I used to use Twitter and Facebook to post items of news that interest me (incuding ones that I disagree with), but since the proposed purchase of Twitter by Elon Musk in April 2022 (effected in October 2022) I have decided to reduce my use of these social media platforms (especially Twitter – I refuse to call it by another name “…”), and instead use this page to keep a chronological record of some of the news items that strike me as interesting so that I can refer back to them in the future (commencing at the end of April 2022). For material relating to the interface between digital tech and the environment, please also see DESC’s stories page (material posted there is usually not duplicated here).

Chelsea star Sam Kerr cleared of racial harassment, BBC News, 12 February 2025

UK and US refuse to sign international AI declaration, BBC News, 11 February 2025.

How flawed data is leaving the UK in the dark, Financial Times, 7 February 2025.

Mystery of Richard Balfour-Lynn, the bankrupt ‘face of English fizz’, in The Times, 7 February 2025.

Anglesey nuclear plant could have undermined Welsh culture, inspectors found, Jim Pickard in Financial Times, 7 February 2025

Social media for children ‘like cancer risk of smoking, The Times, 5 February 2025.

Bill Gates has given away billions, but ‘still has more to give’, BBC News, 3 February 2025

How can we protect our undersea cables from sabotage?, The Times, 1 February 2025.

Labour’s border bill will ban migrants from claiming slavery protections, The Times, 29 January 2025.

Vatican warns of AI evils, from deepfakes to ‘enslavement’, The Times, 28 January 2025.

Rachel Reeves hints at scrapping regulators in drive for growth, in The Times, 22 January 2025.

Donald Trump announces up to $500bn for Stargate AI project, The Times, 22 January 2025.

Who’s who in Trump’s tech bro club, The Times, 22 January 2025.

Yes, Minister character is government’s new AI assistant, BBC News, 21 January 2025.

Colonial Britain drained India of $64.82 trillion, report claims, Amrit Dhillon in The Times, 20 January 2025

Rule by lawyers is behind Chagos giveaway, Juliet Samuel in The Times, 15/1/2025

Italy lifts ban on naming of alcohol-free wines, Philip Willan in The Times, 6 January 2025.

Jonathan Haidt: How we can save our children from smartphones, in The Times, 4 January 2024.

British Airways’ loyalty changes are the end of middle-class flight perks, Cathy Adams in The Times, 4 January 2025

Why ‘AI slop’ is taking over the internet — and how to spot it, Matilda Davies in The Times, 3 January 2025
The dangers of fitness trackers — and when to stop using yours, The Times, 3 January 2025

Pope criticises abortion and assisted dying in new year message, The Times, 1 January 2025.

Compensation for cancelled and delayed flights: everything you need to know, The Times, 30 December 2024

Food security is perilous: let’s grow our own, Libby Purves in The Times, 30 December 2024

‘It’s still in shambles’: Can Boeing come back from crisis?, Theo Leggett in BBC News, 28 December 2024.

Labour shelves rescue plan for globally rare chalk streams, Adam Vaughan in The Times, 27 December 2024.

At last, a piquant glimpse into spice stores of Roman emperors, The Times, 18 December 2024

Griff Rhys Jones: ‘It’s depressing Keir Starmer is so ill-informed about heritage’, The Times, 17 December 2024

Planning reforms will end development chaos, says Rayner, BBC News, 8 December 2024

Digital ID for pubs and clubs in (half) victory for Tony Blair, The Sunday Times, 8 December 2024

I’m a university tutor: some of my students can’t speak English, The Times, 5 December 2024

One in five shop purchases now made in cash, BBC News, 5 December 2024.

Free speech now more limited, say self-censoring academics, The Times, 5 December 2024

University degree ‘no silver bullet’ for a successful life, The Times, 5 December 2024

Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg seeks ‘active role’ in Donald Trump’s tech policies, Financial Times, 3 December 2024

The vegan staples that are bad for the planet, The Times, 2 December 2024

Rachel Reeves and the five claims about her fiddling CV, Tom Witherow, Tom Ball and John Boothman in The Times, 22 November 2024

Failed beach party left boss of Saudi Neom project high and dry, Samer Al-Atrush, in The Times, 22 November 2024

Jailbreak fears as prison maps are leaked on the dark web, The Times, 22 November 2024.

‘You are under digital arrest’: Inside a scam looting millions from Indians, BBC News, 18 November 2024.

Eva Longoria says her family no longer lives in ‘dystopian’ US, BBC News, 15 November 2024.

Reeves in radical pension shake-up to boost growth, BBC News, 14 November 2024.

Chinese army unveils robot wolf, the new leader of the AI pack, The Times, 12 November, 2024.

Saudi Arabia’s Neom boss sacked following budget concerns,
Samer Alatrush in The Times, 12 November 2024.

