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Your Party have an accountability problem

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Your Party have an accountability problem

Laura Álvarez has sparked debate online within Your Party following a comment about a candidate not aligning with Jeremy Corbyn’s slate. And the row has helped highlight the urgent need for both transparency and respectful debate in the party.

Álvarez, who married Corbyn in 2012, kept a low profile while Corbyn was Labour leader. But she has spoken a lot about Your Party during its founding process, particularly in support of Corbyn’s The Many slate in the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections.

Your Party public spat

The Grassroots Left slate aligns with Zarah Sultana’s vision for Your Party. And Álvarez suggested that a candidate for this slate was “unknown in the community” of Islington.

This was apparently a reference to Anahita Zardoshti, the “founder and chair of Your Party’s Islington proto-branch”. Zardoshti came second in the endorsement phase of the CEC election:

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Councillor James Giles, a Sultana ally, questioned Álvarez’s public comment. But Álvarez responded by saying:

I told you to never contact me again

What followed was a number of comments asking Giles not to question Álvarez. But in the interests of transparency, it seems perfectly acceptable to scrutinise personal comments suggesting we should doubt candidates’ role in their community.

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No one in the public arena should ever be beyond scrutiny

The establishment smear campaign against the left that intensified under Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party left deep scars. It left distrust, anger, and defensiveness. And it left pain.

However, we’re at a moment where socialists are building back a meaningful resistance. And with the Green Party successfully tapping into the burning desire for change in the country, a Your Party that shuts down internal criticism or wastes time with factional arguments may not last too long.

There are genuine critiques we could make about everyone. And we don’t need to support a specific faction in order to believe that. There needs to be open, respectful debate. Because members agree on most things, and it should be easy to reach comradely agreements on the other areas.

We absolutely should be asking questions about:

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There is a real buzz on the ground about what Your Party could become. People know what they want. And as the statistics show pretty clearly, that isn’t factional infighting and public spats. Because there are hundreds of thousands of people who initially expressed interest but have so far stayed away.

The Greens have grown massively under Zack Polanski because there’s a clear direction of travel, and there’s a willingness to work together with all progressives. If Your Party genuinely wants to grow into a meaningful movement for change, it could learn a lot from the Greens right now.

Featured image via the Canary

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BBC slammed for ignoring author of The Fraud

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BBC slammed for ignoring author of The Fraud

You may have seen that BBC just helped out disgraced Labour Together MP Josh Simons with a softball 40 minute interview. The Beeb’s arch anti-Left journalist Laura Kuenssberg even conducted it. You can read our first report on the interview here.

Simons was forced to resign from his cabinet job on 28 February. He’d instructed a PR firm to investigate multiple journalists, it had been revealed. Ex-Canary journo and Declassified UK reporter John McAvoy was one of those affected. Paul Holden – author of The Fraud, a forensic, gritty, play-by-play takedown of the right-wing project to lie a Starmer government into existence – was another.

Holden has now responded to the BBC interview at length:

BBC flunks on journalistic basics

Holden, unlike the hacks at the BBC it seems, is an old-fashioned muckraking reporter in the South African tradition. As he told the Canary recently, that’s a model built on journalists not being pals with politicians. Imagine?! Naturally, Holden was not happy that the vaunted corporation hadn’t even got the basics right:

Yesterday, BBC Newscast published a lengthy, forty-minute interview with former Cabinet Minister Josh Simons MP. The interview addressed how Simons, as a director of Labour Together, had appointed a firm called APCO Worldwide to investigate me and my colleagues.

He went on:

I was not told by the BBC ahead of the broadcast that the episode was being recorded or aired. I was not approached to respond to the lengthy comments made about me or the small anti-corruption organisation Shadow World Investigations, that I run with my colleague Andrew [Feinstein], who is also repeatedly mentioned, was also not approached for comment.

Holden only found out that the BBC interview was going ahead from a friend:

I only found out last night, when a friend texted me, that the person who hired a major multinational reputation management firm that produced a despicable and defamatory report on me and my colleagues, and who reported me on the basis of these false and defamatory reports to the UK’s security services, was being given forty minutes to give his version of events on a major podcast published by our national broadcaster.

Holden reiterated that the BBC hadn’t so much as whispered in his direction about what is clearly a major story in which he is a key figure:

To be clear, the BBC has NEVER – not once – approached me to comment on a story that is, ultimately, about me, my investigations, my family and my colleagues. They did not approach me when the story first broke, and they did not approach me for this episode.

