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At least five dead amid ‘devastating’ flooding as Storm Bert batters UK
Major incident declared in Wales and England and Scotland hit by power cuts due to rain, floods and windSeveral people have been killed as Storm Bert battered the UK and a major incident has been declared in south Wales.At least five deaths have been reported in England and Wales since the storm hit. Strong winds have been accompanied by flooding caused by heavy rain and thawing snow. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 23:11:21
One in seven A&E patients are repeat visitors with unmet needs, study finds
Some patients across UK turning to A&Es five or more times a year due to unresolved medical issues, charity saysOne in seven A&E patients are repeat visitors with unmet medical needs who feel they have nowhere else to go, according to research that found most are over 70 with multiple conditions or under 50 with mental ill health.Less than 2% of the population account for almost 14% of all A&E attendances, the British Red Cross study suggests. Across the UK, patients are turning to emergency departments five or more times a year due to “unresolved medical issues”, the charity said. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 00:01:25
Thousands of bar staff in England and Wales to be trained to spot spiking
Training for 10,000 hospitality workers announced as Keir Starmer hosts talks on tackling violence against womenThousands of bar staff will be trained to spot and stop spiking in England and Wales as the government steps up efforts to tackle violence against women and girls.About 10,000 hospitality workers will be trained in preventing and dealing with incidents of spiking by spring next year, Downing Street said before a meeting with police and hospitality leaders. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 22:30:22
Shock in Romania as hard-right Nato critic Calin Georgescu takes lead in presidential election
Georgescu, who has called Nato’s ballistic missile defence shield a ‘shame of diplomacy’, will likely head into a run-off with leftist prime minister Marcel CiolacuA little-known, far-right populist took the lead in Romania’s presidential election on Sunday, electoral data showed, and will probably face leftist prime minister Marcel Ciolacu in a runoff in two weeks, an outcome that has rocked the country’s political landscape.Calin Georgescu, who ran independently, led the polls with about 22% of the vote after nearly 93% of votes were counted, while Ciolacu of the Social Democratic party, or PSD, trailed at 21%. Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party, or USR, stood at about 18%, and George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, took about 14%. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 02:55:55
Israeli government orders officials to boycott left-leaning paper Haaretz
Ministers also ban government advertising from critical newspaper that is widely respected internationallyIsrael’s government is set to punish the country’s leading left-leaning newspaper, Haaretz, by ordering a boycott of the publication by government officials or anyone working for a government-funded body and halting all government advertising in its pages or website.In a statement on Sunday, the office of Shlomo Karhi, the communications minister, said that his proposal against Haaretz had been unanimously approved by other ministers. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 20:14:15
Briton reportedly captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine
Man in video identifies himself as James Scott Rhys Anderson, 22, and says he joined the International LegionA British national has reportedly been captured by Russia’s forces in the Kursk region while fighting for Ukraine.In a video posted on pro-war Russian Telegram channels on Sunday, a man wearing combat fatigues identifies himself as 22-year-old James Scott Rhys Anderson from the UK. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 21:41:35
Millions of tourists in UK could be asked to pay local visitor levy
Councils, politicians and campaigners hope a ‘tourist tax’ would raise money to fund services in areas affected by high visitor numbersMillions of tourists to the UK could soon be asked to pay a local visitor levy as cash-strapped councils try to raise money to fund services.Nearly half of Scotland’s local councils are considering a mandatory levy on overnight stays, known as a tourist tax, to help cope with a surge in visitors that has overwhelmed places such as Skye, the Callanish stones on Lewis and Orkney’s neolithic sites. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 18:43:21
Uruguay election: opposition centre-left figure Yamandu Orsi wins presidential runoff
Former history teacher says the ‘horizon is brightening’ as all political rivals pledged to work together to move the country forwardCentre-left opposition candidate Yamandu Orsi secured victory in Uruguay’s presidential election, official results showed on Sunday, with 97% of votes tallied, ousting the conservative governing coalition and making the South American nation the latest to rebuke the incumbent party in a year of landmark elections.Yamandu Orsi, the pre-election favourite by a few points, secured 49.77% of the vote to conservative Alvaro Delgado’s 45.94%, official results showed. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 03:19:34
China unnerved by Russia’s growing ties with North Korea, claims US official
Comments part of debate over whether Beijing backs Kim Jong-un’s decision to send troops to fight in UkraineChina is increasingly uncomfortable about North Korea’s engagement with Russia and finds the growing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow unnerving, Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state has said.He was leaning into a growing debate among the US’s security partners in Asia on whether China supports the decision of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un to send 10,000 troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine. It is said the North Korean troops are now inside Russia. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 20:04:46
Angela Merkel ‘tormented’ by Brexit vote and saw it as ‘humiliation’ for EU
Former German chancellor’s book tells how she tried to help David Cameron win over Britain’s EuroscepticsAngela Merkel has said she was “tormented” over the result of the Brexit referendum and viewed it as a “humiliation, a disgrace” for the EU that Britain was leaving.In her autobiography, Freedom, due to be published on Tuesday, the former German chancellor says she was dismayed by the notion that she might have done more to help the then British prime minister, David Cameron, who was keen for the UK to stay in the EU, but that ultimately, she concluded, he only had himself to blame. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 15:26:35
Ukraine war briefing: Ukraine targeted by nearly 500 Iran-designed drones in a week, Zelenskyy says
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he fears his country is becoming a ‘testing ground’ for Russian weapons. What we know on day 1,006See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverageVolodymyr Zelenskyy has said he fears that Ukraine will become “a testing ground” for Russian munitions, with the country being targeted by nearly 500 drones in the past week, as well as more than 20 missiles. Though Russia’s first ever use of the Oreshnik intermediate range ballistic missile on Dnipro on Thursday captured global attention, on Sunday Zelenskyy highlighted the increased level of Shahed drone attacks. Ukraine says Russia has set up two factories to make the distinctive Iran-designed, delta-winged Shahed 136 drones, called Geran-2 by Moscow, about 800 miles from the border in Ukraine.A British national has reportedly been captured by Russian forces in the Kursk region while fighting for Ukraine. A video posted on pro-war Russian Telegram channels on Sunday, shows a man wearing combat fatigues who identifies himself as 22-year-old James Scott Rhys Anderson from the UK. Speaking with an English accent, the man says that he served as a signalman in the British army until 2023 before joining the International Legion in Ukraine to fight against Russia. The footage, which has not been verified, shows the captured man with his hands tied. It is unclear when the clip was recorded. Thousands of people from around the world have travelled to Ukraine, many joining the International Legion, after a call from Zelenskyy to join the fight.The geopolitical implications of the Ukraine war are rippling through Asia, with claims in the US that China is growing “increasingly uncomfortable” about North Korea’s engagement with Russia. China is unnerved by the growing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state has said, with Beijing fearing the issue may help America form alliances with South Korea and Japan in east Asia. Campbell was weighing in on a growing debate among the US’s security partners in Asia on whether China supports the decision of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un to send 10,000 troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine. It has been reported that the North Korean troops are now inside Russia.Falling debris from destroyed Ukrainian drones sparked a fire at an industrial facility in Russia’s Kaluga, officials said early on Monday. Vladislav Shapsha, the regional governor, said that there were no injuries and that three drones were destroyed. He did not say which facility was on fire.Britain and its Nato allies must stay ahead in “the new AI arms race”, British Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden is expected to say on Monday, warning that Russian cyber criminals are increasingly targeting countries that support Ukraine. Addressing the Nato Cyber Defence Conference in London, McFadden is expected to unveil Britain’s plans to set up a new Laboratory for AI security to help create better cyber defence tools and organise intelligence on attacks, according to Reuters. In the latest warning about Moscow stepping up cyber-attacks on nations backing Ukraine, McFadden will call on the US-led military alliance, businesses and institutions to do “everything they can to lock their own digital doors” to protect themselves from what he called an increasingly aggressive Russia.In the US, Republican lawmakers are pushing back against criticism that Donald Trump’s pick to lead the intelligence services is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia, the Associated Press reports. The accusation came from Illinois Democrat and senator Tammy Duckworth who said she is concerned about the pro-Russian views expressed by Tulsi Gabbard, who was tapped for the post of director of national intelligence. Markwayne Mullin, a Republican from Oklahoma, told CNN the criticism was “outright dangerous”, while Republican senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri said he thought it was “totally ridiculous” that Gabbard was being cast as a Russian asset for having different political views. “It’s insulting. It’s a slur, quite frankly. There’s no evidence that she’s a asset of another country,” he said on NBC. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 02:10:07
‘It’s about political will’: is the Foreign Office failing Britons detained abroad?