Keir Starmer tells COP29 there will be new ‘ambitious’ climate target for UK, BBC News, 12 November 2024

Pay restraint urged as vice-chancellor salaries top £400,000, Nicola Woolcock, Anna Dowell, and Yennah Smart in The Times, 11 November 2024

GPs and care homes fear impact of National Insurance rise, BBC News, 1 November 2024

US Space Force warns of ‘mind-boggling’ build-up of Chinese capabilities, Financial Times, 1 November 2024.

TikTok founder becomes China’s richest man, BBC News, 29 October 2024

The nation’s birthrate has plummeted. How did we get here?, James Beal in The Times, 28 October 2024.
See also BBC coverage at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnvj3j27nmro

UK benefits bill: Half of claims will be for sickness by 2029, The Times, 31 October 2024

Guterres and his United Nations have lost the plot, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon in The Times, 22 October 2024.

Meghan’s ‘crap’ projects led Harry astray, says ex-Vanity Fair editor, Harriet Alexander in The Times, 22 October 2024.

How does WhatsApp make money? It’s free – with some tricks, BBC News, 17 October 2024

Fake vintage wine gang busted in France and Italy, police say, Hugh Schofield, BBC News, 15 October 2024.

UK productivity is ‘dire’ as it falls far behind EU and US, Patrick Hosking in The Times, 10 October 2024

Sweden urges parents to ban screen time for toddlers, Alex Maxia, in The Times, 9 October 2024

The debate: Should smartphones be banned for under 16s?, BBC News, 29 September 2024

France’s Mr Africa spills the beans on secret cash, Hugh Schofield in BBC News, 29 September 2024

Labour warned its crackdown on non-doms will fail, The Times, 26 September 2024

Growth is great, but what’s the actual plan?, Jenni Russell in The Times, 25 September 2024

Hoping I am not the only one who finds this objectification of women on Visit Saudi’s Facebook account today deeply problematic https://www.facebook.com/VisitSaudi, 24 September 2024. See other relvant iomagery at https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/campaigns/this-land-is-calling

The crypto bros who dream of crowdfunding a new country, by Gabriel Gatehouse, BBC News, 20 September 2024.

Hema committee report: Why are India’s biggest film stars silent?, BBC News, 20 September 2024

Cost of charging puts the brakes on Britain’s electric car switch, The Times, 20 September 2024

Right to offend is essential to being British, Trevor Phillips in The Times, 20 September 2024.

Quarter of pupils with three Ds at A-level get first-class degrees, Nicola Woolcock and George Willoughby in The Times, 19 September 2024.

Five Ways the World Bank Group Will Achieve “Mission 300”, World Bank Group, 19 September 2024.

Call time on the pint? Smaller beer glasses ‘better for us’, Rhys Blakely in The Times, 18 September 2024.

Left-wing groupthink is strangling universities, so count me out, Matt Goodwin in The Sunday Times, 15 September 2024.

Michael Palin: ‘I don’t worry about death. It will happen soon’, Janice Turner in The Times, 13 September 2024

Controversial census claim of 262,000 trans people downgraded, The Times, 12 September 2024.

We’ve got good degrees — but we can’t find good jobs, Roisin Kelly in The Times, 7 September 2024

Ed Miliband backs solar farm scheme to power 180,000 homes, Adam Vaughan in The Times, 6 September 2024.

Great British Energy under fire for ‘false promises’ on savings, Emma Powell in The Times, 5 September 2024

Sweden shows a way forward on migration, Roger Boyes in The Times, 4 September 2024

Extremist settlers rapidly seizing West Bank land, BBC News, 3 September 2024.

Will more stars boycott Dubai after rapper Macklemore?, George Sandeman in BBC News, 2 September 2024

Great British Energy and plans for a wind of change, The Times, 2 September 2024.

Telegram: ‘The dark web in your pocket‘, BBC News, 31 August 2024

Afghan women erased by the Taliban as the international community looks on, France24, 31 August 2024.

Musk’s X banned in Brazil after disinformation row, Sofia Ferreira Santos in BBC News, 30 August 2024.

How dangerous are smartphones for children — and should we ban them?, The Times, 30 August 2024.

Labour gives the green light to new 20mph zones, Oliver Wright in The Times, 21 August 2024.

Rampant harassment and no toilets: Report exposes Kerala film industry, Geeta Pandey, Meryl Sebastian and Imran Qureshi, BBC News, 24 August 2024

UK universities failing to capitalise on world-class research, Oliver Wright in The Times, 20 August 2024.

We can’t let EU’s anti-AI rules drag us down too: Hastily drafted in response to ChatGPT, these curbs will stunt tech in its infancy — and have a harmful effect here, Rohan Silva in The Times, 19 August 2024 [I disagree with much of this]

Top-grade unis soak up students, Ucas data shows, BBC News, 19 August 2024.