False ‘hack’ allegations

The BBC seem to have given free and unchallenged rein to Simons. He then painted an allegedly false picture – unchallenged.

Here’s Holden’s take:

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If the BBC had done so, I would have raised several issues with the way in which matters related to me were discussed. For example, Simons repeatedly stated in the interview that he instructed APCO to investigate whether my reporting or sourcing derived from a ‘hack’ of the Electoral Commission.

He added:

The word ‘hack’ is used eight times in the interview. At no time was it acknowledged in this discussion that this allegation – that I might have received hacked materials – is entirely false, and I have repeatedly proven it to be false.

Holden contacted the BBC about the major issues with the interview. The BBC said additional reporting would be added.

However:

This has not yet happened with regards to the podcast, although I note some online reporting finally reflects a very small and limited sampling of my comments. I will wait to see if amendments and updates will follow. If they do not, I will be escalating this matter to OFCOM.

Point-by-point debunking

Holden used his initial statement to advance many criticisms of the interview and to defend his work.

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Holden set out how:

  • his reporting on Labour Together and Morgan McSweeney was entirely factually accurate and based on impeccable, legal sourcing
  • Revelations based on his book, The Fraud, had subsequently been covered widely across the mainstream media in outlets such as The Times, Daily Mail, The Guardian, The National and ITV.
  • Josh Simons states that he never intended for APCO Worldwide to investigate Holden or his colleagues. However, a copy of the contract between APCO Worldwide and Labour Together, addressed to Simons, has now been published. The contract sets out a scope of work written in plain English.
  • This contract is clear. APCO were hired to investigate Holden to produce materials that would ‘proactively undermine’ my factually accurate, public interest reporting.
  • Josh Simons was provided with a report called Operation Cannon. It is the result of a lengthy investigation into Holden by APCO Worldwide. Holden has seen a copy of this report and claims it mades a series of extremely defamatory allegations against him.
  • Multiple media freedom advocacy organisations, including the NUJ, have strongly criticised the APCO investigation and these related matters.

Holden added that he is “still reviewing the Newscast interview”:

I will be responding in due course and I hope that the BBC will, this time, give me the platform to set out what really happened and why.

If you’re a disgusted by the BBC’s mate’s rates style of softball journalism, you can start reading part one our twelve-part serialisation of Paul Holden’s investigative masterpiece The Fraud here. The Canary will be covering this story as it develops further – have no doubt. And we have our own deep-dive interview with Paul Holden in the works as we speak…

Featured image via the Canary

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Caster Semenya calls out Olympics

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Caster Semenya calls out Olympics

Double Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya has announced that she will challenge the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) new ban on intersex and trans athletes. She’s also encouraging fellow Olympians to join her in a class action lawsuit.

On Thursday 26 March, the IOC announced that it was reinstating mandatory sex testing for eligibility to compete in women’s athletics. It plans to require all participants to undergo an SRY test, which detects the presence of a Y-chromosome-linked gene.

Caster Semenya: ‘I was told I needed to have surgery’

Semenya has become a figurehead of the battle around the borderlines of women’s sport after facing years of highly public legal battles over her natural testosterone levels. In an article for the New York Times, she explained that:

In 2009, as I prepared to run in the Berlin World Championships, athletic authorities sent me for some medical testing. Because of my looks, there had been speculation from my fellow athletes, sports officials, the media and fans that I was not what I said I was.

I arrived at the medical appointment expecting to be checked for performance-enhancing drugs. Instead, at age 18, I had my first gynecological exam. Afterward, I learned that I had XY chromosomes, rather than the typically female XX pairing, and high levels of testosterone, produced by undescended testicles I didn’t know I had. In order to continue racing as a woman, I was told, I needed to have surgery to remove them.

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After Semenya refused to undergo the unnecessary operation, authorities instead required her to take medication to lower her testosterone. The medication caused extreme fatigue, nausea, headaches, and brain fog. When Semenya stopped taking it, she was barred from competing, and instead became a coach.

Despite having lived her entire life as a woman, the IOC’s new document refers to people like Semenya as “biological males”. It insists that this “does not and cannot change”.

‘It came as a failure’

As such, it’s unsurprising that Semenya has been a vocal critic of the IOC’s ruling, and its new president, Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe. On Sunday 29 March, at a press conference in Cape Town, Semenya said of Coventry that:

For me, personally, for her being a woman coming from Africa, knowing how African women or women in the global south are affected by that, of course, it causes harm.

