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Israel launches large-scale airstrikes on Beirut hours before cabinet due to discuss ceasefire – Middle East crisis live
Israeli air force says it is carrying out strikes against Hezbollah targets in Beirut, hours before cabinet to meet over prospective ceasefire dealIsraeli cabinet to decide on ceasefire deal with LebanonIsrael’s military has issued another set of evacuation orders to citizens in neighbouring Lebanon, ordering residents in the southern suburbs of Beirut to flee their homes due to impending strikes.Lebanon’s National News Agency reports an Israeli airstrike on Arnoun, in the south-east of the country. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:15:45
Russia imposes travel ban on cabinet ministers, calling it retaliation for ‘Russophobic’ policies – UK politics live
Kremlin bans UK cabinet ministers including Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Yveette Cooper from entering countryThe Federation of Small Businesses applauds the ambition in the government’s Get Britain Working, but says that overcoming the “pervasive poverty of ambition” about employment in the public sector won’t be easy. This is from Tina McKenzie, the FSB’s policy chair.This is a start – but only a start – in fixing the pervasive poverty of ambition in the Jobcentre, health and other state systems when it comes to getting people back into work. Increasing employment is ultimately the most sure-fire way to drive up living standards and economic growth. Ministers have a huge job to persuade public institutions that work is good for health and that everyone who needs work should be helped to get a job or start-up in self-employment – not least getting rid of the idea that the only good work is in graduate jobs, the public sector or volunteering. The ambition behind the 80 per cent employment target is both clear and important ..To deliver on this policy agenda, government and small businesses must work in partnership to drive real change through the whole employment system and make sure the country is helping those who most need work.It is right to ensure that young people who are seeking work are helped to find a job or training. Positive early experiences in the jobs market are vital for young people’s future life chances. They must be supported to take part, not faced with self-defeating sanctions.Success will also depend on ministers making the investment that’s needed in health services and quality training. Jobcentre staff must have a central role in redesigning their services, and devolution must never come at the cost of staff terms and conditions. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:24:44
Power cuts in Ukraine after Russia’s biggest drone attack yet
Moscow is pushing hard on eastern frontline amid uncertainty as to how Trump taking office will affect warRussia launched its biggest ever drone attack on Ukraine on Monday night and Tuesday morning, sending a reported 188 drones into the country against various targets, resulting in power cuts in part of western Ukraine and damage to residential buildings outside Kyiv.Russian forces are pushing hard along the frontline in the east of the country, amid uncertainty as to how the dynamics of the war might change once Donald Trump takes office in January. Russia also vowed “retaliatory actions” for fresh Ukrainian strikes on military targets inside Russia that used long-range missiles sent by the US. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:06:24
Man arrested over property damage after tractor driven through flooded UK town
Man, 57, released on bail as police continue inquiries into incident in Tenbury Wells high street after Storm BertA man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving after a tractor was driven through a flooded high street in Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire, causing damage to properties.West Mercia police said the 57-year-old man had been arrested and released on bail while inquiries continued. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:59:12
Four bodies recovered from Red Sea day after tourist boat capsizes
Five more rescued and seven still missing from the Sea Story, which was carrying 30 tourists and 14 crewEgyptian naval forces recovered four bodies and rescued five more people from the Red Sea a day after a large tourist boat sank in rough waters, officials have said. Seven people are still missing.The Red Sea governor, Amr Hanafi, said the yacht, called Sea Story, had been struck by high waves on Monday and sank in less than 7 minutes. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:03:58
China, Canada and Mexico hit back at Trump’s tariff plan amid warnings of impact on US economy – live
Donald Trump says he will sign executive order imposing 25% tariff on products coming into the US from Mexico and Canada with additional tariff for ChinaTwo-thirds of Americans think tariffs will lead to higher prices, poll saysTrump’s talk of tariffs raises fears of hit to economies worldwideDonald Trump has used the fentanyl crisis gripping the US to support his ambition to impose trade tariffs on China. It gives the incoming US president an opportunity to both appear to be addressing the narcotics emergency, while also reinforcing one of his key aims in terms of US trade.China is the dominant source of chemical precursors used by Mexican cartels to produce fentanyl, while Chinese money launderers have also become key players in the international drug trade, US authorities say.Trump has said that, as soon as he gets into office, he will impose a 25% tariff on “ALL products coming into the United States” from Mexico and Canada.He says the tariffs will remain in place until both countries clamp down on migrants and drugs crossing the border into the US.Trump also says he will impose a further 10% tariff “above any additional tariffs” on all products coming into the US from China.It was not entirely clear what this would mean for China as Trump has previously pledged to end China’s most-favoured-nation trading status and slap tariffs on Chinese imports in excess of 60% - much higher than those imposed during his first term.The reasons for the China tariff, Trump said, was their failure to curb the supply of drugs into the US. China is a major producer of the chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:09:47
Water companies in England ‘using loopholes’ to avoid paying for outages
Ofwat CEO says rules must be changed so that customers left without water get compensation automaticallyWater companies in England are using loopholes in order to not pay people who are left for days without running water, the CEO of the regulator has said.Tens of thousands of homes across the country have been left without water for days this year as ageing pipes burst. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:28:33
Vauxhall owner plans to shut Luton van factory, putting 1,100 jobs at risk
Stellantis says it will shift production from Bedfordshire to plant at Ellesmere Port, CheshireBusiness live – latest updatesThe owner of Vauxhall has announced that it plans to close its van factory at Luton, in a decision that will put 1,100 jobs at risk of cuts or moving location.Stellantis said it will shift van production from Luton, Bedfordshire, to another factory at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, blaming the UK’s economic conditions and the government’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:30:53
Anger in Traveller community after children ‘forced on to trains’ by Manchester police
Representatives to visit mayor’s office as parent says children ended up 100 miles away after dispersal notice Representatives from Gypsy and Traveller communities are due to attend a meeting at the mayor’s office in Manchester, after children attending the Christmas markets were “forced on to trains” by police.National charity the Traveller Movement held preliminary talks with lawyers on Monday, the Manchester Evening News (MEN) reported, and said it was considering taking legal action over the incident. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:26:40
Online influencers need ‘urgent’ fact-checking training, warns Unesco
Research shows six in 10 social media content creators do not verify accuracy of information before posting itSocial media influencers need “urgent” help to check their facts before they broadcast to their followers, in order to reduce the spread of misinformation online, Unesco has warned.According to a report by the UN’s educational, scientific and cultural organisation, two-thirds of content creators fail to check the accuracy of their material, making them and their followers vulnerable to misinformation. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:00:28
‘More straight talking’: How Reform UK is gaining support in Wales
Lack of faith in politics is a running theme among voters interviewed by the Guardian, but some believe Farage’s party may be worth a tryCrossing Gwent Square on a cold, crisp day in Cwmbran, married couple Maxine and David Griffin have more in common with each other than they did a year ago.In July, the Brexit supporters voted for the Reform UK party in the constituency of Torfaen; it was the first time they had both voted for the same party. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:29
Storm Bert offers stark reminder of UK’s underfunded flood defences
Spending shortfall has seen 500 of 2,000 new protection projects abandoned despite growing severity of disastersStorm Bert caused devastating flooding in the UK this week, taking lives and destroying homes and businesses in what has become a frequent occurrence during autumns and winters.Climate breakdown is making these extreme weather events more probable. Extreme rainfall is more common and more intense because of human-caused global heating across most of the world, and particularly in Europe. This is because warmer air can hold more water vapour, and flooding has become more frequent and severe as a result. But floods are also hitting communities with more intensity because of inadequate, underfunded flood defences. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:12:01
‘Everyone was happy, but it became annoying’: Ethiopians look back on Band Aid
London cafe owner Yared Markos, 48, saw ‘aeroplanes, biscuits, sweets and cake all over Addis Ababa’ after song’s releaseForty years on, Yared Markos’s memories of famine in rural Ethiopia are vivid.His father was a geotechnical engineer, and as a boy he travelled with him from the city to his east African homeland’s countryside. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 10:00:08
Bake Off 2024: Dylan the ‘pirate of pastry’ is the inevitable winner … or is he?
He’s had the most handshakes in the show’s history. He’s a viral sensation and ‘flavour king’. But don’t rule out the Welsh wonder – or the designer Dutchman. Who’ll take this year’s baking crown?Knot your aprons. Stand by your workbenches. And for one last time this series, bake! Yes, Tuesday evening sees the grand final of The Great British Bake Off. They’ve even put a fairground in the grounds of Welford Park to celebrate. Cue well-endowed squirrels riding on the waltzer.This might be the 15th series, but the hit calorific contest is still one of TV’s tastiest propositions. It remains Channel 4’s top-rated show, attracting almost 7 million viewers a week, plus a devoted international fanbase via Netflix. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 10:55:43
A very British omnishambles: how The Play That Goes Wrong conquered the world
This farce about a gaffe-laden am-dram whodunnit was born above a pub. How did it become one of Britain’s greatest ever exports, the toast of more than 50 countries? Our writer hits the continent to solve the mysteryA bunch of twerps are floundering in the spotlight, striving to bluff their way through disaster. The vibe is not quite keep calm and carry on, more like carry on regardless. It could be a scene from any number of recent British political calamities. But this is the premise of the deliriously funny The Play That Goes Wrong, about a hapless am-dram troupe staging a whodunnit.Despite having its premiere in a tiny room above a London pub, there is nothing amateurish about the Olivier award-winning comedy – one of the longest-running shows currently in the West End. It spawned a franchise of “Goes Wrong” farces on stage, as well as a dazzlingly inventive TV series, and catapulted the creators, Mischief Theatre, to international glory. The play is on in Krakow, Kladno and Kyiv and has been performed in many other European cities and on Broadway. Next year it tours Australia and New Zealand. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:05:02
Health, happiness … and romance? How running could help you find love
It’s a well trodden fact that running with other people is good for camaraderie, safety and our physical and mental wellbeing – but now it seems it’s fertile ground for datingName: Running.Age: People have been doing it since there were beasts to run after and beasts to run away from. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:09:38
How the battle of Claremont Road changed the world: ‘The whole of alternative London turned up’
Thirty years ago, more than 500 activists united to save a street – and their actions marked a major turning-point in the environmental movementWalking through Leyton, in east London, you could easily miss Claremont Road. It is hardly a road at all, but a stubby little side street between terrace houses that ends abruptly in a brick wall. But when it comes to the history of direct action, this could be one of the most significant sites in England. Thirty years ago, in November 1994, the scene here was very different: 700 police officers and bailiffs in riot gear marched into a significantly larger Claremont Road and waged battle against about 500 activists, who were dug in – some of them literally – against efforts to evict them.The activists occupied rooftop towers, treehouses, underground bunkers and even secret tunnels. It took three days to get them all out. In retrospect, the “Battle of Claremont Road”, as it came to be known, was an almost unbelievable event. “I talk about the three C’s that underpin this type of activism: creativity, courage and cheek,” says campaigner Camilla Berens, who was there. “It set the template for the next 20 or 30 years of how to do responsible disruption.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 10:00:08
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is accused of sexual abuse. Why are his music streams rising?