‘Little bitch’: the shocking reality of teaching teenage boys, The Times, 14 August 2024.

Development tsunami looms in Surrey – campaigners, BBC News, 14 August 2024

Melbourne bans rental e-scooters over ‘lawless’ riders, The Times, 14 August 2024.

Phoenician lime for Phoenician wine: Iron Age plaster from a wine press at Tell el-Burak, Lebanon, Antiquity, 94 (377), 2020

University crisis looms as teenagers say no to degrees, Sian Griffiths, in The Times, 3 August 2024.

Angela Rayner doesn’t know what a ‘beautiful’ building is. Has she seen Siena?, Clive Asley in The Times, 1 August 2024

Lowering behaviour standards will hurt disadvantaged children, head teacher warns, in The Times, 22 July 2024

Universities face cash ‘catastrophe’ with threat of mergers and course cuts, Sian Griffiths and Caroline Wheeler in The Sunday Times, 21 July 2o24

Global IT outage shows dangers of cashless society, campaigners say, The Guardian, 20 July 2024.

Only 400 more births than deaths last year, James Beal, in The Times, 15 July 2024.

More money and staff – so why isn’t the NHS more productive?, Nick Triggle, BBC News, 14 July 2024

The great claret collapse: Even Bordeaux’s big guns are firing blanks, Adam Sage, in The Times, 14 July 2024

The great claret collapse: Bordeaux’s big guns are firing blanks, Adam Sage, in The Times, 14 July 2024.

I know cannabis isn’t safe: it made me stab my friend to death, Megan Agnew, in The Times, 13 July 2024.

Ed Miliband scraps de facto ban on onshore wind farms, Adam Vaughan and Chris Smyth in The Times, 8 July 2024

Boeing to plead guilty to criminal fraud charge, BBC News, 8 July 2024 – can’t help but feel that this fine is far too low. It is time Boeing was replaced.

Church of England fears parish backlash over £100m slavery fund, Kaya Burgess in The Times, 5 July 2024

New clue in history of Canary Islands shows Romans got there first, Isambard Wilkinson, in The Times, 2 July 2024

A 12,000-year-old ‘fire curse’ may be world’s oldest human tradition, Rhys Blakely, in The Times, 2 July 2024.

Traditional Latin Mass is a jewel that must be treasured, James Macmillan in The Times, 2 July 2024

Amateur brewer recreates world’s oldest beer — with an ancient recipe, Rhys Blakely, in The Times, 29 June 2024

Five new grape varieties that could save Bordeaux vineyards, David Chazan in The Times, 19 June 2024

World’s oldest wine discovered in burial urn in Spain, The Times, 18 June 2024.

NHS cyberattack: Ex-security chief blames Russian hackers, Mark Sellman in The Times, 5 June 2024

Microsoft’s ‘security nightmare’ AI records everything you look at, by Mark Sellman in The Times, 22 May 2024.

BBC Breaking News: Ireland, Norway and Spain to recognise Palestinian State, BBC News, 22 May 2024: This is about peace, justice, and consistency – Spanish PM

Water firms ask for bill rises of between 24% and 91%, Simon Jack & Oliver Smith, BBC News, 21 May 2024.

Why was my face stolen for a dating profile?, Mandy Appleyard in The Times, 21 May 2024

How should countries deal with falling birth rates?, Jonty Bloom, BBC News, 20 May 2024

Universities must make drastic changes to avoid closure, watchdog warns, Nicola Woolcock in The Times, 16 May 2024.

Discovery of lost branch of Nile may solve mystery of Pyramids, Rhys Blakely, in The Times, 16 May 2024

Study claiming women hunted as much as men was agenda-driven, says scientist, Rhys Blakely in The Times, 15 May 2024

Judi Dench: Trigger warnings? Don’t see a show if you’re that sensitive, Alex Farber, in The Times, 14 May 2024.

Lib Dems deselected candidate ‘because he is a Christian’, The Times, 13 May 2024

‘Common sense’ minister to scrap civil service equality jobs, Aubrey Allegretti in The Times, 12 May 2024

Internet outage felt across East Africa, Damian Zane, BBC News, 12 May 2024

How much does uni in the UK cost, and will I earn more if I go?, BBC News, 6 May 2024

Pay attention: Britain did not get rich from slavery, Rod Liddle in the Sunday Times, 5 May 2024.