Relatives and campaigners hope Labour will usher in a step-change in the handling of hostage casesLammy urged to keep promise of envoy to help free Britons held abroadGurpreet Singh Johal is sitting in a London hotel lobby the night before he is due to meet David Lammy.He recalls in his soft Scottish burr that this will be the fifth UK foreign secretary he will have seen in his quest to secure the release of his brother, Jagtar, who has been detained in Indian prisons for seven years, with the case making virtually no progress. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 12:29:36
‘Resilience interventions do work’ – why coping strategies should be a staple of education
Early instruction that teaches young people how to recognise negative thought patterns and manage their mental health may help to avoid problems in later lifeI was about 16 when I had my first bout of depression, but 29 when I sought help and received a diagnosis. In the intervening period, I thought I could weather my low moods alone, but the waves of hopelessness didn’t lessen; they only gained momentum. I was left with a strong desire to evaporate, leaving no trace of my existence in the world.I am extremely lucky to have responded well to a course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), but I can’t help wondering how much pain I could have avoided if I’d learned to manage my mental health better at a younger age, before my symptoms had even started to develop. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:00:16
Cop29 climate finance deal criticised as ‘travesty of justice’ and ‘stage-managed’
Some countries say deal should not have been done and is ‘abysmally poor’ compared with what is neededThe climate finance deal agreed at Cop29 is a “travesty of justice” that should not have been adopted, some countries’ negotiators have said.The climate conference came to a dramatic close early on Sunday morning when negotiators struck an agreement to triple the flow of climate finance to poorer countries. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 15:13:41
Cop29’s new carbon market rules offer hope after scandal and deadlock
Countries agree on how to create, trade and register credits to meet climate commitmentsIt was once among the most promising ways to funnel climate finance to vulnerable communities and nature conservation. The trading of carbon credits, each equal to a tonne of CO2 that has been reduced or removed from the atmosphere, was meant to target quick, cost-effective wins on climate and biodiversity. In 2022, demand soared as companies made environmental commitments using offsets, with the market surpassing $2bn (£1.6bn) while experiencing exponential growth. But the excitement did not last.Two years later, many carbon markets organisations are clinging on for survival, with several firms losing millions of dollars a year and cutting jobs. Scandals about environmentally worthless credits, an FBI charge against a leading project developer for a $100m fraud, and a lack of clarity about where money from offsets went has caused their market value to plunge by more than half. Predictions that standing rainforests and other carbon-rich ecosystems would become multibillion-dollar assets have not yet come to pass. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 10:03:11
Yes, there is a lot of greenwashing, but Cop summits are our best chance of averting climate breakdown | Ashish Ghadiali
Despite its imperfections the process of tackling the climate crisis will not be derailed, even in the face of US backtrackingIt was never an indication of great things to come when the chief executive of Cop29, Elnur Soltanov, was filmed attempting to broker gas and oil deals for Azerbaijan in the slipstream of the past fortnight’s UN climate summit in Baku.More than 1,700 fossil fuel lobbyists have been operating in and around Cop29, outnumbering delegates from the 10 most climate-vulnerable countries combined. Many, including Greta Thunberg, now argue that the UN climate process has been entirely hijacked by corporate interests, reduced to a global stage for greenwash.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a letter of up to 250 words to be considered for publication, email it to us at [email protected] Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 08:00:06
‘Disaster is about caring. I’m not selfish any more’ – This is climate breakdown
We are used to seasonal droughts in the Karoo. But this did not stop. This is Sybil’s storyLocation Sutherland, South AfricaDisaster Southern Africa drought, 2015-2023Isabella Visagie, known to everyone in her life as Sybil, is a 57-year-old sheep farmer, wife and mother from the Karoo, in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. In 2015 a drought began that would bring the community in which she lived to its knees. The province has been locked in a drought since then. The climate crisis intensified flash droughts across southern Africa in 2015-16, increased the probability of the 2015-17 drought in the south-west of neighbouring Western Cape, and is increasing temperatures in the Northern Cape, as well as decreasing rainfall in parts of that province. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 12:00:42
Queen Camilla: The Wicked Stepmother review – what is the point of this dull rubbish?
Does anyone really care about a documentary charting Camilla’s rise from jolly schoolgirl to Diana’s nemesis, then queen? Channel 4 does, judging by this tedious, flimsy showI feel like I’ve missed a memo. Is it Camilla Awareness Month or something? Two weeks ago, we had 90 minutes on her charitable activities in ITV’s Her Majesty the Queen: Behind Closed Doors – which, to be honest, amply satisfied my interest in the lady, fond as I am of a doughty dame. Now we’ve got Queen Camilla: The Wicked Stepmother, a documentary about absolutely nothing we haven’t heard before. It looks like the Christmas ruining of the TV schedules has already begun. Seems to come round earlier every year, does it not?Anyway. To business. Posh folk alongside less posh biographers and journalists assemble to talk about Camilla’s “remarkable rise” to queendom. We begin with her childhood. She was born in a Nottinghamshire mining town and ate nothing but mice and boot blacking until she was four, when she followed her father down t’pit and got to share his midday break and a cup of pneumoconiosis every Thursday.Queen Camilla: The Wicked Stepmother aired on Channel 4. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 22:00:22
The truth about salt: how to avoid one of the world’s biggest hidden killers
Most of us consume far too much, which can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. But there are some simple ways to retrain your palate and reduce your intakeLast Tuesday, I bought lunch on the go. I fancied something hot, tasty but healthy, so I chose a vegan ramen from the Japanese-inspired chain Wasabi. The soup was packed with turmeric noodles, vegetable gyozas, mushrooms, bean sprouts, pak choi, pickled ginger and sesame seeds, in a soy and miso broth. It was delicious. In fact, it was so delicious, I was suspicious. I checked out its nutritional information online. Only 342 calories, low in saturated fat … Aha! Salt: 5.07g a portion.The World Health Organization recommends that adults eat less than 5g of salt a day. One noodle soup had exceeded my entire daily intake. (The UK limit is a little more generous at 6g, but even that wasn’t far off.) Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:00:13
Wicked slays Gladiator II in ticket sales duel as new films boost box office
Combined $270m of worldwide ticket sales for Ridley Scott and Jon Chu movies leads to one of 2024’s busiest weekendsWith a combined $270m in worldwide ticket sales, Wicked and Gladiator II breathed fresh life into a box office that has struggled lately, leading to one of the busiest moviegoing weekends of the year.Jon M Chu’s lavish big-budget musical Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, debuted with $114m domestically and $164.2m globally for Universal Pictures, according to studio estimates on Sunday. That made it the third-biggest opening weekend of the year, behind only Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2. It’s also a record for a Broadway musical adaptation.Wicked, $114m.Gladiator II, $55.5m.Red One, $13.3m.Bonhoeffer: Pastor Spy Assassin, $5.1m.Venom: The Last Dance, $4m. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 00:12:53
‘I am nothing if not persistent’: Lesley Imgart, winner of our graphic short story prize 2024
It was fifth time lucky for Imgart in this year’s Observer/Faber award for emerging cartoonists, with her spellbinding tale about the life of a young witchRead winner Lesley Imgart’s Witch Way? hereRead runner-up Elly Bazigos’s LANSA Flight 508 hereSpeaking to the winner of the annual Observer/Faber graphic short story prize is always a highlight of my year, but this time around the experience was especially lovely. Lesley Imgart, whose brilliant broomstick-ridden story Witch Way? we publish today, has entered the competition five times in the past six years, and when she talks to me from her home in Edinburgh, she still sounds amazed finally to have triumphed. “It’s unbelievable,” she says. “It was this thing I just did every year… I keep forgetting I’ve won, and then 15 minutes later, I’ll remember, and feel pleased all over again.” Her verdict on herself: “I am nothing if not persistent.”Imgart’s story is about the life of a young witch. First, comes witch school, and the struggle to concentrate on maths when she’d rather be casting spells. Then, university (Contemporary Magic Practice BA Hons at the College of Arcane Arts). But what to do with her life once she graduates? Even witches need to earn a living. While her friends all seem gung-ho (“I’m going to focus on my YouBroom career,” says one, mobile phone already in front of his face), she ends up listening to customers’ complaints in a magical hardware shop (“Your self-stirring spoons stir too fast!”). Her magic is on the back burner, performed only for family and friends, or at weddings and birthdays, mainly because it’s cheaper than buying a present. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 12:00:10
‘Deep in my madness, witches gave me hope’: Elizabeth Sankey on motherhood, depression and witches
While battling through the darkness of severe postpartum anxiety, Elizabeth Sankey saw a light of solidarity in the stories of witchcraftFour years ago, when my son was only one month old, he and I were admitted to a mother and baby unit, a psychiatric ward that cares for people with perinatal mental health issues and their babies. I was diagnosed with severe postpartum anxiety and depression, and placed on medication. I had weekly sessions with the psychiatric team about my progress, and my son and I spent time with the other women on the ward and their babies. Every day, sometimes twice a day, my husband would come and see us and we would walk around Hackney as I tried to remember who I once was, tried to resist the temptation to step in front of a car. Gradually, horrifically, painfully slowly, I got a bit better. After eight weeks we were discharged and we went home.But while I was no longer in a crisis situation, my mental health was extremely fragile. I had weekly calls with an NHS therapist who approached my illness in a methodical, precise way. She explained what was happening to me and why it had happened. I was desperate to put it all down to hormones, I wanted to run away from the corrupt version of myself and never think about her again, wanted to slice her out of my heart, my mind, bury her and spit on her grave. I was so embarrassed and ashamed of her, I hated her. But my therapist gently pushed back – it wasn’t just hormones, and I needed to find a way to accept that. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 11:00:09
Wrestler, film star – and future president? Why we should all take Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson seriously
The WWE icon, already one of Hollywood’s highest-paid film stars, has shown himself to be ‘focus group-proof’It’s proving to be a busy period for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, sometime WWE professional wrestler and Hollywood film star. Well, another one. Red One, a Christmas-themed action movie (Johnson plays Santa Claus’s bodyguard), was released earlier this month. The Disney animation, Moana 2 (for which he voices the tattooed demigod Maui) is about to be released. He is also in the process of filming the new live-action version of Moana, and embarking on another Disney movie, Monster Jam.If anyone is surprised by Johnson’s repeated donning of the cinematic mouse ears, or by his general presence in children’s films, they shouldn’t be. While he is probably still best known for the Fast & Furious film franchise, and other flexes of his big-screen muscle, he has long been a staple in family movies. With his reputed $50m fee for Red One, and with an estimated net worth of about $800m, he has become one of Hollywood’s highest paid stars. Johnson also made the Time magazine 100 list of influential people – not once but twice, in 2016 and 2019. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 11:00:10
Democrats search for answers as blue Philadelphia turns towards Trump
Trump grew his support in nearly all of Philadelphia’s wards – what went wrong for Harris in a key Democratic city?When Kamala Harris stopped at the west Philadelphia barber shop Philly Cuts just days before the election, its manager, James Browne, said the vice-president came off “almost like a favorite aunt”.Harris seemed “genuine, kind, nice, very comforting” during the half-hour she spent in the shop while campaigning in the largest city in battleground state Pennsylvania, Browne said. “Meeting her in person was very different than seeing her on TV.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 15:00:13
I’ve written a diary every day since I was 14. What does that say about me?