Black and brown women have been targeted by a disproportionate level of arbitrary sex testing in sports.

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Semenya went on to criticise the IOC’s previous requirement for sex testing:

It came as a failure. And that’s why it was dropped.

For you as a woman, why will you be tested to prove that you fit? You know, it’s like now we need to prove that we are worthy as women to take part in sports. That’s a disrespect for women.

The IOC abandoned its previous requirement of blanket sex tests for women in 1999. The tests were of questionable scientific merit, and often caused severe identity crisis, social isolation, demeaning reactions from the public, depression, and suicide.

Following its U-turn, the IOC will now require girls to take the test from age 15 and up.

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‘It does not save women’s sport’

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Semenya stated that:

I’m fighting for women’s dignity. Those who say, ‘I am not going to be tested to prove that I’m a woman’ … I will encourage them to do that to stop this nonsense.

As such, she also announced her plans to tackle the IOC in court:

I will encourage athletes to come together as a class action … because this does not make sense. It does not save women’s sport.

The interviewer questioned Semenya on the IOC’s new guidance. It states that there is a “10-12 per cent Male performance advantage” in running and swimming, and up to 100% in punching and lifting sports.

However, the document somehow failed to mention that intersex and trans athletes often reduce their testosterone. Just five years ago, the IOC held that this eliminated their potential advantage.

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Semenya replied:

Based on what? There’s no scientific proof about what has been said. It’s an ideology.

She’s right to question the IOC’s science, given that the Olympic body has failed to share it with the public. What we do know is that this latest ruling completely contradicts the IOC’s science from just five years ago, which stated that trans people “should not be deemed to have an unfair or disproportionate competitive advantage”.

The IOC’s ‘new science’ now happens to align with the views of Donald Trump. When he came to office, the far-right American president moved to ban trans athletes from all sport in the US. This is particularly convenient, given Los Angeles will host the next Olympic games.

Ideology over all

Semenya is also correct in her statement that this is an ideological battle. In the Guardian’s article on Semenya’s criticism of the IOC, it states that:

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The best-known DSD [difference of sex development] athlete of recent years is Semenya, who has male XY chromosomes.

Semenya doesn’t have ‘male XY chromosomes’. She has XY chromosomes – she hasn’t nicked them from some bloke; she’s a woman, who has lived her whole life as a woman. These are neutral statements that nobody – not even Semenya herself – started questioning until she started winning.

Across humanity, both sex and gender are a spectrum filled with countless variations. The belief that men have XY chromosomes and women have XX chromosomes is just that – a belief. It isn’t a fact – in fact, it’s demonstrably false, as in Semenya’s case.

We’re told that the distinction is natural, and therefore good and right. In fact, the distinction is so natural that we require women like Semenya (and countless intersex babies) to undergo unnecessary, often non-consensual surgeries and take medication in order to make them more ‘natural.’

Separating men and women into two distinct categories and insisting that they can never meet is a legal fiction. It relies on the perpetuation of intersexist and transphobic violence against anyone caught in the borderlands. Natural, universal distinctions don’t need police at their boundaries. 

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Featured image via the Canary

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Tired of Habitica? Try These 3 Cheaper and More Engaging Habitica Alternatives

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Tired of Habitica? Try These 3 Cheaper and More Engaging Habitica Alternatives

Once upon a time, a productivity app called Habitica turned the industry of productivity apps upside down. It turned routine tasks that people were bored with doing into a game. And voila! Millions of people found it saving!

I was one of them and have used Habitica for quite some time now. Not to lie, the app really works. But since it was launched, almost 15 years have passed! The industry evolved, and productivity apps are not limited to gamifying habits.

There are thousands of Habitica alternatives, but these 3 work for me like a charm. They’re cheaper, more comprehensive, and nicer to look at.

Why Seek a Replacement for Habitica?

Habitica is a pioneer in the industry of productivity apps. It became successful due to its strong concept. But user experiences on Trustpilot, Reddit, the App Store, and Google Play collectively report several problems with the app:

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  • Technical issues. There have been no significant updates to the app in years, and hence, many users experience slow loading, and the app simply turns off.
  • Rude staff. User feedback on Reddit frequently highlights that moderators within the app are no help, to the point that staff were posting threatening messages. We’ll return to the matter of Habitica’s staff later.
  • More distracting than helpful. Yes, tracking habits is important, but what’s more important is actually doing these tasks. Habitica users, including me, found it hard to exist without the app because the gamified interface pushed our dopamine buttons. For me, it meant more screen time and less productivity.
  • Subscription issues. Several users reported that Habitica had charged them for a subscription without their consent. Not to mention that premium features are underwhelming, like buying outfits or some gems, in-app currency.