Combs is the latest problematic artist to see his work break more ground on platforms such as Spotify and YouTubeIn the past few years, powerful men within the music industry – the singer R Kelly, the Def Jam founder Russell Simmons and the Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose – have faced public outcry after sexual violence allegations against them surfaced. But in many cases, streams of these artists’ music have remained largely unaffected, sometimes even ballooning in popularity.The disgraced music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is the latest artist to see his music streams sharply increase following public accusations of sexual assault by numerous people, including minors. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:00:02
X marks the bitcoin: the treasure hunt book is back – and it’s bigger than ever
Hidden in five chests across the US, the bounty includes everything from a Picasso pendant to Jackie O’s sapphires and a spot of crypto currency. We meet Jon Collins-Black, writer of the book behind the hunt – and a searcher himselfJon Collins-Black’s mother had always dreamed of living in a log cabin. So when his father, a minister, was given 20 acres of land by a member of his congregation, he built her one in North Carolina. “Literally with his bare hands,” Collins-Black says. On sweltering days, the young Collins-Black would chase lizards, sneak up on snakes, and dig holes. On balmy nights, he’d wonder what he might find the next day. Still, closest to his heart were his days spent at the Emerald Hollow Mine, a 20-minute drive away at the foot of the Brushy Mountains. There, he’d sift in the creek and poke through the dirt on the hunt for treasure.Over three decades later, Collins-Black has kicked off a real-world treasure hunt – what he believes to be the largest in US history – for a trove worth several million dollars. He has hidden five boxes – one containing “the lion’s share”, and four smaller ones – across five US states. Collins-Black’s new book There’s Treasure Inside, published this month, acts as a 243-page treasure map containing the origin stories of each item and clues about how to find them. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:43:04
Deanne Stewart: The megafund boss with lessons for Britain on Australia’s ‘pensions nirvana’
The chief executive of Aware Super, one of the biggest funds down under, is briefing Keir Starmer on pension reformsDeanne Stewart is in demand. The boss of one of Australia’s biggest pension funds, Aware Super, is just off the plane from Sydney when we meet, and has an appointment with Keir Starmer to discuss the merits of the Australian pension system.Stewart holds up the country’s pension saving as a model for the UK. Starmer and Rachel Reeves evidently agree, judging by the chancellor’s Mansion House speech, in which she revealed plans to emulate Australia and Canada’s pension system by launching eight “megafunds”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:00:26
Why the US wants to force Google to sell Chrome
The Department of Justice suggested it should ‘divest Chrome’ and divest or submit to oversight of Android – seismic challenges for the tech giant• Don’t get TechScape delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereGoogle is in trouble. As my colleague Dan Milmo reported, the US Department of Justice “has proposed a far-reaching overhaul of Google’s structure and business practices, including the sale of its Chrome browser, in a bid to end its monopoly on internet search”. The move follows a major court ruling last August in which a federal judge determined that Google had violated antitrust laws and held an illegal monopoly over search services. The justice department’s suggestion is blunt: “Google must divest Chrome.” As for Android, the DoJ proposes two potential remedies: divest or submit to government oversight.Both demands present seismic challenges to Google’s multiform, money-printing advertising business and would be a worst-case scenario for the company.The best iPhones in 2024: Apple smartphones tested, reviewed and rankedApple Watch Series 10: thinner, lighter and basically the same | ★★★★★ Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:30:25
Elon Musk and a mass petition want a new UK election. Shall we do that – or just stick to democracy? | Marina Hyde
I know many are aggrieved with Starmer and co, but scrapping a government for Elon and a Shropshire publican seems like a stretchBy now you will be aware of the petition demanding another general election. Finally, an answer to what would happen if Maga had sex with the People’s Vote. I assume we don’t use the phrase “bastard offspring” any longer, but in this case I’ll be making an exception. To see the obnoxious essence of not one but two excruciating political movements hook up and push out a screaming signature-baby is not a pretty sight. I have immediately launched a petition to forcibly sterilise all political movements.To recap, this is the petition started by a Shropshire publican after he’d Googled “how to change the prime minister” and it told him to start a petition. Not a great ad for Google’s search accuracy, let’s face it, but I guess we already knew that was ageing like an unsealed bag-in-box of Phillip Schofield wine. Anyway, the resultant petition has now garnered two and a half million digital signatures, probably many more by the time you read this, and been pushed by public figures ranging from Elon Musk to Michael Caine. Fine. The Jaws film where the shark genuinely follows the Brody family all the way to the Bahamas is no longer the stupidest thing Michael’s done.Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnistA Year in Westminster: John Crace, Marina Hyde and Pippa Crerar. On Tuesday 3 December, join Crace, Hyde and Crerar as they look back at a political year like no other, live at the Barbican in London and livestreamed globally. Book tickets here or at theguardian.live Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:29:52
Netanyahu’s boycott of Haaretz won’t stop us reporting the grim truth about Israel’s wars | Aluf Benn
Unlike most Israeli news outlets, my paper shows the suffering in Gaza and Lebanon. That’s why the government has targeted usAluf Benn is the editor-in-chief of Haaretz“Truth is the first casualty of war” goes the old cliche, but like any other adage, it holds a grain of verity. Battlefield reporting is always challenging: you are hampered by limited access, mortal danger, deliberate fog, and officials who get away with being less than truthful. And it becomes even more complicated when the journalists are part of a belligerent society, especially if the fight enjoys wide popular support as a just war.On 7 October 2023, Israel was attacked by Hamas, invading from Gaza to kill, loot, rape and kidnap civilians and soldiers. The next day Hezbollah joined the fray from Lebanon. Israel fought back with a vengeance, depopulating and destroying the Gaza Strip towns and villages, killing many civilians along with Hamas militants and operatives. In September 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a counteroffensive on the northern front, delivering a crippling blow to its arch-rival Hezbollah and razing the Shia villages that served as its frontline bases.Aluf Benn is the editor-in-chief of HaaretzDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:12:58
In Wales, we’re one more flood away from another disaster like Aberfan | Aaron Thierry
It is only a matter of time before a mountainside is brought down. We need climate adaptation help – and we need it nowAaron Thierry is an Earth-system scientist and environmental campaignerIt’s “raining old ladies and sticks” is the Welsh equivalent of cats and dogs, and boy did those old ladies mean business when Storm Bert poured out nearly a month’s worth of rain on the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) over Saturday night. By Sunday, the deluge was surging into the River Taff and through the Welsh valleys, forcing the Taff to burst its banks, bringing misery to communities along its length – including mine in Taff’s Well.Neighbours, who had been devastated by Storm Dennis in February 2020, were shocked to find that everything they had done to rebuild was undone. Replastered front rooms were submerged yet again. New cars were bobbing once more in the streets. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:00:03
Ignore the online CV truthers. If anything, Rachel Reeves is overqualified to be UK chancellor | Gaby Hinsliff
Gordon Brown and George Osborne studied history, but neither faced the questions of suitability levelled at the first woman in the jobRachel Reeves is not for turning. She won’t be pushed around, knocked off course, undermined by backbench mutterings or criticism from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The message the chancellor seemingly wants to send this week is that it’s her way or the highway, and if this attempt to stamp her authority on a jittery political moment feels a bit defensive or even impervious to criticism – well, perhaps it’s worth acknowledging that that authority is now being challenged in ways that strangely didn’t happen to her male predecessors.Is it just a coincidence that the first female chancellor is also the first to be swarmed by a mob of online truthers, flatly refusing to believe the woman they call “Rachel from accounts” was really employed at the Bank of England doing anything senior? (For the record: yes, she really did work there as an economist; no, going on to work for the less prestigious Halifax Bank of Scotland while scouting for a parliamentary seat doesn’t make her a call centre operative; and yes, you absolutely can rip someone’s budget to shreds without getting unnecessarily hysterical about them changing their LinkedIn entry to clarify a job title after being picked up on it by the Guido Fawkes website.) Or is this apparent desperation to believe that a woman in a position of authority must be a jumped-up know-nothing telling us something deeper?Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnistDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 08:00:05
The ICC arrest warrants for top Israeli officials are a step toward justice | Kenneth Roth
The warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant are also a reminder to governments arming Israel as it commits war crimes in GazaThe international criminal court’s issuance of arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and former defense minister Yoav Gallant is an important step toward justice for the Palestinian people, who too often have known only injustice. The court allows charges to move forward for war crimes and crimes against humanity focused mainly on the Israeli strategy of starving the civilians of Gaza and depriving them of medical and other necessities. The arrest warrants will make the world much smaller for these senior Israeli officials.The Israeli government had advanced two principal arguments in the hope of avoiding the warrants, both of which the court rejected. First, Israel contended in essence that Palestine was not enough of a state to join the court and confer jurisdiction for crimes committed on its territory. The court reaffirmed a prior ruling finding that Palestine’s status as a non-member observer state of the United Nations general assembly enabled it to ratify treaties such as the ICC’s Rome statute.Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch from 1993 to 2022, is a visiting professor at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:00:14
I used to think I could adapt to most things – then they rearranged my local Lidl | Zoe Williams
They haven’t just moved all the stuff, they’ve reversed half the aisles, so they run across instead of instead of along. It feels weirdly fake, like I’ve walked into a trick supermarketWhat they always say about cats – indeed, one of the reasons I prefer dogs – is that they don’t like moving house. You have to trap them inside for the first week after you relocate or they’ll make your life a misery, going back to the old house, getting into mischief on the way. I’ve always thought less of them for their inflexibility, their prima donna nose-twitching, their refusal to go with the flow. Always, that is, until someone remodelled my local Lidl.It is hell: they haven’t just moved all the stuff, they’ve reversed half the aisles, so they run across instead of along. I’m baffled by the physical space before I’ve even started looking for anything I want. It feels weirdly fake, like I’ve walked into a trick supermarket, for the purposes of … who knows, kidnapping? Reality TV? Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:00:13
I spent more time with our cat Mogget than any living thing. I had to steel myself to bring that time to an end | Gayle Bryant
Just one of millions of pet cats, to us she was the one. She soaked up my bad moods, angst, illnesses and purred them awayWhen my son was nine, he asked for a sibling. I negotiated him down to a pet and Mogget arrived in our lives as a two-month-old domestic short-hair kitten. Eighteen years and three months later, she stopped eating. And within a week, drinking.At the vet’s, I learn she’s lost a kilogram since her last visit – how did I not notice? The vet is kind. She dances around what needs to be said. I tell her Mogget continues to walk up and down our stairs, wakes me every day at 4.55am by bulldozing my head, loves lying in the sun. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:33
