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Theunis Wessels mows his lawn at his home in Three Hills, Alberta, as a tornado swirls in the background. Photograph: Cecilia Wessels/APView image in fullscreenTheunis Wessels mows his lawn at his home in Three Hills, Alberta, as a tornado swirls in the background. Photograph: Cecilia Wessels/APCanada This article is more than 6 years oldLawnmower man: Canadian cuts lawn as tornado looms – and photo goes viralThis article is more than 6 years oldTheunis Wessels was determined to mow the lawn even as an intimidating storm brewed behind him, leading to his moment in the sun

Steven Seagal This article is more than 8 years oldSteven Seagal gets Serbian citizenship after offering to start martial arts schoolThis article is more than 8 years oldAction star and friend of Vladimir Putin has made several visits to Serbia, meeting with president and prime minister and saying he feels like a Serb Serbia has granted citizenship to American action hero Steven Seagal, state television reported Monday, after he offered to set up a martial arts school in Belgrade.

Karen and Richard Carpenter in 1981 in Los Angeles. Photograph: Harry Langdon/Getty ImagesAs their self-titled, third album and biggest hit turns 50, we pick their best work by Alexis Petridis20. Road Ode (1972)The Carpenters’ greatest album remains the compilation Singles 1969-1973, on which the duo remixed, re-recorded and segued their hits into one glorious gush of sound, but 1972’s A Song for You runs it close, because the album tracks are as good as the singles, as on this gorgeous portrait of a tour-weary musician.

English scheme … the Fall play in Manchester in 1977. Photograph: Kevin Cummins/Getty Images Photograph: Kevin Cummins/Getty ImagesEnglish scheme … the Fall play in Manchester in 1977. Photograph: Kevin Cummins/Getty Images Photograph: Kevin Cummins/Getty Images10 of the bestThe FallThe Fall: 10 of their best songsOur Fall lover had a shortlist of 23 songs, which he then ‘whittled down’ to 46. But pity the man picking only 10 from the catalogue of Mark E Smith

RapFor the provocative singer and rapper, viral success came with some negative attention. But now, with help from mushrooms and the Welsh countryside, they’re in a better place A few months ago, Ashton Casey, AKA the US rapper, singer and purveyor of industrial-strength agit-pop Ashnikko, escaped from the real world. The artist, who uses they/them pronouns, had been working hard to finish their brain-frying debut album Weedkiller – a climate crisis-evoking conceptual opus about a tribe of fairies under attack from the titular killing machine – and there were tour rehearsals to start and world-building videos to shoot.

Assisted dyingExplainerIn light of UK broadcaster Esther Rantzen’s revelation that she has considered assisted dying, we look at the policies of other countries The broadcaster and Silver Line founder Esther Rantzen has said she has considered the option of assisted dying if her ongoing lung cancer treatment does not improve her condition, adding that she had joined the Swiss organisation Dignitas, which offers physician-assisted suicide. Here we take a look at the policies of other countries.

The ObserverScotlandNeighbours of Tamsin Calidas, who moved to Scotland from London, are keen to put their side as her book I am an Island looks set for success Tamsin Calidas’s memoir about swapping Notting Hill for a croft on a small Hebridean island luxuriates in its landscape. The heather and the Munros, the raw skies and the wild tides of the Atlantic are lavishly described. The islanders, by contrast, are largely anonymous, thoughtless and cruel.

MoviesIn films like No Hard Feelings, Joy Ride and Asteroid City, full-frontal female nudity is back. What has changed in the #MeToo era? After years of chaste superhero movies dominating the box office and frequent laments for the death of the sex scene, full frontal nudity is making a comeback on screen in a crop of summer comedies, with female stars daring to bare all for laughs. In Adele Lim’s new Asian-led comedy Joy Ride, which channels the raucous spirit of Bridesmaids, there is a gasp-out-loud scene in which Stephanie Hsu’s character, Kat, a soap opera star, has her skirt whipped off at the end of a dance sequence to reveal a lurid devil tattoo on her vulva.

Book of the dayAutobiography and memoirReviewIn his fiercely honest memoir, the actor and comedian confronts the painful bereavement and abuse he endured as a child Alan Davies’s first memoir, My Favourite People and Me 1978-1988 (later republished as Teenage Revolution), was a wry look at his suburban adolescence and early career in comedy. Each chapter was organised around one of his idols from the era, among them Paul Weller and Barry Sheene.

Florida This article is more than 3 months oldSkydiver found dead in Florida yard after apparent parachuting accidentThis article is more than 3 months oldFrederick C Morello was discovered in parachute gear on lawn of a house in Titusville A skydiver was found dead in the yard of a Florida home after an apparent accident while parachuting, local police said. Frederick C Morello, 69, was discovered outfitted in parachute attire and gear on the lawn of a house in Titusville in the center of the state near Cape Canaveral at about 12.

Laddies of the lake … the Walker children afloat in Swallows And Amazons. Photograph: StudioCanal FilmsLaddies of the lake … the Walker children afloat in Swallows And Amazons. Photograph: StudioCanal FilmsFirst look reviewSwallows and AmazonsReviewChildren messing about in boats is not enough for this adaptation, which injects an adult espionage twist more Famous Five than Arthur Ransome Arthur Ransome’s wholesome prewar classic of children’s literature is all about fresh-faced girls and boys sailing dinghies around the Lake District with no health-and-safety nonsense about flotation jackets.

Lee’s new mockingbird eventually came to seem instead like an albatross. Illustration: Guardian DesignNearly 20 years after To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee was living out of the public eye, drinking and suffering from writer’s block. Then she came across the sensational case of a murderous preacher ... by Casey CepNobody dies at a funeral. The dead arrive that way, and the living are supposed to leave that way. But the Rev Willie Maxwell walked into a funeral that he never left.

Greg Abbott This article is more than 6 months oldAuthor of spoof story shared by Greg Abbott calls him one of ‘dumbest people in the country’This article is more than 6 months oldTexas governor shared fake article by Christopher Blair about Garth Brooks being booed by ‘patriots’ in made-up city The author of a satirical website said the Texas governor, Greg Abbott, is among the “dumbest people in the country” after Abbott shared a fake article about his own state.

Raspberries baked in muscat sabayon. Photograph: Pia RiverolaView image in fullscreenRaspberries baked in muscat sabayon. Photograph: Pia RiverolaThe ObserverBakingChocolate hazelnut cake, vegan chocolate chip cookies, treacle tart with whipped cream – recipes from the Violet Cakes founder’s new book, Love is a Pink Cake When I’m thinking up recipes, I’m trying to satisfy a craving,” says Claire Ptak, founder of Violet Cakes in east London. Her command of flavours and textures and the outright beauty of her creations has made her one of London’s best-loved bakers, sought after by Hackney residents and royalty alike.

Death Cab For Cutie This article is more than 14 years oldDeath Cab for Cutie declare war on Auto-Tune abuseThis article is more than 14 years oldThe American indie-rockers are proving their credentials by fighting the 'authentic' fight against T-Pain, Kanye, and a thousand digitally altered voicesWhen Death Cab for Cutie hit the red carpet at this weekend's Grammy awards, they were flying the flag for a new and controversial cause.

Fernando Torres This article is more than 6 years oldFernando Torres in hospital with head injury suffered during Atlético matchThis article is more than 6 years old Former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres taken off on stretcher Spanish forward spending night in hospital for tests and observation The Atlético Madrid striker Fernando Torres was taken to hospital after suffering a head injury in Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Deportivo La Coruña.

Choice judges weighed up supermarket Christmas hams and found that IGA’s ham half-leg was the best one, beating out several more expensive options. Photograph: ChoiceView image in fullscreenChoice judges weighed up supermarket Christmas hams and found that IGA’s ham half-leg was the best one, beating out several more expensive options. Photograph: ChoiceAustralia news This article is more than 1 month oldIGA’s ‘delicious and budget-friendly’ Christmas ham tops Choice taste testThis article is more than 1 month oldWinning ham is just $8 a kilo, while worst rated option in consumer group taste test is also one of the most expensive

Folk musicObituaryMaggie Boyle obituaryFolk musician who was a member of the trio Grace Notes and worked with artists such as John Renbourn and Bert JanschFor such a highly regarded folk singer, Maggie Boyle performed solo comparatively rarely. Instead, Maggie, who has died of cancer aged 57, worked with many other musicians, from her former husband, Steve Tilston, to John Renbourn and Bert Jansch, formerly of Pentangle, and her fellow members of the trio Grace Notes.

From next year, primary schools must teach pupils that different types of families exist. It is a great step forward for society, says Paul Twocock, a Stonewall director Published: 5 Sep 2019 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRop5qtnGLBuLvCqJqk

OpinionFeminism This article is more than 9 years oldPosing naked is one of the ultimate feminist actsThis article is more than 9 years oldJoan SmithIt’s not always, or only, about sex. For me it was a liberation from the body anxiety that afflicts so many womenA few years ago, shortly after ending a long relationship, I asked a photographer to take some nude photographs. I know her well, so it was not as daunting as posing for a total stranger.

PhotographyInterview'I'll never forget the sound of the door shutting behind me': inside South America's toughest prisonsSean O'HaganHe’s had a knife held to his throat, been pelted with bags of urine – even kissed behind the bookshelves in the prison library. Photographer Valerio Bispuri on his dangerous 10-year journey through South America’s most notorious jails Until recently, the 90 men judged the most dangerous convicts in Argentina were held in Pavilion 5 of Mendoza prison.

TV and radio blogCultureChannel 4 has an ident crisis - the latest from the TV blogsVeronica Mars and Jerico got cancelled, but Kyle XY has a promising telekenisis story line. Meanwhile, have Channel 4 ruined their '20 Questions' idents?Veronica Mars: canned despite chocolate-themed protest. Warning: may not ACTUALLY contain spoilers to The Sopranos, but may contain links to posts which DO contain spoilers, links to blogs which have spoilers in other posts on their site, or whose blogrolls may contain other blogs which DO contain spoilers.

BaseballEx-MLB star Trevor Bauer criticized for apparent support of US Navy officer jailed in JapanBauer criticized in Japan for apparent support of Ridge AlkonisEx-MLB star signed with Yokohama after release from DodgersFormer major league pitcher Trevor Bauer came under criticism in Japan on Wednesday after he appeared to express support on social media for a US Navy officer who had been jailed over a car crash that killed two Japanese citizens.

The Long Good FridayLettersLetter: Patti Love obituaryWhile the actor Patti Love was best known for her stage work, she will be remembered by cinemagoers for her part in The Long Good Friday (1980), in which she played Carol Benson, the widow of a minicab driver murdered by the IRA. Her two brief appearances are characterised by a remarkably high emotional intensity: in the first, she stops the funeral car to get out and spit into the face of Bob Hoskins’ right-hand man, Jeff (Derek Thompson); in the second she is seen arranging flowers at the grave of her husband.

Mark Meadows This article is more than 4 months oldMark Meadows testifies in bid to move Georgia election case to federal courtThis article is more than 4 months oldTrump’s White House chief of staff argues he acted in capacity as federal officer and that case should be moved to federal court The sprawling 41-count indictment of Donald Trump and 18 other defendants in Fulton county had its first test on Monday as Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff, took the stand before a federal judge over his request to move his Georgia election interference case from state to federal court.

The ObserverScienceFrom the nature of the universe (that's if there is only one) to the purpose of dreams, there are lots of things we still don't know – but we might do soon. A new book seeks some answers1 What is the universe made of? Astronomers face an embarrassing conundrum: they don’t know what 95% of the universe is made of. Atoms, which form everything we see around us, only account for a measly 5%.

Latex lovers … one of Britain’s most popular kinks. Latex lovers … one of Britain’s most popular kinks. TV reviewTelevision & radioReviewWhether it’s a dungeon in Mansfield or a St Helier man with a sex-doll for a fiancée, this study of the UK’s fetishes won’t keep you chained to the sofa. Plus: The Good Wife The Great British Sex Survey (Channel 4) was, as the astute-to-barely-sentient among you will no doubt have suspected from the first sighting of the title in your schedules, a pile of toss.

Tori AmosInterviewTori Amos: 'Menopause is the hardest teacher I've met. Harder than fame'Charlotte Richardson AndrewsA walk in the Smoky Mountains in the footsteps of her late Cherokee grandfather helped the musician rediscover her muse – and write an album that confronts the US’s rapacious violence A gargantuan truck fills the driveway of Tori Amos’s Cornwall home. The surrounding countryside is tranquil – verdant hills, stone farm buildings, golden crops swaying in the late August sun – but a throng of activity greets us at the home/recording studio Amos shares with her producer husband, Mark Hawley.

OpinionDiets and dieting This article is more than 2 months oldAndrew Tate ‘hates’ eating. What is behind his performative disgust for food?This article is more than 2 months oldZoe WilliamsIn the toxic manosphere, fasting is seen as a mark of strength and self-reliance. I can think of another word for it ‘Food’s awful and eating sucks.” Thus spake Andrew Tate, on X (formerly Twitter). “I hate eating. I hate feeling full,” he elaborated, before broadening, in his trademark fashion, the personal to the universal: “Imagine how stupid you have to be to find food entertaining.

Clenched-jaw aggression … Dinita Gohil as Annette and Freema Agyeman as Veronica. Photograph: The Other RichardClenched-jaw aggression … Dinita Gohil as Annette and Freema Agyeman as Veronica. Photograph: The Other RichardTheatreReviewLyric Hammersmith, London Some of the punches don’t land as hard as they might, but deft direction and slick performances make this a delightfully brutal take down of bourgeois manners Yasmina Reza’s feted satire of two couples locked in passive aggressive combat inside a tasteful French living room smashed the facade of smugly civilised middle-class life when it premiered in 2008.

Film This article is more than 2 months oldHispanic and Latino representation in film hasn’t improved for 16 years – studyThis article is more than 2 months oldUSC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative finds that representation behind and in front of the camera remains stagnant Hispanics and Latinos remain underrepresented in film, a trend that has carried for 16 years, according to a new report from the University of Southern California. Even when movies did feature Hispanic or Latino characters, they were usually stereotyped as immigrant or as having low income.

Japan This article is more than 2 months oldJapan gets a new island after undersea volcano eruptsThis article is more than 2 months oldNew landmass about 100 metres across pops up above the waves near Iwoto island after eruptions began last month Japan has gained another island to add to its already impressive collection, after an undersea volcanic eruption 1,200km (745 miles) south of Tokyo created a new landmass. Experts said the tiny island emerged after a series of eruptions that began in October near Iwoto island, part of the Ogasawara island chain in the western Pacific.

BusinessL’Oréal heiress and board member is first woman to amass $100bn fortuneFrançoise Bettencourt Meyers, whose grandfather founded the company in 1909, became $28.6bn richer The L’Oréal heiress and businesswoman, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, has become the first woman to amass a fortune of $100bn. Bettencourt Meyers, who is French, broke through the barrier on Thursday thanks to a rise in the share price of the cosmetics empire she inherited from her mother, who also held the title of the world’s richest woman until her death in 2017.

Book of the dayBiography booksReviewA much-needed retelling of the extraordinary story of Harold Wilson’s right-hand woman Imagine a story of sex, drugs and secrets inside Downing Street. A story about a political wife accused of meddling, and a resignation honours list mired in scandal. And no, it’s not the one you’re thinking of. This is the irresistible tale of Marcia Williams, political secretary and “office wife” to the Labour prime minister Harold Wilson, and if it were the plot of a thriller it would seem too wild to be true.

House of RepresentativesUS House Republican says pay bump would attract ‘credible people’ to officeNorth Carolina representative Patrick McHenry argues for increase from $174,000 salary, but voted against increasing minimum wage A retiring US House Republican who has previously opposed proposals to raise the federal minimum wage has advocated for an increase to the $174,000 salaries collected by rank and file Congress members, saying that would motivate “credible people to run for office”.

Two 35-tonne fin whales are tied by their tails to one of Kristján Loftsson’s whaling ships after being caught in Hvalfjörður near Iceland’s capital, Reykjavík. Photograph: AFP/GettyTwo 35-tonne fin whales are tied by their tails to one of Kristján Loftsson’s whaling ships after being caught in Hvalfjörður near Iceland’s capital, Reykjavík. Photograph: AFP/GettySeascape: the state of our oceansEnvironmentFor Kristján Loftsson, the 80-year-old who is more or less singlehandedly keeping the fin whale hunt alive, comparisons with Moby-Dick’s obsessive hero Ahab are ‘an honour’.

ObituaryBen ArisCharacter actor whose work ranged from Hamlet to Hi-De-Hi!With his height, diffident manner, lean figure, slim face and moustache, the character actor Ben Aris, who has died aged 66, moved among the upper classes on stage and screen with charm and authority. On television, he brought postwar, old-world charm to Crimpton-on-Sea in the BBC1 holiday camp comedy series, Hi-de-Hi! An accomplished horseman, he enjoyed fleeting triumph in Tony Richardson's film of The Charge Of The Light Brigade (1967), as the braying Captain Maxse dying a spectacular death before the Russian guns.

La Ciotat harbour. Photograph: Prisma by Dukas Presseagentur GmbH/AlamyLa Ciotat harbour. Photograph: Prisma by Dukas Presseagentur GmbH/AlamyFrance holidaysLess frenetic than neighbouring Marseille, this beautiful coastal resort quietly celebrates its pioneering heritage in shipbuilding, cinematography and … pétanque So impressive were the shipyards at La Ciotat, halfway between Marseille and Toulon, that French emperors, dignitaries and scientists would flock there to witness the launch of an ocean liner. The swell overflowed the port, flooding cafes and carrying diners and motorcars out to sea.

Other livesSculptureObituaryHeather Jansch obituaryMy mother, Heather Jansch, who has died aged 72 following a stroke, was a renowned sculptor who specialised in images of the horse in driftwood and bronze. Her work is held in collections across the world but she is perhaps best known for sculptures exhibited at the Eden Project in Cornwall, where she was a resident artist. One of her sculptures there became known as the Eden Horse.

Kanye West This article is more than 14 years oldKanye West: I'm confident with my manhoodThis article is more than 14 years oldThe US hip-hop star responds to attempts by 50 Cent and others to label him as gay because of his, er, colourful taste in fashion. And will somebody please tell him that the rainbow is not a brand like the Nike swoosh"Your dress don't give away whether or not you like a man,"

Michael Phelps This article is more than 9 years oldMichael Phelps pleads guilty to drunken driving three months after DUI arrestThis article is more than 9 years oldOlympic swimmer arrested on 30 September with .14% blood-alcohol levelCurrently serving six-month suspension from USA SwimmingAmerican swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, pleaded guilty on Friday to driving under the influence of alcohol and received 18 months of supervised probation and a one-year suspended jail sentence.

OpinionAgeing This article is more than 5 years oldMiddle-aged women are invisible on screen. I’m taking on this ageismThis article is more than 5 years oldNicola ClarkIt seems the advent of a woman’s wrinkles means she can no longer pay her way through acting. My campaign calls for a fresh look at castingLike most of us I love a good TV drama, which is why I sat down to watch both The City and the City and Deep State recently.

Bahamas This article is more than 13 years oldMissing sailor found inside shark off Jaws beachThis article is more than 13 years oldDismembered body discovered weeks after disappearance off beach used as location for Jaws: The RevengeThe remains of a sailor who disappeared off Jaws beach in the Bahamas, where the final film in the Jaws franchise was filmed, have been found inside a tiger shark. Authorities used fingerprints to identify Judson Newton, who was last seen on 29 August swimming for shore after his boat's engine stalled, as the body found inside the 3.

Vivek RamaswamyRamaswamy insists he’s still in the game as he fails to qualify for last debateRepublican candidate’s poll numbers are not high enough to take part in Iowa debate as campaign says not to write him off Predictions of the end of Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign for the presidential nomination are premature, a senior aide insisted, as the biotech entrepreneur who enjoyed early success with a brash and aggressive campaign contemplated a final Iowa debate taking place on Wednesday night without him.

Australian mediaBrittany Higgins says she was raped. Lehrmann denies it. After weeks of evidence the judge must decide who he believes Many Australians are now very familiar with the story. On 23 March 2019, Bruce Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins drank with colleagues in a Canberra bar. Then, in the early hours of 24 March, they caught an Uber to Parliament House and went to minister Linda Reynolds’ office where they both worked.

Qantas This article is more than 3 months oldAustralia agrees to clear-the-air talks with Qatar over controversial airline decisionThis article is more than 3 months oldExclusive: Senate inquiry hearings were told application for extra flights by the Gulf had been ‘unfairly rejected’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Australian bureaucrats will schedule a meeting with Qatari officials to discuss the Albanese government’s controversial decision to reject Qatar Airways’ request to almost double its flight operations to Australia.

Book of the daySociety booksReviewThis rigorous defence of middle-aged women, who are ignored and vilified, is an often painful read and a future classic When I went to university in 1988, feminism was wildly unfashionable; if students of both sexes happily queued around the block to hear Germaine Greer lecture on Aphra Behn, it was considered deeply uncool to own a copy of The Second Sex, let alone to go on about Andrea Dworkin or the Sun’s page three.

Iceland This article is more than 1 month oldIceland volcano: eruption begins on Reykjanes peninsula after weeks of activityThis article is more than 1 month oldFearing a significant event, authorities had evacuated the nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the fishing town of Grindavík Iceland volcano – live updates A volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland has erupted after weeks of intense earthquake activity, spewing glowing orange jets of lava surrounded by billowing clouds of red smoke.

Renée Zellweger This article is more than 9 years oldJulia Roberts: I've risked my career by not having cosmetic surgeryThis article is more than 9 years oldThe actor’s comments about the pressures on women in Hollywood come as Russell Brand defends Renée Zellweger against criticism over her new look Julia Roberts has stepped into the controversy over the pressures on women in Hollywood by claiming she may have risked her career by opting not to undergo a facelift.

Autumn arts preview 2019Top BoyInterviewLittle Simz: ‘Every story told in Top Boy, I’ve witnessed a version’Killian FoxThe rapper on being cast in the new series of the London drama, and meeting its biggest fan, Drake Read an interview with Top Boy writer Ronan Bennett Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo – better known as rapper Little Simz – was born in north London in 1994. She started acting aged nine, appearing in the BBC series Spirit Warriors and E4’s Youngers, before turning to music.

‘My artemia crew swam around behind the kitchen sink, until Mum accidentally knocked them out of the window.’ Photograph: Nora Peevy/Getty Images/iStockphoto‘My artemia crew swam around behind the kitchen sink, until Mum accidentally knocked them out of the window.’ Photograph: Nora Peevy/Getty Images/iStockphotoThe pet I'll never forgetPetsDeprived of pets for most of my childhood, my first came out of a sachet. They were educational and prize-winning, but I couldn’t overlook their incessant sexual bacchanal

The ObserverSpain This article is more than 8 months old‘We need to get out!’ How Gypsy families were driven out of Spanish town by mobThis article is more than 8 months oldMany of the 40 people forced to flee after a local stabbing are still traumatised by Andalucían town’s ‘blackest day’ Almost 10 months on, Ricardo García Carmona still shudders at the way he spoke to his mother when she appeared on his doorstep with an urgent warning a little after 9am on Sunday 17 July last year.

The ObserverHenry V This article is more than 1 year oldBy all means cry God for Harry, England and St George. Just don’t puff out your chest too farThis article is more than 1 year oldTim AdamsA new production of Henry V has been called a ‘woke King Harry’ – but Englishness has always been complexAt the Vote Leave HQ on the night of the Brexit vote, Daniel Hannan leapt on to a table at 4.

Pop and rockInterview‘I considered having kids with Brad Pitt’: Melissa Etheridge on music, motherhood and coming outSimon HattenstoneEighteen months after she lost her son to opioid addiction, the singer-songwriter has released a new album. She talks about her troubled childhood, the happiness she has found with her wife – and her refusal to grieve ‘Helloooooh! How are you? I’m good, I’m good.” It takes me about three seconds to warm to Melissa Etheridge.

Japan This article is more than 1 year oldJapanese government offers families 1m yen a child to leave TokyoThis article is more than 1 year oldGovernment boosts incentives to lure people to ‘unfashionable’ regional areas hit by ageing, shrinking populations Japan’s government is offering 1m yen ($7,500) per child to families who move out of greater Tokyo, in an attempt to reverse population decline in the regions. The incentive – a dramatic rise from the previous relocation fee of 300,000 yen – will be introduced in April, according to Japanese media reports, as part of an official push to breathe life into declining towns and villages.

CaliforniaLos Angeles Innocence Project takes Scott Peterson case up 21 years after wife’s murderNon-profit says it is investigating 51-year-old’s ‘claim of actual innocence’ over high-profile killing of pregnant wife Two decades after Scott Peterson was sentenced to death for the murder of his pregnant wife in a high-profile trial, the Los Angeles Innocence Project said this week that it had taken up the case. The development marks a significant breakthrough for the 51-year-old, who has long maintained his innocence and has claimed he received an unfair trial.

DC Comics This article is more than 8 years oldSocial media mocks DC Comics for note saying Pakistan language is 'Pakistanian'This article is more than 8 years oldThe US publisher’s latest Superman/Wonder Woman annual includes an editor’s note describing text as ‘translated from Pakistanian’, setting social media alight with derision It’s just another job for Superman and Wonder Woman: a group of shepherds in the Shimshal region of Pakistan are being menaced by a demigod, until the superheroes show up.

Book of the dayPolitics booksReviewA warts-and-all account of Sinn Féin’s political journey out of the shadows To appreciate the astonishing rise of Sinn Féin consider this: even the IRA once disdained the party. “We used to say it was made up of cowards and women,” a former IRA man told Aoife Moore. “These are people who do the collections, look after your family when you’re inside, but there was no chance that you were sort of taking a political lead from them.

Ciro Maiello opens the window of his apartment in Naples, on which is painted the head of Diego Maradona. Photograph: Roberto Salomone/The GuardianCiro Maiello, whose home is adorned with a painting of the player, says Napoli’s first Serie A win since Diego’s days heralds a new dawn for the city by Lorenzo Tondo in NaplesAt 10.37pm on 4 May the man who lives in Diego Maradona’s head threw open the window of his flat in the Spanish Quarter district in Naples for the first time in months, erupting in a cathartic scream as the city celebrated another moment in its rebirth.

Portugal’s defender Pepe, preparing to leap to his feet after going down in the group game against Morocco. Photograph: Antonin Thuillier/AFP/Getty ImagesPortugal’s defender Pepe, preparing to leap to his feet after going down in the group game against Morocco. Photograph: Antonin Thuillier/AFP/Getty ImagesWorld Cup 2018It’s become the talking point of the tournament but where does the term come from? And what are its worst examples? Shithousery is a fairly nebulous term, taking in as it does pretty much all the dark arts employed on a football pitch – everything from diving to headbutting via haranguing the referee and time-wasting.

BooksBeth Macy’s bestselling book tells the story of two African American brothers with albinism who were kidnapped and forced to perform in a 1920s circus. What can their story teach us about racism in the US today?In October 1927, the circus came to Roanoke, Virginia. It was a vast affair. There were four locomotives, 100 railcars, 1,600 people, five rings, six stages, elephants and high-wire acts. Among the attractions arriving in town were two albino African-American men called George and Willie Muse, famous across the United States as Eko and Iko, the sheepheaded cannibals from Ecuador.

‘I’m disappointed people don’t recognise what I did in Test cricket’ says Chris Gayle, one of only four batsmen to score two Test triple-centuries. Photograph: Linda Nylind/for the Guardian‘I’m disappointed people don’t recognise what I did in Test cricket’ says Chris Gayle, one of only four batsmen to score two Test triple-centuries. Photograph: Linda Nylind/for the GuardianChris GayleInterviewChris Gayle: ‘You’re with men. You’re good-looking. What do you expect?’Donald McRaeThe West Indies star is used to defending himself but insists the sexism row over his interview with an Australian TV reporter was blown out of proportionChris Gayle doesn’t trust me but blunt honesty is preferable when, in exchange, he is fiercely concentrated during our hour together.

FilmDie Hard and Carry On? Britain’s most-aired films over Christmas revealedAnalysis of five decades of festive TV schedules shows that only one in eight films were Christmas-related Think of Christmas films and the chances are your mind is drawn towards snowmen, mistletoe and Jimmy Stewart. But analysis of five decades of Christmas TV schedules in the UK reveal that the most-aired films feature a magic car, a straw man and Kenneth Williams.

Netherlands This article is more than 8 months oldDrug kingpin to defend himself in Dutch court after lawyer arrested – reportsThis article is more than 8 months oldLawyer for Ridouan Taghi, head of Dutch-Moroccan gang, is accused of passing information from prison cell A man accused of a number of murders as head of one of Europe’s most feared drug gangs has reportedly told a Dutch court he will represent himself after the arrest of his lawyer over claims she helped him communicate from his prison cell.

‘Everything in life is not going to come peaches and cream’ … Fantasia Barrino. Photograph: Dana Scruggs/New York Times/Redux/eyevineBarrino entered American Idol in 2004 as a young single mother who struggled to read, and won over the nation with her powerhouse voice and personality. Now she is starring in her first film. She discusses poverty, violence, Oprah – and gratitude by Zoe Williams‘I wasn’t going to show my face,” Fantasia Barrino says, speaking on a video call from Los Angeles.

MoviesThomas Haden Church got his break in Sideways by stripping for the audition. He tells Ed Pilkington why he's baring all for his new movie, and how he went from chainsaw-swinging cowboy with a failed TV career behind him to Hollywood's favourite rogueThere's a question I'm dying to ask Thomas Haden Church. I've spent quite a bit of time worrying over the best way to frame it. Should I work my way gently towards it?

Carol Rumens's poem of the weekJohn MiltonPoem of the week: Lycidas by John MiltonThis time, a remarkable supple kind of pastoral that makes room for a number of unexpected and daring fusionsDr Johnson, while recognising Milton's genius, took a famously dim view of this week's poem. "Such is the power of reputation justly acquired that its blaze drives away the eye from nice examination. Surely no man could have fancied he read 'Lycidas' with pleasure had he not known its author.

South Africa This article is more than 5 years oldSpotted: giraffes in the snowThis article is more than 5 years oldAntelope, rhinoceroses and elephants also photographed in icy conditions after late snowfall in South Africa Animals more used to desert heat have been photographed enjoying the snow after a cold front brought snowfall to parts of South Africa over the weekend. Giraffes, antelope, rhinoceroses and elephants were photographed in icy conditions around South Africa, in pictures shared widely on social media.

Tax and spendingExplainerHow being registered as such with HMRC works and affects tax Kwarteng defends non-domicile tax status of chancellor’s wife Akshata Murty: chancellor’s wife and richer than the Queen What is non-domicile status?A person who is registered as non-domiciled with HM Revenue and Customs is tax resident in the UK but does not have to pay UK tax on income and capital gains earned overseas – including on company stocks or cash made from selling a second home – unless they bring their money into the UK or deposit it into a UK bank account.

Jeff Koons This article is more than 10 months oldArt fair visitor breaks $42,000 Jeff Koons balloon dog sculptureThis article is more than 10 months oldShiny blue sculpture shatters into pieces on floor after woman gives it a tap at VIP event in Miami A small sculpture valued at $42,000 (£35,000) by the renowned artist Jeff Koons has been broken at the opening night of an art fair in Miami by a woman who gave it a little tap.

English Touring OperaReviewHackney Empire, London Jenny Ogilvie grafts a wacky ‘Night at the Museum’ concept onto the fairytale in this new production for English Touring Opera. Conductor Naomi Woo’s speeds are brisk to the point of breathlessness Everyone knows the story of Cinderella – and where English Touring Opera’s new production is concerned that’s a good job. Directed by Jenny Ogilvie and designed by Basia Bińkowska, the staging takes Rossini’s 1817 opera and wrangles it into an unlikely Night at the Museum scenario dreamed up by soon-to-be-ex-employee Alidoro, Rossini’s fairy godfather figure.

Tennis‘Fight till the end’: Iga Swiatek roars back to defeat Danielle Collins in Australian Open epicSwiatek defeats Collins 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to reach third roundPolish world No 1 mounts extraordinary comeback in third setFrom the moment the Australian Open draw was dealt last week, there was little doubt that a wild ride awaited world No 1 Iga Swiatek, after so many difficult opponents were drawn in her section. Of all her potential challengers, no first-week foe seemed as dangerous as Danielle Collins.

Reading groupChuck PalahniukFirst rule of Fight Club: no one talks about the quality of the writingChuck Palahniuk’s novel is a tantalising exploration of violence, male identity politics and therapy-culture – but let’s look at the skill behind the book The first thing most critics talk about in relation to Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club is politics. The second thing they talk about is politics too. Third and fourth come questions of male identity and violence (which are also, arguably, political questions.

Los Angeles AngelsThe Angels have had two brilliant players at their disposal over the last few years. And they haven’t reached the postseason in almost a decade The good news for the Los Angeles Angels is that they’re still technically in the playoff hunt heading into the 1 August MLB trade deadline. That is also the bad news. You see, that slim hope of a postseason berth complicates their upcoming decision on whether to trade the greatest player in baseball or risk losing him in free agency and gain nothing in return.

RED TAPE, WHITE LIESIt would appear that both pure Ecstasy and Prozac exert their pharmacological effect on the serotonin receptor sites in the brain. Why is the former illegal and the latter widely prescribed legally? SEROTONIN is a chemical in the brain which affects a number of things, including mood. People suffering from clinical depression have lower than average levels of serotonin in their brains. Prozac gradually restores serotinin to its proper level, then maintains that level.

New South Wales politics This article is more than 2 years oldPork barrelling is 'what elections are for': John Barilaro defends bushfire grantsThis article is more than 2 years oldBlue Mountains mayor refutes NSW deputy premier’s assertion that councils in non-Coalition seats were not eligible The mayor of Blue Mountains council has contradicted the New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro’s claim that it did not receive money from a $177m bushfire recovery fund because its application did not meet the grant’s conditions, saying the projects were “shovel ready”.

BooksObituaryRafael Martínez NadalA trusted friend of Lorca, he escaped death at the hands of Franco's forces to become a leading light of Hispanic life and letters in LondonThe Spanish writer, lecturer and broadcaster Rafael Martínez Nadal, who has died aged 97, was a close friend of Federico García Lorca, and his outlook was shaped by the brilliant generation of Spanish artists who blossomed in the 1920s. He met Lorca at Madrid's famous Residencia de Estudiantes in the 1920s.

The ObserverSuccessionInterviewSuccession’s Nicholas Braun: ‘I feel better being honest than hiding’Alex MoshakisHe’s the reluctant sex symbol who is now partying with the Clintons. But actor Nicholas Braun is only just coming to terms with his life-changing role as Cousin Greg, TV’s favourite antihero in Succession. He reveals how he is learning to embrace his newfound fameNicholas Braun arrived on Long Island by train, and then he took a car to the compound.

The Havasupai falls inside the Grand Canyon in Arizona are naturally occurring. Photograph: KiraVolkov/Getty Images/iStockphotoThe Havasupai falls inside the Grand Canyon in Arizona are naturally occurring. Photograph: KiraVolkov/Getty Images/iStockphotoArizona This article is more than 1 year oldBiden declares Arizona floods a federal disaster for Havasupai tribeThis article is more than 1 year oldThe declaration provides funds and federal assistance for emergency and permanent infrastructure The White House has made a federal disaster declaration for the Havasupai Native American tribe that mainly lives deep inside the Grand Canyon in Arizona, as the community prepares to reopen tourist access to its famous turquoise waterfalls next month.

TheatreReviewRoyal Lyceum, Edinburgh Sandy Grierson brings humour and bitterness to Douglas Maxwell’s tale of a redemptive mission, directed by Matthew Lenton The eponymous figure at the centre of Douglas Maxwell’s wayward theatrical odyssey is less a hero than a heroic drunk. He’s a man never happier than when giving advice about achieving the perfect alcoholic hit, a task he performs with the dedication of a shaman. Played by Sandy Grierson, legs apart as if he’s wet himself, stooped forward as if ready to wretch, he is vulnerable, perplexed and never sober.

Queensland This article is more than 2 years oldGiant wood moth: ‘very heavy’ insect rarely seen by humans spotted at Australian schoolThis article is more than 2 years oldMammoth moth which can have 25cm wingspan found by builders working on Queensland primary school A giant moth with a wingspan measuring up to 25cm has been found at a Queensland school next to a rainforest. Builders found the giant wood moth, the heaviest moth in the world, while constructing new classrooms at Mount Cotton state school.

The cook's cookFoodClare Smyth – named the world’s best female chef – explains why she loves his super-simple soup I was very intimidated by Gordon – who isn’t? – when I went to work for him; he seemed 10 feet tall to me. At that time, he was on telly with Boiling Point. The show depicted his restaurant as steeped in pressure – which isn’t untrue, but on TV you don’t see the reasons behind things.

OpinionScience This article is more than 1 month oldI reversed my type 2 diabetes. Here’s how I did itThis article is more than 1 month oldNeil BarskyModern medicine makes it seem as if drugs are the only way to deal with diabetes. But what if diet can be a solution? One gray Sunday in the middle of the Covid lockdown, I received an unwelcome call from my family doctor. Until then, for virtually my entire life, I had managed to stay out of a doctor’s office, except for routine checkups.

London Review of Books This article is more than 9 years oldKarl Miller, founding editor of London Review of Books, dies at 83This article is more than 9 years oldLiterary world praises Miller for his intelligence, wit and literary acumen, and lasting pride in his Scottish roots Karl Miller, founding editor of the London Review of Books, critic and award-winning author, has died, aged 83. After stints as literary editor of both the Spectator and the New Statesman, Miller co-founded the London Review of Books in 1979, editing it until 1992 and, according to an essay by his former colleague Andrew O’Hagan, once correcting the great Seamus Heaney, a long-time friend of his.

Guardian Africa networkWinter food and drinkThis west African spinach stew is a great winter warmer This is one of my favourite Guinean dishes. Normally it's made with "potato" leaves but since that is more difficult to find here in New York, I substitute it with spinach. It taste just as good … or close. Here it goes! Ingredients: About 2lbs of meat (cut into large cubes) 1 large onion (diced)

Science This article is more than 4 years oldScientists develop slippery toilet coating to stop poo stickingThis article is more than 4 years oldSpray-on surface could prevent bacteria building up and reduce household water use The toilet brush need never leave its holder again. Scientists have created a super-slippery coating that helps usher excrement on its way without leaving traces behind. The spray-on coating, which is slipperier than Teflon, reduces adhesion of even tenacious faeces by up to 90%, tests suggest, so far less water is needed to flush them away and leave the toilet clean.

Margaret Cho with (from left) Ralph, Bronwyn and Gudrun. Margaret Cho with (from left) Ralph, Bronwyn and Gudrun. The pet I'll never forgetMargaret ChoThe vet didn’t think Ralph would survive, but I took him from the animal shelter and nursed him to health. We became constant companions When I saw Ralph in the animal shelter, he was the most sickly-looking puppy. He was small, with a terrible head injury and a lot of fleas.

The ObserverCork holidaysWhether in search of peace, or adventure, this tiny County Cork island is a haven for escapists Cape Clear, Ireland’s most southerly island, has been my getaway for almost 30 years. It is the place where I forget which day of the week it is. It’s where I go to imagine a world without Brexit and Trump. The island has a spirit that brings instant calm to the soul.

Casey Harrell, photographed at home in Oakland, California. Photograph: Carolyn Fong/The GuardianThe 43-year-old co-founder of BlackRock’s Big Problem knows he may not have long to live, thanks to the neurodegenerative disease ALS. But that won’t stop him holding the US’s biggest investors to account by Patrick GreenfieldTwo months into the pandemic, Casey Harrell was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The 43-year-old climate activist started noticing symptoms in 2019, shortly after the birth of his daughter, Aya.

Nine Inch Nails This article is more than 10 years oldGuitarist Adrian Belew leaves Nine Inch NailsThis article is more than 10 years oldThe King Crimson guitarist says his stint in the band 'was not working': he leaves seven weeks before the band are to tourAdrian Belew has left Nine Inch Nails almost as quickly as he joined them. The King Crimson guitarist abruptly announced that he has quit the group's new lineup, seven weeks before they are due to begin a tour.

Benjamin Netanyahu This article is more than 1 year oldNetanyahu: Trump must ‘condemn’ antisemitism after Kanye and Fuentes dinnerThis article is more than 1 year oldLikely future Israeli PM, who has repeatedly praised Trump, says dinner with rapper and white nationalist ‘unacceptable and wrong’ Donald Trump should be “condemning” antisemitism following his meeting with the rapper Ye and Nick Fuentes, Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday. Trump had dinner with two avowed antisemites.

Alecia Moore, AKA Pink: ‘Now moms are like: “I love that my daughter loves you.” How the world turns.’ Photograph: Kurt IswarienkoHer daughter may think she’s a ‘total dork’, but the singer – back with her seventh album – has become an outspoken idol to millions of young women. She’s come a long way since being banned from friends’ houses as a rebellious kid. Photograph by Kurt Iswarienko by Rebecca NicholsonMTV’s Vanguard award, now named after Michael Jackson, is given to the biggest names in pop.

CultureThe success of Sound of Freedom, Jason Aldean and Oliver Anthony has created a moment for outrage to take center stage Pick any week this summer, and you’d likely find a headline about a new front in America’s long-running partisan culture wars – perhaps “surprising” or suspect or both, and usually framed by rightwing pundits as a victory. Maybe it was the backlash to an Anheuser-Busch marketing campaign featuring the transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney that bumped Bud Light from the top of the beer market.

Jeanette Paras poses with her Taylor Swiftkin pumpkin. Photograph: Courtesy Jeanette ParasJeanette Paras poses with her Taylor Swiftkin pumpkin. Photograph: Courtesy Jeanette ParasTaylor SwiftInstallations across US include friendship bracelets and a ‘boyfriend graveyard’ , with fans spending hundreds on their masterpieces Last week, Taylor Swift became a billionaire. She also became a 399lb pumpkin. For 35 years, Jeanette Paras has “pumpkinized” celebrities, turning giant gourds into their likenesses in an effort to drum up breast cancer awareness for charities.

The ObserverScienceFrom moon missions to fast-charging batteries and AI-sourced antibiotics, in no particular order, the year’s significant scientific developments 1. The Dart and Orion missionsThe year opened with a bang. Or rather, it didn’t. The successful film Don’t Look Up, in which a comet is found to be on a collision course with Earth, had been released just before Christmas 2021. In the bleak days of post-festive gloom, the news media were on an adrenaline high, chasing any and every story about potential asteroid collisions to cheer us all up.

  Click on any image to get a bigger picture John Ogonowski American Airlines captain John Ogonowski is shown in a file photo provided by his family. Ogonowski was captain of American Airlines Flight 11, which apparently was hijacked after takeoff from Boston en route to Los Angeles, then crashed into one of the World Trade Centre towers in New York, Tuesday September 11 2001. Photo: AP Special report: terrorism in the US

A new start after 60Life and styleAnabel Graetz has always known she had an interesting and unusual face. At the age of 80, it’s now paying the bills Anabel Graetz has always worked in the arts, but she won her first screen part when she was 62 – in a fire safety short with Tom Bosley, best known for playing Howard Cunningham in the TV series Happy Days. The film work has since rolled in.

If you make a woman laugh, is she more likely to sleep with you? If she started laughing after you got undressed, probably not. Photograph: Larry Lilac/AlamyIf you make a woman laugh, is she more likely to sleep with you? If she started laughing after you got undressed, probably not. Photograph: Larry Lilac/AlamyBrain flappingScienceAre funny people sexy ... or are sexy people funny?It’s a common belief that funny men have more luck with the opposite sex.

The ObserverTheatreReviewRoyal Court, London Caryl Churchill’s magnificent new play unleashes an intricate, elliptical, acutely female view of the apocalypse So which is the best moment in Caryl Churchill’s sizzling new play? Is it when Linda Bassett steps out of a cosy, brightly lit back garden and becomes Cassandra, sketching one of the horrors she sees the world bringing on itself? Famine will break out when 80% of food is “diverted to TV programmes”.

Fargo: episode recapsFargoFargo recap: season two, episode three – The Myth of SisyphusSpoiler alert: this blog is for Fargo viewers who have seen season two, episode three, showing on FX in the US on Monday nights at 10pm, and the following week on Mondays at 10pm on Channel 4 in the UK Catch up with our season one recaps here Everyone seems to be looking for Rye, Lou visits Fargo and Peggy hears a new theory about the Waffle Hut shooter

SchoolsLiteracy support helps trailing pupilsA national literacy programme designed to help pupils who struggle with reading and writing is working, according to independent research published today. The Further Literacy Support (FLS) programme is a national strategy designed to target primary pupils who are trailing behind their classmates. It involves teaching those pupils - around 20% of every class - in smaller groups using classroom assistants for 12 weeks. Researchers at Leeds University who talked to 1,200 children in 160 schools across the UK found that the programme helped to reduced the gap between classmates.

Apparently even spy bases can be extremely boring. Photograph: ABC TVApparently even spy bases can be extremely boring. Photograph: ABC TVTelevisionReviewFirst ABC TV/Netflix co-production is less a spy drama than an attempt to cure insomnia It certainly sounds like an exciting concept: the first ABC TV/Netflix co-production, set in Australia’s ultra-secretive spy facility. And then the show starts. As Guardian Australia reported earlier this week, a real-life former employee of the titular station, David Rosenberg (who worked at Pine Gap for 18 years) was present on set as a consultant, keeping mum about classified matters but advising the director Mat King on issues such as decor and dialogue.

The women's blogWomenThis modern-day chastity belt is yet another product of a society that blames victims rather than rapistsWhat kind of people would manufacture anti-rape clothing? And who would give them money to produce a range of lockable shorts? New York based duo AR Wear claims its product will deter an attacker and prevent what it terms "a completed rape". So successful has its crowd-funding appeal on Indiegogo been, despite the criticism and doubts over whether the project is actually a hoax, that it has just reached its $50,000 fundraising target – in little over a month.

Top 10sClassicsFrom Edward Gibbon to Asterix the Gaul, the astonishing endurance of the largest state Europe has ever known continues to inspire a compelling literature The Roman empire’s USP has always been its survival. The largest state ever to exist in Europe, Rome’s empire began with the conquest of its Italian neighbours in the last centuries BC, and endured, in one form or another, for more than 1,000 years. The imperial monarchy established by Augustus at the turn of the millennium became a model repeatedly imitated into the 20th century.

Yotam Ottolenghi recipesFoodSlam in the lamb for a Chinese cumin stir-fry, Mediterranean meatballs and Middle Eastern pastries It’s hard to beat a leg or shoulder of lamb, roasted for many hours in the oven with a bunch of your favourite vegetables and herbs. But the same qualities that make lamb so ideal for long and slow cooking – the rich meat, high in fat and flavour – also work their magic when you cook it for a much shorter time.

Beauty hacksLife and styleIf bolder choices such as strong liner and bleached brows make you feel safer, give them a go The hack Does “unapproachable” makeup scare men off? The test With over 124m views on TikTok, the unapproachable makeup trend has become a firm gen Z favourite. The brief seems to be: “Looking so good they’re too scared to approach you,” according to TikToker Megi Hebeja – the “they” in question being men.

Dolly magazine: looking back at 46 years of covers – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The print edition of Dolly, Australia’s long-running magazine for teenage girls, is closing after more than four decades. Here’s a look back at the changing face of the title that launched the careers of some of the nation’s most famous models

GeorgiaGeorgia sheriff’s deputies acquitted of manslaughter in Matthew Ajibade deathTwo former deputies were convicted of lesser charges in the death of 21-year-old man who was found dead in a cell hours after being arrested and hit by stun gun Two former sheriff’s deputies were acquitted Friday of involuntary manslaughter but convicted of lesser charges in the stun gun-related death of a 21-year-old detainee at a county jail in southeast Georgia.

Pop and rockPop’s angry young man Archy Marshall on moving to Cheshire, singing to his daughter and writing his best ever album Some time towards the end of 2019, Archy Marshall, AKA King Krule, found himself in Warrington standing on a wide stretch of ankle-high grass. Behind him, smoke curled into the wintry sky above Fiddlers Ferry power station. With the sun setting over its chimneys, he picked out drowsy notes on his guitar, singing deeply over the top.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation This article is more than 2 years oldIndependent review criticises ABC’s Luna Park ghost train fire series over Neville Wran claimThis article is more than 2 years oldReview ‘contains a critical opinion’ about one Wran allegation, but otherwise finds the series performed an important public service An independent editorial review has criticised the ABC documentary Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire for making a historical allegation about the former New South Wales premier Neville Wran.

