Flora Gill

The Covid farce

From our UK edition

38 min listen

This week: The Covid Inquiry has reached its more dramatic stage this week with the likes of Domic Cummings, Lee Cain and Martin Reynolds giving evidence. But in his cover piece for the magazine Carl Heneghan, professor of evidence-based medicine at the University of Oxford and director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, says that the Hallett Inquiry is asking all the wrong questions, and is preoccupied with who said what on WhatsApp. He joins the podcast alongside Tom Whipple, science editor at the Times to go through this week's revelations. (01:43).  Also this week: will Israel succeed in its stated aims?

The joy of ‘ugly’ Birkenstocks

From our UK edition

Fifteen years ago, when I was a teenager, wearing Birkenstocks meant you were flatfooted or you had no interest in attention from men. While the rest of us clip-clopped around in heels, it was only a brave few who would choose the flat sandal. Your geography teacher might wear them, or your mum when she took out the bins, but no one fashionable would be caught dead in a pair. Television and films encouraged the prejudice. Carrie Bradshaw taught us that you should never stoop so low as flats as she spent every dollar on Manolo Blahniks. And it’s not a coincidence that in Clueless, Travis, whom Cher describes as being from a group ‘no respectable girl actually dates’, has the surname Birkenstock.

7 reasons a no-deal Brexit will be good for Millennials

From our UK edition

The end of March is nigh, and thanks to the EU’s latest pronouncements, a no-deal Brexit is still a very real possibility. The idea of No Deal causes most millennials to quake in their Balenciaga boots. But there’s nothing like a bit of positive thinking to get you through a crisis, right? Here are 7 reasons a no deal Brexit will be good for millennials. 1. Brexit provides a faultless scape goat We all need a go-to excuse to get us through life’s ups and downs, and now Brexit can be that for everyone. No longer do you need to rely on permanently delayed tubes, or numerous dying aunts – Brexit is here for you. Parents question why you don’t have a job? – Brexit. Why were you late for the party? Brexit. Need an excuse to break up with Mr wrong?

6 reasons why women aren’t funny

From our UK edition

1. Being funny is the main way men attract women; we can’t take that away from them. There’s nothing better then a man who makes you laugh – it’s a quality women value highly and one used to describe every successful date and suggested set up. If women were funny it would be unfair, I mean we already have the gloriousness that is breasts, what more do we want! It’s why male peacocks have colourful feathers, why lions have manes. Women have to tone it down because, without the upper hand in the humour stakes, what do the unfairer sex have? 2.

Is Labour trying to troll the Jewish community?

From our UK edition

On religious holidays it’s customary for politicians and parties to send out well-wishing notes to the celebrating group. An ‘Eid Mubarak’ to Muslims, a ‘Merry Christmas’ to Christians. The practice has become so assumed that to not do so is often viewed as a slight or offence. Yesterday, on the first day of the Jewish festival of Passover, the official Labour Twitter account sent out a message of support. As we all know, accusations of the party's institutional anti-Semitism has been a contentions debate for the last three years under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. You would expect Labour then to be making every effort to prove this label unfit and unfair.