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,"