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Barcelona city guideBarcelona holidays10 of the best films set in BarcelonaBarcelona Review editor Jill Adams selects her favourite films showcasing the vibrantly colourful, and gritty, Catalan capitalAs featured in our Barcelona city guide Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother), Pedro Almodóvar, 1999What is arguably Almodóvar's greatest work begins with tragedy in Madrid, but soon moves to Barcelona, beginning with a breathtaking night-time glimpse of the Sagrada Familia, where the sheer buoyancy of the city steers the film in a powerful and dazzling new direction.

Health & wellbeingInterviewKim Noble: The woman with 100 personalitiesAmanda MitchisonThere's Judy the teenage bulimic, devout Catholic Salamoe, gay Ken and over 100 more. Artist Kim Noble talks about living with multiple personality disorderThe painter Kim Noble is a niblet-sized woman with long, auburn hair and startlingly blue eyes. She lives in a small terrace house in south London with her 14-year-old daughter Aimee, two dogs and more than 100 separate personalities.

Gardening blogWildlifeLet dandelions grow. Bees, beetles and birds need themDandelions are demonised as one of the most pernicious weeds, but hold back on the mowing and you’ll find a whole range of garden wildlife depends on them for food, writes Kate Bradbury A few weeks ago I walked past a lawn which hadn’t yet had its first spring cut. It was awash with bright yellow dandelions, and each one was peppered with several pollen beetles, perhaps enjoying their first meal of the year.

The ObserverDogsBringing rescue dogs and prisoners together in a remarkable rehabilitation programme in California is helping inmates learn valuable lessons On an idyllic sun-drenched day in California, I find myself in jail. But unlike the 5,000 or so inmates of North Kern State Prison, located 150 miles north of Los Angeles, I’m here voluntarily, accompanied by Zach Skow, a man on a mission to bring dogs into every US prison.

NazismThe grim drawings by Wilhelm Werner are finally getting recognition as important artworks Forty-four pencil drawings on the backsides of a shop order book are all that remain of the life of Wilhelm Werner. But his artistic response to the forced sterilisation programme he underwent in Nazi Germany, a bundle of leaves flimsily held together in a worn leather cover, is receiving growing recognition in the art world almost eight decades after his death.

‘Do some research, then you can be the competent gran.’ Photograph: Getty Images‘Do some research, then you can be the competent gran.’ Photograph: Getty ImagesHow to ...FamilyDon’t act jealous of the other grandparents – and stick to the parents’ rules when you’re looking after the children … mostlyDon’t admit your fears Your beloved adult child is about to embark on a lifelong commitment about which they understand nothing. So it’s not surprising you’re as alarmed for them as you would be if they were sailing the Northwest Passage in flip-flops.

MoviesReview(no cert)From Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot to Robert Rodriguez's El Mariachi, the juxtaposition of weapon and musical instrument, the gun in the music case, has been potent. The musical instrument is the polar opposite of the weapon - a force for good, surely? - and yet also more dangerous, more destructive: the means of subversion, of mobilising rebellion. First-time feature director Francisco Vargas produces a variant on this traditional theme in his bleak drama, shot in a soupy monochrome and set among the guerrilla revolts in Mexico in the 1970s.

GardensGardeners: what’s the biggest fruit or vegetable you have grown? We’d like to hear about your green-fingered exploits, after a gardener smashed the world record for the biggest pumpkin This week, a US gardener set a new world record for the heaviest pumpkin ever grown. The gargantuan vegetable weighed in at more than 1,200kg. Wherever you are in the world, we would like to hear about the biggest pieces of fruit and vegetables you have grown – and whether any records were broken in the process.

Observer comment cartoon Local elections 2023 Local elections: the end is nigh for the Conservatives – cartoon The bell tolls for the party as councils tumble across the country • You can order your own copy of this cartoon Illustration by Chris Riddell. Chris Riddell Sat 6 May 2023 13.00 EDT Last modified on Sat 6 May 2023 16.30 EDT Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Topics Local elections 2023 Observer comment cartoon Conservatives ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJuforqmutOiqp%2BqlZp8sbXCrayrnV9nfXN%2FjqaYsmdga3ytu8Kao2adnJqwtbXOp6pmrJiaeqa6w2agrGWenrSpecWoqWasmJp6pLvNrJyrrpGptrex0maamqqkpLyv

JudiciaryObituaryLord Judge obituaryFormer lord chief justice who was a resolute defender of free speech and the independence of the judiciaryAfter more than 30 years on the bench, culminating in his time as a widely admired lord chief justice of England and Wales (2008-13), Igor Judge, Lord Judge, was not the type to abandon public service. His subsequent career as an active parliamentarian and convenor of crossbench peers in the House of Lords saw him develop into an outspoken defender of democracy who warned of the dangers of an over-mighty executive.

Robin Williams This article is more than 5 years oldRobin Williams groped and flashed me on set, says Mork & Mindy co-starThis article is more than 5 years old‘I had the grossest things done to me,’ says Pam Dawber, but says she took no offence at the star’s lewd antics on the set of their hit sitcom Robin Williams’s Mork & Mindy co-star has said he repeatedly grabbed her breasts and bottom and exposed himself to her on the set, a new book reveals, but she excused it as part of Williams’s playful personality.

Sexual healingSexI am very inexperienced in relationships and have just come out at 31. Should I tell my first sexual partner I'm a virgin, or just struggle through the awkwardness?I am 31, a virgin and have just come out as gay after a long struggle with my sexuality. I've had a few dates but I'm worried about what to tell my first sexual partner, because I am bound to be awkward – even in kissing.

PodcastsTheir exotic animal show was a Sin City sensation – until one of their white tigers attacked. But why were counter-terrorism police called? New podcast Wild Things tackles an enduring mystery Where do you start with a story that involves counter-terrorism police doing background checks on a tiger, has its roots in the mental health problems of Nazi soldiers, and features an investigation into whether a beehive hairdo can be used as a weapon?

Mad Men: notes from the break roomMad MenMad Men: season three, episode eightIt's a sweaty New York summer and as the city collectively draws to a halt, it's those left perspiring behind that are the centre of our attentionSPOILER ALERT: This blog is for those who are watching Mad Men on BBC4. Don't read on if you haven't seen episode six – and if you've seen more of the series, please be aware that many UK viewers may not have done so …

Observer Food Monthly's 20 best recipesPastaA rich and satisfying supper offering The 20 best easy pasta recipes – in full Serves 4 garlic 2 cloves, peeled and crushed olive oil 4 tbsp sausage meat 400g, crumbled white wine 150ml ripe tomatoes 400g, peeled and roughly chopped fresh mint a sprig salt cavatelli, orecchiette, fusilli or casarecce 450g fresh, or 400g dried grated pecorino to serve red chilli flakes to serve

Crime This article is more than 1 year oldRetired farmer found guilty of wife’s murder after body found in septic tankThis article is more than 1 year oldDavid Venables, 89, convicted of 1982 killing of Brenda Venables, whose body was found 37 years later A retired pig farmer who tried to blame Fred West for the 1982 disappearance of his wife has been found guilty of murdering her and hiding her body in a septic tank.

The ObserverArtificial intelligence (AI)InterviewSignal’s Meredith Whittaker: ‘These are the people who could actually pause AI if they wanted to’Ian TuckerThe president of the not-for-profit messaging app on how she believes existential warnings about AI allow big tech to entrench their power, and why the online safety bill may be unworkable Meredith Whittaker is the president of Signal – the not-for-profit secure messaging app. The service, along with WhatsApp and similar messaging platforms, is opposing the UK government’s online safety bill which, among other things, seeks to scan users’ messages for harmful content.

World newsSkilled pilot 'did his best' Special report: the Concorde crashChristian Marty, the Concorde pilot who steered his doomed aircraft away from the busy streets of Gonesse, was an experienced Air France captain and a keen sportsman who 20 years ago became the first Frenchman to windsurf across the Atlantic. "He was an exceptionally competent man, admired and liked by everyone at Air France who knew him," said Bernard Pedamon, a fellow Airbus pilot and friend.

Wolfgang Amadeus MozartUnique photo of Mozart's widow revealedMozart portrait miniature of 'virtually unparalleled' importance to be soldHer hair severely parted, Constanze Weber Mozart looks unsmilingly away from the camera. She appears to be staring at her feet. Next to her is Max Keller, a Swiss composer and old family friend, surrounded by his daughters and the rest of his family. In the background is a cottage with two garden-facing windows.

