Grand unions
The BMA – or British Medical Association – called a five-day strike of junior doctors (which it now calls resident doctors). Some other grandly named trade unions:
— Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (or Aslef)
— Confederation of British Surgery
— First Division Association (senior civil servants)
— Royal College of Nursing
— Royal College of Midwives
— Society of Authors
— Society of Radiographers
Heat up
Are heatwaves becoming more commonplace across Britain? Average number of days per year in which each county experiences a temperature in excess of 32°C (90°F):
1931-1960 0.17
1961-1990 0.25
1991-2020 0.40
2015-2024 0.91
(Note that the latter period is only ten years, while the others are 30.)
Source: Royal Meteorological Society/Met Office
A long run
Fauja Singh, believed to be the oldest runner to complete a marathon, died after being hit by a car in India. He was 100 when he completed the Toronto marathon in 2011 (although he had no birth certificate as the documents were not issued in India at the time he was born). He had previously run a time of five hours, 40 minutes, also in Toronto, in 2003.
Some other age-defying marathon runs:
— Dimitrion Yordanidis is recorded as having run a marathon in Greece in 1976, when aged 98.
— Ed Whitlock ran the first sub-four hour marathon in 2016 at the age of 85 – again in Toronto. His time was three hours, 56 minutes and 34 seconds. He had previously held the record for the oldest person to run a marathon in under three hours – at the age of 74.
Dead-end jobs
124 people were killed in work-related accidents in 2024/25. Which industries suffered the most casualties?
Construction 35
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 23
Transport/storage 15
Administration and support 13
Wholesale, retail, motor repairs, accommodation and food 12
Manufacturing 11
Waste/recycling 3
Source: Health and Safety Executive
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