Taxpayers fund £475-a-day specialist to ‘decolonise’ Hadrian’s Wall, James Beal in the Sunday Times, 5 May 2024

Beijing tightens grip on China social media giants, BBC News, 1 May 2024

Imperial Measurement: A Cost–Benefit Analysis of Western Colonialism, by Kristian Niemietz,

Kemi Badenoch insists slavery had ‘minor role’ in Britain’s wealth, Chris Smyth in The Times, 1 May 2024

Michaela School: Muslim student loses prayer ban challenge, The Times, 16 April 2024

‘I’d be depressed if I couldn’t have my phone’, Tai Troche in The Times, 11 April 2024

WhatsApp ‘puts profits first’ as it cuts minimum age limit to 13, The Times, 11 April 2024

Rise in school sexism down to phones, says union, BBC News, 5 April 2024

AI lets dead leaders hit the campaign trail in India’s election, Amrit Dhillon inThe Times, 5 April 2024

China will continue to harass us’: The Filipino fishermen battling Beijing, The Times, 5 April 2024

Protests force Erdogan U-turn over attempt to impose mayor on Kurds, The Times, 3 April 2024

Can this man get Gen Z (and the rest of us) off their phones? by Decca Aitkenhead in The Times, 30 March 2024

Is the Temu £50 cash reward real? Alarm over Chinese app’s data grab, Mark Sellman in The Times, 29 March 2024

Arvind Kejriwal: India opposition leader to remain in jail in corruption case, BBC News, 28 March 2024

Soaring burgundy prices could fall thanks to bumper harvest, Adam Sage in The Times, 26 March 2024

How do smart meters work and how do I know if mine is broken?, BBC News, 26 March 2024

Universities have forgotten their true purpose, Joanna Williams in The Times, 26 March 2024 – as some of us have been arguing for years, universities are now businesses above all else!

General Assembly adopts landmark resolution on artificial intelligence, UN, 21 March 2024 – cannot help but comment that AI will serve the interests of the world’s rich and powerful more than it will the poorest and most marginalised. It will enhance digital enslavement rather than freedom.

Rise of the strongmen pushes global democracy to 20-year low, David Crossland and Lottie Hayton in The Times, 19 March 2024

Every scary thing Meta knows about me — and you, by Matilda Davies in The Sunday Times, 17 March 2023

Lord Sewell: Church slavery fund is just for show, in The Times, 16 March 2024

Generation Z poses a challenge for vintage connoisseurs, by Caroline Bullock, in The Times, 12 March 2024

Do I really need to give travelling staff a burner phone?, by Shaun Reardon in The Times, 12 March 2024

The Portuguese village that helped to bring down a PM: A British firm’s attempt to mine lithium ignited a backlash that led to Sunday’s general election, Christina Lamb in The Times, 9 March 2024

School mobile phones ban: teachers given new powers, The Times, 19 February 2024

Forget Tinder — welcome to the bizarre world of virtual girlfriends, SIân Boyle in The Sunday Times, 18 February 2024

AI mania is cooling as Silicon Valley plays the long game, Kathryn Parsons in The Sunday Times, 18 February 2024

Canterbury disco: ‘Parties can get more people to visit church’, BBC News, 14 February 2024

Meritocracy would mean almost no black Harvard professors, says academic, Nicola Woolcock in The Times, 10 February 2024

Have we lost faith in technology?, Zoe Kleinman, BBC News, 9 February 2024

Elon Musk says Neuralink implanted wireless brain chip, BBC News, 30 January 2024

Disposable vapes to be banned for children’s health, government says, BBC News, 29 January 2024

Cash for courses: top universities recruit foreign students on low grades, The Times, 27 January 2024

At what age should my child get a phone? A parent’s guide, Antonia Hoyle in The Times, 19 January 2024

China to increase curbs on video gaming industry, BBC News, 22 December 2023

The bus took 11 minutes before LTNs — now it takes 45, Andrew Ellson in The Times, 10 December 2023

Why’s the #MeToo crowd silent on Hamas rape?, Janice Turner in The Times, 4 December 2023

CO2 emissions by Hannah Ritche and Max Roser, Our World in Data, regularly updated.

Tyrian purple: The lost ancient pigment that was more valuable than gold, BBC Future, by Zaria Gorvett, 24th November 2023

Inside Hungary’s fight for its borders against Afghan warlords, Bruno Waterfield in The Times, 17 November 2023

It’s Official: Cars Are the Worst Product Category We Have Ever Reviewed for Privacy, Mozilla, 6 September 2023

China detains DouYu founder, investment guru – reports, BBC News, 7 November 2023

The app that promised an NHS ‘revolution’ then went down in flames, Danny Fortson and Shaun Lintern in The Times, 28 October 223.

China passes new law to promote ‘love of motherland’ in schools, Richard Lloyd Parry in The Times, 26 October 2023

Facebook and Instagram ‘ensnared’ teenagers, says US lawsuit, The Times, 25 October 2023

Humanity’s power over nature threatens planet, says Pope at synod, Tom Kington in The Times, 4 October 2023

Rules of engagement issued to hacktivists after chaos, BBC News, 4 October 2023

Bills set to soar as water , companies seek record £96bn spending, Financial Times, 2 October 2023.