I have campaigned for assisted dying all my life. This once-in-a-generation chance mustn’t be wasted | Polly Toynbee
This Labour government must be brave enough to stand up for the bill and ensure a legacy of empathy and personal freedomThe time has come for a defining moment early in a Labour era that has so far lacked definition. This is the week a Labour parliament can make its mark in the long campaign for personal freedoms over birth, sex, life and death. If not, if MPs prove pusillanimous in the face of loud but thinly supported objections backed by organised religion, they will ignore the opinion of a public that is strongly in favour: the British social attitudes survey’s first polling in 1983 found 77% of people in favour of assisted dying, and that figure has hardly varied since then. After campaigning all my life on this, I feel: if not now, then probably not in my lifetime.Every Labour government leaves new freedoms and laws of human empathy in its wake, things traditionally blocked by Conservative majorities. The Blair government’s civil partnerships were a jubilant breakthrough, along with equalising the age of consent. The Wilson government abolished cruelties and repressions by decriminalising abortion and homosexuality, ending capital and corporal punishment, bringing freedom to divorce and more. Millions of lives were changed for ever in profound ways.Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 06:00:02
The Guardian view on benefit reforms: ministers should enable work – not force it | Editorial
Years of ugly attacks on benefit claimants mean Liz Kendall treads a delicate line as she sets out to boost employment That one in eight young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training is a dismal statistic. Nearly a decade after the school-leaving age was raised to 18 in England (in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it remains 16), and 25 years after Tony Blair aimed to have 50% of young people in higher education, Britain under the Tories went backwards.The problem of a shrinking workforce, and the rising benefits bill it entails, is not limited to young adults. The UK’s lack of a post-pandemic bounceback in employment is a concern in other age groups, particularly the over-50s. But the government is right to be alarmed by the phenomenon of young people emerging from 14 years of schooling unable to work or undertake training. Unemployment and long-term illness are not a great start to anyone’s adult life.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 19:00:34
The Guardian view on Romania’s presidential election: a stable Ukrainian ally wobbles | Editorial
The shock first-round victory of a far-right nationalist candidate has far-reaching and alarming implicationsIn a region shadowed by Vladimir Putin’s revanchist ambitions, Romania has been a pillar of pro‑western stability. Possessing a long border with Ukraine, the country has been a staunch ally to its neighbour under the outgoing president, Klaus Iohannis. As well as providing military aid, more than half a million refugees have been accommodated, and Ukrainian grain exports have been facilitated through the Black Sea port of Constanta. During the summer, President Iohannis at one point threw his hat into the ring to become Nato’s new secretary general, a post eventually filled by the Netherlands’ former prime minister, Mark Rutte.Disturbingly, this bulwark status is now in extreme jeopardy after one of the most remarkable election results in Romania’s post-1989 history. The little‑known far-right independent Călin Georgescu, who topped the poll and now goes into a second-round runoff in December, is a virulent critic of Nato and aid to Ukraine, a vocal admirer of Donald Trump and has suggested Romanian foreign policy should take note of “Russian wisdom”. Mr Georgescu’s brand of insular Christian nationalism shares similarities with Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán. Ahead of a crucial period after Mr Trump’s re-election, his rise from nowhere risks undermining the fragile consensus underpinning European solidarity with Kyiv.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 19:00:12
A fairer system would make paying taxes more palatable | Letters
Most reasonable people can see that taxes are necessary to fund public services, says John Harradence. Plus letters from Tom Kelly and Ian ArnottRafael Behr (Labour wants tax rises to fall on the ‘broadest shoulders’. The farmers furore shows why that’s so hard to achieve, 20 November) makes many good points – but I think a key issue he missed is the perception of fairness. Junior doctors were incensed by the fact that their pay relative to others had stagnated. They work as hard as anyone and this erosion of their pay was generally felt to be unfair, so their industrial action attracted widespread public support. Farmers equally feel unfairly singled out over inheritance tax, especially when, in the same week, Rachel Reeves eased the rules on bankers’ bonuses.Nobody likes paying tax, but most reasonable people can see that it is necessary to fund public services. The way to sell taxes to the public is by developing a fairer tax system and being honest about the implications of any changes. If sliding scales were used (ie gradual increases) instead of tax bands, I think it would help. This should apply to income tax, inheritance tax and council tax.John HarradenceColwall Green, Herefordshire Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 17:18:29
Physician associates play an important role in modern healthcare | Letters
One physician associate says they have been doing vital work for years, but the profession is now being framed as a problem. Plus letters by Dr Charles Heatley, Samer Nashef and Dr Giles YoungsI am a physician associate with six years’ experience and I am concerned about how one-sided the media coverage has been on the work we do in the NHS. I have just been made redundant, along with three other PAs at my practice. This is happening across the country. The NHS has invested in training and employing thousands of us for 20 years, only to now pull the rug out from under us and end our careers, losing skilled workers from a system that is under strain. And for what?The cases mentioned in your editorial (21 November) where errors were made are sad, but not unique to the PA role. I was a team leader of 12 allied health professionals and worked hard to provide excellent patient care. The system has been using us as a cheaper resource because it has been able to get away with it, and then framed it that we are the problem. The emotional and financial impact of this on PAs is huge. What’s more, it will make access to primary care appointments worse.Name and address supplied Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 17:18:58
Jacob Bethell, ‘cool cat’ and England rookie thrust into Test spotlight
Debutant has impressed everyone from a young age but can he carry off batting No 3 against New Zealand?Moments after the applause in the England huddle at Hagley Oval that signposted Jacob Bethell’s impending Test debut at No 3, the sound system they use to keep training sessions upbeat began blaring out The Gambler by Kenny Rogers. Even for a leadership group that likes a punt, this feels their biggest yet.Bowlers can burst through with little by way of their back catalogue; bolters elevated on the basis of raw ingredients. England have had a few in their recent past, like Shoaib Bashir – first-class bowling average of 67 when called up – or Rehan Ahmed, a five-fer on Test debut aged 18. Pat Cummins is one Australian example, with nine Shield wickets at 46 when he first pulled on his Baggy Green in 2011. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:00:25
Manchester United spent £8.6m sacking staff in Jim Ratcliffe cost-cutting drive
Club made 250 members of staff redundant in summerTotal debt rises to £714m after £200m transfer spendManchester United spent £8.6m on redundancies in the first quarter of its financial year due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s drive to reduce the workforce from around 1,000 by 250, the club’s latest accounts show. Ratcliffe, the largest minority shareholder, began pruning the 250 jobs in July, a decision aimed at cutting United costs. Most of those left in the summer or autumn. The first quarter results for the period ending 30 September 2024 may also take in related fees for auditors and other payments.A statement in the accounts said: “Exceptional items for the quarter were a cost of £8.6m. This comprises costs incurred in relation to the restructuring of the Group’s operations, including the redundancy scheme implemented in the first quarter of financial year 2025. Exceptional items in the prior year quarter were £nil.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:04:04
David Squires on … Manchester City and a visit from exorcist Ian Holloway
Our cartoonist on how the Premier League champions may need a hand from Swindon’s paranormal investigatorBuy a copy of a cartoon from our Print ShopDavid’s new book, Chaos in the Box: order it now Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:19:09
The Breakdown | Modern Test margins can be wafer thin but winners and losers are clear
Springboks are head and shoulders above the chasing pack and the Autumn Nations Series has raised the stakesFirst among equals There is still the small matter of Ireland v Australia on Saturday but that is not going to alter this autumn’s unavoidable fact: South Africa remain the best team in the world. Or, to boil it down to its essence, the hardest to beat. They can bash teams up, slice them open out wide, kick them to death or simply outlast them: in short, they have every angle covered. The outstanding Pieter-Steph Du Toit was a deserving winner of the men’s World Player of the Year award in Monaco on Sunday but it could have been any one of several Springboks. Eben Etzebeth and Ox Nché were right on Du Toit’s tail and Cheslin Kolbe and Siya Kolisi, among others, finished the year in splendid form. France were the other unbeaten autumn side, beating Japan, the All Blacks and Argentina, but Ireland’s sub-par home defeat by New Zealand raised some uneasy questions with Andy Farrell about to switch his focus to the 2025 British & Irish Lions.Winners and losers Modern Test margins can be wafer thin, as England can testify. But the two sides who have made unquestionable strides since the summer have been Scotland and Australia. The former have been building a decent squad for a while, without nailing down all the results they would have wanted. Sunday’s convincing victory over the Wallabies showcased the growing depth and composure of Gregor Townsend’s side; had it not been for a late Wallaby try by Harry Potter it could have been an even more emphatic statement. Australia, though, were good value for their thrilling win against England and have raised hopes of a highly competitive Lions series next year. The biggest losers? Look no further than Wales who have just completed their first winless calendar year since 1937. There is no shame in losing to a team as strong as South Africa but Saturday’s 45-12 defeat in Cardiff starkly illustrated the problems facing the Welsh game.This is an extract taken from our weekly rugby union email, the Breakdown. To sign up, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:20:29
Arsenal fan gets three-year banning order for racial abuse of Thomas Partey
He said he mimicked as satire what white racist would sayDefendant said to be ‘dumbfounded’ when police cameAn Arsenal fan has received a three-year football banning order after racially abusing Thomas Partey, despite claiming he was mimicking as satire what a white racist would say. Charles Ogunmilade, 28, previously admitted posting a “grossly offensive” message on X, attacking the midfielder for missing a chance during the 3-3 draw with Southampton on 21 April last year.Partey sent a shot over the crossbar, and the court heard Ogunmilade posted: “Nah, when Partey skied that shot I actually screamed you dirty black cunt.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:34:07
Migrant workers face ‘cycle of abuse’ in Saudi Arabia before World Cup, UN told
ITUC-Africa raises ‘severe concerns’ over labour practicesOrganisation calls on Caf to press Fifa on human rightsA trade union organisation that represents 18 million African workers has submitted a complaint to the United Nations against labour practices in Saudi Arabia. It has called for “immediate and decisive action” with the country poised to be granted World Cup hosting rights next month.In an account that collates claims of malpractice and abuse alongside testimonies from migrant workers, the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) argues that “the relentless cycle of abuse and exploitation mark the daily existence of African migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:13:55
