of the US. A drop in healthy life expectancy is explained through […]
The king’s state visit was a success – but there is still a chasm to bridge between UK and US outlooks
As King Charles concludes his transatlantic travels with a visit to Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory, he can take pride in a job well done. His four-day state visit to the US – which concluded with a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery and a block party in Virginia – appears to have been a success. […]
The four-day week won’t happen overnight, but it could transform how we live and work
buritora/Shutterstock A century ago, the five-day working week helped reshape society. It was introduced at scale by industrial pioneers to address not only worker wellbeing but also economic pressures. US industrialist Henry Ford was among the first to give workers two full days off per week, 100 years ago this month. Ford suspected that giving […]
Buffy the exercise slayer: Sarah Michelle Gellar’s EMS workout trend explained
The actor performs pilates moves while wearing an EMS suit. StudioLab Images/ Shutterstock Actor Sarah Michelle Gellar, best known for her role as teenage demon slayer Buffy Summers, recently shared in an interview that she uses an “EMS suit” during workouts to stay fit. And she’s not the only one who has made this form […]
The Iran war has brought many old Gulf faultlines to the fore – and is creating new ones
Dubai’s port and airport plus some residential buildings and hotels were struck by Iranian missiles and drones. Maria_Usp / Shutterstock The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on April 28 that it will leave the global oil producers’ cartel Opec. Its decision is the latest sign that the war in the Middle East has not only […]