These are all valid reasons to look for Habitica alternatives, but for me, it was simply not enough. Productivity doesn’t depend on consistency or planning alone. Our health or life events significantly impact mood and energy, and it’s okay because we’re all humans. I would like my productivity to be healthy, and healthy productivity is born from being satisfied with your life.

The last straw for me quitting Habitica was their scandal over how they mistreated their employees and volunteers. I want to support businesses that treat their staff with respect (and not delete the best features within the app).

Top 3 Replacements for Habitica

1. Breeze Wellbeing

If Habitica focuses on what you do, Breeze Wellbeing focuses on why you do it. Breeze doesn’t force you to stay consistent through guilt or overworking yourself. It’s a comprehensive app that boosts productivity by improving your mental well-being.

Breeze also includes a habit builder that lets users create customisable tasks and set reminders/frequency. The features of the Breeze app also include:

  • Mood tracker and analytics that show your average mood during a week/month/year and what events triggered what emotions.
  • Self-discovery tests include an ADHD evaluation, a charisma level test, a love languages test, and 30 more quizzes.
  • Guided journaling to process thoughts and behaviors.
  • Community and knowledge base features are available only in the US, UK, and Canada (so far).
  • Mindfulness exercises to reduce sensory overload and return to the present moment.

I’ve been using Breeze Wellbeing for two months primarily as a habit and mood tracker. It helped me significantly to finally see myself as a person who’s allowed to have bad days and be sad, not a productivity robot who has to keep up with everything. Habitica, in this case, would just erase my streak, and that’s demotivating.

Another advantage is that Breeze feels less distracting. There’s no game layer pulling attention away. This makes it especially useful for people who feel that gamification works short-term but doesn’t address deeper issues.

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Breeze is particularly helpful if your challenges with habits are connected to:

  • Burnout or low energy
  • Anxiety or overthinking
  • Difficulty staying consistent
  • Confusion about what you should do

In that sense, it’s not just a productivity tool. It’s a behavioral self-discovery system that helps you build habits in a way that adapts to you.

2. Focus Friend by Hank Green

Hank Green’s “Focus Friend” isn’t a different type of productivity app. The concept is built around a virtual companion, Bean. When you set a timer, you and Bean “work” together. While you focus on your tasks, Bean knits socks and scarves, in-app currency that you can use to decorate Bean’s space.

This isn’t necessarily a gamification of planning but a gamification of a process. Shortly put: a timer on steroids.

Hank Green, as TikTok’s favorite science blogger, explains that his app works due to a straightforward reward system. Our brain loves dopamine, and it doesn’t see the difference between earning real or “fake” in-app money. The release of dopamine when you get something for free then motivates you to initiate and proceed with tasks more easily.

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Oh, and have I mentioned that the app is completely free? There are no premium versions. It’s a fully free initiative with limited details that don’t distract users from the app’s initial aim.  

However, “Focus Friend” has limitations. Users complain about the app becoming repetitive quite quickly. Once you’ve decorated Bean’s space, the reward system loses its sense. This can reduce long-term engagement.

That said, as a short-term motivation tool, Focus Friend is extremely effective. Plus, it’s actively maintained. Hank Green listens to users and adds new rooms to keep the app relevant.

3. Todoist

Todoist is one of the most well-known productivity tools, and it offers a much more structured alternative to Habitica. Instead of gamification, Todoist focuses on organisation and prioritisation.

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Some users call Todoist boring, and it’s valid. But its simplicity makes it highly customisable and accessible. Among the main features of Todoist are:

  • Creating tasks
  • Setting deadlines
  • Organising tasks into projects
  • Assigning priorities
  • 80+ plugins to personalise your space
  • Syncing across devices
  • Creating public projects
  • Visualisation

However, don’t forget that Todoist isn’t a productivity app. It’s a task manager whose main aim is to focus on what needs to be done. It doesn’t take nuances into consideration: your mental health, motivation, and reward system.

In my case, procrastination was driven by anxiety and overthinking, and lists with perfect structure in Todoist didn’t help me at all. So, this app will work best for people who are motivated but need a clear system to organise and execute tasks efficiently.

