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When the days shorten and the sun sinks low in the sky, that familiar winter slump sets in. There’s a fundamental reason for this seasonal fatigue: low levels of vitamin D – the “sunshine vitamin”.

Panama’s supreme court invalidated a contract in late January that had allowed Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based firm CK Hutchison, to operate two ports on the Panama canal since 1997.

For obvious reasons, the secretive world of intelligence agencies and the people who revolve in its orbit remains opaque. So much so, that some of those people may not even be aware of any involvement in the secret world.

Menopause is a key period in a woman’s life. This transition is often accompanied by wide-ranging physical and psychological symptoms — some of which can be debilitating and affect daily life. Menopause has also been linked to cognitive problems — such as memory, attention and language deficits.

Supermarket shelves can look full despite the food systems underneath them being under strain. Fruit may be stacked neatly, chilled meat may be in place. It appears that supply chains are functioning well. But appearances can be deceiving.

Exchanging poems on Valentine’s Day is a long-standing tradition. But poetry doesn’t have to be bound to the page. This February 14, why not try sharing a game poem instead?

The New Zealand Court of Appeal is this week hearing a case that is unusual in a number of respects.

Looking back over 2025, one of the most powerful events for New Zealanders was the reclaiming of the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest haka at Eden Park.

As loneliness reaches epidemic levels worldwide, work has become one of the main settings where connection is either strengthened or lost. In 2023, Vivek Murthy, the former surgeon general of the United States, labelled loneliness an “epidemic,” warning that its consequences rival those of other major health risks.

In cities across France, a number of new bouillon soup-kitchen inspired restaurants are opening for business. Dating back to the 19th century and designed to feed Paris’ working-class masses, for some time these cheap and cheerful places to eat fell out of fashion. Why are they making a comeback today?…

In an age of inequality and exploitation, a 1906 novel that exposed hazardous working conditions and unsanitary practices in Chicago’s meat-packing plants at the turn of the 20th century still pops up in discussions about unjust labour.