The ObserverParents and parentingA recent study found that children raised by lesbian couples were often brighter, happier and more confident than kids brought up in more traditional family units. Here, four women-only households describe their experiences of parenthood – and why tolerance and honesty are the keyDo lesbian mums make the best parents? According to research released earlier this year, children raised by two mothers do better academically, have higher self-esteem and are less likely to have behavioural problems than peers who have been brought up in a family with two heterosexual parents.

Hurricane KatrinaThe non-profit project was launched to feverish buzz with support of celebrities from Snoop Dogg to Ellen DeGeneres to Bill Clinton For Hurricane Katrina survivors in the Lower Ninth Ward, it had seemed like a prayer answered: in 2006, Brad Pitt announced an initiative to rebuild New Orleans’ storm-ravaged Lower Ninth Ward with sustainable, flood-proof, affordable homes, designed by a list of A-list architects. The 109 homes on offer would give many survivors a chance to become first-time homeowners, and bring back a community devastated by the hurricane.

FamilyParents lose custody of girl for naming her Talula Does the Hula From HawaiiA nine-year-old girl whose parents named her Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii was put into court guardianship in New Zealand so that her name could be changed. A family court judge, Rob Murfitt, gave the order after hearing that the child was embarrassed about her name and had refused to reveal it to friends. "She told people her name was K because she feared being mocked and teased,"

Carol Rumens's poem of the weekPoetryPoem of the week: Bury Me in a Free Land by Frances EW HarperA free African American woman, Harper wrote this intensely felt vision of intolerable injustice for campaigning journal the Anti-Slavery Bugle in 1858 Bury Me in a Free Land Make me a grave where’er you will, In a lowly plain, or a lofty hill; Make it among earth’s humblest graves, But not in a land where men are slaves.

The ObserverUS news This article is more than 15 years oldDrugs kidnap of child shocks USThis article is more than 15 years oldDesperate search for six-year-old as Mexican cartels bring bloody vendetta to Las VegasCole Puffinburger is the latest victim in a war that has claimed 3,700 lives this year. Photograph: APPolice in the United States are desperately searching for a six-year-old boy after he was taken from his home at gunpoint four days ago by three men posing as police.

Festivals This article is more than 8 months oldFalls festival cancelled for 2023 as organisers take year off to ‘recalibrate’This article is more than 8 months oldOrganisers say they ‘need a break’ after several challenging years for music festivals across Australia Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Falls festival will not ring in the New Year in 2024 after organisers of the annual national event announced that it will take a year off to “rest, recover and recalibrate”.

Glenn CloseInterviewGlenn Close: ‘You don’t lose your sexuality as you get older’Ryan GilbeyAt 71, and tipped for an Oscar for The Wife, Glenn Close reveals she is having more fun than ever Glenn Close picks up the phone in her Montana home and all hell breaks loose. Between waves of helpless laughter, she tries to explain exactly what is causing the chaos. “Sorry to be – can you hear me? – oh my God –there’s a dog going past the house and – wait there.

Susan Phillips-Rees at home in Mylor in the Adelaide Hills with her partner of 38 years Isla Roberts, who rejects the ‘lesbian’ label. The pair are the subjects of new Australian documentary Isla’s Way. Photograph: Sam OsterSusan Phillips-Rees at home in Mylor in the Adelaide Hills with her partner of 38 years Isla Roberts, who rejects the ‘lesbian’ label. The pair are the subjects of new Australian documentary Isla’s Way. Photograph: Sam OsterAustralian filmAn Australian documentary crew spent a year trailing a wise-cracking carriage-driving octogenarian who refuses to define her sexuality

Lockdown cultureEnglish National Opera (ENO)A performance of Mozart’s choral masterpiece marks English National Opera’s return to the Coliseum. Its artistic director explains why the composer’s last work, written as he drew his final breaths, is his most loving and human Mozart knew what it was to experience life interrupted. He was the youngest of seven children, five of whom died in infancy. Of his own six children, only two survived. Death wasn’t an abstract idea but pursued him from birth until his death in 1791 – the most productive and successful year of his life.

The controversial shoe photo. Photograph: @dolansmalik/TwitterThe controversial shoe photo. Photograph: @dolansmalik/TwitterWomen's shoesShoe colour question could put 2015 dress debate in the shadeDebate kicks off on social media about whether picture shows a turquoise and grey trainer, or a pink and white one It was one of the most fractious debates in modern times – by 2015’s standards, at least. Now a new argument has erupted that has shades of the blue/white dress controversy.

GreeceThe Greek island has attracted creatives for over 8o years, from Henry Miller to Leonard Cohen and Jeff Koons Perched on a hillock in Hydra, Jeff Koons’s Apollo wind spinner is hard to miss. The gargantuan sun sculpture welcomes visitors at all hours, its golden rays and face a vibrant (if lurid) reminder that art is alive and well on this Argo-Saronic isle. If the 9.1-metre spinner were not enough, Koons has also turned the slaughterhouse on which it stands into a shrine dedicated to the sun god.

UK newsThree jailed for life for race murder of schoolboy· Asian gang members set fire to innocent youth, 15 · Revenge attack sparked upsurge in racial tensionThree Asian gang members were jailed for life yesterday for the "savage and barbaric" racially motivated murder of a schoolboy in Glasgow who had been singled out because he was white. Kriss Donald, 15, from Pollokshields, was abducted, stabbed repeatedly and then doused in petrol and burned to death by five men of Pakistani descent in March 2004, apparently in revenge for an earlier incident at a city centre nightclub.

Whitney Houston – a life in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email US singer and actress Whitney Houston, one of the most decorated female artists of all time who sold more than 170m albums during her life, has died in Beverly Hills aged 48 Sat 11 Feb 2012 22.31 EST First published on Sat 11 Feb 2012 22.

Marine life This article is more than 1 year oldAnglers despair as trapped seal eats Essex lake’s stocks like it’s ‘in Waitrose’This article is more than 1 year oldAnimal has been evading capture from Rochford fishing lake since mid-December A seal trapped in a fishing lake has “found himself in a branch of Waitrose” and has no incentive to escape, according to an expert. The animal has evaded multiple attempts at capture since first being spotted at Rochford Reservoir, in Essex, almost a month ago, the BBC reported.

ShortcutsHarry PotterJK Rowling’s wizard tale has been translated into 79 foreign languages, but this new version may just be the best of all Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is not a very good book. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stane is terrific. The Scots version of JK Rowling’s debut, to be published this Thursday by Itchy Coo, is the 80th language into which the novel has been translated. But what is the point?

The ObserverPoetryReviewFathers, mothers and grownup children reflect on leaving home and the ‘dance between closeness and distance’ in an outstanding anthology This is not, as is the usual rule of this column, a collection but an outstanding anthology in which fathers, mothers and grownup children speak of themselves and, sometimes, to one another. A new form of homesickness is identified in which it is home itself that sickens. In the poem from which the anthology gets its title, Carol Ann Duffy suggests that her house “pines” when her daughter is away.

BooksObituaryGeoffrey Moorhouse obituaryGuardian journalist turned author who wrote a bestselling account of his travels in the Sahara desertGeoffrey Moorhouse, who has died aged 77, was a Guardian journalist of deep integrity who moved out of daily newspapers to write books on a variety of themes, most often invoking the human spirit. One book in particular, The Fearful Void (1974), is remembered some 35 years later in revealing in its author, as one critic put it, a sublime madness.

Minnie Driver This article is more than 6 years oldMinnie Driver: men like Matt Damon 'cannot understand what abuse is like'This article is more than 6 years oldActor calls former co-star’s remarks about ‘spectrum of behaviour’ in sexual misconduct ‘Orwellian’ and questions defence of disgraced comedian Louis CK Democrat Jones: Trump shouldn’t resign over sexual misconduct claims The actor Minnie Driver has told the Guardian that men “simply cannot understand what abuse is like on a daily level” and should not therefore attempt to differentiate or explain sexual misconduct against women.

Australian books This article is more than 2 years oldOnlyFans isn’t revolutionising sex work, and using it ruined things I once did for personal pleasureThis article is more than 2 years oldTilly LawlessThe site gives more visibility to a certain type of sex work, but like all social media, it invades every aspect of your life I joked to another sex worker recently that five years ago every journalist asked us, maddeningly and repeatedly, about sex robots.

The amazing world of animals China Panda falls from tree before being ambushed in Chinese reserve – video A panda falls from a tree before having its sticks stolen by other pandas at Wolong Giant Panda Nature reserve in Sichuan on Tuesday. The footage, posted on China Central Television’s Facebook page, shows the panda falling after a branch snaps, narrowly missing the other pandas. Looking dazed after its fall, the panda then tries to fight off a playful ambush from the others

The Fashion autumn/winter 2019Spike LeeThe filmmaker explains how he changed the history of headgear with a phone call Read more from the autumn/winter 2019 edition of The Fashion, our biannual fashion supplement I always enjoy wearing baseball caps. I got my first when I was six or seven years old. All the kids had them. Back in the day it really wasn’t a fashion thing, but now people wear the hats and it has nothing to do with sports.

The ObserverCultureSweet sex teensChannel 4's controversial new drama, Pleasureland, discovers how the desire to keep up with their peers drives 14-year-old girls to excess in all areas'For some teenage girls, it's one less thing to worry about. They've got a list and they want to tick stuff off. You know: I've been to a club, tick. I've got pissed, tick. I've lost my virginity, tick.' So says Helen Blakeman, the writer of Channel 4's film, Pleasureland, a modern tale of teenage sex.

JD SalingerInterviewMatt Salinger: ‘My father was writing for 50 years without publishing. That’s a lot of material’Lidija HaasIn JD Salinger’s centenary year, his son opens up about life with the Catcher in the Rye author – and for the first time, confirms there are unpublished works to come Among all the dispute and conjecture that has surrounded the life of JD Salinger, one mystery remains especially puzzling. What did he produce after ceasing to publish his writing in 1965, and will it ever be read?

BroadwayReviewHelen Hayes Theater, New York The star is astonishing in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s funny yet moving Broadway debut about a complicated family reunion If you grew up with it, there’s something inherently nostalgic about the sound of cicadas. The incessant chorus, once every 17 years, conjures something primordial, unsettling, country, past. Appropriate, the excellent production of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s play at the Helen Hayes Theater, plunges its audience into that portal at the show’s onset – all darkness and trilling racket.

Australian Open 2023 This article is more than 1 year oldAustralian Open: Alexei Popyrin stuns Fritz as men’s draw opens upThis article is more than 1 year oldAustralian emotional after shocking No 8 seedDe Minaur into third round, Stosur loses in doublesAlexei Popyrin did not have a good 2022. The Australian started the year as the world No 61 and ended it ranked 120th, knocked out in the opening round of every grand slam bar a second-round appearance at the US Open.

Children's booksBooksGone by Michael Grant - review'If people with magical powers fighting over a town with lots of blood and a few Coates mixed in sounds like your cup of tea, then give this book a go'Gone is really good! It's really interesting and it had a unexpected plot twist! I really enjoyed it and it kept me reading! It's about a boy called Sam Temple. When all people over the age of 14 disappears everyone turns to him to be their leader and he doesn't know what to do, but when all the bullies start to take over the town he leaps into action to help the town of Perdido Beach and all the people in it.

Movies This article is more than 19 years oldIn brief: stars attend Reeve memorialThis article is more than 19 years oldMore than 900 people attended a memorial service last Friday for former Superman actor and stem cell research activist Christopher Reeve, who died three weeks ago. Guests included Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry; actors Michael J Fox, Laura Linney, Mary Tyler Moore, Kim Cattrall and Susan Sarandon; and TV chat show host Larry King.

FilmInterviewKristin Scott Thomas: 'I cannot cope with another film'Decca AitkenheadShe's the go-to actor for elegant despair – but after 20 years, Kristin Scott Thomas is done with movies. She talks shambolic film sets, French mistresses and the joys of saying nonKristin Scott Thomas has had enough. She has been working flat out for 30 years, and made 65 films: having lived in Paris since the age of 19, she effectively has two careers, one in English and one in French.

Adult male scarlet-headed blackbird, Amblyramphus holosericeus (protonym, Xanthornus holosericeus), also known as the orange-headed blackbird or as the scarlet-headed marshbird, photographed on the Pantanal Conservation Area in the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil. Image: Nick Athanas/Tropical Birding (with permission) [velociraptorize]. Question: This lovely Brazilian mystery bird should remind you of another species that is a common migrant in North America. What are these "twin" species and how can you distinguish between them?

UK news This article is more than 9 months oldNigerian politician, wife, and a doctor guilty of organ trafficking to UKThis article is more than 9 months oldThree convicted of conspiring to exploit a man for his kidney in first verdict of its kind under Modern Slavery Act Trail exposes UK’s vulnerability to organ harvesting A senior Nigerian politician, his wife, and a doctor have been convicted of organ trafficking, in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act.

Children's booksGlobalWhich classic book would be perfect for me?Is your new year's resolution to read some classic books? Take our classics match quiz to find your ideal classics read!ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJuYnrmlvsSnqmaan6S4tHnSoqueZ6Gqtrt7kWlobmealrtwfJJorqGZpGKwra3SrKCcZZKkvKx50qGmrqSUYrZuvsSamw%3D%3D

Joseph Randle carries the ball for the Dallas Cowboys against the Houston Texans. Photograph: Tom Pennington/Getty ImagesJoseph Randle carries the ball for the Dallas Cowboys against the Houston Texans. Photograph: Tom Pennington/Getty ImagesDallas Cowboys This article is more than 9 years oldDallas Cowboy Joseph Randle arrested for stealing 'cologne and underwear'This article is more than 9 years oldRandle charged with Class B misdemeanourRunning back will earn $495,000 this seasonCame day after Cowboys 30-23 win at SeattleIt has been reported that the Dallas Cowboy Joseph Randle was arrested on Monday night for shoplifting.

Politics booksObituaryEllen Meiksins Wood obituaryPolitical theorist who dissected the conflict between capitalism and democracyThe political theorist Ellen Meiksins Wood, who has died aged 73, held that in its deepest sense, democracy means “nothing more nor less than people’s power, or even the power of the common people or the poor”. The socialist left is thus the true heir to the tradition of popular democracy. In the book with which she made her first significant mark, The Retreat from Class (1986), she argued that, without an organic connection to the needs and aspirations of working people, socialism becomes rudderless, a dream without an agent that might realise it.

David and Jason Benham, onscreen, emceed the Life Surge conference. Photograph: Josiah Hesse/The GuardianDavid and Jason Benham, onscreen, emceed the Life Surge conference. Photograph: Josiah Hesse/The GuardianUS newsLife Surge, where speakers include Tim Tebow and a Duck Dynasty star, ties together faith and financial planning “As believers, we train ourselves to be valuable to the marketplace,” said the minor-league baseball player-turned-real-estate investor Jason Benham. “How do we use the talents, opportunities, abilities and resources that God has given us so that the Kingdom of Heaven may come to Earth through us?

Pictures from the past Photography Henry Ford in his first car - a picture from the past Henry Ford was born on this day in 1863. He is seen here in his first car, the Ford Quadricycle, built in 1896. The photograph has been painted with the Stars and Stripes and a patriotic message Karin Andreasson Wed 31 Jul 2013 12.47 EDT First published on Wed 31 Jul 2013 12.

Readers recommendMusicFrom rebel anthems to outlaw ballads, you suggested songs that best chronicle the criminal mindMusic is an area where humans seek to break free of rules, and striking a rebel pose is a favourite theatrical ploy of the musician seeking to make a name for him or herself. So identifying with a criminal is a good way to establish a musician's stance against authority. Let's start with two lesser-known versions of gold-standard crime-doesn't-pay rebel songs.

ArchitectureThe east London brutalist landmark Balfron Tower was conceived as the perfect neighbourhood in the sky by its Marxist architect. Now its flats are being sold as ‘trophy properties’ A dizzying dining deck crowns the summit of the newly renovated Balfron Tower in Poplar, east London, perched like a crow’s nest on top of the brutalist concrete lift shaft. Floating almost 30 storeys up in the air, with spectacular views across the city, it marks the apex of a new dedicated tower of leisure facilities.

Categories Nooks and crannies Yesteryear Semantic enigmas The body beautiful Red tape, white lies Speculative science This sceptred isle Root of all evil Ethical conundrums This sporting life Stage and screen Birds and the bees BIRDS AND THE BEESWhat happens to spiders washed down the plughole?

The ObserverMorrisseyAs a new biopic England is Mine charts the Smiths singer’s early life, fans speak of their disillusion at his increasingly outspoken viewsLike countless musicians, managers and record labels before them, the makers of the new movie England Is Mine have discovered that nothing is easy where Morrissey is involved. The unauthorised biopic follows ambitious young Steven Patrick Morrissey up to the point, in 1982, when he met guitarist Johnny Marr and formed the Smiths, the most fiercely beloved British band of their generation.

The ObserverFictionReviewThis debut novel is a surefooted, art-filled and wholly 21st-century take on bloodsucking Claire Kohda’s debut is memorable for the refreshing perspective of her conflicted heroine: a vampire of mixed ethnicity and recent art graduate. Lydia struggles to accept the demon inside her and yearns to love, live and eat like a human. Her father, a successful Japanese artist, died before she was born. Lydia has committed her mother, a Malaysian-English vampire in declining health, to a home in Margate and accepted an internship with a contemporary London gallery known as the Otter.

Travel encountersWalking holidaysContinuing our series about memorable encounters, we hear the story of the fire watchman of Desolation Peak in Washington State A few years ago, I travelled to the Cascade mountains of Washington state to research fire lookouts – crow’s nests for smoke spotters to raise the alarm in case of forest fires. My goal was Desolation Peak, the cabin where rookie vedette Jack Kerouac spent 63 eventful days in the summer of 1956.

Aaron Rodgers This article is more than 1 month oldAaron Rodgers will return in 2024 with New York Jets out of playoff huntThis article is more than 1 month oldJets quarterback tore his Achilles in week oneThe 40-year-old says he wants to play for two more yearsAaron Rodgers’ quest to make an improbable return this season for the New York Jets appears over. The 40-year-old quarterback said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday he’s not yet 100% healthy in his recovery from a torn left Achilles tendon and is still a few weeks away.

Women This article is more than 4 years oldAnd the least feminist nation in the world is... Denmark?This article is more than 4 years oldA poll of more than 25,000 people in 23 major countries found that just one in six Danes consider themselves a feminist It is one of the best places in the world to be a woman, with a narrow gender pay gap, equal employment rights, universal nursery care, and some of the happiest female retirees on the planet.

JazzObituaryJake Hanna obituaryJazz drummer with a zest for performanceNot many jazz drummers are able to perform equally well in big bands, small groups and with vocalists. Jake Hanna, who has died aged 78, could do all these things, whether working with Woody Herman's powerful orchestra or providing lift and swing for piano trios led by Marian McPartland and Toshiko Akiyoshi or backing singers including Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby. Hanna zigzagged between orchestral and television jobs, taking in a rich variety of recording and combo work along the way.

Book clubJo NesbøThe third novel in Jo Nesbø's Harry Hole series finds the detective playing catchup with the readerOnce upon a time, you could rely on a fictional detective to return the world to intelligibility. He or she explained everything in the book that had perplexed the reader. Detective fiction presented us with unconnected events and gave us someone who could turn them into a coherent narrative. Many writers within the genre have wanted to undermine this reassurance without abandoning the closure that has always been part of the contract with the reader.

Television industryObituaryJohn Whitney obituaryPioneer of commerical radio and deviser of popular television dramas including Upstairs, Downstairs and Danger UXBThe television producer and broadcasting executive John Whitney, who has died aged 92, was a pioneer of commercial radio and independent television drama in postwar Britain. His biggest hit as a producer was the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs, which ran for five years from 1971 on ITV, and was revived in 2010 by the BBC.

OpinionNew Zealand This article is more than 2 years oldNew Zealand's Māori women have more to contend with than ordinary sexismThis article is more than 2 years oldTina NgataColonisation has had a particular effect on Indigenous wahine that disadvantages them to this day The Mana Wahine Kaupapa Inquiry hearings will begin this week, investigating claims regarding the specific tiriti violations of the crown that have led to injustice against wahine Māori across social, physical, spiritual, economic, political and cultural dimensions.

Robert CohanObituarySir Robert Cohan obituaryChoreographer and influential teacher who pioneered contemporary dance in the UKSir Robert Cohan, who has died aged 95, transformed the dance scene in Britain in the 1960s. A charismatic dancer, notable choreographer, great teacher and artistic director, Cohan was the man who gave form to the vision of the philanthropist Robin Howard that American modern dance could take root and flourish in the UK. Howard, an admirer of the US dancer and choreographer Martha Graham, established the Contemporary Ballet Trust (which became the Contemporary Dance Trust) and found a home for a contemporary dance school at The Place, London.

Youth justiceJacob Dunne spent his life dealing drugs and getting into fights until, in 2011, he struck a deadly blow. Then meeting his victim’s parents changed everything Jacob Dunne loved getting into fights. Every weekend he and his friends would go into Nottingham city centre to start a ruck. One night in the summer of 2011, the 19-year-old threw a single punch. He immediately sensed it was different. There was no resistance, and the victim swayed back.

Game showsIt takes a specific type of person to sparkle in this presenting gig, and judging by her first episode, Robinson could prove to be Countdown’s weakest link When Anne Robinson was announced as the newest Countdown host, it felt a little as if Channel 4 had hired Lewis Hamilton to sit at the wheel of a self-driving car. Robinson is, to paraphrase Liam Neeson, a woman with a particular set of skills; which is to say very sharp-witted and not altogether pleasant.

The ObserverDrugs This article is more than 6 years oldAnxious teenagers ‘buy Xanax on the dark web’This article is more than 6 years oldMPs call for urgent action over reported rise in illicit use of potent tranquilliser A growing number of children are using the anti-anxiety drug Xanax to “self-medicate” against mental health problems, prompting calls from senior Labour MPs for an investigation into the escalating use of the tranquilliser, which is around 20 times stronger than Valium.

From the Guardian archiveTheatreObituaryArchive, 1996: much loved actor Beryl Reid dies14 October 1996 The Killing of Sister George was the play that made her name as an actor willing to take on controversial parts Beryl Reid, who has died, aged 76, was a much loved character actress who comparatively late in life brought the techniques and attack of a stand-up comic to a wide variety of straight plays. These ranged from Joe Orton’s Entertaining Mr Sloane to Romeo and Juliet, in which she played the nurse in the 1974 National Theatre production.

UK news This article is more than 6 years oldGayle Newland found guilty at retrial of tricking female friend into sexThis article is more than 6 years oldNewland, 27, convicted of three counts of sexual assault by penetration after asking woman to wear blindfold A woman has been found guilty for the second time of tricking a female friend into having sex by pretending to be a man. Gayle Newland, 27, was initially convicted of three counts of sexual assault at Chester crown court in September 2015, and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Kanye wearing the hood at the listening party in Miami Photograph: AKGS/BackgridKanye wearing the hood at the listening party in Miami Photograph: AKGS/BackgridKanye West This article is more than 1 month oldKanye West wears Ku Klux Klan-style hood at album listening eventThis article is more than 1 month oldRapper reportedly denies antisemitism on new album Vultures, a collaboration with vocalist Ty Dolla Sign. Warning: video contains offensive content Kanye West has worn a Ku Klux Klan-style hood at a listening party for his upcoming album Vultures, which is expected to be released on Friday.

US newsMovie bear kills trainerA grizzly bear that has starred in Hollywood films including Will Ferrell's latest comedy has attacked and killed its trainer. Rocky, a 360kg male grizzly aged five years, bit Stephan Miller on the neck during filming at an animal training centre in California. Miller's cousin, Randy, who set up the centre, said the bite occurred during "playful" wrestling by what was a "loving, affectionate, friendly, safe bear"

Best books of 2023Best books of the yearReviewThe rise of Madonna, Barbra Streisand in her own words, plus the stormy relationship of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor are among this year’s highlights For most writers, a memoir is a once in a lifetime event, but not for the poet and novelist Blake Morrison. Having already written memoirs about his late mother and father, he has turned his attention to his siblings in Two Sisters (Borough).

The roads where stars died in car crashes – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email James Dean, Grace Kelly, Marc Bolan, Albert Camus … Christophe Rihet photographs the roads where famous people died, shooting at dawn or dusk to bring a sense of calm. Captions by Camille Riquier Main image: Route 46, Cholame, California, where James Dean died.

OpinionIsrael-Gaza war This article is more than 2 months oldThe tragedy of the Israel-Palestine conflict is this: underneath all the horror is a clash of two just causesThis article is more than 2 months oldJonathan FreedlandThis isn’t a contest of heroes and villains – but two peoples in deep pain, fated to share the same land This is not a football match. Though the way some spectators behave, watching from afar, you could be forgiven for making that mistake.

OpinionSuperhero TV This article is more than 1 year oldAnger management: why She-Hulk is such a powerful symbol of female rageThis article is more than 1 year oldEmma BrockesUnlike her male counterpart, this superhero has total mastery over her Hulk side – something all women have to learn For a while during the presidency of Donald Trump, female anger was a big topic of discussion. Women in general and American women in particular had, as the Australians say, had a gutful, and via movements (#MeToo), books (Good and Mad by Rebecca Traister), and the 2017 Women’s March, public expressions of this feeling were prominent.

ShortcutsFishThere are too many of them in the sea, and the problem is only going to get worse. Is the solution to fry them up and eat them? The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The world has a jellyfish problem.

BBC This article is more than 3 years oldBBC subjects older women to 'lookism', says Libby PurvesThis article is more than 3 years oldBroadcaster, 70, claims female presenters not allowed to grow old gracefully like men are Older women are subject to “lookism” at the BBC, even on the radio, while men are allowed to age gracefully, the broadcaster Libby Purves has said. Purves, who presented Radio 4’s Midweek from 1983 until it was dropped in 2017, said the corporation had a problem with older women as they were under more pressure to appear attractive and youthful.

BTS This article is more than 1 month oldBTS members Jung Kook, RM, Jimin and V to begin military service in DecemberThis article is more than 1 month oldLast four members of South Korean supergroup have begun enlisting, meaning the band will finish their mandatory military service by 2025 Jung Kook, a member of the K-Pop supergroup BTS, said on Wednesday he would begin military service in December, after the group’s management agency said that all seven BTS members were on track to carry out their service.

US sports This article is more than 7 years oldErin Andrews awarded $55m in lawsuit over nude video caseThis article is more than 7 years oldStalker secretly shot footage of TV host in hotel roomHotel companies also found at fault in lawsuitA jury awarded Erin Andrews $55m on Monday in her lawsuit against a stalker who bought a hotel room next to her and secretly recorded a video of her that showed her in the nude, finding that the hotel companies and the stalker shared in the blame.

The ObserverFranceFrench elite declare the Bobo extinctWith their political influence dwindling, France's trendy and privileged urbanites face a harsh new reality. Jason Burke reports from ParisFor nearly a decade the Bourgeois Bohemians - or Bobos - have been France's favourite hate figures. Urban, wealthy, left-wing, conscious of fashion and the environment, reviled by their compatriots, both courted and denigrated by politicians, their days are now numbered. The last post was blown last week by news magazine's Le Point's article 'Requiem for the Bobos'.

NSW oyster farmer Bernie Connell with Jack, his contender for the title of world’s largest oyster. Photograph: Laurelle Pacey/Narooma Oyster FestivalNSW oyster farmer Bernie Connell with Jack, his contender for the title of world’s largest oyster. Photograph: Laurelle Pacey/Narooma Oyster FestivalWorld records This article is more than 5 years oldJack the champion 2kg oyster set to break world recordThis article is more than 5 years oldThe ‘Usain Bolt’ of molluscs is expected to smash current record held by 1.

Book of the dayScience and nature booksReviewFrom exercise to old age, the latest research shows that what we believe can have some very concrete consequences When dozens of apparently healthy young men who had emigrated from Laos started dying in their sleep in the late 1970s, US medical authorities couldn’t fathom what was going on. They termed the phenomenon “sudden unexpected nocturnal death syndrome”, but that was just a label for their bafflement.

Cannabis This article is more than 8 months oldWorms crave junk food after consuming cannabis, study suggestsThis article is more than 8 months oldWorms soaked in cannabinoid found to have stronger preference than usual for higher-calorie foods It is not just humans that get the munchies: worms also display the same craving for their favourite snacks after consuming cannabis, new research has found. In the study, published in the journal Current Biology, researchers managed to simulate worms getting stoned by soaking them in cannabinoid.

FamilyRichard Gregson was once married to the Hollywood star Natalie Wood. He recalls the terrible night he heard she'd drowned, and the awful decision he faced over who should care for their daughter NatashaI married the film star Natalie Wood in the spring of 1969 after we'd been together, on and off, for three years. We divorced not much more than a year later. The on-off periods were due mostly to Natalie living in Los Angeles and me living in London.

South CarolinaAlex Murdaugh trial: court clerk accused of plagiarismBecky Hill, who Murdaugh’s lawyers accuse of jury-tampering, alleged to have plagiarized passages in memoir from BBC article The court clerk who helped steer the murder trial of South Carolina’s Alex Murdaugh and has since been hit with accusations of jury-tampering – potentially leading to a retrial – is now embroiled in a plagiarism controversy. Soon after the trial, in which Murdaugh was convicted of killing his wife and son near a dog kennel at their Low Country home, Becky Hill published a book named Behind the Doors of Justice: the Murdaugh Murders.

Books This article is more than 1 year oldColleen Hoover apologises for ‘tone-deaf’ colouring book based on domestic violence novelThis article is more than 1 year oldBestselling author cancels plans for a colouring book based on her novel It Ends With Us, saying she ‘absolutely sees’ why fans were critical Bestselling author Colleen Hoover has apologised after she announced plans to publish a colouring book based on one of her bestselling novels about domestic violence.

Alain DelonFrench actor Alain Delon to file legal complaint against son over ‘media outburst’Anthony Delon told a magazine his father was finding it hard to accept his frail state of health The actor Alain Delon will file a legal complaint against his son over “a media outburst” in France’s most prominent magazine, his lawyer has said. In an interview published on Thursday, Anthony Delon told Paris Match that his father was finding it hard to accept his frail state of health, adding that there were “major risks” that the 88-year-old had celebrated “his last Christmas”.

Sexual healingSexI don’t see my laughter as a problem, but I’m worried that this will affect my relationship I am a 37-year-old woman and have been with my partner for 10 months. My boyfriend and I enjoy an active sex life and we are deeply in love. I don’t see it as a problem, but recently, every time I have an orgasm, I experience manic fits of laughter. I have never experienced this before but, equally I have never orgasmed so hard before, either.

The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and his biological father, Anthony Montague Browne. Composite: RexThe archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and his biological father, Anthony Montague Browne. Composite: RexJustin Welby This article is more than 7 years oldAnalysisSir Anthony Montague Browne: who is Justin Welby's biological father?This article is more than 7 years oldKevin RawlinsonOxford graduate and RAF serviceman who spent much of his career working for Winston Churchill Sir Anthony Montague Browne first worked for Winston Churchill during his second term as prime minister and, via a brief tenure at the Foreign Office, went on to serve as private secretary to the wartime leader until the latter’s death in 1965.

UkraineUkraine and Russia announce largest prisoner swap since start of warBoth sides release more than 200 troops in first exchange since August after UAE-mediated negotiations Ukraine and Russia have announced the largest exchange of prisoners since the start of the war, involving the return of more than 200 soldiers from each side in a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said on Wednesday in a message on social media, along with images of some of the freed PoWs: “230 of our people.

OpinionFeminism This article is more than 6 years oldWatch out, manspreaders: the womanspreading fightback starts nowThis article is more than 6 years oldRadhika SanghaniThe #MeToo resistance is getting physical. I’m one of many women determined to reclaim my space“Cross your legs.” “Don’t sit like that.” “Be more ladylike.” Like most women, I’ve been subjected to these kinds of messages since I was a child. Everyone from my mum to primary school teachers and distant relatives has chastised me to “sit like a lady”.

Winter readsLeo TolstoyWinter reads: Master and Man by Leo TolstoyThe lethal cold is clearly freighted with symbolism in this wintry parable, but it is realised with tangible biteWhen winter starts to bite the story I think of is Tolstoy's "Master and Man" (1895). Winter cold is integral to this sophisticated parable on a concrete and spiritual level. It is an evocative tour de force: snow and biting winds gust from its pages.

Candover Investments This article is more than 13 years oldCandover Investments winds itself up after writedownsThis article is more than 13 years old Private equity fund Candover to return cash to investors No fire sale of businesses, CEO Malcolm Fallen insistsCandover Investments today became the latest high-profile victim of the financial crisis, as the private equity firm announced plans to wind itself up, selling its remaining assets and returning the cash to shareholders.

The ObserverElvis PresleyEven at the height of his fame, the singer called on God to calm his stage nerves, his stepbrother reveals in a new biography While his fans worshipped him as a rock’n’roll deity, Elvis Presley would say a prayer before going on stage, reading the Bible and looking to God for guidance in everything he did, his stepbrother has recalled. “When we saw him bow his head, then we knew,” Billy Stanley, who also worked for the singer, told the Observer, noting that Presley did not recite the prayer aloud.

Kevin Smith This article is more than 13 years oldFilm director is thrown off US plane for being 'too big for seat'This article is more than 13 years oldKevin Smith has unleashed a tirade on Twitter after being told by Southwest Airlines that he was a 'safety concern'In the age of micro-blogging it will never be a wise move to bar an outspoken and popular filmmaker from a passenger aeroplane because of his size.

Italy This article is more than 9 months oldLavish ancient Roman winery found at ruins of Villa of the Quintilii near RomeThis article is more than 9 months oldExcavation shows facility included luxurious dining rooms with views of fountains that gushed with wine Of all the Roman ruins that populate what is now a pleasant landscape of pine trees and meadows, under the distant gaze of the Alban Hills, the Villa of the Quintilii is perhaps the most impressive – almost a city in miniature, covering up to 24 hectares.

In the second part of an exclusive investigation, the Guardian can reveal that multiple organizations and institutions tasked with the welfare and protection of athletes failed to consider, investigate or address repeated allegations of sexual misconduct against Toledo soccer coach Brad Evans ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRopJqspJ2yuHnHmqOl

BooksReviewA brave and important book that charts the rise of one of the most successful drugs barons of all time and the shocking cost to MexicoJoaquín Guzmán Loera, aka El Chapo (Shorty), is one of the most successful drugs barons of all time and one of the world’s wealthiest people. Anabel Hernández’s forensically detailed account, translated by Iain Bruce and Lorna Scott Fox, of the rise of this “king of betrayal and bribery” over the last two decades reveals the shocking price Mexico has paid for not eliminating him and the other drugs cartels.

Israel-Gaza war This article is more than 1 month old‘Overjoyed’: nine-year-old hostage Emily Hand returns to family in IsraelThis article is more than 1 month oldRelatives say they ‘can’t find the words to describe our emotions’ as Israeli-Irish girl comes back from Gaza Israel-Hamas war – live updates The family and friends of Emily Hand have spoken of their joy after Hamas released the nine-year-old Israeli-Irish girl from captivity in Gaza late on Saturday.

Point of viewBooksIt's often the setting of a novel that comes to mind for Philip Hensher rather than plot or characterEvery novelist finds it difficult to write about spatial arrangements. I don't know why. It's often unbelievably hard to get a character to go from one room to another, and novelists have been driven mad by the challenge – the 19th-century Austrian novelist Adalbert Stifter fills pages with insane, over-specific accounts of walking forward and opening doors.

The ObserverFictionReviewThe Spanish novelist’s final book is a twisting espionage tale shot through with slantwise humour An espionage thriller in sinuous slow motion, Tomás Nevinson is the final novel from Javier Marías, who died in his native Madrid last autumn at the age of 70. It centres on an eponymous ex-spy (featured in Marías’s previous novel, Berta Isla) coaxed out of retirement for one last job: to catch and potentially kill a terrorist gone to ground in northern Spain after bombings in Barcelona and Zaragoza.

ChileCafés con piernas seem like peculiar throwbacks to more sexist days, but they provide steady income to migrants unable to work elsewhere At kerbside tables, down shadowy alleys and in underground arcades, coffee in Chile’s capital is still served con piernas – with legs. Waitresses in short skirts and high heels serve coffee at the street-level joints which form part of a curious, anachronistic hangover from the 1980s. And in exotically named cafes in underground shopping centres, the staff – who are nearly all migrants from other countries – wear swimwear.

ArtDido Belle: the artworld enigma who inspired a movieDido Belle, the mixed-race daughter of an 18th-century British aristocrat, is the subject of a mysterious painting and a new film, Belle. Here we unravel her story – and the puzzle of her pose Amma Asante: I'm bi-cultural Slave's daughter who lived in Georgian elegance The enigma of Mona Lisa's smile? Who cares? The mystery of Dido Belle is much more intriguing.

‘Finally liberated from the burden of his sex-symbol image’: Paul Newman‘Finally liberated from the burden of his sex-symbol image’: Paul NewmanFrom the Observer archiveLife and styleA celebration of the return of the hustler, this time starring in The Color of MoneyMaureen Dowd interviewed Paul Newman, who was starring in Martin Scorsese’s The Color of Money 25 years after he was in The Hustler – at home in Westport, Connecticut and also at his Fifth Avenue penthouse (‘Return of the Hustler’, 30 November 1986).

08.27 EST'I can’t promise you more state aid,' finance minister tells German farmersFacing a jeering crowd at the farmers’ demonstration in Berlin, the German finance minister, Christian Lindner, said he could not promise more money. “I can’t promise you more state aid from the federal budget,” Lindner told the crowd, according to Reuters. He added: But we can fight together for you to enjoy more freedom and respect for your work.

Premier LeagueKulusevski leads way as 10-man Spurs deepen gloom for Nottingham ForestAfter Dejan Kulusevski thumped in Tottenham’s second goal, the killer blow for Nottingham Forest, Steve Cooper swivelled on his feet, dragged his fingers down his cheeks and retreated towards the home dugout. Quite how many more times Cooper will be able to call this place home depends on how dimly the Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, views this latest defeat, a fifth in the past six matches.

BoxingInterviewLennox Lewis: 'I knew I would meet Mike Tyson in the ring'Donald McRaeThe former world heavyweight champion reflects on his east London early years, sparring Tyson as a teenager, and meeting his heroes Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali “It was funny,” Lennox Lewis says, “because I used to go out with my son, Landon, and people would hold up their fist and shout my name. He was so confused and horrified.

MissouriMissouri executes man after 25 years on death row for murder of teenage girlRoderick Nunley confessed to killing 15-year-old Ann Harrison in 1989 but had asked supreme court to halt ‘cruel and unusual’ punishment Executions and death sentence statistics worldwide: interactiveRead moreA man who spent nearly 25 years on Missouri’s death row was executed on Tuesday for the kidnapping, rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl. Roderick Nunley, 50, became the sixth death row inmate to be put to death in Missouri this year.

Overlooked classics of American literatureFictionUnlike the TV series of the same name, this is a sadly underrated story about the men of the old WestDid the American TV producer David Milch read Pete Dexter's Deadwood before creating the 2004 HBO drama of the same name? Milch claims he didn't, but readers of Dexter's 1986 novel might find that hard to believe. Both Deadwoods begin in the frontier town of the same name, in the Dakota Territory's Black Hills, in 1876, with the shooting of the Wild West gunfighter Wild Bill Hicock, and choose to find the bulk of their narrative in the aftershocks that vibrate through the town after his murder.

TV reviewTelevision & radioReviewThis heartfelt documentary follows Luke Davies as he goes on a fascinating journey of heritage, family and love – and inadvertently takes his mum to the place he was conceived With a title like that, Stranger in My Family carries the whiff of an airport-bookshop thriller, or a true-crime podcast, or one of those Harlan Coben-type Netflix series stuffed with vaguely recognisable faces who make terrible decisions at every turn.

Dandies of DRC: sapeurs honour style ‘pope’ Stervos Niarcos – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Dozens of extravagantly dressed dandies, known locally as sapeurs, turned out in Kinshasa to mark the anniversary of the death of Stervos Niarcos, a pop star and one of the most famous of DRC’s dandies. Niarcos, who died in 1995, epitomised the fanatical pursuit of elegance for many in the poor central African country

TheatreReviewKiln theatre, London Family dynamics and toxic masculinity are explored in Marina Carr’s riveting version of the story of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra The story of Clytemnestra is not quite as we know it from the blood-drenched texts of ancient Greek tragedy here. In those, she is a powerful figure, plotting a murderous revenge on her husband, Agamemnon, for sacrificing their daughter. In Marina Carr’s audacious version, the power lies squarely with Agamemnon, who consents to the ritual killing of their 10-year-old, Iphigenia, for his advancement in the war against Troy.

Australia weather This article is more than 3 months oldHailstorm frequency has increased by 40% around Sydney and Perth since 1979This article is more than 3 months oldScientists say climate change may bring a decrease in frequency of hail activity but an increase in severity Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast The frequency of hailstorms has increased by about 40% around Sydney and Perth over the last four decades, while hail activity has decreased across much of the rest of the country, new research has found.

Film This article is more than 12 years oldJim Caviezel claims The Passion of the Christ made him a Hollywood outcastThis article is more than 12 years oldThe actor who played Jesus in Mel Gibson's 2004 film says he has been shunned by film industry since taking the roleThe actor who played Jesus in Mel Gibson's 2004 blockbuster The Passion of the Christ says he has been shunned by Hollywood since taking the role.

MusicObituaryJohn Gardner obituaryComposer in the English romantic traditionJohn Gardner, who has died aged 94, was one of the English composers who defied the serialist tide of the 1950s and 60s, sustaining the romantic tradition still to be found in the music of Vaughan Williams, Gordon Jacob and William Walton. The urbane wit and impeccable craftsmanship of Walton in particular found an echo in Gardner's music. There was a price to be paid for keeping faith with the style that suited him best: Gardner was viewed by the musical establishment as a prolific engineer of music that possessed little more than utilitarian or pedagogical value.

US midterm elections 2022 This article is more than 1 year oldKaren Bass becomes the first female mayor of Los AngelesThis article is more than 1 year oldThe Democrat takes over as the second Black mayor in LA’s history, beating a rival who spent over $80m of his own money on the race The congresswoman Karen Bass was elected mayor of Los Angeles, defeating billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso and becoming the first woman to run the second-largest city in the US.

Fox News This article is more than 8 months oldRoger Ailes’s widow says Murdochs have ‘wreaked havoc’ on Fox NewsThis article is more than 8 months oldWife of former CEO forced out over sexual harassment allegations says Rupert Murdoch lacks her husband’s ‘genius’ Rupert Murdoch’s family has “wreaked havoc” on Fox News, said the widow of Roger Ailes, the network’s former chief executive, adding that the 92-year-old media baron would “never come close” to her late husband’s “genius”.

Best reads of 2023Sam NeillInterviewSam Neill on his new memoir and living with blood cancer: ‘I’m not afraid to die, but it would annoy me’Lucy ClarkThe New Zealand actor’s new memoir reveals that he has been ‘crook’ with blood cancer and will need chemo for the rest of his life. But relaxing on his farm, he is philosophical. ‘Dying? I couldn’t care less,’ he says If you came to Sam Neill’s memoir without knowing the first thing about it, chapter one would hold a terrible shock.

The 100 best novelsTruman CapoteTruman Capote’s non-fiction novel, a true story of bloody murder in rural Kansas, opens a window on the dark underbelly of postwar America Some of the greatest books on this list are built on narratives that could have been torn from the pages of a newspaper (The Great Gatsby is a good example). In Cold Blood, subtitled “A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences”, grandly described by Capote as “a non-fiction novel”, actually began as a New York Times murder story that became transformed into a tale of spine-tingling suspense and extraordinary intuition.

FrancePour la France, released to critical acclaim, is directed by the brother of Jallal Hami, who died during ritual in 2012 A new film has thrown a spotlight on France’s elite military school, Saint-Cyr, more than a decade after a “testosterone fuelled” hazing ritual ended with the death of a brilliant army officer recruit. Pour la France recounts the tragedy of Jallal Hami, 24, who drowned after officers ordered him and other new recruits to swim an icy lake in heavy gear during a midnight “exercise”.

Ancient erotica: art through the ages Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email A tiny sculpture of a woman with pronounced breasts and genitals is the latest archaeological find to come from the Hohle Fels caves in Germany. Take a look at this and other examples of erotic art from ancient times, from homoerotic drinking cups to the graphic frescoes that survived Pompeii Thu 14 May 2009 13.

Television Bruno Mars teaches James Corden dance moves on Carpool Karaoke – video Pop star Bruno Mars dances to his hit 24K Magic alongside James Corden in Carpool Karaoke, aired on the CBS TV network on Tuesday. As well as singing some of his hits, Mars discusses what he requests on his rider Watch the full video on The Late Late Show with James Corden YouTube channel Source: CBS/The Late Late Show with James Corden

So far this year 108 addicts have died on the streets of Glasgow. The 107th was a Minister's son. John Sweeney reports Drugs in Britain: special report Macduff Street's finest hung out of the top-floor window of number 53 in a rundown part of Glasgow as the Government Minister's son left number 49 in a black body bag. A taxi drove up the street, past the houses as blank and terrible as faces without eyesockets, their windows blinded by metal sheets, past the reinforced steel doors, past the litter of plastic cones and bags and the broken Hoover, past the shards of shattered glass, past the human excrement and the syringe needles, past the grafitti backing the IRA, and a pitifully thin pasty-faced wreckage of a man came out.

Mad Men: notes from the break roomMad MenMad Men recap: season seven, episode 14 – Person to Person (warning: spoilers)For all the bold theories about how the show might conclude, it ended just as we probably suspected from the last few episodes Spoiler alert: this blog is published after Mad Men airs on AMC in the US on Sundays at 10pm ET. Do not read on unless you have watched season seven, episode 14 (which airs in Australia on Showcase on Monday 18 May at 3.

The ObserverNick FrostInterviewNick Frost: ‘I have a beautiful life at the moment’Tim JonzeNick Frost has come a long way since the cult TV series Spaced, but despite a string of hit movies, the comedian feels he’s never far away from flipping burgers. Here, he talks about ghost busting, male bonding with Simon Pegg and wrestling – not just with his demons If the acting ever dries up, then at least Nick Frost has a plan.

TelevisionObituaryObituary: Patrick McGoohanActor best known for his roles in the 60s TV classics The Prisoner and Danger ManThe handsome and steady-eyed Patrick McGoohan, who has died aged 80, was the star, co-writer and sometimes director of one of British television's most original and challenging series of the 1960s, The Prisoner. In it, he played Number Six, a mysterious, resigned former secret agent who is always trying to escape from the Village, an apparently congenial community which is in fact a virtual prison for people who know too much.

Kansas This article is more than 1 year oldOlive Garden manager fired for time-off message: ‘If your dog died, bring him in’This article is more than 1 year oldKansas manager’s missive – which claimed workers were calling in sick ‘at a staggering rate’ – caused an uproar online A manager of an Olive Garden restaurant in Kansas was out of a job after warning subordinates to look for other work if they requested time off.

Western wildfires rage in California, Oregon and Washington – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email More than 85 significant wildfires are burning across the west, where a record 2.5m acres have been destroyed in the latest batch of blazes. At least seven people have died and the dense plumes of smoke have turned skies red and amber

Anjelica HustonHer father was scary. Vincent Gallo got vicious. And Jack Nicholson taught her never to give a brown present. Anjelica Huston tells John Patterson about a life among Hollywood royaltyThe last time I met Anjelica Huston was six or seven years ago in a luxury oceanfront hotel in Venice, California. It was windy and cold, Huston was still a smoker – we talked outside in the wind while she lit up like a naughty schoolgirl.

David Enthoven with Robbie Williams in 2009. ‘Without David I might have died,’ Williams said. Photograph: ie:musicView image in fullscreenDavid Enthoven with Robbie Williams in 2009. ‘Without David I might have died,’ Williams said. Photograph: ie:musicPop and rockObituaryDavid Enthoven obituaryManager who guided Robbie Williams’s solo career for 20 yearsDavid Enthoven, who has died aged 72, was one of a group of English public schoolboys who fell in love with the pop music industry in the 1960s, and helped reshape it.

France This article is more than 2 years oldFirefighters should not face charge of raping girl, French court rulesThis article is more than 2 years oldAccused will face lesser offence of sexual assault in ‘Julie’ case that has sparked protests across France France’s highest court has ruled that firefighters accused of raping a girl when she was aged between 13 and 15 should be charged with the lesser offence of sexual assault.