Habitica Alternatives in Short Comparison

Don’t have time to analyse which habit tracker is for you? Here’s a quick overview of three main Habitica alternatives: 

Feature Breeze Wellbeing Focus Friend Todoist
Free? Yes, has premium options Yes Yes, has premium options
Platform iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android, Desktop
Key Features Mood tracking, habit builder, self-discovery tests, journaling, mindfulness, insights Timer-based  Task creation, setting deadlines, establishing priorities
Best For People who want to improve productivity by improving their mental health  People who need a quick boost of motivation to start the task People who are motivated, but procrastinate due to a lack of structure
Main User Drawback Some features differ based on region Becomes repetitive Can feel too simple or limited

What to Consider While Choosing a Habit Tracker App

Choosing a habit tracker isn’t about finding the perfect app. It’s about finding the best fit for your needs. Here are some questions I asked myself before sticking to one productivity app:

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  • What do I need help with?

Are you trying to build discipline, stay organised, or improve your well-being? It’s okay not to know exactly what you need help with. In this case, I’d start with Breeze Wellbeing as a universal, comprehensive option. Depending on what features felt the most helpful, you can go into more niche directions.

Gamification works for some people, but not for everyone. Ask yourself what actually motivates you: rewards, inner feelings of satisfaction, social accountability, etc. For me, the best motivator was crossing off tasks from to-do lists and getting recognised for that. 

  • What can I do so that the app sticks?

It’s a frequent experience that users start using productivity apps with the mindset “I’m starting a new life.” But it’s actually a toxic approach because it’s impossible to cram 5 new healthy habits in a day if you previously did nothing (speaking from experience).

Consider whether you can realistically keep using it when motivation drops. For example, determine the bare minimum or take breaks. But what I personally recommend is to treat these apps as supportive tools, not a must-do every day. It takes off some pressure.

Why Habit Trackers Work

One study found that when people simply wrote down what they ate, how many steps they walked, their weight, etc., 85% adhered to healthy habits, compared to 37% among those who didn’t self-monitor.

But why does simply seeing our accomplishments written down make us want to stick to them more? In psychology, this is called positive reinforcement: rewarding desired behavior. The human brain loves dopamine, and it will be motivated to repeat things that produce it. That’s why gamification works.

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Another reason why habit trackers work is predictability. Once again, human brains are lazy. When there is a plan vs. unpredictability, they will choose to adhere to a plan. For example, that’s why some people don’t like weekends. They simply don’t know what to do without their work routine.

An important disclaimer: habit trackers don’t build habits on their own. Simply downloading the app doesn’t make a person more or less productive. These apps help to stay consistent and aware, but only when users invest some time and effort in them.

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8 Incredible Benefits Of Running (Even For 10 Minutes)

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8 Incredible Benefits Of Running (Even For 10 Minutes)

About six and a half million adults in the UK were regular runners from 2023-24, or just over 9% of the population.

Still, not everyone sticks to it. In one paper, 11% of people who said they wanted to run a marathon quit the sport entirely before they got close to the start line.

But you don’t need to break records to see the health benefits of running. Here, we thought we’d share some of the (many) advantages of the sport – just in case you needed a little extra motivation.

1) It may be beneficial for your joints

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You might have grown up hearing that running wrecks your knees (I did). But a systematic review of 17 studies found that “In the short term, running is not associated with worsening [patient-reported outcomes] or radiological signs of knee [osteoarthritis] and may be protective against generalised knee pain.”

2) It can boost your mood

A review of over 100 studies concluded that running appeared to have “important positive implications for mental health, particularly depression and anxiety disorders”.

And another paper found that a single 10-minute run can help to boost participants’ mood and even executive function.

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3) It could help you live longer

More proof that small efforts are far better than nothing in a 2015 paper, researchers noted that five to 10 minutes of running a day and/or running slower than 9.6km/hour was linked to a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

4) It’s really, really good for your heart

Running is a cardio workout, so perhaps it’s no wonder it’s so good for our hearts. It’s linked to lower cholesterol, better blood pressure, and a decreased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, like heart attacks or strokes.

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5) It can strengthen your bones

Scientists found that marathon runners’ bones may be denser than those of their non-running counterparts.

6) It’s a great way to get a good night’s sleep

Exercise, especially exercise with outdoor light exposure (e.g. running in your local park) is linked to better sleep quality and improved sleep habits.

