What the papers said in the week ending 25 February 2023
Our world:
This week, the war between Russia and Ukraine is one year old. There is little to indicate that it might end soon. Our sense of impotence is pervasive. The posturing of political leaders adds to despair and fear of escalation. A year of war in Ukraine as witnessed by Guardian photographers – photo essay | Ukraine | The Guardian
Our current natural disaster has not settled yet: Death toll from latest earthquakes in Turkey reaches eight | Turkey-Syria earthquake 2023 | The Guardian
The divisions within the Anglican Church have achieved global status: Anglicans reject Justin Welby as head of global church amid anger at same-sex blessings | Anglicanism | The Guardian
Age:
Reflection on age and ageing have centred on Middle Age: Whatever happened to middle age? The mysterious case of the disappearing life stage | Ageing | The Guardian
- You’re only as middle-aged as you feel | Middle age | The Guardian
- ‘Science’ has confirmed again that getting on with other people and taking regular exercise is good for our health and will produce longer life: Exercise and satisfying relationships are the secrets to good health in later life | Ageing | The Guardian
- Social relationship satisfaction and accumulation of chronic conditions and multimorbidity: a national cohort of Australian women | General Psychiatry (bmj.com)
- Timing of physical activity across adulthood on later-life cognition: 30 years follow-up in the 1946 British birth cohort | Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry (bmj.com)
- Especially if balanced with a good night’s sleep: Good quality sleep can add years to people’s lives, study suggests | Health | The Guardian
It would seem reasonable to see these as elements of a virtuous circadian circle. We might venture to add: ‘saying your prayers’ as day gives way to night. This is an established tradition – perhaps not an easy subject for a controlled clinical trial – but we could ask people.
We should think twice about allowing robots to take away the joys and health-giving power of physical labour: Almost 40% of domestic tasks could be done by robots ‘within decade’ | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian
Changing world:
As some people are not able to put food on the table, London is leading the way by providing free school meals to all children: London to offer free school meals to all primary pupils for a year | School meals | The Guardian. This is kind and caring – but we hope that underlying problems of inequality can be admitted and confronted and encourage changes so that every family can afford a decent diet.
Several factors have combined to produce a shortage of some healthy foods UK salad shortages could last a month, warns environment secretary | Food & drink industry | The Guardian
- Home-grown vegetable and fruit are recognised to be useful alternatives: Should we cherish our turnips? Why the British food system may need a reboot | Farming | The Guardian
- People will buy ethically grown and marketed goods if they are reasonably priced: UK supermarkets expand budget Fairtrade ranges as demand grows | Shopping | The Guardian
Money matters:
Banks are questioned as they prioritise above customer service: NatWest profits as customers lose out | NatWest Group | The Guardian
Working fewer hours for the same pay is popular and gives value for money: Four-day week: ‘major breakthrough’ as most UK firms in trial extend changes | Work-life balance | The Guardian
Priorities:
Jimmy Carter has already lived long. Leading by example still: ‘He’s an inspiration’: tributes pour in after Jimmy Carter enters hospice care | Jimmy Carter | The Guardian
Some will value popular sport over local culture: When football matters more than theatre | Theatre | The Guardian
Passion can lead to dreadful actions: Housekeeper’s husband charged with murder of Los Angeles bishop | Los Angeles | The Guardian
Errors of judgement show us all to be human – even when in high places: Spanish transport secretary resigns after new trains too big for tunnels | Spain | The Guardian
Plans to train (even) more doctors might be questioned. How did we cope in previous decades? Might we reduce morbidity and mortality more economically by acting on the learning which has shown us what makes for ill health? Draft of NHS workforce plan calls for doubling of medical school places | NHS | The Guardian
After 300 years, the birth of Richard Price, Wales’ greatest thinker – moral philosopher and non-conformist preacher – is to be celebrated: Home village hopes ‘greatest Welsh thinker’ finally receives his dues | Wales | The Guardian
We are glad for progress in identifying early-stage prostate cancer: The new prostate cancer blood test with 94 per cent accuracy (uea.ac.uk)
We are sad to learn that making Meccano has become too costly: World’s last dedicated Meccano factory to close in France | Manufacturing sector | The Guardian
We may not have any questions: Everything you wanted to know about AI – but were afraid to ask | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian
And we will miss another son of the Methodist manse: John Motson obituary | Football | The Guardian
David Jolley: Chair of Christians on Ageing, in a personal capacity.