‘I was speechless’: Gabby George back in England groove after second ACL injury
Manchester United left-back was never going to let rehab end her dream and hopes for Wembley bow against USAGabby George had been with Manchester United for one month when her move of a lifetime abruptly turned into a season to forget after she tore an anterior cruciate ligament for the second time. The rehabilitation is daunting but George, knowing the prize on offer was playing again for the club she had supported since she was a little girl, there was never any doubt in her mind she would make it.In September, after 11 months out, George returned to competitive action and an additional reward has emerged: a place in the England squad for the first time since November 2022. It was a call from the Lionesses head coach, Sarina Wiegman, that stunned the left-back. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:00:04
The two Lukes headline new darts era that is both deeply trivial and deathly serious
Luke Littler and world champion Luke Humphries are the stars of an ever-expanding cultural phenomenonThere are plant burgers and arancini on sleek dark plates. There is a beer mat with the face of Brendan Dolan on it. In one corner of the room Michael van Gerwen is being interviewed by Troy Deeney live on TalkSport. In another an influencer called JaackMaate is filming a video for his YouTube channel.Dave Allen, the press chief at the Professional Darts Corporation, remembers the first time they held a media launch before the world championship. It was 2008, Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld and Sid Waddell dressed as Santa Claus, holding a huge novelty dartboard. A handful of people turned up, a few photos were taken, and then everyone packed up and went home. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 08:00:06
Backroom deals and betrayal: how Cop29’s late $300bn deal left nobody happy
While an agreement on climate finance was eventually reached in Baku, many poorer countries were outragedThe Lamborghini showroom and a Tiffany branch sit at either end of Baku’s long boulevards beside the Caspian Sea. Adorned with grand 19th-century mansions, all plaster nymphs and columned facades, that were built by the first oil millionaires, they are a testament to the enduring power of fossil fuels. Oil has been very good to Azerbaijan.It flows out of the ground here, and gas has seeped out, ignited and burned naturally in the area for so long that the country’s symbol is a flame and its nickname is the Land of Fire. Baku was the world’s first oil town, with wells exploited as early as the 1840s. Ilham Aliyev, the autocratic president, calls oil and gas “the gift of God” to his people. They represent 90% of Azerbaijan’s exports. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 06:00:02
Environmental grants promised to farmers in England frozen
Scheme to fund hedge planting and waterways cleaning paused due to budget constraints, government sources sayGrants promised to farmers in England for planting hedges and cleaning up waterways have been frozen by the government.The capital grants scheme, which was opened by the government to allow farmers to invest in infrastructure like slurry storage so animal excrement does not go into rivers, has been abruptly paused. Farmers have said this will make it difficult for them to run their businesses in an environmentally friendly way. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:07:50
Record number of English bathing sites classified as having poor water quality
River water quality distinctly worse than that of coastal bathing sites, results from tests for harmful bacteria foundWater quality has been designated as poor in a record number of bathing areas this year after 16 rivers were included in summer testing for harmful bacteria, figures reveal.The push to clean up England’s rivers has led to an increase in demand for bathing water status at river locations across the country. Rivers suffer from water company sewage pollution and agricultural pollution, and the results show river water quality is distinctly worse than that of coastal bathing sites. The results come after sewage pollution into rivers by water companies reached record levels last year. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:48:56
Cop29 deal fails to consider inflation so is not tripling of target, economists say
Experts say financial movements mean poor nations will in effect get billions less in value from £300bn pledgeA failure to factor in inflation means the $300bn (£240bn) climate finance deal agreed at Cop29 is not the tripling of pledges that has been claimed, economists have said.The international talks in Baku were pulled back from the brink of collapse early on Sunday morning when negotiators struck an agreement in which rich countries promised to raise $300bn a year by 2035. On paper, this is a tripling of the previous climate finance target of $100bn a year by 2020, and has been trumpeted as such by the UN and others. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 17:22:19
Mother pays tribute to ‘caring’ girl who died after exiting police vehicle on M5
Tamzin Hall, 17, was struck by a car on opposite carriageway after she attempted to escape The mother of a teenage girl who was struck by a car and killed after she fled a stationary police vehicle on a motorway has paid tribute to “the most kindest, caring, loving, loyal girl ever”.Tamzin Hall, 17, had been arrested and was being taken into custody when the police vehicle she was travelling in stopped on the M5 northbound between Taunton and Bridgwater in Somerset on 11 November. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:16:21
Welsh government urged to safeguard Celtic rainforests
Conservation groups’ report warns remaining temperate rainforest sites and ‘vital habitats’ are in poor conditionThey are rich, damp, dappled places of twisted branches, vivid green mosses and lichens, important homes for rare birds, bats and insects, and steeped in myths and tales.But a report from a group of conservation organisations has concluded that the remaining pockets of temperate, or Celtic, rainforests of Wales are in a parlous condition and is calling for urgent action from the Welsh government. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:56:59
TfL to fine firms whose electric bikes block pavements
London transport body takes action as size of e-bike fleets run by companies such as Lime and Forest soarBusiness live – latest updatesDockless e-bike companies will be fined when their cycles block roads and spaces outside underground stations under a new crackdown by Transport for London (TfL).The capital’s transport operator has published a new enforcement policy to tackle the growing problem of dumped bikes cluttering walkways throughout the capital, which will include fines of £50 for each bike found blocking a walkway. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:14:19
World’s oldest known man dies aged 112 in Merseyside
John Tinniswood, born in 1912 and the oldest surviving male second world war veteran, died ‘surrounded by love’John Tinniswood, the world’s oldest living man, has died at his care home on Merseyside surrounded by “music and love”, his family said. He was 112.The former accountant was born on 26 August 1912, the same year that the Titanic sank; the year the character Tarzan first appeared and the doomed Polar explorer Captain Robert Scott wrote his last lines: “It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more – R. Scott – For God’s sake look after our people.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:31:24
Watchdog refuses to sign off UK public sector accounts over unreliable data
National Audit Office ‘disclaims’ accounts because of shortcomings in auditing of English local authoritiesThe government’s entire public sector financial accounts are not fit for purpose, the official audit watchdog has said after the collapse of the “red flag” system that scrutinises billions of pounds of spending in local government.The National Audit Office (NAO) said it was impossible to sign off the government’s latest public spending figures as accurate because of the unreliability of financial data relating to hundreds of councils and police and fire authorities. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:06:57
Senior UK bankers will get bonuses years earlier under plan to relax rules
PRA and FCA propose changes to bonus deferrals in bid to drive growth and improve UK competitivenessBusiness live – latest updatesSenior UK bankers will receive their bonuses years earlier under plans by the Bank of England to relax post-financial crisis restrictions.The proposals are to reduce the bonus deferral period for some of the most senior bankers from eight years to five . Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:15:18
Assisted dying could have major impact on courts, says ex-chief justice
Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd says details of the legal process have not been worked outUK politics live – latest updatesA former lord chief justice has warned that assisted dying could have a major impact on the court system, saying “no one has grappled with the detail” of the impact of the legislation on family courts.Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, who held the role between 2013 and 2017, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the process of the assisted dying requests coming before the courts needed “working out precisely.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:25:58
Number of single UK women having fertility treatment trebles, report says
Study also finds that number of female couples receiving IVF or DI treatment doubled between 2012 and 2022The number of single women in the UK undergoing fertility treatment to start a family has more than trebled in a decade, a report has revealed.In total, 4,800 women without a partner had in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or donor insemination (DI) treatment in 2022. This represents a 243% increase from the 1,400 single women who had fertility treatment in 2012, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 00:01:04
FCA fines Macquarie Bank £13m for fictitious trades amid ‘serious failings’
Trader was able to record more than 400 fictitious trades over a period of 20 months, says watchdogBusiness live – latest updatesMacquarie Bank’s London branch has been fined £13m by the UK’s financial watchdog for “serious failings” that allowed one of its junior traders to record more than 400 fictitious trades over a period of 20 months.The Financial Conduct Authority said that Travis Klein, a trader based on the Australian investment bank’s London metals and bulks trading desk from August 2017, had concealed the fictitious trades in a bid to hide his trading losses between June 2020 and February 2022. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:40:56
FCA is ‘incompetent at best, dishonest at worst’, claim MPs and peers
Financial watchdog needs a radical shake-up after scandals and failures, says all-party group’s reportBritain’s financial sector watchdog is “incompetent at best, dishonest at worst”, according to a damning report by MPs and Lords which called for a big shake-up.An examination of the Financial Conduct Authority, which took almost three years and collected evidence from 175 fraud victims, whistleblowers and the regulator’s former staff, found “there are very significant shortcomings to the FCA”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 00:01:04
Trump officials to receive immediate clearances and easier FBI vetting
Exclusive: president-elect’s team planning for background checks to occur only after administration takes over bureauDonald Trump’s transition team is planning for all cabinet picks to receive sweeping security clearances from the president-elect and only face FBI background checks after the incoming administration takes over the bureau and its own officials are installed in key positions, according to people familiar with the matter.The move appears to mean that Trump’s team will continue to skirt FBI vetting and may not receive classified briefings until Trump is sworn in on 20 January and unilaterally grant sweeping security clearances across the administration. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 10:00:10
Irish PM’s party drops six points in pre-election polls amid ‘Simon slump’
Fine Gael had looked sure of victory on Friday before Simon Harris’s disastrous interaction with care workerIreland’s three main parties are almost neck and neck in the polls ahead of Friday’s general election, as the taoiseach, Simon Harris, struggles to contain the damage inflicted on his campaign by a disastrous interaction with an angry care worker.In what has been called the “Simon slump”, Fine Gael, the centre-right party which Harris leads, and which seemed almost certain to top the polls, is now under pressure. An Irish Times poll on Monday showed FG had lost its commanding lead of two weeks ago and was down six points. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:00:59
Romania election: what next after ultranationalist’s shock first-round victory?