My books have been used to train AI bots — and I’m furious, Sathnam Sanghera in The Times, 29 September 2023

Law protects opposition to critical race theory, judge rules, Matt Dathan, The Times, 29 September 2023

Early humans were ‘just as violent as today’, Tom Whipple in The Times, 21 September 2023

Musk start-up Neuralink seeks people for brain-implant trial, BBC News, 20 September 2023

TikTok fined €345m over children’s data privacy, BBC News, 15 September 2023

Marks & Spencer scraps plastic for paper bags, BBC News, 15 September 2023

Taiwan fury as Elon Musk raises China’s claim to island, Richard Spencer in The Times, 14 September 2023.

To resurrect the church, try the gospel truth, A.N. Wilson in The Times, 13 September 2023.

G20: How Russia and West agreed on Ukraine language, BBC News, 11 September 2023

Ulez: 510 camera-related crimes in five months, says Met Police, BBC News, 8 September 2023

UK public among least likely to place importance on work, King’s College London, 7 September 2023

Mayor uncorks plan to boost Bordeaux, Charles Bremner in The Times, 7 September 2023

James Cleverly visits Beijing as MPs criticise China strategy, BBC News, 30 August 2023

Where have all the millionaires gone? Paris, bien sur. Here’s why, Adam Sage in The Times, 29 August 2023.

Google tests watermark to identify AI images, BBC News, 29 August 2023.

Universities switch to three-day week so students can get jobs, Mario Ledwith in The Times, 28 August 2023

Pakistan: more than 100 arrested after churches burned, BBC News, 17 August 2023.

Cash crusaders trying to save money — one pint at a time, Lily Russell-Jones in The Sunday Times, 13 August 2023.

Probate explained: what to do with a house after the death of a loved one, The Sunday Times, 13 August 2023.

UK schools cut classic books in antiracism drive, James Beal in The Times, 11 August 2023.

Morten Morland, Times Cartoon, The Times, 8 August 2023

Vegan diet massively cuts environmental damage, study shows, Damian Carrington in The Guardian, 20 July 2023.

So very sad to hear of Harold’s death – he was someone very special – thoughtful, kind, intelligent and with a great sense of humour – Harold Elletson obituary, The Times, 30 June 2023.

Meghan ‘had to learn how to be black’ after joining royals, says Trevor Phillips, Laurence Sleator in The Times, 28 June 2023

Harry believes he has a brain and something meaningful to say. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, Petronella Wyatt in The Daily Telegraph, 8 June 2023.

Neuralink: Elon Musk’s brain chip firm says US approval won for human study, BBC NEWS, 26 May 2023.

Virgin Orbit: Branson’s rocket dream ends after mission failure, BBC News, 25 May 2023

France’s attractions tell the tourist hordes: We’re full, Charles Bremner, in The Times, 24 May 2023.

Stone Age hunters ‘carved out architectural plans’ for huge traps, Tim Whipple in The Times, 18 May 2023.

Why 9000BC proved to be a vintage year for wine, Kaya Burgess in The Times, 18 May 2023.

The grieving families trapped in probate limbo, Lucy Alderson in The Sunday Times, 14 May 2023

Weaponising population growth is a dangerous and regressive road, Camilla Cavendish in Financial Times, 22 April 2023

‘Population anxiety’ fuelling harmful fertility policies, says UN, Federica Cocco in Financial Times, 19 April 2023.

Hard-pressed Bordeaux winemakers turn to olives, Adam Sage in The Times, 18 April 2023

Ikea cuts ties with security services supplier over labour policy breach, Financial Times, 17 April 2023

New smart motorway plans being scrapped, The Times, 17 April 2023.

Loudmouth minorities are ruling the roost, Trevor Phillips in The Times, 11 April 2023

Fact check: How can I spot AI-generated images?, Deutsche Welle, 9 April 2023

Biden’s America is sidelined in China’s New World Order, Irwin Stelzer in The Sunday Times, 2 April 2023

Dars: BBC education show in Afghanistan helps children banned from school, BBC News, 1 April 2023.

Italians hail US teacher forced out for showing pupils David, Phillip Willan in The Sunday Times, 26 March 2023

NHS tells hospitals to share medical records with US spy-tech company, The Times, 17 March 2023.

UK aid to India does little for human rights and democracy, watchdog finds, The Guardian, 14 March 2023

Silicon Valley Bank: Rising interest rates will uncover more ticking bombs, BBC News, 12 March 2023.

Documenting the horror of mass rape in Ukraine, France24, 10 March 2023

Bao Fan: Why do Chinese billionaires keep vanishing?, BBC News, 9 March 2023

Police warn children of Snapchat ads luring them into selling drugs, George Styllis in The Times, 9 March 2023

Twitter insiders: We can’t protect users from trolling under Musk, BBC News, 7 March 2023

French parents who exploit children for online fame face prosecution, The Times, 6 March 2023.


