22 articles from SATURDAY 4.12.2021

Omicron proves we’re not in control of Covid – only global action can stop this pandemic

If we keep allowing this virus to spread through unvaccinated populations, the next variant could be even more deadlyCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIt’s almost two years since we first heard of Covid-19, and a year since the first Covid vaccines were rolled out. Yet this staggering progress is being squandered. We have drifted for months now, with richer countries,...

UK’s progress on Covid now squandered, warns top scientist

Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of Wellcome Trust, suggests emergence of Omicron variant means pandemic is far from overCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe emergence of the Omicron variant shows that the world is “closer to the start of the pandemic than the end”, one of Britain’s most senior scientific figures has warned, as he lamented a lack of political...

Sweet dreams are made of this: why dream analysis is flourishing

Are dreams a message from the soul or meaningless ‘brain farts’? Groups dedicated to interpretation are thrivingJason DeBord regrets the demise of an old parlour game once much-loved in the 19th century: What Did I Eat Last Night? It involved a player recounting their dreams – recorded in a journal upon waking – as an audience was challenged to guess what dream-provoking food they had...

I was told the 12 steps would cure my addiction. Why did I end up feeling more broken?

In this quasi-religious programme, ‘working the steps’ is the remedy for any problem, but for me the cracks soon started to showEight of us sat together in a circle in a wooden shed, an outbuilding at a large country house, somewhere in the south of England. The door was ajar, and spring light flooded the room. “Can anyone name any treatment methods for addiction, other than the 12 steps?”...

Meth use, intimate partner violence weaken immune function in HIV-positive men

A study of HIV-positive black and Latino men who have sex with men finds the use of methamphetamine combined with intimate partner violence boosted the activity of genes that regulate the body's inflammatory and antiviral functions. The combination may lead to exhaustion of the immune system in people living with HIV, increasing the risk for developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular...

How you speak up at work can affect whether you're picked for a team

Business leaders and management experts often encourage people to speak up in the workplace. Suggesting a creative idea or a more efficient way to work can help companies overcome challenges and meet goals. But new research shows another, more subtle and often overlooked form of speaking up has a big effect on the way work gets done and how teams come together.