Reading four decades of entries, I realise ego can take precedence over world events, life is never too dull to record – and I’ve learned not to take myself so seriously“Hello! I said to myself today that if I do five handstands and flip over it will be an excellent year and I did!” Thus, unceremoniously, began the 41-volume (and counting) story of my life. It was 1984 and I was 14, fumbling through adolescence in a scarlet beret. My likes, according to a list on the front page, included jacket potatoes and graveyards. My new year resolutions were to “see how long I can go without cake” and “improve my character.”I haven’t missed a day’s entry since that 1 January. My past crams two bookshelves in rows of page-a-day journals. It’s startling how little four decades seems when it’s represented by slim, stacked spines. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 13:00:11
The silver lining at a disappointing Cop29? It showed climate progress can survive Trump 2.0 | Geoffrey Lean
Away from the brutal main negotiations, there were important strides forward. The science can – and must – rise above politicsThe resolutions reached at Cop29 on tackling the climate crisis, in the early hours of Sunday morning, are gravely disappointing but much better than nothing. And “nothing” was almost the result of this climate conference in Baku. This was one of the most difficult of the 29 Cops I have followed.The deal falls a long way short of hopes at the start of the climate summit, and even further behind what the world urgently needs. But coming after negotiations that frequently teetered on the very edge of collapse, the result does keep climate talks alive despite Donald Trump’s second coming, and has laid the first ever international foundation, however weak, on which the world could finally construct a system of financing poor countries’ transition away from fossil fuels. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 13:31:16
I’ll defend Allison Pearson’s right to be obnoxious – as she should defend mine | Kenan Malik
Police investigation into writer’s alleged tweet has sparked a debate over free speech, albeit a somewhat selective one There are few columnists with whom I disagree more than I do with the Daily Telegraph’s Allison Pearson. Yet, I welcome the decision by the police to drop their investigation into her alleged tweet. This should never have been a matter for the police. At the same time, the debate sparked by the investigation has shown how selective many free speech campaigners are about the speech they are willing to defend.The facts of the case remain contested. It appears that in November 2023, Pearson retweeted a photo of police officers standing next to two men holding a flag. “Invited to pose for a photo with lovely peaceful British Friends of Israel on Saturday police refused. Look at this lot smiling with the Jew haters,” she wrote, apparently jumping to the conclusion that the image was of Metropolitan police officers with demonstrators from a pro-Palestinian march.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a letter of up to 250 words to be considered for publication, email it to us at [email protected] Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 08:30:06
From Sure Start to youth centres, cutting children’s services is a false economy | Torsten Bell
Research reveals that Tessa Jowell’s programme not only helped early years children but went on to reduce youth crimeOn 22 February 2019, I spoke at a conference in memory of a good friend, Tessa Jowell. The event was about her legacy, marking 20 years since the first Sure Start programmes, which she’d driven as public health minister.Sure Start provided support for children under five, and was expanded through the 2000s before being all but abolished after 2010. By 2019, the evidence was mounting that the programme had delivered positive results for families and mothers, but it was too early to know the lasting impact on children.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a letter of up to 250 words to be considered for publication, email it to us at [email protected] Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 09:00:06
Flat-cap Clarkson only wants his nose in the trough | Stewart Lee
The broadcaster thinks if he fires up his farming fanbase they can shield him from his obligation to contribute his fair share to societyI read Andrew Michael Hurley’s new novel, Barrowbeck, in preparation for co-hosting Tales of the Weird, a timely event on the folk horror genre at the British Library earlier this month. I’m not the most informed commentator on this literary subset by any means, but I am, after Mark Gatiss, one of the most famous, and so I am often asked to pontificate about it. That’s the way the world works, I’m afraid. That’s why Hugh Dennis and David Baddiel are presenting a new show for Channel 4 about cycling across France, instead of the cyclist who cycled across France earlier this year and won the Tour de France cycling race, whoever he was.Barrowbeck follows the fortunes of a Yorkshire hamlet, from an itinerant tribe making a pact with their gods 2,000 years ago, in which they promise to honour the land, to the near future of 2041. There, climate change has seen that same land flooded, some inhabitants holding on in hope as a cycle of life that stretched back millennia indisputably ends, as it will for all of us, sooner, it seems, rather than later. And these are the doomed lands our wealthiest farmers are taking to the streets to inherit (at half the inheritance tax anyone else would pay).Stewart Lee tours Stewart Lee vs the Man-Wulf next year, with a Royal Festival Hall run in July. He is also a guest of all-female Fall karaoke act the Fallen Women, at the Lexington, London on 28 December Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 10:00:09
Labour could be knocked off course as it sticks to £40bn mission | Heather Stewart
The government’s pact with voters relies on it delivering on its promise of growth but the early omens are unsettling‘“Starmer the farmer harmer”: the placards sported by the army of angry landowners who rolled into Westminster last Tuesday sent a clear message to the prime minister, albeit while he was out of the country.By Thursday, the Treasury was hinting at a retreat, albeit a very modest one, on its plans to levy inheritance tax on larger estates, mooting a transitional regime for the oldest farmers, who may not have time to organise their affairs. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 10:57:01
Nicola Jennings on a Britain beset by stormy weather – cartoon
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Published: 2024-11-24 15:10:40
Still hanging on to your old diaries and teenage photos? Chuck them out – and start to live | Nell Frizzell
I’m moving house, which means coming face to face with a lifetime of mementos. I feel a burden lifting with each item I bin, donate or recycleThere is a particular sort of box that lurks in every home, full of “memorabilia” or “mementos”. Baby teeth, divorce certificates, spare keys for locks unknown, your granny’s old Padre Pio fridge magnet, the tenancy agreement for your last flat: the whole thing is rank with association, emotion, nostalgia and pain. That box is my nemesis. That box is doom.Because I decided that turning 40, being pregnant and training for a second career wasn’t enough to be getting on with in a single month, I am also in the lucky position of moving house. Which means opening various drawers, boxes, cupboards and ring binders, only to discover a pit of painful sentimentality or logistical confusion at every turn. But listen to me: you can get rid of these things. Your child’s reception maths book? Put it in the recycling, my friends, and feel that burden lift. A photograph of you, aged 16, at your first festival, wearing a pair of jeans you had turned into flares by stitching two triangles of denim into the ankles? Put it in the bin and never miss it. That second cheese grater given to you by a well-meaning uncle? Take it to the charity shop and delight in the feeling of relief. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:00:14
When we see others in distress we can suffer too. How do we heal from this collective trauma? | Sara Mussa
The more we identify with those suffering, the more vicarious trauma we may feel. But we can recover and even grow from this experienceThe modern mind is a column where experts discuss mental health issues they are seeing in their workAs I stepped into my office and checked my client list for the day, I was surprised to see a name pop up that hadn’t been there for a while. It was Kareem, a young father of two who had arrived to Australia from war-torn Iraq. During our session, he described that he thought his symptoms were under control and he was recovering well. But suddenly he was transported back to the blast that left him with a traumatic brain injury and months of rehabilitation. “What was the thing that took you back there?” I asked him. He said it was “hearing a song”, the same song that was playing in his car just before the blast hit.In my work with survivors of war, it has become clear that an individual’s sense of safety after a trauma seems particularly difficult to maintain when the trauma occurred during the most mundane tasks. This could be attending university before there was a siege or driving home from work before being stuck in a blockade with rapid fire ahead. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:00:14
The Guardian view on Cop29: poor-world discontent over a failure of rich countries to deliver | Editorial
A rushed final text in Baku strains trust between nations, as inadequate climate finance commitments leave vulnerable countries calling for justiceThe hasty imposition of a deal at the UN climate conference, Cop29, in Azerbaijan, over the objections of poorer nations has fractured global trust and undermined recent progress. This was supposed to be the “finance Cop” when two dozen industrialised countries – including the US, Europe and Canada – promised to pay developing nations for the damage caused by their rise. Instead, developing nations – led by a group including India, Nigeria and Bolivia – say this weekend’s agreement for $300bn a year in 2035 is too little, too late. Worse, rich-world governments will be able to escape their obligations by being able to rely on cash from private companies and international lenders.Independent experts say the developing world, excluding China, would need $1.3tn a year by 2035 to fund its green transition and keep temperature rises in line with the Paris agreement. The climate finance target, pushed through by the Azerbaijani chair, is described by poor nations as a death sentence for those already drowning under rising seas and facing devastating costs.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: 2024-11-24 17:42:52
The Guardian view on Europe’s duty to Ukraine: solidarity must not waver in the age of Trump | Editorial
Kyiv must be given the military and financial means to resist any attempt to force an unjust peaceIn the aftermath of 9/11, the neoconservative thinker Robert Kagan published an influential book titled Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order. The gist of the argument was that though peace-loving Europeans prided themselves on upholding the values of a rules-based international system, they largely relied on US military might to deal with the rogue states intent on undermining it.As the catastrophic consequences of George W Bush’s illegal war in Iraq subsequently illustrated, the thesis was flawed. Costing hundreds of thousands of lives, the US “war on terror” delivered only bloody mayhem in the Middle East. But Mr Kagan’s analysis captured something true about a de facto hard power/soft power division of responsibilities in the west. Two decades on, the future of Ukraine may depend on how a reconfiguration of that relationship plays out in a new “new world order”.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: 2024-11-24 17:45:50