Hip-hopFrom Rick Ross and his ‘pear’ to DJ Khaled and his, well, everything, rappers are capitalising on the magic of gif-based brand building Last month, DJ Khaled took his jetski out for a spin in Miami, got lost, dodged police and Snapchatted the whole misadventure to his 2 million-odd followers, prompting amusingly po-faced news stories in the Daily Mail and USA Today. It was the coronation of the Miami music magnate as the current king of the rap meme, which in recent years has become an integral part of hip-hop culture.

Bollywood This article is more than 5 months oldBollywood film accused of trivialising Holocaust with Auschwitz scenesThis article is more than 5 months oldCalls for Prime Video to remove Bawaal after using death camp as relationship metaphor A Bollywood film has been accused of trivialising and demeaning the deaths of millions of Jews killed during the Holocaust by using Auschwitz as a metaphor for relationship problems, with the main character declaring that “we’re all a little like Hitler” during a fantasy scene set in the concentration camp.

TV comedyObituaryDamaris Hayman obituaryActor who often played boisterous games mistresses, discreet secretaries and jolly passers-byThe actor Damaris Hayman, who has died aged 91, was perhaps the last conduit to a bygone age of British comedy, her toothy bonhomie and breezy eccentricity making her a reliable supporting player to many of the big and small screen comedy stars from the 1950s to the 80s. With a slight sibilance, a jaunty air and tally-ho demeanour, she was, comedically, almost the missing link between Joyce Grenfell and Miranda Hart – the embodiment of the kind of genteel humour required for boisterous games mistresses, discreet secretaries, jolly passers-by and, latterly, dotty old ladies.

‘Within months, my entire superannuation and insurance TPD payment – $436,000 – was all gambled away.’ Photograph: David Burton/Alamy‘Within months, my entire superannuation and insurance TPD payment – $436,000 – was all gambled away.’ Photograph: David Burton/AlamyOpinionGambling This article is more than 6 months oldI lost everything to online gambling. A national self-exclusion register might save othersThis article is more than 6 months oldAnonymousIt’s time to give vulnerable punters a chance – and a true ‘exit plan’ from further gambling harm

ObituaryJack ScottRadical race and sports campaigner tainted by Patty Hearst linkThe death of the American radical, Jack Scott, at the age of 57, came as defence counsel were seeking his testimony in a trial that revives the notorious Patty Hearst case. To his irritation, the episode overshadowed Scott's life, and his true legacy lay in his accomplishments in the fields of race relations and sports health. He fought all his life against racism and drugs in sport, but it cost him dearly.

In Rome, a lunch break is enshrined in law. In Rio, food vouchers come with the job. So what can we learn from the way the rest of the world lunches? Writers from Nairobi to New York find out what’s on the menu Published: 6 Jul 2015 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRooaignp28sLzEqw%3D%3D

Gabby Petito This article is more than 1 month oldKiller’s family allegedly knew Gabby Petito was dead weeks before discoveryThis article is more than 1 month oldBrian Laundrie’s parents expressed hope his fiancee would be found despite call from him saying Petito was ‘gone’, lawsuit claims The fiance and killer of the domestic violence murder victim Gabby Petito desperately called his parents and told them that she was “gone” weeks before she was discovered dead – yet they later shared messages expressing hope that search efforts for her would end in success, her family has alleged.

The Observer's faces of 2021TelevisionInterviewMurray Bartlett: ‘Filming The White Lotus in lockdown felt like a TV summer camp’Michael HoganThe Australian actor on creating his character Armond, the magic of Tales of the City and that meme-inspiring suitcase scene Bake-Off contestant Jürgen Krauss: ‘I had to call three families with crying kids to comfort them’ See the Observer’s faces of 2021 in full Sydney-born actor Murray Bartlett, 50, made his screen debut aged 16 in medical soap The Flying Doctors.

Yann MartelWe ate the children lastThe first human trial was on Patient D, a 56-year-old male, single and childless, who was suffering from colon cancer. He was a skeletal man with white, bloodless skin who could no longer ingest even clear fluids. He was aware that his case was terminal and he waived all rights to legal redress should the procedure go wrong. His recovery was astounding. Two days after the operation, he ate six lunch meals in one sitting.

The other sideTelevisionJaime Winstone and Samantha Spiro are on the money as far as the performances go, but this docudrama makes little sense I so wanted to love Babs (7 May, 8pm, BBC1), the BBC’s biopic of Barbara Windsor, the British national treasure best known for her rocket-propelled bikini in Carry On Camping and steady stream of bitch slaps as Peggy, the brassy matriarch in EastEnders. In the end, though, I was just baffled.

IrelandIrish police investigate fire at disused pub set to house homeless familiesBlaze in Dublin comes less than fortnight after suspected arson attack on vacant Galway hotel earmarked for asylum seekers Irish police have been investigating a second fire in less than a fortnight at a building local people reportedly believed would be used to accommodate asylum seekers. The emergency services were called to the scene at the Ringsend area of Dublin in the early hours of New Year’s Eve.

Nicholas Lezard's choiceBooksReviewLast words from a philosopher who loved lifeI struggle to think of a finer, more rewarding short autobiography than this. Gillian Rose, professor of social and political thought at Warwick University, and dying of cancer at the age of 48, managed to complete and publish this before her time was up. If her mind could be characterised it would be by a phrase something along the lines of: a fierce vigilance of thought.

UK newsSir Harry Secombe diesSir Harry Secombe, comedy genius of radio's The Goon Show, died today at the age of 79. The comic, who also presented ITV's religious music show Highway, had a run of ill health over the past few years. His daughter, Jenny Secombe, said he died at 3pm and said the family were shattered. Sir Harry was a natural clown and one of Britain's best-loved entertainers. He had a genius for slapstick and buffoonery and was a founder of one of Britain's most revered comedy shows, The Goon Show.

PGA Tour This article is more than 1 month oldSpieth hits back at reports that Cantlay is calling shots in PGA-LIV negotiationsThis article is more than 1 month oldSaudi backers of LIV lured Jon Rahm in blockbuster deal‘We’re looking for the best outcome for players as a whole’Jordan Spieth has dispelled the notion he is part of an alliance with Tiger Woods and Patrick Cantlay on the PGA Tour board as the deadline nears for the Tour to finalise its framework agreement with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf, who have lured away the Masters champion, Jon Rahm.

A great little place I knowTravelAlong a desert highway is a temple to the world of hairdressing, packed with items dating back more than a century – and they also offer retro cuts and colour Along desert highway 62, between the World Famous Crochet Museum and the dirt car park of the Joshua Tree Saloon, is the gorgeously retro Beauty Bubble Salon and Museum. A full-time hair salon, it is packed to the rafters with vintage hair products and advertising, creatively displayed with real love and a cheeky sense of humour by the owner – stylist and “hairstorian” Jeff Hafler, who has been collecting everything hair-related for 25 years.

TV reviewChannel 5ReviewHow do dogs survive in the hold? How much sleep do the cabin crew get? And will Malcolm get to meet his long-lost sisters? Channel 5 revealed all, as it flew us halfway around the world on an Airbus A380 Give them massive numbers, that’ll impress them. The Secret Life of the Long Haul Flight (Channel 5) is one of those documentaries that does that, right from the off: each year, 300 million passengers fly more than 6bn miles on long-haul flights.

Washington DC This article is more than 7 months oldThis article is more than 7 months oldOn DC’s ‘Freedom Corner’, activists are convinced the January 6 attackers are political prisoners persecuted by the government The clock had just struck 9pm when Jeff Sabol, a Colorado man accused of dragging a police officer down a flight of stairs at the US Capitol on January 6 and beating him, placed a call from inside Washington’s jail.

Film This article is more than 20 years oldCinematographer Escoffier dies at 52This article is more than 20 years oldThe death of French cinematographer Jean-Yves Escoffier was finally confirmed late last night. Escoffier, who was 52, died in Los Angeles two weeks ago of a heart attack. Renowned as one of one of the great artists of contemporary cinematography, Escoffier cut his teeth on Coline Serreau's 1985 movie 3 Hommes et un couffin (later remade as Three Men and a Baby) and went on to make three films with Leo Carax - Les Amants du Pont-Neuf, Mauvais Sang and Boy Meets Girl.

Archaeology This article is more than 3 months old‘Enough is enough’: US looted treasures unit faces accusations over creditThis article is more than 3 months oldExclusive: archaeologist Christos Tsirogiannis accuses Manhattan DA’s office of abusing intellectual property Since 2017, when the Manhattan district attorney’s office announced the formation of its first antiquities trafficking unit, it has recovered nearly 4,500 artefacts stolen from 29 countries, with a combined value of more than $375m (£307m).