Upset in presidential ballot as frontrunners knocked out and pro-Russian Călin Georgescu comes firstAfter an upset in the first of three crunch votes that could lead to Romania veering towards a more anti-EU, pro-Russian stance, the EU and Nato member state returns to the polls on Sunday for a parliamentary ballot followed, on 8 December, by a presidential runoff.The votes will be closely watched not least in Brussels, which does not want another disruptive, sovereignist influence in the region alongside Hungary and Slovakia, and among western allies, which Bucharest has reliably backed against Moscow. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:45:02
Two-thirds of Americans think Trump tariffs will lead to higher prices, poll says
Exclusive: a Harris poll raises questions about the popularity of one of Trump’s key economic policy platformsUS politics – live updatesTwo-thirds of Americans think Donald Trump’s tariff plans will only add to rising costs if implemented, and many are planning purchases ahead of his inauguration anticipating higher prices, according to a Harris poll conducted exclusively for the Guardian.Trump declared on Monday evening that he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% on China, if they did not stop what he claimed was illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:00:02
Eight Laos hostel staff held over suspected methanol poisoning deaths
Manager and seven staff at Nana backpacker hostel detained after death of six touristsPolice in Laos have detained the manager and seven staff of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng following the deaths of six tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, state media reported on Tuesday.Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died after what media said was a night out in the town on 12 November. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 10:51:14
UK government seeks meeting with Trump team over Chagos Islands agreement
National security adviser will travel to Washington in attempt to persuade US president-elect not to rip up dealUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer’s national security adviser is to travel to Washington as the UK government tries to persuade Donald Trump not to rip up the Chagos Islands agreement, the Guardian has learned.Jonathan Powell, who negotiated the Chagos deal earlier this autumn, is drawing up plans to visit the US capital in the coming days, four government sources said. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:55:24
Female executive directors in FTSE 250 down 11% since 2022
Report finds maternity bias, childcare policies and male-dominated cultures keep women from top rolesThe glass ceiling for women in top roles at FTSE 250 companies is still “stubbornly in place” according to the latest research, which found the number of women in executive director roles fell more than 10% in the past two years.While gender diversity overall is improving in boardrooms, as more women are appointed to nonexecutive director (NED) roles, progress in the appointments of women at the top, executive-board level is in reverse, according to the research from Cranfield University and EY. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:54:56
Thirty-five million Africans driven from homes by war and climate disasters – report
Data shows a threefold increase in internal displacement across the African continent since 2009, with flooding and drought posing a growing threatWars and climate disasters have driven a threefold increase in the number of internally displaced people in Africa over the past 15 years, according to new data.There are now 35 million people internally displaced on the continent, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), compared with 11.6 million in 2009, when African governments signed a landmark deal legally binding them to tackle the causes of displacement. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:47:47
Seven killed and dozens hurt as Imran Khan supporters clash with security forces in Pakistan
Up to 100,000 people broke through barriers in locked-down Islamabad to demand Khan’s release from prisonAt least seven people have been killed and dozens injured in Pakistan as thousands of supporters of the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan forced their way through security barriers and entered the capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday morning.Authorities have enforced a security lockdown in the capital for the last three days after Khan called for supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to march on parliament for a sit-in demonstration to demand his release. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:05:51
Activists slam Biden for pardoning turkeys, not those on federal death row
Advocates against death penalty note president has spared no one from death row but it’s not too late to ‘cement legacy’Advocates against the death penalty took aim with blistering irony at Joe Biden for pardoning two more Thanksgiving turkeys on Monday – reaching a total of eight fowl reprieved during his presidency – while he has failed to use his powers to grant clemency to anyone on federal death row awaiting execution.“Biden’s days left in office are limited, but it’s not too late for him to spare everyone from federal death row (and cement his legacy for the better),” the Prison Policy Initiative, a group campaigning to end mass incarceration, said in a post on Instagram. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:00:14
Air fryers, heated throws and the world’s best jeans: Black Friday deals on the products we love
We recommended them in the Filter; now we’ve sifted through all the offers to find the genuinely good discounts on our favourite products Black Friday is still a few days away on 29 November, but stores are already dropping prices to compete for our attention and cash – and they’re offering some delectable discounts on products we’ve recommended in the Filter.We cautioned against getting carried away too early in our guide to not getting ripped off in the sales, because many prices continue to fall until Cyber Monday (2 December). However, some of the most popular items can sell out even before Black Friday comes around. So, if there’s something here you’ve had your eye on, this may be your best chance to grab it for significantly less than you’d normally pay. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 18:07:53
The best iPhones in 2024: Apple smartphones tested, reviewed and ranked
Looking for the latest iPhone, or a good deal on a refurbished handset? Our expert has assessed and rated the current crop of Apple smartphonesThe best iPhone may be the one you already own. There is generally no need to buy a fresh phone just because new models have been released, as hardware updates are broadly iterative, adding small bits to an already accomplished package. But if you do want a replacement handset, whether new or refurbished, here are the best devices of the current crop of Apple smartphones.Many other smartphones are available besides the iPhone, but if you’re an Apple user and don’t fancy switching to Android, you still have a couple of choices. Whether your priority is the longest battery life, the best camera, the biggest screen or simply the optimal balance of features and price, there is more to choose from in the Apple ecosystem than you may expect, especially after the iPhone 16 models were released on 9 September.Best iPhone for most people: iPhone 16£799 at AppleBest iPhone for camera: iPhone 16 Pro£999 at AppleBest iPhone for screen: iPhone 16 Pro Max£1,199 at AppleBest value iPhone: iPhone SE £429 at Apple Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 13:39:56
The best coffee machines: your morning brew made easy, according to our expert
Discover the perfect coffee maker for your home with our tried-and-tested recommendations, from simple capsule to fully manual espresso machines• How to choose the right type of coffee machine for youWhen it comes to something as earth-shatteringly important as coffee, everyone has an opinion. Some crave a single perfect shot of espresso, while others seek the milkiest latte; some love Starbucks and others, well, don’t. This is why the idea of there being a single best coffee machine is fanciful – everyone’s idea of the perfect coffee couldn’t be more different.As a selfless service to coffee drinkers everywhere, I’ve spent months researching and testing coffee machines to produce a shortlist of tried-and-tested recommendations. The list spans all the main types of coffee maker: manual espresso, filter, bean-to-cup and capsule (not sure what all of this means? Read our dedicated guide to the different types of coffee machine.Best manual machine for beginners: Sage Bambino Plus £349 at John LewisBest low-effort coffee at an affordable price: De’Longhi Magnifica Evo One Touch £375 at John LewisBest for simple filter coffee: Moccamaster KBG Select £218 at AOBest for capsules: L’or Barista Sublime £45 at AmazonBest low-effort premium coffee: Jura C8 £895 at John LewisBest capsule machine for long coffees: Nespresso Vertuo Plus £199 at Nespresso Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-21 18:00:01
Christmas gifts for swimmers: what to buy water babies, from swimming costumes to changing robes and bags
Whether it’s lengths in the pool or wild swimming, here’s what everyone from top-level coaches to year-round ocean dippers told us they’d love to unwrap on Christmas DaySwimming is among the most popular sporting hobbies in the country, with 4.7 million people enjoying a dip at least twice a month, according to Sport England. And, unless you’ve had a bad case of swimmer’s ear, you’ll have heard about the wild swimming trend. The Outdoor Swimming Society says that several million people in the UK now take to rivers, lakes, lidos and seas each year. Their main motivation? Joy, with 94% saying they felt happier and less stressed after a swim.Team GB’s five-medal haul – one gold and four silvers – at the Paris Olympic Games 2024 likely encouraged more people to take up or return to the sport, too. So, the chances of you having a swimmer in your life are pretty high. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-18 16:41:36
Amy Sherald: ‘Sublimity in Black life can be seen in our ability to persist’
The portraitist known for paintings of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor is bringing her first major museum survey to San Francisco and then New York CityThe portraitist Amy Sherald is largely known for two paintings she made of Black Americans whose lives have intersected with US history – the first was the official portrait of the former first lady Michelle Obama, and the second was a posthumous image of victim of police brutality, Breonna Taylor, whose murder was a significant factor in sparking the racial uprisings of 2020. Sherald is also well-known for her choice to render the skin color of her Black subjects in grisaille – that is, shades of gray.Recognized as a major talent in the American art world, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has given Sherald a sizable survey exhibition, one that is worthy of her immense talent, dedication and originality. Titled Amy Sherald: American Sublime, the show collects nearly 50 of her works across the major sweep of her career since 2007, including the aforementioned portraits of Obama and Taylor. The show also features newly commissioned work that Sherald is debuting – these include the opening triptych Ecclesia (The Meeting of Inheritance and Horizons), as well as the closer Trans Forming Liberty in which Sherald poses a trans woman as the Statue of Liberty. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:10:26
‘Strictly terrified me!’ Chris McCausland on self-belief, shame and becoming the star of the show
After weeks of astonishing performances and easy wit, the comic is the bookies’ favourite to win. He talks about the privilege of being the first blind person to appear – and how his daughter changed his outlook on lifeFor quite a while, Chris McCausland kept turning down the offer to appear on Strictly Come Dancing. He wasn’t going to do it this year either. “It terrified me,” he says. “I don’t mind stretching myself, but I have to know something’s possible.” And Strictly seemed impossible. Blind since his early 20s, McCausland spent his teenage years listening to 90s grunge and throwing himself around mosh pits rather than paying any attention to ballroom dancing. So he had no idea what an American smooth or a paso doble even looked like. For some, Strictly has been unavoidable for the last 20 years, but McCausland, 47, a comedian whose natural TV home is shows such as Would I Lie to You?, says the first time he ever heard the theme tune was when he was standing in the studio on launch night.Why did he decide to embrace the sequins now? “As well as being a comedian, I am – whether I like it or not – representative of another group of people, people who are blind, people with a disability and people who are underrepresented.” He was so nervous before the first show that he couldn’t even eat. But it felt like an opportunity and a privilege, he says. “When you weigh that up, and you stop thinking about yourself so much, and the fact that you’re shitting your pants, there becomes more benefit than risk.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 05:00:03