Brain flappingPresidents Club scandalHow 'provocative clothes' affect the brain – and why it's no excuse for assaultHere’s why the persistent idea that a woman’s outfit can make her responsible for her own assault has no basis in science Sterling work by undercover reporters for the Financial Times have caused a storm around the Presidents Club. Reports of their annual gala dinner involving horrific harassment of hostesses, paid (surprisingly little) to cater to the whims of rich powerful men under alarmingly draconian conditions have quickly caused the club to close.

South AustraliaSurfer flown to hospital after South Australia shark attackMan suffers leg wound less than two weeks after a boy was killed by a suspected great white shark on the Yorke Peninsula Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast A surfer has been flown to hospital after being bitten by a shark off the South Australian coast. The 65-year-old man was bitten on the leg after a shark attack that occurred about 200m offshore near Elliston, on the SA west coast.

OpinionHealth & wellbeing This article is more than 8 months oldThe secret to why exercise is so good for mental health? ‘Hope molecules’This article is more than 8 months oldDevi SridharWhat we long suspected is now scientific fact: there’s a magic chemical connection between mood, strength and longevity Exercise, in whatever form, and for however long, just makes life feel better. I feel it myself after a walk up Arthur’s Seat here in Edinburgh, a jog around the Meadows, or a sweaty hot yoga session in Leith.

Seascape: the state of our oceansFishingThe population is declining rapidly but Russia has refused to observe restrictions – aided by countries offering ports or catch processing The Irminger Sea, near Greenland and Iceland, is home to the beaked redfish – a large-eyed, orange creature that typically grows up to half a metre long and lives for about 60 years. It has come to epitomise just why Russia ranks so poorly on the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Index – second-worst out of 152 countries in 2021.

US news This article is more than 1 year oldUS House passes bill to protect right to same-sex and interracial marriageThis article is more than 1 year oldThe measure, partly a political strategy, forced Democrats and Republicans to record their view, and garnered bipartisan support The US House has passed a bill protecting the right to same-sex and interracial marriages, a vote that comes amid concerns that the supreme court’s overturning of Roe v Wade could jeopardize other rights.

SEMANTIC ENIGMASWhy do we refer to a pound as a 'quid'? Martin Quinton, Wimbledon England It's short for "quid pro quo". Mark Power, Dublin Perhaps as in quid pro quo. Just as notes offer the statement "promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum" thereby indicating that they are not really worth anything except that they may be "cashed" in, then the quid comes from this idea of a like for like exchange?

Children pick peas at Fairbridge Farm in Molong, New South Wales. Photograph: National Archives of AustraliaChildren pick peas at Fairbridge Farm in Molong, New South Wales. Photograph: National Archives of AustraliaChild protectionDavid Hill’s mother made the ‘ultimate sacrifice’ when they sent him to New South Wales. Now he wants a UK inquiry to hear the stories of those abused as children David Hill was 12, “so bloody poor” and living in England with his single mother and three brothers when they were given a brochure for Fairbridge Farm school in New South Wales, Australia, and the promise of a better life.

Benjamin Millepied with members of the Paris Opera Ballet in the Palais Garnier’s Grand Foyer, 2014. Photograph: Philippe Petit/Paris MatchBenjamin Millepied with members of the Paris Opera Ballet in the Palais Garnier’s Grand Foyer, 2014. Photograph: Philippe Petit/Paris MatchThe ObserverBalletInterviewBenjamin Millepied: ballet’s black swan bows out in ParisLuke JenningsLast week Benjamin Millepied resigned as head of dance at the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet, criticising the company’s rigid ways. Luke Jennings, who spoke to the choreographer twice in recent weeks, reports

27 Dec 202317.14 ESTThat’s all from me. Thanks for reading and for your emails and tweets. I’m off for a mince pie and a cuppa. Here’s the match report from Stamford Bridge once again. Cheers! Chelsea find way past Crystal Palace thanks to Noni Madueke’s late penaltyRead more27 Dec 202317.13 ESTIt’s also full-time at Goodison Park. City roar back from a goal down to win 3-1. Everton 1-3 Manchester City: Premier League – live reactionRead more27 Dec 202317.

TelevisionReviewBinge’s first original series is gentle, polished and cinematic, following siblings and their father on a quest to grow – and learn to love Just as we enter the final days of 2021, along comes another very fine homegrown production to cap off a bumper year for Australian television. The first original series from streaming platform Binge, Love Me is a classy Melbourne-set drama directed by Emma Freeman (Stateless, Glitch) and written by Alison Bell, Leon Ford, Adele Vuko and Blake Ayshford.

The ObserverFood This article is more than 9 months oldMay I have a word about the real meaning of ambient foodThis article is more than 9 months oldJonathan BouquetItems that can be safely stored at room temperature now have their own special wordI know I must be an oddity but I do enjoy reading the City pages in newspapers, despite dodgy banks, inflation, doom loops, death spirals and Andrew Bailey.

UFOs This article is more than 10 years oldRoswell author who said he handled UFO crash debris dies at 76This article is more than 10 years oldFlight surgeon Jesse Marcel Jr said his air force father brought home debris from Roswell crash site in 1947Jesse Marcel Jr, who said he handled debris from the 1947 crash of an unidentified flying object near Roswell, New Mexico, has died at the age of 76.

The new vegetarianMiddle Eastern food and drinkThere’s a right way and a wrong way to make this brilliant Middle Eastern salad, says Yotam Ottolenghi. Here’s the right way… I have seen a million bastardised versions of this simple salad which hails from the part of the Middle East that covers Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. The most common issue is the proportions – far too many cooks do not realise that parsley is the star of the show here, not the bulgar, and definitely not couscous (to avoid any confusion, after each ingredient I've added in parenthesis what the chopped weight should be as it goes into the salad).

Society booksReviewThis much-touted literary love letter to Alcoholics Anonymous is too moral in its argument for the superiority of the sober Leslie Jamison’s narrative ode to Alcoholics Anonymous was written during a calm era (the Obama years) when getting sober may have seemed prudent and wise, but it is published, alas, at a time when intoxication is, if not prudent, at least sometimes necessary. It might have been almost amusing to get sober under Obama, with the sun shining cheerfully every day (but never burning too hot, contained as it then was under the hopeful rubric of a climate agreement with no less glamorous a provenance than Paris).

The ObserverIranThe US isn’t the biggest power in the Middle East any more. Iran isSimon TisdallWith China and Russia as its allies, the authoritarian regime is assembling a Middle Eastern coalition as Washington’s influence wanes The first of what may be manyUS-led air strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi Shia militants in Yemen marks another dismaying milestone on a long trail of western policy failures in the Middle East – the most pivotal and consequential of which remains the decades-old failure to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Australian lifestyle This article is more than 10 months oldA pornbot stole my identity on Instagram. It took an agonising month to get it deletedThis article is more than 10 months oldNurie SalimMindful of her parents’ beliefs, Nurie Salim was always careful about what she posted. Then scammers stole her name and face to advertise nude photographs Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Like many people in Sydney, I spent August 2021 in Delta lockdown, stuck at home, endlessly scrolling on my phone and clinging to the internet as a lifeline.

Cynthia Nixon: ‘Which living person do I most admire? Michelle Obama.’ Photograph: FilmMagicCynthia Nixon: ‘Which living person do I most admire? Michelle Obama.’ Photograph: FilmMagicThe Q&ALife and styleInterviewCynthia Nixon: ‘I feel wiser and calmer than I’ve ever been’Rosanna GreenstreetThe actor on her greatest fear, the best kiss of her life and the day a photographer told her not to get her teeth fixed Born in New York, Cynthia Nixon, 50, began to act aged 11.

Horror booksChristmas Eve was traditionally the time to tell scary stories round the hearth. And 19th-century writers were fearsomely adept at exploiting a world of creaking floorboards, creepy servants … and gas lamps that caused hallucinationsCurl up by the fire and I'll tell you a ghost story. Don't be alarmed by the creak of the floorboards, the murmurs in the basement, the shrill ululations of a distant dog. Try not to be perturbed by the flickering candle, the fleeting shadows, the horned, hairy hand that appears at your elbow.

The ObserverFranceJ'accuseMyriam Badaoui, the woman who accused 17 neighbours of paedophilia in 2001, has just admitted lying. Alex Duval Smith reports on a case that has ruined lives and blighted the judicial systemThe tour de Renard housing estate stands like a pristine Lego block. The balconies on its three white towers have been painted red and blue. The stairway walls are powder yellow. Its two basketball courts have been given fresh lines and nets.

The ObserverLambchopReview(City Slang) All of life – and death – is here in the band’s numinous 16th album Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner is indelibly associated with Nashville, Tennessee. But it has been years since the band – in which he is the sole constant member – have been an Americana outfit. Over a series of extraordinary albums, Wagner has turned to soul, pianos, digital sounds and Auto-Tune. For Lambchop’s 16th album, he decamped to distant Minneapolis to work with local multi-instrumentalist Andrew Broder and producer Ryan Olson (who also works with another voice modulator, Bon Iver).

Malcolm Gladwell: ‘Are there any Hollywood actors as skinny and unprepossessing as I am?’ Photograph: Ken McKay/ITV/Rex/ShutterstockMalcolm Gladwell: ‘Are there any Hollywood actors as skinny and unprepossessing as I am?’ Photograph: Ken McKay/ITV/Rex/ShutterstockThe Q&ALife and styleInterviewMalcolm Gladwell: ‘I deplore people who deny the extent of their privilege’Rosanna GreenstreetThe author and journalist on the cold war, his Adam’s apple, and nearly being deported Born in England and raised in Canada, Malcolm Gladwell, 57, has written for the New Yorker since 1996.

TelevisionObituaryRoy Holder obituaryStage and screen actor who appeared in several popular TV series including Ace of Wands, Doctor Who and Sorry!The actor Roy Holder, who has died aged 75 of cancer, performed in the classics on stage and was directed by Franco Zeffirelli in film versions of two Shakespeare plays, but he will be best remembered by a generation of young television viewers for his role in a teatime fantasy series.

Weekend magazine gay specialRelationshipsThey take ages to seduce, they're rubbish in bed – and then they go back to their boyfriends. But Staceyann Chin still can't resist turning a straight woman's headThere may be a thousand reasons why lesbians love the thrill of a straight girl. Maybe women who chase women possess the same rabid ego we despise in straight men, the same ego that makes a person go giddy at the thought of being "

A demonstration in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday in support of protests in China against Xi Jinping’s zero-Covid policy. Photograph: Taidgh Barron/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/ShutterstockA demonstration in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday in support of protests in China against Xi Jinping’s zero-Covid policy. Photograph: Taidgh Barron/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/ShutterstockChina This article is more than 1 year oldWinnie the Pooh joins Chinese Covid lockdown protestsThis article is more than 1 year oldDisney merchandise shows frowning bear looking at blank sheet of paper – a symbol of opposition to censorship

MusicInterviewBob Mould, alt-rock's gay icon, takes on American evil: 'My head's on fire!'Stevie ChickThe former Hüsker Dü and Sugar frontman is back with a career box set and an incendiary new album, having come to terms with childhood trauma, his sexuality and the death of his bandmate It’s been a fortnight since Bob Mould could open his windows. “The air is pretty toxic,” he reports from his home in San Francisco, as the California wildfires gradually turn the skies orange.

Chiraag Bains served in the Justice Department from 2010 to 2017, where he prosecuted police misconduct and investigated patterns of abuse. He is now a senior fellow at Harvard Law School’s Criminal Justice Policy Program and a Leadership in Government Fellow with the Open Society Foundations. ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRomqGhopauqHnBmqCnqw%3D%3D

Writ largeLawFantastic talesThe strange (and untrue) case of the lawyer convicted of arson for smoking cigarsOK, here's the story going the rounds in America and all over the internet. A lawyer in Charlotte, North Carolina, bought a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against fire. A month later, after smoking all the cigars, he filed a claim against the insurance company, claiming that the cigars had been destroyed "

Abuse behind barsUS prisons This article is more than 2 months oldOne prison guard, 96 abuse charges: women say ‘serial rapist’ targeted them over a decadeThis article is more than 2 months oldExclusive: Records and interviews suggest the California prison system let Gregory Rodriguez get away with rampant sexual abuse, while his victims were punished On 15 May 2022, Gregory Rodriguez, a guard at the Central California Women’s Facility, ordered a 30-year-old woman in his custody to come to a hearing room at the prison.

Autobiography and memoirReviewA study of the small, miraculous domestic dramas by an electrifying writer, eager to challenge society’s norms Let’s start with an introduction. Maggie Nelson is one of the most electrifying writers at work in America today, among the sharpest and most supple thinkers of her generation. Born in 1973, she has so far produced nine books, four of poetry and five of non-fiction, knitting together what might in heavier hands be abstruse theory and humid confession to create an exhilarating new language for considering both the messiness of life and the meanings of art.

TV reviewFood TVReviewNetflix’s latest food show turns top-tier cooking into frantic theatre. The result is frustrating and unrewarding Imagine a cooking programme so bombastic it makes Gordon Ramsay’s latest look like Lark Rise to Candleford. Imagine a programme so devoid of subtlety or nuance that it makes you long for the piercing insights of Gregggg “This tastes like I just killed your pets” Wallace and John “Which way do the pointy fork bits go again?

Top ten nursery rhymes Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Booktrust asked 2,500 poeple to name their favourite nursery rhyme. All together now ... here are the top 10 Tue 6 Oct 2009 11.35 BST First published on Tue 6 Oct 2009 11.35 BST Hickory dickory dock! The mouse ran up the clock; The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Hickory, Dickory, Dock!

Which miniature animals make good pets? Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Victoria Beckham has bought David two micro pigs for Christmas. What other miniature animals are suitable as pets - and which are best avoided? Fri 6 Nov 2009 05.20 EST First published on Fri 6 Nov 2009 05.20 EST Micro pigs10 miniature animals that make good pets .

Disgraced wellness blogger Belle Gibson fronts cameras on Australia’s 60 Minutes program. Link to video GuardianAustralian television This article is more than 8 years oldBelle Gibson on 60 Minutes: no remorse and the lies kept comingThis article is more than 8 years oldDespite Tara Brown’s tough questioning, disgraced wellness blogger refuses to confirm her age and claims finding out she’d never had cancer was ‘traumatising’ The disgraced wellness blogger Belle Gibson has insisted she did not try to “get away with anything”, despite having deceived thousands of online followers into believing she had terminal brain cancer.

Word of Mouth blogBeerDig for victory and your reward will be a very British root beerDandelion and burdock roots, being perennial, are available all year, but it is important to collect them only when the leaves are visible so that you do not confuse them with anything nasty. The very common hemlock water dropwort (pdf), for example, has roots which will see you dead in three hours! Spring or autumn when the roots are at their fattest is the best time to search them out.

Rights and freedomIran This article is more than 1 year oldIran condemns two women to death for ‘corruption’ over LGBTQ+ media linksThis article is more than 1 year oldOutcry over show trial, which follows Zahra Seddiqi Hamedani talking to BBC about abuse of gay people in Iran’s Kurdish region Two women have been condemned to death in Iran because of their links to the LGBTQ+ community on social media, human rights groups have reported.

John Oliver recapJohn OliverThe Last Week Tonight host digs into the overstated promises of corporate carbon neutrality through ‘carbon offset’ schemes John Oliver’s main segment on Sunday’s Last Week Tonight concerned Earth, AKA the “Oscar Isaac of planets, in that it seems to be getting alarmingly hotter every year”, and specifically corporate promises to protect it from climate change via carbon neutrality. Such proposals, or claims to be “net zero”, suppose that businesses operate in a way that doesn’t increase the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

Ask Annalisa BarbieriFamilyShe seems to think it is her role to tell people what is right. How can I stop her upsetting her grandchildren and others? Annalisa Barbieri advises a reader My mother, 80, is a very intelligent, educated, articulate woman, who goes out a lot and has many interests. Over the past five years or so, my sister and I have come to realise that we don’t like parts of her very much.

Chicago Cubs This article is more than 5 years oldSee you next year: why homophobia ended this Cubs fan's seasonThis article is more than 5 years oldParker MolloyMy Cubs are that much deeper after trading for Daniel Murphy, but the second baseman’s homophobia is a dealbreaker for me The last time I was at Wrigley Field, so was Daniel Murphy. It was Chicago Cubs against the Washington Nationals, and it was a remarkable game.

World newsSpotless star's dark secret shakes Israel'Isn't it time for the citizens of Israel to relate to Aids asthey do to cancer or dysentery?'They say the bereaved pass through several stages of grief, but in Israel the legions of fans of the singer Ofra Haza have been stuck on anger ever since a newspaper dared to print what had been circulating as rumour for days. The entertainer with a spotless private life, whose rise to stardom from the slums of Tel Aviv chimed so well with Israel's self-image as a land of opportunity, had died of complications from Aids.

The Handmaid's Tale: episode by episodeThe Handmaid's TaleAfter stomach-lurching flashbacks, we plunge into the colonies to witness the fate of transgressives Spoiler alert: this recap is for people watching The Handmaid’s Tale, series two, on Channel 4 in the UK. Please do not add comments containing spoilers from later episodes. Another bleak week in Gilead as June swaps one form of captivity for another and Emily (Ofglen) is reintroduced, shown toiling in the colonies.

Yevgeny Prigozhin This article is more than 4 months oldVladimir Putin sends condolences to family of Yevgeny PrigozhinThis article is more than 4 months oldKremlin uncertain whether Russian president will attend funeral with arrangements yet to be made public Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updates Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences to the family of the Wagner group head, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Kremlin has said, adding that it did not know when the warlord’s funeral would take place and whether the Russian president would attend.

Battery lifeAfricaCongolese workers describe a system of abuse, precarious employment and paltry wages – all to power the green vehicle revolution The names Tesla, Renault and Volvo mean nothing to Pierre*. He has never heard of an electric car. But as he heads out to work each morning in the bustling, dusty town of Fungurume, in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s southern mining belt, he is the first link in a supply chain that is fuelling the electric vehicle revolution and its promise of a decarbonised future.

Dynamo Kyiv This article is more than 9 years oldDnipro's Jaba Kankava saves Kiev captain's life after he swallows tongueThis article is more than 9 years old Oleg Gusev saved by opposition midfielder's prompt action 'He is lucky to have such light injuries,' says Dynamo doctorThe Dynamo Kiev captain, Oleg Gusev, had a narrow escape after swallowing his tongue before being saved by an opposition player. Gusev had challenged for a cross with Denys Boyko and collapsed on the floor unconscious after a blow from the Dnipro goalkeeper's knee.

The Baikal seal, known locally as nerpa, is found only in the vast Siberian lakeDmitry Kokh has been on a mission to photograph Baikal seals, found only in the world’s deepest lake, in Siberia. In the spring he set out to capture their beauty in their crystal-clear habitat Russia’s Lake Baikal has garnered many superlatives: the world’s deepest lake, the largest freshwater lake by volume, and the world’s oldest. It is also one of the clearest bodies of water on the planet and home to many species of plants and animals endemic to the region.

Joan DidionThe Californian author became the ultimate literary celebrity for her journalistic style. Here are some of her best quotes on writing, love, ageing and fear, plus a selection of essays Joan Didion, who has died aged 87, inspired writers and readers for decades. Her journalism, memoirs, and cultural and political commentary made her a unique chronicler of 20th-century culture. Here are 23 quotes that encapsulate her writing: On life We tell ourselves stories in order to live.

Pop and rockJohn Oates opens up about Daryl Hall amid bitter legal battle: ‘I have moved on’Duo’s music ‘will always trump almost anything that Daryl does on his own or I do on my own’ says Oates, weeks after Hall filed to stop him selling his share of their rights John Oates, half of the hugely successful pop rock duo Hall & Oates, has opened up about his partnership with Daryl Hall amid their ongoing and fractious legal battle.

Race This article is more than 2 months old‘Pervasive and relentless’ racism on the rise in Europe, survey findsThis article is more than 2 months oldPoll of 6,752 people of African descent in 13 countries finds almost half have experienced discrimination Racism is “pervasive and relentless” and on the rise in Europe, with nearly half of black people in member states surveyed by the EU reporting discrimination, from the verbal abuse of their children to being blocked by landlords from renting homes.

10 of the bestBooksJohn Mullan goes to heavenIl Paradiso by Dante Guided by Beatrice, Dante ascends to the Primum Mobile, where the angels dwell. Beatrice explains the nine orders of angels, hierarchically arranged: Seraphim (the closest to God), Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. "Aire and Angels" by John Donne In amorous enthusiasm, Donne takes literally the notion that his beloved is an "angel". She is as pure as a heavenly being, but has had to take bodily form, "

Yvon Crolet, a retired engineer from Paris, who has spent 20 years searching for the owl. All photographs: Emily Graham/InstituteLaunched in 1993, it has become one of the world’s longest games. So who are the amateur sleuths hoping to hit gold? Photographer Emily Graham joins them on the trail by Phil HoadAt 3.30am on the night of 23 April 1993, at a secret location somewhere in France, a man struggled in pitch-blackness to dig a hole in which to bury something stowed in his car boot.

FictionReviewThe intricacies of Filipino-American society are explored in a fresh, tender story about one woman’s journey from torture in the Philippines to a new life in CaliforniaAs titles go, this one is forceful: it proclaims that the book will correct some misconception about either nation or organ. The novel centres on a quiet woman with broken thumbs. Hero lives inMilpitas, a suburb of San Jose, California, where she works in a restaurant, babysits her cousin and flirts with Rosalyn, a cute makeup artist.

Beyoncé is more than just an unwitting tool of the patriarchy. Photograph: Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP Photograph: Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/APBeyoncé is more than just an unwitting tool of the patriarchy. Photograph: Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP Photograph: Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/APRoxane Gay columnBeyoncé This article is more than 9 years oldBeyoncé's control of her own image belies the bell hooks 'slave' critiqueThis article is more than 9 years oldRoxane GayWomen have to believe that we can hold different points of view without labeling each other bad feminists

Oklahoma This article is more than 2 months oldCarlton Pearson, megachurch founder who supported gay rights and rejected hell, dies aged 70This article is more than 2 months oldPearson’s church once had 6,000 members, and his story was chronicled on This American Life and later became a Netflix film The founder of a former megachurch in Oklahoma who was branded a heretic and lost one audience – but gained a new one – after he rejected the idea of hell and supported gay rights has died, his agent said on Monday.

The ObserverBiography booksReviewA portrait of the novelist’s German wife explores the price paid for inspiring her man The author of Lady Chatterley’s Lover wasn’t just skilled at constructing morally charged studies of the human condition. He was also nifty enough with a needle and thread to whip up a pair of calico bloomers and trim a hat. He wasn’t averse to scrubbing a kitchen floor either and when stripping a lover during an alfresco tryst, he’d be sure to fold her clothes neatly as he went.

Pennsylvania This article is more than 8 years oldPennsylvania officer who fatally shot unarmed man in back cleared of murderThis article is more than 8 years oldLisa Mearkle, 37, of Hummelstown police, said she feared for her safetyDavid Kassick, 59, was shot dead as he lay face down after traffic stopA small-town police officer who fatally shot an unarmed motorist in the back as he lay face down on the ground was acquitted on Thursday at her murder trial.

OpinionSerena Williams This article is more than 1 year oldSerena Williams showed the world that black women excel. That has changed us allThis article is more than 1 year oldAfua HirschBorn in the same year as the tennis champion, I watched her face countless obstacles – and become the greatest of all time We don’t deserve Serena Williams. Nothing about this world makes it likely that a little black girl from Compton – now “evolving” away from professional competition after her final match at the US Open – would become an indisputable Goat.

Autobiography and memoirReviewA quiet American in London tries to overcome her ‘neurosis’ in the latest account of shyness Are authors more likely to be introverts than the rest of the population? Recent publishing history suggests so. Joe Moran put his finger on it in Shrinking Violets, concluding: “Shyness turns you into an onlooker, a close reader of the signs and wonders of the social world.” Melissa Dahl, in Cringeworthy, took a scientific approach to understanding and overcoming awkwardness.

Saturday interviewFitness This article is more than 15 years oldTeeny, tiny body, anyone?This article is more than 15 years oldAs personal trainer to the stars, Tracy Anderson has transformed Madonna's body, and Gwyneth's. Now she has her eye on the rest of usIf anyone personifies svelte, it is Tracy Anderson. A close consort of Madonna ("the most amazing work ethic"), Stella McCartney ("hilarious") and Gwyneth Paltrow ("the most fun - and a great cook"

Book of the dayFiction in translationReviewThe beginning of a septet, this darkly ecstatic Norwegian story of art and God is relentlessly consuming“You don’t read my books for the plots,” the Norwegian writer Jon Fosse has said. Over the past two decades, Fosse, a playwright, poet, essayist and children’s author as well as a novelist, has won almost every award going in Norway, while his “slow prose” has gained him a cult following in English translation.

Pop and rockObituaryArt Laboe obituaryAmerican DJ and rock’n’roll promoter whose celebrated 1950s El Monte concerts broke down racial barriersThe American disc jockey Art Laboe, who has died aged 97, may have been the first person to recognise that a rock’n’roll song could enjoy a life beyond its few weeks in the charts. In 1959 he popularised the phrase “oldies but goodies” by using it as the title for an album he had compiled, consisting of hits, all barely a year or two old, by such artists as the Penguins, Etta James, the Five Satins and the Teen Queens.

SEMANTIC ENIGMASI've been trying for years to find out what the traditional birthday greeting: "Many Happy Returns" means exactly. Anybody know? Chris Prophet, Sweden It is short for "many happy returns of the day" and means that the person, who is speaking, is wishing that the person with the birthday will have many more of them, i.e. that their birthday will return many times more and that they will therefore live a long life.

World Cup 2014 Group AMexico’s Peralta finally sees off Cameroon after referee fluffs his linesThis was the second game of the World Cup and for the second game all the talk after the final whistle was about the referees. The main difference between this game and the opener between Croatia and Brazil less than 24 hours before, however, was that the decisions, in the end, did not influence the result.

My lesbian secret makes teenage life dreadful. Whom should I tell?Next week: My partner and his ex-wife swoop porn emails and have telephone sexI'm a 13-year-old girl who attends a single-sex grammar school. For almost a year now I have known that I am a lesbian. I have told no one about it. It makes me very uncomfortable when people laugh at homosexuals. My friends, I think, suspect. This secrecy is a constant source of anxiety to me.

The ObserverPhysicsInterviewPhysicist Sabine Hossenfelder: ‘There are quite a few areas where physics blurs into religion’Killian FoxTo answer life’s biggest questions, says the German theoretical physicist and YouTuber, we need to abandon unscientific ideas such as the multiverse Sabine Hossenfelder is a German theoretical physicist who writes books and runs a YouTube channel (with 618,000 subscribers at time of writing) called Science Without the Gobbledygook. Born in Frankfurt, she studied mathematics at the Goethe Universität and went on to focus on particle physics – her PhD explored the possibility that the Large Hadron Collider would produce microscopic black holes.

Plant of the weekGardening adviceAn old and much-loved French variety that produces sweet and aromatic fruitsStrawberry 'Gariguette' is an old and much-loved French variety that produces sweet and aromatic fruits early in the season. Grow in full sun for the greatest depth of flavour. Buy 10 'Gariguette' runners for £11.95, or 20 runners for £18.90 (prices include UK mainland p&p). To order, call 0330 333 6851 quoting ref GUPW225, or go to our Readers' Offer page.

PornographyAddiction to pornography has been blamed for erectile dysfunction, relationship issues and depression, yet problematic use is rising. Now therapists and tech companies are offering new solutions Thomas discovered pornography in the traditional way: at school. He remembers classmates talking about it in the playground and showing each other videos on their phones during sleepovers. He was 13 and thought it was “a laugh”. Then he began watching pornography alone on his tablet in his room.

US elections 2024Minnesota congressman Dean Phillips says he’s running ‘to ensure that we do not torpedo the entire country’ by re-electing Trump The Democratic congressman Dean Phillips, who is challenging the incumbent president, Joe Biden, will keep running his long-shot bid for the White House through the summer after he’s had more time to introduce himself to voters across the US. Scranton stands by native son Biden but even here enthusiasm is elusiveRead morePhillips initially planned to run in a few states for his party’s presidential nomination, focusing especially on the crucial early-voting state of New Hampshire, which was seen as a trial balloon for his candidacy.

Ask HadleyFashionGwyneth has made a candle called This Smells Like My Vagina for her website, Goop. And, of course, it has sold out I hear that I can now buy a candle that smells like Gwyneth Paltrow’s vagina. What? Hilary, by email Truly, has any vagina ever been as fruitful as Gwyneth Paltrow’s? It has birthed discussions of vaginal steaming, vaginal jade eggs, $15,000 dildos, something called “sex dust” and a photo of Gwyneth standing in a giant vagina to advertise some inevitable Netflix documentary/reality TV series crossover.

Crime This article is more than 4 years oldAyoub Majdouline jailed for murder of 14-year-old Jaden MoodieThis article is more than 4 years oldNineteen-year-old imprisoned for life with minimum term of 21 years A teenager has been sentenced to life imprisonment for being part of a gang who hunted down and stabbed 14-year-old Jaden Moodie in in an attack linked to a drug feud. Ayoub Majdouline, 19, was one of five gang members who went on a “killing” mission into a rival gang’s territory in Leyton, east London, in January this year.

Participants take part in the 13th Gay Pride in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2015. Photograph: Xinhua/REX/ShutterstockParticipants take part in the 13th Gay Pride in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2015. Photograph: Xinhua/REX/ShutterstockLGBTQ+ rightsThe official fiction, Brian Whitaker explains, is that gay people don’t exist in the Middle East. They do – and for many of them, the attitudes of family and society are a much bigger problem than the fear of being persecuted

Greece This article is more than 1 month oldGreece to legalise papers for thousands of migrants to counter labour shortageThis article is more than 1 month oldLegislation comes at a time when anti-immigrant sentiment is fuelling far-right support across Europe Thousands of migrants are to have their papers legalised in Greece as part of efforts to curb an acute labour shortage that is hitting key sectors of an otherwise resurgent economy.

Huge huntsman spider tries to eat a mouse GuardianAustralia news This article is more than 7 years oldIn Australia: giant spider carrying a mouse is horrifying and impressiveThis article is more than 7 years oldForget pizza rat and cigarette crab and prepare yourself for spider mouse, the super strong and very hungry Australian arachnid Australia’s litany of fearsome fauna seems to have a new entry. Added to deadly snakes, man-eating crocodiles and poisonous jellyfish comes Hermie the huntsman, a spider so unusually large and strong that it had no problem carrying a sizeable mouse up the outside of a fridge.

The ObserverHeritageThe Iron Duke had lovers but his platonic friends meant most, a new UK exhibition reveals He was known as the Iron Duke, a moniker gained from his steadfastness in war and politics – and hinting too at manliness. But the Duke of Wellington, victor over Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815 and then twice prime minister, was not just a man’s man. He actively sought the company of intelligent female friends with whom he could discuss world issues, a new exhibition reveals.

The Walking Dead: episode by episodeThe Walking DeadThe Walking Dead season five, episode 11: The Distance – recapThe theme of the impossibility of trust in a post-apocalyptic world comes to the fore again as Rick goes crazier and Aaron tries to marshal the survivors Spoiler alert: this blog is published after The Walking Dead airs on AMC in the US on Sundays. Do not read on unless you have watched season five, episode 11 (which airs in the UK on Fox on Mondays).

US newsWhen the chaos of the big city began to drag, Paul Willis wondered if solitude might be the answer. Would his encounters with hermits yield what he wanted? A few years ago, beset by the same malaise that I suppose afflicts everyone who spends too much time in the bustle and chaos of a big city, I wondered if solitude might be the answer. I began to read about hermits and became obsessed with the idea of meeting one.

Reece Witherspoon walking the Pacific Crest Trail in Wild. Photograph: Allstar/Fox Searchlight Pictures/Sportsphoto LtdReece Witherspoon walking the Pacific Crest Trail in Wild. Photograph: Allstar/Fox Searchlight Pictures/Sportsphoto LtdWalking holidaysHiking has gone Hollywood with the film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling backpacking memoir Wild – and the Pacific Crest Trail is its real star. If the film inspires you, here are 10 trails that explore the stunning US wilderness More on US national parks in California | Washington | Arizona | Oregon | Texas | New Mexico | Utah

The Set PiecesSoccerAre you mispronouncing Bruno Fernandes, Gianluigi Buffon and Wojciech Szczesny’s names? You’re not alone By Euan Burns for The Set Pieces International tournaments expose us to new players, teams and styles of football. Euro 2020 gave us the chance to watch North Macedonia and Finland on such a grand stage for the first time. Although, what can be exciting for football fans, can be challenging for commentators, who have to master new pronunciations.

EnergyA fridge but in reverse? The fascinating science of heat pumps – visualisedDespite being more like a refrigerator than a gas boiler, this home heating technology could slash Britain’s emissions, and bills Only 1% of British homes have a heat pump, but to hit the government’s climate goals, an estimated 80% of homes should be heated by one in the next 25 years. Whereas gas boilers burn gas to produce heat, heat pumps do something more complicated.

ColoradoColorado shooter who killed five at LGBTQ+ club charged with hate crimesAnderson Aldrich plans to plead guilty to federal charges with an agreement that would allow him to avoid the death penalty The shooter who killed five people and endangered the lives of over 40 others at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs plans to plead guilty to new federal charges for hate crimes and firearm violations under an agreement that would allow the defendant to avoid the death penalty, according to court documents made public on Tuesday.

OpinionRestaurants This article is more than 2 years old‘Dark kitchens’ serving food delivery apps are everywhere – but what goes on inside?This article is more than 2 years oldZoe WilliamsTheir name makes them sound nefarious, and kitchen work at the best of times can be brutal - which makes me keen to know more In my neighbourhood, there’s a “dark kitchen” – a warehouse run by a major takeaway platform, housing cooks for eight or nine restaurants.

The Gran Abuelo tree in Alerce Costero national park, Chile. Buried alerce trunks can hold carbon for more than 4,000 years. Photograph: Salomón HenríquezThe Gran Abuelo tree in Alerce Costero national park, Chile. Buried alerce trunks can hold carbon for more than 4,000 years. Photograph: Salomón HenríquezTrees and forests100ft alerce has estimated age of 5,484, more than 600 years older than Methuselah in California In a secluded valley in southern Chile, a lone alerce tree stands above the canopy of an ancient forest.

Donald Trump Trump ‘paid someone to take his exams’ President emotionally ‘scarred’ by abusive father Trump shaped by ‘sociopath’ father, niece writes in memoir Mary Trump’s book, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man, contains stunning claims about her uncle, Donald Trump. Here are eight of the most extraordinary. Fox News apologises for cropping Trump out of Epstein and Maxwell photoRead moreTrump allegedly paid someone to take his high school examsTrump is proud of his attendance at Wharton Business School, at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania.

ShortcutsDisabilityDisabled people are using the Twitter meme #hotpersoninawheelchair to bite back against outdated attitudes, while showcasing their looks and style #hotpersoninawheelchair may sound like a niche side-effect of Britain’s sweltering weather, but it is actually a campaign fighting disablism on Twitter. YouTube star and wheelchair user Annie Segarra started the hashtag after seeing a four-year-old tweet from author Ken Jennings that said: “Nothing sadder than a hot person in a wheelchair.

The 10 best fictional bears Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email With a new Paddington story due, here are our ursine greatsHave we missed a bear from the list? Leave your comment below, and your suggestion could feature in the alternative list next week Michael Hogan Fri 25 Apr 2014 07.00 EDT First published on Fri 25 Apr 2014 07.

What I see in the mirrorBeauty'My best friend drew a picture of how I describe myself and she drew a short, fat troll'I am 5ft 2in, my hair is dark brown and I have a fringe. I am like my mum – she used to be dark like me and we have the same mushy green colour eyes and a similar shaped face and mouth. It's nice to have a big gob and big lips, but I have never been able to have correct teeth in the now uniform American-influenced way and that annoys me.

SupermarketsAldi and Lidl report record Christmas sales amid cost of living crisisShoppers switch to discounters and buy more own-label goods to offset hefty food price inflation The grocery discounters Aldi and Lidl both rang up their best ever Christmas sales performance in the UK as shoppers sought ways to save cash during the cost of living crisis. Lidl’s sales rose 12% in the four weeks to Christmas, helped by an 11% rise in sales of the chain’s premium Deluxe own-label foods, while sales of its Montaudon brut champagne doubled.

Iran Pakistan's retaliatory strikes inside Iran stoke regional tension – video report Pakistan has struck a village inside Iran, using rockets to attack what it said were Baloch militant separatist bases in response to strikes by Tehran that targeted sites within Pakistan’s borders. The decision to respond to Iran with retaliatory strikes raised concerns of further escalation in the tension that has been spreading across the Middle East and neighbouring areas since the 7 October attacks by Iran’s ally Hamas and Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza.

Other livesObituaryRose HackerAs the "oldest newspaper columnist in the business", Rose Hacker, who has died aged 101, produced journalism with a difference for the Camden New Journal in north London. Her work relied upon a phenomenal memory of years of activity, insights and discussion. Rose's confidently articulated, old-fashioned values of solidarity and collectivity were deeply appreciated by readers, and her socialist feminism shone through all she did. I was a teenager when I first met Rose, a friend of my mother's, at the Hampstead ladies' pond.

The ObserverSex EducationInterviewSex Education’s Aimee Lou Wood: ‘I was in so much pain underneath it all’Barbara EllenAs the high school comedy returns for a third series, its Bafta-winning star talks about stage fright, embarrassing scenes, and the torment that lay behind her desire to please people In June, Aimee Lou Wood, 26, won a Bafta for best female performance in a comedy programme for her role as another Aimee (a teenager) in the hit Netflix show Sex Education, about a set of sexually active high school students, now returning for a third series.

Vinyl wordMusicThe origin of Don't Cry For Me, ArgentinaJoe Queenan on the only song ever written by a knight that was recorded by both Tom Jones and Sinead O’Connor and banned from British airwaves during a war Grammys 2018 – live coverage Every once in a while, somebody comes along and writes a catchy tear-jerking ballad in honor of a dead fascist's dead wife that makes you forget all the other great crypto-fascist tear-jerkers you've ever heard.

Top 10sBooksFrom Dickens and Du Maurier to Henry James and Shirley Jackson, where there’s a will, there are generally the makings of a great story … Where there’s a will, there’s often a row. A legacy need be of no great value to cause a spat: I’ve seen grown siblings weep over their dead mother’s favourite salad bowl. But an inheritance seldom brings out the best in people and the larger the prize, the greater the conflict and moral corruption it is likely to occasion.

DocumentaryAn HBO docuseries follows the story of a white man who killed his wife but blamed a Black man, and the reckoning that follows “My wife’s been shot. I’ve been shot.” On 23 October 1989 Charles “Chuck” Stuart, who was white, called 911 to report that he and his pregnant wife, Carol, had been carjacked and shot by a Black man in Boston’s Mission Hill neighbourhood. Carol died that night. Their baby died days after being born.

CultureThe success of Moonlight remains an outlier in major film and TV representation so it’s been left to smaller web series to pick up the slack On 12 May, screenwriter Kirk A Moore took to his Twitter page calling for his Black gay followers to share images of themselves with their Black partners. The now viral thread seemed like a simple request, with it racking up more than 3,000 retweets and over 7,600 likes as Black couples shared their photos together and Twitter users posted comment after comment sharing their joy in engaging with the thread celebrating diverse body shapes, skin tones, ages and regional backgrounds.

The ObserverFictionReviewThe Booker-winner’s dark and brilliant tale of a gardening collective’s clash with a billionaire explodes the notion of caring capitalism In his great critical work The Sense of an Ending, Frank Kermode wrote about the end-directedness of fiction, the way that novels rehearse and forestall their endings – a process he called peripeteia. One thing he doesn’t discuss in that book is what happens when an ending entirely alters your understanding of the text.

Uruguay This article is more than 6 months old‘It’s pillage’: thirsty Uruguayans decry Google’s plan to exploit water supplyThis article is more than 6 months oldCountry suffering its worst drought in 74 years, with government even mixing saltwater into drinking supply A plan to build a Google data centre that will use millions of litres of water a day has sparked anger in Uruguay, which is suffering its worst drought in 74 years.

Kobe Bryant This article is more than 3 years oldKobe Bryant: NBA legend dies in helicopter crash aged 41This article is more than 3 years old Star’s daughter, Gianna, also among victims of crash Kobe Bryant: a life in pictures LA Lakers fans gather to pay tribute The NBA, and much of America, was in shock on Sunday after Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest basketball players in history, died in a helicopter crash.

UK newsPhotos could offer death plunge cluePhotographs of the white knuckle ride from which a teenage girl fell 30 metres (100ft) to her death earlier this week may hold the key to how the accident happened. Hayley Liane Williams, 16, from Pontypool, died after she fell from the highest point of the Hydro ride at Oakwood Leisure Park in Pembrokeshire into the splash pool below. Dyfed Powys police and the Health and Safety Executive are jointly investigating the incident.

Spain This article is more than 14 years oldSixteen-year-old becomes Spain's youngest transsexualThis article is more than 14 years old Teenager required court ruling for operation in Barcelona Judge granted permission after request by parentsA Spanish clinic today revealed it had performed a male-to-female sex-change operation on a 16-year-old, making her the youngest patient to undergo the operation in the country's history. The unnamed teenager had been taking hormones to change her body since she was 15, according to doctors who treated her at Barcelona's hospital clínico, and she had been seeing doctors and psychiatrists for even longer.

South KoreaSouth Korea opposition leader in ICU after stabbing raises questions over securityDemocratic party leader Lee Jae-myung underwent surgery for more than two hours to repair a major blood vessel, following the attack South Korea’s opposition leader Lee Jae-myung remained hospitalised in intensive care on Wednesday, one day after he was stabbed in an attack that shocked the country and launched calls for better protection for politicians. Surgeons operated on Lee for more than two hours to repair a major blood vessel in his neck that was sliced when an assailant lunged and stabbed him with a knife.

Lynn NottageReviewDonmar Warehouse, London Based on interviews with residents of small-town Pennsylvania, Lynn Nottage’s play vividly describes the betrayal and resentments of striking female factory workers in an era of industrial decline Lynn Nottage, as she showed in Intimate Apparel, which was about a seamstress in the 1900s, has the capacity to dramatise work. In this breathtaking new play, premiered in 2015, she tackles the devastating impact of loss of work and of de-industrialisation on modern America.

The KnowledgeWorld Cup 2022Plus: big clubs with no players in Qatar, pundits who played at a low level and what happens to World Cup matchballs? Mail us your questions or tweet @TheKnowledge_GU “Morocco were 200-1 to win the World Cup at the start of the tournament,” writes Craig Hinton. “To date, which eventual winner had the highest odds at the start of the tournament? And how often do the pre-tournament favourites win.

FilmObituaryWilliam HootkinsHollywood film actor best known for a role on the London stageWilliam Hootkins, who has died aged 57, was a Hollywood character actor, but what he was best known for was his impersonation of Alfred Hitchcock on the London stage. In 2003, he caused a sensation with his portrayal of the film director in Terry Johnson's Hitchcock Blonde at the Royal Court Theatre, before transferring to the West End. He had a wonderful sense of humour and a booming voice that more than matched his gargantuan frame.

Books advent calendarBooks15. Fifteen ranks of the Knights TemplarToday's festive countdown instalment, extracted from Rogerson's Book of Numbers, sheds light on the influential crusaders order Grand Master Seneschal Commander of the Kingdom of Jerusalem Commander of the City of Jerusalem Commander of Tripoli and Antioch Drapier Commander of Houses Commander of Knights Knight Brothers Turcopolier Under Marshal Standard Bearer Sergeant Brothers Turcopoles Elderly Brothers The Knights Templar were a crack force of armed monks, established in 1129 to protect pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem, and then employed to defend the crusader kingdoms of Outremer.

HealthFizzy drinks linked to goutMen who consume large amounts of fizzy or sugary drinks are at higher risk of contracting gout than those who abstain, a new study has concluded. Researchers from Harvard and the University of Vancouver found that those who consumed five or six sweet beverages a week were nearly 30% more likely to suffer attacks of the illness than those who drank less than one serving monthly. The risk rose to 85% for those drinking two or more a day.

Children and teenagersReviewPatrick Ness watches the fall of Plato's new republicThe 21st century hasn't gone well. The Last War has engulfed the world in cataclysmic battles and plagues; only the forward thinking of Plato, a millionaire businessman on the islands of Aotearoa (New Zealand, to you and me), saved his country. He built the Great Sea Fence around the entire Republic (that would be, ahem, Plato's Republic) to keep out a planet full of desperate refugees.

FamilyHappy days - Serena ReesA parent's guide to fun with the kidsSerena Rees and Joseph Corre, creators and owners of lingerie shop Agent Provocateur, live in Clerkenwell, London, with their daughter Cora, aged 22 months. Best day out: We went on holiday to Costa Rica at Christmas and went on a horse ride up the side of a volcano, up through the jungle, then over the lava rock. Cora really enjoyed riding along with me and it was quite a special day for all of us.

Franz Kafka This article is more than 15 years oldPorn claims outrage German Kafka scholarsThis article is more than 15 years old· Briton savaged for book on seedy side of great writer · Critics in turn accused of 'conspiracy of censorship'Blog: Nicholas Lezard on Kafka's guilty pleasures The German-speaking world of Kafka scholars hit out yesterday over a British academic's claims that the writer had a penchant for hard porn.

Readers recommendCultureReaders recommend: songs about feet – resultsFrom the Dubliners’ Spanish Lady to Frank Zappa’s Stink-Foot, RR regular SonofWebcore picks a playlist of sole music from last week’s thread Cut off by the rising waters of an overflowing river, Johnny Cash's protagonist in Five Feet High and Rising righteously pesters his parents for information. As the depth of the flood increases, Cash's voice rises in pitch, reflecting the boy's anxiety as each avenue of escape is considered and rejected, while the deluge continues.

Pass notesSexA woman enjoying a noisy end to sex is a cliche of TV and film. But is there any truth to it? Name: The female orgasm. Age: As old as humans. Appearance: Widely variable. You know one when you see one, though. Do you really? Yes, it usually involves a lot of moaning. Is that right? I watch a great deal of TV, and if a female character is moaning, it’s either because she’s having an orgasm or because she ate too much ice-cream after a bad breakup.

Daniela Maldonado Salamanca, director of Red Comunitaria Trans, in Santa Fe in front of a wall that reads: ‘A life free of violence.’ Photograph: Antonio Olmos for the GuardianDaniela Maldonado Salamanca, director of Red Comunitaria Trans, in Santa Fe in front of a wall that reads: ‘A life free of violence.’ Photograph: Antonio Olmos for the GuardianGlobal developmentThree quarters of all murders of trans people take place in South and Central America.

TV reviewTelevisionReviewCamp, retro and enjoyable for a glass or two, this Christmas Carol revamp is full of surreal gags, with Johnny Vegas and John Cooper Clarke offering ghostly support Mandy (BBC Two) is a curious creation, and this is a curious Christmas special. Diane Morgan’s short, tart comedy series arrived in the middle of 2020 with a sideways pout, an outstanding roster of northern royalty guest stars and six episodes that barely stretched to 15 minutes each.

BIRDS AND THE BEESDo cats (and other similar mammals) have clitorises? If so, what is the evolutionary advantage? If not, why do humans have them? Ylon Tuxford, Burntwood, England I figure that if female sexual enjoyment leads to more sex, which leads to more chance of pregnancy, which leads to the production of more offspring, than there are obvious fitness (evolutionary) advantages to posessing a clitoris. It goes without saying that males who learn how to properly locate and stimulate a clitoris will be suitably rewarded as well.

Drake This article is more than 11 years oldDrake finally graduates from high schoolThis article is more than 11 years oldTwenty-five-year-old rapper earns diploma after dropping out of school in his teensDrake has graduated from high school. The 25-year-old rapper has one less thing to mope about, revealing that he has finally earned a diploma after dropping out of school in his teens. "As of tonight I have graduated high school!