Genesis P-OrridgeObituaryGenesis P-Orridge obituaryMusician, writer and performance artist who was a co-founder of the band Throbbing Gristle“I am at war with the status quo of society and I am at war with those in control and power,” said Genesis P-Orridge in 1989. “I’m at war with hypocrisy and lies, I’m at war with the mass media.” P-Orridge, who has died of leukaemia aged 70, stuck to the task of delivering aesthetic shocks and trampling over cultural taboos with impressive dedication and across multiple disciplines.

Green lightEnvironmentAgriculture is the largest anthropogenic source of this gas, accounting for about 40%, leading innovators to offer new solutions to tackle its bovine source In 2017, Canadian cattle farmers in Alberta started slipping a special ingredient into their animals’ feed. The cows remained oblivious – their forage tasted no different – but by munching on, they had been enlisted into the fight against the climate crisis. ‘How is it sustainable if only 1% can afford your food?

US television industry This article is more than 1 year oldNewsmax bans Lara Logan after QAnon-tinged on-air tiradeThis article is more than 1 year oldRightwing networks says war correspondent turned pundit will not be invited back in view of ‘reprehensible statements’ The rightwing US TV network Newsmax said it had no plans to interview Lara Logan again, after the award-winning war correspondent turned rightwing pundit launched a QAnon-tinged tirade on air.

Sacha Baron Cohen This article is more than 9 years oldSacha Baron Cohen to follow up Dictator success with Paramount dealThis article is more than 9 years oldInspired by the Hollywood studio's controversial The Wolf of Wall Street, the British shock comedian signs two-movie deal Sacha Baron Cohen quits Freddie Mercury film Sacha Baron Cohen has renewed his first-look deal with Paramount Pictures after apparently finding himself inspired by Leonardo DiCaprio's cocaine-snorting antics in the controversial Oscar-tipped Martin Scorsese black comedy The Wolf of Wall Street.

The 10 best ...CultureReviewThe Observer's art critic Laura Cumming selects the paintings that best evoke the exhilaration and the languor of summer1 Claude Monet Poppy Field (1873) This is the summer you look at in winter, reproduced on millions of sitting room walls, the painting that transports you to the drifting, buzzing heat of those waist-high French fields through which pretty women stroll with parasols. The nearest poppies are disproportionately large to get across the impact of such intense red and parts of the painting hover on the verge of abstraction.

101 strangest records on SpotifyMusicThe 101 strangest records on Spotify: Little Cedric the Hailey Singers - Jesus Saves14-year-old Cedric Hailey and his crew play super-funky boogie-groove jams on their debut album, released back in 198330 years ago this month, Little Cedric and his eight-piece band - including his father and his brother - released this, their debut album on Baltimore's GosPearl label. While a lot of religious music, in both black and white communities, focussed on the traditional, Leonard F Moyer wanted his imprint to be a bit more upbeat and contemporary.

‘If psilocybin products look like candy, it is inevitable that these products will get into the wrong hands.’ Illustration: Marta Parszeniew‘If psilocybin products look like candy, it is inevitable that these products will get into the wrong hands.’ Illustration: Marta ParszeniewDrugsAs grey-market psilocybin sweets grow more popular in the US, doctors warn of risks to unsuspecting kids In the fall of 2022, a six-year-old boy was rushed to the emergency room at Mease Countryside hospital in Safety Harbor, Florida, a small city on western shore of Tampa Bay.

The ObserverCornish Pirates This article is more than 1 month oldEaling v Cornish Pirates match abandoned after player knocked unconsciousThis article is more than 1 month oldBen Grubb taken to hospital and Championship tie called offFixture at Trailfinders Sports Club ends in 62nd minuteThe Championship rugby union match between Ealing Trailfinders and Cornish Pirates was abandoned on Saturday after Ben Grubb, the Pirates back‑rower, was knocked unconscious by a high tackle and later taken to hospital.

Observer European filmFilmThe must-see movies that have defined a century of European cinema, as chosen by the Observer’s film writers Back in 2017, I was asked to contribute a short piece about British cinema to a book entitled Goodbye Europe. The book was a collection of essays, inspired by the recent referendum, offering a series of different perspectives on the thorny subject of the UK’s relationship to Europe, and “what the idea of Europe means to Britons and others living here”.

Philosophy booksObituaryJohn Forrester obituaryHistorian and philosopher who wrote extensively on Freud and psychoanalysisThe historian and philosopher John Forrester, who has died aged 66 after suffering from cancer, advanced the study of psychoanalysis, its history, key figures, clinical practice and social significance, both in Britain and farther afield. Based in the department of history and philosophy of science (HPS) at Cambridge University, this brilliant, deft and warm-hearted man brought boundless curiosity, unsurpassed stores of information and tough questioning to bear on Sigmund Freud’s talking cure and its place in the modern world.

UK news This article is more than 4 years oldJury shown video of TV actor's daughter before drugs death at festivalThis article is more than 4 years oldLouella Fletcher-Michie seen calling for parents in footage shown at boyfriend’s trial Jurors have watched footage and listened to a recording of an actor’s daughter appearing to hallucinate after taking drugs at a music festival, before she collapsed and died. Louella Fletcher-Michie, the daughter of the Holby City actor John Michie, was seen shouting for her mother and father and apparently so confused she was trying to eat thorns and slap herself.

The Cramps' Lux Interior: A life in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Described by Guardian blogger Owen Adams as a "twisted Elvis from hell", the Cramps frontman was a rock photographer's dream. In tribute to Lux, we look back at some iconic shots Thu 5 Feb 2009 12.07 EST First published on Thu 5 Feb 2009 12.

Fashion Statement newsletterFashionThis summer’s holiday ‘it’ bag? A no-frills, budget airline polyester carry-onWheely cases be gone! The £15 Kono duffle bag is all over TikTok – and offers practical style at cabin size Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Nothing evokes summer wanderlust faster than a film peppered with glamorous luggage moments. In Rear Window, Grace Kelly travels with a sleek Mark Cross overnight case; in Spectre, James Bond uses a Globetrotter trolley bag; while even Harry Potter boards the Hogwarts Express with an embossed trunk.

NFLInterviewWhy Ali Marpet was happy to walk away from $20m and the NFL at 28Melissa JacobsThe Pro Bowl guard protected Tom Brady on the way to Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV victory. But he was always different from the typical football player Back in February, a key member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense sent shockwaves through the NFL when he announced his retirement after a storied career. Unlike Tom Brady, guard Ali Marpet would not unretire 40 days later.

CitiesCountless communities around the world scavenge on open dumps – with terrible health consequences. As the UN convenes city leaders for a global summit, what can be done to improve the lives of the world’s waste pickers? In the mid-2000s, the Stung Meanchey landfill in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, had the dubious distinction of being one of the world’s most famous rubbish dumps. It was, in the words of one resident, “hell on earth”.

Royal Ascot 2019 This article is more than 4 years oldHayley Turner becomes first female jockey to win at Royal Ascot since 1987This article is more than 4 years old 33-1 shot Thanks Be takes Sandringham Stakes ‘In 10 years’ time the girls will be having winners more often’ “It was only a matter of time,” said Hayley Turner as she rode back in, triumphant at Royal Ascot for the first time in her long career and, astonishingly, the first female jockey to win here for 32 years.

StageReviewBlack Box theatre, Galway Michael Keegan-Dolan charts how he found his creative voice alongside longtime collaborator Rachel Poirier A dancer drags a bag of compost on to the stage and hacks it open with intent. This is not quite a staged memoir from choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan, more an excavation of his roots. As in his dance theatre works such as Giselle, The Bull, Swan Lake and MÁM, Keegan-Dolan here uses emblematic characters and scenes to evoke a period and a generation: while they may not be directly drawn from his own life, they tap into collective memory.

IndieInterviewJennifer Herrema: my rules of coolLouis PattisonThe Black Bananas singer, formerly of Royal Trux, has been keeping it real for 25 years. From starting a band at 16 to styling centrefolds for Playboy, she shares her experiences Sheltering behind heavy fringe and sunglasses, Jennifer Herrema is hungover. Last night, she and a couple of friends went to London’s Soho Theatre to see comedian Adrienne Truscott, who delivers her act about rape culture, Asking For It, naked from the waist down.

Pop and rockBest known for reviving Nancy Sinatra's career with These Boots Are Made for Walkin', Lee Hazlewood was a highly unorthodox record producer. An epic box set collects his forgotten songsWhen Lee Hazlewood died from renal cancer in 2007, his obituarists had a complicated story to tell: his enormous success as a hitmaker for Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s, his relocation to Sweden in the 70s, his neglected solo career, his long semi-retirement and his belated return to the music industry, feted by the likes of Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker and Sonic Youth.