There’s no point building homes that people can’t afford | Letters
Readers respond to Polly Toynbee’s article about the tussle between central government and local planners in KentPolly Toynbee’s piece misses the central point about the housing crisis (In Kent, Labour has a fight on its hands – and a make-or-break test for its housing revolution, 19 November). It is a crisis of affordability, not supply, brought about by the over-financialisation of the stock through a decade and a half of interest rates close to zero.Prices rose from three or four times average earnings to more than nine times as investors shifted cash from deposits to bricks and mortar. No arbitrary housing targets will ever correct that because simple arithmetic is against it, never mind that developers won’t increase supply to the point where they have to drop prices. And the threat of rescinding unbuilt planning consents would see material starts, so that forfeiture would leave a mess for early buyers to live with, and someone else to sort out. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 17:19:15
Making the case for a law on assisted dying | Letter
Stephen Sedley, a former court of appeal judge, responds to an article by MPs Diane Abbott and Edward LeighWhile no one should underestimate the complexity of safeguarding (and Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill, if anything, does the opposite), Diane Abbott and Edward Leigh inadvertently make the case for legalising assisted dying when they say that “the only adequate safeguard is to keep the law unchanged” (Our politics could not be more different – but we’re united against this dangerous assisted dying bill, 20 November).The law as it stands is an inhumane set of traps. In 1961, it decriminalised suicide and then criminalised “encouraging or assisting” it – two different things. Encouraging suicide should continue to be a crime. The proposed reform is about whether it should continue to be a crime to assist a mentally competent adult to bring a dignified conclusion to a life that is approaching its end. If it is open to criticism, it is for leaving out individuals who face an incurable condition with no end in sight. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 17:17:52
Australia v India: first men’s Test, day four – live
Updates as the series opener nears a conclusion in PerthAny thoughts? Email or get in touch on X @GeoffLemonSport8th over: Australia 19-4 (Smith 4, Head 1) A maiden for Siraj, bowling to Head, who is playing just about everything to the leg side, hopping about a bit just to keep the ball out.7th over: Australia 19-4 (Smith 4, Head 1) A couple of singles from the Bumrah over, both batters nudging to the leg side, keeping out the threat. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 04:14:47
Manchester United’s joyless incoherence frees Amorim from any illusions | Barney Ronay
Digesting the deathly spirit of this team in the flesh will have emphasised to the coach the complexities of his taskWell, something to work on there then, Ruben. It would be tempting at the end of this decelerating game of semi-football to talk about Ruben Amorim at least realising the scale of the job he faces.Except, given Amorim almost certainly possesses a TV set and is interested in football, he already knows the scale of the job. And the scale is: really very big indeed. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 20:43:44
Eddie Jones calls out ‘clown’ for abusing him at half-time against England
Coach was facing side that sacked him in 2022Jones joked about ‘new book deal’ after Care commentsEddie Jones has alleged he was abused by a “clown” at half-time during England’s emphatic victory over Japan and has claimed that he will respond to Danny Care’s allegations that he oversaw a “dictatorship” by releasing his own book.Jones was making his first visit to Twickenham to coach against England since he was sacked by the Rugby Football Union in December 2022. As was widely expected, Steve Borthwick’s side ran out comfortable winners and while Jones was full of praise for his former side, he explained that his return was marred by an incident with a supporter as he made his way down from the coaching box at half-time. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 20:44:11
Never write him off: how Max Verstappen overcame ‘undriveable monster’ to win fourth world title
At times the world champion ground it out on will alone but an unforgettable drive in Brazil turned things back his wayMax Verstappen was clear all season he wanted to win the Formula One world title with a dominant car, just as he had the previous two years. Much as he might have enjoyed more of a canter, the fight for his fourth title, secured in Las Vegas, was not only far greater sport but also showed how complete a driver he has matured into.Beating him in future is going to be a fearsome task, as his title rival Lando Norris acknowledged. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 08:21:09
Southampton show signs of hope despite indefensible self-destruction | Simon Burnton
Kamikaze defending aided Liverpool’s win but evolution of Dibling and Harwood-Bellis will be one to witnessFor all that most people would always have considered the result an inevitability, there was little that was predictable about this game. Even once Liverpool took control in the final half-hour there rarely seemed any sense to its shifts in momentum. Like a leaf in a windstorm for long periods it tumbled gently in no particular direction, before zigging and zagging through a series of sudden, unexpected and often inexplicable turns. It was an extraordinary match in a bewildering and often underwhelming way, stuffed with a combination of the surprising and the indefensible.Two goals came from centre-backs giving the ball away, two from the penalty spot, one from an inexplicable handball, one (scored by the goalkeeper’s team) from a goalkeeping fumble, another from the same keeper not so much coming for the ball as going for a stroll in its general direction. Goals are generally considered the high points of a game of football; here, with one wonderful exception, the opposite was true. “My overriding feeling is frustration that the goals were so poor,” Russell Martin said. “If they produce a moment of magic you can maybe accept it a bit more but the quality of the goals was so bad. So bad.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 18:44:39
England’s Ellie Kildunne named World Rugby women’s player of the year
Full-back was top try-scorer in last season’s Six NationsSouth Africa’s Pieter-Steph Du Toit wins men’s awardEngland and Harlequins full-back Ellie Kildunne has been named World Rugby women’s player of the year. The 25-year-old was top try-scorer during last season’s Six Nations, when England won the Grand Slam, claiming nine tries and winning player of the championship. And her thrilling attacking style has made her a genuine box-office talent in the women’s game.She becomes the latest England player to win the award, following the likes of Marlie Packer (2023), Zoe Aldcroft (2021), Emily Scarratt (2019) and Sarah Hunter (2016). Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 22:32:53
Leicester sack manager Steve Cooper after five months in charge
Former Forest boss replaced Enzo Maresca in summerFoxes’ 2-1 defeat at home to Chelsea is his last matchLeicester City sacked Steve Cooper as manager on Sunday after just five months in charge. Leicester, promoted last season, are 16th in the Premier League, outside the relegation zone, but the hierarchy have been left unconvinced by performances, with player friction also a factor behind the scenes.Leicester, whose players return to training on Tuesday following a home defeat to former manager Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea on Saturday, intend to make a quick appointment, ideally by the weekend, mindful of a trio of key games against Brentford, West Ham and Brighton across the next fortnight. Cooper leaves them two points above the drop zone after two wins from 12 matches. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 15:58:15
Jannik Sinner tops off dream year as Italy retain Davis Cup title
World No 1 seals 2-0 triumph over NetherlandsBerrettini beat Van de Zandschulp in first matchThe rise of Italian men’s tennis has been forecast by many for years as a special generation of young, talented players gradually climbed towards the top of the game. It is fair to say that they have arrived. One year on from their second ever triumph in the competition, Italy won the Davis Cup for a second straight year by defeating the Netherlands 2-0 in Malaga.In a rematch of Italy’s group-stage victory in September, Matteo Berrettini opened the tie with a dominant 6-4, 6-2 win over Botic van de Zandschulp, providing the perfect platform for Jannik Sinner, the world No 1. After edging a tough opening set against an impressive Tallon Griekspoor, Sinner opened up his shoulders and marched to a 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 19:11:23
Ministers speaking out against assisted dying ‘are giving false impression’, says peer
Labour’s Charlie Falconer says vocal opponents are leading voters to think government is against change‘Slippery slope’ fears over assisted dying have echoes of abortion debateSenior ministers who have spoken out against assisted dying are giving voters a “false impression” about the government’s position, a leading proponent of changing the law has said.Charlie Falconer, a Labour peer and former justice secretary, said opponents to the change were “getting more coverage” because ministers in favour of legalising assisted dying were “playing by the rules”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 18:00:18
Enforced return to office leads workers to seek new jobs
Recruitment group says more applicants are turning down offers that do not include hybrid workingRecruiters have received a surge in job applications from disgruntled workers at companies that are removing employees’ flexibility over where they work after a flurry of return-to-office mandates were issued by large companies.Two-thirds of recruiters have seen an increase in applicants looking for new jobs who are working at companies that are mandating five days a week in the office, according to a survey. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 17:00:16
Bonhams auction house facing claims it is selling looted Roman antiquities
Third-century Roman plate and bust of Emperor Hadrian alleged to have links to man convicted of illegal dealingThe auction house Bonhams is facing calls to withdraw a Roman antiquity from its forthcoming London auction amid claims that it was looted from Turkey.A third-century Roman silver plate, decorated with a depiction of a river god, is lot 62 of the 5 December auction and is estimated to sell for between £20,000 and £30,000. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 18:00:17
Lauren Laverne says she has been given ‘all clear’ after cancer treatment
Presenter of BBC’s The One Show, Desert Island Discs and 6 Music show says she is going ‘back to work’Lauren Laverne, the presenter of Desert Island Discs, has said she has been given the “all clear” after undergoing treatment for cancer.Writing on Instagram on Sunday, the 46-year-old said she would be “back to work” on BBC One’s The One Show on Tuesday after “taking some time off to get better” and thanked the medical staff who had helped her, as well as everyone who had sent her messages of support. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 16:02:01
‘The Bowie of his era’: new biopic charts wild life of cross-dressing Victorian peer