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7) It can make your legs stronger

Like walking, running can help to build your leg strength. But it can plateau after a while, which is why it’s important to mix in some strength training.

8) Your endurance will improve

Running trains the heart and lungs, meaning you’ll be able to exercise harder, for longer, once you get into the habit.

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What about the downsides?

While running is good for us, there are some downsides.

A 2020 paper found that injury rates were about 20% among runners, especially those with weaker hips. The risk is higher for new runners.

Strength training, including that which targets the hamstrings, knee-stabilising methods, hips, and glutes, can reduce your likelihood of getting injured.

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Like HIIT, overdoing running can lead to insomnia. About a third of all runners are believed to suffer some form of overtraining syndrome.

If you notice mood changes, fatigue, poor sleep, and getting sick more often, get more rest and let your running shoes breathe for a while.

Remember that running three days a week is enough to lower your risk of early death by 40%, and that five to 10 minutes of running does a lot of good.

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Qesser Zuhrah arrested AGAIN on trumped-up terrorism charges

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Qesser Zuhrah arrested AGAIN on trumped-up terrorism charges

Qesser Zuhrah, the youngest member of the Filton 24 prisoner group, was re-arrested on Monday 30th March 2026, having been granted bail in February 2026 after 15 months on remand.

Counter-terrorism police raided Qesser’s bail address at 6:20 this morning while she was sleeping.

She has been booked into custody under Section 1 of the Terrorism Act and Section 44 of the Serious Crimes Act 2007.

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Zuhrah, speaking at a recent press conference, said Prisoners for Palestine “are the collateral damage of Britain’s immoral allegiance to the Israeli state.” She recounted being assaulted twice in prison, once for requesting help for a suicidal prisoner and once for the mere act of crying. During her hunger strike, she was left on her cell floor for 22 hours with the door open, unable to move, and was only taken to the hospital after public pressure.

Last December, Qesser nearly died on a hunger strike inside HMP Bronzefield. Supporters, including MP Zarah Sultana, spent over 12 hours outside the prison demanding that an ambulance be called.

At Zuhrah’s release in February, she was greeted by MP Zarah Sultana.

Netpol’s recent report noted that repression has become routine in British protest policing. New and overlapping laws, combined with a growing tendency to treat protest as a security issue, have normalised surveillance, heavy-handed policing, and punishment, with harm concentrated on marginalised groups.

The report said:

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As powers have proliferated, mechanisms to restrain or scrutinise their use have weakened. Accountability is being eroded through legislative and policy changes, undermining routes to redress. Alongside this, rising levels of surveillance mark an increasingly preemptive approach to protest policing that resists democratic scrutiny. Meanwhile, the environment for those documenting police violence and repression – namely, journalists and legal observers – is becoming increasingly dangerous. The result is a widening accountability gap in which violence and punitive outcomes multiply while meaningful checks and balances are hollowed out.

Featured image via the Canary

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Israel’s plan to get steel for weapons via India thwarted

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Israel's plan to get steel for weapons via India thwarted

Italian port authorities and dockworkers have intercepted multiple shipments of raw materials and precision components heading for the weapon factories of the genocidal “Israeli” state.

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement reported that three of four Indian shipments of military-grade steel were detained and placed under investigation in Italy.

This specialised steel is essential for the production of 155mm artillery shells, which are manufactured by the “Israeli” company IMI Systems, (formerly known as Israel Military Industries), a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, the Israeli occupation’s largest private defence contractor.

A BDS investigation identified approximately 600 tonnes of this steel, which was being transported from India to “Israel” via the Mediterranean using 23 Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) vessels.

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These 155mm artillery shells have been used extensively by the Israeli occupation in its genocide in Gaza and were used by “Israel” in early March when it attacked the Southern Lebanese town of Yohmor with white phosphorus — a crime under international law.

According to BDS, there is enough steel in these shipments to produce up to 13,000 artillery shells.

Israel’s military-grade steel seized

The blockade intensified after 13 tonnes of weapon components were seized at the Italian port of Ravenna. These precision-machined cannon parts were produced by the Italian firm, Valforge, and heading for IMI Systems. However, investigators found the cargo did not have the mandatory “dual-use” export licences required by Italian law, which strictly prohibits the export or transit of military material to countries involved in armed conflict without explicit government authorisation.

The physical enforcement of this blockade is being led by the Italian trade unions, Collettivo Autonomo Lavoratori Portuali (CALP) and the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB). They have implemented a “Friday for Peace” schedule where, every week, workers refuse to service vessels flagged as carrying cargo for “Israel”.