Excretion’s greetings: the pooping Christmas caganer figurines of Catalonia Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The caganer – or pooper – figurine has long been a staple of Christmas in Catalonia, usually placed in a discreet corner of a nativity not far from Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. The defecating statuettes are believed locally to bring prosperity for the coming year

Rights and freedomGlobal developmentArtist was humiliated by the authorities and lambasted by the press after terminating a pregnancy, but refuses to be silenced In May, I made the decision to take abortion pills to end a pregnancy. I wasn’t scared. I’ve been involved in LGBTQ+ and pro-choice activism in Poland for years, I know my rights and knew I wasn’t breaking the law. Though Poland’s abortion law is strict, terminating your own pregnancy is not illegal.

Rhode Island This article is more than 2 months oldMan selling ‘Islamic goods’ shot and wounded outside Rhode Island mosqueThis article is more than 2 months oldPolice search for suspect after shooting outside Islamic Center of Rhode Island in Providence, state’s capital city A man reportedly selling Muslim goods outside a mosque in Rhode Island’s capital city was shot and wounded late on Friday morning, the local police chief said, prompting authorities to increase patrols in the area as they look for a suspect and a motive in the attack.

Media blog AustraliaArtObituaryMartin Sharp obituaryPsychedelic artist, cartoonist and joint founder of the underground magazine OzMartin Sharp, who has died of emphysema aged 71, gave the 1960s counterculture its visual expression. He was Australia's pop artist extraordinaire, an innovator of psychedelic art and one of the founders of the underground magazine Oz. At a time when Sydney culture was at its most conservative and repressive, Oz was, in Martin's words, against "

New York This article is more than 3 months oldNew York school community mourns after two killed in school bus crashThis article is more than 3 months oldGina Pellettiere, a high school band director, and Beatrice Ferrari, a volunteer chaperone, died when bus fell down 50ft ravine A high school community in Farmingdale, New York, is grieving after a school bus crash killed a band director as well as a volunteer chaperone.

JazzObituaryRonny Jordan obituaryJazz guitarist who had a cult dancefloor success and was one of the key figures of the 1990s acid-jazz movementThe jazz guitarist Ronny Jordan, who has died aged 51, was a gifted self-taught performer of warmth, humility and spirituality, who became famous for crossing a thoroughly worldly hurdle – vaulted by Dave Brubeck and very few others – when he turned a jazz instrumental into a pop hit.

OpinionDonald Trump This article is more than 3 months oldTrump’s escalating violent rhetoric is straight out of the autocrat’s playbookThis article is more than 3 months oldMargaret SullivanHis menacing words toward Mark Milley and Letitia James should not be shrugged off Twice in the past two weeks, Donald Trump has suggested violent consequences for those who dare to cross him. Mark Milley, the outgoing chairman of the joint chiefs of staff?

Loose canonJudaism This article is more than 9 years oldChristians must understand that for Jews the cross is a symbol of oppressionThis article is more than 9 years oldGiles FraserFew ideas can have been as poisonous as, or inspired more murderousness than, the idea that Jews were the Christ-killersJesus wasn't a Christian – that word exists for his followers and came later. He was Jewish. His mother was Jewish. He was circumcised as a Jew.

A brawl starts in Japanese parliament over a controversial security bill. Link to video GuardianJapan This article is more than 8 years oldJapanese politicians brawl in parliament over bill to allow troops to fight abroadThis article is more than 8 years oldMPs push and shove each other during a heated debate as 13,000 rally outside Tokyo’s parliament against proposed change to law Japanese politicians scuffled on Thursday during a heated debate over a security bill that could see the military fight abroad for the first time in decades, after thousands rallied to voice their anger.

The ObserverAmericanaReview(Anti-) The Haitian-American musician explores the troubled history of creole-language Radio Haiti on her rewarding fourth album Born in New York to Haitian parents and now based in New Orleans, Leyla McCalla has explored her ancestral roots on previous solo albums. The result of a commission from Duke University in North Carolina, this fourth venture takes her deeper into the history of the Caribbean republic and that of Radio Haiti, the station that for decades confronted the corruption and brutality of regimes that arrested and tortured journalists and eventually murdered its founder.

Sandra BernhardThe trailblazing actor and comedian on asserting her bisexuality in the 80s, misogynistic male comics – and befriending Madonna During nearly five decades in showbiz, Sandra Bernhard has racked up title after title – comedian, actor, singer, author, radio host – and a reputation for controversy. She has worked with a long list of superstars, from Richard Pryor and Robin Williams to Robert De Niro and Cyndi Lauper. But she has never been overshadowed; her force of personality has guaranteed that.

Film adaptationsRemembrance of things past: Marcel Proust on filmIt's 100 years since the first volume of À La Recherche du Temps Perdu was published, but a definitive cinematisation of Proust's epic novel has so far proved elusiveThis year has been punctuated by a rash of anniversary-themed books and articles anticipating the first world war centenary, and indeed attempting snapshots of how Europe looked and felt in 1913, eerily poised on the precipice.

Taylor Swift This article is more than 4 years oldTaylor Swift reveals why she took a stand for LGBTQ rightsThis article is more than 4 years oldSinger says facing her previous lack of advocacy had been ‘kind of devastating’ Taylor Swift says she felt compelled to publicly champion LGBTQ causes in recent months because rights are being “stripped from basically everyone who isn’t a straight white cisgender male” in the US today.

Word of Mouth blogFoodThe 'gay diet'If 'man food' is meat and 'girl food' is salad, what's 'gay food'?Simon Doonan has just written a new book called Gay Men Don't Get Fat. Doonan is less famous here than he is in the States: he's a Reading-born, highly successful window dresser for Barneys, a style columnist for the New York Post and elsewhere, and is married to the designer Jonathan Adler. His title alludes, of course, to the mid-noughties bestseller French Women Don't Get Fat, which did more to raise awareness of the French paradox among the general public than any book before it.

Yves Saint Laurent's funeral Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The funeral of iconic fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent took place in Paris yesterday Fri 6 Jun 2008 07.31 EDT First published on Fri 6 Jun 2008 07.31 EDT Exterior of the Saint Roch church where the funeral took place Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPA Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pallbearers carry the coffin to the Saint Roch church as Father Roland Letteron (L) looks on, before the funeral mass Photograph: Eric Feferberg/AP

An evening to remember: “This photo was taken in June 2007 when Terry did a signing tour in Russia. I’ll never forget this evening, the way Terry spoke to the guests and charmed everyone, and, particularly, the way he was dressed. Despite feeling very shy, eventually we found courage to come up to him, say a few words of admiration and ask for a photo.” Photograph: Victor Kozlov/GuardianWitnessAn evening to remember: “This photo was taken in June 2007 when Terry did a signing tour in Russia.

Kalami Bay on Corfu, the island of My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell. Photograph: K Collins/AlamyKalami Bay on Corfu, the island of My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell. Photograph: K Collins/AlamyGreece holidaysFrom the natural beauty of Corfu and Kefalonia to the caves and myths of Crete, Greece has inspired writers for millennia More literary trips to Italy, Spain and France Greece may be one of the most written-about countries, so while choosing this list has been a pleasure, there has been agony involved as well.

World news This article is more than 16 years oldAir force looked at spray to turn enemy gayThis article is more than 16 years oldMake love not war may be the enduring slogan of anti-war campaigners but in 1994 the US air force produced its own variation on the philosophy. What if it could release a chemical that would make an opposing army's soldiers think more about the physical attributes of their comrades in arms than the threat posed by the enemy?

TV on the Radio This article is more than 12 years oldGerard Smith – TV on the Radio bassist – dies aged 34This article is more than 12 years oldGroup cancels tour dates after announcement of death of 'beloved friend and bandmate' Smith from lung cancerTV on the Radio bassist Gerard Smith has died of lung cancer, only a month after announcing that he was taking time off from the US art rock band to get treatment.

Through the roofPovertyThe use of the term unhoused has grown exponentially in the last few years, and those who have adopted it say it emphasizes a lack of affordable housing Beverly Graham was sitting in an executive leadership class in Seattle in 2006 when she first recalls using the word “unhoused”. The director of OSL, a non-profit that provides meals to food-insecure Seattle residents, Graham hadn’t planned on speaking up. But her classmates – two dozen regional business leaders – were discussing the number of homeless people in the area, and their perspective felt very different from the one she had gained after years of helping vulnerable Seattleites.

MusicBest known for his film scores, Jóhannsson’s earlier electronic and classical work confronted existential horror Despite its regular use during inspiring moments on nature documentaries, Jóhann Jóhannsson never made music that’s particularly easy listening on its own – and Lord, it’s tough listening to him now. After hearing of his death, I found my notes from when I saw him in London at the Barbican in 2012: “He makes music for endings, shut-down mines, obsolete mainframe computers and failed utopias .

Anthony Daniel Rajek was this week found guilty of attempted murder after stabbing a homeless man in the neck in Brisbane in 2022. Photograph: Joe Castro/AAPAnthony Daniel Rajek was this week found guilty of attempted murder after stabbing a homeless man in the neck in Brisbane in 2022. Photograph: Joe Castro/AAPQueensland This article is more than 1 month oldJudge considers whether 22-year-old who stabbed sleeping homeless man in Brisbane should ever be releasedThis article is more than 1 month oldYoung man guilty of attempted murder to undergo psychiatric assessment as judge seeks explanation for crimes

DevonSeven Aldabra giant tortoises found dead in woodland near ExeterPolice appeal for witnesses after tortoises’ bodies discovered last week in Devon Warning: this article contains pictures of dead animalsThe bodies of seven giant tortoises have been discovered in a forest in Devon, triggering a police investigation. The Aldabra giant tortoises, one of the largest tortoise species in the world, were found dead in the National Trust’s Ashclyst Forest. Devon and Cornwall police are appealing for witnesses.

BIRDS AND THE BEESWhy aren't there any killer sharks in the Mediterranean? THE QUESTIONER has obviously never been to a carpet shop on the Turkish coastline. Ian Neill, Istanbul. I HAVE no idea, but I think I ran into one the other day on Bay Street. I don't know if he was from the Mediterranean but he had a tan and he wore sunglasses (mirrored). His name was Bryce.

Is there a secret law that says that in order to achieve significant international distribution, a European film must point up a central relationship involving a cutie-pie kid and a wise older man? The Czech hit Kolya had one, as did Roberto Benigni's Oscar-winner Life is Beautiful; and who could forget the godfather of them all, Cinema Paradiso?Butterfly's Tongue, from Spanish director Jose Luis Cuerda, is the latest incarnation of the breed and uses its charming double act as a way into broaching the difficult subject of the Spanish civil war.

Children's booksChildren's booksCinder by Marissa Meyer - review‘I’m not usually a fan of forbidden romance but I didn’t find myself wanting to hurl into a bucket, so that was a good sign’ So, I’ll be the first to admit that I was never really a fan of Cinderella growing up. It was just the classic tale I’d heard over and over again – poor girl meets prince, they fall in love, good triumphs over evil, blah, blah, blah.

Global developmentExposure to the heavy metal from spice powders and car batteries is affecting child health across the subcontinent An outbreak of a mystery illness over two days in early December in the south Indian city of Eluru saw more than 560 people hospitalised, most of them children, and baffled doctors. Symptoms were described as being similar to epilepsy, with convulsions and vomiting accompanied by burning eyes and loss of consciousness.

Most people can only dream of a good night’s sleep. Photograph: AF archive/Alamy Stock PhotoMost people can only dream of a good night’s sleep. Photograph: AF archive/Alamy Stock PhotoSleepArianna Huffington espouses the virtues of eight hours and luxury products promise rejuvenating rest, but who can really afford to sleep safe and sound? The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.

Latvia 2 - 0 Armenia Latvia Home team scorers Janis Ikaunieks 39 Daniels Balodis 68 Armenia Away team scorers Match stats Possession ARM LAT 67 33 Goal attempts 9 Latvia Off target 34 Armenia 6 Latvia On target 4 Armenia Corners 5 12 Fouls 9 14 Lineups Latvia 12 Ozols 11 Savalnieks 3 Oss 21 Balodis 14 Ciganiks 8 Emsis 22 Saveljevs 16 Jaunzems 10 Ikaunieks 7 Daskevics 20 Uldrikis Substitutes 19 Krollis 23 Matrevics 15 Tonisevs 18 Regza (s 82') 2 Sorokins (s 88') 9 Ikaunieks (s 88') 17 Iljins 5 Vientiess 13 Samoilovs 4 Dubra (s 55') 1 Purins Armenia 1 Cancarevic 20 Dashyan 22 Harutyunyan 3 Haroyan 5 Mkrtchyan 21 Tiknizyan 11 Barseghyan 6 Iwu 8 Spertsyan 14 Briasco 10 Zelarrayan Substitutes 19 Wbeymar 17 Ranos (s 59') 15 Margaryan 9 Serobyan (s 69') 16 Beglaryan 18 Piloyan 7 Sevikyan (s 69') 23 Bichakhchyan (s 82') 12 Buchnev 13 Hovhannisyan 4 Voskanyan 2 Calisir ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJ6fpMGjrculZqaZpJi1br7EnaCrnZOpfHV%2FlHJramk%3D

London, a pilgrimage: Gustave Doré's historic visions of the capital city Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email In 1869, French artist Gustave Doré began an extraordinary collaboration with the British journalist Blanchard Jerrold. Together, over four years, they produced a landmark account of the deprivation and squalor of mid-Victorian London Mon 28 Dec 2015 09.12 GMT Last modified on Wed 19 Oct 2022 15.

SexualityInterviewLord Browne: 'I thought being gay was basically wrong'Decca AitkenheadDo you have to be straight to get ahead in business? BP boss Lord Browne thought so – then he was outed by his first boyfriend. He talks about power, politics and homophobia Read an exclusive extract from Lord Browne's book Tell us your stories of being LGBT at work Video: watch Radio 1's Scott Mills speak to Lord Browne about homophobia in the corporate world

Film This article is more than 9 years oldStreet-legal Batmobile goes on sale for $1m – and even has a CD playerThis article is more than 9 years oldA replica of the 'Tumbler' Batmobile used in the Christian Bale-starring Batman movies costs $1m, but is legal to drive on ordinary roadsVideo: The making of the Dark Knight's Tumbler It's every Batman fanboy's dream: driving around Gotham fighting ne'er-do-wells and perhaps wearing too much eyeshadow.

ChefsIn restaurants around the world, there's one dish you won't find on the menu – the staff meal before service. What do top chefs feed their team?The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire, England: head chef Jonny LakeWhy is the staff meal important? Making a big deal of staff food helps build team morale and raises standards. From a chef's perspective, if you don't care enough to put up good-quality staff food, what does that say about you?

Fossil fuels This article is more than 6 months oldClimate groups accept millions from charity linked to fossil fuel investmentsThis article is more than 6 months oldExclusive: Quadrature Climate Foundation is run by billionaires whose fund has stakes worth $170m in fossil fuel firms Some of the world’s best-known climate campaign groups have taken millions of pounds in donations from a foundation run by billionaire hedge fund bosses whose investment fund has invested in fossil fuel companies, the Guardian has learned.

The ObserverDrama filmsReviewA mother is torn between her son and her conscience in a well-acted Irish drama marred by a routine plot The delicate balance of a small Irish fishing community is unsettled when a woman, Aileen (Emily Watson), finds herself torn between protecting her son, Brian (Paul Mescal), and being true to her conscience. There’s a special connection between Aileen and her boy. When he returns unexpectedly from several years in Australia, it’s as though the sun breaks through the sullen blanket of cloud that squats over this corner of Ireland.

World newsHillbilly heroin: the painkiller abuse wrecking lives in West VirginiaJust as the service at the New Hope Victory Centre church was coming to a close, Sam Cox rose to his feet and announced that he was still "clean". He had a job and had already been given a rise. The congregation applauded and fell to its knees. The pastor and his assistant laid their hands on his head and began to talk in tongues.

Lost in showbizKim KardashianSinéad O’Connor is shocked at the magazine’s latest cover star. But is she right to think Bob Dylan – who appeared in a lingerie advert – would be equally horrified?Kim Kardashian has been accused of many things over the years, but this week brought a new addition to the charge sheet: killing rock’n’roll. The accuser? Sinéad O’Connor, who adduced that the presence of Kardashian and her cleavage on the cover of US magazine Rolling Stone was evidence that “music has officially died”.

Maggie Smith, 88, appearing in Loewe’s spring/summer 2024 campaign. Photograph: Juergen Teller/LoeweMaggie Smith, 88, appearing in Loewe’s spring/summer 2024 campaign. Photograph: Juergen Teller/LoeweFashionFrom Maggie Smith to Martha Stewart, older faces are being used again after a post-Covid lull – though most are white Older women star in fashion campaigns – in pictures Incredible-looking models fronting recent fashion campaigns will surprise no one, but the fact that many of these women happen to be in their 80s is less run of the mill.

Soccer This article is more than 2 months oldRobbie Fowler sacked by Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah after four monthsThis article is more than 2 months oldFormer Liverpool striker goes with club second in second tierAl-Qadsiah trail leaders by a point after eight unbeaten matchesThe Saudi Arabian second-tier club Al-Qadsiah have sacked Robbie Fowler as their manager, four months after appointing the former Liverpool striker. The 48-year-old, the eighth-highest goalscorer in the history of the Premier League and holder of England 26 caps, has been dismissed with Al-Qadsiah second in the Saudi First Division League, trailing the leaders, Al-Orobah, by one point after eight matches.

World newsTeen rapist with the cruel mind of a childAs they marked off the days on the calendar leading to 13 January 2000, anxiety grew at police headquarters in Lille, where detectives kept a 24-hour telephone listening watch on friends of the suspected three-time killer, Sid Ahmed Rezala. Two of the murders linked to his name, including that of British student Isabel Peake, were committed on the thirteenth day of the month and his birthday was 13 May 1979.

Young boy in Homs, UNHCR/ Bassam Diab, December 2014. “We encountered this boy as we walked through the rubble of The old city. He pointed to the missile that he said killed his father.” Photograph: Melissa FlemingYoung boy in Homs, UNHCR/ Bassam Diab, December 2014. “We encountered this boy as we walked through the rubble of The old city. He pointed to the missile that he said killed his father.” Photograph: Melissa FlemingView from the topWorking in development This article is more than 8 years oldThe situation in Syria is only going to get worse .

Top 10sBooksAhead of Thursday’s National Poetry Day, its founder recommends some of the best collections – whether you are after poems to inspire or filthy verse inspired by Catullus A really successful poetry anthology needs two essential ingredients: pace and rhythm. The editor has to think hard about which poems are put together and how they relate to each other. Much of the challenge is working on the order and identifying certain poems that act as breathers to achieve the right tempo.

Social networkingBoy found hanged suffered website abuse, says familyThe family of a teenager thought to have killed himself believe bullying about his taste in music on a social networking site may have contributed to his death. Sam Leeson, 13, who was a fan of heavy metal music and emo - a genre that has its origins in hardcore punk rock - was found hanged at his home in Tredworth, near Gloucester, last Thursday.

Cricket World Cup 2011 team guidesPakistan cricket teamIn Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul they possess some of the best one-day players in the world – but which Pakistan will turn up?Group A 23 Feb v Kenya, Hambantota (d/n) 26 Feb v Sri Lanka, Colombo (d/n) 3 Mar v Canada, Colombo (d/n) 8 Mar v Pakistan, Kandy (d/n) 14 Mar v Zimbabwe, Kandy (d/n) 19 Mar v Australia, Colombo (d/n) World Cup history

Book of the dayFictionReviewA Swedish boy walks across 19th-century America in a thrilling coming-of-age narrative that critiques frontier mythsHernan Diaz’s captivating debut novel opens with an unforgettable scene: a huge, unnamed man – naked, grizzled and old – hauling himself through a star-shaped hole in the Alaskan ice from the freezing waters beneath, up on to the solid surface of the floe. It’s an extraordinary image, and one which, by the novel’s end, will have become even more powerful.

Memes by Labor and the Liberals reference everything from hit movies to children’s books in a ‘come for the laughs, stay for the facts’ election strategy. Photograph: Labor party/InstagramMemes by Labor and the Liberals reference everything from hit movies to children’s books in a ‘come for the laughs, stay for the facts’ election strategy. Photograph: Labor party/InstagramAustralia news This article is more than 1 year oldLabor and the Liberals are waging an election meme war – but what is the point?

South KoreaAs growing numbers chase ‘geongangmi’ look, critics argue it’s yet another narrow beauty ideal imposed on women When Yoo Wonhee was younger, she had a frail body and didn’t think of herself as strong. She says in the past, many Koreans would starve themselves to be skinny. Now, Yoo spends time building her muscles and says her chiselled physique is the envy of her peers. “I just think having muscles looks cooler.

WomenThe film Rebel Queen tells the remarkable story of the last Sikh ruler of Lahore – a fearless Maharani who waged two wars against British rule in India. She is an inspiring figure for young Asian women todayAn Indian woman wearing a crinoline over her traditional clothes, and emeralds and pearls under her bonnet, walks in Kensington Gardens in 1861. She is the last Sikh queen of Lahore, the capital of the Punjab empire, and her name is Jindan Kaur.

Lost in showbizCelebrityThe Scottish singer and other celebrities aren’t rising to the challenge for charity – they’re preparing the way for the Antichrist Beyoncé – a poet for our times? We’ve heard a lot of differing opinions about the worth or otherwise of celebrities taking part in the ice bucket challenge. But there’s one, unreported strand of opinion that particularly piqued Lost in Showbiz’s interest this week: the belief that celebrities doing the ice bucket challenge are, in fact, performing a satanic purification ritual before the implementation of a Luciferian agenda system.

PhilosophyLettersThe battle for free will in the face of determinismOliver Burkeman’s long read pitches philosophical readers against the more scientifically minded ones I read the online version of Oliver Burkeman’s long read that raises the question of whether free will is an illusion, and shortly afterwards read the same article again in print (The clockwork universe, Journal, 27 April). I was surprised when I realised that the brief reference to quantum physics online was missing in the printed version.

OpinionOscars 2013 This article is more than 10 years oldThe Onion's apology for its Quvenzhané Wallis tweet – well, this is awkwardThis article is more than 10 years oldSarah DitumApologising to Wallis over the C-word insult was right, but the unambivalence it required doesn't sit well with satire"Cunt" is an interesting word. I like it – it packs a lot of invective into one syllable and four letters. It's so powerful that the Guardian style guide says I can only use it surrounded by the protective pincers of quote marks.

Anna Nicole Smith This article is more than 13 years oldAnna Nicole Smith: boyfriend and psychiatrist convicted for drugs conspiracyThis article is more than 13 years oldTwo men found guilty of conspiring to give former Playboy model excessive amounts of prescription drugsThe boyfriend and psychiatrist of the late Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith have been found guilty of conspiring to give her excessive amounts of painkillers, antidepressants and other prescription drugs.

The Midlands and Cornwall boast good-quality carveries that are a long way from the stale, pre-cooked stereotype of yore. Photograph: Alamy Stock PhotoThe Midlands and Cornwall boast good-quality carveries that are a long way from the stale, pre-cooked stereotype of yore. Photograph: Alamy Stock PhotoWord of Mouth blogLife and styleCarveries are often the butt of British culinary jokes, but their 1970s format is being updated by a funky young newcomer

1000 films to see before you dieFilmFilms beginning with RRadio On (Chris Petit, 1980) Perhaps the only British film of the period that captures a sense of the ennui, drift and dejection of the unlamented late 1970s. Bowing towards Wim Wenders' great German road movies, it's also a meditation of the state of the nation's cinema, and a memorable, successful attempt to make a genuine British art movie. Magnificent soundtrack.

Keeping it real … Joanna Scanlan. Photograph: Hugo GlendinningKeeping it real … Joanna Scanlan. Photograph: Hugo GlendinningCultureInterviewJoanna Scanlan: ‘There’s a rageful power in me ready to be unleashed’Fiona SturgesShe spent years in under-the-radar parts, but since winning a Bafta for After Love, Joanna Scanlan is loving life as a leading lady, tackling the Welsh language, and playing roles with ‘real welly’ When the actor Joanna Scanlan was four years old, she had an epiphany.

Massachusetts This article is more than 4 months oldKiller of Cape Cod’s ‘Lady of the Dunes’ identified 50 years after murderThis article is more than 4 months oldMassachusetts authorities conclude Ruth Marie Terry, who was only identified in October, was killed by her husband in 1974 Authorities in Massachusetts on Monday concluded a woman whose mutilated body was discovered on Cape Cod nearly 50 years ago was killed by her husband.

Theatre This article is more than 14 years oldObituaryRobert AndersonThis article is more than 14 years oldAmerican playwright made famous by the sad and poignant Tea and SympathyRobert Anderson, who has died aged 91, had a sign over his desk in his Manhattan apartment which read "nobody asked you to be a playwright", to remind him that it was pointless to complain about the problems many have in getting their plays performed.

TheatreReviewOld Vic, London This vaudeville about the Great Depression showcases Miller’s capacity to capture the state of a troubled nation The impromptu Arthur Miller festival – initiated by the transfer of Jonathan Church’s superb revival of The Price to Wyndham’s theatre – continues with a rare sighting of this panoramic 1980 play about America during the Great Depression. Described as “a vaudeville”, it shows how the nation’s built-in optimism came up against economic reality and, in a production by Rachel Chavkin, who directed Hadestown, it has an appropriately epic sweep.

Movies This article is more than 24 years oldThird Man voted best of BritishThis article is more than 24 years oldIndustry insiders vote for golden oldies in survey of century's finestDavid Lean was the greatest British film director ever and the Third Man the best movie, according to a definitive survey of industry insiders. The British Film Institute has spent the last year questioning 1,000 movers and shakers within the business, including Terry Gilliam, Neil Jordan, Mike Leigh and Jeremy Irons, many of whom figure in the list themselves.

Alanis Morissette Alanis Morissette updates lyrics of Ironic on The Late Late Show – video Alanis Morissette performs a duet of an updated version of her 1995 hit Ironic with James Corden on CBS’s The Late Late Show on Monday. Dressed in blue sweaters and red beanies similar to the clothes Morissette wore in the original video, the duo rework the song’s lyrics incorporating modern day ailments, including referrals to Snapchat, Tinder, iPhones and Facebook

Andy Murray This article is more than 2 months oldFrustrated Andy Murray ‘not enjoying’ tennis after Alex de Minaur lossThis article is more than 2 months oldDe Minaur prevails 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5 at Paris MastersFormer world No 1 smashes racket during final setAndy Murray admitted he is not enjoying his tennis after suffering another disappointing defeat to Alex de Minaur in the first round of the Paris Masters. Murray had lost all five previous matches against the Australian, including three this season, with the most recent coming in Beijing where the Briton failed to convert three match points.

Joe Biden Joe Biden calls student 'lying, dog-faced pony soldier' at rally – video In an exchange between Joe Biden and a 21-year-old college student in New Hampshire, she challenges him about his poor performance in the Iowa caucuses. Biden responds by asking her if she has ever been to a caucus. When she replies yes, he says – reportedly believing that he was quoting from a film – 'No you haven't!

Not all murders have much to teach us … Scott Reid as Ian Huntley and Jemma Carlton as Maxine Carr. Photograph: Bernard Walsh/Channel 5 TelevisionNot all murders have much to teach us … Scott Reid as Ian Huntley and Jemma Carlton as Maxine Carr. Photograph: Bernard Walsh/Channel 5 TelevisionTV reviewTelevision & radioReviewBy focusing on Maxine Carr, this drama skates perilously close to lumping her in with her murderous lover Ian Huntley.

June 2004: Here we present some key images of mourners after the death of Ronald Reagan, the former US president. A 'great man' Former world leaders Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev at Ronald Reagan's funeral. A videotaped tribute from Mrs Thatcher, who no longer speaks in public because of health reasons, opened the readings. He was a great president and a great man, she said. Photograph: AP   Last goodbyes

Book of the dayElif ShafakReviewA tale of love and division moves between postcolonial Cyprus and London, exploring themes of generational trauma and belonging “The feeling of being ‘in between things’ is good for [writers],” said Elif Shafak in a 2014 interview. This delight in liminal spaces forms the bedrock of her 12th novel, which charts the moving story of Kostas and Defne Kazantzakis, young lovers in a painfully divided postcolonial Cyprus – one Greek and Christian, the other Turkish and Muslim – and the emotional price they continue to pay after moving to England.

CitiesConstruction of the Belo Monte dam has cast men, women and children who lived rich lives along the Xingu River to the outskirts of Altamira, Brazil’s most violent city. Here, to the sound of gunfire, they must live behind barred windows, and buy food with money they’ve never had – or needed before Antonio das Chagas and Dulcineia Dias had an island. A slice of the Amazon rainforest, on the Xingu River.

Observer New Review Q&AAutobiography and memoirInterviewYeonmi Park: ‘I hope my book will shine a light on the darkest place in the world’Alex PrestonThe North Korean defector on her harrowing memoir, her deep-rooted fear of hunger and learning to trust men Yeonmi Park was born in the North Korean city of Hyesan, close to the Chinese border, and brought up in the brutal and paranoid atmosphere of the Kim dictatorships. Aged 13, she and her mother braved the frontier guards and fled to China.

A natural life-enhancer … Rory Kinnear as Marx, Oliver Chris as Engels, Nancy Carroll as Jenny, and Harriet and Rupert Turnbull as the Marx children. Photograph: Manuel HarlanA natural life-enhancer … Rory Kinnear as Marx, Oliver Chris as Engels, Nancy Carroll as Jenny, and Harriet and Rupert Turnbull as the Marx children. Photograph: Manuel HarlanTheatreReviewThe Bridge, London London’s first commercial theatre for 80 years opens with a pugnacious comedy about the early days of the political visionary – and shameless sponger Given the abundance of theatre in London, is the opening of this new playhouse a Bridge too far?

Jay Rayner on restaurantsFoodReviewThe new kids on this block promise ‘good times’. If only it were true Block Soho, Clarion House, 2 Saint Anne’s Court, London W1F 0AZ (020 3376 9999). Starters £9-£17, Sunday lunch £15-£26, desserts £9, wines from £27 Hung on the wall above the urinal at Block Soho was a promotional poster for the Sunday lunch I had recently completed. It bore the slogan: “Whole joints, big flames, good times.

Animals farmedFarm animalsMost US cattle are bred to be require grain rations and antibiotics but the small-framed red cow thrives on a grass-only diet – with benefits to the environment Missouri rancher Greg Judy spots a six-month-old South Poll heifer calf in his herd that is a prime example of what he calls a “good doing cow”. A cow that will “do good” on grass alone. 'In the sun they'd cook': is the US south-west getting too hot for farm animals?

TelevisionMocked by critics, the tropical-island crime drama has been attracting a large and appreciative audience for a decade. It’s time it was reassessed Death in Paradise is the Céline Dion of British TV: mocked in adolescence, tolerated in its prime, beloved in its dotage. When the show debuted in 2011, it was annihilated by critics, including at this newspaper. “The TV equivalent of a boring holiday timeshare,” the Guardian noted. “Everyone’s a caricature, their essential qualities semaphored with a brutal simplicity,” the Independent observed.

James Franco, left, and Emma Roberts in a scene from Palo Alto. Photograph: AP Photograph: APJames Franco, left, and Emma Roberts in a scene from Palo Alto. Photograph: AP Photograph: APFirst look reviewMoviesReviewGia Coppola makes her directorial debut with a faithfully slight adaptation of James Franco's short story collection Anyone for the poetry of doomed youth? Thankfully the angst is at a minimum in Gia Coppola’s directorial debut. Palo Alto is adapted from a short story collection by James Franco in which he made fitful record of his own high-school flirtations with the edge.

FictionReviewWithout Wallander to rein him in, Henning Mankell is in danger of losing his touchHenning Mankell is pursued by demons. He is a radical, a man of causes and purpose, a born storyteller who uses his fabulous gifts to make us read about the worst sufferings, exploitations and crimes human flesh is heir to. As an expert in demons, Mankell has produced one himself in the person of his famous Swedish detective, Kurt Wallander, whose life and work he chronicled in a brilliant series of thrillers published between 1991 and 2004.

US theaterReviewGolden theatre, New York Edward Albee’s psychodrama spells out the crueller fortunes of life for three ages of the same woman, leavened with some comic sympathy Existential dread comes very well-upholstered in the Broadway revival of Edward Albee’s dismaying and luxurious Three Tall Women. This is probably Albee’s most personal play, a barbed-wire wreath laid at the grave of his adoptive mother, but he has filtered his experience through an absurdist lens.

‘Seeing my children living in a house like that – I can’t put that into words’ … Kevin and Dee outside their new £3m house. Photograph: Mark Field Photography/Omaze‘Seeing my children living in a house like that – I can’t put that into words’ … Kevin and Dee outside their new £3m house. Photograph: Mark Field Photography/OmazeHomesCompanies that offer lottery-like wins – houses, cars and cash prizes – have taken off recently.

CubaObituaryVilma Espín GuilloisA central figure in the Castro revolution and the reorganising of Cuban societyVilma Espín, who has died in Havana at the age of 77 after a long illness, was the most prominent surviving woman revolutionary in Cuba, both in her own right and as the wife of Raúl Castro, the younger brother of Fidel Castro and currently the country's acting president. An organiser of the civilian resistance to the Batista dictatorship in Santiago de Cuba in the 1950s, Espín became the formidable founding president of the Federation of Cuban Women in 1960, remaining in charge for more than 40 years.

Film blogKate WinsletWhy has Oprah endorsed Kate Winslet's breasts?Never mind the awards, it's the actor's chest that has transfixed Oprah Winfrey. Halle Berry, too. Why the fascination?Much of the real world may have it in for Kate Winslet after her embarrassing Golden Globes acceptance speeches, but the celebrity aristocracy have naturally rallied round. Except they're fixated on another set of globes in Winslet's possession (copyright: every tabloid). On Tuesday, in the course of an interview with the actor on her chat show, Oprah Winfrey launched into a panegyric about Winslet's breasts.

FictionReviewThe shadow of the Southern Gothic imbues this debut novel with a subtle sense of foreboding August, the eponymous hero of Callan Wink’s debut novel, receives his fair share of unwanted advice. Mostly from other men, mostly about women. He does his level best to forget it all and strike out on his own. Like Wink’s previous stories, August is set in the open expanse of the American midwest. It begins on the family dairy farm and follows characters from his short story “Breatharians” – teenage August, father Darwin, and mother Bonnie.

Food and drink booksReviewThe epidemiologist and author of The Diet Myth returns with a comprehensive guide to foods that foster healthy microbiomes Tim Spector, an epidemiologist and co-founder of the ZOE nutrition study, wants to change the way people think about food. His 2015 book The Diet Myth popularised the idea that each of us has a unique and constantly changing gut microbiome that is crucial to our health. Spoon-Fed, in 2020, exposed diet misinformation.

Andalucia holidaysThere’s history aplenty, pristine, empty beaches, fresh sardines and a huge national park to explore in Huelva, the mysterious corner of south-west Spain In a recent article in Spain’s El País newspaper, Huelva’s coastline was named the Secret Coast; outside Spain it’s not just the coast but the province that’s a bit of a mystery. Good news for independent travellers looking for unspoilt gems, because this far south-western corner of Andalucía, between Cádiz and Portugal, has many, and not least along its 75-mile coastline, part of the Costa de la Luz, or the Coast of Light.

OpinionLife and style This article is more than 8 months oldKate Moss is now into gardening? I love it when ravers become boringThis article is more than 8 months oldEmma BeddingtonThe model may use £1,300 saddle-stitched leather gardening tools, but there’s something pleasing when edgy idols take up hobbies we mere mortals already enjoy I have a masochistic thing for How to Spend It, the Financial Times magazine that assists you in unloading all that pesky, burdensome cash.

Ask Annalisa BarbieriFamilySet boundaries about contact you’ll have with your in-laws – and don’t put your husband in the position of defending his family I’m pregnant with my first child. My husband and I waited a long time to tell my in-laws because we knew all hell would break loose once they knew. As soon as we told my mother-in-law, she screamed and started throwing herself around the room in dramatic fashion.

Games This article is more than 3 years oldPlaying video games doesn't lead to violent behaviour, study showsThis article is more than 3 years oldAnalysis of 28 global studies dating back to 2008 found a minuscule positive correlation Video games do not lead to violence or aggression, according to a reanalysis of data gathered from more than 21,000 young people around the world. The researchers, led by Aaron Drummond from New Zealand’s Massey University, re-examined 28 studies from previous years that looked at the link between aggressive behaviour and video gaming, a method known as a meta-analysis.

Australia newsPolice scour coast for clues as cocaine bricks keep washing up on NSW beachesAbout 213kg of suspected cocaine has been recovered from beaches including Newcastle, Avoca and Central Coast Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast The mystery source of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine is yet to be found as bricks of the drug continue to wash up on New South Wales beaches and police scour the coastline for clues.

UK news This article is more than 1 month oldSara Sharif: three family members plead not guilty to 10-year-old’s murderThis article is more than 1 month oldGirl’s father Urfan Sharif, stepmother Beinash Batool and uncle Faisal Malik to go on trial next September Three members of Sara Sharif’s family have pleaded not guilty to her murder. The 10-year-old’s father, Urfan Sharif, her stepmother, Beinash Batool, and uncle Faisal Malik are accused of killing her.

CultureTest your knowledge of Nineteen Eighty-Four - quizOn the 66th anniversary of its publication, how much do you know about George Orwell's classic dystopia?ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJqfpLi0e9CuoLNnYmV%2BdnvJrqVoaGhktKa70aCcZqeirLKtuIynoKedpJqyr3nEop6hrKlis7DB0WaorqGq

TheatreObituaryAubrey Woods obituaryGraceful stage actor who stood out in Doctor Who on TV and the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate FactoryIn a long and distinguished career, the actor Aubrey Woods, who has died aged 85, covered the waterfront, from West End revues and musicals to TV series and films, most notably, perhaps, singing The Candy Man in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), starring Gene Wilder, and playing the Controller in the Day of the Daleks storyline in Doctor Who (1972).

TheatreReviewTheatre Royal, Windsor Ian McKellen and Roger Allam star in a rambling but unabashed depiction of desire after middle-age Walking their dogs on Hampstead Heath, the widowed Frank (Roger Allam) and the blithely single Percy (Ian McKellen) hit it off, their pattering small-talk about hip ops and hearing aids getting bigger as they share confidences as well as umbrellas. That’s essentially all there is to Ben Weatherill’s two-hander, Frank and Percy, an undemanding, over-extended meander through a friendship that blossoms into romance.

Game of Thrones: episode by episodeGame of ThronesGame of Thrones recap: season five, episode three – High SparrowIt’s a nice day for a Westeros wedding, the new Lord Commander gets an offer, and an alliance is formed Spoiler alert: this blog is published after Game of Thrones airs on HBO in the US on Sundays and on Foxtel in Australia on Mondays. Do not read on unless you have watched season five, episode three, which airs in the UK on Sky Atlantic on Monday at 9pm.

‘If you accept what’s not there, then you see what is there’ … Annette Herfkens in The Hague, Netherlands. Photograph: Judith Jockel/The GuardianAnnette Herfkens was on holiday with her fiance when their plane went down, killing everyone but her. Three decades later, she reflects on how the trauma changed her by Paula CocozzaAnnette Herfkens and her fiance, Willem van der Pas, had been together for 13 years when he booked them on to a flight from Ho Chi Minh City to the Vietnamese coast.

BooksObituaryPat BoothEast End girl made good who embodied the zeitgeist of the late 20th centuryMost people get a single chance at incarnating the zeitgeist, but Pat Booth, who has died of lung cancer aged 66, made a success of multiple of-the-moment employments - model, boutique owner, photographer and bonkbuster novelist. She knew why she was so driven - "a profound fear of poverty is ingrained on my heart and soul". Her childhood in London's East End might have sounded picturesque, but, as she said, the reality was "

Rereading Stephen KingStephen KingRereading Stephen King, chapter 32: InsomniaA spiritual successor to It, and a Dark Tower novel in all but name, this meditation on time, ageing, free will and predestination is one of King’s true masterpieces In the 1990s, 29 novels into his career, King could do whatever he wanted. His most famous books had been turned into films, he’d had more bestsellers than anybody could hope to dream of, and he’d taken a short hiatus in which he overcame his addictions.

Travel writingReviewThe land belongs to us all! A skilful writer and illustrator explores out-of-bounds country estates and identifies his enemies Readers acquainted with modern British nature writing will know their way around The Book of Trespass, an episodic travelogue that weaves history into close observation of the material world. Less familiar is the radicalism that enlivens Nick Hayes’s dispatches. Chapter by chapter, we follow him over walls and through hedges into the private landholdings of England, including Arundel Castle (among the Duke of Norfolk’s residences), Boughton House (the Dukes of Buccleuch), Highclere Castle (the “real” Downton Abbey, owned by the Earl of Carnarvon) – and the Sussex estate of Paul Dacre, former editor of the Daily Mail.

Life and styleThe night of the hunterIt began as a fun day out quad-biking in the Australian outback. But it ended in disaster - with one young man killed by a crocodile and his two friends perched all night in a tree while the predator circled belowIt's "the Wet" in Australia's Northern Territory, which means tropical cyclones, monsoon rains and stifling humidity. Out in the bush, 80km south-west of Darwin, heavy rainfall turns the red earth to mud and swells the Finniss river, partially submerging the trees along its banks and flooding the whole area.

SPECULATIVE SCIENCEWhat is the easiest way to accurately weigh your own head? I've tried both lying on the bathroom scales and water displacement, but cannot get a consistent result Sam, London You can do it approximately by the following method: if you assume that the average density of tissue and bone in your head is similar to that in the rest of your body (taken as a whole), then all you need to do is determine the volume of your head, the volume of the rest of your body, and then multiply the ratio of the two by your total body weight.

The ObserverScamsTravellers are getting seemingly convincing messages asking them to provide bank card details and threatening their reservation will be cancelled Travellers using the popular hotel website Booking.com are being warned not to fall for scam emails asking them to confirm their hotel payment, after a hack of Booking.com’s email system. In recent weeks the Observer has been contacted by a number of customers claiming that they had received scam emails from within the Booking.

Bees This article is more than 2 years oldBrighton bee bricks initiative may do more harm than good, say scientistsThis article is more than 2 years oldSpecial bricks could attract mites or encourage spread of disease if not cleaned properly, say some experts An initiative in Brighton aimed at helping protect the bee population could do more harm than good, scientists have warned. The council in Brighton has passed a planning condition that means any new building more than five metres high will have to include swift boxes and special bricks with holes known as bee bricks.

OpinionInternet This article is more than 5 years oldBrowsing porn in incognito mode isn't nearly as private as you thinkThis article is more than 5 years oldDylan CurranWhen you use incognito mode, it doesn’t mean that your activity disappears forever – it’s just hidden on the incriminating device Ctrl-shift-N: the wondrous keyboard shortcut to start an incognito tab in Google Chrome. You hesitantly type in your odious search, and find the porn site which in that moment you feel a magnetizing attraction to.

James Wong on gardensGardening adviceEasy to grow, easy to harvest and easy to peel… the super-sweet mini kiwi is a grape-sized delight Imagine if a food-industry marketing board sat down to redesign the kiwi fruit: “First, let’s get rid of that nasty fuzz. Consumers want easy-peel.” “Yeah, and can we up their sugar content? Maybe give them added Vitamin C?” “How about making them fun size?” Ladies and gentleman, introducing the cocktail kiwi: the easy-to-grow exotic fruit that is ready to plant (and harvest) right now.

Guatemala This article is more than 6 years oldGuatemala riot: at least 22 girls dead as home for abused teens catches fireThis article is more than 6 years oldFire broke out when residents set mattresses ablaze after an overnight riot and attempt to escape from the overcrowded government-run center, officials say At least 22 girls have been killed in a fire at a government-run home for abused teens, which broke out when residents set mattresses ablaze after an overnight riot and attempt to escape from the overcrowded government-run center.

The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali. Were surrealism and other movements influenced by mind-altering substances? Photograph: Peter Barritt/AlamyThe Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali. Were surrealism and other movements influenced by mind-altering substances? Photograph: Peter Barritt/AlamyScience and nature booksReviewHumphry Davy on laughing gas, Sigmund Freud on cocaine … how self-experimentation shaped science and art Before writing this review, I got hold of some tiny canisters of nitrous oxide, filled a balloon or two and, watched by my bemused wife, breathed in the gas.

UK news This article is more than 9 years oldRolf Harris letter to alleged sexual assault victim's fatherThis article is more than 9 years oldThe full text of a letter written by the entertainer to the father of one of his alleged victims in March 1997, and read at his trial Rolf Harris sexually assaulted girl of 13, court told Dear [the father], Please forgive me for not writing sooner. You said in your letter to me that you never wanted to see me or hear from me again, but now [the alleged victim] says it's all right to write to you.

Apps This article is more than 9 years oldScissr dating app: the new Tinder for lesbians?This article is more than 9 years oldIt’s the latest dating app for women seeking women, but what’s the app, named after a lesbian sex position, all about? It’s being tipped as the lesbian equivalent of Grindr, but “classier”, a dating app “for lesbians, by lesbians”: introducing, the none-too-subtly named, Scissr. The free app, which will be available on iOS and Android, will fill a gap in the women-seeking-women app sector.

NOOKS AND CRANNIESDoes anyone know how to finish the following: "He who knows and knows he knows, is wise - follow him. He who knows not and knows not he knows not, is a fool - shun him. He who knows not and knows he knows not, is a ??? - teach him. He who knows and knows not he knows, is a ??? - ????????????" He knows not and knows that he knows not is humble, teach him.

TV and radio blogMad MenMad Men, series two, episode 12: The Mountain KingOur episode by episode reviews of Mad Men's second season continue, with revelations about Don's past and a nasty shock for JoanSpoiler warning: Don't read on if you haven't seen any of the first series of Mad Men, or the first 11 episodes of series two. Watch The Mountain King on iPlayer. Welcome to the penultimate instalment of NFTBR.

The ObserverAnna Nicole SmithNicole Smith's breast surgery video bannedA US judge has banned a doctor's wife from releasing a 1994 videotape showing a breast implant operation being carried out on former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith, who died earlier this year. Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff's preliminary injunction against Alana Johnson on Friday is similar to one he issued last month against her husband Gerald, from Texas, who performed the surgery.

OpinionAntisemitism This article is more than 2 months oldOf course the Holocaust is relevant to Israel nowThis article is more than 2 months oldKaren PollockJews will inevitably connect the trauma of Hamas’s 7 October attack with the trauma of Nazi massacres Karen Pollock is chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust“People love dead Jews.” Dara Horn used that title for her 2021 book, noting that while remembering the Holocaust was generally accepted as the right thing to do, acknowledging, let alone confronting, modern-day antisemitism was not considered especially relevant or important.

Observer book of the weekAutobiography and memoirReviewA mother’s frank and heartfelt tale of trying to free her son – labelled ‘Jihadi Jack’ by the press – from a Kurdish jail is the stuff of nightmares It is nearly a decade since Sally Lane received the phone call that changed her life for ever. It came from her elder son, Jack Letts, then 18, who had been travelling in Jordan on a gap-year trip from their home in Oxford.

TheatreObituaryRobin Phillips obituaryBritish actor and director acclaimed for revitalising the Stratford Festival theatre in OntarioRobin Phillips, who has died aged 75, was a golden boy of British theatre in the early part of his career but became, rather like John Neville, something of a king across the water as the most brilliant and successful artistic director of the Stratford Festival, Ontario, in the late 1970s. He revitalised the idyllic Festival theatre over six seasons with a company of young Canadian actors, led by estabished stars such as Maggie Smith, Brian Bedford, Richard Monette, William Hutt and Martha Henry; Smith appeared there, under his direction, as Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra, Judith Bliss in Hay Fever and Rosalind in As You Like It.

Today in Focus Bangladesh The mystery of Bangladesh’s missing children – part three More ways to listen Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify RSS Feed Download Supported by About this content Presented by Nosheen Iqbal with Rosie Swash and Thaslima Begum; produced by Natalie Ktena and Rudi Zygadlo; executive producers Homa Khaleeli, Elizabeth Cassin and Joshua Kelly

Harper Lee This article is more than 5 years oldTo Kill a Mockingbird hits Broadway after lawsuit over Aaron Sorkin’s scriptThis article is more than 5 years oldThe Social Network screenwriter’s take on Harper Lee’s novel had been opposed by her estate, and reports say portrayal of Atticus Finch has been softened Litigation from the estate of Harper Lee has forced the producers of the Broadway adaption of To Kill a Mockingbird, which opens on Thursday, to change their portrayal of Lee’s iconic lawyer Atticus Finch as a man who drinks alcohol, keeps a gun and curses mildly.