Classics cornerFictionReviewTranslated into English for the first time, Frank Wedekind's 1903 novella is perverse and disconcerting, says Sophia MartelliFrank Wedekind's themes are sexual freedom, childhood and education, and this novella, translated into English from German for the first time, reads as controversially now as it did when he wrote it in 1903. A maverick with no political ideology, Wedekind is best known for his play Spring Awakening (1891), which covers the same themes less obliquely, gaining him a reputation as a pornographic enemy of society.

Horror filmsWith American Mary, the Canadian twins mix grisly body surgery with third-wave feminismTwins are rarely good news in the movies. The spooky ghost sisters in The Shining, Jeremy Irons's gynaecologist double-act in Dead Ringers, those white-dreadlocked idiots in The Matrix sequels, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen… Time and again, twins are used as a convenient shorthand for all things uncanny, scary and downright wrong. Jen and Sylvia Soska do absolutely nothing to dispel this image.

OpinionAmericas This article is more than 2 months oldThe US invaded the island of Grenada 40 years ago. The legacy of revolution lives onThis article is more than 2 months oldBhaskar SunkaraWhy we must remember Maurice Bishop and the Grenadian revolution You wouldn’t have guessed he was in enemy territory. Addressing 2,500 people at New York’s Hunter College one June night in 1983, Maurice Bishop won the crowd over with ease, covering everything from the Palestinian struggle to Ronald Reagan’s Medicaid cuts.

Four TetReviewAlexandra Palace, London In collaboration with lighting artists Squidsoup, Hebden has found a way to make his wistful dance music seem thrillingly tangible Four Tet’s shows have never had such a clash of audiences. Some know Kieran Hebden as the grandfather of a certain introspective strain of UK club music; others know him as part of a trio – alongside Britain’s new UK bass royalty Fred Again and dubstep antagonist turned man-bun enthusiast Skrillex – who headlined this year’s Coachella after subbing in last-minute for Frank Ocean.

Art and designA shocking new exhibition reveals the thriving postwar careers of artists the Führer endorsed as ‘divinely gifted’. Many made public works that remain on show today A photograph from 1940 shows three conquering Nazis in Paris against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. Within a few years one of these men, Adolf Hitler, was dead by his own hand; another, Albert Speer, was writing his memoirs in Spandau prison, having eluded a death sentence at the Nuremberg trials.

Film This article is more than 9 years oldJane Fonda: Hanoi Jane photo was a 'huge mistake'This article is more than 9 years oldThe actor has expressed regret for the photo which pictured her sat on an enemy anti-aircraft gun, saying she didn’t want to appear ‘against the soldiers’ Jane Fonda has once again expressed regret over the infamous ‘Hanoi Jane’ picture taken of her during the Vietnam war. “It hurts me and it will to my grave that I made a huge, huge mistake that made a lot of people think I was against the soldiers,” she said at a personal speaking engagement in Frederick, Maryland.

José Pizarro’s lamb albondigas with oloroso and piquillo peppers. Photograph: Ola O Smit/The Guardian. Food styling: Esther Clark. Prop styling: Anna Wilkins. Food assistant: Clare Cole.José Pizarro’s lamb albondigas with oloroso and piquillo peppers. Photograph: Ola O Smit/The Guardian. Food styling: Esther Clark. Prop styling: Anna Wilkins. Food assistant: Clare Cole.Spanish food and drinkLamb meatballs simmered in a thick and rich tomato sauce enlivened with a big splash of sherry

Book of the dayScience and nature booksReviewA science writer charts the monumental impact of having children from every angle Motherhood changes a person. We all know this. Yet in so-called Weird countries (western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic) there is very little in the way of ritual to acknowledge this rite of passage, this fundamental transformation. How can this be, Lucy Jones asks, when it is “a transition that involves a whole spectrum of emotional and existential ruptures”?

US healthcare This article is more than 12 years oldUS man stages $1 bank robbery to get state healthcareThis article is more than 12 years oldUnemployed and without health insurance, man in North Carolina has himself arrested in order to receive treatmentIt was not perhaps the most obvious way of getting a bad back, arthritis and a dodgy foot seen to. But if you're unemployed in North Carolina with no health insurance, there is no obvious way.

Crate expectations … French volcanologist Katia Krafft by a volcano in Iceland in Fire of Love. Photograph: Image'EstMissing the heatwave? With the release of Sara Dosa’s hotly tipped new documentary Fire of Love, we round up the most epic, exploding-mountain movies ever made by Anne Billson20. The Last Days of Pompeii (1959)Steve Reeves seeks vengeance for his father’s murder and Vesuvius erupts in a shower of sparks in this handsome peplum epic, no more faithful to Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s 1834 novel than countless other films that borrowed its title.

Categories Nooks and crannies Yesteryear Semantic enigmas The body beautiful Red tape, white lies Speculative science This sceptred isle Root of all evil Ethical conundrums This sporting life Stage and screen Birds and the bees SEMANTIC ENIGMASWhat is the origin of "as right as rain"

Indigenous peoplesJust 90 minutes from Toronto, residents of a First Nations community try to improve the water situation as the beverage company extracts from their land The mysterious rash on the arm of six-year-old Theron wouldn’t heal. For almost a year, his mother, Iokarenhtha Thomas, who lives in the Six Nations of the Grand River indigenous reserve in Ontario, went to the local doctor for lotions for the boy. It worked, for a time.

World news37 dead in Java tsunamiA powerful earthquake off the south coast of Indonesia's Java island today sent a tsunami several metres high crashing down on the resort village of Pangandaran, killing at least 37 people and leaving scores missing. Witnesses said "very many" homes along the coast were destroyed and more substantial buildings suffered damage as two waves, the first about seven metres high and the second two metres, cascaded ashore.

‘Like an unfortunate deposit from on high’ … the W Hotel muscles into the famous view from Calton Hill. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA‘Like an unfortunate deposit from on high’ … the W Hotel muscles into the famous view from Calton Hill. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PAArchitectureWith its spires, castle and monuments, the Scottish capital’s glorious panorama is world famous. Now a looming new addition has appeared – and is causing outrage

A letter to ...Family‘I would have dropped everything, done anything for you’: the letter you always wanted to write When anyone asks whether I have any siblings, I say I have a younger brother. Some people ask more questions about you. How old is he? What does he do? I answer: “Oh, he passed away.” Recently, someone asked why I say “have” and not “had”. It’s deliberate, I explained. I am a sister.

The ObserverLorrie MooreReviewThe author is still capable of surprise with her offbeat, funny, painful stories of middle-class Americans with midlife worriesThree decades in print, lauded for her short stories (collected in Self-Help and Birds of America, among others) and her novels Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? and A Gate at the Stairs, Lorrie Moore can surely now be called a doyenne of American literature. Faber agrees: Self‑Help is published as a Faber Modern Classic.

Gwen Stefani This article is more than 1 year oldGwen Stefani faces backlash over ‘I’m Japanese’ commentThis article is more than 1 year oldSinger and TV host, who is of Irish and Italian descent, made comment in interview promoting her beauty brand The singer and TV host Gwen Stefani faced widespread backlash after claiming: “I’m Japanese.” In an interview with Allure magazine released on Tuesday, Stefani, who is of Irish and Italian descent, was promoting her GXVE beauty brand when she said: “My God, I’m Japanese and I didn’t know it.

The ObserverTerry RichardsonThe photographer, now ostracised by the fashion industry after many allegations of sexual harassment, shaped an aesthetic of exploitation“There’s a kind of natural urge to show off your body and sexuality and record it,” the photographer Terry Richardson told me in the autumn of 2000. “We all have our own internal porn star, and technology has allowed it to develop. You know, people flash the camera when they’re drunk at parties, there are couples filming themselves with camcorders, it’s like instant porn.

BalletObituaryOlga LepeshinskayaExuberant Russian ballerina and stalwart of the Bolshoi noted for her fabulous leapsOlga Lepeshinskaya, supreme virtuoso of the great days of Soviet ballet, adored not only for her dancing but also for her exuberant joie de vivre, has died at the age of 92. Although acclaimed worldwide, she never danced in the UK. Nonetheless, from fragments of film and vivid descriptions of her artistry, her name has always been regarded by British ballet lovers as worthy of ranking alongside such luminaries as Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya.

Business creativityMedia & Tech NetworkA selection of the best advertisements that have sought to tackle stereotypes and break typical misconceptions about sexuality and gender identity Advertising reflects society. More often than not, it presents an image built on traditional views of sexuality, gender identity and gender roles. However, in recent years, brands have been presenting a more diverse world view. The ads below are some of the best examples of LGBT representations from the industry.