Nearly half of UK TV viewers say ethnic minorities over-represented, Andrew Ellson in The Times, 28 February 2023.

Diabolical HMRC service hurts economy – accountants, BBC News, 11 February 2023

Gay blessings ‘out of step with Bible’, says former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, Kaya Burgess in The Times, 11 February 2023

Watchdog warns rules not keeping up with surveillance tech, BBC News, 10 February 2023

Harry and Meghan could be questioned in Samantha Markle defamation case, BBC News, 8 February 2023.

Google launches ChatGPT rival called Bard, BBC News, 6 February 2024.

Devout Christian claims son, 4, was forced to go to LGBT Pride parade, Keith Perry in The Times, 1st February 2023

Retired vicar banned over ‘virulently antisemitic’ posts, BBC News, 30 January 2023. This says much about the leadership of the Church of England.

Super-rich falling out of love with Britain, Tom Howard in The Times, 20 January 2023.

Ethnic segregation in England and Wales at all-time low – study, by Ashitha Nagesh, BBC News, 17 Januarty 2023.

China’s population falls for first time since 1961, by Kelly Ng in BBC News, 17 January 2023.

The world’s torrid future is etched in the crippled kidneys of Nepali workers, Gerry Shih in The Washongton Post, 6 January 2023

Why the godfather of human rights is unwelcome at Harvard, The Nation, January 23/30 2023.

Inside the $3bn mission to reverse signs of ageing, The Times, 31 December 2022

Public support for stripping Harry of royal title after Netflix film, James Beal in The Times, 31 December 2022

Alfred, Lord Tennyson is offensive, students told, The Times, 29 December 2022

Electricity exports to Europe soar as wind and solar power increase, The Times, 29 December 2022

A 99th birthday facelift, including a new font named after its founder, cost the BBC £7 million, it has emerged, Business Matters, 28 December 2022.

Only a third of Leave voters think Brexit has been a success, poll finds, Oliver Wright in The Times, 24 December 2022

Trouble in Bethlehem: why Christians are leaving the Holy Land, Julia Llewellyn Smith in The Times, 24 December 2022.

Meta settles Cambridge Analytica scandal case for $725m, BBC News, 23 December 2022

Stanford University to erase phrases ‘causing harm’, Will Pavia in The Times, 21 December 2022

Harry and Meghan didn’t lead me into Netflix film, says Jacinda Ardern, Valentine Low in The Times, 20 December 2022.

UK schools must teach about antisemitism, says government adviser, BBC News, 19 December 2022.

Harry and Meghan want a royal summit — and an apology, The Sunday Times, 18 December 2022. Have to admit to finding this extraordinary – who do they think they are? Surely it should be H&M who should apologise and beg for a reconciliation – but they really don’t seem to get it: nobodies wanting to be somebodies – and selfishly milking their past to generate income for the future at the expense of others. What hypocrisy!

Palace must reject Harry and Meghan ‘lies’, says former aide, Valentine Low and Keiran Southern in The Times, 8 December 2022

Elon Musk rejects concerns over beds at Twitter HQ, BBC News, 7 December 2022

China abandons key parts of zero-Covid strategy after protests, BBC News, 7 December 2022.

Onshore wind rules to be relaxed after Tory revolt, BBC News, 6 December 2022

Elon Musk’s firm Neuralink investigated over animal tests, by Joshua Thurston in The Times, 6 December 2022

China’s digital Stasi sees all from cyberspace, The Sunday Times, 4 December 2022

Rod Liddle’s comments on Lady Susan Hussey and Conor Burns in The Sunday Times, 4 December 2022

San Francisco to allow police ‘killer robots’, BBC News, 1 December 2022 – it may be inevitable, but cannot be “right”.

Social media firms told to protect young or pay price, The Times, 29 November 2022

Solar farm is an obstacle to hopes of Olympic gold for Charlotte Dujardin, The Times, 29 November 2022

Facebook: Meta fined €265 m by Irish Data Protection Commission, BBC News, 28 November 2022

Graph of recent Bank of England interest rates – a reminder that during my mortgage the Bank’s interest rates were almost always over 4% and reached 14.88% in 1989 (the actual mortgage rates were of course higher than the Bank rates, reaching an average of 15.25% in 1990, although faling to single digits in 1992).

Crypto collapse is a familiar tale of the big lie, David Aaronovitch in The Times, 16 November 2022

Universities told to ‘decolonise’ maths courses, George Sandeman in The Times, 16 November 2022

UK-Swiss science deal as both barred from EU scheme, 10 November 2022

Leaders of charity backed by Meghan were paid £2m, Ben Ellery in The Times, 10 October 2022.