Forbidden Territories / The Traumatic Surreal review – coal sacks and furry tongues hit West Yorkshire
★★★★☆ / ★★★★☆Hepworth Wakefield / Henry Moore Institute, LeedsShowcasing visions of tiny, sinister vipers and unnervingly hairy hearts, a pair of exhibitions celebrate the centenary of the movement that aimed to go beyond the rational and into the realm of dreams and nightmaresWriting in the years after the first world war, French writer and poet André Breton lamented that under “the pretence of civilisation and progress,” European culture had “managed to banish from the mind everything that may rightly or wrongly be termed superstition, or fancy”. The first surrealist manifesto Breton co-wrote in 1924 called on writers and artists to explore all that fell beyond rational and the conscious thought: dreams, hallucinations, unedited streams of thought and childlike wonder.Honouring that manifesto, 2024 has been designated the centenary of surrealism. Anniversaries are just the kind of bourgeois convention that would have got Breton’s dander up (it rose easily). Nevertheless, homage is being paid. West Yorkshire joins the celebration with two exhibitions taking appropriately irreverent and sideways views: The Traumatic Surreal in Leeds and Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes in Wakefield. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:53:05
Rod Stewart to play Glastonbury 2025 legends slot: ‘I’m more than able to pleasure and titillate’
The 79-year-old pop veteran, fresh from UK No 1 album this year, will follow in the footsteps of Dolly Parton and Lionel Richie in much-loved Sunday teatime slotGlastonbury festival has announced its first act for 2025, with Rod Stewart booked to perform on the Pyramid stage in the Sunday teatime “legends” slot.Stewart said he was “proud and ready” to play at the festival, adding that – at the age of 79 – he was “more than able to pleasure and titillate” the crowd. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 08:00:05
Edge of Tomorrow at 10: Tom Cruise’s sci-fi spectacle gets better every time
Time has been kind to this pacey mash-up of Groundhog Day and action movie, in which a reluctant soldier fights aliens and dies in a seemingly endless time loopGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailEdge of Tomorrow was a box office flop when it arrived in cinemas in 2014, but time has been kind to it, the film eking out a loyal fanbase and now considered by many a modern classic. Justly so, because hot damn it’s one helluva ride: a rootin’-tootin’ sci-fi spectacle starring Tom Cruise as a reluctant super soldier caught in a Groundhogian time loop, fated to repeat the same day ad infinitum no matter how many times, or how gruesomely, he perishes on the battlefield.It’s perhaps not the kind of production typically associated with deep subtextual meaning, though there’s plenty under the bonnet for those wanting to take a look: one can read it, for instance, as a comment on the infallibility of the Hollywood hero, forever destined to die another day. Or a rejuvenation and gamification of the ancient idea of reincarnation, the protagonist reaching a state of enlightenment via a video game-like pattern of living, dying and levelling up. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:32
November design news: modernist graphics, a football shirt for Grenfell and tiles made of corn cobs
Recycling fabrics for new workwear, a documentary about designer Thom Browne and bricks made from wasteRecycling takes a starring role this month, with a clothing company using deadstock fabrics to make new jackets, a construction materials firm using waste to build and celebrities and locals donating fabric to Grenfell FC. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 10:00:07
Flex your new visual super skills
We’ve all acquired new design smarts. Now it’s time to make the most of them Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-20 10:47:07
From manifesting to manifestos: Steven Bartlett is spearheading a new approach to achieving your goals
The entrepreneur has teamed up with Adobe Express to promote the benefits of creating your own personal manifestoSteven Bartlett might be a visionary entrepreneur but he’s all-too aware that having vision isn’t enough on its own. As part of a partnership with Adobe Express, the quick and easy content app, he’s now on a mission to show people how to turn their vision into actionable steps with the help of a carefully-conceived manifesto that aligns with their goals and values. Calling it the “Manifest-o Method”, the idea is to provide a framework that can help guide entrepreneurs in their early stages. As he put it in an interview with Adobe: “Manifestation without action is like setting your car’s sat-nav without turning the engine on.”When creating the Manifest-o Method, Bartlett, who is probably best known for The Diary of a CEO podcast and his appearances on BBC Dragons’ Den, drew on his own experience of creating and designing a business manifesto for his podcast company, Flight Studio, using Adobe Express. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-04 15:36:29
‘Time-chunking’ and great design … side hustle experts give their tips for success
Nearly half of us now run a side gig alongside our regular job. Here’s how to make it work …The side hustle has become central to modern living. Nearly 50% of Brits have a side hustle, with nine out of 10 “side hustlers” who are under 34 planning to transition said hustle into a full-time business. But juggling your side hustle with your day job can be tricky even for the most skilled multitasker. So here are some tips for managing multiple gigs without annoying your boss or colleaguesCompartmentalise while cross-fertilising Try to view your day job as a source of inspiration and insights rather than an obstacle to your side-hustle. Your life will feel more coherent and less draining. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-10-21 09:54:16
‘The best personal brands aren’t overly curated’: six dos and don’ts for the jobs market
Personal branding is far more complex than it once was, with evolving tech adding to the possibilitiesPersonal branding has undergone a radical rebranding. The way we showcase ourselves in the workplace and jobs market has been transformed by the tools at our disposal and societal shifts, such as the melding of work and life. Twenty-five years ago, you had a CV and, if you wanted a new job, you updated it and sent it to prospective employers. Your reputation may have enhanced your prospects but, when it came to job hunting, your qualifications and CV were pretty much the only showcase you had.With the internet everything changed – and then changed again with social media and smartphones. Suddenly, you were visible to millions of people on a device they carried around in their pockets. Those same tools gave you the ability to step up from CVs to slickly presented websites and slide decks. And social media gave everyone a platform to build and manage their own personal brand in real time. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-01 13:59:22
20 of the UK’s best hotels and pubs for the great outdoors – as chosen by the Good Hotel Guide
From pubs with rooms and seaside getaways to hotels for walkers and dog owners, all these picks put you in the middle of beautiful countryside Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 07:00:05
Sex with my partner was great – until I stopped feeling anything during penetration
I suddenly became unable to orgasm with a lover I previously had no problem climaxing with. It has been 11 months – what should we do?My ability to orgasm from penetrative sex seems to come and go. With some partners, I never climaxed; with others, I was able to climax at the beginning of the relationship and then became unable to; and then there are those with whom I had no issues climaxing. Now, I have suddenly become unable to orgasm from penetration with a partner that I previously had no problem climaxing with. I know people chalk it up to being a mental thing, or stress, but the relationship was great, the sex was great and out of nowhere I just became unable to feel anything during penetrative sex. We have been trying to solve this for 11 months.Is achieving orgasm through penetrative sex really so important to you? Many people see this as an ideal and even (erroneously) consider that there is something wrong with a woman who cannot climax during vaginal intercourse. For most women, though, the main physiological pleasure centre is the clitoris, which is located outside the vagina. So, in order for a woman to have an orgasm during penetration, areas related to the clitoris have to be stimulated; very often, direct clitoral stimulation has to be employed. So, in worrying about the elusiveness of one type of orgasm, you are expecting a great deal of yourself and of your physical sexual response. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:56:54
How can I perk up Thanksgiving dinner? | Kitchen aide
Our panel of expert cooks’ ideas include a spicy stuffing, punchy vinegar or mustard, and one great tip for cooking the ultimate turkeyFor Claire Dinhut, author of The Condiment Book, it’s all about staying within the confines of the traditional Thanksgiving menu, but giving each dish some extra zhoosh. The sides are the obvious choice for this: “My family is from Los Angeles,” Dinhut says, “but they’re also half Greek, so our creamed spinach, for example, is always spanakopita-style creamed spinach with feta and dill.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that Dinhut also goes by the moniker of Condiment Claire, she also leans on a variety of jars and bottles to perk things up: sure, dijon mustard will bring “brightness and a bit of texture” to mashed potatoes, but why not kick things up a gear and use smoky dijon? “Toast chilli flakes, then combine with mustard [or mayo] to get that extra depth; that also works a charm as a dip for green beans.”Dijon is also a friend to sprouts, Dinhut says: “We go for a slaw at Thanksgiving, with dijon, apple cider vinegar, fresh herbs and salt, to contrast that hearty mash.” Red-wine vinegar, meanwhile, features in Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s family favourite, braised red cabbage: “Toss the cabbage with vinegar and salt, then sweat onions in butter in a large casserole pan until tender,” says the chef/patron of ABC Kitchens in London. Add the cabbage mix, press down, then pour in some red wine and top with sliced apple (pink lady, for preference). Cover and cook until almost dry. Carrots are another Thanksgiving must, though Dinhut breaks from tradition by roasting hers with maple syrup and pumpkin spice blend ( cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves).Got a culinary dilemma? Email [email protected] Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:30
Nigel Slater’s recipe for apple and blueberry demerara crumble
A quick, comforting pudding to liven up the weekHeat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Peel 700g of cooking apples, then remove their cores and seeds and cut the apple into small pieces. Add 250g of blueberries to the apple and 2 tbsp of sugar and toss well to coat the apples with the sugar.Tip into an ovenproof dish roughly 24cm in diameter. Cut 95g of butter into small pieces and add to 150g of plain flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in 35g of caster sugar and 35g of demerara. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:00:03
José Pizarro’s recipe for spiced roast squash soup with chorizo migas
A rich soup with everything – texture, comfort, flavour – all rounded off with the satisfying, savoury crunch of toasted breadcrumbs and chorizoThis smooth, comforting soup is a great winter warmer. Roasting intensifies the natural sweetness of both the squash and the garlic, the cumin and smoked pimentón add a lovely, smoky, aromatic depth, while the fresh oregano keeps everything vibrant and earthy. But the best part, as any self-respecting Spaniard will tell you, is the crisp chorizo migas, which is a classic touch that brings with it crunch and a burst of rich, meaty flavour. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 08:00:05
Gina Miller’s call to women: invest, and fight back against financial abuse
The activist and businesswomen is campaigning to raise awareness of the ‘gender pension gap’ and the importance of having one’s own moneyGina Miller became a household name for challenging the UK government over Brexit, but now the entrepreneur and activist has another big fight on her hands: to push women to invest so they can prosper and avoid being a victim of financial abuse.Financial independence is vital for women’s safety, security and freedom, she says, as research from the wealth management company she founded, MoneyShe, shows more than 75% of women are not confident that they can afford a comfortable retirement. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 10:00:37
Women in the UK: are you planning on having a baby on your own using fertility treatment?