Mind your languageMedia This article is more than 9 years oldTxting is for people who can’t spell, write? WrongThis article is more than 9 years oldCaroline TaggChildren who use ‘textisms’ have greater phonological awareness, according to research that exposes some of the myths about language and social mediaI arrived all right about 4 oclock hope you are all right grand wether We’re all familiar with the impact that the internet and text messaging is having on our ability to write properly.

Life and style'It's nothing to do with my father'She's only 24, but already has her own Harrods boutique and counts Victoria Beckham among her fans. In her first interview, designer Jasmine Al Fayed talks about her life and family to Hadley FreemanThe ghost of Mrs Merton hangs pungently in the air as Jasmine Al Fayed and I take our seats in her favourite bar on Portobello Road. Ho hum, may as well get it over with: "

A teenage tradition: quinceañera celebrations in Cuba – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The quinceañera, the 15th birthday rite of passage into womanhood, is widely celebrated in Latino culture. The ostentatious display of wealth at these events is important, even in communist Cuba. The photographer Diana Markosian has documented the tradition in her Over the Rainbow project, which has been awarded the third Elliott Erwitt Havana Club 7 Fellowship.

Beijing’s bustling Chaoyang district as groundwater pumping causes the soil to collapse, satellite measurements show. Photograph: EPABeijing’s bustling Chaoyang district as groundwater pumping causes the soil to collapse, satellite measurements show. Photograph: EPAChina This article is more than 7 years oldBeijing has fallen: China's capital sinking by 11cm a year, satellite study warnsThis article is more than 7 years oldPumping of groundwater blamed for causing soil to collapse as development roars ahead above, with railways among infrastructure at risk, say scientists China’s capital is known for its horrendous smog and occasional sandstorms.

Kitchen aideFoodBeansprouts tend to come in bags that hold far more than you can use before they start to go off. We asked a panel of culinary experts how they save them from the food-waste bin Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@theguardian.com What can we use beansprouts for, apart from in stir-fries? We never know what to do with the remaining beansprouts in a bag and usually end up composting them.

US news This article is more than 9 months oldFugitive former aide to ex-Maryland governor dies in confrontation with FBIThis article is more than 9 months oldRoy McGrath was wanted on corruption charges and manhunt had been launched after he failed to appear for trial An ex-Maryland governor’s former political aide – who was wanted on corruption charges – died on Monday after he was wounded while being confronted by law enforcement agents, his lawyer said, following a manhunt that was launched when the man failed to appear for trial.

More pain than pleasure. Photograph: LightFieldStudios/Getty Images/iStockphotoMore pain than pleasure. Photograph: LightFieldStudios/Getty Images/iStockphotoPass notesSexWant to avoid a penile fracture or an ‘aubergine’ deformity? Of course you do. Here are some positions it might be best to steer clear of Name: Reverse cowgirl. Age: Anybody’s guess. Appearance: Like two people trying to elicit the answer “Tetris” in a round of nude charades. So it’s some type of adult game? Sort of. It’s a sexual position.

Succession: episode by episodeSuccessionThe Roy family patriarch reaches new levels of vindictiveness and fury, as he takes his employees on a traumatic corporate retreat Spoiler alert: this recap is for people watching Succession season two, which airs on HBO in the US and Sky Atlantic in the UK. Do not read on unless you have watched episode three ‘He can do whatever he likes, he’s a human Saudi Arabia’There are strong echoes of King Lear in Succession and one of the themes of Lear is of humanity recoiling into bestiality.

ColombiaSuspect allegedly involved in shooting of Spain Vox party co-founder is arrested in ColombiaAlejo Vidal-Quadras, a former vice-president of the European parliament and co-founder of Spain’s Vox party, was shot in the head in Madrid last year Colombian police say they have arrested a Venezuelan suspected of involvement in the alleged attempted assassination in Madrid last year of a co-founder of Spain’s far-right Vox party. Greg Oliver Higuera Marcano was wanted in connection with last year’s shooting of Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a former leader of Spain’s main rightwing political party in Catalonia who went on to co-found Vox, and is a former vice-president of the European parliament.

FashionLess than 2% of clothing workers earn a fair wage – while many of us have wardrobes full of unworn outfits. Here’s how to break the cycle It’s the toxic relationship too many of us can’t quit. An impulse purchase here, a pick-me-up there. A quick scroll, a flirty click, a casual add-to-basket. Who are we hurting? Recent news linking the budget fashion giant Boohoo (which also owns Coast, Karen Millen, and now Oasis and Warehouse) to claims of “modern slavery” in one of Leicester’s garment factories has served to remind us of the sobering answer to this question.

Music This article is more than 1 year oldAngela Álvarez crowned best new artist at Latin Grammys – aged 95This article is more than 1 year oldCuban American, who started recording career at 90 after decades of performing for family and friends, says ‘it’s never too late’ Don’t ever tell Angela Álvarez it’s too late for dreams to come true – the 95-year-old just brought home a Latin Grammy for best new artist, becoming the musical award show’s eldest winner ever.

The ObserverPhoebe Waller-BridgeShow’s creator regrets that guesswork about inspiration for characters made life tricky for those close to herPhoebe Waller-Bridge, the creator of the dark comedy Fleabag, has confessed to making serious mistakes with those she cares about following her extraordinary success as a writer and performer. Her family, she claims, have “taken the brunt” of the negative impact of her sudden fame due to her failure to protect them from outside guesswork about the inspiration for her hit BBC Two show, which portrays the misadventures of a young woman known as Fleabag.

Books blogChildren and teenagersIs Watership Down really 'just a story about rabbits'?Richard Adams’s novel is, as he insisted, about unsentimentally observed animals. But his experience as a soldier left an undeniable mark on the story, too Rabbits in art and literature are surprisingly resistant to the idea of cuteness. Children generally first encounter anthropomorphised rabbits in the Beatrix Potter stories of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny; but Peter’s mother reminds him that his father was killed and baked in a pie; Benjamin Bunny is traumatised by a malevolent cat, the reader under no illusions as to the terror he is feeling.

Lost in showbizJames FrancoThe actor and poet has cleared up the confusion about his sexuality. Sort ofThere are many things in life today that can bring a Proustian whiff of the 1990s flooding back to one’s cultural nostrils. The Groucho Club. A Gallagher brother arguing ferociously about an immutable truth with an inanimate object. Cargo pants for girls. But nothing brings the decade back in such a heady rush as a man playing at being gay because it makes him look cool.

TV reviewTelevisionReviewVittorio Emanuele, the Italian throne’s last heir, was apprehended in 1978 after a teen died from a gunshot on an exclusive island. This twisty, restrained documentary follows the fallout Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia is the last heir to the throne of Italy. He and his family were exiled in 1946 and could not return for the next 56 years. He has been the centre of many ... unpleasantnesses. The most recent were the charges of criminal association, racketeering, exploitation of prostitution and sundry other delights, of which he was later acquitted.

For 10 years Tim Llewellyn was the BBC's Middle East correspondent. In this passionately argued polemic he accuses British broadcasters, including his former employer, of systematic bias in covering the Arab-Israeli conflict, giving undue prominence to the views of Jerusalem while disregarding the roots of the crisis. ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRoq6KlXaG5psPEpaOypg%3D%3D

Atatürk airport attack: explosions kill dozens – video report GuardianTurkey This article is more than 7 years oldTurkey airport attack: 41 killed in explosions at Istanbul AtatürkThis article is more than 7 years oldPolice opened fire on suspects who then blew themselves up outside security checkpoint at international terminal, Turkish officials say Istanbul airport attack: latest updates A series of deadly explosions tore through crowds at Istanbul’s Atatürk international airport on Tuesday evening, leaving at least 41 people dead and scores more injured in an attack officials blamed on the Islamic State terror group.

Fashion This article is more than 1 year oldUpside-down bikinis: the trend made popular by Love Island and the KardashiansThis article is more than 1 year oldSearches for the style rose 203% within the last month, says shopping app Lyst What could possibly explain the upside-down bikini trend? Given the style’s popularity among Love Island’s female contestants, one might reasonably assume a hasty recoupling with their bikini tops after a session in the “beauty salon” (Casa Amor’s code for the bedroom, apparently).

Book of the dayScience fiction booksReviewA widow finds herself in a sinister care home, in this meditation on ageing, trauma and identity from the author behind I’m Thinking of Ending Things Recently widowed, Penny is now living alone in the apartment she shared with her husband for many years. Her days seem longer than before, and her memory is not as reliable as it used to be. Her apartment, so familiar, seems alive with strange presences and Penny gradually becomes convinced that someone is watching her.

Global developmentWomen attempting to flee the country’s economic collapse are in desperate straits, stranded at borders and forced into sex work, say NGOs The family had nothing at home, says mother of six Luisa Hernández, 30, from Zulia state, Venezuela. “To see your children grow up without food, without anything, is unbearable. “Eating from rubbish bins to survive was no life, so we left. But, now with the pandemic, we are in limbo, we are stuck in Colombia, and hungry again.