Netflix pushes back on ‘panicked’ Prince Harry, Meghan Markle over doc edits, by Sara Nathan, Page Six (New York Post), 4 October 2022

Elon Musk X: What life is like on a super-app in Asia, BBC News, 6 September 2022

UK’s Truss joins big European club seeking ‘new order without Russia’, BBC News, 6 September 2022

The Molly Russell inquest verdict damns Silicon Valley. There can be no more excuses, by Peter Wanless and Beeban Kidron in The Guardian, 30 September 2022. See also the BBC’s Molly Russell inquest: Father makes social media plea.

The race to be England’s biggest wine producer is hotting up, by Jancis Robinson in The Financial Times, 1 October 2022

Study contradicts Rees-Mogg over hydrogen for heating, BBC News, 28 September 2022

Labour conference: Starmer ambition to get off fossil fuels by 2030, BBC News, 25 September 2022

Harry, Meghan and the palace insiders who saw what really happened, Valentine Low in The Times, 23 September 2022; see also Harry ‘turned down dinner with father after Meghan was banned’, The Times, 23 September 2022, and Harry, Meghan and the Sussex Survivors’ Club: ‘We were played’, The Times, 24 September 2022

Why the hate for Meghan during mourning period, asks America?, Will Pavia in The Times, 19 September 2022 – this very much shows the difference between USAn and UK cultures. Dislike of Meghan in the UK is actually rather little to do with racism or royal couplings, and much more to do with her arrogance, selfishness and hypocrisy – but such “individualism” lies at the heart of what is seen as success by many in the USA.

Joe Biden sits at back of Queen’s funeral as realms with British monarch take priority, Catherine Philp in The Times, 19 September 2022

Meghan asks Variety to postpone front cover out of respect for Queen, Charlotte Wace in The Times, 16 September 2022 – although according to this article there seems to be some doubt whether she really did ask, or whether Variety made the decision on its own.

Uber investigating hack on its computer systems, Shiona McCalum, BBC News, 16 September 2022

US school app accounts hacked to send explicit image, BBC News, 15 September 2022

Google loses appeal over record EU anti-trust Android fine, BBC News,14 September 2022

Modern slavery shoots up by 10 million in five years, by David Molloy, BBC News, 13 September 2022

Gates-Funded ‘Green Revolution’ in Africa Has Failed, Critics Say, The Seattle Times, 8 September 2022

Simply a classic “Ma’amalade sandwich Your Majesty?” – a happy way to remember the Queen

Clive Coates obituary, The Times, 9 September 2022.

World wonders at the Elizabethan paradox, Gerard Baker, The Times, 9 September 2022

Queen Elizabeth II obituary, The Times, 8 September 2022

New malaria vaccine is world-changing, say scientists, Jame Gallagher, BBC News, 8 September 2022

Meghan shares her self-doubt with young audience, by Sean Coughlan, BBC News, 5 September 2022 – can someone please tell me how anyone can think they could learn anything from her. Surely this is all about her self-promotion? I suppose people could learn about that…
See also Hilary Rose, Meghan and Harry’s not-royal tour — and oh no, another podcast, The Times, 6 September 2022.

Elon Musk loses the race to sew implants into the brain, Danny Fortson in The Sunday Times, 4 September 2022

I was a John Lewis customer for 16 years . . . then it kicked me out, David Byers inThe Sunday Times, 4 September 2022 – can’t help but feel that this is yet another example of how John Lewis/Waitrose has lost its way under the leadership of Sharon White; a once really good company is now performing badly on most fronts!

I was Russia’s richest man. Now Putin has $500,000 on my head, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, The Sunday Times, 4 September 2022.

Meghan and Harry: ‘There are no words left for the delusion and tragedy of it all,’ says royal source, Roya Nikkhah inThe Sunday Times, 4 September 2022

Soma Sara: Extreme porn is rewiring boys’ brains to sanction rape culture, The Times, 3 September 2022

Cressida Dick: Sadiq Khan wrongly ousted Met chief – report, BBC News, 2 September 2022

Prince Charles guest edits special edition of The Voice, BBC News, 28 August 2022

Microchip implants threaten to kill off the business card, Alexander Butler, in The Times 26 August 2022

Nigeria becomes first country to ban foreign models in adverts, Richard Assheton, in The Times, 26 August 2022

Prince Harry visits Rwanda before brief UK visit with Meghan, Alexander Butler, The Times, 22 August 2022. Why on earth would President Kagame want to spend any time with him?

It’s not always the perpetrator who pays for sexual harassment at work, Sarah O’Connor, Financial Times, 16 August 2022

England drought: Everyone must rethink their water use, experts say, James Clarke, BBC News, 14 August 2022 – I’ve always been against privatisation of public utilities, and the profits accrued whilst still having very significant leakage seem to reinforce my views.

