News about Mary Wollstonecraft

In the hours preceding her death due to complications arising from childbirth in 1797, the writer Mary Wollstonecraft declared she had 'never known what bodily pain was before'. So it is shocking that more than two centuries on - and despite huge medical advances - giving birth in Britain remains unimaginably harrowing for many women. The depressing truth is, no aspect of NHS care fails as frequently as the units tasked with looking after pregnant mothers and newborn babies. There have been so many horror stories in recent years that public confidence in maternity services is at an all-time low. The cross-party parliamentary report into traumatic childbirths, published yesterday, will do nothing to allay those concerns.

Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua was named the winner of the 72nd annual beauty pageant held in San Salvador last night. Several firsts were recorded this year, including two mothers, two transgender people, and a plus-size woman. Miss Pakistan was the first contestant to wear a burkini swimsuit. (Pictured from left) Miss Nicaragua's Sheynnis Palacios was the subject of a lawsuit. Inset left: Miss Pakistan, inset right: Miss Nepal)

Anna Pursglove explains #gravetok, which has over 1.2 billion views on the internet so far. It's for anyone who is passionate about graves and cemeteries. Rosie Grant, a #gravetok influencer, made ice cream for a woman named Marian Montfort and left it on her gravestone, as she wrote about her grandmother.

PETRONELLA WYATT: According to the researchers, female alumnae from 12 British public schools, including mine, St Paul's, are 20 percent more likely to achieve "reach elite positions in society." Cue a howl of outrage at this from the awakened warriors who believe it will reveal yet more evidence of a revoltingly class-ridden Britain. However, they are wrong as normal. My old school's education may have played a huge role in my success, but the 'Old Girls' Network' is a lazy misnomer. I had no interest in my career as a journalist because of my social class and misplaced allegiance to ancient places of learning.