Benin's train journey back in time Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email A larger than life Frenchman has restored a 1920s train to carry guests between his small chain of hotels up and down Benin. Tim E White and Flora King climb aboard for a unique African journeyRead about Flora's journey and how to book the train here Mon 19 Sep 2011 08.

Subtle and startling … Ann Patchett. Photograph: Murdo Macleod/The GuardianSubtle and startling … Ann Patchett. Photograph: Murdo Macleod/The GuardianBook of the dayFictionReviewAn adulterous affair brings two California families uneasily together in this story set over five decades Ann Patchett’s seventh novel begins in the early 1960s, at Beverly and Fix Keating’s christening party for their daughter Franny. An unexpected guest turns up, with a large bottle of gin in lieu of an invitation.

Soccer This article is more than 9 years oldIndian footballer dies of injuries after celebrating goal with somersaultsThis article is more than 9 years old Peter Biaksangzuala damaged spinal chord after somersaults Bethlehem Vengthlang will retire jersey No 21 in his honour A footballer has died of injuries he sustained after landing awkwardly while celebrating a goal during a state-level league match in India, the organisers of the Mizoram Premier League have announced.

MoviesReviewTom Courtenay is unforgettable as a first world war private on trial for desertion. But it is Dirk Bogarde, dripping with distaste for his defendant who delivers a horrific coup de grâce There’s an extra, unexpected shiver of contemporary relevance and horror in this rerelease of Joseph Losey’s brutal expressionist drama from 1964. Tom Courtenay plays the pinch-faced, talkative but also somehow inscrutable Private Hamp, who is court-martialled for desertion in 1917 having “gone for a walk” away from the guns at Passchendaele.

OpinionBlack History Month This article is more than 14 years oldMalcolm X was bisexual. Get over itThis article is more than 14 years oldPeter TatchellBlack History Month should help break down homophobia by celebrating the sexuality of black heroes such as Malcolm XOctober is Black History Month in Britain – a wonderful celebration of the huge, important and valuable contribution that black people have made to humanity and to popular culture.

US prisons This article is more than 4 years old‘Most prisoners want to work’ – the shop where inmates’ crafts fill the shelvesThis article is more than 4 years oldThe Maine state prison’s labour programme not only gives prisoners a skill, but also prepares them for re-entry into society When Kathy Ford stopped in at the Maine state prison showroom while on vacation from Pennsylvania with her friends, she didn’t expect to be interacting with prisoners.

FruitIn her new book, Kate Lebo experiments with tricky fruit. Here she explains the best ways to ensure that even nature’s tartest, sourest offerings never go to waste The Book of Difficult Fruit by Kate Lebo isn’t technically a cookbook. It’s a collection of personal essays about family, illness and nature, each linked to a different fruit that – over the years, warranted or otherwise – has developed something of a bad reputation.

California This article is more than 6 months oldAn ‘aggressive’ sea otter is snatching surfers’ boards. Experts are puzzledThis article is more than 6 months oldThere is no clear explanation for the sea mammal’s behavior, say authorities, who has been seen riding and gnawing surfboards A California otter is making headlines for her unique, and worrying, interactions with surfers. In recent weeks, Mark Woodward, a photographer who goes by Native Santa Cruz on Twitter and Instagram has been sharing photos and videos of southern sea otters riding on surfboards they have commandeered.

Performance artObituaryBrian Catling obituaryPerformance artist and fantasy writer whose gothic imagination found inspiration in the ‘wrongness of actions’For 16 nights, for six hours each night, in October 2005, visitors to Matt’s Gallery in east London found Brian Catling stalking a stage set of dark ecclesiastical wood. The artist’s behaviour was erratic and volatile: he paced up and down at speed; he messed around with an animal’s jawbone; he would urinate from a constructed pulpit, or don a wooden dunce’s cap.

Wales This article is more than 1 month oldFamilies pay tribute to three teenagers killed in south Wales crashThis article is more than 1 month oldCallum Griffiths, 19, Jesse Owen, 18, and Morgan Smith, 18, declared dead at scene while two others suffer life-threatening injuries The families of three teenagers who died after a road traffic collision in a small village in south Wales have paid tribute to the young men.

‘His writerly voice is instantly recognisable’: Grian Chatten. Photograph: Eimear Lynch‘His writerly voice is instantly recognisable’: Grian Chatten. Photograph: Eimear LynchThe ObserverPop and rockReview(Partisan) Chatten dials down the rollicking post-punk of the Dublin band with a solo debut of haunted, Leonard Cohen-esque songs “What’s normal for the spider,” the Addams family’s Morticia once noted, “is chaos for the fly.” Fontaines DC’s frontman Grian Chatten, meanwhile, has described his debut solo album as “a horror movie with a hyperreal colour palette”.

ComedyReviewO2 Arena, London Glimpses of wit float to the surface in this sex-and-excrement bonanza … but are quickly flushed away by tedious misogyny Two trips to the O2 in 10 days: two shows wallowing in faeces. Reader, the life of the comedy reviewer is not all glamour. After Jack Whitehall, now it’s Jim Jefferies. Having made his name in the UK and in his native Australia with misogynistic “bad-boy” standup, Jefferies made his fortune in the US with the sitcom Legit and his own show on Comedy Central.

GenderMob justiceSammy Gravano literally got away with murder when he turned state's evidence in a mafia trial. But the sisters of two of his victims were determined that he would pay for his crimesTwo weeks before he died, Rosanne Massa's brother came to see her at four in the morning. High on cocaine, paranoid that he was being followed, frightened for his life, he called up to her window. She recalls his bug-eyed terror: "

The ObserverCalifornia This article is more than 2 months oldThis article is more than 2 months oldAmid concern over the president’s poll ratings, Gavin Newsom appears to be running something of a shadow campaign One of the strongest candidates for US president in 2024 may be one who’s not yet in the race. There’s growing evidence that Gavin Newsom, the charismatic and energetic Democratic governor of California, is running something of a shadow campaign to Joe Biden and ready to step up if, or when, the incumbent is out of the running.

‘They are meant to work for us, but it is already possible to imagine we will end up working for them.’ Photograph: Andriy Popov/Alamy‘They are meant to work for us, but it is already possible to imagine we will end up working for them.’ Photograph: Andriy Popov/AlamyThe ObserverSociety booksReviewSurveying everything from hunter gatherers to Elon Musk, the Cambridge politics professor debates whether our fate is sealed by the machines we’ve created

YESTERYEARWho was The Witch of Endor? She is referred to somewhere in the Bible. Jan Keegans, London UK The Witch of Endor was actually a male and was Wicket. On the surface he was a cute little Ewok who helped, with his tribe, the Rebels on the Forest Moon of Endor. In fact, he was a great sorcerer of magical powers who, after the Battle of Endor, took over the Imperial and Rebel forces and made Princess Leia wear her slave outfit foryears to come.

Candidates for US citizenship listen during a naturalization ceremony in New York City. Photograph: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty ImagesCandidates for US citizenship listen during a naturalization ceremony in New York City. Photograph: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty ImagesUS immigration This article is more than 7 months oldAn immigrant was told he could visit home. He was arrested at the airportThis article is more than 7 months oldRicardo Velázquez was caught in a scam that also ensnared more than 100 others after his immigration attorney lied to him More than two decades ago, Ricardo Velázquez immigrated to the US from Puebla, Mexico, since then, he has spent most of the time since working in kitchens while dreaming of gaining a visa that would let him visit his home town with his family.

The ObserverRugby World Cup 2023With Penaud in lethal form and Dupont close to a possible return, Les Bleus will fancy their chances in the knockout stages Fans have hadlittle to cheer at OL Stadium recently. With the resident football team winless this season, it was a visit from the all-conquering rugby side that brought the Lyon crowd back to its feet, as Les Bleus duly dispatched a wounded Italy on Friday.

Trailers for Eternals, The Suicide Squad, The Batman and more have twisted vintage pop – from Nirvana to Steely Dan – into epic new shapes. Industry insiders explain why Published: 27 May 2021 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRopaKZnKF6pbvHnqmtsQ%3D%3D

TheatreReviewAlmeida theatre, London Marina Carr’s play is beautifully bleak and Alison Oliver’s central performance as a woman lost in grief is matched by a mighty cast The preoccupation with death is there from the start. A heaviness hangs over Alex Eales’s neat domestic set, a ragged crater blown out of the back wall. Behind is revealed the rocky bank of the Belmont river, where half of Portia Coughlan’s mind and soul lie at all times, her body aching since the death of her twin brother 15 years before.