We’d like to hear from women who are having a baby on their own or with someone else using IVF or DIAccording to a report by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the number of UK women who are single and undergoing fertility treatment has more than trebled in a decade.In total, 4,800 women without a partner had in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or donor insemination (DI) treatment in 2022. This represents a 243% increase from the 1,400 single women who had fertility treatment in 2012. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:31:46
Share your experience of buying weight loss jabs privately in the UK
We would like to hear from people who have bought weight loss jabs and the adverts they have seenWeight loss jabs like Wegovy and Mounjaro are becoming increasingly prevalent in the UK, and are available from many online pharmacies – including those run by high street companies. Yet concerns have been raised over whether these medications are being advertised or promoted.We’d like to hear from readers who have purchased these jabs privately, to discuss how you chose the pharmacy and your experience of adverts. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:56:19
Share your experience of being a celebrity lookalike
We would like to hear from people who have been told they look like a celebrityWith celebrity lookalike contests such as Timothée Chalamet taking place, we’re interested in finding out more about the celebrities you’ve been told you look like.Have friends or family said you look like a famous musician, sports person or Hollywood star? Have you had any experiences of mistaken identity? If so, what happened? We’re also interested in hearing from anyone who has taken part in a lookalike competition. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 14:48:44
People across the UK: have you been affected by flooding?
We’d like to hear from people who experienced flooding recently, whether it affected their homes, communities or journeysMore than 200 flood alerts remain in England and Wales after torrential downpours from Storm Bert caused “devastating” flooding over the weekend and a major incident in Wales.Hundreds of homes were flooded, with roads turned into rivers and winds of up to 82mph recorded across parts of the UK. At least five deaths have been reported in England and Wales since the storm hit. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 08:57:36
Massacre in the jungle: how an Indigenous man was made the public face of an atrocity
In 2004, 29 people were killed by members of the Cinta Larga tribe in Brazil’s Amazon basin. The story shocked the country – but the truth of what happened is still being fought overAt the federal courthouse of Vilhena, in the southern reaches of the Amazon basin, Nacoça Pio Cinta Larga limped to his seat, using one hand to steady himself on a table. In the air-conditioned chill and fluorescent glare, his crown of black and brown feathers shuddered with each step, a lonely reminder of the rainforest beyond the white-painted walls. A Brazilian flag hung limply in one corner, the national motto, “Order and progress”, concealed in its folds. “The prosecution says that, on 7 April 2004, around 11am in the Gully of Tranquility, you, sir, together with other members of your tribe, took the lives of several prospectors,” Judge Rafael Slomp began.Pale even for a white man, Slomp wore a pink button-up shirt beneath his robes. His goatee was immaculately trimmed, his tone bland, emotionless, entirely mismatched to the crimes he was describing. He listed 29 victims, 12 never identified: “A massacre.” He said that, hands tied, they had been unable to defend themselves, an aggravating factor. “The prosecution also alleges a base motive,” he went on. “That the Indigenous people who committed these acts wanted to keep anyone else from mining diamonds on their lands.” Greed, in other words. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 05:00:01
The 1920s desecration of a Gutenberg Bible shocked the US – but miraculously gave a Jewish family new life in Australia
Michael Visontay discovered that a ‘crime against history’ in the book world set off a chain of events that led to his family’s delicatessen in 1950s Sydney It was a brazen act of extreme literary vandalism that desecrated one of the world’s most valuable books. But it also allowed a family of Holocaust survivors to forge a new life in Australia.The extraordinary tale was uncovered by the author and journalist Michael Visontay while researching his family history during Covid lockdown and has now been published as a book, Noble Fragments. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:29
‘You’ve got the grass; you put a cow in it, and Bob’s your uncle’: the ranchers trying to halt the devastation caused by Bolivia’s cattle farms
This year, wildfires driven by ranching burned an area of Bolivian forest larger than Portugal – yet beef is booming. Two sets of pioneers aim to make the industry more sustainableWords and photographs by Thomas Graham in Concepción, BoliviaAt Alta Vista, a ranch in Concepción, Bolivia, a herd of cattle grazes under a smoky sky. Workers had been fending off fires for weeks, says Hermes Justiniano, the ranch’s general coordinator, as he rustles dry foliage with his boot. “It has been months since there was good rain.”That was in September, midway through Bolivia’s worst fire season on record, for which ranching and industrial agriculture are the main culprits. Alta Vista is one of a few ranches in Bolivia on a mission to make the business more sustainable. It faces an uphill task in a country where public policy and the law incentivise the most destructive form of agribusiness. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:00:01
Netflix series tells story of Brazil’s notorious police massacre of street children
In 1993 police killed eight young people sleeping outside a church in what became known as the Candelária massacreFor some inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro, the most significant cross of the city’s most famous church, Nossa Senhora da Candelária, does not sit on the altar or atop the grand baroque church built in 1775, but outside.In front of the Candelária church, a wooden cross about 2m (6.5ft) tall bears eight plaques with names. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:30:28
How the far right is weaponising AI-generated content in Europe
Experts say fake images raising fears around issues such as immigration have proliferated since EU electionsFrom fake images designed to cause fears of an immigrant “invasion” to other demonisation campaigns targeted at leaders such as Emmanuel Macron, far-right parties and activists across western Europe are at the forefront of the political weaponisation of generative artificial intelligence technology.This year’s European parliamentary elections were the launchpad for a rollout of AI-generated campaigning by the European far right, experts say, which has continued to proliferate since. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 05:00:03
‘We learned the hard way’: Samoa remembers a deadly measles outbreak and a visit from RFK Jr
A few months before the outbreak in 2019, Kennedy travelled to Samoa and met with anti-vaccine figures, contributing to what health experts claim was a ‘significant disinformation campaign’The week before her three children died, Fa’aoso Tuivale and her husband took them for a swim in the river flowing behind their house in the Samoan village of Lauli’i.Itila, 3, and his twin siblings, Tamara and Sale, 13 months, had a fever and their parents hoped to cool them down. The children were ill with measles and were not vaccinated. When they worsened, on a Sunday, Fa’aoso took them to hospital in Apia, 9km away. They were seen, and sent home. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 02:17:28
Israelis displaced by war split over prospect of Hezbollah ceasefire
Some who live close to the border with Lebanon believe a deal would allow them to raise their children in safety, but others say communities are splitThere is a crack, a boom and a siren, all more or less simultaneously. Sergio Helman has not quite reached the concrete shelter a dozen metres away from his hummus restaurant, off highway 99, which marks the northernmost limit of the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona.The 60-year-old shrugs and explains that Hezbollah fires the rockets from so close that Israeli air defence systems can give only 15 seconds warning at best. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 18:46:38
‘We need a cultural revolution’: femicide victim’s family seek change in Italy
After Giulia Cecchettin was killed by her ex-boyfriend, her sister shook the national conscience when she challenged a ‘society steeped in rape culture’. She is still speaking outJust a day after being told that her sister Giulia was dead, Elena Cecchettin was interviewed on live TV outside the family home in Vigonovo, a small town close to Venice. Floral tributes were tied to the railings behind her, and a torchlight procession attended by thousands of well wishers was under way. But Elena was not looking for sympathy. “Don’t hold a minute of silence for Giulia – burn everything,” she said. “We need a cultural revolution to ensure that Giulia’s case is the last.”On 18 November 2023, Giulia Cecchettin, 22, became Italy’s 105th victim of femicide that year. Her body, with more than 70 stab wounds, was found wrapped in black plastic bags in a ditch close to a lake north of Venice. Filippo Turetta, her ex-boyfriend, confessed to killing the biomedical engineering student, who was just days away from graduating. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 05:00:04
From Egypt to India, five jailed men who feel abandoned by Britain
A media mogul, a computer programmer, a developer, a trade unionist, and a Sikh activist – the prisoners arbitrarily detained abroadThe cases of five British men, held for years without a fair trial, are being highlighted as MPs, families, and campaigners fight for their release and better help for all those arbitrarily detained abroad. Who are the five, and what has happened to them? Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 07:00:04
‘I took one pill and my whole body was gone’: Kathy Bates on opioids, ageing and selfish co-stars
As she stars in new legal serial Matlock, about a lawyer using people’s prejudices about older people to her advantage, the Oscar-winner opens up about surviving cancer, the Sacklers and watching herself on screenKathy Bates plays an elegant game in Sky’s new reboot of the 1980s legal drama Matlock. She’s the eponymous lawyer Matty, forced out of retirement having fallen upon hard times, thanks to her no-good husband. Or at least that’s what she says. There’s a lot of mischievous observation about ageism and the opportunities it presents: people look through her, so she can glide past security guards; people underestimate her, so she can bedevil them in negotiations; people shout over her like she isn’t there, so she destroys them in a way that’s pleasing to watch.At first glance, this seems to be a straightforward whodunnit. But Bates would never have taken the role, she says, if that’s all there was to it. The show is certainly enjoyable, warming even, a bit like being hugged. Whether Madeline “Matty” Matlock is appearing in her assumed persona (cuddly, wise) or her true identity (passionate, crusading), she is always agreeably on the side of the angels. “We’ve had responses from people across all ages, across all demographics,” says Bates. “It is a comforting thing to be able to put your mind somewhere else, to something entertaining, that also has a bit of a mystery. People need that right now – to get away from everything and get lost.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 15:46:09
NWSL glory for Orlando and USA head to Wembley – Women’s Football Weekly
Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzy Wrack, Megan Swanick, and Tom Garry to round up the NWSL season games and look forward to the big Wembley friendlyOn today’s podcast, the panel reviews the conclusion of the NWSL season, where Orlando Pride were crowned NWSL Champions for the first time in their history. They discuss potential developments in the coming months that could help make the NWSL an even bigger product by 2025, as well as what lies ahead for the iconic Marta, who won her first NWSL Championship at the age of 38.The panel also covers the only game in the WSL over the weekend, where Chelsea maintained their perfect run by defeating Manchester United on Sunday, putting them five points clear at the top of the WSL table. Can Sonia Bompastor’s side be stopped? Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:49:29
S8, E10: David Gray, musician