A female love leader: Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman in the 70s TV show. Photograph: Everett Collection / Rex FeatureA female love leader: Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman in the 70s TV show. Photograph: Everett Collection / Rex FeatureComics and graphic novelsWonder Woman, the sexualized superheroThe original comic is inescapably kinky – but the empowered superhero ushering in the matriarchy with a lasso is not the same as one whose skirt has blown up How sexy should Wonder Woman be?

12 Jan 202417.26 ESTJamie Jackson was at Turf Moor. His verdict is in. Thanks for reading this MBM. Controversial Morris equaliser stuns Burnley to earn vital draw for LutonRead more12 Jan 202417.25 EST… but like all great pros, Kompany finishes with a couple of jokes. “I do appreciate apologies, though. I gotta be honest, I respect that! I have a pile like this!” He pinches an imaginary stack between thumb and forefinger and laughs heartily.

The Torres del Paine mountains in Patagonia, southern Chile. Photograph: AlamyThe Torres del Paine mountains in Patagonia, southern Chile. Photograph: AlamyPatagonia holidaysForty years ago this month, Bruce Chatwin visited Patagonia and his subsequent book lit a beacon for the remote region in many travellers’ minds. Chris Moss picks the highlights among its peaks, glaciers and lakes For my first forays into Patagonia, in the 1990s, I left behind my guidebooks and travelogues.

Iowa This article is more than 2 months oldIowa woman guilty of stuffing ballot box in husband’s Congress nomination raceThis article is more than 2 months oldKim Taylor convicted of voter fraud in husband’s unsuccessful bid for Republican nomination to run for Congress in 2020 The wife of a north-western Iowa county supervisor was convicted on Tuesday of a scheme to stuff the ballot box in her husband’s unsuccessful race for a Republican nomination to run for Congress in 2020.

Amos Oz This article is more than 5 years oldIsraeli novelist Amos Oz dies aged 79This article is more than 5 years oldThe author of books including Black Box, A Tale of Love and Darkness and In the Land of Israel, has died from cancer The esteemed Israeli novelist Amos Oz has died at the age of 79, from cancer. The author of 19 works of fiction, hundreds of essays and articles about modern Israel and a longtime candidate for the Nobel prize for literature, Oz was best known for novels including Black Box, In the Land of Israel and A Tale of Love and Darkness.

Metal This article is more than 9 years oldKristian 'Varg' Vikernes guilty of inciting racial hatred, French court rulesThis article is more than 9 years oldNorwegian metal musician fined £6,400 and given six-month suspended sentence for publishing racist screeds that attack Muslims and Jews on his blog A French court has convicted Kristian "Varg" Vikernes of inciting racial hatred. The notorious Norwegian metal musician was handed an €8,000 (£6,400) fine and a six-month suspended sentence for publishing racist screeds that attack Muslims and Jews, reported Norwegian paper the Local.

Rachel Cooke's shelf lifeAutobiography and memoirBarbara Skelton knew some of the most eminent men of her era – often intimately – and wrote down exactly what she thought of themReading the obituaries of the publisher George Weidenfeld, who died last month at the age of 96, I came over all wistful for Barbara Skelton, his extraordinary femme fatale of a second wife. Hadn’t I always meant to read her memoirs, Tears Before Bedtime and Weep No More?

SuccessionInterviewSuccession's Kieran Culkin on villainy, Home Alone – and Michael JacksonBenjamin Lee in New YorkThe former child star is having a ball as foul-mouthed Roman Roy in HBO’s compulsive dynasty drama. So why did it take him 29 years to enjoy his job? ‘I’m enjoying the fuck out of my job!” Kieran Culkin announces, with the same foul-mouthed ebullience one might expect from his character in Succession, the compulsive drama about a vicious media dynasty.

Donald Trump This article is more than 3 months oldTop Trump aide burned so many papers wife noticed ‘bonfire’ smell, book saysThis article is more than 3 months oldMark Meadows’ wife complained of cost of dry-cleaning to remove smell from suits, Cassidy Hutchison writes in new memoir Mark Meadows burned so many papers in his office fireplace as Donald Trump’s presidency came to its chaotic end that the then White House chief of staff’s wife complained about the cost of dry-cleaning his suits to remove the “bonfire” smell, Cassidy Hutchinson writes in her eagerly awaited memoir.

MusicTribe has attracted huge audiences by sampling pieces of First Nation history that were once outlawed and suppressed in the US and Canada, creating an uncomfortable tension between its indigenous and non-indigenous fans The dispute began on Instagram last summer, when Bear Witness, a founding member of the electronic group A Tribe Called Red, posted a photo at the Calgary folk music festival. Taken from the stage, it shows a sea of fans dancing furiously to Tribe’s blend of powwow songs, electronic music and dubstep.

MusicalsReviewTheatre Royal Haymarket, London Defanged for darker times, the cult 80s high-school revenge saga homes in on the universal agonies of growing up and outsmarting bullies ‘Have you had a brain tumour for breakfast?” “What’s your damage, Heather?” and, most of all, “Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw!” The 1980s produced plenty of catchphrase-heavy movies, but none were quite as kitschy as the 1988 cult film Heathers. Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, both absurdly beautiful and cool, played teenage misfits Veronica and JD, who – at his instigation – kill off the popular bullies at school, embodied by a trio of girls each called Heather.

Michael Latt in Los Angeles on 11 June 2015. Photograph: Amanda Edwards/WireImageMichael Latt in Los Angeles on 11 June 2015. Photograph: Amanda Edwards/WireImageLos Angeles This article is more than 1 month oldLA executive was fatally shot by woman stalking his friend, lawyers sayThis article is more than 1 month oldFriend was not at home when woman allegedly forced herself inside home of Michael Latt, 33, and fired semi-automatic handgun A high-profile entertainment marketing consultant was targeted by a woman who had been stalking one of his friends before she fatally shot him after forcing her way inside his Los Angeles home, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Students were promised face-to-face teaching, but as soon as their fees and rents were secured, institutions turned their backs on them, says Lorna Finlayson, who teaches philosophy at Essex University Published: 2 Oct 2020 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRoo6iqnpZ6p7XNpZiyq5%2Bj

‘Malcolm could be very persuasive’ … Malcolm McLaren. Photograph: Victor Watts/Alamy‘Malcolm could be very persuasive’ … Malcolm McLaren. Photograph: Victor Watts/AlamyMalcolm McLarenThe 1983 LP introduced a generation to hip-hop and mashed up style – but by not crediting Black musicians, it was also cultural appropriation. Producer Trevor Horn recalls its creation The story of what may be the most groundbreaking and prescient album of its era begins with a mystery: what on earth did a major record label think they were doing giving Malcolm McLaren £100,000 to make a solo album in the early 80s?

ArtMyra, Margaret and meMarcus Harvey's portrait of Myra Hindley was one of the most controversial artworks of the 90s. Twelve years on, he's set to cause another furore. 'Just don't say I've done Thatcher with dildos,' he begs Simon HattenstoneIt's 12 years since Sensation opened at London's Royal Academy and the Young British Artists were crowned as the iconoclasts of the 1990s. There was Damien Hirst and his shark in formaldehyde, Tracey Emin and her tent recording everybody she had slept with, Jake and Dinos Chapman and their child mannequins with penises for noses and anuses for mouths.

CultureStars like Susan Sarandon and Cynthia Nixon are raising their voices in support of Palestine, but many others are paying a steep price for speaking up On a chilly day outside the White House, tourists milled about, Secret Service agents stood guard and a group of protesters held aloft a banner that demanded: “Over 14,850 Palestinians killed, how many more before a ceasefire?” Among activists embarking on a five-day hunger strike is a face instantly recognisable to fans of TV series such as Sex and the City and The Gilded Age.

Grow big or go home ... (from left) giant-veg enthusiasts Kevin Fortey, Peter Glazebrook and Jenna Brown. Composite: provided by Kevin Fortey; Daily Mail/Rex/Shutterstock; Sam Frost/The GuardianFrom onions as big as babies to pumpkins that weigh more than a car, it has been a record-breaking year for oversize veg. But what motivates someone to grow an 8-metre beetroot – and is skulduggery involved? by Sirin KaleThe pumpkins are as big as Cinderella’s carriage, and so heavy that a tractor is required to hoist them out of the earth.

A life in ...AS ByattInterviewWriting in terms of pleasureInterview by Sam LeithIn my work, writing is always so dangerous. It's very destructive. People who write books are destroyers'Do you know what her children call her?" a mutual friend asked me when I said I was going to see AS Byatt. "You'll never guess. Not in a million years." "Antonia? Mum?" "No," he said, laughing. "They call her 'AS Byatt'." Why is this funny?

A life in pictures: John Hurt Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email John Hurt, the legend of screen and stage whose prolific and varied career has spanned six decades, has died aged 77 Versatile star of The Elephant Man, Alien and Harry Potter, dies Obituary of John Hurt Lizzie Tucker and Greg Whitmore Main image: John Hurt by Jane Bown Photograph: Jane Bown/The Observer Fri 27 Jan 2017 22.

Animal welfare This article is more than 13 years oldCat bin woman Mary Bale fined £250This article is more than 13 years oldMary Bale pleads guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to tabby she dropped in a bin, as judge accepts she has faced 'vilification'One inexplicable moment of cruelty when Mary Bale seized a cat and dropped it into a wheelie bin was punished with a modest £250 fine today. But the 45-year-old former bank worker may pay the price for her impulsive act for the rest of her life.

Rising festivalReviewMelbourne town hall, Rising festival Julian Rosefeldt’s magnificent and exhausting film, starring the Oscar winner and Giancarlo Esposito, reverts to evasive surrealist flourishes just as it threatens to become truly angry Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email There is little to no nature in German artist and film-maker Julian Rosefeldt’s newest work, Euphoria, although there are plenty of animals. Sheep, white stallions, a moose, a camel and finally, voiced seductively by Cate Blanchett, a massive tiger stalking the aisles of an abandoned supermarket.

Football tables La Liga La Liga P Team GP W D L F A GD Pts Form 1 Girona 20 15 4 1 46 24 22 49 Won 4-2 against Barcelona Won 3-0 against Alaves Drew 1-1 with Real Betis Won 4-3 against Atlético Drew 0-0 with Almeria 2 Real Madrid 19 15 3 1 40 11 29 48 Won 2-0 against Granada Drew 1-1 with Real Betis Won 4-1 against Villarreal Won 1-0 against Alaves Won 1-0 against Mallorca 3 A Bilbao 20 12 5 3 38 20 18 41 Drew 1-1 with Granada Won 2-0 against Atlético Won 1-0 against Las Palmas Won 2-0 against Sevilla Won 2-1 against Real Sociedad 4 Barcelona 19 12 5 2 36 22 14 41 Won 1-0 against Atlético Lost 2-4 to Girona Drew 1-1 with Valencia Won 3-2 against Almeria Won 2-1 against Las Palmas 5 Atlético 19 12 2 5 39 23 16 38 Won 2-1 against Almeria Lost 0-2 to A Bilbao Drew 3-3 with Getafe Won 1-0 against Sevilla Lost 3-4 to Girona 6 Real Sociedad 20 8 8 4 31 21 10 32 Won 3-0 against Villarreal Drew 0-0 with Real Betis Drew 0-0 with Cadiz Drew 1-1 with Alaves Lost 1-2 to A Bilbao 7 Real Betis 20 7 10 3 22 20 2 31 Drew 1-1 with Real Madrid Drew 0-0 with Real Sociedad Drew 1-1 with Girona Lost 1-2 to Celta Vigo Won 1-0 against Granada 8 Valencia 20 8 5 7 26 24 2 29 Lost 0-1 to Getafe Drew 1-1 with Barcelona Won 1-0 against Rayo Vallecano Won 3-1 against Villarreal Won 4-1 against Cadiz 9 Las Palmas 20 8 4 8 19 17 2 28 Won 1-0 against Alaves Drew 1-1 with Cadiz Lost 0-1 to A Bilbao Lost 1-2 to Barcelona Won 3-0 against Villarreal 10 Getafe 19 6 8 5 24 25 -1 26 Lost 0-2 to Las Palmas Won 1-0 against Valencia Won 3-0 against Sevilla Drew 3-3 with Atlético Lost 0-2 to Rayo Vallecano 11 Rayo Vallecano 19 5 8 6 18 24 -6 23 Lost 0-4 to A Bilbao Drew 0-0 with Celta Vigo Lost 0-1 to Osasuna Lost 0-1 to Valencia Won 2-0 against Getafe 12 Osasuna 19 6 4 9 22 29 -7 22 Drew 1-1 with Real Sociedad Drew 1-1 with Cadiz Won 1-0 against Rayo Vallecano Lost 2-3 to Mallorca Won 1-0 against Almeria 13 Alaves 20 5 5 10 18 27 -9 20 Lost 0-1 to Las Palmas Lost 0-3 to Girona Lost 0-1 to Real Madrid Drew 1-1 with Real Sociedad Won 3-2 against Sevilla 14 Mallorca 20 3 10 7 18 24 -6 19 Won 1-0 against Sevilla Drew 0-0 with Almeria Won 3-2 against Osasuna Lost 0-1 to Real Madrid Drew 1-1 with Celta Vigo 15 Villarreal 20 5 4 11 27 41 -14 19 Lost 0-3 to Real Sociedad Lost 1-4 to Real Madrid Won 3-2 against Celta Vigo Lost 1-3 to Valencia Lost 0-3 to Las Palmas 16 Celta Vigo 20 3 8 9 21 30 -9 17 Drew 0-0 with Rayo Vallecano Won 1-0 against Granada Lost 2-3 to Villarreal Won 2-1 against Real Betis Drew 1-1 with Mallorca 17 Sevilla 20 3 7 10 25 30 -5 16 Lost 0-3 to Getafe Won 3-0 against Granada Lost 0-1 to Atlético Lost 0-2 to A Bilbao Lost 2-3 to Alaves 18 Cadiz 20 2 9 9 15 30 -15 15 Drew 1-1 with Osasuna Drew 1-1 with Las Palmas Drew 0-0 with Real Sociedad Lost 0-2 to Granada Lost 1-4 to Valencia 19 Granada 20 2 5 13 22 41 -19 11 Drew 1-1 with A Bilbao Lost 0-1 to Celta Vigo Lost 0-3 to Sevilla Won 2-0 against Cadiz Lost 0-1 to Real Betis 20 Almeria 20 0 6 14 19 43 -24 6 Lost 1-2 to Atlético Drew 0-0 with Mallorca Lost 2-3 to Barcelona Lost 0-1 to Osasuna Drew 0-0 with Girona ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJ6fpMGjrculZqWZnJ60orLOqKubmZyhfLWtwaWc

WomenHow do you feel about your breasts? One photographer asked 100 women to bare all The shocking thing about Laura Dodsworth’s pictures of 100 women’s breasts isn’t the flesh on show, or the many shapes and sizes, but the realisation that images of unairbrushed, non-uniform breasts seem to be so rare. “We see images of breasts everywhere,” says the 41-year-old photographer, “but they’re unreal. They create an unflattering comparison but also an unobtainable ideal.

Theatre This article is more than 10 years oldMissing actor's body found near cliffs in East SussexThis article is more than 10 years oldPaul Bhattacharjee, 53, who had appeared in Casino Royale, went missing a week ago after leaving Royal Court theatreThe body of an actor who disappeared from a theatre a week ago has been found, police have said. Paul Bhattacharjee, 53, who appeared in the James Bond film Casino Royale, left the Royal Court theatre in Sloane Square, London, at about 6.

HobbiesDo you read industry trade magazines on holiday? Does 'normcore' mean anything to you? Take Tim Dowling's quiz to find out just how boring you are1 How would you most prefer to spend your weekends?a) taking in a wide variety of cultural attractions and exercising b) hanging out with friends c) alone on the sofa, catching up on a box set d) alone on the sofa, watching old episodes of Cake Boss and blogging about it

OperaReviewRoyal Opera House, London Ann Yee and Natalie Abrahami’s thoughtful and effective new production shapes Dvorák’s opera into a tale of mankind versus nature. A first-rate cast is matched by Semyon Bychkov in the pit ‘You’re like a vision from old fairytales,” sings the Prince to Rusalka, the doomed water-spirit heroine of Dvorák’s opera. Much in this new production by Ann Yee and Natalie Abrahami is a vision from an old opera house – in a good way.

Book of the daySebastian FaulksReviewThis elegant near-future novel about a daring scientific experiment explores the evolution of consciousness For a period during the 1990s, I visited a psychoanalyst several times a week. Lying on the couch, I would find myself examining the spines of the books on his shelves for clues to the mysterious process we were engaged in. Just in line with the toe of my right shoe was a volume with a title so bizarre that I eventually felt obliged to track it down and read it.

Brazil This article is more than 1 year old‘I’d eat an Indian’: rivals seize on unearthed Bolsonaro cannibalism boastThis article is more than 1 year oldIn a now viral video of a 2016 interview, the Brazilian president claims he would eat human flesh It was a shocking statement, even for a politician who has glorified torturers and called for rivals to be shot. “I’d eat an Indian, no problem at all,” Jair Bolsonaro bragged to a foreign journalist in 2016, as he described a trip to an Indigenous community where he had purportedly been offered the chance to consume human flesh.

Internet demon or buzz machine? Photograph: AKP Photos/AlamyInternet demon or buzz machine? Photograph: AKP Photos/AlamyMusic blogMusicIs YouTube a music industry devil or buzz-making deity?Red Hot Chili Peppers’ manager Peter Mensch is the latest to slam the internet company for not fairly paying artists. But there’s more to the online music streaming debate than meets the ear The music industry has never been shy of using exaggeration as a negotiating tactic. Its deployment long precedes the mic drop as a way to shut down a debate.

The Duchess of MalfiWith new productions of The Changeling and The Duchess of Malfi about to open, it seems we can’t get enough of revenge tragedies In a hushed, darkened room inside London's Young Vic theatre, two young people are about to make a terrible mistake. The woman has just been married off to someone she doesn't love; the man is desperate for the two of them to be together. Perhaps, he suggests, he could confront her husband.

The ObserverDementia This article is more than 3 years oldOnly music reached my wife after dementia hit, says John SuchetThis article is more than 3 years oldEx-ITN presenter tells how Abba transformed Bonnie Suchet as study reveals most carers are unaware of the benefits of music When John Suchet discovered the effect that music had on his wife Bonnie’s dementia, it was transformational. “She would close her eyes and love it, beat in time to the music with her hands, tap her feet,” he said.

Daphne du MaurierDu Maurier’s bestselling novel reveals much about the author’s fluid sexuality – her ‘Venetian tendencies’ – and about being a boy stuck in the wrong body, writes Olivia Laing In 1937, a young army wife sat at her typewriter in a rented house in Alexandria, Egypt. She wasn’t happy. Despite coming from an ebullient theatrical family, she was reclusive and agonisingly shy. The social demands that came with being married to the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards were far beyond her.

BooksReviewAn eloquent but relentless attempt to prove the superiority of polyglots fails to convince Disclosure: this reviewer is pi-lingual, a word coined by Douglas Hofstadter to describe people who speak three languages and can also have a cringingly inept conversation with a taxi driver in a couple more. Any book like this one, which purports to prove scientifically that polyglots are superior, has my vote. All the more since no great diligence was required of me to achieve this, aside from tagging along with my parents and a couple of patient English girlfriends met at an impressionable age.

Around five o'clock this evening, the Tate Gallery will fax national daily newspapers to let us know the winner of the 1991 Turner Prize of £20,000. But the artists in contention won't be told. They might not turn up at tonight's dinner where, after many courses and speeches, the Channel 4 cameras will wish to capture their expressions - of hope, disappointment, triumph - when the official announcement is made.

PhotographyTwenty-five years since the photographer’s posthumous exhibition – which included images of gay S&M – became a point of debate, what have we learned? It might be ill-advised to reduce an artist’s life and work to a single observation, the magic key that unlocks everything, but in the case of Robert Mapplethorpe there is a pronounced duality – in the themes and subjects depicted in his “icy”, graphically stylized black-and-white photographs; in the dark-angel personae he cultivated; and in the controversies all of these facets wittingly or unwittingly sparked during his short lifetime.

2023 Christmas puzzles specialMusicWho is the only person to sing their own name in Do They Know It’s Christmas? Try our 2023 festive No 1s quizBig on Band Aid? Mad for Mad World? As much a savant of sausage rolls as LadBaby? It’s time to put your festive chart knowledge where your mouth is with our quiz ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKSZm7KiusOsq7KklWR%2FcX6SaJuem19ngHCz1JqpnaGRo3qktNGiqq2lkah6rsHSoppmqaWexw%3D%3D

Country diaryBirdsLangstone, Hampshire: They’ve been popping in and out of the nest box we put up, but there’s no guarantee that they’ll sign on the dotted line It’s National Nest Box Week and love is in the air. I’ve spotted courting dunnocks and blackbirds, and two robins companionably feeding side by side at the bird table. Our resident duo of collared doves are constantly canoodling, billing and cooing to reinforce their bond, while male wood pigeons are strutting around like regency gentlemen, pecking the females’ rumps, then bowing deeply as their prospective partners flounce around to face them.

Pop and rockInterviewCult punks Glassjaw return: 'It was offensive. You don’t talk to a woman like that'Daniel Montesinos-DonaghyThe post-hardcore band were loved for their knotty, emotional songs – and despised for their misogynistic lyrics. As they release their first album for 15 years, are they changed men? It has taken 15 years for Glassjaw’s Daryl Palumbo and Justin Beck to make a new album. In between, there have been health troubles (Palumbo’s struggles with Crohn’s disease have cancelled many a UK tour), side-projects with ex-Gorillaz mastermind Dan the Automator, business endeavours, marriage, children, life.

CircumcisionEmboldened by the body-positive movement and a sense of rage, a growing chorus is pushing back against a common custom The media officer of one of the UK’s top medical schools doesn’t realise she hasn’t muted herself as she puts me on hold. She sniggers with her colleague as she passes on my request – to speak to an expert on male circumcision – before informing me they don’t have one.

The ObserverRedditThe use by white supremacists of Reddit to organise last year’s violent rally in Virginia was a catalyst for change at the digital giant. In an extract from her new book We Are the Nerds, Christine Lagorio-Chafkin looks at how the site has tried to detoxify itself As the clock ticked up to 9pm on Friday 11 August 2017, more than 200 men snaked down a dark, long expanse of grass in Charlottesville, Virginia, called Nameless Field.

Books blogChildren and teenagersKermit the Frog and other terrors: the appeal of scary children's booksA Wisconsin woman wants kids kept away from the popular puppet’s ‘traumatic’ book about poverty, but children crave disturbing stories We’d go to the library once a week when I was little. While my little sister always chose to take home Anthony Browne’s Gorilla, I would uneasily check to see if a certain title was there. Just looking at the cover frightened me almost too much to bear, but I couldn’t resist doing it.

Pop and rockObituaryPeter Overend Watts obituaryBass guitarist with glam rock band Mott the HoopleEven amid the glittering extravagance of the glam rock era, Peter Overend Watts, who has died of throat cancer aged 69, managed to stand out from the crowd. As bass player with Mott the Hoople, Watts was a lean and lanky figure, adorned with long, luxuriant hair and prone to performing in stack-heeled thigh-high boots and assorted androgynous costumes.

Germany This article is more than 13 years oldRetrial opens in case of 'fed-to-dogs' farmer whose body was found intactThis article is more than 13 years oldProsecutors stand by conviction of Rudolf Rupp's wife, children and a family friend despite presenting false claims at first trialHe was hacked to death with an axe by his wife, children and a family friend, his torso later fed to the family's three pet dogs and his head boiled in an urn and buried in a heap of manure.

Israel This article is more than 1 month oldThis article is more than 1 month oldConcerns over data-driven ‘factory’ that significantly increases the number of targets for strikes in the Palestinian territory Israel-Hamas war – live updates Israel’s military has made no secret of the intensity of its bombardment of the Gaza Strip. In the early days of the offensive, the head of its air force spoke of relentless, “around the clock” airstrikes.

House and Home blogHomesThe horizontal shower - the worst invention ever?A 'new experience' in showering has just been launched in Switzerland. Susie Steiner reports on the baffling concept that is the lying-down showerWhere to begin on the sheer stupidity and fruitlessness of horizontal showering? It's time to put the 'no' into this innovation, and quickly, before the nation begins to writhe helplessly like beached seals on a platter of dead skin cells and tepid body fluids.

Five things I know about styleKaty BInterviewFive things I know about style: Katy BShahesta ShaitlyThe singer on big earrings, experimenting, and the importance of a good fit1 It's healthy to experiment. I went through lots of embarrassing phases when I was younger. I once worked at the Nike shop in Brixton and I'd team up trainers with puffa jackets – I had a gold one I'd wear all the time.

Phoebe McDowell: ‘Watching those closest to me celebrate the erosion of the person I loved was crushing.’ Photograph: Alicia Canter/The GuardianPhoebe McDowell: ‘Watching those closest to me celebrate the erosion of the person I loved was crushing.’ Photograph: Alicia Canter/The GuardianTransgenderI consider myself an LGBTQ+ ally. But I wasn’t prepared for the shock and confusion I’d feel when the person I thought I’d spend my life with told me their secret

TheatreReviewYoung Vic, London Stephen Adly Guirgis’s play has vivid dialogue, a powerful setting and strong performances, but what is it actually saying? This prison drama by Stephen Adly Guirgis was first seen in a production by Philip Seymour Hoffman at London’s Donmar in 2002. Kate Hewitt’s revival is more than a match for its predecessor but, for all the vividness of the dialogue, the play still strikes me as baffling in its exploration of guilt, faith and redemption.

The ObserverRegina SpektorInterviewRegina Spektor: ‘Songs are my byproduct in this world. I leave a trail of them’Dorian LynskeyOn the release of her eighth album, the Russian-born singer-songwriter talks about making music amid children and Covid –and why stories are the best vehicle for emotional truth It is tempting, when speaking to Regina Spektor, to just get out of the way, because she is such a joyful talker. I ask a simple question about, say, songwriting and I’m redundant for the next several minutes while she spirals off into a great conversational aria of anecdotes, aphorisms, metaphors, theories and jokes, at the end of which she apologises for not answering the question when in fact she’s answered not only that one but half a dozen that I haven’t asked yet.

FarmingAnalysisRise of mega farms: how the US model of intensive farming is invading the worldFiona Harvey, Andrew Wasley, Madlen Davies and David ChildDemand for cheaper food and lower production costs is turning green fields into industrial sheds to process vast amounts of meat and poultry UK has nearly 800 livestock mega farms, investigation reveals Since the days of the wild west frontier, the popular image of American farming has been of cowboys rounding up steers on wide open ranches, to whoops, whips and hollers.

Cif beliefStephen HawkingInterviewStephen Hawking: 'There is no heaven; it's a fairy story'Ian Sample, science correspondentIn an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the cosmologist shares his thoughts on death, M-theory, human purpose and our chance existenceThe belief that heaven or an afterlife awaits us is a "fairy story" for people afraid of death, Stephen Hawking has said. In a dismissal that underlines his firm rejection of religious comforts, Britain's most eminent scientist said there was nothing beyond the moment when the brain flickers for the final time.

Drugs This article is more than 6 years oldStudy finds mushrooms are the safest recreational drugThis article is more than 6 years oldPeople taking mushrooms in 2016 needed medical treatment less than for MDMA, LSD and cocaine, while one of the riskiest drugs was synthetic cannabis Mushrooms are the safest of all the drugs people take recreationally, according to this year’s Global Drug Survey. Of the more than 12,000 people who reported taking psilocybin hallucinogenic mushrooms in 2016, just 0.

Samantha LewthwaiteHow did Samantha Lewthwaite end up on the run from Interpol after being linked to a series of terror attacks? As attention turns to Britons fighting with Isis in Syria, whatever happened to the young woman known as ‘the white widow’? What radicalises a person from the UK? What makes anyone leave the certainties of Cardiff for the privations of Syria? How could any extremist preacher guess that Buckinghamshire would be fertile ground, not just for disaffected youth, but for disaffected youth with an undiscovered sense of purpose?

JazzObituaryTony Oxley obituaryDrummer and percussionist who developed his own musical language as a composerA pivotal moment in the career of the British drummer and percussionist Tony Oxley came when a successful European tour as part of a trio led by the celebrated American jazz pianist Bill Evans was followed by an invitation to remain with the group when they returned to the US. This was in 1972, and permanent membership of the trio would have enhanced the young drummer’s prestige within the jazz world.

Australia news This article is more than 14 years oldBoy in hospital after being mauled by shark at Australian beachThis article is more than 14 years oldFather drags teenage son to safety after third attack in Sydney in three weeksA teenager surfing with his father off a Sydney beach had his leg mauled by a shark today in the third shark attack in the area in as many weeks. The 15-year-old, whose name has not been released, was flown by helicopter from Avalon beach to a hospital in Sydney, Brett Garvey, an ambulance service spokesman, said.

The ObserverMusic This article is more than 15 years oldHidden gay life of macho hip hop starsThis article is more than 15 years oldA former MTV executive reveals a homosexual subculture in an aggressively male businessAmerican rap music is an industry ruled by machismo. It is a place where reputations are made by shady pasts, the aura of violence and ultra-masculinity. But now an explosive new book is lifting the lid on one of hip hop's most unexpected secrets: that many people in the business are gay.

First look reviewToronto film festival 2023ReviewThree sisters convene to say goodbye to their dying father in a detailed and intimate yet uneven drama For better and for worse, the pandemic begat a certain micro-genre of intimate drama, one defined by its smallness – tight cast, single location, no extras, minimal costumes. His Three Daughters, the latest from the film-maker Azazel Jacobs, feels like a Covid movie. The action is confined to one Manhattan apartment, to which three sisters, played by Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne and Elizabeth Olsen, return to settle the affairs of their dying father (Jay O Sanders) and say goodbye.

Games This article is more than 4 months oldHow a decade of playing Final Fantasy XIV has helped me through life and motherhoodThis article is more than 4 months oldDanielle LucasThe popular MMO game has helped me deal with everything life brings. As I celebrate 10 years immersed in its world, I speak to other people who have found solace in this online community It’s no secret that the art that moves us becomes associated with certain periods of our lives: the song that helped you navigate your first breakup, the movie that helped you take those first steps into adulthood, the book that persuaded you to try something new.

Ian Sample is science editor of the Guardian. Before joining the newspaper in 2003, he was a journalist at New Scientist and worked at the Institute of Physics as a journal editor. He has a PhD in biomedical materials from Queen Mary's, University of London. Ian also presents the Science Weekly podcast ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRooJqmo5a6sbjE

‘I want her to be relatable’: Lashana Lynch wears dress by edelinelee.com; earrings by farisfaris.com. Photograph: Gustavo Papaleo/The ObserverLashana Lynch, star of the new Bond movie, on ninja training, doing her own stunts and why now’s the time for an agent who’s a ‘real woman’by Tim LewisLashana Lynch knew she was on a very short shortlist. She had taped a couple of auditions for Barbara Broccoli, the producer of the James Bond films since 1995.

The ObserverLife and styleLook back in angerThey were the British Baader Meinhof, 70s icons of the radical left. Thirty years ago, the Angry Brigade launched a string of bombing attacks against the heart of the British Establishment. No one was killed, but after a clampdown on the 'counter culture' and amid accusations of a Bomb Squad 'fix', four radicals were sentenced to 10 years in prison. Now, for the very first time, two of the Angries break their vow of silenceAmhurst Road hasn't changed much in the past 30 years.

Donald Trump This article is more than 4 months oldTrump lawyer Jenna Ellis turns on ‘malignant narcissist’ ex-presidentThis article is more than 4 months oldEllis, one of 18 Trump associates charged in Georgia election subversion case, says she ‘simply can’t support him’ again Jenna Ellis – the Donald Trump lawyer who like the former president faces criminal charges regarding attempted election subversion in his defeat by Joe Biden in 2020 – says she will not vote for him in the future because he is a “malignant narcissist” who cannot admit mistakes.

The lake at the foot of Quelccaya. Phinaya, at 4,830m (15,850ft) above sea level, is the highest town near the glacierThe Quelccaya glacier, high in the mountains of Peru, is shrinking at an alarming rate and the people who live in its shadow are struggling to maintain their livelihoods by Illa Liendo and Ángela Ponce. Photographs: Ángela PonceAs the turquoise lake at the foot of the Quelccaya glacier comes into view, Yolanda Quispe stops to look.

Children's booksChildren's books'All grown-ups were once children': the 15 top Le Petit Prince quotesOur favourite lines from the eternal question mark that is Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, one of France’s most famous and well-loved books The Little Prince (or in French Le Petit Prince) is in many ways not one but two books. As with a gobstopper, the first layer depicts a dreamlike children’s story. A second and closer look uncovers the various philosophical and open-ended charades concocted by its author, the French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Barack Obama This article is more than 8 years oldBarack Obama to give Mount McKinley back its Native American nameThis article is more than 8 years oldHighest peak in North America to be renamed Denali, an Athabascan word meaning ‘the high one’ Barack Obama has said he will be changing the name of the highest mountain in North America from Mount McKinley to Denali. Buttes and beasts: amazing US national parks – in picturesRead moreHe announced that he will be returning the mountain’s traditional Alaskan native name on the eve of a presidential visit to Alaska.

The ObserverMichelle TerryReviewDorfman, London It may be too gruesome much for some, but Sarah Kane’s 1998 horror show feels depleted in Katie Mitchell’s protracted revival Theatres love people walking out. Sometimes it seems they would prefer them to flounce off than go in and watch. It is no surprise that the National has been tweeting, writing, broadcasting the news that some spectators are leaving Sarah Kane’s Cleansed in disgust, while others have been fainting with distress.

Music This article is more than 4 years oldThis article is more than 4 years oldThey were outsiders, but Liverpudlians say the duo – tragically killed in a car accident in the US – were embraced for their warm humour and lust for life News: Members and tour manager of Liverpool band Her’s killed in US car crash There’s a sense of shock within the Liverpool music community today, as people come to terms with the tragic death of two of its rising stars.

2022 in TVHouse of the DragonInterview‘I was hot-glue-gunning hair to my head’: Emma D’Arcy on their House of the Dragon auditionHollie RichardsonFrom viral cocktails to being scared to Google themself, the actor’s role as Rhaenyra Targaryen in the Game of Thrones prequel has made them huge. They talk violence, childbirth – and why those incest scenes are OK Emma D’Arcy achieved a lot in 2022, but going viral was the least expected.

‘Michelangelo thought it all through – the shroud has been cast aside’ … The Risen Christ, 1521. Photograph: Alessandro Vasari‘Michelangelo thought it all through – the shroud has been cast aside’ … The Risen Christ, 1521. Photograph: Alessandro VasariJonathan Jones on artSculptureIn all his glory: Michelangelo's naked Christ comes to BritainMichelangelo dared to sculpt Jesus naked, but for centuries the church covered him up with a bizarre metal veil. Now the National Gallery is revealing all

10 of the bestFilm adaptationsBen Wheatley’s new version of the gothic thriller Rebecca joins an impressive list of big-screen Du Maurier adaptations 10. The Years Between (1946)Valerie Hobson plays the wife of a British MP (Michael Redgrave), who learns her husband has been killed in the second world war. Just as she is getting to grips with her loss, preparing to marry a neighbouring farmer and taking up her late husband’s seat in parliament (where Churchill is impressed by her maiden speech), he turns up alive.

Shia LaBeoufShia LaBeouf mulls plan to become deacon after Catholic confirmation Actor, 37, received sacrament on New Year’s Eve and Capuchin friar Alexander Rodriguez says he wishes to be a deacon ‘in the future’ The Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf is seeking to becoming a Catholic deacon after receiving the sacrament of confirmation on New Year’s Eve. A California-based chapter of the Capuchin Franciscans, a Catholic religious order, shared the news in a Facebook post on Tuesday alongside photos of the 37-year-old actor smiling next to several of the organization’s members.

TelevisionBridgerton’s Queen Charlotte and its imitators have been praised for bringing diversity to the very white world of historical drama. But could these Black fantasies actually be dangerous? Fantasy collided with reality last month, when the Black British actor Adjoa Andoh, who plays Bridgerton’s Lady Danbury, was invited by ITV to commentate on King Charles’s coronation. Andoh described the lineup of waving royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony as “terribly white”.

MusicObituaryCelina González obituarySinger and songwriter who popularised Cuban country music and stayed faithful to Fidel Castro’s revolution Celina González, who has died in Havana aged 86, was revered as the finest exponent of Cuban country music. She was brought up listening to música campesina, the rural form of son, the Cuban fusion style in which rhythms brought to the island by African slaves were matched against Spanish verse forms and melodies.

Australian OpenCompetition is heightened across men’s and women’s draws but the top seeds remain the players to beat in Melbourne In the promotional campaign released by the ATP this month to welcome in the new season, the governing body of men’s tennis underlined that it is determined to look towards the future. As numerous talented young players featured in the campaign, the poet James Massiah narrated the dawn of a new era in a sport that has moved on.

South Carolina This article is more than 7 months old‘Help me’: South Carolina woman alerts police to passenger with silent messageThis article is more than 7 months oldDriver of Jeep stopped for running red light helps police jail man – her own passenger – suspected of attempted murder and kidnap By mouthing the words “help me” to an officer who had pulled her over for a traffic stop, a woman in South Carolina helped authorities jail a man suspected of a shooting and a kidnapping: her own passenger, according to authorities.

Classics and ancient historyObituaryJoyce Reynolds obituaryClassicist and academic who transformed our understanding of Roman imperial historyJoyce Reynolds, who has died aged 103, was an honorary fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge, a classicist specialising in Roman historical epigraphy and the first woman to be awarded the Kenyon medal by the British Academy in 2017. The high noon of a stellar academic career that saw Joyce actively engage with the ancient world in the Middle East and North Africa came in 1982 when she published Aphrodisias and Rome.

… Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in La La Land. Photograph: PR… Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in La La Land. Photograph: PRTrailer reviewLa La Land This article is more than 7 years oldLa La Land trailer: Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone salute the Hollywood musicalThis article is more than 7 years oldDamien Chazelle will follow 2014’s sleeper hit Whiplash with a more typical musical that at first glance looks like a fond homage to a classic Hollywood genre

Taylor SwiftTaylor Swift’s Eras tour will skip the Philippines, but her Filipino fanbase has embraced the call centre worker turned drag act She has the outfits – the Lover-era sequin bodysuit, the Fearless gold fringe dress, the Reputation catsuit – and the hordes of adoring fans. As she struts across the stage, crowds bounce up and down, cameras in the air, screaming along with every word. But this is not Taylor Swift, it’s Taylor Sheesh, a call centre agent who has become a drag star adored by Swifties in her native Philippines and beyond.

The ObserverOrganised crime This article is more than 1 year oldMob-style killings shock Netherlands into fighting descent into ‘narco state’This article is more than 1 year oldMurders, corruption and ‘Mocro Maffia’ prompt Dutch to set up war chest to tackle wave of organised crime sweeping nation Journalists and lawyers under protection or murdered on the streets, court hearings guarded by the army, witness statements anonymised, and billions in dirty drug money that leaches through society, corrupting as it goes.

Cricket This article is more than 5 years oldSean Abbott suffers reminder of Phillip Hughes's death after hitting batsmanThis article is more than 5 years oldWill Pucovski left field after being struck on the head by a bouncer Abbott bowled delivery which struck and killed Phillip HughesAustralian cricketer Sean Abbott, whose tragic bouncer struck and killed batsman Phillip Hughes in 2014, has had another one of his deliveries strike a batsman on the helmet.

SexAccording to several studies, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. So, here’s what lesbian sex can teach us about female pleasure Do lesbians have better sex than heterosexual women? Yes. Yes. Oh my God, yes! Women who sleep with women repeatedly report higher levels of sexual satisfaction in surveys and studies than women who have sex with men. A Public Health England survey of more than 7,000 women last month found that half of respondents aged between 25 and 34 did not enjoy their sex life.

The Q&AJane AsherJane Asher: ‘What scares me about getting older? Becoming irritating to other people’The actor on the lasting thrill of a teenage kiss, her crush on Harrison Ford and what she plans to do with her brain Born in London, Jane Asher, 77, had her first role at five, in the 1952 film Mandy. She went on to appear in Alfie in 1966 and Deep End in 1970, and her extensive stage credits include The Importance of Being Earnest at the Rose in Kingston and An American in Paris at London’s Dominion theatre.

Pop and rockObituaryJoe Cocker obituarySheffield-born rock star with a raucous vocal style whose 1968 version of With a Little Help from My Friends became his unofficial theme tuneIn a musical career lasting more than 50 years, Joe Cocker, who has died of lung cancer aged 70, bounced between the euphoria of chart-topping success and the misery of drug and alcohol abuse. In the latter part of his life, the singer had re-established himself as a soulful interpreter of material from a broad range of songwriters.

MMA This article is more than 8 months oldMMA fighter Nate Diaz turns himself in after New Orleans street brawlThis article is more than 8 months oldFormer UFC star faces battery charge after weekend fightAttorney says 38-year-old acted in self-defenceMixed martial arts fighter Nate Diaz turned himself in to police in New Orleans on Thursday to face a battery charge arising from a weekend street brawl. The 38-year-old surrendered after video spread on social media of Diaz apparently choking YouTube personality Rodney Petersen unconscious during a fight in the city’s popular Bourbon Street.

NutritionInterviewRobert Lustig: the man who believes sugar is poisonZoe WilliamsThe maverick scientist has long argued that sugar is as harmful as cocaine or tobacco – and that the food industry has been adding too much of it to our meals for too long. A convert hears more about his theoryIf you have any interest at all in diet, obesity, public health, diabetes, epidemiology, your own health or that of other people, you will probably be aware that sugar, not fat, is now considered the devil's food.

Diddy This article is more than 2 months oldThis article is more than 2 months oldThe rap impresario who turned the Notorious BIG into a global star in the 90s and worked with era-defining female rappers has been accused of rape and physical abuse by a former partner Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of rape and severe physical abuse by ex-girlfriend Cassie Sean Combs AKA Puff Daddy, P Diddy and Diddy may be one of the most recognisable figures in the historically male-dominated genre of hip-hop, but he also made his name by working with numerous female artists including Lil Kim, Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige – and singer Cassie Ventura, who launched her singing career with his label Bad Boy Records in 2006 and was in a relationship with Combs from 2007 to 2018.

Italy This article is more than 11 months oldSicilian mobster asks judge to order seizure of Roberto Saviano bookThis article is more than 11 months oldGiuseppe Graviano files for defamation against Gomorrah author over origin of nickname A Sicilian mobster has asked a judge to order the seizure of all copies of a book by the author Roberto Saviano, who is living under police protection after he faced death threats for exposing mafia secrets.

Venice This article is more than 1 year oldVenetians fear ‘museum relic’ status as population drops below 50,000 This article is more than 1 year oldCampaigners say Italian city’s remaining residents feel ‘suffocated’ by effects of tourism The remaining inhabitants of Venice’s historic centre said they fear becoming like “relics in an open museum” now that the population is expected to drop below 50,000 for the first time. Once the heart of a powerful maritime republic, Venice’s main island has lost more than 120,000 residents since the early 1950s, driven away by myriad issues but mainly a focus on mass tourism that has caused the population to be dwarfed by the thousands of visitors who crowd its squares, bridges and narrow walkways each day.

Oliver Burkeman columnTheatre This article is more than 10 years oldWhy British critics don't get The Book of MormonThis article is more than 10 years oldOliver BurkemanThe South Park creators' musical was much lauded in the US, but its satirical sensibility may be lost in translation to LondonThe Book of Mormon, the much-applauded musical from the creators of South Park, officially opened in London last week – and like the grinning, clean-cut missionaries whose story it relates, it's been getting some baffled reactions from the locals.

PoetryObituaryDennis O'Driscoll obituaryPoet with a direct style that stood out among fellow Irish writersIn an age when poets tend to hover near schools and universities, Dennis O'Driscoll, who has died suddenly aged 58, was an exception. Having become a civil servant in Dublin at the age of 16 (starting with death duties), he remained one for almost 40 years. "In the civil service you are assigned a grade. You know your status,"

Grimsby This article is more than 3 months oldGrimsby’s Otis Khan ruled ineligible to play for Pakistan in World Cup qualifierThis article is more than 3 months oldFifa’s decision pending despite Khan owning Pakistani passportIssue concerns Khan’s grandfather’s migration from IndiaGrimsby Town’s Otis Khan was prevented from playing for Pakistan in the first leg of their World Cup qualifier against Cambodia by Fifa after it ruled he wasn’t eligible despite having a Pakistani passport.

VirginiaAndy Parker says he is ‘honoring’ his daughter Alison Parker’s death by fighting for a congressional seat to regulate big tech Andy Parker has never watched the video of his daughter’s murder. But anyone with an internet connection can find it, view it and share it. In the years since Alison Parker, a 24-year-old TV journalist in Roanoke, Virginia, was shot and killed during a live broadcast in 2015, her father has made it his mission to remove the footage from the social media platforms where it continues to resurface even after being taken down.

UK weather This article is more than 6 months oldJune was UK’s hottest on record, says Met OfficeThis article is more than 6 months oldAverage temperature of 15.8C almost a full degree higher than previous highs for the month The Met Office has confirmed June was the hottest on record for the UK, eclipsing the last hottest by nearly a full degree. Across the month, the country recorded an average mean temperature of 15.

‘Sure-footed’: Teju Cole in Rome, June 2016. Photograph: Steve Bisgrove/Rex/Shutterstock‘Sure-footed’: Teju Cole in Rome, June 2016. Photograph: Steve Bisgrove/Rex/ShutterstockBook of the dayTeju ColeReviewThe American-Nigerian writer floats free of the usual cultural expectations in this eclectic, laser-sharp collection of essaysPublishing can be a cliquish and incestuous business; it is not uncommon for writers from the same agencies and publishers to review each other. So let me state upfront that Teju Cole and I have the same publisher, Faber, who have put out his new essay collection, Known and Strange Things, an appropriate and beautiful title, taken from a poem by Seamus Heaney, for a book that will be deservedly lauded.

ObituaryNorma KitsonOn the streets of London, and in the townships of South Africa, they fought and won the struggle against apartheidThe passing of Norma Kitson, who has died of emphysema aged 68, recalls a time when the struggle against apartheid in South Africa was brought to the heart of central London. Kitson was the inspiration behind the City of London anti-apartheid group, which, for several years, mounted a continuous picket on the pavement outside South Africa House, in Trafalgar Square.

Crosswords Mon 25 Dec 2023 19.00 EST Quick crossword No 16,735 Print | PDF version | Accessible version Mon 25 Dec 2023 19.00 EST Time on your hands? Stay connected and keep in touch with your friends with our new Puzzles mobile app. You can access more than 15,000 crosswords and sudoku and solve puzzles online together. Download and try it for free now. Time on your hands? Stay connected and keep in touch with your friends with our new Puzzles mobile app.

The story of citiesCitiesStory of cities #11: the reclamation of Mumbai – from the sea, and its people?Transforming Bombay’s seven islets into land fit for a city was a daunting challenge. Its success created one of the world’s megacities – but today Mumbai faces the twin challenges of extreme population density and severe flood risk Read more articles in the series here Of all the ways in which Mumbai has been called a city of dreams, at least one is literal.

MusicReviewSomerset House, LondonIn a sense, Belle and Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch is too good for pop. You feel it when he sings of the "Asian man with his love/hate affair with his racist clientele" in a glorious, dancing version of The Boy with the Arab Strap halfway through the set. You sense it again even as he swallows - or forgets - the best line in The Model, in which blindfolded Lisa meets a blind kid at a party and has "

OpinionAlcohol This article is more than 1 year oldBritain has a drinking problem – and the alcohol industry can’t afford to let us kick itThis article is more than 1 year oldJames WiltThe fact that we’re not exactly unwilling participants overshadows the huge influence the sector wields We’ve all heard the refrain: “Britain has a drinking problem.” It’s an issue that long predates the Covid-19 pandemic, but evidence for this claim seems more stark than ever.

The ObserverChampions CupDeon Fourie’s double helps Stormers to power-packed win over HarlequinsLast 16: Stormers 32-28 HarlequinsAlex Dombrandt’s two tries are in vainHarlequins had found one way to escape the foul weather at home during the week. They travelled 6,000 miles to Cape Town, swapping Strawberry Hill for Table Mountain and a game played in sweltering 30C heat in a majestic stadium. Quins, led by Danny Care, were game opponents but a Stormers side with its all-Springbok front row, were always going to have a power game that would be difficult to cope with even after a week of acclimatisation in the sun and it is the Stormers who will meet the winners of Sunday’s match between Exeter and Montpellier.

