The future of clubbing in the UK is under serious threat, as new data reveals an alarming rate of nightclub closures. According to recent figures from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), 2024 has already seen an average of five nightclubs closing each week—67 venues in just the first four months. This marks a dramatic… Continue reading UK nightclubs facing extinction: the fight to save cubbing culture
Oscar Wilde’s satirical wit and critique of late Victorian society are well-known, but what is often overlooked is his vision of a radically different, more just society—one that he not only believed was possible but also worth striving for. In his political essay The Soul of Man Under Socialism, Wilde laid out his political ideals,… Continue reading Oscar Wilde’s vision of a better world
An AI-powered “brain decoder” can now read your thoughts with surprising accuracy. Scientists from the University of Texas at Austin have achieved a groundbreaking feat: translating people’s brain activity, including their unspoken thoughts, into actual speech. This development, detailed in a study published in Nature, marks a significant advancement in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. Traditionally,… Continue reading Mind-reading technology has arrived
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight will write the script for the next James Bond film, Amazon MGM Studios has announced. It marks the latest step in a major overhaul of the iconic British spy franchise, following Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson handing over creative control to Amazon as part of a lucrative deal. Knight… Continue reading Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight to write next James Bond film
In an unexpected turn of events, BBC’s University Challenge has found its way into the music scene, with its new presenter Amol Rajan becoming an unwitting icon for DJs and music producers. During an episode of the quiz show, Rajan, known for his journalistic prowess, sparked a viral sensation after he made a comment about… Continue reading “Can’t except drum and bass, we need jungle I’m afraid” – how University Challenge went viral on the rave scene
‘New UK chief inspector of constabulary, Andy Cooke, has also reportedly suggested that police should use “discretion” over whether to charge those who steal so they can eat.‘ If you ask someone whether it’s okay to steal, chances are most people would say no. This absolutist approach – stealing is wrong, no matter what –… Continue reading Is it wrong to steal from large corporations? A philosopher debates the ethics
Prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition disapproves of LGBTQ+ couples raising children together and says the country’s laws do not allow children to have two mothers. Without warning, Michela Leidi was officially cancelled as the mother of her daughter on the infant’s birth certificate in January. ‘I cried for ten days when I opened the letter, it… Continue reading The children of LGBTQ+ parents are being stripped of their birth certificates in Italy
Labour’s shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has said that a Labour government would not raises taxes on wealth, capital gains or higher incomes. She does not, she said, see “the way to prosperity as being through taxation.” Britain is asset rich. National wealth – a mix of property, business, financial and state assets – stands at… Continue reading Poverty in Britain is firmly linked to the country’s mountain of private wealth – Labour must address this growing inequality
In the age of digital assistants, chatbots, and generative AI, we’ve all had the occasional encounter with a machine that seems almost human—until it inevitably messes up your grocery list or misinterprets your sarcasm. But here’s a question you might not have considered: should we treat these non-sentient entities with the same manners we use… Continue reading Should you say please and thank you to AI?
From Nazi Germany to the Pinochet regime in Chile, the burning of books has been a potent symbol of authoritarian control, cultural repression, and the systematic elimination of dissent. While the act of burning books might seem extreme, it is a deliberate and strategic move by fascist regimes to consolidate power and eliminate any threats… Continue reading Why fascists burn books: a history of censorship and control
