2 d. ago 'Disability benefits are our lifeline. Taking it away from people who need it will end in tragedy'

Millions of people who depend on disability benefits were watching yesterday's Commons vote on welfare reform closely. Here six people talk give their verdict's on the government plans.

Politics

3 d. ago He pioneered the cellphone. It changed how people around the world talk to each other — and don’t

Martin Cooper changed the world when he invented the portable phone

Politics

7 d. ago Starmer says welfare concessions are ‘common sense’ but dodges funding question – UK politics live

No 10 has offered significant concessions to the rebels amid fears over Tuesday’s voteNo 10 climbs down over welfare billStephen Kinnock, the care minister, was the government voice on the airwaves this morning. Here are the main points he made about the welfare bill U-turn.Kinnock rejected claims that the U-turn was a sign of weakness. When it was put to him on the Today programme that this move, coming after the U-turns on winter fuel payments and a national inquiry into grooming gangs, showed that if Keir Starmer was pushed, he would give in, Kinnock replied:I think if you talk to people out there in the country, they respond very positively to politicians listening, engaging, recognising that you don’t get everything right from day one every time, and making the adjustments and the changes that are needed.And this prime minister will always put the country first. He puts country before party, and he does the right thing for the country.He defended having a “staggered” approach t...

Politics

1 week ago Spear and loathing: 20 years since tackle on Brian O’Driscoll that changed rugby

Mealamu and Umaga’s slam-dunking of the Lions captain was typical of the game’s wild west years but it proved a watershed – and the hurt still lingersBrian O’Driscoll is sick of talking about it. Tana Umaga says anyone still asking needs to put it behind them. But here we are, 20 years to the day since the tackle that ties them together – and people do still want to talk about it.That moment – in the first minute of the first Test of the Lions series against New Zealand – still pops up on TikTok and YouTube feeds, still sparks arguments on Reddit threads, still leads hour-long podcasts when players reminisce about how they saw it. And it still inspires articles like this one, long after the men involved have made up and moved on. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago ‘If men couldn’t have sex with me, they didn’t know what to do with me’: Alanis Morissette on addiction, midlife liberation and the predatory 90s

She made her name with rage-fuelled anthems – and sold 75m records in the process. Now, with a highly anticipated Glastonbury slot, the California-dwelling earth mother is ready to let rip again Alanis Morissette asks which version of her I wish to hear from: “The hormonal bitch who has a lot to say? The people-pleasing, kind, amenable part? They’re all here.” It’s 9am in sunny Los Angeles and the ­Canadian-born singer-songwriter is ­wearing a slouchy top, her wavy hair loose. She’s long been aware of these different “parts”, that her life is full of contradiction. “I have 14 different opinions about one thing.” It’s why, aged 19, she wrote Hand In My Pocket (lyrics include: I’m high, but I’m grounded / I’m sane, but I’m ­overwhelmed), one of several anthems on Jagged ­Little Pill, the album released 30 years ago this month. Back then, in the unenlightened 90s, people found this sort of talk unnerving. “They were like, ‘Whoa, that’s scary. What are you talking about?’”“They cal...

Politics

4 w. ago Parenting in the climate crisis: how to raise kids who care about the environment

From acknowledging big emotions to finding ways to make climate action fun, it’s important to start where your kids areChange by Degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprintGot a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.comAlthough it’s unfair, it’s young people (and the generations to come) who will have to deal with fallout from the climate crisis. So how do you talk to young people about living sustainably and raise knowledgeable kids who care about the future of the planet?Here are some tips for engaging the next generation on the environment meaningfully. Continue reading...

Society