The ObserverJohn LennonJohn Lennon's difficult childhood left him with a delinquent streak he never shook off, yet the Beatles may have been sharper for itSam Taylor-Wood's film, Nowhere Boy, paints John Lennon's formative years in the broadest of brush strokes. He is a troubled but gifted teenager caught between two women, two worlds. His mother, Julia, is working-class, wild-spirited and mostly absent, and his aunt, Mimi Smith, is respectable, strict and domineeringly present.

Coming unstuck: Rhik Samadder puts the Lékué silicone bread maker to the test. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The GuardianComing unstuck: Rhik Samadder puts the Lékué silicone bread maker to the test. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The GuardianInspect a gadgetBreadHere’s the rub: you can’t knead in this. I ended up with a bun in the oven, but what about the foreplay? The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.

Australian arts in focusAustralian booksAn inquiry found the murder was ‘merely a high-spirited frolic which went wrong’. Fifty years later, in Watershed, Christos Tsiolkas retells it in the sacred form of oratorio Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email and listen to our podcast “There was no struggle, nothing. And then he just slipped away ... the river swallowed him.” This is how a witness described the final seconds of Dr George Duncan’s life, as told to the ABC in 2005, 33 years after the 41-year-old University of Adelaide academic drowned in the River Torrens and posthumously set in motion the zeitgeist of gay law reform in Australia.

JapanAs rising temperatures make traditionally hot and sticky Japanese summer months more severe, those toiling outside are turning to the fan-jakketo The de rigueur jacket in Japan for this year’s summer season is a functional little number with twin electric fans installed around the lower back. As rising temperatures have made the traditionally hot and sticky Japanese summer months more severe, those toiling outside in particular are turning to the fan-jakketo to make their workdays cooler and safer.

Montana This article is more than 1 year oldThirteen bison killed after road crash near Yellowstone national parkThis article is more than 1 year oldHerd struck by semi-truck on Montana highway, with some of the bison needing to be euthanized ‘due to severe injuries’ Thirteen bison have died as a result of a road crash in the dark on a Montana highway near Yellowstone national park, authorities have announced. In astatement released on Facebook, the West Yellowstone police department announced that around 6.

United Nations This article is more than 2 months oldTop UN official in New York steps down citing ‘genocide’ of Palestinian civiliansThis article is more than 2 months oldCraig Mokhiber, director of human rights body, accuses the US, UK and much of Europe as ‘wholly complicit in the horrific assault’ Israel and Hamas at war – live updates The director of the New York office of the UN high commissioner for human rights has left his post, protesting that the UN is “failing” in its duty to prevent what he categorizes as genocide of Palestinian civilians in Gaza under Israeli bombardment and citing the US, UK and much of Europe as “wholly complicit in the horrific assault”.

Health & wellbeingCoastal environments have been shown to improve our health, body and mind. So should doctors start issuing nature-based prescriptions? After her mother’s sudden death, Catherine Kelly felt the call of the sea. She was in her 20s and had been working as a geographer in London away from her native Ireland. She spent a year in Dublin with her family, then accepted an academic position on the west coast, near Westport in County Mayo.

Japan This article is more than 8 years oldFake sleep researcher thought to have drugged and raped scores of womenThis article is more than 8 years oldPolice in Japan say suspect who pretended to be running clinical trial posted footage of attacks on the internetJapanese police have arrested a man for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting more than 100 women who believed they were taking part in a medical study.

MediaSt Louis TV journalist’s quirky segment contemplating dreary winter cityscapes and broken umbrellas resurfaces every year April may be the cruelest month, but February straight up sucks. This is the “news” that was broken by local reporter Kevin Killeen of St Louis’s KMOX, in a 2016 video segment declaring February “an honest month” because it is one that “doesn’t hold up life any better than it really is”. The segment mixes Killeen’s straight-faced, deadpan local news delivery with an almost avant garde absurdity.

GermanyGerman farmers block roads with tractors in subsidies protestPartial U-turn by Berlin fails to avert week-long nationwide action that government says could be co-opted by righwing extremists German farmers blocked city centres, highways and motorway slip roads with tractors at the start of a week-long, nationwide protest over planned cuts to agricultural sector subsidies that the government said could be co-opted by rightwing extremists. “We are exercising our basic right to inform society and the political class that Germany needs a competitive agricultural sector,” the president of the German farmers’ association, Joachim Rukwied, told Stern magazine on Monday.

ShortcutsUS newsA self-published book about the death of an 11-year-old girl in 1986, in Argos, Indiana, might to the killer's arrestWhen Thomas Crowel visited a cemetery in Argos, a small town in rural Indiana, a few years ago he had no idea that it would change the direction of his life and lead to the reopening of a cold murder case. He came across the tombstone of a girl called Brandie Peltz who died in 1986, aged 11.

GamesLashings of fun? Microsoft reveals new Indiana Jones gameCan MachineGames’s new first-person adventure Indiana Jones and the Great Circle live up to the third-person thrills of Indy-influenced hits Uncharted and Tomb Raider? History is not exactly littered with glittering Indiana Jones video games. The beautiful LucasArts adventure, The Fate of Atlantis; the pretty good Lego games; the decent Emporer’s Tomb; the presentable SNES side-scroller, Greatest Adventures … There have been good games, but few classics that transcend the brand like, say, Knights of the Old Republic.

Business and finance booksReviewGeneral Electric was a 20th-century industrial empire. What caused it to fall apart? The executive suite of General Electric’s Connecticut headquarters was known as “carpet land”. Persian rugs and dense wool carpet covered every floor, creating an atmosphere of hushed probity. For almost a century, GE had stamped its curling blue logo on just about everything, from wind turbines to submarine detectors, fridges, televisions, toasters and lightbulbs. The office was a monument to the baronial power of its CEO.

Small talkExtreme sportsInterviewTravis Pastrana: 'Jumping from a plane without a parachute is not the scary bit'Tom BryantThe daredevil rider and stuntman on injuries, jumping into the Grand Canyon, beating London traffic and more You’re bringing the first Nitro World Games to be staged outside the USA to Cardiff in May 2020 – er, what is it? Basically, the World Games is the big air of action sports. We’ll be bringing the best competitors in the world with us – these are the world championships – but this is also the only action sports top tier championship event that has open qualifying.

GamesFrom lapsed millennials ageing reluctantly into their 30s to families and new players, a guide to which of the many Pokémon games might be your vibe When Pokémon first arrived on the scene, on cheerful coloured Game Boy cartridges inside unassuming cardboard boxes, few would have predicted that 25+ years later, there would be more than 50 games featuring these collectible pocket monsters. They’ve become a bit of a pest problem, actually, growing from the original 150 critters to more than 900.

Alicia Keys: ‘I’ve definitely never been somebody where money defined me.’ Photograph: Milan ZrnicWith the release of a new album, the singer picks favourite tracks from her back catalogue and talks about the magic of working with Kanye West, surviving the tough streets of New York and her struggles with self-worth by Ben Beaumont-ThomasMusicians can be prone to false modesty or putting their achievements down to whatever spiritual energy is currently in fashion.

Gaza Footage shows moments after airstrike hit civilian convoy fleeing northern Gaza – video Dozens of people died in a strike on a civilian convoy fleeing northern Gaza along one of the evacuation routes known to the Israeli army. Verified footage of the aftermath of the strike shows people running towards a truck, where several bodies, including those of women and children, could be seen. The airstrike, which Hamas has blamed on Israel, occurred on Friday afternoon on the Salah-al-Din road, a supposedly safe route that Palestinians are using to flee northern Gaza.

Observer Food Monthly's 20 best recipesBrunchFresh chard, tangy yoghurt and a hit of chilli makes this moreish brunch dish a real weekend treat The 20 best recipes for the weekend – in full The base can be prepared a day or two in advance if you want to get ahead. If you do this, just hold back on adding the lemon juice (as well as the eggs) until you are ready to eat.

FranceKarim Benzema sues French minister over Muslim Brotherhood claimsGérald Darmanin accused footballer of ‘notorious’ links to Islamist group without offering evidence The French footballer Karim Benzema has filed a defamation suit against the country’s interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, after the minister said he had “notorious” links with the Muslim Brotherhood. The legal challenge, seen by AFP, accused the minister of using the player to score political points, noting that Benzema “has never had the slightest link with the Muslim Brotherhood organisation, nor to [his] knowledge with anyone who claims to be a member of it”.

Guardian StudentsStudents This article is more than 8 years oldStudents turn to porn for sex educationThis article is more than 8 years oldAn NUS survey shows the majority of students access porn to get information about sex – and say issues they need to know about are not covered in class The majority of students view porn to find out about sex and don’t rate the sex and relationship education (SRE) they receive in schools highly, according to research by the National Union of Students (NUS).

Toni Morrison: a life in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email With novels including Beloved and The Bluest Eye, the acclaimed author who dramatised the African American experience with fierce passion for five decades, has died aged 88 Compiled by Joe Plimmer Main image: American Nobel prize-winning author Toni Morrison. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian Tue 6 Aug 2019 18.

Autumn arts preview 2023Pop and rockInterview‘Trust me, I have not been out-girlbossed’: pop star Reneé Rapp on Mean Girls, mean girls and mental healthShaad D'SouzaShe quit the Broadway musical of the Lindsay Lohan classic to preserve her mental health and has just released her debut album. It’s a time of high anxiety, the brutally candid songwriter admits Snow Angel, the debut album by US musician and actor Reneé Rapp, doesn’t pull its punches.

FilmObituaryVyacheslav Tikhonov obituaryRussian actor best known for his role as Bolkonsky in the epic War and PeaceThe supremely handsome Russian actor Vyacheslav Tikhonov, who has died aged 81, seemed born to play Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in Sergei Bondarchuk's magnificent War and Peace (1967), in which he carried off the difficult task of gaining sympathy for Tolstoy's melancholy, sardonic, aloof aristocrat. According to the critic Roger Ebert: "All of the actors look a little larger, nobler and more heroic than life … perhaps Tikhonov comes closest with his chiselled face.

PoetryAfter being diagnosed with a severe respiratory illness, the poet was forced to live in isolation. Her response offers great insights into how to cope, writes her biographer The expression of frustration could have been sent from any tier in travel-restricted Britain: “Where do you go in July? For me, I cant answer. I am longing to go to London, & hoping to the last. That is all. For the present, .

MoviesMary Harron’s divisive adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s novel is a shrewd articulation of the source, with a star-making turn from Christian Bale Three years after the Bret Easton Ellis novel American Psycho finally got made into a movie, after a production odyssey nearly as tortured and calamitous as its publication as a book, a documentary called The Corporation caused a mild stir among arthouse viewers and political thinkers. Inspired by a 14th amendment detail that allowed companies to be seen as individuals, the film asked a simple question: if a corporation were a person, what type would he be?

The ObserverUK newsBig heads really are smarterScientists find that size does matterBeing a fathead has its compensations. Scientists have discovered that people with large skulls are more likely to fare well in the twilight of their years - at least when it comes to remembering what they are doing. This striking conclusion is the handiwork of scientists who have uncovered a close correlation between the size of a pensioner's cranium and the results of intelligence and memory tests.

Giant Christopher Columbus statue unveiled in Puerto Rico GuardianPuerto Rico This article is more than 7 years oldChristopher Columbus statue welcomed in Puerto Rico after US cities rejected itThis article is more than 7 years oldZurab Tsereteli’s The Birth of the New World is 45ft taller than the Statue of Liberty and was turned down by Columbus, New York, Boston and Miami On Tuesday in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Zurab Tsereteli’s huge sculpture of Christopher Columbus was inaugurated.

OpinionHugh Hefner This article is more than 6 years oldI called Hugh Hefner a pimp, he threatened to sue. But that’s what he wasThis article is more than 6 years oldSuzanne MooreNow that he’s dead, the old sleaze in the Playboy mansion is being spoken of as some kind of liberator of women. Quite the oppositeLong ago, in another time, I got a call from a lawyer. Hugh Hefner was threatening a libel action against me and the paper I worked for at the time, for something I had written.

ObituaryJules EngelPioneering animator behind early Disney greatsThe pioneering animator and educator Jules Engel, who has died aged 94, was fascinated by movement, whether in the choreography of a group of sparkling animated mushrooms - which he created for Walt Disney's Fantasia in 1940 - or the more abstract impact of line and colour in paintings. "I have chosen to convey ideas and feelings through movement, visually formed by lines, squares, spots, circles and varieties of colour,"

Kanye West This article is more than 13 years oldKanye West: 'I contemplated suicide'This article is more than 13 years oldRapper promises he 'will not give up on life again', saying he feels a responsibility to be a 'soldier for culture'Kanye West considered taking his own life several times in the past, he has claimed. The rapper made the admission at a US screening of his new short film, Runaway, but added he now feels a responsibility to be a "

Germany This article is more than 11 years oldKlaus Kinski repeatedly raped me during my childhood, claims daughterThis article is more than 11 years oldPola Kinski says the actor, who died in 1991, subjected her to 14 years of sexual abuse and violence from the age of five or sixThe eldest daughter of the German actor Klaus Kinski has claimed she was sexually abused by him when she was a child.

Pop and rockObituaryMary Wilson obituaryFounding member of the Supremes, one of the greatest groups to come out of MotownAlthough she had to wait more than a decade before taking the lead on one of their hit singles, Mary Wilson was the force that held the Supremes together through the episodes of tragedy and internal strife that marked the history of the most successful female pop group of the 1960s. Having endured the removal of one original member, the troubled Florence Ballard, and the defection of another, Diana Ross, to solo stardom, Wilson – who has died aged 76 – worked with their replacements to keep the group’s name going.

Film This article is more than 23 years oldRape Me passed uncut in FranceThis article is more than 23 years oldThose on the look-out for the next big movie controversy would be well advised keep close tabs on the explicit French movie Rape Me, which has just been passed for cinematic release by the French censors. The latest word from those connected with the film is that negotiations are currently underway to distribute the film in the UK at some point later this year.

Science and nature booksReviewMark Cocker on an inspiring and affectionate tale of British POW ornithologistsIn September 1942 German forces had just established their suicidal hold over Stalingrad, while Rommel's Afrika Korps had made its last-gasp conquests in the Western Desert. As the whole second world war turned on its creaking pivot, several English POWs faced changes of a more parochial nature. They had just exchanged the site of their incarceration to a Bavarian town called Eichstätt, where the prison camp was set among sunlit limestone bluffs and forest-smothered hills.

US newsObituaryBobby PickettSinger and songwriter, he did the mash, the monster mashIn the United States, Halloween is one of the most intensively celebrated annual events. And one of the season's most hallowed components is the 1962 novelty hit record Monster Mash, co-written and performed in the style of horror film star Boris Karloff by Bobby "Boris" Pickett, who has died of leukaemia aged 69. Pickett was born in Somerville, Massachusetts. His father was the manager of a cinema, where Bobby began his love affair with the horror genre.

Abortion rights supporters protest the supreme court's decision in the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health case in Driggs, Idaho, on 2 July 2022. Photograph: Natalie Behring/Getty ImagesAbortion rights supporters protest the supreme court's decision in the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health case in Driggs, Idaho, on 2 July 2022. Photograph: Natalie Behring/Getty ImagesAbortionLaw protecting women seeking emergency abortions is target in US supreme court caseEmergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act is at the heart of the court’s latest blockbuster abortion case, which comes out of Idaho

TheatreReviewMenier Chocolate Factory, London Co-production with Osaka company brings 1976 study of American imperialism arriving in Japan to subtle, funny life When Stephen Sondheim’s 1976 musical premiered on Broadway, it was staged in grand kabuki style. By contrast, this Umeda Arts Theater co-production, already mounted in Tokyo and Osaka, goes small – and beautiful. Directed by Matthew White, the story of four 19th-century American warships that appear on the coast of Japan and open it up to westernising forces is performed straight through in under two hours.

Portugal This article is more than 8 months oldPortugal should apologise for role in slave trade, says its presidentThis article is more than 8 months oldMarcelo Rebelo de Sousa makes rare acknowledgement of centuries of forced transportation of millions of Africans Portugal’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has said his country should apologise and take responsibility for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, the first time a leader of the southern European nation has suggested such a national apology.

A history of folk and world musicFolk musicSometime in the mid-1930s: Number 5 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of world and folk musicThe Faustian tale of the troubled man making a pact with the devil is a recurring motif in Christian mythology. It often seeped into music – two centuries ago, people believed the Italian violinist Paganini's powers were satanic. But none of these myths have proved quite as enduring as that of Robert Johnson.

Swans This article is more than 7 years oldSwans' Michael Gira accused of rape by singer Larkin GrimmThis article is more than 7 years oldGira calls accusation a ‘slanderous lie’ after his label protege Grimm took to Facebook to post an account of alleged abuse Swans frontman Michael Gira has defended himself from an accusation of rape, calling it a “slanderous lie”. The allegation against Gira was made by singer-songwriter Larkin Grimm, who posted what she claims to be an account of the pair’s relationship on her Facebook page, including what she says is a detailed recollection of the incident.

TelevisionIt was the biggest TV show in the world ... until that finale. With quarantine unlikely to fully end any time soon, our writers debate the merits of watching, or rewatching, GoT No: ‘The final season was just a Michael Bay movie about people who don’t know how to wash’Of all the shows available to watch or rewatch in quarantine, Game of Thrones seems pretty perfect. It’s long and dense, and it tells a huge story on the grandest possible canvas.

Business This article is more than 3 months old‘This is a fight for Mt Isa’: Glencore to close copper mines after 60 years, placing 1,200 jobs at riskThis article is more than 3 months oldCompany says famed Mt Isa Mines assets are no longer viable due to low ore grades and challenging geological conditions Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Glencore will cease operations in Mt Isa at one of the biggest copper mines in the world from 2025.

Children's booksChildren's booksAuthors and teenagers share the books that saved their lifeFrom Judy Blume to My Mad Fat Diary to Catcher in the Rye, authors and teen site members share the books that saved their lives – on Blue Monday (whether or not it’s the most depressing day of the year!) This list is a work in progress. Please add to it by emailing childrens.books@theguardian.com or tweet us, @GdnChildrensBksJoin us on twitter TODAY 7-8pm where authors and teenagers will be talking about teen books and mental health – make sure you use #GdnbluemondayAfter Jennifer Niven’s top 10 teen books to save your life and to mark Blue Monday (whether or not it exists, Spring still feels a while away) we thought it was high time we had a list of books to pick you up when you feel down.

Music booksReviewThe former Cure drummer traces the genre from its 18th-century literary roots to its flourishing as a music subculture Members of subcultures can suffer for their allegiance, few more so than goths. The 2007 murder of Sophie Lancaster, targeted by teenagers because of her clothes and hairstyle, was an appalling example. Thankfully, the response is more often one of simple bemusement – perhaps an understandable reaction to adults dressed in trailing black gowns, top hats and complicated whorls of dark eye makeup.

Harry KaneThe Tottenham striker had a successful spell at Millwall as an 18-year-old which is recalled fondly as he prepares to face the south London club in the FA CupJoe Gallen was the Millwall assistant manager at the time and he remembers it as an “us or them” situation. Millwall were hovering above the Championship’s relegation places and Portsmouth were embedded in them, having been docked 10 points for their descent into administration.

The best adverts to save the planet Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Since 2001, Swiss-based not-for-profit organisation ACT Responsible (Advertising Community Together), has been collecting global advertising that 'promotes responsible communication on sustainability, equitable development and social responsibility' in a bid to highlight how the creativity of advertising professionals can be used to address the world's problems.

Indigenous peoplesClimate concerns prominent as hundreds attend celebration of chief’s nominal 91st birthday During the world’s hottest month in more than 100,000 years, Indigenous men, women and children from all over Brazil made their way into one of the last great holdouts of the Amazon rainforest for a celebration tinged with sadness and defiance. Amid rising concerns of drought and growing evidence that the biggest trees in the forest are beginning to die off, they came to Xingu national park to pay their respects to the most effective Amazon protector of them all, the Indigenous chief Raoni Metukire, who has indicated he may be coming towards the end of his activist days.

Psychology This article is more than 11 months oldThis article is more than 11 months oldExclusive: US research using actors and volunteers finds women have negative outcomes but men are less affected Have you been mansplained to? Take the quiz to find out Let me explain this to you slowly, to make sure you understand. Mansplaining is a made-up word, that combines the words man and explaining to describe when a person – usually a man – provides a condescending explanation of something to someone who already understands it.

RankedTelevisionAs the sublime, silly sitcom classic makes its way to Netflix, we rate Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer’s best outings, via accidental fascism and horrendous dance moves 20. The Chinese Restaurant (season two, episode 11)Seinfeld is, notoriously, a show about nothing, and this episode – about waiting for a restaurant table – is a perfect example. Plenty of tiny things do happen, of course – George has his name changed to Cartwright, Elaine compares herself to a hog and a panic-stricken Jerry converses with a woman whose face he can’t place – but The Chinese Restaurant is proof that the plot really isn’t the point.

Ask Annalisa BarbieriRelationshipsThe issue here may be more than a concern for his lack of a social life. Try to look at your relationship holistically, rather than seeing him as having the problem I have been with my husband for 20 years. During the first few years, he would occasionally hang out with about four friends. I’ve always been lucky enough to have quite a lot of friends and I really value them.

Sexual healingSexHow do I tell her how I feel without hurting her feelings?My wife and I were 26 when we met, and had an intense mutual sexual attraction. We have been together for six years and now she has stopped going to the gym and let herself go. (We both have pretty busy schedules with work.) I love her very much but I am not attracted to her the way I used to be.

Books blogDr SeussBlue toon: Dr Seuss's book of nudes reveals his adult sideThe good doctor's reworking of the Lady Godiva myth shows a genius cartoonist stretching himself – and realising his limitsI'm not sure whether to be disturbed or delighted by my discovery that, as well as creating Grinches and Loraxes, Cats in Hats and Hortons, Dr Seuss also drew nudes. The late Theodor Geisel, who would have turned 108 last week, is famous for his children's books but he also, it turns out, was the author of a little-known picture book for adults: The Seven Lady Godivas.

NOOKS AND CRANNIESDo any human societies not follow the convention of nodding the head for yes, shaking for no - and do any animals use it? A sharp upward jerk of the head accompanied, sometimes, by a quiet 'tut' of the lips, most certainly signifies 'no' in Bulgaria. I found it very confusing when I was there. Simon Gilman, London UK Add your answer ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKafqbK0rc2dqK6dop6ytHvQrpyrsV9leW15kWpnbGRgZXupwMyl

Jay Rayner on restaurantsSeafoodReviewA few enduring niggles overshadow great cooking and good service at this Edinburgh seafood restaurant, says Jay Rayner Fishers In the City, 58 Thistle Street, Edinburgh EH2 1EN (0131 225 5109). Meal for two, including drinks and service: £100 I am many things: tall, thick of waist and big haired. One gust of wind and I can end up looking like an unmade bed. Even without the wind, I may still look like that saggy sofa you can’t be bothered to throw out because of all the admin.

‘He turned heads’: Ghana’s most stylish guys – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Kyle Weeks has spent years on the streets of Accra, photographing the young creatives who represent the west African spirit of enthusiasm and hope Main image: ‘One figure stood out’ … Prince, Accra, Ghana, 2016. Photograph: Kyle Weeks, courtesy of Galerie Gomis: David Hill Gallery Wed 15 Nov 2023 02.

‘A coord will always have an element of boldness in its colour or print or detail.’ Photograph: David Newby/The Guardian‘A coord will always have an element of boldness in its colour or print or detail.’ Photograph: David Newby/The GuardianJess Cartner-Morley on fashionFashionEssentially a suit for softies – it looks smart and makes you smile Meet the coord. Matching separates, but in knit or jersey or silk, with no tailoring. It is essentially a suit for softies, and I am quite into this as an emotional tone.

Denver BroncosRussell Wilson says Broncos threatened to bench him if he did not alter contractWilson demoted to backup with Broncos still in playoff huntQuarterback says he was asked to change contract mid-seasonAs quarterback Russell Wilson explains it, his job was in jeopardy nearly two months ago and after the Denver Broncos’ biggest win. It was then, during the bye week following a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on 29 October, Wilson said he was facing an ultimatum from the team: Adjust his contract or risk being benched.

The ObserverAmanda Holden This article is more than 11 years oldSo Amanda, why did you watch that vile tape?This article is more than 11 years oldBarbara EllenThe treatment of Tulisa over the 'sex tape' was cruel and unthinkingIt feels strange to be angry and disappointed in Amanda Holden. It feels like being let down by the little girl chalking on the blackboard on the old-fashioned test card. It feels like being angry at a sub-par bowl of Instant Whip.

MusicInterviewTamino: the Arab-Belgian singer bringing two worlds togetherJad SalfitiHe’s supported Lana Del Rey, collaborated with a member of Radiohead and been compared to Jeff Buckley – but the Belgian-Egyptian-Lebanese singer doesn’t try and force a cross-cultural sound In the video to Tamino’s 2018 single, Tummy, the Belgian singer is covered from head to toe in gold paint, eyeliner dramatically drawn on to make him look like a pharaoh. He stands in front of a European aristocratic townhouse shirtless in a long white skirt holding up a crook and flail – the ancient Egyptian royal symbols of authority but also responsibility.

ScienceThe truth about lying and laughingWhy are we so bad at spotting a lie, do we smile when no one is looking, and what's the funniest joke ever told? Richard Wiseman took a scientific approach to answering some age-old questionsOver the years, I have tried to unravel the truth about deception - investigating the telltale signs that give away a liar. There are some pointers to the evolutionary origins of deceit.

Bob Dylan This article is more than 1 year oldBob Dylan unveils his largest-ever sculpture, of a railway freight carThis article is more than 1 year oldRail Car, which Dylan describes as representing ‘perception and reality at the same time’, is installed on tracks in a Provence vineyard Bob Dylan’s largest-ever sculpture, of a railway freight carriage, has been unveiled on a French vineyard. The monumental piece, entitled Rail Car, is built from about seven tonnes of iron and installed on train tracks at Château La Coste in Provence.

Black power behind barsBlack power movement This article is more than 1 year oldEx-Black Panther asks for fresh trial amid new evidenceThis article is more than 1 year oldNew evidence shows that the conviction of Mumia Abu-Jamal – who has spent over 40 years in prison – was tainted, prompting calls for a re-examination Mumia Abu-Jamal, the best known of the African American radicals incarcerated for decades for their actions during the black liberation struggle of the 1970s and 80s, is petitioning a Pennsylvania court for a new trial after the discovery of fresh evidence that casts doubt on his conviction.

Grey Gardens: rarely seen images from the film about the eccentric Beale family Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The Maysles brothers’ 1975 documentary about “Big Edie” and “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale – ageing, isolated relatives of Jackie Kennedy Onassis – has become a cultural phenomenon, with a musical and a TV film reconstruction already produced. Here are a selection of photographs from the celebrated film.

Nepal This article is more than 1 year oldHilaree Nelson, famed US mountaineer, missing on Nepal’s Manaslu peakThis article is more than 1 year oldTrek organiser says the US climber had an accident on Monday as bad weather hampers rescue efforts The renowned US big-mountain skier Hilaree Nelson has gone missing on a trek in the Himalayas after apparently falling into a 2,000ft crevasse. Nelson and her partner, Jim Morrison, had scaled the 26,781ft peak of Manaslu mountain on Monday morning.

Houseplant of the weekHouseplantsWith its vivid, silvery leaf veining, this tropical star adds a wow-factor to any room Why will I love it? The foliage of the African mask plant (Alocasia amazonica ‘Polly’) has a pop art look to it, and its dark green, waxy leaves contrast beautifully with its thick silvery-green veins. Light or shade? Bright indirect light. Where should I put it? On a side table close to a window, but not in full sun, so to admire it while having a cup of tea or reading.

BastilleInterview‘I’ve been expecting things to fall apart at any moment’: Dan Smith on 10 years of body dysmorphia, burnout and BastilleChris GodfreyHe has found critical and commercial success, while behind the scenes the frontman has battled with his self-confidence and severe stage fright. He explains why he still loves being in the band Dan Smith doesn’t know how to switch off. In the decade or so that he has been the creative heart, and frontman, of the band Bastille, he has thought about music constantly.

FictionReviewSet in the near future, this riveting debut explores racist violence and the weight of the past In 2017, a white supremacist drove his car headlong into a peaceful group opposing a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing a young woman, Heather Heyer, and injuring dozens of others. There was widespread horror and outrage as footage of broken bodies bouncing off the car was broadcast around the world. But what if the tragedy did not shame local white nationalists, but embolden them?

The test: Gravy boats Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Thu 29 Apr 2010 08.00 BST First published on Thu 29 Apr 2010 08.00 BST Gravy boat A colourful and pleasingly rotound gravy jug that pours without any drips and looks far more expensive than its very reasonable price tag. £9.50, johnlewis.com 08456 049 049 Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Maxim gravy boat with saucer Straightforward porcelain gravy boat and matching plate.

SEMANTIC ENIGMASWhat is the origin of the silent 'w' before 'r' in English words such as 'wrap', 'write', 'wring' etc? BEFORE the 17th century the 'w' was pronounced. Other letters ('g' in gnaw and 'k' in knee, for example) fell silent too, but were trapped in the spelling as written English fossilised into its present form. They are all of ancient Germanic origin and were pronounced in Anglo-Saxon. German, which is generally spelt as spoken, writes reissen (cognate with 'write') without the original 'w' and nagen (cognate with 'gnaw') without the original 'g', but has kept the 'k' in knie because it is pronounced.

The ObserverBangladeshWhen her widowed mother remarried, Parvin Rema, then 13, was part of the deal – one of several such arrangements in Bangladesh. Abigail Haworth talks to mothers and daughters about a particularly knotty relationshipAs a child in rural Bangladesh, Orola Dalbot, 30, enjoyed growing up around her stepfather, Noten. Her father died when she was small, and her mother remarried soon after. Noten was handsome and energetic, with curly dark hair and a broad smile.

Mind your languageLanguage This article is more than 12 years oldCurvy + hairy + size 10 = real woman?This article is more than 12 years oldCathy RelfAs 'unreal woman' becomes the new pariah, let's have more honesty and clarity about body image"Real", says the OED, means actually existing, genuine. It's often used to signal a contrast with something unreal, fake or conceptual. Thus real fruit content, real diamonds, real life. Where there's no doubt, we don't use it.

World cinemaInterviewEmily Browning: total controlMaddy CostaShe turned down the lead in Twilight and now stars in a film about sex work. Emily Browning tells Maddy Costa that yes, she knows exactly what she's doingEmily Browning spent the spring of 2011 ricocheting from one controversy to another. Sucker Punch, a hyperactive video game-influenced fantasia in which she starred as the scantily clad Baby Doll, was released at the end of March to a barrage of dreadful reviews deriding its "

MexicoThe story of a child supposedly alive in the rubble of the Enrique Rebsámen school gripped the country – until it became clear she didn’t exist The story captivated a country still reeling from catastrophe: rescue workers were labouring round the clock to free a 12-year-old girl who had miraculously survived Mexico’s devastating earthquake, but remained trapped in the ruins of her school. Television channels broadcast breathless updates describing how the rescuers were inching closer to the cavity where Frida Sofía was buried alive.

Forensic science This article is more than 7 years oldHow long was 'mummified' German sailor adrift?This article is more than 7 years oldMystery surrounds death of Manfred Fritz Bajorat, found slumped ‘like he was sleeping’ in yacht floating near Philippines WARNING: article contains graphic image A German sailor found dead on a yacht drifting in the Philippine Sea may have become mummified within weeks of his sudden death on board the vessel, forensic scientists have said.

Italy This article is more than 2 years oldLevelling up Pompeii: grave shows how a former slave went farThis article is more than 2 years oldInscriptions by the body of Marcus Venerius Secundio proudly list his achievements after being liberated The inscription on the gravestone proudly attests to how far Marcus Venerius Secundio, a former slave of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, went in life. In order of importance, he lists his achievements after being liberated.

Australian theatreInterview‘Othello is truly a dream role – no gammin!’ Jimi Bani takes on the role of a lifetimeElissa BlakeThe actor is about to play Othello as a Torres Strait Islander in the second world war. He reflects on his career and his preparations to be the ninth chief of the Wagadagam tribe Actor Jimi Bani is deep into preparation for two very serious roles. One is the role of a lifetime.

Book cover art quizzesPublishingQuiz: can you identify these classic books by their covers?We're not supposed to judge books by their covers, but good design can work wonders - as all publishers know. Can you name the novels pictured here?ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJqfpLi0e8GopqSrkqG8qHvQrqCzZ2JlfnV7zJqwaGpiZLOqr9Oipqdlk6GutL%2FInKpmm5%2BrsrN5w56qop%2BeYr62tdk%3D

Sculpture This article is more than 1 year oldShockingly, Brad Pitt turns out to be a very fine sculptorThis article is more than 1 year oldJonathan JonesPitt is not the first star to try his hand at art, but his finely wrought, intelligent reflections of American violence make him one of the very best I would assume Brad Pitt has a pretty enviable life, even in the throes of his messy divorce from Angelina Jolie.

Facebook This article is more than 9 years oldFacebook still freezing accounts despite apology to drag queens over 'real names'This article is more than 9 years oldSister Roma reports 300-400 accounts deactivated ‘Every time one or two get fixed, a handful get suspended’Weeks after Facebook apologised for the way its “real-name” policy had led to the suspension of numerous drag queens’ accounts, user accounts are still being suspended or deactivated for not using people’s legal names.

The ObserverFictionReviewFirst published in 1974, this autobiographical account of a starlet’s disillusionment with Hollywood and America is urgent and shrewd The 1968 American series Julia, about a single mother raising her son, was one of the first TV series with a black woman in the lead. The mum’s babysitter was played by Alison Mills. One day, aged 17, she asked the producer if she could stop wearing the hideous wig that covered her hair.

Street-side vada pav vendors in Mumbai. Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters/AlamyStreet-side vada pav vendors in Mumbai. Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters/AlamyFood and drinkVada pav – spiced potato balls in a soft roll – is the quintessential Mumbai street food. BBC presenter Leyla Kazim devours the city’s best Mumbai was the first stop on an eight-month, round-the-world trip I took with my husband in 2014. The longest time I’d spent out of the UK prior to this had been three weeks.

MathematicsObituaryJohn Nash obituaryNobel prizewinning mathematician whose life was depicted in the film A Beautiful MindThe American mathematician John Nash, who has died aged 86 in a taxi cab crash in New Jersey, made his public mark as the subject of the 2001 film A Beautiful Mind. In his discipline, he gave his name to the Nash equilibrium – a position in a situation of competition or conflict in which both sides have selected a strategy, but where neither side can then independently change their strategy without ending up in a less desirable position.

The ObserverNetherlandsThe city authorities have commissioned a complex with bars, restaurants, theatres and rooms for sex workers – but nobody wants it in their backyard A multi-storey “erotic centre” proposed to replace Amsterdam’s red light district has a big problem: nobody wants it in their back yard. Last year the mayor and city council agreed plans to move and reimagine Amsterdam’s infamous red light district after years of worsening nuisance, criminality and dangerous crowd levels in the ancient centre.

Child protection This article is more than 3 months oldPornography driving UK teens towards child abuse material, say expertsThis article is more than 3 months oldExclusive: Police and charities warn of rise in harmful sexual behaviour among young people Child abuse experts and police are warning that access to increasingly extreme pornography is driving a rise in harmful sexual behaviour among young people, from sexting to watching online child abuse.

Crime This article is more than 11 years oldSofyen Belamouadden killing: final conviction over Victoria station deathThis article is more than 11 years oldJoint-enterprise murder prosecution ends with case of Junior Bayode who joined 20-strong charge against 15-year-oldThe largest joint-enterprise murder prosecution in the country has ended with the conviction of the last of a group of 20 teenagers in connection with the killing of a 15-year-old boy at a busy central London railway station.

Top 10sHorror booksWith Halloween looming, these tales by authors from Shirley Jackson to Stephen King are guaranteed to keep you awake as the nights close in In the foreword to his anthology Skeleton Crew, Stephen King launched a memorable defence of the horror short story. No, they weren’t failed novels. Neither were they ideas he couldn’t bring himself to bin. Comparing a novel to a long affair, he saw the short story as a “quick kiss in the dark with a stranger … but those kisses can be sweet”.

BooksReaders find themes that align with their values as they seek to ‘grow empathy’ for a religion long vilified in the west Megan B Rice loves reading. She started a romance novel club on the instant messaging platform Discord and posts book reviews on TikTok. Last month Rice, who is 34 and lives in Chicago, used her social media accounts to speak out about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “I wanted to talk about the faith of Palestinian people, how it’s so strong, and they still find room to make it a priority to thank God, even when they have everything taken away from them,” she said in an interview.

Former Labor staffer and The Bachelor contestant Alisha Aitken-Radburn, whose new book The Villain Edit is out now. Photograph: Allen and UnwinFormer Labor staffer and The Bachelor contestant Alisha Aitken-Radburn, whose new book The Villain Edit is out now. Photograph: Allen and UnwinThe BachelorAitken-Radburn’s ‘spicy’ remarks were an attempt to win more airtime on Australia’s 2018 season. But then the DMs started rolling in … Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email At first, Alisha Aitken-Radburn was excited to see herself as a contestant on Australia’s The Bachelor.

The ObserverFilmInterviewChiara Mastroianni: I only saw my parents together on screenJason SolomonsHer father, Marcello Mastroianni, was Italy's biggest film star, while her mother, Catherine Deneuve, was the queen of French cinema. As her latest film is released, Chiara Mastroianni reveals the artistic secrets she inherited from Europe's golden coupleWhen you've grown up as the daughter of not one but two screen icons, you might be fed up with talking about how great your parents are.

Dark humour … Bill Milner and Sheila Hancock as the titular leads in Harold and Maude. Photograph: Darren BellDark humour … Bill Milner and Sheila Hancock as the titular leads in Harold and Maude. Photograph: Darren BellStageReviewCharing Cross theatre, London There’s witty live music and convincing performances by Sheila Hancock and Bill Milner but this staging of the cult movie feels coy and dated ‘I can never understand someone refusing an experience,” chirps 79-year-old Maude, played by Sheila Hancock in this stage version of Hal Ashby’s 1971 movie.

Stephen Hendry holds the trophy after his 16-12 victory against Steve Davis in December 1989. Photograph: Pete Lomas/ShutterstockStephen Hendry holds the trophy after his 16-12 victory against Steve Davis in December 1989. Photograph: Pete Lomas/ShutterstockThat 1980s sports blogSnookerStephen Hendry’s victory over Steve Davis at Preston in December 1989 kickstarted his decade of dominance By Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog When Stephen Hendry beat Steve Davis in the UK Championship final at Preston in December 1989, it felt significant for snooker.

The ObserverPop and rockInterviewMac DeMarco: ‘I’ve been trying to not turn into my father’Kathryn BromwichAt once jaunty and dark, the music of the Canadian singer-songwriter has won him a growing fanbase. On his third album he addresses his ‘old man’, an alcoholic and addict he barely knowsEarly March, north London. Three hundred youthful-looking people have wangled tickets to see Canadian singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco perform a rare intimate gig at a tiny pub called Nambucca.

Mysterious purple orb discovered by marine scientists in California GuardianMarine life This article is more than 7 years oldScientists fight crab for mysterious purple orb discovered in California deepThis article is more than 7 years oldE/V Nautilus team find likely sea slug 5,000ft below sea off Santa BarbaraAnalysis reveals foot and proboscis, making it ‘a gastropod of some kind’More than 5,000ft below the surface of the ocean, in a canyon off the coast of southern California, the purple, globular creature appeared to glow under the submersible’s lights.

Invasive species This article is more than 1 month oldUK bans giant rhubarb after study finds popular garden plant is invasive species This article is more than 1 month oldExclusive: plant from South America, also known as Gunnera, found to spread rapidly and choke native flora With its dramatic leaves and sprawling structure, the giant rhubarb has long been a popular garden plant, gracing the grounds of stately homes and multiple National Trust properties.

THIS SCEPTRED ISLEWhy are the counties around London called the "Home counties"? Michael Nates, Bushey, England Presumably following the custom of having a Home Farm around a large house - to supply the population. London would have needed supplies on a larger scale - Tess of the D'Urbevilles shows that by C19th even Dorset was roped into service. Vivienne, London I was taught this at school.It is becuase Queen Victoria had a house in them.

CitiesFifty years since the Battle of the Bogside, some fear the new status of Derry’s murals as a tourist attraction will stop the community overcoming the past One of the first things you see as you enter Bogside is a 20ft mural of a 12-year-old boy, wearing a gas mask and clutching a petrol bomb. Painted on the side of a social housing property, it’s a stark reminder of the violence that tore Derry apart during the Troubles.

Best reads of 2023LonelinessAtilla Demirer swiped in to his Sydney building in July 2021. There are no records of him leaving again before his body was found four months later. Was this just another case of fatal loneliness? The inquest is held in courtroom four at Lidcombe coroner’s court, Sydney, in early August, in an echoey room so empty the coronial advocate assisting, Durand Welsh, asks if I am a family member.

blow Guardian house web copy2 Illustration: Paul BlowIn the tight-knit online gaming community Epic Mafia, Eris was an infamous celebrity. So when news of his suicide reached the forums, many players were grief stricken. But in a virtual world where it pays to lie, could it really be true?by Alina SimoneEveryone who played Epic Mafia knew Eris, or at least knew of him. In real life, he was a 32-year-old computer programmer, who lived alone with his border collie in upstate New York, but in the tight-knit online gaming community of Epic Mafia, he was a celebrity, the impresario of the site’s many forums, constantly flirting, philosophising, gossiping.

Emma Kennedy: ‘A waistline started to appear, and a smile.’ Photograph: Sophia Spring/The GuardianEmma Kennedy: ‘A waistline started to appear, and a smile.’ Photograph: Sophia Spring/The GuardianFitness tipsHealth & wellbeingA 75-day six-pack programme, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, women-only weightlifting and Couch to 5k: four writers on finding their perfect route to fitness ‘Exercises you struggle with on a Monday will feel easy by Sunday’Emma Kennedy on the Six Pack Revolution I have always been an active person, interested in life, people, news, but after reacting badly to my second Covid vaccine, I developed ophthalmic nerve shingles.

StageObituaryJohn Moffatt obituaryClassical actor who graced the stage with decorum and stillnessAlthough perhaps best known as Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie's moustache-twirling detective, on BBC radio, John Moffatt, who has died aged 89, was a devastatingly clinical and classical stage actor of irreproachable taste and valour. He seemed something of a throwback, but there are very few today who could rival his armour-plated technique, his almost uncanny empathy with comic style ranging from the Restoration to Rattigan – his trademark stillness and decorum on stage was at odds with false notions of flounce and frilliness – or his incisive articulation.

Books blogFictionKafka's guilty pleasuresThere's no reason why his genius should be questioned because of his taste for pornographyQuite dark ... Anthony Perkins as Josef K in Orson Welles's 1983 film of The Trial. Photograph: Kobal So the literary world, and perhaps some of the rest of it, is now astonished to learn that Franz Kafka, of all people, had a collection of surprisingly dirty pornography. Dr James Hawes, his latest biographer, has told us that it is not common-or-garden porn.

If the cap fits … rapper NF. Photograph: Jon Taylor SweetIf the cap fits … rapper NF. Photograph: Jon Taylor SweetRapInterviewRapper NF: ‘In the Christian world everyone wants to pretend everything is OK’Michael SegalovThe Nashville-based artist has attracted a huge audience with his deeply personal rhymes about depression, trauma and ‘the Almighty’ – just don’t call him a Christian rapper The week I meet Nashville-based rapper Nathan John Feuerstein, AKA NF, at his Tennessee home in April, his latest record – Hope – hits No 2 in both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK album chart, as well as in Australia, Canada and Norway, and No 1 in the Netherlands.

TV reviewTelevisionReviewThe Tavistock centre’s gender identity service has been embroiled in court cases and criticism. This balanced look at its closure talks to those it helped – and those it failed “How did you go bankrupt?” a character is asked in Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises. “Two ways,” he replies. “Gradually, then suddenly.” So it is with medical scandals, too. Disquiet builds and eventually, suddenly – often when someone goes to the press – a reckoning falls.

ShortcutsBurlesqueThe cabaret show at this notorious London club is known as the wildest in townIt has only been open for a fortnight, but The Box cabaret club in London's Soho has established a reputation for being the most raucous show in town. "Do all the drugs you want. Do all the cocaine you can. Answer every fetish," is how, according to a London paper, master of ceremonies Raven O welcomes revellers shortly before the 1am showtime.

Las Vegas city guideLas Vegas holidaysReviewThe music and clubbing scene in Vegas attracts the world's very biggest names to its dive bars, outrageous clubs and chillaxin' venues, say Chuckmonster and Spencer Patterson As featured in our Las Vegas city guide The Joint at the Hard Rock HotelWe'll admit it, we weren't too thrilled when Las Vegas's most iconic rock room announced it would double in size. After all, this was the place where the Stones stripped down, where Neil Young ditched Greendale, where Metallica and the Chili Peppers rang in the New Year, where Jack White's guitar spontaneously burst into flames.

Figure skating This article is more than 1 month oldAmerican teenager Lindsay Thorngren roars to surprise lead at NHK TrophyThis article is more than 1 month oldNew Jersey teenager is surprise leader after short programKagiyama upstages Uno to take first in men’s short programLindsay Thorngren of the United States was the surprise leader after the women’s short program at the NHK Trophy in Osaka. Thorngren’s performance to Windmills of Your Mind included a triple lutz, triple toe-loop combination, a double axel and a triple flip for 68.

Angela CarterThe otherworldly figure conjured after her death in 1992 doesn’t do Angela Carter justice. Her biographer Edmund Gordon attempts a more accurate portrayal of a complex, sensual and highly intellectual woman When Angela Carter died – aged just 51, on 16 February 1992 – her reputation changed from cultish to canonical. Her obituaries in the British press received more space than any others that year except Francis Bacon, Willy Brandt and Marlene Dietrich.

Dance blogDanceAnimation dance: hip-hop’s living cartoon marvelsAnimation dance – its swooping waves, irrepressible tics and melodramatic freezes inspired by blockbuster cartoons – is the latest in hip-hop’s neverending conveyor belt of new movesMaybe once or twice a decade a new style or practice is identified within contemporary dance – postmodern dance, release technique, dance theatre, conceptual dance. But it’s a slow process compared to the vivid reinvention and renaming that goes on in hip-hop dance.

CatholicismExhumed body of Padre Pio goes on display· Italian saint revered for cures and stigmata · A million worshippers expected to view corpseSome 15,000 worshippers gathered yesterday at the shrine of the Roman Catholic saint and mystic Padre Pio, as his exhumed body went on display for the first time since his death almost 40 years ago. More than a million people are expected to file past a transparent casket holding his restored corpse between now and September 2009.

Carlton in The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air dad dancing in a dadcore outfit. Photograph: NBC via Getty ImagesCarlton in The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air dad dancing in a dadcore outfit. Photograph: NBC via Getty ImagesThe Fashion autumn/winter 2016FashionIs dadcore a fashion trend to outlast them all?Practical, comfortable, confident: dadcore is a fashion inspiration rather than a style joke Dadcore is inspired by the wardrobe of the man who gave up on fashion when he became a father.

Spain This article is more than 5 years oldSpain plans to ban alternative medicine in health centresThis article is more than 5 years oldGovernment aims to avoid ‘harmful effects’ caused by acupuncture and homeopathy The Spanish government has announced plans to eradicate alternative medicine such as acupuncture or homeopathy from health centres. The proposal, unveiled by the science and health ministers, aims to avoid the “potential harmful effects” of the practices when they are used as an alternative or a complement to treatment that is itself based on “proof and scientific rigour”, the government said in a statement.

Antonio BanderasReviewWith this bizarre, elegant tale of a surgeon replacing his lover's skin, Pedro Almodóvar cooks up an exotic brew that no one else could ever makeSexuality and the prison house of the self are the themes of Pedro Almodóvar's fantastically twisted new film, a luxury pulp fiction that breathes the atmosphere of the sick-room. Antonio Banderas stars as Ledgard, a wealthy and brilliant plastic surgeon who in his palatial home, tastefully furnished and equipped with its own private operating theatre, is secretly experimenting on the beautiful and submissive young Vera (Elena Anaya), whose entire skin covering he is replacing with an eerily smooth artificial substance, transgenically derived from pig hide.