Sandy Boykin-Hays, the House speaker, Mike Johnson, and Janis Gabriel Composite: Rory Doyle, Getty Images, Rachel WoolfSandy Boykin-Hays, the House speaker, Mike Johnson, and Janis Gabriel Composite: Rory Doyle, Getty Images, Rachel WoolfMike Johnson This article is more than 1 month oldRevealed: House speaker did little to fight toxic ‘burn pit’ his father campaigned againstThis article is more than 1 month oldMike Johnson’s creationist beliefs clash with environmental realities in a district where many residents hold deep concerns about pollution

Power lines in Rosemead, California. The state will impose income-based electricity fees in 2025. Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty ImagesPower lines in Rosemead, California. The state will impose income-based electricity fees in 2025. Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty ImagesCalifornia This article is more than 7 months oldRicher people pay more: California’s dramatic change to electricity billsThis article is more than 7 months oldSome higher-income residents – who already enjoy subsidies for solar – oppose paying more than low-income households

Sky Ferreira This article is more than 9 years oldSky Ferreira attacked for 'racist' I Blame Myself videoThis article is more than 9 years oldThe singer has written a statement responding to accusations that she used black dancers as props in her new videoSinger Sky Ferreira has been accused of racism following the release of her new video for the single I Blame Myself. Responding to the allegations with a lengthy Facebook post, Ferreira has said that she felt "

New OrleansIn the 1990s, Jacklean Davis was a policing superstar, hailed as the best crime solver in the city. But a dispute turned into a major federal case against her, brought by a prosecutor whose conduct in other cases was called ‘grotesque’ This piece is co-published with The Appeal On 22 February 2002, Sgt Jacklean Davis was on a walk with her supervisor, Lt Samuel Lee, when Lee got a call from their commander at the seventh district in New Orleans.

Categories Nooks and crannies Yesteryear Semantic enigmas The body beautiful Red tape, white lies Speculative science This sceptred isle Root of all evil Ethical conundrums This sporting life Stage and screen Birds and the bees SEMANTIC ENIGMASWhat is the origin the phrase "

Golden State Warriors 'I didn't intend to hit him': Green defends punching Nurkić in NBA game – video NBA bad boy Draymond Green was ejected after hitting Jusuf Nurkić in the face during the Warriors' game against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. It has been less than a month since Green was suspended for five games by the league for putting Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert in a headlock during an altercation in November.

InternetThe extent to which private companies should be held responsible for online content is a global issue yet to be resolved Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Get our free news app, morning email briefing or daily news podcast As the internet continues to evolve from its earlier days as an unregulated wild west, the big debates about what people should be allowed to see and do online has shifted away from major platforms like Facebook, Google and Twitter to focus on the actions of a small group of tech companies.

Music blogKurt CobainKurt Cobain’s Montage of Heck tape: his ex-girlfriend sets record straightAs the internet implodes over a ‘newly’ surfaced pre-Bleach mixtape by the Nirvana frontman, one of its original recipients reveals how and when it was really made The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link.

SoulObituaryMarvin Isley obituaryBassist for the Isley Brothers, he co-wrote many hits including Harvest for the WorldMarvin Isley, who has died of complications from diabetes, aged 56, was the bass player with the highly successful funk and soul group the Isley Brothers. He co-wrote many of the band's hits in the 1970s and 80s, including Harvest for the World and Fight the Power. He was born into a musical family in Cincinnati, Ohio, the last of six sons and 16 years younger than his eldest sibling, O'Kelly.

World Cup 2014 squadsPortugal This article is more than 9 years oldPortugal squad for 2014 World Cup: the 23 chosen by Paulo BentoThis article is more than 9 years oldThis is the Portugal squad for the Fifa 2014 World Cup finals with the official squad numbers Angola-born midfielder who is future of Portuguese football Portugal: a tactical analysis Which player was called a ‘rotten apple’ by a club president?

OperaObituaryStephen Gould obituaryTenor whose robust and attractive tone enhanced a thrillingly heroic deliveryIn the summer of 2022 the American singer Stephen Gould was undertaking not just one but three taxing heldentenor roles at the Bayreuth festival: Tannhäuser, Tristan and Siegfried (in Götterdämmerung) with characteristic dependability. Invited back to the festival the following year, he had just entered the rehearsal period when he had to withdraw on health grounds. A fortnight after announcing his diagnosis, he has died aged 61 of bile duct cancer.

The ObserverBrazil This article is more than 15 years oldThe 'Rainbow killer' stalks Brazilian gaysThis article is more than 15 years oldSão Paulo governor vows to catch the murderer who targets men in a park used as a rendezvousSão Paulo is the annual stage for the largest gay pride march on Earth and home to one of South America's most vibrant gay communities. But a wave of homophobic murders has cast a shadow over one of the most tolerant cities in Latin America.

The good mixerLife and styleA light, refreshing, low-alcohol drink that’s perfect for a hot summer’s day Cocktails don’t have to blow your head off – umeshu sake, made from plums, is usually around 12-14% abv, and makes a great refreshing, low-alcohol pre-summer dinner snifter. It’s dead simple, too. Per serving: 80ml umeshu sake 35ml lemon juice 15ml sugar syrup (50% water: 50% sugar) 15ml egg white 1 lemon wedge and 1 cherry, to garnish

Styling: Samantha McMillen at the Wall Group. Set design: Desiree Klein. Hair and makeup: Brett Freedman. Blouse: The Row. Earrings and necklace: Anita Ko. Photograph: Mary Rozzi/The GuardianFor a long time, the actor was the most visible lesbian in Hollywood (not that she really wanted to talk about it). Now the True Detective star feels liberated – and is helping the younger generation follow suit by Emma BrockesIt is roughly 58 years since Jodie Foster’s first acting role and there are things she won’t put up with on set.

UK newsBigot on a bridge wins poll for funniest religious jokeThere was the one about Jesus asking to be put up for the night, and puns about paedophile priests, but a tale of two men on a bridge that mocks sectarianism has been found the funniest religious joke by readers of a Christian website. Demonstrating a fondness for black humour about their faith or lack of it, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, atheists and agnostics sent 951 religious jokes to the website Ship of Fools (Shipoffools.

Breakfast of championsBreakfastHad a big night out? Ease yourself into the morning after with a recipe courtesy of the king of rock’n’roll (and of junk food) It’s no secret that Elvis had a weakness for junk food, but this sandwich hammers that message home, especially as he was known to nibble one as a snack between meals. Contrary to rumour, he wasn’t eating one when he died, though. Still, I’d save this for post-big-night-out mornings; if you make it a regular part of your diet, you’ll go the same way as the King.

Mad Men: notes from the break roomMad MenWhat's new? Miniskirts, crochet hats, and unorthodox sexual arrangements. The 70s have dawned on Madison AvenueSpoiler alert: This blog is for those who are watching season seven of Mad Men. Don't read on if you haven't seen episode one. A (very) quick beginner's guide to Mad Men Here's how the opener to the seventh (and final season) of Mad Men went for me.

Change by degreesAustralia newsTake good care of the right pots and pans and they will last a lifetime. Here’s what you should look for Change by Degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprint Got a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.com Zero-waste chef and two-time MasterChef contestant Simon Toohey likens good cookware to old cars: they just never die.

Turkey-Syria earthquake 2023 This article is more than 11 months oldPhoto of Turkish man holding hand of dead daughter underlines earthquake despairThis article is more than 11 months oldImage showing father from Kahramanmaraş region comes as death toll from Syria and Turkey quake pushes past 7,800 Videos and photographs of the two earthquakes that have devastated southern Turkey and northern Syria, killing at least 7,800 people, show rescuers digging with their hands, apartment blocks concertinaing to the ground in seconds, and the shaking apart of a castle that had stood for almost two millennia.

The 100 best novelsFord Madox FordFord's masterpiece is a searing study of moral dissolution behind the facade of an English gentleman – and its stylistic influence lingers to this dayRobert McCrum introduces the series The Good Soldier was conceived by Ford Madox Ford as the summation of his career as an admired and influential Edwardian novelist, his "last book", and a middle-aged writer's traditional riposte to the literary Cubists, Vorticists and Imagists of the day.

Observer New Review Q&ATom BurkeInterviewTom Burke: ‘Alan Rickman was like family, really’Michael HoganThe actor on tapping into his sinister side for Joanna Hogg’s Sundance hit The Souvenir, losing godfather Alan Rickman, and growing sideburns for new film The Wonder Actor Tom Burke, 41, was raised in Kent by actor parents. He trained at Rada and has worked extensively on stage, including at the RSC and the National. On TV he has played Athos in The Musketeers, Dolokhov in War & Peace and the eponymous detective in Strike, the BBC series based on JK Rowling’s novels.