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The focus of their actions are on the Israeli-owned ZIM shipping line and MSC vessels like the MSC Vega and MSC Danit. These ships have faced protests and docking complications in Italy, Greece, and Spain, leading to the rerouting of several to other ports.

A national petition launched by BDS Italy, calling for a comprehensive military embargo and stricter checks on containers at Italian ports and airports, has so far gathered more than 10,000 signatures. The demand is based on Article 11 of the Italian Constitution, which “repudiate[s] war as an instrument of offence”.

Under Italian Law 185/1990, shipping companies and their directors face severe criminal and financial penalties for transporting restricted military goods without a valid licence. Individual directors can face between two and six years in prison, while corporate fines can reach up to 5% of global annual turnover.

Featured image via the Canary

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Tomb Raider Pauses Production Following Sophie Turner Injury

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Tomb Raider Pauses Production Following Sophie Turner Injury

Production on the upcoming TV adaptation of Tomb Raider is currently on hold after its leading star Sophie Turner suffered an injury.

A spokesperson for the production company Amazon MGM Studio confirmed on Monday that the former Game Of Thrones actor had “recently experienced a minor injury” leading to production being “briefly paused to allow her time to recover” on a precautionary basis.

“We look forward to resuming production as soon as possible,” they added.

Sophie previously enthused: “I am thrilled beyond measure to be playing Lara Croft. She’s such an iconic character, who means so much to so many – and I am giving everything I’ve got.”

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Tomb Raider’s heroine Lara Croft has previously been played on the big screen by Oscar winners Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander, with Hayley Atwell also lending her voice to the character in a Netflix animated series.

Of her predecessors, Sophie added last year: “They’re massive shoes to fill, following in the steps of Angelina and Alicia with their powerhouse performances, but with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands. I can’t wait for you all to see what we have cooking.”

Phoebe also beamed: “It’s not very often you get to make a show of this scale with a character you grew up loving.

“Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave, and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out… Croft is coming…”

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Energy Crisis May Echo 70’s Oil Shock, Ex-BoE Deputy Says

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Energy Crisis May Echo 70's Oil Shock, Ex-BoE Deputy Says

The UK could be on the cusp of an energy crisis comparable to the chaos seen in the 1970s, according to a former deputy governor of the Bank of England.

Iran continues to restrict the number of oil tankers which can travel through the major shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz, in retaliation against the US-Israel strikes from last month.

As the conflict continues, the global economy is facing a period of uncertainty – and energy bills are expected to rise, pushing up the cost of living.

The government is considering supporting some energy bills for targeted households once the current energy price cap lifts in July.

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As fears grow over what lies ahead, former deputy governor of the Bank of England, Sir Howard Davies, suggested it was “probably right” to compare the current era to the crises we saw in the 1970s.

World oil prices soared at the time, triggered by the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The price of an oil barrel then quadrupled in a matter of months.

Arab oil-producing countries only ended their oil embargo against western nations after intense negotiations, though another crisis emerged in 1979 in the wake of the Iranian Revolution.

Davies compared that worldwide energy crisis to the current situation.

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“In this case it could well be that supplies from the Middle East are constrained for some time and therefore we may have to live with a higher oil price – perhaps not $150, but certainly higher than $60 it was when we started,” Davies told BBC Radio 4′s Today.

“That requires a plan to increase alternatives and also to reduce consumption because it also looks like we may have a long term reduction in supply.”

Brent crude oil hit $116 per barrel on Monday morning.

Could the UK be facing an energy crisis similar to the 1970s?

Sir Howard Davies, former deputy governor of the Bank of England, says it is the ‘right comparison’, and that it could be that ‘supplies from the Middle East are constrained for quite a long time’. pic.twitter.com/nM1Qt4zkGA

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— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) March 30, 2026

Keir Starmer tried to prevent any panic buying from the public when speaking to the media on Monday.

The PM said the advice from the energy sector chiefs is “normal use, no need to do anything other than what’s normal”.

He added: “Obviously, we are bearing down on energy costs. The single most important thing we could do is de-escalate to get the Strait of Hormuz open.

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“That’s why I’m putting so much effort into that aspect.”

A Downing Street spokesperson also said: “It’s obviously a serious conflict as the prime minister and the chancellor have said and they’ve been very clear that the impact of disruption to shipping and to the Strait of Hormuz is having an impact here in the UK, and households up and down the UK.”

