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The UK-US trade deal, when it came down to it, was short on detail. With some warm words over the phone, President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer did their best to sell it as a serious and significant agreement. And it may be, but as it stands it is a work in progress.
US tariffs on British steel are removed, and the levy on UK cars drops back to 10%. In return, the UK is granting concessions to the US on agriculture and tech. But beyond these few details, our panel of experts noted that the announcement yesterday played well for both sides. Fresh from bruising local elections last week, Starmer will have been delighted to strike the first deal with Washington. And the Trump camp, after the chaos of “liberation day”, will be
hoping it offers a sign of greater stability.
Israel has announced plans to “conquer” the entire Gaza Strip. The rhetoric is not new, but as a policy shift it is huge. Middle East expert Scott Lucas broke down for us what it could mean for everyone involved.
And when you’re feeling remorseful, what’s the best way to make your apology cut through? New research shows that longer or more unusual words carry more weight with the person you’ve wronged. A quick “I’m sorry” might show you’re just not trying hard enough.
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Sarah Reid
Senior Business Editor
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Keir Starmer speaks to Donald Trump on the phone after securing the first trade deal since Trump’s ‘liberation day’.
EPA-EFE/DARREN STAPLES/POOL
Maha Rafi Atal, University of Glasgow; Conor O'Kane, Bournemouth University; David Collins, City St George's, University of London; Sangeeta Khorana, Aston University
Being first in the queue was a political win for Keir Starmer.
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Netanyahu during a ceremony to mark Israel’s Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers on April 29.
Abir Sultan / Pool / EPA
Scott Lucas, University College Dublin
Israel has announced that it intends to further
intensify military operations and indefinitely occupy Gaza.
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pathdoc/Shutterstock
Shiri Lev-Ari, Royal Holloway University of London
Sorry really can be the hardest word.
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World
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Dennis Doyle, University of Dayton
Every pope brings a distinct vision and agenda for leading the church. Making change is difficult in the Catholic Church, but Francis’ actions might have paved the way.
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Leonie Fleischmann, City St George's, University of London
There’s growing evidence that the Netanyahu government has designs over all territory occupied by Palestinians.
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Yuval Katz, Loughborough University
Yuval Katz recently spent time in Israel witih peace activists.
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Jennifer Mathers, Aberystwyth University; Allyson Edwards, Bath Spa University
Russian political figures are worried that young people nowadays are disconnected from their heritage.
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Jonathan Este, The Conversation
This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your…
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Politics + Society
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Kathryn Bates, King's College London
Fighting loneliness means more than self-help. It means rebuilding the social fabric – with spaces, services and support for everyone.
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Chiara Fehr, UCL; Jessica Ringrose, UCL
Young people are already very familiar with and dealing with the mundane reality of misogyny in their everyday lives.
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Arts + Culture
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Thomas Lucking, University of East Anglia
This engaging exhibition tells the story of the Thames and London through time.
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Amelia Huw Morgan, Cardiff Metropolitan University
Born during wartime, Tove Jansson’s Moomins still offer a quiet, powerful guide to navigating fear, difference and the need to care for one another.
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Glenn Fosbraey, University of Winchester
The double album remains a crucial, albeit uncommon, part of pop music.
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Business + Economy
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Cristina Galalae, The Open University; Eva Kipnis, University of Bradford; Nataliia Pysarenko, University of Exeter
From chocolate statues of Putin to reclaiming Russian slurs, consumerism can offer unity and agency for Ukrainians.
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Peng Zhou, Cardiff University
A study of over 8,000 articles in top economics journals finds that authors with Chinese surnames are 14% less likely to be cited.
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Education
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David Mba, Birmingham City University
The awarding gap is the difference between the proportion of white and Black and ethnic minority students awarded a first class or 2:1 degree.
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Environment
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Songyi Yan, Manchester Metropolitan University
Terms such as “vegan”, “plastic-free” and “biodegradable” currently lack standardised definitions and aren’t regulated rigorously.
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Callum Roberts, University of Exeter
Industrial fishing has caused immense damage to ocean life, but given the right protection, the sea has miraculous powers of recovery.
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Health
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Tanisha Douglas, Birmingham City University
Stress isn’t inherently bad – it’s a survival tool. But when it becomes chronic, it can have lasting effects on our physical and mental health.
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Laurenz Casser, University of Sheffield
The problem of pain measurement is not technological, but philosophical. Biomarkers won’t solve it.
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Rebecca Harding, UCL; Ravi Das, UCL
Researchers at UCL are exploring whether the psychedelic drug DMT can be used to curb drinking habits.
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