Madfabulous explores story of flamboyant 19th-century marquess of Anglesey, and offers an ‘overdue celebration’ of his lifeIt’s the costume drama plot with the startlingly up-to-date twist: the fifth marquess of Anglesey, a scandalously extravagant, cross-dressing peer of the realm, who cavorted around north Wales in the late 19th century, now has his own biopic – and it is a tribute he surely would have relished. The makers of Madfabulous, which has just filmed on location in Anglesey (Ynys Môn), believe their starry version of his extraordinary story is an overdue celebration of the non-conforming aristocrat, born Henry Paget and nicknamed “Toppy”.Revealing details of the opulent new film for the first time this weekend, the director Celyn Jones said the germ of the project was the moment when he came across a photograph of the flamboyant Paget dressed in one of his elaborate outfits – and then Jones noticed the date: “I looked at the photo again, checked Henry’s story and thought: hang on this is 1890 – and in Anglesey!” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 13:00:15
Lammy urged to keep promise of envoy to help free Britons held abroad
Exclusive: Families of people detained overseas fear diplomats are pushing back against foreign secretary’s plans‘It’s about political will’: is the Foreign Office failing Britons detained abroad?Families of prominent British prisoners detained abroad have urged the foreign secretary to deliver on pledges to help secure their release amid signs of growing resistance from diplomats.David Lammy, the foreign secretary, vowed in opposition to appoint a special envoy to help secure the freedom of those detained for years without a fair trial. Giving British citizens a legal right to consular access when they run into trouble overseas was also a Labour manifesto pledge. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 12:29:27
Isaac Newton’s wealth ‘intimately connected’ with slavery, author says
Scientist and banker benefited from gold mined primarily by enslaved Africans in Brazil, book claimsSir Isaac Newton, whose theory of gravity revolutionised science and who later rose to the upper echelons of London’s financial world, had closer financial ties to the transatlantic trade in enslaved people than was previously understood, a new book has claimed.The book, Ricardo’s Dream, covers the life and work of David Ricardo, a pioneer of economic theory and the wealthiest stock trader of his day. It also re-examines Newton’s time as master of the mint at the Royal Mint, where the scientist wielded political influence and amassed vast personal wealth after leaving his academic position in Cambridge. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:00:19
Former Taiwan leader was due to visit UK for two days in October, leak shows
Exclusive: letter reveals dates for visit that was planned by Tsai Ing-wen before Foreign Office intervenedTaiwan’s former president Tsai Ing-wen had been due to visit the UK between 16 and 18 October before the Foreign Office intervened, the Guardian can disclose.Tsai was scheduled to visit London for two days as part of her first international tour since leaving office and was in discussions about addressing the UK parliament, according to a leaked letter. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 16:26:45
Liz Kendall says young people who won’t take up work will lose benefits
Work and pensions secretary says she will transform opportunities as Starmer bemoans ‘bulging benefits bill’Young people who refuse to take up jobs or training will lose their benefits in the government’s crackdown on worklessness, Liz Kendall has said.The work and pensions secretary said on Sunday: “If people repeatedly refuse to take up the training or work responsibilities, there will be sanctions on their benefits.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 10:26:00
Brat banking: Charli xcx takes the stage in Revolut’s push to cleanse its image
Two-day bash in London was part of ‘lifestyle brand’ push to snare younger customersThousands of bank customers braved the wind and rain of Storm Bert on Saturday night, forming queues that snaked through the streets surrounding London’s Tottenham Court Road station.But this was no bank run. In fact, there was not a bank branch in sight. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:00:12
Trump’s eldest son emerges as key voice influencing cabinet picks – report
President-elect has become particularly reliant on Donald Jr for advice, sources tell ReutersDonald Trump Jr has emerged as the family’s most influential adviser of the moment as his father builds the most controversial cabinet in modern US history, sources close to Donald Trump’s eldest son say.Trump Jr has in some cases promoted inexperienced loyalists over more qualified candidates for top positions in president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 16:14:03
Beijing orders investigations into local disputes after spate of deadly attacks
Mass stabbings and car rammings have prompted soul-searching about the state of society Beijing is ramping up scrutiny of “common” disputes such as those involving marriages and property, the justice ministry said, as the public reels from a recent string of deadly attacks.China has witnessed a spate of violent incidents in recent months – from mass stabbings to car rammings – a rare development for a country with a proud reputation for public security. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 00:35:08
Zelenskyy fears Ukraine is ‘testing ground’ for Russian weapons amid rise in Shahed strikes
Kremlin has fired 500 drones over the border in the past week and set up two factories to make ‘hundreds a week’Ukraine’s president said the country had been targeted by nearly 500 drones in the past week as well as more than 20 missiles and complained that Russia was using the country as “a testing ground” for its munitions.Though Russia’s first ever use of the Oreshnik intermediate range ballistic missile on Dnipro on Thursday captured global attention, on Sunday Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the increased level of Shahed drone attacks. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 15:05:32
Iranian minister to meet European counterparts after nuclear offer rejected
Meeting comes amid fears Middle East tensions will lead Iran to redouble its efforts to acquire a nuclear weaponIran’s deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, will meet his European counterparts in Geneva on Friday after the collapse of a deal last week under which Iran would have limited its uranium enrichment to 60% purity, just below the threshold to make nuclear weapons.The offer was regarded by Iran as a first step to rebuilding confidence between it and the west over what it insists is its civilian nuclear programme. There are growing fears that wider tensions in the Middle East could result in Tehran redoubling efforts to acquire a nuclear weapon and trying to declare it necessary for its national self-defence. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:58:36
Romania votes in presidential poll with nationalist and leftist vying for runoff
Sunday’s election could lead to a battle between far-right’s George Simion and Marcel Ciolacu of Social DemocratsRomanians are casting ballots on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could pit a far-right nationalist against the incumbent leftist prime minister in the runoff.Thirteen candidates are vying for the presidency in the EU and Nato member country and the vote is expected to go to a second round on 8 December. Polls opened at 7am local time (05.00 GMT) and will close at 9pm. Romanians abroad have been able to vote since Friday. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 17:20:26
Italian police and social workers leave Albania after staffing empty migrant centres
Centres had been open for over a month but received just 24 asylum seekers, whose detention was deemed unlawfulDozens of Italian police officers and social workers deployed by Italy’s far-right government in migrant centres in Albania have returned home, after it emerged that the facilities, praised as a model to reduce refugee arrivals, have been empty for weeks.Just over a month after the much-publicised opening of the multimillion-euro detention centres for asylum seekers in Albania, which were supposed to receive up to 3,000 men a month, more than 50 police officers were moved back to Italy two weeks ago while dozens of social workers have left over the weekend, with their presence in Albania considered “needless”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 13:51:42
‘It’s been a lot of detective work’: Madame de Pompadour’s £1m wall lights discovered in Yorkshire hotel
Four gilt-bronze sconces that lit up home of Louis XV’s mistress are set to go on sale at Sotheby’s in DecemberFor almost 140 years, four massive gilt-bronze wall lights have hung in the 18th-century drawing room at Swinton Castle in Yorkshire, now an opulent luxury hotel.Guests will almost certainly have noticed the one metre-high rococo appliques with their entwined branches decorated with leaves, berries and cherubim, and passed them off as impressive reproductions of more valuable original works. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 07:00:10
Catholic women urged to strike over ‘betrayal’ on ordination
Pope Francis and cardinals accused of ignoring calls to give women greater leadership rolesCatholic women whose hopes of ordination were dashed at a recent worldwide synod in Rome are being urged to go on strike from church duties in protest at inertia on a reform that many now see as not only just but also inevitable.Catholic Women Strike: Global Witness for Equality was launched this month and is calling on women who are regular churchgoers, who work for the church on a voluntary basis or who have paid jobs with Catholic organisations to withhold their labour through Lent next year (5 March to 20 April). “We believe the time is ripe to demand what is right … Instead of waiting for a papal ‘yes’, we issue forth our ‘no’ to the systems of misogyny, sexism and patriarchy,” says the campaign’s website. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 10:00:09
Remember the global financial crisis? Well, high-risk securities are back
The shadow banking sector is trying its hand at trading in debt-based products such as collateralised loan obligationsWhen Margot Robbie made a surprise cameo in the 2015 film adaptation of Michael Lewis’s book The Big Short, she did more to educate the general population about the risks of securitisation than most financial experts.The Australian actor’s brief monologue, notoriously delivered from a champagne bubble bath, explained how banks were bundling up their growing cache of risky sub-prime mortgages into investable bonds, before slicing them up and selling them off for profit. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 07:00:08
‘He was wedged like an hourglass’: rescuers describe 20-hour ordeal ending with amputation of rafter’s leg
Lithuanian tourist pack rafting on Franklin River still fighting for life in Tasmanian hospitalGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA 69-year-old Lithuanian man has been praised for his “extraordinary resilience” after emergency service workers were forced to amputate his leg during a 20-hour rescue operation in remote south-west Tasmania.The man, who remained in a critical condition in Royal Hobart hospital on Sunday evening, had been travelling with a group of 11 tourists on a multi-day rafting trip on the remote Franklin River. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 08:22:11
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
‘I felt like I was a made man’: Stephen Graham on working with his childhood heroes