He said the government’s focus is on working with international partners to de-escalate the situation and reopen the Strait.

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Radio 2 Host Scott Mills Fired From BBC After Personal Conduct Allegations

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Radio 2 Host Scott Mills Fired From BBC After Personal Conduct Allegations

Scott Mills has been axed from his role on the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show due to allegations relating to his behaviour.

Gary Davies has been sitting in for Scott on his usual Radio 2 slot since Tuesday 24 March, with the usual host signing off his previous day’s show by telling his listeners he’d be “back tomorrow”.

BBC News subsequently confirmed on Monday morning that the presenter would not be returning, following what it described as “allegations about his personal conduct”.

“While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted and has left the BBC,” a spokesperson said.

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Last year, Scott took over as the host of Radio 2′s flagship breakfast show from outgoing host Zoe Ball.

Before his sudden exit, he had worked with the BBC for almost 30 years, joining the corporation in 1998 as a presenter on Radio 1.

He remained with Radio 1 for more than a decade, before making the jump to BBC Radio 5 Live in 2019 and Radio 2 in 2022, initially taking over Steve Wright’s afternoon slot before being instated as the station’s breakfast show’s host.

In addition to his work on BBC Radio, he has served as the UK’s commentator during the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest for a number of years, currently sharing the role with fellow broadcaster Rylan Clark.

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Back in 2024, he and his now-husband Sam Vaughan took part in the second season of Celebrity Race Across The World, going on to win the show.

With the regular series of Race Across The World due to return to our screens next month, BBC News noted that Scott had been due to present a companion podcast to accompany the show prior to him parting ways with the broadcaster.

He has also competed on Strictly Come Dancing, finishing in 11th place alongside professional partner Joanne Clifton back in 2014.

Scott also fronted a one-off documentary for the broadcaster in 2011, titled The World’s Worst Place to Be Gay?.

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3 Behaviours Split Those Who Live Long From Those Who Don’t

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3 Behaviours Split Those Who Live Long From Those Who Don't

GP Dr Dominic Greyer previously shared that strength training, good sleep, reducing inflammation, maintaining your “metabolic flexibility,” and enjoying life (in moderation) separates those who age well from those who don’t.

And a new paper, which focused on the short-lived African turqioise killifish, aimed to work out how different behaviours appeared to affect their ageing trajectories.

The fish, which were partly chosen because they shared “key biological features with longer-lived species like humans, including a complex brain”, shared the same genes and were raised in similar environments.

Researchers found that by midlife (for the fish, 70-100 days), fish that lived longer were already behaving differently from those that died sooner.

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Study leader Claire Bedbrook said, “Behavioural changes pretty early on in life are telling us about future health and future lifespan”.

What were the differences?

In this study, one of the biggest factors was sleep. Fish that had longer lives mostly slept at night, while those with shorter lifespans slept both at night and during the day.

Incidentally, longer naps, more disorganised nap times, and a higher percentage of naps taken at noon and in the early afternoon have been linked to increased mortality risk among humans.

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But activity mattered too.

Fish who swam harder and faster were likelier to live longer, “a measure of spontaneous movement that has been linked to longevity in other species as well”.

And fish that lived longer were more active in the daylight as well. A separate human study found that those who did the majority of their physical activity between 11am and 5pm, or mixed throughout the day, had a lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk than those who moved mostly in the early morning or at night.

Ageing seemed to happen in stages

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The researchers noticed that ageing seemed to occur in two to six stages rather than gradually.

“We expected ageing to be a slow, gradual process,” Bedbrook said.

“Instead, animals stay stable for long periods and then transition very quickly into a new stage. Seeing this staged architecture appear from continuous behaviour alone was one of the most exciting discoveries.”

Researchers hope this will benefit humans

In an editor’s summary, senior editor at the journal Science, Mattia Maroso, said: “These results might lead to better understanding of the ageing process in other vertebrates, including humans”.

And speaking to Stanford Reports, study leader Ravi Nath said, “Behaviour turns out to be an incredibly sensitive readout of ageing… You can look at two animals of the same chronological age and see from their behaviour alone that they’re ageing very differently”.

The other study leader, Claire Bedbrook, shared, “We now have the tools to map ageing continuously in a vertebrate… With the rise of wearables and long-term tracking in humans, I’m excited to see whether the same principles – early predictors, staged ageing, divergent trajectories – hold true in people”.

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