The multi-platinum selling musician David Gray joins Grace this week on Comfort Eating. His breakthrough album White Ladder topped the charts worldwide and sold more than 3m copies in the UK, making it one of the best selling albums of the 21st century. Now with his 13th album, Dear Life, he joins Grace to look back at how music changed his life, the food that sustained a three-decade career and how he avoids playing the celebrity game.If you liked this episode then have a listen to Grace’s conversations with Rufus Wainwright, Guy Garvey and Self Esteem.New episodes of Comfort Eating with Grace Dent will be released every Tuesday Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 05:00:03
The Israeli settlers preparing to move to Gaza – podcast
While Palestinians are fleeing the war, one group of Israelis are planning for beachfront homes on the strip. Bethan McKernan and Ruth Michaelson reportFor weeks people living in northern Gaza, like Dr Mohammad Salha, have been sheltering from a renewed offensive by Israel. Israel has told civilians to leave, and food and humanitarian aid has stopped. Salha is the acting director of the al-Awda hospital – and has stayed behind to treat patients. He says there is only one surgeon left to do life-saving operations in the area, and food, medicines and electricity are vanishingly scarce. He has watched as thousands have fled, including his family. It is not clear when they will be allowed to return or if they ever will.Yet just over the border from Gaza, one group of far-right Israelis have a plan. Settlers from the Nachala organisation have held a conference in the closed military zone of the strip’s periphery to discuss moving into the Gaza Strip and taking over land there, to build their own homes. The Guardian’s Jerusalem correspondent, Bethan McKernan, was there and said so were members of the Knesset and cabinet ministers. And, she says, while plans to “re-settle” Gaza are at a speculative stage, the presence of politicians showi how the settler movement has grown in importance and power. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 03:00:08
‘Travesty of justice’: Cop29’s controversial deal – podcast
Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian’s environment editor, Damian Carrington, about the controversial climate finance deal that brought Cop29 negotiations to a close in the early hours on Sunday morning in Baku, Azerbaijan. Developing countries asked rich countries to provide them with $1.3tn a year to help them decarbonise their economies and cope with the effects of the climate crisis. But the final deal set a pledge of just $300bn annually, with $1.3tn only a target. Damian tells Madeleine how negotiations unfolded, and what we can expect from next year’s conference in BrazilFind all the Guardian’s reporting on Cop29Support the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 19:03:13
‘No alternative’: is Rachel Reeves channelling Thatcher? – Politics Weekly Westminster
The Guardian’s Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss how Rachel Reeves’s budget has upset businesses, as the annual CBI conference takes place. Plus, what is the government’s plan for the welfare state and getting Britain ‘back to work’? Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 14:03:43
How having babies became so political - video
The pronatalist movement in the US is gathering pace once again, rekindled by Silicon Valley personalities and hard-right conservatives who are becoming increasingly vocal about whether or not women are having enough babies. But it's not just in the US, some governments in other countries have launched marketing campaigns encouraging people to have more children, while others have offered financial incentives. But while many of these policies claim to be about halting population decline, there are other factors at play. Josh Toussaint-Strauss interrogates efforts around the world to boost birth rates, as well as the underlying political motivations, from bodily autonomy to immigrationBirthrates are plummeting worldwide. Can governments turn the tide?When desperate measures to persuade women to have children fail, it’s time for fresh thinking Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-21 12:33:44
John Prescott: former deputy PM and New Labour stalwart – video obituary
John Prescott, who has died at 86, served as deputy prime minister for more than a decade under Tony Blair, and was seen as a custodian of the Labour party’s traditional values in the face of a modernising leadership. Blair and Gordon Brown led tributes, with Blair telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was 'one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics' John Prescott, British former deputy prime minister, dies aged 86 Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-21 11:40:20
Mistrust, anger and suspicion of Bill Gates: voices from the UK farmers protest – video
Amid a protest in central London on Tuesday against changes to inheritance tax announced by Labour, the Guardian discovered a mistrust of politicians, fear over the future of UK farming and suspicion of Bill Gates Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-20 14:00:22
Atacms: what are the missiles Ukraine has fired into Russia for the first time?
American and Ukrainian officials have confirmed Kyiv employed US-made Atacms missiles to strike targets within Russia. The Kremlin stated that six missiles were launched at the town of Karachev, with fragments from one reportedly causing a significant explosion.In response, Russia has announced it is adjusting its nuclear doctrine. The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said Moscow would interpret any attack against it carried out by a non-nuclear state using weapons supplied by a nuclear state as a joint assault. But what exactly are Atacms, and why has their deployment unsettled Russia so deeply?Atacms: what are the missiles Ukraine has fired into Russia for first time?Russia-Ukraine war live Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-20 16:44:49
Sign up for the Fashion Statement newsletter: our free fashion email
Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, direct to your inbox every ThursdayStyle, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, delivered straight to your inbox every ThursdayExplore all our newsletters: whether you love film, football, fashion or food, we’ve got something for you Continue reading...
Published: 2022-09-20 11:06:20
Sign up for the Guardian Documentaries newsletter: our free short film email
Be the first to see our latest thought-provoking films, bringing you bold and original storytelling from around the worldDiscover the stories behind our latest short films, learn more about our international film-makers, and join us for exclusive documentary events. We’ll also share a selection of our favourite films, from our archives and from further afield, for you to enjoy. Sign up below.Can’t wait for the next newsletter? Start exploring our archive now. Continue reading...
Published: 2016-09-02 09:27:20
Guardian Traveller newsletter: Sign up for our free holidays email
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors. You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays. From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors.You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays. Continue reading...
Published: 2022-10-12 14:21:58
Sign up for the Feast newsletter: our free Guardian food email
A weekly email from Yotam Ottolenghi, Meera Sodha, Felicity Cloake and Rachel Roddy, featuring the latest recipes and seasonal eating ideasEach week we’ll send you an exclusive newsletter from our star food writers. We’ll also send you the latest recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi, Nigel Slater, Meera Sodha and all our star cooks, stand-out food features and seasonal eating inspiration, plus restaurant reviews from Grace Dent and Jay Rayner.Sign up below to start receiving the best of our culinary journalism in one mouth-watering weekly email. Continue reading...
Published: 2019-07-09 08:19:21
Sensory art and grieving royals: photos of the day – Tuesday
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:41:48
Pride and protest: a photographic history of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights
Images by Fred W McDarrah feature in a new exhibition that follows key moments of community and liberationThe Manhattan photographer Fred McDarrah came to prominence documenting the Beat movement that overtook Greenwich Village in the 1950s, capturing, among others, Jack Kerouac (who sat for a portrait in McDarrah’s apartment) and one of the earliest photos of a very young and unknown Bob Dylan. It was this portfolio that made his name at the Village Voice, where he would work for an astonishing 50 years, but toward the end of the 1960s McDarrah began to photograph an entirely new movement sweeping over the Village.In spring 1966 at Julius’s Bar, a short walk from the Stonewall Inn, four gay men – Dick Leitsch, Craig Rodwell, John Timmons and Randy Wicker – engaged in what they termed a “sip-in” in order to challenge a law that made it a prosecutable offense for one man to buy another a drink. It was one of the first salvos in the incipient gay rights movement, and McDarrah was there to see it, perfectly capturing the decisive moment when a bartender – collaborating with the group – placed his hand over the drinks and stated that it was against the law to serve the men. The image is a perfect distillation of the encounter, a moment when customer and bartender are exchanging deep, meaningful looks that say so much more than words. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 09:04:05
‘Portal to space’: the place where astronauts take off and land – in pictures
Every three months in Kazakhstan, a trio of cosmonauts and astronauts head off to the International Space Station – then return in small capsules. What do the locals make of it? Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 07:00:03
Hungary’s most deprived people donate blood plasma to survive – photo essay
The UK-based Hungarian Roma documentary photographer Béla Váradi spent months photographing the lives of blood plasma donors after he realised several old friends saw payment for plasma donation as a way of getting byIn the rust belt of north-eastern Hungary, a new economy is thriving – one built on human blood. Private companies have found a way to profit from the desperation of the region’s most marginalised population, the Gypsies. For many, the act of donating blood plasma has become a lifeline, a grim means of survival in a landscape of chronic unemployment and deprivation.Miskolc, Hungary. One man prepares for plasma donation, while the other shows his bandaged arm Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 14:51:57
The big picture: earthbound reality at the International Space Station landing site in Kazakhstan
Andrew McConnell’s shot of a young scrap collector at the remote spot where astronauts return from space captures a curious juxtapositionThe photographer Andrew McConnell first went to Kazakhstan in 2015, to witness what the Earth’s primary space portal looked like on the ground. A particular corner of the remote steppe-land, near a village called Kenjebai-Samai, was where, every three months, astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station fell to earth, having been launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome 400 miles to the south. McConnell had spent much of the previous years working in war zones and was keen to focus on something more life-affirming.He discovered a curious landscape that was both on the frontier of human exploration and unchanged for centuries. Over a dozen visits in the subsequent years, McConnell became used to the rhythm of the landings. He would sleep out on the steppe in a tent with the ground crew of the Russian space agency; on hearing the explosion that heralded the capsule separating in the sky above, they would drive out over the wasteland to meet it as it landed – a vehicle no bigger than a family car.Some Worlds Have Two Suns by Andrew McConnell is published by Gost (£60) Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 07:00:04
A nostalgic photographic road trip across Australia – in pictures
When photographer Trent Mitchell was on the road looking for surf all over Australia he’d throw a couple of rolls of film in the bag and snap pictures here and there. He focused on scenes that reminded him of childhood road trips, ones he couldn’t get at home or had a surreal feeling to them.After collating the images into a fun zine-like exhibition catalogue, he realised there was a strong base to work from and the idea to publish a book was born.Maurizio Cattelan’s duct-taped banana artwork fetches US$5.2m at New York auction Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 23:00:06
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