One of Britain’s most prolific actors, Stephen Graham is the face of countless hard-to-forget TV and film characters, a regular Scorsese collaborator and good mates with Leo DiCaprio. He talks about living it up in Leicestershire – and why he’s in the shape of his lifeStephen Graham likes to quote that very famous saying in acting, “There are no small parts, only small actors” – though it has nothing to do with the fact that the 51-year-old stands a power-packed 5ft five-and-a-half inches. When in 2020 he set up his own production company, Matriarch Productions, after a storied career as one of our great character performers, he made it one of the company’s founding principles.Graham established Matriarch with his wife, the actor Hannah Walters. Their first project was the 2021 film Boiling Point, which created history as the first British single-take movie. Graham won a Bafta nomination for his portrayal of head chef Andy Jones, whose life unravels in real time during one frenzied service in the kitchen. But he was determined that Boiling Point would be just as radical behind the camera, too. Typically on TV and film productions, each actor is assigned a cast number, which functions as an unspoken hierarchy of their importance on the set. Graham decided he didn’t want that. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 09:00:07
Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know by Mark Lilla review – the enduring power of stupidity
A New York scholar’s study of our long history of acclaiming the fool and ignoring the facts is timely and terrifically wittyThis is at once a wise and wonderfully enjoyable book. Mark Lilla treats weighty matters with a light touch, in an elegant prose style that crackles with dry wit. Almost every one of the short sections into which the narrative is divided – and there is a narrative, cunningly sustained within what seems a relaxed discursiveness – takes careful aim and at the end hits the bullseye with a sure and satisfying aphoristic thwock.The central premise of the book is simply stated: “How is it that we are creatures who want to know and not to know?” Lilla, professor of humanities at Columbia University, New York, and the author of a handful of masterly studies of the terrain where political and intellectual sensibilities collide, is an acute observer of the vagaries of human behaviour and thought in general, and of our tendency to self-delusion in particular. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 16:00:15
Vic Flick obituary
Guitarist and composer who played the James Bond theme, and later worked with pop stars such as Paul McCartney and Shirley BasseyThe guitarist Vic Flick, who has died aged 87, enjoyed a 50-year career as a guitarist and composer. He worked with countless leading names from the pop industry, from Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield, Engelbert Humperdinck and Cliff Richard to Petula Clark, Burt Bacharach and Shirley Bassey, but above all will be remembered for being the guitarist who played the indestructible James Bond theme, with its trademark “dum di-di dum-dum” rhythm.It was first used in Dr. No, in 1962, and in December that year it reached 13 on the UK chart. The theme featured in every subsequent Bond film, though with many versions besides Flick’s. “I’m proud of it,” said Flick, “and I’m proud to be associated with it and I’m proud of all the things that developed from it. But at the time I had no idea that it was going to be like that.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 16:19:59
The circus that bought a tiny California town: ‘We’re creating our own Disneyland’
Nipton sat neglected for years until Las Vegas’s Spiegelworld turned it into a circus havenFrom 10 miles out, the tiny town of Nipton suddenly appears in the middle distance like a mirage: a huddle of lush eucalyptus trees in an otherwise impossibly vast, barren expanse of the California desert.From closer up, the place still feels dream-like. Old west-style buildings, including the Nipton Trading Post and a five-bed hotel built in the early 1900s, dot the community but are shuttered to the public. Other than the freight trains that regularly slice through the edge of town, Nipton is often completely silent. The unincorporated area is home to only about a dozen people, depending on the season, and spans just 80 acres. (“Blink and you’ll miss it,” one of the town’s caretakers says.) Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 13:00:13
Isabella Rossellini: ‘People never talk about the freedom, the lightness, that comes with ageing’
The Italian star is having a late career renaissance, including a powerful turn in acclaimed Vatican thriller Conclave. She talks about the serenity of being single, enjoying farming in later life – and what it means to be a nepo babyMost great female actors get to play a nun at some point in their career: a kind of thespian rite of passage that comes to many in their grande dame years. Isabella Rossellini, however, checked off that box in her very first screen appearance, aged 24: in 1976’s little-remembered Vincente Minnelli musical A Matter of Time, in a bit part opposite her mother, screen legend and three-time Oscar winner Ingrid Bergman.“My mum was playing an eccentric countess, who’s dying, and she thought one of the nuns assisting her dying could be me,” she remembers. “Because we resembled each other, she thought it would be interesting for the countess to see her young self in me, in a kind of hallucination. But also, I think she wanted to tempt me to be an actress because she loved acting so much.” She grimaces at the memory. “It was not successful at all.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 07:00:04
The Chronicles of Doom review – unmasking hip-hop’s peerless prankster
SH Fernando Jr’s exhaustive biography of MF Doom takes us on the underground rapper’s strange musical journey from New York suburb to Yorkshire social clubHip-hop has no shortage of larger-than-life characters and tall tales. One of its most confounding operators was a cult underground rapper-producer most often known as MF Doom, whose death was announced at the end of 2020. Throughout his career as Doom, Dumile (pronounced “doom-eye-lay”) Daniel Thompson Jr wore a custom-made mask, fuelling his myth and safeguarding his anonymity.Against prevailing 00s hip-hop narratives – first-hand street verité, conspicuous consumption – Doom created a stable of fantastical personae. His aesthetic was indebted to comic books, monster movies and low-rent TV soundtracks. He made mischief, sometimes sending other people to perform in his stead. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 13:00:11
‘Neutrality isn’t just a stance’: the Red Cross mission to provide vital aid in areas of conflict
In conflict zones across the globe, people in desperate need have long relied on the hope that humanitarian aid, delivered by organisations such as the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, will reach them. Yet, this vital work is increasingly under threat, putting that hope in jeopardyWhen communities are devastated by conflict or disaster, humanitarian workers risk their lives to deliver critical aid. This work is safeguarded by international humanitarian law (IHL), which mandates protection for aid organisations to ensure they can operate safely. The red cross and red crescent emblems are some of the most well-known examples of the protective power of IHL in action, and respect for them is crucial to the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. However, a growing disregard for IHL is making it increasingly challenging for humanitarian organisations to deliver assistance to communities that urgently need it.Adopted under the Geneva Conventions, the red cross and red crescent emblems are protective symbols under IHL, meaning those who display one or the other can expect safe passage in the world’s most hostile environments. However, numerous breaches of IHL have made headlines in recent years, with strikes on vehicles, buildings, and individuals bearing one of the emblems provoking global condemnation and risking serious legal consequences.A Ukrainian Red Cross Society emergency team responds to shelling (top); the Italian Red Cross providing support in Ukraine. Photographs: Ukraine Red Cross Society; Annalisa Ausilio/Italian Red Cross Continue reading...
Published: 2024-09-20 09:17:55
10 things you didn’t know about the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has been supporting people through conflicts, disasters and emergencies for more than 150 years. Read on to discover 10 inspiring facts about one of the world’s leading humanitarian organisationsThe Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement started with the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 1863, in response to the terrible human toll of the revolutionary conflicts raging in Europe in the second half of the 19th century. Seven years later the British Red Cross was established. Today, the Movement is active in 191 countries and has been a constant and reassuring presence at some of the world’s most harrowing events: from being among the first to provide humanitarian support after the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, to providing vital assistance to those affected by last year’s devastating earthquakes in Morocco, Turkey and Syria. You may know some of these facts, but did you know … 1 The Red Cross’s ‘red cross’ is not a logoEven though it is one of the most recognisable pieces of graphic design in the world, the red cross emblem is not just some clever bit of branding: it is a symbol of protection in armed conflict, the use of which is restricted by international law. The Red Cross’s guiding principles of neutrality and impartiality mean that it does not take sides and is here for anyone and everyone who needs help, regardless of religion, political affiliation or nationality or anything else.2 It’s the UK’s leading refugee support organisationThe British Red Cross is the largest independent provider of refugee support in the UK. In the last 12 months, the British Red Cross supported more than 40,000 refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK. ForFrom people who fled Afghanistan in 2021, to those affected by the crisis in Ukraine, the British Red Cross offers a variety of support including providing essential clothing and baby supplies to assisting people with visa applications, casework and translation. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-08-01 14:58:03
‘Thanks to the classes, I feel better’: the vital role of psychosocial support for Ukraine’s displaced people
With the help of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, one woman who fled conflict in the region has been able to rebuild her lifeWhen the conflict in Ukraine escalated in February 2022, Valentyna’s town in the easternmost Luhansk region was shelled several times and her home was destroyed. The 64-year-old reluctantly packed the few belongings she had left into a single sports bag and fled.The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) helped Valentyna with supplies, giving her footwear and clothing. “All my clothes are from the URCS,” she says. “It was a relief when they helped.”The UCRS provides a range of mental health and psychosocial support services. Photographs: Mykhaylo Palinchak/Panos/British Red Cross Continue reading...
Published: 2024-09-04 13:35:57
‘Without family, there is no life’: a mother reunites with her sons, having fled Sudan
Every year, millions of people across the world flee disaster, persecution and conflict and in so doing, risk losing their closest relationships. Here, one woman explains how the British Red Cross family reunion team helped put her life back together again in the UKFour years ago, 47-year-old Abier was at the lowest point in her life. She had made the heartbreaking decision to flee her home in Sudan, leaving her four children in the care of their grandmother, while she sought safety and asylum in the UK. Abier’s children had lost contact with their father years earlier, leaving her as the sole parent. She faced an impossible situation, and she had little choice.In early 2020 she faced political persecution, she was detained and held for a week. On her release, she fled to find safety in the UK, fearful of what would happen if she stayed at home. Her hope was to find safety and a future but it came at a huge cost – her family.Abier with Mazin and Khalid at home in Bristol; Abier and Lydia Cawthorne-Luff. Photographs: Nina Raingold/British Red Cross Continue reading...
