Almost a decade on from the Brexit vote, the verdict is clear. Britain’s immediate doomsday economic scenario might never have turned up. But after years of political paralysis – and with the eventual introduction of tougher trade barriers in 2020 – trade, investment and growth in living standards have all suffered. Just as it was … Read more
A deeper trading relationship with the EU would be the best way of growing Britain’s economy, which has an “uncomfortable” level of tax, Wes Streeting has said. The health secretary said it would not be possible for any partnership with the EU to “return to freedom of movement”, but his comments appeared to leave the … Read more
In Spain, two cities face the same crisis, but are responding in fundamentally different ways. Over the past decade, the cost of housing in Madrid and Barcelona has soared – with rents rising by about 60% and sale prices by 90% – leaving young people, working families and retired people struggling to stay in their … Read more
Around 70% of Labour, Lib Dem and Green voters think future PM should open talks on rejoining EU, poll suggests Wes Streeting, the health secretary, used an interview with the Observer published at the weekend to suggest that he favours joining a customs union with the EU. This is something that Keir Starmer has ruled … Read more
Fighting for ‘The Right to Night’ Under Starry, Rural Skies
Vladimir Putin’s marathon press conference on 19 December, an annual year-end event, offered no evidence that Russia may abandon the goals the president set for his “special military operation” against Ukraine in February 2022: conquering Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. True to form, Putin seemed unperturbed that nearly four years into the war his army … Read more
It’s a strange season to talk about forgiveness. While streets glow with fairy lights and shop windows promise that compassion is only a gift-box away, Germany is once again confronted with the unresolved wounds of its recent past. The trap of the season is this: believing that every gesture of regret must be met with … Read more
new video loaded: Engineer Is First Paraplegic Person in Space transcript Back transcript Engineer Is First Paraplegic Person in Space A paraplegic engineer from Germany became the first wheelchair user to rocket into space. The small craft that blasted her to the edge of space was operated by Jeff Bezos’ company Blue Origin. Capsule touchdown. … Read more
In a First, a Wheelchair User Joins a Short Flight to Space
What has it felt like to be alive in 2025? The basic answer probably touches on a few aspects of the 21st-century experience. One is the horror and conflict that seem to define the news almost every day. Another centres around the material pressures that increasingly grip supposedly peaceful countries: the never-ending cost of living … Read more