The rise and rise of anti-Muslim hate music in India, Raghvendra Rao, BBC News, 8 August 2022.

Venture capital’s silent crash: when the tech boom met reality, Richards Waters, in the Financial Times, 1 August 2022

Winland Academy caught hiring writers for uni applications, Sean Coughlan, BBC News, 30 July 2022 – surprise, surprise, this has been happening for a long time. Not surprising when hugher education is a business.

Elon Musk’s Tesla sells most of its Bitcoin holdings, BBC News, 21 July 2022

Addressing modern slavery with data science methods, UKRI, 18 July 2022

Why are there so few black women in England’s Euros squad?, The Sunday Times, 17 July 2022 (note that 3/23 is 13%, far higher than the percentage of black people in England)

I don’t need a talking toothbrush! When ‘smart’ tech gets too smart, Madeleine Spence, in The Sunday Times, 17 July 2022.

Boris Johnson: Fact-checking three years of the outgoing prime minister’s claims, BBC News, 8 July 2022

Don’t blame your bad behaviour on autism, Ben Spencer, The Sunday Times, 10 July 2022

Adam Kay: my electric car hell, The Sunday Times, 10 July 2022

‘Horrendous’ sex education lessons to be investigated by children’s commissioner, by James Beal, The Times, 5 July 2022.

Weak laws on gambling cost lives, warn MPs, by Geraldine Scott, The Times, 5 July 2022.

Hacker claims to have obtained private details of a billion Chinese citizens, by Didi Tang, The Times, 5 July 2022.

Universities tackle grade inflation by cutting firsts, Emma Yeomans, The Times, 5 July 2022

New public buildings must have separate male and female toilets, says minister, BBC News, 4 July 2022

Help, my energy smart meter is lying to me, Ali Hussain and David Byers, The Sunday Times, 3 July 2022

‘Sex positive’ education is harming children, Janice Turner, The Times, 1 July 2022.

Cambridge University fellows dismiss Gonville and Caius College report on slavery as ‘distorted’, Nicola Woolcock, The Times, 27 June 2022

Tangshan and Xuzhou: Fury and questions over China’s treatment of women, Frances Mao, BBC News, 24 June 2022

India’s government cuts Muslim rulers from Indian history books, Penelope MacRae, The Times, 21 June 2022

Plans to close all rail ticket offices in UK…, The Sunday Times, 19 June 2022

Amandeep Singh Gill, Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, Executive Office of the Secretary General

Palantir gears up to expand its reach into UK’s NHS, Madhumita Murgia and Sarah Neville, Financial Times, 9 June 2022

Harry and Meghan’s private jet to US raises climate questions, Andrew ELison and Debbie White, The Times, 6 June 2022.

EU sets date for common phone charge cable, Tom Gerken, BBC News, 7 June 2022

Russian phone scammers prey on families of Ukrainian soldiers, Larisa Brown, in The Times, 25 May 2022

Church of England priest accused of antisemitic conspiracy posts, Kaya Burgess, The Times, 24 May 2022.

Clearview AI fined in UK for illegally storing facial images, Shiona McCallum, BBC News, 23 May 2022.

The radio station giving indigenous people a voice, BBC News, 19 May 2022

Girls see physics as for white men only, MPs told, BBC News, 18 May 2022

Europeans’ data shared 376 times daily in advertising sales, report says, BBC News, 16 May 2022

Liz Truss ties aid to trade to take on ‘malign actors’, The Times, 16 May 2022. See also FCDO The UK Government’s Strategy for International Development (May 2022)

Crypto crash: Stablecoin collapse sends tokens tumbling, Joe Tidy, BBC News, 12 May 2022

‘No explanation’ for most first-class degrees as grades soar, Nicola Woolcock, The Times, 12 May 2022

Migrant workers are flipping the script and using Photovoice to tell their own stories, Reena Kukreja, The Conversation, 8 May 2022

Reparations for slavery are just a cynical shakedown, Douglas Murray, The Times, 29 April 2022

Katharine Birbalsingh: Girls dislike hard maths, says education adviser, BBC News, 28 April 2022

Russia’s casual savagery is seared into its soul: The absence of a historical reckoning with the evils of Stalinism has spawned a people who believe brutality works, David Aaronovitch, The Times, 27 April 2022

Britain shouldn’t feel guilty about Empire, says Australian diplomat, George Grylls, The Times, 27 April 2022

Cambridge slavery dispute was about feelings, not truth, Nigel Biggar, in The Times, 24 March 2022.

The Triumph and Terror of Wang Huning, N.S. Lyons in Palladium. 11 October 2021.

Full stops ‘intimidate young people’ say linguists, Law Society Gazette, Ireland, 26 August 2020.