
How religion helped the radical right take the lead in Romania’s now-cancelled election
The role and symbolic use of the Romanian Orthodox Church and religious rhetoric, in the recently cancelled Romanian election was significant. The radical-right candidate, Călin Georgescu, who won the first round,...

How to avoid some of the most common holiday health hazards this Christmas – from a practising GP
Its become a custom at our office Christmas party to do a team quiz, followed by a jolly round of The Twelve Days of Christmas. It typically ends in chaos. As a practising GP, I think its perhaps worthwhile doing a run...

Three possible futures for the global economy if Trump brings in new trade tariffs
The last time Donald Trump was US president, he entered trade wars with China and Europe. But despite his bravado and tariffs, the US trade deficit did not improve. In fact, it deteriorated from US$195 billion in the first...

Gavin and Stacey’s final episode: why it’s so hard for fans to say goodbye
The much-loved BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey is gearing up for its final episode on Christmas Day. The series, which initially aired between 2007 and 2010 on BBC3 and BBC1, has also been a popular fixture in the festive TV...

Even before COVID turned the world upside down, the World Health Organisation (WHO) identified reluctance to take vaccines as one of the ten biggest threats to global health. According to the WHO, vaccines prevent millions...

At Hanukkah, a celebration of eternal light − from the desert tabernacle to synagogues today
My earliest religious memory is of our synagogues Ner Tamid: the decorative electric lamp that hangs in every sanctuary, above the ark holding the Torah scrolls. This lamp, I learned from parents and teachers, was an...