Published: 2024-09-06 09:43:57
Marble marvel: natural stone takes centre stage in historic Milan
An apartment in the Italian city is transformed into an elegant home and showcase for natural stone interiorsIn the early noughties, Gabriele Salvatori was still enduring a long commute between Tuscany, where Salvatori, the family business was launched, and Milan where the opportunities for growth lay. He was looking for a pied-à-terre and also a showroom for the company, which specialises in stone for interiors. When he saw the first-floor space he was initially hesitant because of the cramped entryway. “I called Piero Lissoni for advice and he said, ‘Are you mad? Take it, you can make it beautiful.’”When such a renowned architect advises you to rent in a building with potential, you do it. So Gabriele took the plunge and also rented the apartment above it. This looked out on to a busy square making it noisy at times. It was also dark because it was north-facing. The location in Milan’s historic centre, however, was optimal, and in time Gabriele would move up another floor into what is now his home. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:00:13
The Martlet, Rochdale: ‘A victory of professionalism’ – restaurant review
Civic pride meets glorious cooking at a remarkably fair priceThe Martlet, Rochdale Town Hall, OL16 1AZ. Lunch plates £10; main courses £14 – £21; desserts £5; afternoon tea £21. Evening menu: three courses £35. Wines from £22 a bottleIt’s easy to imagine the ways by which the Martlet in Rochdale could have gone so very wrong; how the perceived demands of civic responsibility and the innate grinding conservatism of bureaucracy could have resulted in a dull, mediocre offering for the town. It wouldn’t even have been worth rolling your eyes at. It would have been understandable. The Martlet is a new restaurant inside Rochdale’s magnificent Town Hall. Since 2021, the building has undergone an equally magnificent restoration, to bring this slab of Victorian gothic revival by William Henry Crossland, into a golden, glowing focus. There is finely chiselled stonework, stained-glass windows and wood-panelled chambers with intricate foliage-strewn wall coverings recalling the work of William Morris. Ceiling panels are decorated with branch and leaf, upon which perch fully plumed peacocks and illustrations of the martlet, a mythical bird that was forever on the wing. Whatever you do, make time to drift slack-jawed through these chambers. Perhaps while wearing a pale, lace-fringed linen smock dress and kohl eyeliner. I could rock that look. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 06:00:05
Don’t know what to buy your loved ones for Christmas? Just ask ChatGPT
Santa has a new little helper. But can an AI-powered shopping assistant really master the subtle art of gift giving?Some people love buying Christmas presents. Polly Arrowsmith starts making a note of what her friends and family like, then hunts for bargains, slowly and carefully. Vie Portland begins her shopping in January and has a theme each year, from heart mirrors to inspirational books. And Betsy Benn spent so much time thinking about presents, she ended up opening her own online gift business.How would these gift-giving experts react to a trend that is either a timesaving brainwave or an appalling corruption of the Christmas spirit: asking ChatGPT to do it for them? Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 08:00:11
Bill Clinton grapples with his past in memoir – too much, too little, too late
The 42nd president’s latest book is a prolonged stroll down memory lane that never quite reaches a desired destinationIn 1992, Bill Clinton defeated George HW Bush, a sitting Republican president. In 1996, Clinton won re-election over Bob Dole. A former Democratic governor of Arkansas, Clinton had a flair for policy and retail politics. He felt your pain, garnering support from voters without a four-year degree and graduates alike. He played the saxophone, belting out Heartbreak Hotel on late-night TV. Redefining what it meant to be presidential, he told a studio audience he preferred briefs to boxers.He oozed charisma – and more. But his legacy remains deeply stained by allegations of predatory conduct and questionable judgment. He is one of three presidents to be impeached – in his case, for lying under oath about his extra-marital relationship with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern. Before leaving office, to avoid professional discipline, Clinton surrendered his law license.Citizen is published in the US by Knopf Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 12:00:10
The Moon Under Water: from where did George Orwell get the name for his perfect pub?
The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical conceptsWhat is the origin of the pub name the Moon Under Water? George Orwell adopted it to describe his “ideal of what a pub should be”, but where did he get it from? Mike Jones, by emailPost your answers (and new questions) below or send them to [email protected]. A selection will be published next Sunday. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:01:12
All scenery and no sweat: an e-biking adventure in the New Forest
The New Forest is a haven for cycling – and whizzing through the trees on an e-bike leaves more time for ice cream and cake breaks‘No one,” says Clare, grinning broadly and handing me a cycle helmet, “comes back sweating from one of our rides.” Looking at the Super Monkey I’m about to clamber on to – a gleaming black machine, modelled rather like a Chopper bike from the 1970s, only with triple-width tyres and the (all-important) powerbox attached to the main stem – I can believe it. Synch ebikes, available to rent from Clare and Lisa at Jaunt-E Bikes, are the last word in effort-free cycling, and the best way to delve into the depths of the New Forest.It’s a grey, drizzly morning when I set off from my Brockenhurst bolthole, Cottage Lodge, cycling gingerly up the busy A337 before turning down a gravel track into the forest. At first the bike feels a bit like being on a horse – raring to go every time I put my foot down – but I soon get used to it, whizzing happily past runners and analogue cyclists, the wide, “comfort” saddle shielding me from the worst of the uneven, gravelly track. Within minutes, I’m immersed in the forest; waves of ferns rippling out beneath towering oak and beech trees. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 11:00:09
Tell us: have you lived in UK temporary accommodation with children?
We want to hear from parents with experience in temporary accommodation about the impact on their lives, family and schoolingMore than 150,000 children are living in temporary accommodation, according to official figures.In November, the House of Commons committee on Housing, Communities and Local Government launched an inquiry into the conditions of children in temporary accommodation. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 13:24:24
Pensioners in England and Wales: how has losing the winter fuel allowance affected you?
We would like to hear from people who no longer receive the winter fuel payment and what it means for themWith the loss of the winter fuel allowance potentially forcing 100,000 pensioners in England and Wales into relative fuel poverty, we would like to find out more about how losing the payment has affected people.What impact has it had on you and what changes have you made to make up for no longer receiving the winter fuel payment? Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-20 12:08:04
Tell us your favourite podcast of 2024
We would like to hear about your favourite new podcast you’ve been listening to this year and whyWe would like to hear about your favourite new podcast you’ve been listening to this year and why. Let us know and we’ll run a selection of your recommendations in December. Tell us your favourite using the form below. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-21 12:48:34
Did you have couples therapy to break up with an ex?
We tend to see couples therapy as a way to save relationships – now we’d like to hear from people who used a mediator to help them separate from a partnerWhether you were in the process of divorcing or inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow to ‘consciously uncouple’ from a girlfriend or boyfriend, we’d love to hear from you.Did using a therapist help you avoid a protracted (and expensive) divorce? Perhaps it allowed you to stay friends with your ex for the sake of your children? Maybe using a third party mediator allowed you to get closure on a difficult relationship? We’re looking for exes of all ages, and life stages, all over the world to share their experiences (this can be anonymously). Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-19 13:33:38
Biden must Trump-proof US democracy, activists say: ‘There is a sense of urgency’
President can secure civil liberties, accelerate spending on climate and healthcare, and spare death row prisonersThe skies above the White House were cold and grey. Joe Biden greeted the championship winning Boston Celtics basketball team, quipping about his Irish ancestry and tossing a basketball into the crowd. But the US president could not resist drawing a wider lesson.“When we get knocked down, we get back up,” he said. “As my dad would say, ‘Just get up, Joe. Get up.’ Character to keep going and keep the faith, that’s the Celtic way of life. That’s sports. And that’s America.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 12:00:11
Theatrics, hatred and Linda McMahon: how pro wrestling explains Donald Trump
The ex-WWE CEO and likely incoming education secretary doesn’t seem like a threat. That’s what makes her oneDespite her background in professional wrestling, Linda McMahon is not known for bombast. Indeed, she’s terrible at it: in the many years during which the former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO would make occasional appearances in her company’s programming as a version of herself, she was always derided by fans for her lack of charisma and wobbly speaking voice.The most notable thing she did in any of the storylines was pretend to be comatose in a wheelchair while her husband, the vastly more explosive Vince McMahon, sexually harassed one of his female wrestlers in a skit. Linda won’t be winning an Emmy anytime soon. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 16:00:15
Trump’s White House is filling with alleged sexual abusers ... led by him
As the far right celebrates a win for their gender, a raft of people accused of misconduct is named for the cabinet Donald Trump was found civilly liable last year for the defamation and sexual abuse of the writer E Jean Carroll - just one of the more than 27 women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. In January 2025, he will again be president of the United States – the first to take office with a court-adjudicated history of sex crimes.And it seems he’s eager to pack the White House with people just like him. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 13:00:13
From Strictly Ballroom to Sydney’s saviour: how heritage town halls are staging a comeback
Inner West council has thrown open the doors of seven town halls to arts organisations free of charge as it tries to revive its buildings and address a performing arts crisisFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIt’s been more than three decades since Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom was filmed in Petersham town hall. But earlier this year, the 82-year-old building in Sydney opened its doors to the Inner West Theatre Company’s production of the classic, free of charge.Beautiful brick early 20th-century town halls were once venues for council meetings, award nights and country dances. But in recent decades many have been under-used or left entirely empty as modern buildings serve changing community needs. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 23:00:05
