Benito Mussolini stepped out onto the Piazza del Campidoglio at 10:58 in the morning of April 7, 1926. He had just delivered a speech prepared for him by his lover, the Jewish writer Margherita Sarfatti. The speech had been a success, and Mussolini left satisfied, making his way through the cheering crowd. Suddenly, a woman […]
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 asleep […]
Australia’s widening generational gap of wealth and inequality could reach record levels within years, suggests recent research. This tension is playing out in national debates over the budget and the housing crisis, as well as provocative new books and films taking aim at baby boomers. But centuries ago, Anglo–Irish politician Edmund Burke painted a very […]
In New Zealand, ambulance crews treat about seven people a day who are in cardiac arrest, meaning their heart is no longer pumping blood to vital organs. Sadly, fewer than one in eight are likely to survive. But as our new study shows, more lives could be saved if community responders were equipped with portable […]
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 […]
On Sunday, voters in Colombia will choose their next president in a contest that could have implications far beyond the country’s borders. One of the leading candidates is Abelardo de la Espriella, a far-right celebrity lawyer who has been endorsed by US President Donald Trump and has pledged to take an “iron fist” approach to […]
Chloe Wilson’s hotly anticipated debut novel, The Thornbacks, is a beautifully wrought response to the peculiar, often cruel ways bodies accrue social and cultural value. This story of two unrelated “sisters”, brought together by the marriage of their parents, is playful, witty, astute and compelling – but while the sentences sting and delight in equal […]
The Australian government has agreed to invest almost $53 million in a north Tasmanian company that will upgrade its coal-fired kiln to burn wood “waste” and used tyres for cement manufacturing. The Federal Minister for Climate Change, Chris Bowen, says this initiative will help decarbonise the Australian economy. However, the science is clear: burning forest […]
A sports injury can feel like a single setback: a twisted ankle, a strained calf or a sore knee. But for many people, the real problem starts when they try to come back too soon – only to end up with a second injury. Secondary injuries happen for a simple reason. After an injury, the […]
In 1768, towards the end of the period of Swedish history known as Frihetstiden, the Age of Liberty, King Adolf Frederick threatened to abdicate unless an extraordinary session of the Riksdag, the Swedish parliament, was immediately convened. The immediate issue concerned a new financial plan, but the king hoped that the parliamentary session would also […]
