The Week and Arion McNicoll, sitting in for Olly Mann, delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
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School happiness
A private education doesn’t lead to better mental health than state schooling, nor does it bring with it greater life satisfaction, according to a new University College London study. The lead author of the study suggested that this is the result of two opposing forces cancelling each other out: private schools are generally better equipped and better resourced, but they also apply more pressure to their students, which can lead to stress. What does this tell us about the difference between state and private schools – and how should we respond?
Maternity care
Nearly half of the maternity services in England are still considered unsafe, even after a series of scandals has drawn attention to the worst cases of malpractice. At fault seems to be a combination of factors, including a culture of complacency among some hospitals, an unwillingness to identify and correct poor care and a reluctance to offer caesarean sections more broadly. Why is the UK lagging behind its neighbours in maternity care?
Natural born carnivores
Humans are not natural born animal killers, according to recently published research, and seeing certain animals as food is a behaviour we learn in adolescence. The study found that children were more likely to say livestock should be treated like people and pets, and that eating animals is not morally acceptable. Responses appear to be highly specific to the culture in which children grow up, and to tap into feelings of disgust as well as compassion and morality. Will we eventually come to think that children are right all along.
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5 thin-skinned cartoons about shooting the messengerCartoons Artists take on unfavorable weather, a look in the mirror, and more
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Is Trump's new peacemaking model working in DR Congo?Talking Point Truce brokered by the US president in June is holding, but foundations of a long-term peace have let to be laid
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A tour of southern GreenlandThe Week Recommends New international airport has given this 'bucolic' island a welcome boost
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The RAAC concrete crisis: fears spread to hospitals, homes and theatresfeature Experts call for tens of thousands of buildings to undergo safety checks as crumbling schools scandal escalates
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Children trapped 900ft in the air in Pakistani cable car emergencySpeed Read A helicopter rescue effort has been launched to save the stranded group of eight
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Captain Tom charity closes to donations amid daughter’s pool rowSpeed Read Hannah Ingram-Moore to appeal council order to demolish spa complex at her home
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How your laughter shows when you’re in lovefeature And other stories from the stranger side of life
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The Week Unwrapped: Korean succession, terror by algorithm and German disquietpodcast Could a 10-year-old girl rule North Korea? Will an Isis victim upend web law? And why is Germany upset with its Oscars contender?
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The Week Unwrapped: Chinese chips, the Pope in Africa and podcastingpodcast Is China losing the microchip war? What is the Vatican doing in South Sudan? And has the podcast tide turned?
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The Week Unwrapped: Sex and health, the Earth’s core and another new yearpodcast Is the NHS failing British women? What’s going on at the centre of our planet? And what’s in a date?
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The Week Unwrapped: Antisocial Saudis, hormone therapy and retro techpodcast Why is Saudi Arabia investing in – and banning – social networks? Will new research make life easier for trans women? And is the future of technology dumb?