‘It’s boorish’: E-scooter firms threaten to leave Italy after highway code updated
Fear for jobs after parliament votes for helmets, insurance and big fines for ‘wild’ riders and rogue parking, amid rise in traffic accidentsOn a road by Rome’s traffic-clogged Piazza Venezia, an e-scooter rider weaves through a crowd of pedestrians, who in turn are trying not to trip over a scooter dumped on the pavement. At the adjacent crossing, two e-scooter riders whiz through a red light as another glides around the curve with his passenger capturing the journey on her mobile phone.Such scenes have become common in the Italian capital and other towns and cities in recent years, amid the boom in popularity of rented e-scooters. But now the government is getting tough on wayward use of the vehicles as part of a broader overhaul of the highway code. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 11:00:42
‘It’s not drought - it’s looting’: the Spanish villages where people are forced to buy back their own drinking water
Spain is increasingly either parched or flooded – and one group is profiting from these extremes: the water-grabbing multinational companies forcing angry citizens to pay for it in bottlesAfter catastrophic floods engulfed Valencia last month, killing more than 200 people, it might seem counterintuitive to think about water shortages. But as the torrents of filthy water swept through towns and villages, people were left without electricity, food supplies – and drinking water. “It was brutal: cars, chunks of machinery, big stones, even dead bodies were swept along in the water. It gushed into the ground floor of buildings, into little shops, bakeries, hairdressers, the English school, bars: all were destroyed. This was climate change for real, climate change in capital letters,” says Josep de la Rubia of Valencia’s Ecologists in Action, describing the scene in the satellite towns south of the Valencian capital.In the aftermath, hundreds of thousands of people were reliant on emergency tankers of water or donations of bottled water from citizen volunteers. Within a fortnight, the authorities had reconnected the tap water of 90% of the 850,000 people in affected areas, but all were advised to boil it before drinking it or to use bottled water. Across the region, 100 sewage treatment plants were damaged; in some areas, human waste seeped into flood waters, dead animals were swept into rivers and sodden rubbish and debris piled up. Valencia is on the brink of a sanitation crisis. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 11:00:40
The John Prescott I knew: Blair’s ‘beautiful people’ tried to erase him – he had other plans
Once frozen out by the New Labour elite, John Prescott fought his way in from the cold to become a loyal deputy leader. Toby Helm recalls a bruising political careerIt was normally Friday evening when he would ring. There was never a “hello, how are you?” or any pleasantry like that. He just dived straight in. “What you up to for Sunday?” he would ask, meaning he had a story for me. Normally the call would come from his car phone on the A1 while he was driving to his Hull constituency. He tended to travel alone, so business could be transacted in total secrecy.Once – it must have been 1994, after John Smith had died and Tony Blair had become leader – I remember he suddenly broke off and roared some expletives mid-conversation which made me almost drop the phone. “What the hell was that about, I asked?” “Ohhh … Just some fucking moderniser overtaking on the inside lane,” he replied. “Bloody Mendelson [he would always deliberately mispronounce the name Mandelson, sometimes calling him Meddlesome] or someone.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 06:00:06
Fires, first aid and guns: meet the Finnish women training for war with Russia
Anxious Finns are learning how to survive in the wild in preparation for an invasion by their hostile neighbour It is Friday night on a forested military base in western Finland. A group of women dressed in camouflage with matching purple beanie hats are sat in a dark tent discussing how their perspectives have changed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.“I didn’t think it was a real threat that Russia would attack us,” says Sari, 42, who works in sales and lives in a nearby town. But then, she adds: “They attacked Ukraine. I saw that it is possible that we are next.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 20:13:22
‘One conversation really changed my mind’: the personal stories driving MPs’ decisions on assisted dying
Traditional allies such as Diane Abbott and John McDonnell are split over Friday’s vote as politicians grapple with the issueDuring a Labour away day ahead of the last election, the party’s candidates were put through their paces as parliamentary debaters. The topic chosen, assisted dying, was a deliberately intractable issue designed to test their analytical skills. Yet just months later, scores of new MPs find themselves having to make a very real decision over changing the law.“I’m genuinely the most back and forth on this that I’ve been on anything,” said one new MP who has found themselves on either side of the debate over recent months. Like so many, with the issues so finely balanced in their mind, a single conversation can sway their thinking. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 18:47:17
‘We live in a climate of fear’: graphic novelist’s Elon Musk book can’t find UK or US publisher
Darryl Cunningham blames fear of ‘legal consequences’ for reluctance to take on book, now only available in FrenchA biography by a British graphic novelist of Elon Musk is struggling to find an English-language publisher due to feared “legal consequences”.Elon Musk: Investigation into a New Master of the World is the latest graphic novel by Darryl Cunningham, from West Yorkshire. Cunningham, 64, has written and illustrated seven nonfiction books on topics ranging from the 2008 global economic meltdown (Supercrash), to Russian leader Vladimir Putin (subtitled The Rise of a Dictator). Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 16:00:01
A mystery in Finnish Lapland, and what it means for the climate crisis – podcast
Biodiversity and environment reporter Patrick Greenfield travels to Finnish Lapland to investigate the disappearance of its carbon sink, and its implications for the fight against global heatingFinland has one of the most ambitious carbon-neutral goals in the world: to reach net zero by 2035. If this feels like a bold pledge, there’s good reason for it: two-thirds of the country is covered in forests, that have for decades absorbed more carbon dioxide than they have put out.But recently, something has changed: Finland’s carbon sink is no longer working. In fact, in barely over a decade, its forests and peatlands have become a net emitter of carbon dioxide … with devastating consequences for the country’s climate goals. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 03:00:28
Jacob Rees-Mogg on abortion, religion and reality TV; Marina Hyde on Musk vs Trump Jr; inheritance inequity; and teenage love – podcast
Marina Hyde asks us to spare a sob for Don Jr, replaced in Daddy’s affections by Elon Musk. The Bank of Mum and Dad – the unspoken dynamic behind society’s growing inequality of ‘inheritocracy’. ‘I’ve been called worse than a Nazi’: Simon Hattenstone meets Jacob Rees-Mogg. And psychologist Lucy Foulkes on why we should take teenage love more seriously Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 05:00:33
‘You tried to tell yourself I wasn’t real’: what happens when people with acute psychosis meet the voices in their heads? – podcast
In avatar therapy, a clinician gives voice to their patients’ inner demons. For some of the participants in a new trial, the results have been astounding. By Jenny Kleeman Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 05:00:05
James Carville on where he thinks the Democrats went wrong – podcast
Everyone in US politics has an opinion on why the Democrats lost the election, and finger-pointing within the party is rife. As the debate rages, Jonathan Freedland will be speaking to various experts about what the party got wrong – and how it can bounce back.This week, he meets James Carville, the veteran political strategist who helped get Bill Clinton elected twiceArchive: Pennebaker Associates, McEttinger Films, Cyclone Films, CNN, CBS News, MSNBC, PBS Newshour, BBC News Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 05:00:03
Nigel Farage and his ‘historic mission’: on the ground with Reform UK – podcast
Today in Focus presenter Helen Pidd goes out on the road – to Birmingham, Stalybridge and Clacton – to chart Nigel Farage’s bid to transform Reform UK into a modern, professional political partyAt the Reform UK party conference in September, its leader, Nigel Farage, announced a “historic mission” for his party: to professionalise, to modernise and mobilise a “people’s army” to win support all over the country.It came off the back of unprecedented success for Reform at the general election: no populist right party in the UK had ever taken as many as its five seats in July. And they were won despite a campaign marred by racist and Islamophobic remarks from Reform members and candidates. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 03:00:00
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
A monkey festival and stormy seas: photos of the weekend
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 14:58:10
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
We love: fashion fixes for the week ahead – in pictures
Upcycled tea towel ties, Helmut Newton’s Berlin and cosy knits Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 23:55:06
We shall satirise him on the beaches… Churchill through the eyes of cartoonists – in pictures
In one wartime image, Winston Churchill is portrayed as a dragonslayer; in another, a gun-toting gangster. Later, he appears old and dejected, overdue for retirement. The cartoons, on show in a new exhibition at the Imperial War Museum London, show a multitude of Churchills, reflecting how he was seen in different countries and at different times, from 1909 onwards. “There was never a consensus view of him,” says curator Kate Clements. “Some of the depictions were heavily critical and even grotesque”, while others “depict his determined nature and portray him as a British figurehead”. Clements hopes the exhibition will “add another layer to our visitors’ understanding of this complex individual” and show “how satirical cartoons played a part in shaping perceptions of Churchill during his lifetime and beyond”.Churchill in Cartoons: Satirising a Statesman is at the Imperial War Museum, London from Friday to 23 February 2025 Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 17:00:02
‘The rising smoke and setting sun made a magical backdrop’: Jurica Galić’s best phone shot
On assignment in South Sudan, the Croatian photographer used a natural framing device for this award-winning imageBefore he arrived for his three-day stay, Jurica Galić knew that the South Sudanese Mundari people set fire to dried cow dung before sunset to repel mosquitoes. What the Croatian photographer and travel journalist didn’t know was the depth of harmony between the tribe and their cattle, nor how he would capture it.“Ankole are breeds of domestic cattle originating from east and central Africa, characterised by their huge horns,” Galić says. “My goal was to capture the relationship between man and nature, and while staying in the camp I came up with the idea of taking some photos through the horns of one of the animals. They became the frame, leading the viewer to the scene. Meanwhile, the smoke rising, in combination with the setting sun and the remaining rays, created the most magical backdrop.” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 10:00:39
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