By Rupert Read I’m in London, to be with the family at Christmas. Every year, the lights are bigger and brighter. Is this progress? Thinking about the meaning of ‘progress’ is not easy to do in our society. Because it’s hard-wired into the hegemony of capitalist economics and of liberal technocracy that any technological change, any increase in GDP, anything getting bigger and brighter IS progress. By definition. In fact, we’re often told, if we dare to try to question...

Apple has today admitted to slowing down old models of the iPhone as they age - so you have to buy another phone. The lucrative tech brand, which made $8.7 billion profit in the third quarter of this year, confirmed suspicions that they slow down older iPhones to encourage people to upgrade. The latest iPhone 8 costs punters up to £700 to buy new, although some may be discouraged to let go of their money given the latest revelations. The...

Christmas is a great time for spending time with the family and presents a great opportunity to play games together that support children and young people’s speech, language and communication. Taking turns is an essential communication skill and playing any type of simple board game that involves taking turns not only helps children to develop this skill, it also helps them to listen and attend to an activity for longer periods of time. I CAN’s top five Christmas games would...

A grandmother obsessed with Jose Mourinho got a tattoo of the Manchester United boss wearing a Santa hat as a Christmas gift from her husband. Vivien Boycote, 60, got her latest tattoo four days before Christmas as a gift from devoted husband Tony, 77, who has splashed out more than £2,000 on his wife’s obsession. The cartoon portrait of the Special One wearing a Santa hat features the words 'Santa Baby' and is on her left leg. Lifelong Chelsea FC...

Jeremy Hunt is close to becoming the second-longest serving minister in charge of the NHS - taking over Anuerin Bevan. Bevan spent 1,993 days in charge of the health service during the Labour government of 1945-51. In that time he spearheaded the establishment of the National Health Service, which was to provide medical care free at point-of-need to all Britons; regardless of wealth. But in an ironic twist the second-longest minister for the NHS is set to be overtaken by the...

Mike Pence delivered a "prayer" of thanks to Donald Trump in yesterday's cabinet meeting that has been described as being "stomach-churning" by social media commentators. The Vice President of the United States said he knows he speaks on behalf of the rest of the cabinet and millions of Americans when he says "congratulations and thank you" for seeing through an agenda that is "restoring this country". His words evoke parallels to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un's cult of personality, where...

The inquest into the death of disgraced former celebrity PR guru Max Clifford was opened and adjourned today. The jailed 74-year-old died in hospital while serving in a sex offenders' prison on December 10, a coroner said. Senior Coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough David Heming told the hearing in Huntingdon: "The medical cause of death is not yet confirmed as the consultant pathologist who carried out the post mortem examination is undertaking histological examination. "As the deceased was a prisoner...

Political instability could lead to some bird and animal and bird species being wiped out, warns new research. The study of changes in wildlife over three decades found that low levels of effective national governance are the strongest predictor of declining numbers - more so than economic growth, climate change or even surges in human population. The findings, published in the journal Nature, also show that protected conservation areas do maintain wildlife diversity - but only when situated in countries...

Theresa May's deputy Damian Green has been sacked as First Secretary of State after an investigation found he breached UK ministerial code by lying about the presence of porn on his office computer. Now Brexit Secretary David Davis faces the humiliating prospect of being constantly reminded that he vowed to resign if his cabinet ally was sacked over the investigation into his statements on porn found on his computer and allegations by Tory activist Kate Maltby that he behaved inappropriately towards...