13 September 2026
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A trial in which musicians played in hospital wards twice a week found patients needed less pain medication and were discharged, on average, a day earlier. Staff turnover on the participating wards also dropped. The hospital has since hired a resident musician.
A South African recruitment firm says candidates who list braaiing as a hobby are more likely to be shortlisted for client-facing roles. Hiring managers described it as shorthand for patience, hosting and the ability to hold a conversation for three hours. Critics say it quietly favours a very specific kind of applicant.
A retired postman has eaten lunch at the same neighbourhood diner every single day for three decades, ordering the same meal and sitting at the same stool. The staff threw him a party to mark the anniversary and revealed they had quietly stopped charging him years ago. He says he simply never found a reason to go anywhere else.
Analysis of grocery prices shows the average packed school lunch now costs twice what it did five years ago, with fruit, yoghurt and bread rising fastest. Parents describe swapping name brands for store brands and quietly shrinking portions. Nutritionists warn the cheapest options are also the least filling.
Sales of home landline phones have risen for the first time in two decades, driven by parents who want their children reachable without handing over a smartphone. Some families say the fixed phone has restored the lost art of the awkward hello. Telecoms firms admit they were caught off guard by the demand.