The ObserverFabrice MuambaWhen Bolton Wanderers star Fabrice Muamba, 23, dramatically collapsed last Saturday he came perilously close to death. This is the remarkable story of the team that saved himAt 18.13 GMT last Saturday, 43 minutes after kick-off in the FA Cup tie between Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, played at White Hart Lane, north London, home of Spurs, 23-year-old Fabrice Muamba collapsed. As the stadium fell silent and medical staff huddled around him, the match was abandoned.

Classics cornerCharles DickensDickens's tale of love and revolution in London and Paris is among his finest, both intimate and epic in scaleIt is the best of times for reissues of Dickens classics as this year marks the 200th anniversary of his birth. With one of the most famous opening sentences in history, A Tale of Two Cities ranks among the novelist's finest, anatomising the conflict between democratic and aristocratic principles during the French revolution.

How the world sees AmericaUS politics This article is more than 10 years oldAn Australian's view of America: I often romanticise the US, but it's lost its wayThis article is more than 10 years oldKaren PickeringFirearms, healthcare, inequality, government shutdowns. I'm an incurable Americophile, but the US has a lot to work onAs I'm sure Americans have a particular view of Australia (if they remember us at all when they're not at Outback Steakhouse), so too do Australians perceive the United States through a lens that simplifies and possibly distorts the truth.

The ObserverFood This article is more than 3 months oldGrassy, herbal and sweet: How peas on toast is edging out avocados for brunchThis article is more than 3 months oldHousehold staple is now on the menu of a wide range of restaurants, and featured in recipe books by famous chefs Smashed green vegetables for brunch have become a fixture on British tables over the last decade – but the avocado might finally be edged off the organic sourdough by a new topper.

India This article is more than 5 months oldIndia: four men arrested after women stripped naked and paraded in ManipurThis article is more than 5 months oldPolice say further arrests expected as attack captured in viral video prompts nationwide outrage Four men have been arrested in connection with the case of two women who were stripped naked, publicly paraded and allegedly gang raped in the Indian state of Manipur, in an attack that caused outrage after it was captured in a viral video.

FilmObituaryPeggy Cummins obituaryHollywood film actor who starred in the now-revered 1950 B-movie Gun Crazy, a forerunner of Bonnie and ClydeThe British actor Peggy Cummins, who has died aged 92, was discovered by the Hollywood mogul Darryl F Zanuck when she was a teenager and almost immediately given the lead in his big film of the age, Forever Amber, based on the historical romance by Kathleen Winsor. In 1946 she began filming the part of Amber St Clare, a young beauty making her way in 17th-century England, shooting opposite Vincent Price as Almsbury.

MusicInterviewThe return of RaekwonAngus BateyThe last time we heard Raekwon he was disowning the music of the Wu-Tang Clan. Now, with his long-awaited new solo album finally out, he's rebuilding his bridges with the ClanCorey Woods is tired, but happy. The rotund rapper with the slurring voice and the mouthful of gold teeth sits in the lobby of a London hotel, chewing over the ups and downs of his musical career in the same way he tears into rhymes that earned him a place among the hip-hop greats.

Bruce LeeHe made just four films and was crudely stereotyped, but brought Hong Kong-flavoured action to Hollywood and changed the face of Asian cinema for ever It is not certain that Bruce Lee would have seen a kung fu duel involving sex toys as a fitting tribute to his legacy, but the Oscar triumph of Everything, Everywhere All At Once earlier this year is a reminder, 50 years after his death, of what a trail he has blazed.

Fossils This article is more than 5 years oldVery creepy crawlies: 'proto-spiders' with long tails discovered in amberThis article is more than 5 years oldFossil hunters find preserved remains of 100-million-year-old arachnids with tails longer than their bodies In what can safely be assumed to be horrifying news for arachnophobes around the world, scientists have discovered the beautifully-preserved remains of prehistoric “proto-spiders” that sported tails longer than their bodies. The ancient arachnid may have used its tail for sensing predators and prey.

TheatreReviewDonmar Warehouse, London Amy Herzog’s tale of uprooted Americans sinks into melodrama but is elevated by a central pair who reveal all the nuances of a marriage in crisis Americans in Paris have inspired countless novelists, from Henry James to Ernest Hemingway. They also gave Gershwin the idea for a great musical and feature in popular movies such as Charade. Yet I’ve rarely seen a more rootless pair of expatriates than the young couple at the centre of Amy Herzog’s play first seen at Yale Rep in 2011.

FilmObituaryDana Wynter obituaryActor often cast as an 'English rose', she starred in Invasion of the Body SnatchersIt could be argued that the strikingly beautiful, dark-haired Dana Wynter, who has died aged 79, did not have the film career she deserved. One of the reasons may have been that she was under a seven-year contract to 20th Century Fox, a studio that gave her few chances to display her histrionic talents. As proof, Wynter's best film, Don Siegel's Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), was produced by Allied Artists, one of the "

The ObserverCultureGay sex disgusts me. Am I prejudiced?I feel I have offended my gay friend and I want to know if my opinions are prejudice or normal. Despite liking someone regardless of their sexuality, I find the thought of sex between two men quite abhorrent (I am a heterosexual woman). I do not, however, find the idea of two women together abhorrent (although I wouldn't want to do it myself). I tried to explain that I felt it was a preference, not a prejudice, but he disagrees, believing that I think gay men are disgusting.

The ObserverTelevisionInside the Moulin Rouge: BBC series follows British stars of French cabaretA fly-on-the-wall documentary will accompany performers from auditions to the nightclub famous for the can-can dance Once a hangout for the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and still home to saucy can-can dancers, the Moulin Rouge has long stood for everything French and naughty. But behind all the flouncy skirts, the nightclub has a secret, which is about to be uncovered in a major BBC Two documentary series, announced on Sunday.

BooksObituaryIona Opie obituaryFolklorist who collected, codified and published children’s rhymes, riddles and street cultureWhen asked how she became a custodian of the lore and traditions of childhood, Iona Opie, who has died aged 94, told a bedtime story. The publishing company that employed her husband, Peter, was exiled by the London blitz to Bedfordshire in 1943, and there the couple walked by a field of corn. Iona, who was pregnant, picked up a bug and recited “Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home / Your house is on fire and your children all gone.

PublishingObituaryLord Weidenfeld obituaryBrilliant and gregarious publisher who arrived in Britain as a refugee from nazism and co-founded his own firm with Nigel Nicolson in the late 1940sGeorge Weidenfeld, Lord Weidenfeld, who has died aged 96, belonged to that remarkable group of Jewish refugees who transformed postwar British publishing into an exciting, dynamic industry. He was pre-eminent among his fellow publishers, both in the range of his interests and activism, and in his capacity for international networking, building bridges across Europe and beyond.

Film This article is more than 9 years oldObama-Satan lookalike cut from film version of hit mini-series The BibleThis article is more than 9 years old'The devil is on the cutting-room floor. This is now a movie about Jesus … the devil gets no more screen time,' says producer of The Son Of God Quiz: Name that Satan Controversial scenes in which an actor with a startling resemblance to US President Barack Obama portrayed Satan have been cut from the big-screen version of a hit mini-series about Jesus' life.

Top 10sShort storiesIts fiction is best known to English readers through novels, but its short stories are better. From Jorge Luis Borges to Clarice Lispector, here are some of the best Short stories: how not to despair with the unjust way they are treated in the world of British letters? From their frequent definition in terms of what they are not – a novel – to the reluctance of risk-averse publishers when it comes to releasing one of these not-novels into the world.

‘If there is not a corridor, he makes one’… Bruce Willis in Die Hard. Photograph: Moviestore Collection / Rex Feat‘If there is not a corridor, he makes one’… Bruce Willis in Die Hard. Photograph: Moviestore Collection / Rex FeatBooksReviewBurglars look at buildings in a different way, seeing lift shafts that can be shimmied up and plasterboard walls to cut through. This playful book is crammed with good anecdotesIn June 1986, strange mechanical sounds were heard coming from the ground around the vault of the First Interstate Bank in Hollywood.

Roman PolanskiBritish actor claims Roman Polanski sexually abused her at 16Charlotte Lewis makes allegations to support charges in USThe legal problems of the film director Roman Polanski, who is currently under house arrest in his Swiss chateau awaiting extradition to the US charged with raping a 13-year-old girl three decades ago, thickened yesterday when a British actor claimed he had sexually abused her in the 1980s when she was 16 years old.

Film recapMoviesKillers: Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher are victims of a bungled execution – film on TV recapThe characters are blank and the stars appear to exist in their own separate vacuums in this, the third worst film of 2010, which is showing on Channel 5 at 10pm on Sunday Read Jason Solomons' review of Killers Read more recaps from Stuart Heritage "How weird is this going to get?" – JenKatherine Heigl has struck upon a novel strategy to promote her new TV show State of Affairs – she's basically apologising for her entire career.

FictionReviewThis gag-heavy comedy, in which a tech mogul has planted a microchip in his wife’s brain, is a wild ride “The stench of crisis on you now is at an all-time high,” Hazel’s father tells her. He’s not wrong: Hazel is a perpetual Cinderella, still in rags despite having been swept off her feet by a (not so charming) prince. She has packed up and run away, back to her dad’s, but how do you evade a husband who has planted a microchip in your brain?

IsraelLettersOur hearts ache, but we must not give in to despairGuy Naamati, a former resident of Kibbutz Re’im in Israel, shares a poem he wrote in response to the Hamas attack, while another reader describes the pain of seeing atrocities brushed off or even justified I live in Cambridge, but I’m originally from Kibbutz Re’im in Israel, not far from the site of the festival massacre last weekend. My parents, sisters and young niece and nephews were there during the attack, but thankfully they are safe.

The ObserverFashion This article is more than 2 years oldThe devil’s in the detail: hair horns become summer’s hot new trendThis article is more than 2 years oldAnime inspires bold, edgy look with a nod back to punk and emo styles worn by the Bromley Contingent and the Prodigy’s Keith Flint This year has brought many unexpected hair trends. First came the shullet (a cross between the 90s shag and the harder 80s mullet), then the wolf cut (a long choppy style with wispy layers and a heavy fringe), but now there’s a new trend in town, and it is bolder than ever: hair horns.

Cancer This article is more than 7 months oldThe extraordinary bucket list of Laura Nuttall who died of brain cancer at 23This article is more than 7 months oldLancashire woman met Michelle Obama, commanded a warship, performed with Peter Kay and drove a tank Very few people would be able to say they had commanded a Royal Navy ship, met Michelle Obama and presented a television weather forecast. But Laura Nuttall from Barrowford in Lancashire did not let a terminal cancer diagnosis stop her from ticking off an impressive bucket list before her death on Monday at the age of 23.

BooksA bookseller in Kent has gone viral after tweeting a picture of her empty shop. Here, other retailers explain how they are surviving – even thriving – when many people are counting every penny A vase of hydrangeas sits among a crop of the latest releases, including What Writers Read and Blake Morrison’s Two Sisters. There is a cosy rug and a bright window display. It looks like a lovely bookshop.

CultureAt its première in 1926, Bulgakov's play about the Russian intelligentsia caused members of the audience to faint in recognition of their plight. As The White Guard opens in London, Will Self considers the shadow cast over the writer's work by a phone call from StalinThe following correction was printed in the Guardian's Corrections and clarifications column, Friday 2 April 2010 In the article below about the background to the play The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov, Will Self omitted to credit a biography of the playwright entitled Manuscripts Don't Burn, by JAE Curtis, who also wrote the programme notes for the current production of the play at the National Theatre in London.

Exhibitionism at the exhibition: the Sydney Dance Company takes over the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Photograph: Pedro GreigExhibitionism at the exhibition: the Sydney Dance Company takes over the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Photograph: Pedro GreigSydney festival 2017Sydney Dance Company performs a world-first all-naked event to the delight of avid nudists. Just be careful where you look “Here?” I ask. “We undress here?” The man beside me already has his pants off.

LondonEight arrested after protesters clash with police in south LondonSocial media footage appears to show people wielding sticks as violence broke out after demonstration related to ‘tensions in the Eritrean community’ Protesters clashed with police in south London on Saturday after a demonstration related to “tensions in the Eritrean community”. Social media footage of the incident in Camberwell appeared to show protesters wielding sticks clashing with Metropolitan police officers, bringing traffic to a standstill.

Paul Stephenson: ‘You can’t have true racial harmony without racial justice.’ Photograph: Khali Ackford/The GuardianWhen he sat down in a pub that banned black people, Stephenson helped change Britain’s discrimination laws. He talks about organising the Bristol bus boycott, attacks from the National Front – and why Muhammad Ali composed a poem about him by Kehinde AndrewsIn 1964, Paul Stephenson walked into the Bay Horse pub in Bristol and ordered half a pint.

UK weatherStorm Isha: two dead and many without power as 107mph wind hits UKTwo people die in separate car collisions while tens of thousands suffer power cuts in wild weather Two people have died and tens of thousands were left without power after Storm Isha wreaked havoc across the UK with gusts as high as 107mph. Police Scotland said an 84-year-old man died after a car in which he was a passenger crashed into a fallen tree on the A905 at Grangemouth at about 11.

Loony toons: SpongeBob SquarePants, Invader Zim, Ren and Stimpy, Doug and Rocko’s Modern Life. Composite: Alamy, Nickelodeon & Rex FeaturesLoony toons: SpongeBob SquarePants, Invader Zim, Ren and Stimpy, Doug and Rocko’s Modern Life. Composite: Alamy, Nickelodeon & Rex FeaturesAnimation on TVThis month sees the 25th anniversary of Nicktoons, an offshoot of Nickelodeon that delivered kids’ TV and changed the way we think about animation itself Nickelodeon broke a lot of ground: it was the first offering of its kind on television, it attracted (and maintains) a huge audience of children, and since the late 1980s it’s been a hive of high-concept game shows, unusual animation and clever visual gags.

The Handmaid's Tale: episode by episodeThe Handmaid's TaleA sacrifice was made this week to save the 52 children, but whether it was justified is another matter Spoiler alert: this recap is for people watching The Handmaid’s Tale, series three, on Channel 4 in the UK. Please do not add spoilers for later episodes in the series. How many lives does it cost to get 52 children out of Gilead? Two so far, with a whole lot more at risk.

10 of the bestDiscoThe California group’s hybrid soul and funk took a while to form but it was finessed to perfection on hits including Chainey Do, I’m So Excited and Slow Hand 1. Yes We Can CanThe Pointer Sisters’ parents – both preachers – banned rock’n’roll from the family home (along with nail polish, trousers and boys), intending to raise gospel singers. But by the late 1960s, youngest sisters June and Bonnie had been bitten by the pop bug and were performing at nightclubs, adding older sister Anita to the lineup and signing with Atlantic Records in the early 70s for a couple of underwhelming singles.

ShortcutsSpidersThe ultimate lovely legs competition: the world's nine most beautiful spidersThis burrow-dwelling, blue-legged tarantula is turning heads – and there are plenty of other charismatic eight-legged friends out there In case you missed the news in the latest journal of the British Tarantula Society, a rather lovely new spider with iridescent, electric-blue legs has been discovered. The burrow-dwelling spider [Birupes simoroxigorum] has reportedly been “feted by experts as one of the most beautiful spiders ever documented”, prompting the question: what are the other most beautiful spiders ever documented?

A sign in Round Valley asking for help finding 23-year-old Khadijah Britton. Photograph: Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesIn Covelo, an isolated town in northern California, back-to-back slayings are the most recent chapter of violence arising from colonisation by Robin Buller in Covelo, CaliforniaMarline Fulwider is no stranger to grief. As a young woman, she lost her 23-year-old brother; years later, her 25-year-old son-in-law, whom she had previously taken in as a foster child, was killed.

The ObserverHouse pricesIn areas where homeowners find it hard to sell, builders are offering PX deals to get people moving – but look carefullyRead the recent house price reports and you will find a similar story: the market is booming. But some areas of the UK remain quiet and, in a bid to sell new homes and guarantee profits, builders are pushing part-exchange schemes. PX, as it is known in the industry, enables you to trade in your home as part payment for a new build property bought from a developer or builder.

Christina Aguilera This article is more than 12 years oldChristina Aguilera arrested for public intoxicationThis article is more than 12 years oldSinger taken into custody on suspicion of being drunk after police pull over a car driven by her boyfriend in West HollywoodChristina Aguilera spent yesterday morning sobering up in a West Hollywood police station. The pop star was arrested for public intoxication after officers pulled over a car driven by her boyfriend, Matthew Rutler, charging him with driving under the influence.

OperaReviewColiseum, London English National Opera’s one-off performance of Britten’s uneven opera was very fine in every respect, with Christine Rice an exceptional Elizabeth I Originally scheduled to mark Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee year, English National Opera’s single performance of Britten’s Gloriana became instead a tribute to the late Queen’s memory, heightening, perhaps, the ambiguities of a work that holds an awkward place in the Britten canon. Commissioned for the coronation celebrations of 1953, it drew something of a blank at the time.

Mexico This article is more than 6 years oldMexicans aghast as man notorious for leading bungled case named as spy chiefThis article is more than 6 years oldAlberto Bazbaz, an ally of the president, has been handed the top intelligence job despite leading a nine-day search for missing girl later found dead in her own bed Mexicans have expressed incredulity at the appointment of a former prosecutor to the country’s top intelligence position, even though he once oversaw a notorious nine-day search for a missing girl who was eventually found lying dead in her own bed.

GraduationTickets for New York University’s 2019 commencement ceremony are being advertised for as much as $250 It’s graduation season in the United States, which means lots of caps, gowns, pomp and circumstance, corny speeches, selfies – and an underground trade in graduation tickets to top off the celebrations. Many colleges and universities limit the number of people who can attend a graduation ceremony, providing students with tickets to the event they can distribute to friends and family.

Peaky Blinders: episode by episodePeaky BlindersThe seeds of trouble are clearly sown in the best episode of the series so far, and though things seem to be going well for Tommy, his enemies are multiplying SPOILER ALERT: This blog is for those who are watching series two of Peaky Blinders. Don’t read on if you haven’t seen episode three. Click here to read Sarah Hughes’s episode two blogpost Fine horseflesh, troublesome women and the complications of family and foes combined to create the strongest episode of the season so far: a propulsive and very violent hour in which the tone was set with a supremely creepy opening scene featuring shadow puppets, wide-eyed children, brutal murder and excellent use of PJ Harvey’s haunting new cover of Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand.

The amazing world of sport The Masters Pond to pin: Jon Rahm hits amazing water shot at Masters practice – video A Masters practice round to remember for Jon Rahm after he produced a superb shot that skimmed off the water before slowly rolling its way into the hole. After a poor shot on the 16th the Spaniard found himself with an uphill task but one shot later he was picking the ball out of the hole.

A manhole cover in Alexanderplatz, Berlin, which bears images of the city’s TV tower and other monuments. Photograph: Orpheas TziagidisArtist Emma-France Raff decorates clothing and tote bags guerilla-style in the street using ink, a roller and manhole covers as her printing press All photographs by Orpheas Tziagidis by Claire BurkeIt’s not often “manhole covers” and “fashion” are uttered in the same sentence, but for Emma-France Raff, these functional metal structures have a distinct charm.

Commercial property This article is more than 1 year oldThe sanctioned oligarch’s son and a £160m London property empireThis article is more than 1 year oldSaid Gutseriev says he has no financial or commercial links to his father, who was sanctioned last year for ‘supporting’ dictator of Belarus The son of a Russian billionaire facing sanctions for supporting the dictator who runs Belarus has been linked to a £160m portfolio of London properties.

Culture VultureHeritageA fine messAfter more than half a century, dramatic evidence has resurfaced of the radical line taken by the formidable Mrs Elsie Bambridge, daughter of Rudyard Kipling. Faced with a repair bill for her magnificent Victorian conservatory that she considered excessive, she flattened the lot.Elsie Bambridge, and her own photograph of the demolished conservatory at Wimpole Hall If you can hold your nerve when all around have got the builders in, you can cut down dramatically on maintenance bills.

Work blogWork-life balanceAre you a workaholic? Take the quizFind out if your tendency to spend more time working than initially intended means you're addicted to workIf you've found yourself waking up in a cold sweat over a forthcoming meeting, are unable to stop tinkering with a spreadsheet, or find yourself firing up your laptop in the pub when you're supposed to be meeting friends, you may have found yourself accused of being a workaholic.

CitiesThough Ulaanbaatar’s sprawling informal ‘ger district’ lacks access to drinking water and sewerage, officials may struggle to coax residents to swap canvas for bricks and mortar “The ger is really special for Mongolians,” says Tagtokhbayar Tuvaan, 63, over a bowl of salty milk tea in his home on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. “I was born in a ger, I grew up in a ger, I got married in a ger. I have never lived in a house.

TheatreInterviewLine of Duty's Rochenda Sandall: 'There are so many dimensions to domestic abuse'Arifa AkbarAfter her villainous role in the explosive police drama, the star is playing an isolated woman in Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads and an activist in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe Rochenda Sandall is days away from performing a one-woman play and has not yet been allowed inside the auditorium for more than five minutes. Rehearsals have been held in the theatre’s foyer, behind a screen, but she will get some preparation time inside before the first night, she says.

Osama bin Laden This article is more than 12 years oldOsama bin Laden said: 'Find me a wife'This article is more than 12 years oldMatchmaker reveals how he found the right girl for al-Qaida leader – Yemeni woman who is now in Pakistan's custodyIt was early in September 1999 when Rashad Mohammed Saeed Ismael, a Yemeni sheikh in his early 20s working as a preacher and a leading member of al-Qaida in Kabul, received the most important phone call of his life.

Storm ThorgersonObituaryStorm Thorgerson obituaryGraphic artist considered 'the best album designer in the world'Storm Thorgerson, who has died aged 69 after suffering from cancer, was "the best album designer in the world" according to the writer Douglas Adams, and it was an assessment shared by generations of music fans. A lifelong working relationship with Pink Floyd began when Thorgerson designed the sleeve for the group's album A Saucerful of Secrets (1968). Subsequently, the unforgettable creations from Thorgerson's Hipgnosis company became the first choice for such influential shapers of the rock era as Led Zeppelin, Peter Gabriel, the Nice, Paul McCartney and Black Sabbath, as well as for more recent stars including the Cranberries and Anthrax.

Statues of former US presidents in Croaker, Virginia. Photograph: Randy Duchaine/AlamyBefore the 17th century, people did not think of themselves as belonging to something called the white race. But once the idea was invented, it quickly began to reshape the modern world by Robert P BairdIn 2008, a satirical blog called Stuff White People Like became a brief but boisterous sensation. The conceit was straightforward, coupling a list, eventually 136 items long, of stuff that white people liked to do or own, with faux-ethnographic descriptions that explained each item’s purported racial appeal.

Book of the daySociety booksReviewDo racism and sexism really exist, or are they just the creation of angry lefties? The bizarre fantasies of a rightwing provocateur, blind to oppression Being stuck in a culture war is a bit like being a driver stuck in a traffic jam. From within one’s own car, the absurdity and injustice of the situation is abundantly plain. Other drivers can be seen cutting in, changing lanes excessively, and getting worked up.

Religion This article is more than 14 years oldVicar warns of satanic activity after finding sheep's head 'offering'This article is more than 14 years oldGloucestershire parish hit by spate of mutilated animal carcasses being foundA vicar has warned his congregation of an increase in "satanic activity" after he found a severed sheep's head mounted on a pole outside a church in his Gloucestershire parish. The Rev Nick Bromfield warned that "

Black Crowes, Amorica When Amorica was released by Universal in 1994, replete with pubic hair, there was immediate uproar. Under pressure from powerfully conservative retail chains, the band was forced to accept a substitute. Banned album covers ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJmiqcBwvMicq66qlah8qrnAoJxoaFxtgnV%2Fi2ZoaXBgaYZzhJhscGVoYGO1tbnL

The US politics sketchBiden administrationYoung fans peer through the gates while K-pop sensations meet the president and address the press They braved sweltering heat, they pressed their faces to the fence, they clutched cameraphones in the hope of glimpsing their idols. The dozens of young fans at the White House gates resembled a pop concert on Tuesday – but the adulation was not for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, whose approval ratings are on the slide.

‘It will haunt you for ever’: Howardena Pindell’s film installation Rope/Fire/Water, 2020. Courtesy the artist, Garth Greenan Gallery and Victoria Miro‘It will haunt you for ever’: Howardena Pindell’s film installation Rope/Fire/Water, 2020. Courtesy the artist, Garth Greenan Gallery and Victoria MiroThe ObserverArtReviewKettle’s Yard, Cambridge Tragedy, horror and everyday racism are countered with fearless grace by the American artist in this five-decade retrospective There is a painting in this beautiful yet devastating survey of the American artist Howardena Pindell that looks, at first, like old-fashioned pointillism.

Paul NewmanSotheby’s has assembled nearly 400 items from the holdings of the star couple showing a relationship of intense passion You, too, can have a piece of Newman’s own … everything. Nearly 400 items from the personal holdings of the legendary actor Paul Newman and his wife and former co-star Joanne Woodward are on offer at Sotheby’s latest celebrity estate sale. James Dean auction offers unseen items showing new side to starRead moreThe movie stars and enduring lovebirds met on the Broadway set of Picnic in 1953, and lived in what sounds like marital bliss for some 50 years.

FamilyRaised by two mothers, Jesse Toksvig-Stewart was surprised to find every baby record book assumed a two-parent family meant a mother and a father. So she made one herself for her new baby sister.When Jesse Toksvig-Stewart was born 27 years ago, her parents crossed the words mummy and daddy out of their baby record book and wrote Mum and Mumma instead. “The book is full of black lines because so much of it wasn’t relevant to our family,” says Jesse.

Glenn Greenwald on security and libertyUS national security This article is more than 10 years oldNSA Prism program taps in to user data of Apple, Google and othersThis article is more than 10 years old Top-secret Prism program claims direct access to servers of firms including Google, Apple and Facebook Companies deny any knowledge of program in operation since 2007 Obama orders US to draw up overseas target list for cyber-attacks

Miranda Sawyer on podcasts and radioPodcastsReviewTristan Redman uncovers a tangled web of secrets, lies and murder; Will Smith goes back to his his hip-hop roots; and Shaun Keaveny makes everything seem better Ghost Story | Wondery Class of 88 with Will Smith | Wondery Shaun Keaveny’s Daily Grind | Global Ghost Story, from Wondery, is a strange new seven-part show. It starts out in familiar spooky-tale territory. Then it performs a lane hop into another genre before zigzagging and turning back on itself to become something else entirely.

OpinionVaccines and immunisation This article is more than 2 years oldWhy are male politicians in love with topless vaccine selfies?This article is more than 2 years oldPriya ElanEssential to the vaxxie checklist are an off-the-shoulder shirt, Viking-level chest hair and a twinkle in the eye Are you man enough for a vaxxie (that’s a vaccination selfie to you and me)? That’s the question some of us are asking after having seen a host of politicians pose shirtless while getting their Covid-19 jabs.

Tanisha Anderson’s family on the stairs of her mother’s home in Cleveland, Ohio. Photograph: Ricky Rhodes/The GuardianTanisha Anderson’s family on the stairs of her mother’s home in Cleveland, Ohio. Photograph: Ricky Rhodes/The GuardianCleveland This article is more than 8 years oldThis article is more than 8 years oldAnderson died during an encounter with Cleveland police as her family, who had called 911 seeking help, watched from their home. Like many of the 23 women killed by police this year, her story has been ‘erased’ from the spotlight

Best books of 2023PoetryReviewFresh takes on ancient Greece, Shakespeare and true crime are among this year’s standout collections For many poets in 2023, the climate crisis became the most urgent subject, with warnings to grab attention and, hopefully, stir action. Most notable of the many collections rooted in ecology is Jorie Graham’s To 2040 (Carcanet). It’s driven by a skittish yet visionary energy that makes an apocalyptic future feel cinematically thrilling, frightening and all too plausible: “The sun // comes up burning.

Israel This article is more than 14 years oldFaded Israeli TV star Dudu Topaz kills himselfThis article is more than 14 years oldControversial entertainer faced charges of arranging attacks on media executives he blamed for dropping his showsA once-popular Israeli television entertainer hanged himself in jail early today after struggling to come to terms with his fading stardom. Dudu Topaz, 62, killed himself in the shower of his cell at the Nitzan prison, officials said.

France This article is more than 8 years oldFrench pair accused of murdering son by shutting him in washing machineThis article is more than 8 years oldChistophe Champenois allegedly put Bastien, three, in machine on spin and then wash cycles while he and his partner ignored screams, court in Melun told A couple have gone on trial in France accused of murdering their three-year-old son by putting him in the washing machine and switching it on.

World newsPakistan prepares for reprisals after Muslim killer is executed in VirginiaPakistani police were on high alert yesterday after the execution in Virginia of a man whose ambush at CIA headquarters came to symbolise rising Muslim anger at the US. Mir Aimal Kansi, 38, the son of a prominent family from Quetta, western Pakistan, was killed by lethal injection on Thursday night, nearly a decade after he shot dead two CIA employees and wounded three outside the agency's headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

Decadent days … a detail from Otto Dix’s 1926 portrait of the journalist and poet Sylvia von Harden. Photograph: agefotostock/Alamy/© DACS 2021Decadent days … a detail from Otto Dix’s 1926 portrait of the journalist and poet Sylvia von Harden. Photograph: agefotostock/Alamy/© DACS 2021ArtGermany became a unified state 150 years ago this week – and no other country has produced such original, provocative and powerful art since, from Richter to Klee, from Dix to Höch

My family valuesFamilyInterviewSalma Hayek: My family valuesElaine LipworthThe actor talks about her love of being a wife and homemakerI was privileged to grow up in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico with my parents [Diana, an opera singer, and Sami, an oil company executive] and my younger brother, Sami. It was a close community, we lived near the ocean and we would be outside all the time with the neighbours' kids, running free, playing football on the streets and at the beach.

MLSWill MLS really stop at 30 clubs if Mohamed Mansour, the British-Egyptian billionaire and Conservative party treasurer, is willing to pay a $500m expansion fee for a club in San Diego? A soccer commissioner, an Egyptian billionaire and a Native American tribal leader walk into a bar. Hmm, let’s try that again. OK, they walked onto a stage in San Diego on Thursday to plant a flag in Major League Soccer’s latest frontier: the city beat Las Vegas to become the 30th team in American soccer’s top division beginning in 2025, after this ownership group paid a record expansion fee of $500m for the privilege.

Meat industry This article is more than 1 year oldWorld’s largest vats for growing ‘no-kill’ meat to be built in USThis article is more than 1 year oldCommitment to building four-storey bioreactors is gamechanger for cultivated meat industry, says expert The building of the world’s largest bioreactors to produce cultivated meat has been announced, with the potential to supply tens of thousands of shops and restaurants. Experts said the move could be a “gamechanger” for the nascent industry.

Benjamin Netanyahu This article is more than 1 month oldBenjamin Netanyahu accused of ‘evil’ campaigning at time of warThis article is more than 1 month oldMembers of his own party among those critical of Israeli PM’s efforts to improve his dire ratings Israel-Gaza war – live updates Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been accused of breaking with convention by campaigning while his country is at war after a series of controversial statements in recent days.

ShortcutsDamian McBridePerhaps it's fitting that, far from being the motivational anthem of grunge, the song is really about a bitter breakupDave Grohl must have had a multitude of ambitions when he began recording under the name Foo Fighters six months after Kurt Cobain's suicide in 1994, not least to swiftly try and dodge the long shadow cast by his former band and its horrible ending. But it seems unlikely that among them was a burning desire to write a self-help anthem for disgraced political figures, a Heather Small's Proud for someone who spent today counter-briefing, smearing and falsely suggesting his opponents had sexually transmitted diseases.

How to eatFoodHow to eat: a steak sandwichIt is, arguably, king of the bread-based snack scene. But should that bread be sourdough or ciabatta? Do caramelised onions trump stilton? And does it ever need chips on the side? The past is another country … In the 1980s action-comedy Fletch, Chevy Chase’s Irwin M Fletcher puts in a dream order at a Los Angeles country club. Particularly dreamy as, on the sly, it is going on another member’s tab.

Book of the dayFictionReviewA teenage boy travels through time from modern-day Mississippi to 1964 in a funny and disorientating exploration of racism, celebrity and young adulthood Kiese Laymon is the author of the critically acclaimed Heavy, a memoir addressed to his mother, about food addiction, sexual trauma and growing up black in Mississippi. His time-warping debut novel, Long Division, begins in the same state in 2013 with a televised grammar competition called Can You Use That Word in a Sentence?

Michael Winner This article is more than 11 years oldMichael Winner dies aged 77This article is more than 11 years oldMichael Winner, director of the Death Wish movie series and A Chorus of Disapproval, who later found fame as a restaurant critic, has died at the age of 77Michael Winner, bon viveur, restaurant critic and arguably one of the best known British film-makers of the 20th century has died at the age of 77.

Colorado This article is more than 2 months old‘Miracle dog’ returned to family after staying with owner who died hikingThis article is more than 2 months oldFinney the jack russell terrier had survived after spending more than 10 weeks by her owner when he died on a mountain hike A faithful dog who survived after spending more than 10 weeks by her owner when he died on a mountain hike is safely back with the rest of her human loved ones – and back on the trails – the family has said.

This much I knowInterviewThis much I know: Thelma MadineMegan ConnerThe Big Fat Gypsy Wedding dressmaker on being good, going to prison and finding a decent psychicEveryone is entitled to their opinion about My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. I've been called "a dangerous spokesperson", but I think the series is very true to the travelling community. Demand for dresses is higher than ever, but my clientele remains 80% gypsy. Travellers don't take no for answer.

How we madePop and rock‘We were at a Whitney Houston concert in LA. I glanced up and saw a shooting star. It felt like a sign from the heavens’ Shannon Rubicam, singer-songwriterWe’d written How Will I Know and I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) for Whitney Houston, so were given tickets when she played the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on her first tour in 1986. After she sang How Will I Know, I glanced up and there was a shooting star in the night sky above the amphitheatre.

AthleticsWorld champion pole vaulter Shawn Barber, 29, dies from medical complicationsBarber, 29, died on Wednesday at home in Kingwood, TexasCanadian native won pole vault world championship in 2015Shawn Barber, the Canadian pole vault record holder and 2015 world champion, has died from medical complications. He was 29. Barber died Wednesday at home in Kingwood, Texas, his agent, Paul Doyle, confirmed to the Associated Press. A cause of death was not yet known.

World newsAfter 52 hours alone in jungle, girl calls to say: 'Hi, dad, see you soon'· Child,12, is sole survivor of plane crash in Panama · Three killed on holiday trip to remote volcanoFor 52 hours Francesca Lewis was alone, her arm and neck broken or fractured, lost in the jungle with no food and lying amid the debris of a plane which had crashed into the side of a remote volcano, killing the three other people on board.

YemenBritain warns of severe consequences after Houthi attack in Red Sea repelled US and UK warships shoot down barrage of rockets, drones and cruise missiles fired at ships by Yemeni group Middle East crisis – live updates The US and the UK have warned “there will be consequences” after warships from both countries repelled a barrage of 21 Houthi rockets, drones and cruise missiles apparently fired at western warships in the Red Sea.

Horror booksReviewGothic ritual and horror come to the Lancashire uplands in this lively follow-up to The Loney“The problem is that in the Endlands one story begs the telling of another and another,” admits John Pentecost to his 10-year-old son Adam, “and in all of them the devil plays his part.” The obliquity of this statement, perhaps our earliest indication of John’s self-deception, will be revealed as things develop. He is telling Adam the devil’s own story, while Andrew Michael Hurley is telling John Pentecost’s.

Pakistan This article is more than 7 years oldFormer Pakistan army chief Raheel Sharif to lead 'Muslim Nato'This article is more than 7 years oldFlood of criticism greets general’s appointment as commander of Saudi-led Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism Pakistan’s retired army chief has agreed to become the first commander of the “Muslim Nato”, a fledgling military alliance of mostly Sunni Islamic states led by Saudi Arabia. The announcement led to a flood of criticism of Raheel Sharif, a general who until recently had been lauded for his three years leading Pakistan’s half a million-strong army.

US crimeOne person killed, another injured in shooting at Florida shopping mallPolice say the victim was likely ‘targeted’ in the attack at the Paddock mall in Ocala, about 80 miles north-west of Orlando A man has died in a shooting at a shopping mall in central Florida two days before Christmas in which the victim was apparently “targeted” for the attack, police said. Ocala police chief Mike Balken told reporters on Saturday evening that the man was killed after he was shot multiple times in a common area at Paddock Mall in Ocala, located about 80 miles north-west of Orlando.

‘Even at a distance I could see that some of the mud was blood; he had bad wounds as well as dirt on him.’ Photograph: Krister Göransson‘Even at a distance I could see that some of the mud was blood; he had bad wounds as well as dirt on him.’ Photograph: Krister GöranssonDogsFor adventure racer Mikael Lindnord and Arthur the stray dog, it was friendship at first sight – so much so that Arthur followed him 100 miles in the forest

NotebookBirdwatching This article is more than 6 years oldTwitchers and groppers: when birdwatching turns uglyThis article is more than 6 years oldPatrick BarkhamWatching rare birds is a joyful way to commune with nature. But obsession can spill over into the entitled aggression we see in hunters and shootersLike many people, I’ve got an unfinished novel in a drawer. It features a serial-killing twitcher, and is not worth me – let alone any reader – finishing.

Joe Biden at a campaign event in Pennsylvania last week. Biden notified Congress over the aistrikes but did not request its approval. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesJoe Biden at a campaign event in Pennsylvania last week. Biden notified Congress over the aistrikes but did not request its approval. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesJoe Biden‘Unacceptable’: Biden denounced for bypassing Congress over Yemen strikesCritics on left and right furious that president failed to seek congressional approval for strikes against Houthi militants

Juana, aged 80, photographed at her home in Havana, Cuba. Photograph: Marylise VigneauJuana, aged 80, photographed at her home in Havana, Cuba. Photograph: Marylise VigneauWomen behind the lensGlobal developmentPhotographer Marylise Vigneau finds ordinary Cubans struggling with daily life after the devastating impact of the Covid pandemic One can find beauty, joy of life, intelligence or bravery in many places in the world. And Cuba has a lot of all these things.

Oregon college shooting This article is more than 8 years oldBehind the numbers: victims of Oregon community college shooting identifiedThis article is more than 8 years oldLucero Alcaraz earned full-time scholarship and loved to draw, sister saidRebecka Carnes was aspiring dental hygienist who started classes on MondayCollege students, a teacher and two emergency responders ranging in age from 18 to 67 were killed when a gunman opened fire on a writing class at Umpqua community college in Roseburg, Oregon, county officials announced on Friday.

Chelsea This article is more than 6 months oldChelsea agree to buy land next to Stamford Bridge for stadium rebuildThis article is more than 6 months oldDeal, done in principle, would allow major expansion on siteChelsea also weighing up options including Earl’s Court moveChelsea have not made a final decision on their redevelopment plans for Stamford Bridge despite agreeing a deal in principle to buy a piece of land next to their stadium.

CryptocurrenciesCryptocurrency like Beanie Babies, says Coinbase in US regulator’s lawsuit The Securities and Exchange Commission has alleged the crypto exchange is flouting rules and selling unregistered securities A federal judge in Manhattan on Wednesday grilled Coinbase and the US securities regulator about their divergent views on whether and when digital assets are securities, in a case closely watched by the cryptocurrency industry. Coinbase argued against classifying cryptocurrencies as securities by saying that the digital coins are like Beanie Babies, more akin to collectibles than stakes in a company.

World newsDa Vinci Code benefits Opus DeiThe head of Opus Dei claimed yesterday that Dan Brown's portrayal of his fellowship as a murderous global conspiracy had done it more good than harm. In a pre-emptive strike at the film of Brown's book, The Da Vinci Code, to be premiered next week at Cannes, Monsignor Javier Echevarría told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera that since the publication of the novel interest in Opus Dei had soared.

TV reviewTelevisionReviewThere are far too many chefs in the kitchen for this new cooking show – if you can call it that – following drag queens. I couldn’t stomach more than a couple of episodes “Oh, this is stressful,” says Drag Me to Dinner host Murray Hill. For a show that is so over the top, this is quite the understatement. The high-stress kitchen chaos of The Bear has nothing on this hybrid reality show, which appeared in the US earlier this year.

GardensFerns aren't just for dank shadeWe usually plant ferns in those dark, forgotten pockets of the garden, where they sit with a kind of gothic stature. These are plants that traditionally carpet woodland and brim from the shady mouths of grottoes. But, as one new garden shows, they also have a brighter side. In the new fern dell at Brodsworth Hall gardens, in South Yorkshire, 150 species of fern blaze green in the sun.

Health & wellbeingLockdowns and video calls have boosted demand for ‘invisible’ teeth aligners. But what do you get for your £1,500 to £4,000? And are some health experts right to be concerned? When Dabi Adesoye was growing up in Ibadan, a city of 6 million people in Nigeria, everyone called her “Eji”. In Yoruba, Adesoye’s first language, this translates roughly as “gap teeth”. It might have been a compliment – in Nigeria, a space between the top front incisors is seen as a mark of beauty, Adesoye says – but she hated hers.

Jonathan Wilson writes about football for the Guardian and Observer, including a weekly column for the Observer. He has written 11 books, including Inverting the Pyramid, and is the editor of The Blizzard. He is the editor of The Football Weekly Book, published by Guardian Faber  ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRooaimkam1orrWoqOsp54%3D

The Seekers singer Judith Durham – a life in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The pioneering Australian vocalist, who found worldwide fame in the 1960s as frontwoman for Melbourne folk/pop group the Seekers before going solo, has died aged 79 Judith Durham: a pioneering woman in Australian music Judith Durham, Australian singer and vocalist of the Seekers, dies at 79 Main image: Australian singer Judith Durham in London in February 1971.

The ObserverArtReviewTate Modern, London Russian artist Kazimir Malevich blazed a trail through modern art with nothing more than shape and colour. Then came StalinKazimir Malevich: revolutionary of Russian art – in pictures Kazimir Malevich painted his revolutionary Red Square one hundred years ago. It still looks staggeringly new at Tate Modern. Even after a century of abstract art nothing seems quite so radical as this dazzlingly simple form – more parallelogram than square – leaping into scarlet life out of pure white space, tilting eagerly forwards.

Michael Phelps This article is more than 8 years oldMichael Phelps did not want to 'be alive anymore' after DUI arrestThis article is more than 8 years oldOlympian talks about being in ‘a really dark place’ in SI interviewSays he has not drunk alcohol since his arrestMichael Phelps, the American swimmer whose 22 Olympic medals make him the most decorated Olympian of all time, has revealed that he was “in a really dark place” after he was arrested last year for drunk-driving – and admitted to feelings of “not wanting to be alive anymore.

TheatreReviewNoel Coward, LondonJudi Dench and Ben Whishaw were last professionally united as M and Q in Skyfall. They now come together again to play the real-life inspirations for Lewis Carroll's Alice and JM Barrie's Peter Pan. Watching them interact is a genuine, civilised joy. But in all honesty I got more out of the performance and Michael Grandage's production than I did out of John Logan's 90-minute play, which is an elegant literary conceit offering surprisingly few revelations.

Health & wellbeingSuperfoodsYoghurtMost commercially produced yoghurts begin life as pasteurised milk, which is inoculated with cultures of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacteria or Streptococcus thermophilus. Many are then pasteurised again, which kills this beneficial bacteria. Probiotic yoghurt, however, is not pasteurised, so it still contains this live "friendly bacteria". Many experts believe that these good bacteria can survive our stomach acids and reach the intestines, where they aid digestion by helping to break down food.

MusicIn a revealing new book, the often overlooked input of queer men who helped advise, manage and steer artists in the swinging 60s is examined The story of rock’n’roll in the 60s has been told countless times by the stars who sang the songs, spun the solos or thrashed the drums. In the UK at the time, that most often meant straight white men, as it did in the US. But the people who shaped and advised those artists – the ones who managed the stars of the classic rock age – were, by an outsized margin, gay men.

US unions This article is more than 1 year oldThousands of nurses in New York City to strike in pursuit of fair contractThis article is more than 1 year oldStrike date at seven hospitals set for 9 January after 98.8% vote in favor, with wages, staff ratios and health insurance key issues At least 12,000 nurses at seven hospitals in New York City are threatening to strike after their union contract expired at the end of last year.

SEMANTIC ENIGMASWhat is the origin of the expression 'to paint the town red'? David Sharp, Paris, France According to Oscar Wilde, it's Dante, The Inferno: "we are they who painted the world scarlet with sins." Garrick Alder, London The four dictionaries I have looked at agree that this originates from US slang. The earliest recorded use is 1884, and the OED quotes the Chicago Advance (1897): `The boys painted the town [New York City] red with firecrackers [on Independence Day].

2 Dec 202221.30 GMTJamie Jackson was at Lusail Stadium. His verdict on a bittersweet night for the Indomitable Lions is in. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night! Aboubakar stuns Brazil with Cameroon winner but sent off for celebrationRead more2 Dec 202221.13 GMTNick Ames was at Studio 54 Stadium 974 for Serbia 2-3 Switzerland. Here’s his report on the match that did for Cameroon, despite their Brazil-B-bothering heroics. Freuler strike sends Switzerland through and Serbia homeRead more2 Dec 202221.

Germany This article is more than 6 months oldGermany did not listen to warnings about Russia, says Annalena BaerbockThis article is more than 6 months oldForeign minister says Ukraine war has changed country’s mindset about ‘chequebook diplomacy’ Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updates Russia’s war on Ukraine has forced us in Germany to think differently about our role in the world The Russian invasion of Ukraine has changed how Germany views security and made Berlin realise it failed to listen to eastern European allies who warned of threats from Moscow, Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, has written in the Guardian.

Lost River This article is more than 10 years oldHow to Catch a Monster? Easy, just call in Doctor Who star Matt SmithThis article is more than 10 years oldBBC Time Lord set to dematerialise in Hollywood for lead role in Ryan Gosling fantasy adventure starring Christina HendricksDoctor Who star Matt Smith looks set to be the latest BBC big-hitter to embark on a Hollywood career after signing up to make his US acting debut on Ryan Gosling's first directing effort, How to Catch a Monster.

How to eatSpanish food and drinkThis month, How to Eat is exploring how best to savour Spanish cured hams. Whack up the thermostat, clear your serving board of any unnecessary additions, give your ibérico a last massage ... and enjoy Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has a lot on his plate right now. But not, you imagine, any jamón. The very thought of it probably brings Sánchez out in a cold sweat after he recently stood up at a livestock fair in Extremadura and confused jamón serrano with jamón ibérico.

Sexual healingSexI smoke and sometimes take drugs – could this affect my ability to ejaculate? Foreplay doesn't seem to helpI am a 16-year-old male who is having trouble reaching orgasm. My partner and I have been together for about four months. Recently, I've been struggling to ejaculate. We do a lot of foreplay and even then I am unable, or take a very long time, to reach orgasm. I am a smoker and sometimes consume drugs such as narcotics and stimulants.

The ObserverKatherine RyanInterviewKatherine Ryan: ‘I thought plastic surgery was aspirational’Eva WisemanThe comedian will have you in stitches, but she can also leave you speechless. Katherine Ryan talks to Eva Wiseman about breast implants and potty training – and the jokes even she wouldn’t risk today Katherine Ryan has named her autobiography The Audacity, a word (she explains) most commonly used to indicate disapproval. “Like, ‘HOW DARE she carry herself with that wicked abundance of self-belief?

Doing it for DadFamilyHe is more aggressive than I've seen him since he got ill. At one point, he even makes to push me in the faceOn this visit to Dad's care home, I'm told he is "having a wander". I find him at the end of the corridor that leads to the residents' bedrooms. He is standing, muttering to himself and running his hands along the walls, as if trying to read something through his fingertips. "Dad!" I say, arms out.

VictoriaPair accused of robbing house of alleged triple-murderer Erin PattersonPatterson allegedly served death cap mushrooms to visitors at the residence, three of whom later died Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Two people are under arrest following an alleged burglary at the home of accused triple murderer Erin Patterson in Victoria’s east. The 49-year-old is currently behind bars charged with three counts of murder after allegedly serving death cap mushrooms in a meal at the residence.

