Explore news for you
No need for ‘newt motel’ as Boris Johnson gets permission to build swimming pool
B oris Johnson has won permission to build an outdoor swimming pool at his Oxfordshire country manor, after concerns were raised about the impact it could have on the local newt population. The former prime minister’s planning application has been met with a holding objection raising concerns that the localContinue Reading
Breathing through your nose when you exercise may make your runs easier
Nose breathing during intense exercise takes practice. Monkey Business Images/ Shutterstock Breathing is subconscious. We don’t have to think about it – it just happens. But when we exercise, many of us become more aware of it than we normally are – sometimes thinking about every breath we take. DuringContinue Reading
Does AI have a right to free speech? Only if it supports our right to free thought
ArtemisDiana / Shutterstock The world has witnessed breathtaking advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI), with ChatGPT being one of the best known examples. To prevent harm and misuse of the technology, politicians are now considering regulating AI. Yet they face an overlooked barrier: AI may have a right to freeContinue Reading
Controversial huge new oil and gas field Rosebank given green light
A controversial huge new oil and gas field was given the green light on Wednesday. The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) said development and production consent has been granted for Rosebank, which lies off the coast of Scotland. It follows the acceptance of the Environmental Statement by Equinor and IthacaContinue Reading
Sir Elton John ‘very concerned’ over Braverman’s comments about LGBT refugees
S ir Elton John has criticised Home Secretary Suella Braverman over her suggestion that it is unsustainable for the UK to offer asylum to gay people who face discrimination in their home countries. The singer said the Home Secretary risked “further legitimising hate and violence” against LGBT+ people after sheContinue Reading
Bjork, Wet Leg and Raye among winners at Association of Independent Music Awards
I celandic musician Bjork, British indie rock outfit Wet Leg and English singer-songwriter Raye are among the music artists to have won at the Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards 2023. Bjork, 57, who performed at Coachella Festival in California this year in a set that included hundreds of drones,Continue Reading
Davey makes pledge on legal rights for cancer patients in keynote speech
S ir Ed Davey has called for a new legal right for cancer patients to start treatment within two months of an urgent referral, using a keynote speech to underline the Liberal Democrats’ focus on health. The party has said enshrining the commitment in law would make ministers more accountableContinue Reading
Water companies to pay out £114m for missing performance targets
W ater companies will pay out £114 million to bill-payers after failing to meet key targets on reducing pollution, leakage and supply interruptions while customer satisfaction continues to fall, Ofwat has said. Not one company achieved the regulator’s top category of “leading” while Dwr Cymru, Southern, Thames, Anglian, Bristol, SouthContinue Reading
Glue ear: there’s a better alternative to grommet surgery
Mama Belle and the kids/Shutterstock Glitches in our evolutionary development mean that 80% of four-year-olds get glue ear, a temporary loss of hearing. Many have costly and unnecessary surgery despite there being excellent non-surgical alternatives. Glue ear or secretory otitis media, to give it its medical name, is caused byContinue Reading
The UK just passed an online safety law that could make people less safe
Tero Vesalainen / Shutterstock The UK’s long-debated online safety bill (OSB) has been approved by the House of Lords, clearing the way for it to become law. But it has pitted the government, which proposed the bill, against tech companies that provide secure messaging services. Critics say it will allowContinue Reading