NutritionSeattle woman Naveena Shine drops attempt to live on lightShine went 47 days without food but says financial woes she's enduring are 'message from the universe that it is time to stop'A Seattle woman is to abandon her controversial attempt to live on light on Wednesday after 47 days of surviving on water and tea. Naveena Shine, 65, had been attempting to go without food for 100 days. She said the "

Opinion This article is more than 2 months oldAm I being racist by saying people of colour can be racist? Isn’t racism towards white people a thing?This article is more than 2 months oldSisonke MsimangThe question itself is profoundly lacking in empathy, writes Sisonke Msimang. Racism is more than prejudice – it occurs when prejudice is accompanied by power Ms Understanding is an advice column for everyone on everyday issues around race Dear Ms Understanding,

Comedy filmsInterview‘No one wants to read someone’s kid’s “thing”. It’s a sucky scenario’: Owen Kline on his debut hit, Funny PagesRyan GilbeyIt took years for Kevin Kline’s son – who acted in The Squid and the Whale – to get his first film as a director off the ground, nurturing it ‘like a sick baby under a rock’. Was it all worth it? The first that cinema audiences knew of Owen Kline was his wilting, damp-eyed performance as a 12-year-old in Noah Baumbach’s spiky divorce comedy The Squid and the Whale.

Robert CohanThe charismatic choreographer and beloved teacher was an inspirational figure as he shared the secrets of movement Sir Robert Cohan, modern dance legend, dies aged 95 In the 1970s, Robert Cohan would arrive at the studios of London Contemporary Dance Theatre in silver platforms and sunglasses, the dashingly handsome and charismatic New Yorker a galvanising director who inspired great dedication from his dancers. The last time I met him, in 2019, he was 93 and still an inspirational presence.

GamesReviewWii U; Nintendo; £27.99-£34.85 In Splatoon, Nintendo’s uniquely family-friendly take on multiplayer shooting games, paint replaces live ammunition, charming tentacle-headed skater-types replace heavily armed Americans, and rather than simply shooting your foes, you win by spattering as much of the arena as possible in your paint’s colour. Arenas are designed like multi-level skate parks, with jumps and smooth transitions you can glide over before popping out and giving the opposition a damn good painting.

‘The police came because of the sea of red gore’: unseen photos from the set of The Shining Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining has legions of admirers the world over – not the least Lee Unkrich, director of Pixar classics including Toy Story 3 and Coco. Unkrich spent years collecting pictures, artefacts and stories about the making of the film, uncovering deleted scenes and getting to grips with its most obscure details.

The ObserverFictionReviewPast and present collide in Hermione Eyre's audacious historical fantasy debutHermione Eyre's audacious debut novel Viper Wine takes the real events of England in 1632 – a country heading for civil war, the minds of its great men torn between magic and science, and its famous women, well they're no different from those plastered over the covers of today's magazines, obsessed with the latest beauty regime – transmuting them into a heady historical fiction fantasy mash-up.

Weather trackerYemenAnalysisWeather tracker: Tropical Cyclone Tej approaches YemenMatt Hills (Metdesk)Al Ghaydah area could get 500-750mm of rainfall, compared with annual average of 50mm Tropical Cyclone Tej is forecast to make landfall in Yemen this week, bringing significant rainfall and a flooding threat across the eastern half of the country and western parts of Oman. At the time of writing, Tej is centred about 250 miles south of Salalah, Oman. The system is moving north-west at 10 knots, with maximum sustained winds of 100 knots, making Tej an extremely severe cyclone storm on the Indian meteorological department’s tropical cyclone intensity scale.

Yotam Ottolenghi recipesFruitThe tomato season is nearing its end for another year, so make the last of the summer vine There’s no fruit or vegetable I associate more with summer than tomatoes. Sweet, small cherry tomatoes, mainly, eaten by the handful, as though they were grapes. So many of the dishes with which I’ve had summer flings over the years have had this little “love apple” at their heart. The rusk-like Cretan dakos biscuits I fell for a couple of years ago, for example, piled high with chopped tomatoes; the simple chopped salad of cucumber, tomato and feta that I often have for breakfast whenever the sun is shining; the tomatoes topped with sumac onions and pine nuts that I served alongside just about every other dish last year.

TheatreReviewMinerva theatre, Chichester Amy Herzog’s play about a grandmother surprised by her grandson is given a contemplative staging by Richard Eyre Timothée Chalamet and Eileen Atkins were fully rehearsed for this family drama at London’s Old Vic when theatres closed due to Covid in 2020. After its eventual cancellation, Atkins picks up her role as 91-year-old Greenwich Village lefty Vera, directed instead by Richard Eyre in Chichester, opposite Heartstopper’s Sebastian Croft in lieu of Chalamet.

Radical ConservationEnvironmentCan Namibia’s desert lions survive humanity?The lions of the Namib Desert survive against incredible odds, but can they survive trophy hunting, human-wildlife conflict and climate change? Desert lions aren’t a distinct species or even a subspecies, but they are different. Drop a plains lion into the Namib Desert — where it may rain only 5 millimeters a year — and watch it perish. According to Izak Smit, who runs the local NGO, Desert Lions Human Relations Aid (DeLHRA), the desert lions of Namibia are able to go long periods of time without water, getting most of their moisture from the blood of their kills.

Houseplant of the weekHouseplantsNot only does this plant look striking, it can also improve the air quality in your home Why will I love it? Prepare to be enchanted by the striking silver-green foliage of the silver snake plant, also known as Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Moonshine’. It’s easy to look after and makes a great beginner plant as it’s near indestructible. Light or shade? It thrives in both low and bright, indirect light conditions.

Children's booksGlobalHow well do you know Snow White? - quizWith two versions of the classic fairy tale making it onto cinema screens this year, try our Snow White quiz to find out how well you know your happily ever aftersncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJuYnrmlvsSnqmaan6S4tHnSoqueZ6Gqtrt7kWloa2eRpb9wfpRoqqenp2LEqbXTnmSqrZmv

Movies This article is more than 3 years oldJoker 'a betrayal' of mentally ill people, says David FincherThis article is more than 3 years oldMank director rails at the risk-averse production strategy of major Hollywood studios Mank director David Fincher has described Todd Phillips’ Oscar-winning Joker as “a betrayal” of mentally ill people. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Fincher was reflecting on Joker’s surprise success at the box office in a wide-ranging attack on the risk-averse production strategy of the major Hollywood studios.

An ecstasy pill: MDMA has already been used by relationship counsellors in the US. Photograph: Michael Burrell/Getty Images/iStockphotoAn ecstasy pill: MDMA has already been used by relationship counsellors in the US. Photograph: Michael Burrell/Getty Images/iStockphotoThe ObserverRelationshipsLove drugs could soon be a reality and used alongside therapy to help heal broken relationships, claims a new book For some time, it has been widespread medical practice to treat a range of psychological conditions, including depression and anxiety, with what might be called mind-altering drugs, namely selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which, as the name suggests, affect levels of serotonin in the brain.

Snapshots: the covers of Punk magazine Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email In 1976, New York was home to a booming counter-culture – and one magazine, Punk, was there to chronicle it all. Forty years after its first printing, NYC gallery Howl! Happening is exhibiting 15 hand-drawn covers Jennifer Guay Sat 6 Feb 2016 17.00 GMT Last modified on Thu 22 Mar 2018 00.

MusicThey are the greatest of Colombians: Shakira, pop phenomenon, and Gabriel García Márquez, novelist. Naturally, they had to meet - and he, the magical realist, was astonished by her fantastical work-rateShakira flew from Miami to Buenos Aires on February 1, pursued by a journalist who wanted to ask her just one question over the phone for a radio programme. For a number of reasons, he failed to reach her over the next 27 days, then lost track of her in Spain in the first week of March.

The simple fixFoodA glorious muddle of lamb, roasted aubergine, Middle Eastern spices and crisp chickpeas Last year I was at Breddo’s, an extremely good taqueria in London’s Soho, and found myself ordering the crab nachos. They were superb, and reminded me why deviations from “authentic” recipes are not always a bad thing. El pastor, an exquisite street-food staple of Mexico City, is a rendition of the Lebanese kebab. Nachos now fly off the pass at Wahaca, with zingy avocado and tomato salsas and sobrasada.

The Lay ScientistScienceA challenge to homeopaths: how does one overdose?Homeopaths need to agree on what constitutes an overdose, and if they had an ounce of responsibility they'd be campaigning for better labels.You'll be shocked - shocked I tell you - to hear that I've noticed a bit of an inconsistency in homeopathic thinking. Well actually there are many, but one that's particularly worth mentioning is the disagreement over what exactly constitutes a dangerous overdose, because even if you believe in homeopathy, this should trouble you.

Reading American citiesBooksWinning in Las Vegas makes a good story, but losing sometimes makes an even better one. Here are our readers’ favourite books about Sin City Maile Chapman introduces the literature of Las Vegas “Half-meritocracy and half crap-shoot, Las Vegas is [...] the only city in America where the odds against you are all posted in plain sight, literally and metaphorically,” wrote Maile Chapman last week. Do read her blogpost about the essential Vegas literature – from Fear and Loathing to recent fiction about the struggles of life in the city beyond the Strip – but are there ever enough books in a list?

Calvin Harris onstage in Philadelphia, in 2015. Photograph: Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty ImagesWith his new album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol 2, out next week, we take a look through the Scottish producer’s hit-studded career by Michael Cragg20. Scissor Sisters – Only the Horses (2012)Having met Jake Shears during sessions for Kylie Minogue’s 2010 album, Aphrodite, Harris was asked to do some extra knob-twiddling on this barnstorming single from the band’s Magic Hour album.

Lana Del ReyInterviewLana Del Rey: 'I wish I was dead already'Tim JonzeLana Del Rey has been through the wringer since her breakthrough success led to a vicious backlash, which shows in the 'narco swing' of her brooding new album Ultraviolence – and the fact that she can't stop talking about dying Alexis Petridis reviews Ultraviolence "I wish I was dead already," Lana Del Rey says, catching me off guard. She has been talking about the heroes she and her boyfriend share – Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain among them – when I point out that what links them is death and ask if she sees an early death as glamorous.

Portrait of the weekCultureMarie Antoinette Led to Her Execution, Jacques-Louis David (1793)· All articles in this series Artist: Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825) was not simply one of the crowd when he sketched Marie Antoinette on her way to the guillotine on October 16, 1793. David, an eminent Jacobin and ally of Robespierre, voted for her death. He was the Revolution's chief artist, costume designer, ritual planner. After knocking off this sketch, David had important business that day - a ceremony to unveil his icon of Revolutionary martyrdom, Marat Assassinated.

WomenBehind the legend of the ‘maneater’ executed for seducing soldiers and selling their secrets is the story of an abused woman who was forcibly separated from her daughter Since her execution on the outskirts of Paris almost a century ago, the Dutch exotic dancer Margaretha “Gretha” MacLeod – universally known as Mata Hari – has been synonymous with female sexual betrayal. Convicted by the French of passing secrets to the enemy during the first world war, MacLeod’s prosecutors damned her as the “greatest woman spy of the century”, responsible for sending 20,000 Allied soldiers to their deaths.

Sweden This article is more than 1 year oldSwedish court dishes out justice after judge steals meatballsThis article is more than 1 year oldSupreme court justice was fined 50,000 kronor after she was caught trying to hide a number of food items in Stockholm A supreme court justice in Sweden has been fined for shoplifting a Christmas ham and meatballs, among other items, the prosecutor in the case has said.

Israel-Gaza warThousands of pro-Palestine protesters march in London About 1,700 officers on duty in UK capital to police demonstration on day for action involving 30 countries Middle East crisis – live updates Thousands of people marched through central London on Saturday to show solidarity with Palestine and to reiterate calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. Demonstrators met on Queen Victoria Street before making their way along Fleet Street towards Parliament Square.

Stream onTelevision & radioThis surprisingly earnest and old-fashioned sitcom explores a very contemporary question – is monogamy the only way? What is it? A romcom sitcom about what happens when a happily married couple start dating a third person, together. Why you’ll love it: You Me Her tells the story of Jack and Emma Trakarsky, a married couple pushing 40 with a nice big house, aspirational jobs and a tepid sex life.

Shining star: Jiah Khan in a studio shot. ‘We know she couldn’t have done it,’ says her sister Kavita. Photograph: Hindustan Times/Getty ImagesShining star: Jiah Khan in a studio shot. ‘We know she couldn’t have done it,’ says her sister Kavita. Photograph: Hindustan Times/Getty ImagesThe ObserverBollywoodJiah Khan was one of India’s rising film stars. But at just 25 she was found dead in her family’s apartment. The question of whether it was suicide or murder has now pitted two of Bollywood’s leading families against each other

The ObserverAutobiography and memoirInterviewFarmer’s wife Helen Rebanks: ‘There was a fire in me about speaking up for the women who hold things together’Kate KellawayThe wife of bestselling author James has written a book of her own shining a light on small-scale farming. She talks about the pressures of Brexit and preposterous trade deals Helen Rebanks is driving towards her farm, which is between Keswick and Penrith in the Lake District but, before we get there, she pulls up unexpectedly by the side of the road.

Fifty Shades of GreyHow well does EL James know the BDSM world? Is Christian Grey a psychopath? Would a real-life Anastasia submit so quickly? Our trio of experts give their verdict on Fifty Shades of Grey Emily Sarah. Photograph: Felix Clay‘Real sex has spit and sweat’Emily Sarah, 26, is a fetish model and performer who runs BDSM Healing, a business that combines techniques like reiki with sensory deprivation, bondage and spankings to deal with “the cathartic aspects of BDSM”.

World newsFormer Nazi doctor in dock for child killingsAustrian accused of keeping victims' brains for medical experimentsA leading Austrian doctor has been charged with murder after an investigation by the Austrian parliament into allegations that he was involved in killing hundreds of children at a hospital in Vienna during the second world war as part of a Nazi euthanasia programme. Heinrich Gross, 84, is due to stand trial later this year on nine counts of murder, believed to have been carried out during his brief tenure as head of Am Spiegelgrund Children's Clinic at Steinhof in 1944.

A jaw-dropping new docuseries, produced by the Safdie brothers, sheds light on corruption within the industry, focusing on the shocking details of one particular company Published: 14 Aug 2023 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRoo5qtopq7brnEnJ%2BloZ6c

OpinionYoung people This article is more than 9 months oldNaked Education pearl-clutchers, you’re wrong: Britain’s teens need to see more real bodiesThis article is more than 9 months oldNatasha DevonA generation has been left to learn about bodies from pornography. Thank goodness for Channel 4’s nudity-adjacent programming Channel 4’s Naked Education has, with tedious predictability, attracted almost 1,000 Ofcom complaints at the time of writing. The format sees adults with a range of body types disrobing in front of an audience of 14- to 16-year-olds.

Samoa This article is more than 14 years oldSamoa switches smoothly to driving on the leftThis article is more than 14 years oldCar horns and cheers usher in new era as South Pacific country becomes first to change sides since the 70sCar horns and sirens sounded, church bells rang out and roads were crowded with vehicles as Samoa today became the first country in decades officially to switch from right- to left-side driving.

September 11 2001Starbucks charged rescuers for waterA branch of the coffee chain Starbucks charged New York rescue workers for water to treat victims of the suicide attack on the World Trade Centre, it emerged today. Ambulance workers were forced to scramble in their pockets for money to pay a $130 (£88) bill for three cases of water used to treat victims for shock after the twin towers collapsed. Orin Smith, president of the Seattle-based coffee chain, sent a refund and free coffee to the ambulance crew after the incident was revealed.

Secret diary of Tom Meltzer aged 22Life and styleIt seemed quite normal to me – until my flatmates freaked outI am sitting with my flatmates, eating dinner, and I feel like an alien being interrogated by the FBI. I have made the mistake of telling them that, from time to time, on certain mornings, when the mood takes me, I shower sitting down. This had not, until now, struck me as odd.

AustriaEmotional scenes as family meets 'cellar siblings' for first time"Astonishing" and "moving", were the words used by psychiatrists yesterday to describe the scene as Elisabeth Fritzl and five of her children were reunited for the first time. The meeting followed years of separation after three of the children fathered through incest by Josef Fritzl were "chosen" to live above ground with the couple assumed to be their grandparents, while the other three endured years of darkness and isolation in a purpose-built dungeon below the family home.

Top 10sMusic booksFrom the very accessible to the arcane, the composer-presenter-author ventures into the minefield of music book criticismMusic is both a universal joy (it's a cliché because it's true) and a seething map of tribal frontiers across which we stray at our peril. Virtually any paragraph written about its theory, its history, its analysis, its ethics or its science will be met with a hailstorm of contradiction and outrage, so I am nervous suggesting any books about music since such a list would undoubtedly infuriate as much as intrigue.

The ObserverTheatreReviewTheatre Royal, Glasgow; and touring A racist ode by the court poet William Dunbar is the problematic inspiration for the fourth of Munro’s James plays exploring Scotland past and present Rona Munro’s sequence of plays about Scotland’s Stewart kings was launched at the Edinburgh festival in 2014. Like its three predecessors, covering the reigns of James I, II and III, this latest uses real historic events to ask audiences to consider the nature of Scottish identity past and present.

FashionThe London-born New York rapper Slick Rick talks us through the history of rappers’ accessories, and shows off his collection, from gold teeth to diamond eye patch I have been telling stories through my attire and adornments for as long as I’ve been telling them with beats and rhymes. Jewels are my thing and every piece in my collection is attached to a fun story and deserves its own Wikipedia entry.

A pool game in a drinking club in Tchula. Photograph: Sean Smith/guardian graphicsA pool game in a drinking club in Tchula. Photograph: Sean Smith/guardian graphicsAmerica's poorest townsUS news This article is more than 8 years oldThis article is more than 8 years oldIn his second dispatch from the US’s most deprived communities, Chris McGreal visits Tchula in Mississippi, where crime is high and opportunities are few Part 1: American’s poorest white town: abandoned by coal, swallowed by drugs

The ObserverBiography booksReviewThe Throbbing Gristle co-founder communes with electronic pioneer Delia Derbyshire and 15th-century mystic Margery Kempe in her account of female artists who fought to be heard First, some introductions. Cosey Fanni Tutti – her name is a pun on the borderline misogynist Mozart opera Così fan tutte (literally “that’s what women do”) – is a multimedia artist who first made her reputation as part of 1970s art collective COUM Transmissions and their sonic heirs, Throbbing Gristle.

08.39 ESTRussian forces take control of Vesele in Ukraine‘s eastern Donetsk region, says Russian defence ministryRussian forces have taken control of Vesele, a settlement in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, reports Reuters citing a statement by Russia’s defence ministry on Thursday. The ministry provided no details about the settlement. It said only that the village had been taken by what it called the active efforts of units which are part of Russia’s southern military group.

OpinionMother's Day This article is more than 1 year oldWhen you’re childless not by choice, Mother’s Day can be a painful reminder of profound lossThis article is more than 1 year oldSian PriorWhen other women are being feted by their progeny, no amount of positive psychology can override the sense of loss I feel I check my inbox. “Order your Mother’s Day hamper now!” the headline shouts. Delete. On my television screen someone’s trying to get me to buy their “special gifts for special mums!

ZoomZoom agrees to ‘historic’ $85m payout for graphic Zoombombing claimsA class-action lawsuit brought by users, including church groups, states they were bombarded with abusive messages and imagery The Covid-19 pandemic brought on a surge of “zoom-bombing” as hackers and pranksters crashed into virtual meetings with abusive messages and imagery. Now, Zoom has agreed to a “historic” payout of $85m as part of a class-action settlement brought by its users, including church groups who said they were left traumatized by the disruptions.

History booksReviewThe western-dominated global order is being challenged by history’s losers, in India as in Brexit Britain and Trump’s AmericaNot long after the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the neoconservative American political scientist Francis Fukuyama published The End of History and the Last Man, which declared that liberal democracy was triumphing all over the world and would become the final form of human government, bringing history to an end.

InteriorsObituaryAndrée Putman obituaryFrench interior designer whose outlook remained perpetually modernThe interior designer Andrée Putman, who has died aged 87, had an outlook of radical simplicity that made her seem perpetually modern. "I am interested," she once said, "in that family of things that will never date." Putman's own work, which included the first boutique hotel, Morgans, in New York (1984), and the Guerlain flagship store in Paris (2005), was certainly timeless.

Media MonkeyUS television industry This article is more than 9 years oldBreaking Bad stars reunite for reality show spoof Barely Legal PawnThis article is more than 9 years oldBryan Cranston and Aaron Paul team up with Veep’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus for parody of Pawn Stars for Emmys sponsor Audi Barely Legal Pawn? Right, now we have your attention ... for Breaking Bad fans suffering from withdrawal from the adventures of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, relief is at hand in this online promo for Monday’s primetime Emmys from sponsor Audi.

ETHICAL CONUNDRUMSIf you give birth to identical twins, is it permitted to give them identical names and, if you did, what would be the implications? Peter Williams, Melbourne, Australia Think about it from an ethical point of view... Would you want to refuse the right for the twins to not have their own identity? Jenny Allen, Woking, UK There are no laws against it in the US. There are many people here that give their children the same exact name as one of the parents and add a Jr.

The Courtauld Institute of ArtObituaryMichael Kauffmann obituaryArt historian who, as director of the Courtauld Institute, oversaw its move to Somerset House and a huge rise in its student numbersMichael Kauffmann, who has died aged 92, was a former director of the Courtauld Institute, a college of the University of London specialising in the study of history of art, conservation and curating, which also has an important collection, especially of French Impressionist paintings.

National TheatreReviewLyttelton theatre, London Giles Terera stars in a thrilling production with a radical climax that explores the domestic violence in Shakespeare’s play In 1964, the National Theatre Company staged Othello with Laurence Olivier playing the military commander in blackface. Clint Dyer’s new production speaks to the play’s murky performance history in its opening optics, perhaps even to the ghost of Olivier’s Othello himself. There are posters of old productions projected on to Chloe Lamford’s spare, contemporary set and a cleaner scrubs the floor.

University of CambridgeCambridge University says it wants more students from state schools. But how does it really decide who deserves a place amid intense competition? Jeevan Vasagar gained unprecedented access to the admissions process to find outIt's a life-changing roll call. As the admissions tutor reads out names, the men and women gathered around the table reply crisply to each one: "Yep ... yep ... yep." Each "yep" is actually a no.

Book of the dayFictionReviewMurder, conspiracy and gothic mayhem abound in the follow-up to The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, set during a 17th-century ocean voyage The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – a curiously invigorating mix of genres described by its publishers as “Gosford Park meets Inception, by way of Agatha Christie” – won the 2018 Costa award for best first novel. Stuart Turton’s second novel is a further pick’n’mix affair involving a demon, an impossible murder and a celebrated “alchemical detective” called Samuel Pipps.

Sex tourismTheir fathers visited the Philippines to buy sex: now a generation of children want to track them down Brigette Sicat will not be going to school today. She sits, knees to chest, in a faded Winnie-the-Pooh T-shirt, on the double mattress that makes up half her home. At night, she curls up here with her grandmother and two cousins, beneath the leaky sheets of corrugated iron that pass for a roof.

Two United States Government investigators were last night travelling to Japan in an effort to find the cause of the worst air crash involving a single aircraft.Japan Air Lines said that 524 passengers and crew, including 21 non-Japanese, were feared killed when one of its Boeing 747 jets crashed into mountainous terrain north-west of Tokyo. Flight 123, flying a domestic route from Tokyo to Osaka, apparently veered off course shortly after taking off for its 60-minute journey.

FilmThe actor on juggling popular teen comedy and mild-mannered mockumentary – and why he's not a fan of the American version of The OfficeEugene Levy does not look quite comfortable, standing on the sofa. Those Groucho brows are frowning, surprised eyes wide. He knows the photos will work better if he's three feet up, and he's much too polite to gripe. But he's wary. That cushion is just a touch plush. Plus, he's had a run of bad luck lately.

The evolution of the ‘flushed face’ emoji over five years of Android. Composite: Emojipedia/GoogleThe evolution of the ‘flushed face’ emoji over five years of Android. Composite: Emojipedia/GoogleEmojis This article is more than 6 years oldGoogle is killing off Android's emoji blobsThis article is more than 6 years oldThe divisive icons have become a mainstay of Android, but now they’re being retired in favour of more conventional smiley faces The best emojis on the market are no more: Google’s weird blobs are being retired in favour of more conventional circular yellow faces.

Rupi Kaur This article is more than 2 months oldRupi Kaur rejects White House’s Diwali invitation over its Israel-Gaza responseThis article is more than 2 months oldPoet says she refuses invitation ‘from an institution that supports the collective punishment of a trapped civilian population’ Canadian poet Rupi Kaur has declined an invitation to celebrate Diwali at the White House on 8 November in protest of the Biden administration’s support of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

ShortcutsFashionSidney Prawatyotin’s feed takes some of the catwalk’s boldest looks and puts them in everyday situations – from Chanel models at marathons to Bernie Sanders in Balenciaga Balenciaga, one of fashion’s hottest labels, took inspiration from Bernie Sanders for its most recent collection at Paris fashion week. But what would Bernie himself look like in the oversized, feel the Bern-branded scarfs and quirkily proportioned bomber jackets? Well, pretty good, if a little bit sheepish, if the zeitgeist-y Instagram art account @Siduations is anything to go by.

The hair-raising hipsters of Baghdad – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email You see these gravity-defying quiffs everywhere in Iraq’s capital: on reception staff in the secure hotels, on waiters in cafes and on the youths who gather in Zawra amusement park on Friday afternoons. Often teamed with drainpipe trousers and a fitted jacket, the flashy, ostentatious haircut requires care.

Book of the dayFictionReviewThis compelling fictionalised biography explores the life and times of the exiled German Nobel winner, exquisitely balancing the intimate and momentous In August 1939 Thomas Mann was in Sweden, staying in a seaside hotel. The mornings, as always, were devoted to his writing. After lunch with his family, he would take his afternoon walk on the beach. Most of the hotel guests gathered in the lobby early to await the arrival of the foreign newspapers, but the Manns didn’t bother.

A porter and a woman at the Kumgangsan hotel on Mt Kumgang. This hotel is known for hosting reunion meetings between families from North and South Korea. Photograph: Tariq ZaidiThese images from a book by Tariq Zaidi offer rare glimpses of the North Korean people’s daily struggles and ways of life by Tariq ZaidiIn January 2020, North Korea closed its borders. Before that date, people fortunate enough to enter the country were met with strict rules that severely restricted the practice of photography.

Dr Adekeye Adebajo has been executive director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR) in Cape Town, South Africa, since 2003. He served on United Nations missions in South Africa, Western Sahara, and Iraq. Dr Adebajo is the author of four books: Building Peace in West Africa; Liberia's Civil War; The Curse of Berlin: Africa After the Cold War; and UN Peacekeeping in Africa: From the Suez Crisis to the Sudan Conflicts.

Premier LeagueArsenal’s title hopes hit as old boy Mavropanos seals West Ham winThis was not the reunion that Arsenal envisaged. On a night when West Ham’s discipline and tremendous work ethic turned the Emirates Stadium into a pit of frustration, Declan Rice found himself powerless to resist as the narrative shifted to the goal from Konstantinos Mavropanos that raises further doubts over his old side’s staying power in the title race.

Flow motion … (from left) DeAngelo Jones, Shaq Taylor, Billy Nevers and KM Drew Boateng in Hamilton. Photograph: Danny KaanFlow motion … (from left) DeAngelo Jones, Shaq Taylor, Billy Nevers and KM Drew Boateng in Hamilton. Photograph: Danny KaanTheatreReviewPalace theatre, Manchester The new tour of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster is delivered by an outstanding ensemble As this UK and Ireland tour is launched, it’s tempting to say that Hamilton is back. But Lin-Manuel Miranda’s phenomenal musical has never really been away.

CultureHow well do you know gothic fiction?With the nights drawing in and Halloween on the way, now is the time to reacquaint yourself with the shadowy pleasures of the gothic novelncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJqfpLi0e9CuoLNnYmV9envOnKtoamNktLDAx6KaZp6ZmMGqu81mqK6hqg%3D%3D

ShortcutsSkin cancerTruck driver William McElligott's face is a graphic illustration of the damaging effects of the sunAt first, it looks like human artifice – a Photoshopped demonstration of ageing in action. But the image of truck driver William McElligott is actually a stark reminder of the destructive power of the sun. The left-hand side of the 66-year-old's face is deeply lined, pitted and sagging after 28 years of sun exposure through the side window of his lorry.

Stan Wawrinka: I had to suffer for US Open win GuardianUS Open Tennis 2016Stan Wawrinka beats Novak Djokovic in four sets to take first US Open title Swiss wins third grand slam title with 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 victory World No1 calls in trainer several times during final set As it happened: Bryan Graham’s game-by-game report After treading a gilded path to his seventh US Open final, Novak Djokovic stumbled, literally, in sight of the prize as Stan Wawrinka found the strength and conviction to beat the world No1 in four pulsating sets – the last of them wreathed in controversy – on a warm September night.

Police This article is more than 13 years oldUndercover police cleared 'to have sex with activists'This article is more than 13 years oldPromiscuity 'regularly used as tactic', says former officer, contradicting claims from AcpoUndercover police officers routinely adopted a tactic of "promiscuity" with the blessing of senior commanders, according to a former agent who worked in a secretive unit of the Metropolitan police for four years. The former undercover policeman claims that sexual relationships with activists were sanctioned for both men and women officers infiltrating anarchist, leftwing and environmental groups.

Inequality and development This article is more than 1 year oldWest accused of ‘climate hypocrisy’ as emissions dwarf those of poor countries This article is more than 1 year oldAverage Briton produces more carbon in two days than Congolese person does in entire year, study finds In the first two days of January, the average Briton was already responsible for more carbon dioxide emissions than someone from the Democratic Republic of the Congo would produce in an entire year, according to analysis by the Center for Global Development (CGD).

Elon MuskFrom cage fighting to rebranding Twitter: it was another controversial year for the multibillionaire Elon Musk’s favourite movie quote, according to his biographer, is Gladiator’s “Are you not entertained?” Some members of Musk’s considerable global audience were also horrified as controversial statements and management decisions grabbed the headlines yet again this year. Musk’s brother, Kimbal, told Walter Isaacson, author of the Elon Musk biography published in September, that his sibling was a “drama magnet”.

BooksObituaryAhmadou KouroumaAfrican novelist who challenged the colonial language of FranceAhmadou Kourouma, who has died aged 76, was perhaps the most remarkable African novelist writing in French. He revised French ideas about Francophone policies, which had sought to justify colonialism by attempting to convert Africans and others into respectable speakers and writers of French, a civilised procedure far removed from exploitation. Instead, Kourouma used the language as he saw fit, and said what he wanted, irrespective of its syntax and other controls.

Captain Tom Moore This article is more than 2 months oldCaptain Tom’s family lose appeal against demolition of spa complexThis article is more than 2 months oldPlanning Inspectorate says ‘Captain Tom Building’ harms Grade II-listed home where Moore’s daughter and her family live The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore have lost a planning application appeal for a spa complex in their garden and have been given three months to demolish the structure.

Detail from Self portrait, 1930, by Evelyn Dunbar. Photograph: The artist's estate/Courtesy of Liss Llewellyn Fine ArtDetail from Self portrait, 1930, by Evelyn Dunbar. Photograph: The artist's estate/Courtesy of Liss Llewellyn Fine ArtArtOne day, Ro Dunbar was watching Antiques Roadshow when she saw a painting by her aunt Evelyn being hailed as a masterpiece. A quick search revealed 500 more like it bundled up in her loft One Sunday night two years ago, Ro Dunbar was watching Antiques Roadshow when she noticed something shocking.

White Island volcano This article is more than 3 years oldFamily of couple who died in New Zealand's volcano tragedy criticises tour operatorsThis article is more than 3 years oldRelative of ‘Paul’ and ‘Mary’ Singh questions whether more extensive safety measures should have been taken for White Island tour A heartbroken family member of two victims of December’s White Island eruption in New Zealand has lashed tour operators and raised questions as to whether they would be alive if more extensive safety precautions had been taken.

The outsidersCultureEmily Mackay meets the Crass member and visual provocateur “Have they got mohicans?” enquires the taxi driver who takes us out to Gee Vaucher’s home in Epping Forest. He has vaguely heard of her former band, Crass, and the legend of the scary punk hippies who live in the commune at Dial House. “I’ve got half a dozen children, most of them live in the cowshed,” smiles Vaucher on our arrival.

MusicObituaryPaul Lincoln obituaryMasked wrestler known as Doctor Death, and later owner of the 2i's rock venue in LondonPaul Lincoln, who has died aged 78, made his name as the wrestler Doctor Death and later found a second career as a promoter and co-owner of the 2i's coffee bar in Soho, London, that helped to launch rock'n'roll in Britain. Born James McDonald Lincoln, he was the son of a Sydney signwriter, and after leaving school ran a small gym in the city.

Transport This article is more than 1 year oldTikTok car-fishing craze leads to closure of ancient Rufford fordThis article is more than 1 year oldCouncil steps in after videos on social media turn Nottinghamshire river crossing into viral tourist attraction Deep in the English countryside is an ancient river crossing that has been used, in various forms, for at least 1,000 years. It featured in the Domesday Book, attracted Cistercian monks who built an abbey nearby, and more recently served as a handy shortcut for Nottinghamshire commuters.

London This article is more than 2 years oldUK woman who killed disabled son detained in hospital indefinitelyThis article is more than 2 years oldOlga Freeman sentenced at Old Bailey after admitting manslaughter of Dylan, 10, in August 2020 A woman who killed her disabled 10-year-old son after undergoing a breakdown during the UK’s coronavirus lockdown has been detained in hospital indefinitely. Dylan Freeman had been “an indirect victim” of the interruption caused by Covid-19 to normal life, said Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb as she sentenced his mother, Olga Freeman, 40, at the Old Bailey.

Dionne Warwick in London, 1965. Photograph: David Redfern/RedfernsAs the soul legend is nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, we pick her 20 greatest songs from her 60s collaborations with Burt Bacharach to her later power ballads by Alexis Petridis20. By the Time I Get to Phoenix/I Say a Little Prayer (1977)The live album A Man and A Woman is both delightful and slightly odd: Warwick dueting with Isaac Hayes, who had just had a hit with a paen to troilism called Moonlight Lovin’ (Ménage à Trois).

A man who looks but doesn’t see … David Hemmings as the photographer and Vanessa Redgrave in a scene from Blow-Up. Photograph: Moviestore Collection/ AlamyA man who looks but doesn’t see … David Hemmings as the photographer and Vanessa Redgrave in a scene from Blow-Up. Photograph: Moviestore Collection/ AlamyBlowupThe flawed but absorbing 60s movie about a photographer who unwittingly captures a murder scene still poses important questions Memory is a great maker of fictions.

Sepp Blatter This article is more than 6 years oldHope Solo accuses Sepp Blatter of sexual assault at awards ceremonyThis article is more than 6 years old USA goalkeeper says assault happened at Fifa’s Ballon d’Or awards in 2013 Blatter calls allegation ‘ridiculous’ in denial issued via his spokesmanThe former Fifa president Sepp Blatter has been accused by Hope Solo, the USA women’s football team goalkeeper, of having sexually assaulted her at Fifa’s Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in January 2013.

John Stezaker: Pair IV, 2007, Collage. Photograph: Alex Delfanne Photograph: Alex Delfanne/Whitechapel GalleryJohn Stezaker: Pair IV, 2007, Collage. Photograph: Alex Delfanne Photograph: Alex Delfanne/Whitechapel GalleryAustralia culture blogJohn StezakerInterviewJohn Stezaker: 'cutting a photograph can feel like cutting through flesh'Sean O'HaganThe artist has made his disquieting collages in private for 40 years. Now they're exhibited in major galleries, winning prizes – and a highlight of the Sydney Biennale “Collectors of cinema memorabilia have a name for anonymous actors who were photographed for publicity stills, but never actually made a film,"

Newcastle UnitedMidfielder who ‘doesn’t look 17, doesn’t act 17 and doesn’t play 17’ has stepped into Eddie Howe’s first team with aplomb Every so often one or two of the most promising teenagers in Newcastle’s academy are invited to train with Eddie Howe’s first-team squad. The experience is partly a reward and partly an introduction to the formidable challenges involved in becoming an elite footballer. Not too many youngsters are invited back on a regular basis.

Rick Perry This article is more than 6 years oldRick Perry ‘deeply troubled’ by election of gay Texas A&M student presidentThis article is more than 6 years oldThe energy secretary weighed in on the election at his alma mater in an opinion piece this week, implying voters were intimidated by ‘quest for diversity’ During his time as Texas governor, Rick Perry sought to crack down on electoral misconduct despite scant evidence it was a problem.

Rahim Mohamed at his deli in Red Hook. Photograph: Maya Yang/The GuardianRahim Mohamed at his deli in Red Hook. Photograph: Maya Yang/The GuardianNew YorkRahim Mohamed, AKA General Ock, has turned his bodega into a tourist hotspot with creations like pancake-wrapped bacon sandwiches The deli on 603 Clinton Street in New York City is fairly unassuming. Nestled between a Baptist church and a few auto repair shops, it operates seven days a week on the edge of Red Hook, a neighborhood in Brooklyn surrounded by shipping yards and civil war-era warehouses.

OpinionUFOs This article is more than 1 month oldThe US government should tell the public what it knows about UFOsThis article is more than 1 month oldTrevor TimmThe Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, introduced a UFO transparency bill, which some Republicans want to kill. Even sceptics should oppose their efforts It doesn’t matter the topic, there always seems to be a group of lawmakers who will stop at nothing to thwart government transparency – even when it’s a subject that could not be more bipartisan or in an obvious need for sunlight.

Chris Russell completed his fifth King of the Hill event on Mount Wycheproof at the weekend, 35 years after the last. Photograph: Tim McGlone/The GuardianChris Russell completed his fifth King of the Hill event on Mount Wycheproof at the weekend, 35 years after the last. Photograph: Tim McGlone/The GuardianThe rural network, VictoriaAustralia newsThousands cram into the Victorian town of Wycheproof as the gruelling King of the Mountain returns for the first time since 1988

28 Feb 202318.58 ESTGuardiola and Foden speak!Phil Foden finds form in FA Cup after ‘one of the worst parts of my career’Read more28 Feb 202317.25 ESTBen Fisher was at Ashton Gate, and his report is in. Here it is. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night! Manchester City into FA Cup quarter-finals as Foden bares teeth in BristolRead more28 Feb 202317.17 ESTNigel Pearson speaks to ITV. “Three-nil is maybe tough but it shows you the quality they have … the thing that pleases me most is that we were true to ourselves … we didn’t try to change our identity to just make it more difficult for them … we tried to be ourselves … things didn’t quite happen the way we would have liked when opportunities came along … decisions … maybe [there could have been a penalty] but I’m not going to dwell on that … I’m pleased about how our players stretched themselves and went toe to toe with the best team in this country … I’m disappointed that we didn’t make it a bit tighter, but congratulations to them, they’re a quality side … we need to use the 12-game unbeaten run, and our performance tonight, as a catalyst to go on and maximise what we have … we have a really good, energetic, youthful and talented squad … Alex Scott is our player and it’s nice to have players that other people may covet … if people want our best players it’s going to cost a lot of money!

StageReviewRiverside Studios, London An overreliance on technology and a doomy score can’t replace old-fashioned chemistry in this emotionless offering Anhedonia is a condition that renders the sufferer unable to experience pleasure. In the rock musical Cages, which mixes live performance with holograms, film and animation, it is also the name of a grey dystopian city where the aesthetic is very Tim-Burton-meets-German-expressionism and any display of emotion is forbidden. Hiding in the shadows is the composer Woolf, who sees in Madeline, his pixie-ish muse, the prospect of true love.

BooksA new book examines the history of far-right authoritarian US groups – and ways the public has chosen to look away Pro-Nazi propaganda, courtesy of the US post office? This unlikely scheme was hatched by George Sylvester Viereck, a German-born American who between 1937 and 1941 sought to marshal US sentiment against intervention in Europe. Those who heeded him included prominent members of Congress, such as Burton Wheeler of Montana and Rush Holt Sr of West Virginia, anti-interventionist Democratic senators known for speeches that prompted accusations of antisemitism.

Florida This article is more than 11 years oldFlorida man freed under stand-your- ground defence shot dead in MiamiThis article is more than 11 years oldPolice say Greyston Garcia, who stabbed a burglar to death in March but was cleared of murder, was innocent victim of gang shootingA Florida man who was controversially cleared of murder under the same stand-your-ground law that is central to the Trayvon Martin case has been shot dead.

TelevisionObituaryKate O'Mara obituaryActor best known for her role as Caress Morell in the US television soap opera DynastyThe actor Kate O'Mara, who has died aged 74 after a short illness, was always surprising. She appeared in the television series Dynasty as Caress Morell, the bitchy sister of Joan Collins's Alexis Colby, and played vampish femme fatales in horror movies. But her physical glamour and bad-girl facade was a mask for an always serious and beguiling artistic personality.

Pass notesFashionNorth Korea’s government claims to be leading the way in fabric innovation with shirts woven with protein and fabrics that dissolve in water Name: Edible clothes. Appearance: Stylish and practical. Season: Autumn 2018. Is this some kind of supersized fetish garment? Like edible underwear for hungry people? No. It’s a recent innovation from the Clothing Research Centre. Ah. Another cult fashion label with an ironically bland name? Nope. It’s a division of the Foodstuffs and Daily Necessities Research Institute, which is part of the Ministry of Provincial Industry in North Korea.

Florida This article is more than 11 years oldMystery Florida eyeball is probably from '10ft swordfish', experts sayThis article is more than 11 years oldSuggestions of eyeball's origin included a giant squid, a bigeye thresher shark and an unusually large sailfishExperts say a blue, grapefruit-sized eyeball which was found washed up on Pompano Beach in Florida on Wednesday is probably from a 10ft swordfish ITNA giant eyeball found washed up on a Florida beach is probably that of a giant swordfish, experts have said, bringing a disappointingly mundane ending to a bizarre marine mystery that set the internet abuzz with tales of monsters from the deep.

Job losses This article is more than 6 months oldPanadol maker plans sweeping job cuts a year after being spun off from GSKThis article is more than 6 months oldExclusive: Consumer healthcare firm Haleon to cut hundreds of roles in UK and potentially thousands globally The company behind Sensodyne toothpaste, Centrum vitamins and Panadol painkillers plans widespread layoffs in the UK and around the world a year after being spun off from Britain’s second-biggest drugmaker GSK.

TelevisionSince his first special in 2016, the comedian’s uniquely touching brand of gentle humour has won millions of fans. But how different is the real-life Pera to his onscreen persona? Joe Pera is strolling through New York, patiently enduring the sort of technical calamities that cause interviewers to wake up in a cold sweat. I apologise and apologise again, but he is unfazed. “It’s OK,” he reassures me in his familiar soft, halting voice.

Israel-Gaza war Aerial footage shows scale of Israel-Gaza ceasefire march – video Thousands of people marched from Park Lane as part of the pro-Palestine demonstration. Organisers say the march, which has been the backdrop to a political row over Suella Braverman’s public criticism of the policing of protests, could be one of the biggest in British history • Pro-Palestine protesters assemble as police jostle with far-right groups

The ObserverPrince HarryThe early Spanish publication of the memoir reveals a scuffle with William and lost virginity behind a pub 1. Dog bowl fightThe Duke of Sussex alleges he scuffled with his brother at his home in Nottingham Cottage in 2019 when the Prince of Wales called his wife Meghan “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”. “Everything happened so fast. Really, really fast. He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor … I fell on top of the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces of it cutting into me.

StageInterview‘Give us the stage and trust us’: how a British-Somali play became a sell-out smash hitHibaq FarahThe lack of roles for Somali and Muslim women led writer and actor Sabrina Ali to create her own. Her latest play Dugsi Dayz, set in an Islamic study group, has struck a chord with audiences Writer and actor Sabrina Ali, 25, is in her sunny London flat, remembering a time when she flouted authority as a 13-year-old.

House of Representatives This article is more than 1 month oldHouse votes to formally authorize Biden impeachment inquiryThis article is more than 1 month oldRepublicans have failed to produce evidence showing president financially benefited from family business dealings The House voted on Wednesday to formally authorize the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden, even as Republicans have failed to produce evidence showing that the president financially benefited from his family’s business dealings.

Advertising This article is more than 1 year oldMatch.com ad showing woman carrying out subservient tasks banned for being sexistThis article is more than 1 year oldTikTok campaign showed woman making sure football was on TV to ‘make him realise I’m a keeper’ A Match.com ad campaign featuring a woman performing subservient tasks for her partner such as making sure that football is on TV, and ensuring there are a fresh towel and socks ready for after his shower has been banned for being sexist.

JazzObituaryRichard Davis obituaryUS jazz bassist who worked with Van Morrison and Sarah Vaughan and later became a professor of bass at Wisconsin UniversityThere is a powerful undercurrent to Van Morrison’s folk-rock album Astral Weeks that generations of fans may have sensed without knowing it – the coolly sensuous presence of its double bass player and de facto musical director, Richard Davis, who has died aged 93. Davis was a natural enabler who was uninterested in drawing attention to himself.

Climate crisisThe teenage campaigner took politicians to task about the environment – but their apathy contributed to a devastating decline in his mental health. He talks about his recovery and the radical ideas we need to save the Earth Precisely how he got there, and why, he does not remember, but Charlie Hertzog Young knows that in the autumn of 2019, aged 27 and at the height of his despair, he jumped from a high building in London.

Guardian Comment NetworkMovies This article is more than 12 years oldUnsexing Marilyn MonroeThis article is more than 12 years oldLee Siegel for the New York Review of Books blog, part of the Guardian Comment NetworkMy Week with Marilyn envelops the star in a chaste aura. This desire to desexualise goes back to Arthur MillerIt is not entirely the fault of the recent movie My Week with Marilyn – about Monroe's disastrous attempt to make The Prince and the Showgirl with Laurence Olivier – that it is devoid of sex, which is something like depicting the life of Napoleon without mentioning that he was French.

The ObserverFictionReviewA debut novel set in 1930s Denver blends the colonial past with a dangerous present in a feat of old-school storytelling Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s debut novel is set in 1930s Denver, Colorado, a teeming city built on the exploits of white colonial settlers and the erasure of Indigenous American lands, histories and societies. Its heroine is Luz Lopez, who must struggle to survive despite a traumatic past, a dangerous present and an unknown future.

Akbar Ganji is a journalist who was imprisoned in Iran between 2001 and 2006. He is the recipient of many international prizes including the World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom, the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression's International Press Freedom Award and the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRomKSakad6qK3No6A%3D

New YorkBomb threat against judge in Trump’s New York trial was ‘swatting’ incident, police saySpecial counsel Jack Smith and another judge have also been victims of swatting as they oversee other cases against Trump The bomb threat against the judge presiding over Donald Trump’s New York trial for financial fraud that caused a frenzy on the day of closing arguments turned out to be yet another high-profile “swatting” incident, police said.

US newsTwenty years after the attack that killed 168 people, Bud Welch talks about his bond with the bomber’s family and why he campaigns against the death penalty Oklahoma City bombing: 20 years later, key questions remain unansweredRead moreOn the morning of 19 April 1995, at 9.02am, Bud Welch was getting ready for his shift at the Texaco garage when his entire home shook. To the south, windows as far away as 25 miles cracked.

Pierre Hermé’s memories: ‘I knew I wanted to be a patissier from the age of nine.’ Photograph: Ola O Smit/The GuardianPierre Hermé’s memories: ‘I knew I wanted to be a patissier from the age of nine.’ Photograph: Ola O Smit/The GuardianA taste of homeFoodChristmas at his parents’ home in Alsace, with the aroma of traditional sablé biscuits baking, is master patissier Pierre Hermé’s taste of home Coming from a family of baker-patissiers, I grew up with the smell of baking bread.

World libraryGlobal developmentReviewOur literary tour of Chile explores political repression under Pinochet through fact and fantasy, and magic realism’s merging of the two The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, translated by Magda BoginAllende’s classic, hugely successful family saga is a masterwork of magic-realism. Fusing the personal with the political and fact with fantasy, it tells Chile’s recent history through several generations of the Trueba family, ending with a savage military coup that leads to the death of a president.

BooksReviewThe Politico reporter and MSNBC host’s book is an indictment of the former president but also his Republican party Joe Biden sits in the Oval Office but Donald Trump occupies prime space in America’s psyche. Mike Pence’s most senior aides have testified before a federal grand jury. An investigation by prosecutors in Georgia proceeds apace. In a high-stakes game of chicken, the message from the Department of Justice grows more ominous.