CitiesObituaryVictoria Henshaw obituaryUrban planner and academic who believed good design considered the smells of towns and cities as well as their sights and sounds The urban planner and academic Victoria Henshaw, who has died from cancer aged 43, devoted her life to an aspect of cities that is entirely invisible, but which she was convinced had a huge influence over how we perceive places – namely, their smell. A town centre manager turned urban academic, she became fascinated by this element of the environment that she thought had been crucially overlooked by architects and planners alike.

US newsAs the US adjusts to an increasingly non-religious population, thousands of churches are closing each year – probably accelerated by Covid Churches are closing at rapid numbers in the US, researchers say, as congregations dwindle across the country and a younger generation of Americans abandon Christianity altogether – even as faith continues to dominate American politics. As the US adjusts to an increasingly non-religious population, thousands of churches are closing each year in the country – a figure that experts believe may have accelerated since the Covid-19 pandemic.

RereadingFictionCocktail parties, pink hair and Paris in the 1950s – what more could you want? Elaine Dundy's The Dud Avocado examines the timeless dilemmas of a girl about townSally Jay Gorce, the clever, funny, good-looking and mildly disorganised heroine of Elaine Dundy's first and best novel, is most often compared to Truman Capote's Holly Golightly, a character who is her exact contemporary in publication terms (The Dud Avocado and Breakfast at Tiffany's appeared, to rave reviews, in 1958).

From a karaoke-singing paramedic on a boat in Bangladesh to a proud campaigner for a queer museum in Namibia, these are some of the figures who raised our hopes for humanity Published: 25 Dec 2023 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRomKaqmal6pbTIpaOopg%3D%3D

Matthew PerryHe called himself a just-add-water addict, hooked on painkillers after a jetski accident. In last year’s shockingly frank memoir, detailing ferocious substance abuse and on-set drinking, he seemed resigned to a young death Matthew Perry, actor best known for Friends, dies at 54 Matthew Perry was a Friend to all, known the world over as Chandler Bing, always seconds away from a great wisecrack and a show-stopping grin. But he was also an addict.

27 Dec 202307.07 GMTStumps Day 2 - Pakistan 194-6, trail on the first innings by 124Geoff LemonAnother good day for Australia, though it could have been a good one for Pakistan. They bowled with great success in the first session, got through Australia’s final seven wickets and kept them to a further 131 runs added. Conceding 318 at least kept Pakistan in the game. And at 124 for 1 themselves, they had every chance to push towards that score and past it.

UK weather This article is more than 5 months oldDozens of yachts retire from Channel race due to ‘brutal’ gale-force windsThis article is more than 5 months oldOne crew evacuated before boat sinks as more than 80 vessels abandon world’s largest offshore race Dozens of yachts have been forced to retire from the world’s largest offshore race due to “brutal” gale-force conditions in the Channel, with other vessels forced to seek shelter and one believed to have sunk.

Making a splash … Rich Pelley as Harry Styles. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The GuardianThe former One Direction star is regularly touted as the best-dressed musician – or person – on the globe. Can our writer measure up without breaking the bank? by Rich PelleyModern life is confusing – and nowhere more so than in fashion. Take Harry Styles. He was voted the best-dressed musician in the world last year by GQ, pictured flouncing about in a high-shine Gucci jumpsuit and fluorescent pink coat at Coachella.

Pass notesSexThere are many reasons people regret an encounter with a stranger, including fear of pregnancy or disease – and feelings of disgust Name: Sexual regret. Age: Roughly 45 seconds younger than however old the sex is. Appearance: That depends who you are. Surely everyone experiences sexual regret. Just because everyone you’ve slept with has been consumed by permanent regret, it doesn’t mean it’s the same for the rest of the world.

Which of the two centre circles is bigger? Illustration: Pete Etchells/The GuardianWhich of the two centre circles is bigger? Illustration: Pete Etchells/The GuardianMind gamesScienceThe Ebbinghaus illusion: Small, or very far away?Mind gamers, which of the two centre circles below is bigger? And what does this tell us about how the visual system works? How do you tell if something looks small because it is small, or because it is very far away?

England’s Danni Wyatt: ‘In the past if I had a few dot balls, I’d start swinging away, and get out. Now I’ll maybe just take a single.’ Photograph: Mike Egerton/PAEngland’s Danni Wyatt: ‘In the past if I had a few dot balls, I’d start swinging away, and get out. Now I’ll maybe just take a single.’ Photograph: Mike Egerton/PAThe ObserverEngland women's cricket teamWyatt has become England’s key T20 player over the past year or so and attributes her improved performances in limited-overs cricket to relaxation and perspective

Classical musicObituaryDavid Bedford obituaryComposer equally at home with children's choirs and rock bandsThe composer David Bedford, who has died of lung cancer aged 74, employed a wide range of styles and media in a half-century career that saw him move from young iconoclast to eclectic purveyor of music for all seasons and needs. In 1963, as a recent student of Luigi Nono in Venice, he wrote Two Poems for Chorus, settings of Kenneth Patchen texts.

South Carolina This article is more than 2 months oldDriver tries to crash through gates of South Carolina nuclear plantThis article is more than 2 months oldSuspect had been asked to leave by security at Oconee nuclear station about an hour earlier and remains at large A driver tried to crash through the exit gates of a South Carolina nuclear plant on Thursday night about an hour after security asked the same car to leave when it tried to enter, authorities said.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderIt’s 30 years since the condition was recognised. It is most often associated with children, but more and more grownups are now being diagnosed. Does this help? Michelle Beckett, a 44-year-old entrepreneur from Harrogate, always knew she was different. But, like many women who suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), she did not fit the stereotypical profile of a child with the condition. Beckett’s difficulties would come later in life, when she failed to live up to her academic potential, experienced two failed marriages and had mental health problems.

History booksReviewThe right-wing talk show host gives us salacious gossip, gory details and a Tea Party Son of GodEveryone creates God in their own image, so it's not surprising that Fox television's aggressively conservative down-home-let's-hear-it-for-the-ordinary-guy talk show host should have created a Tea Party son of God. Jesus, the little guy, is an enemy of the big corrupt tax-oppressing Roman empire, which is itself just a version of Washington, only even more venal and sexually depraved.

An unnamed individual saw the broadcast on Lonina’s Periscope channel as it was happening and raised the alarm, according to the prosecutor’s office. Photograph: PeriscopeAn unnamed individual saw the broadcast on Lonina’s Periscope channel as it was happening and raised the alarm, according to the prosecutor’s office. Photograph: PeriscopeOhio This article is more than 7 years oldOhio teen accused of using Periscope to live-stream friend's alleged rapeThis article is more than 7 years oldMarina Lonina, 18, faces charges that she used her phone to broadcast an underage girl being raped by a 29-year-old mutual acquaintance

Richard Madden: ‘Everything runs away with you.’ Photograph: Paul Farrell/The GuardianBodyguard made him a star – but he hasn’t always been comfortable as the lead. He talks about bullies, his inner ‘fat lad’ and new Elton John biopic Rocketman by Miranda SawyerFor some lucky actors, there are moments when their career suddenly shifts into a higher gear. The right part comes along, the world notices, and boom! their whole life is different.

Step-by-step guide to danceRambertInspired by the dancing of Pavlova and Fonteyn, Ashton’s lyrical, restrained choreography created a very English kind of ballet In shortFrederick Ashton was an outsider who became an insider. Raised in South America, he moved to the UK in 1919 and went on to embody the “English style” of ballet – lyrical rather than dramatic, preferring nuance over statement – and moved into the highest echelons of English society.

OpinionTrade unions This article is more than 1 month oldUnions must resist the Tories’ new anti-strike laws – even if that means breaking the law ourselvesThis article is more than 1 month oldSharon GrahamAs the TUC meets to plan its response, my message is clear: don’t back down, strikes are a vital part of how we improve pay and conditions Sharon Graham is the general secretary of UniteThe British government is about to launch one of the greatest ever attacks on trade union rights.

Books This article is more than 20 years oldBaby son for JK RowlingThis article is more than 20 years oldHarry Potter author JK Rowling gave birth to her second child, David Gordon Rowling Murray, at the new Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh. ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJqfpLi0e5FpZ2xnnZa%2FcH6UaKGkop%2BWu6%2BxypqroaSVmruzu9aloKef

MusicObituaryBarrington Pheloung obituaryComposer who found fame with the theme and incidental music he created for the TV series Inspector MorseIn 1987, the Australian composer Barrington Pheloung, who has died aged 65 of respiratory failure, provided the haunting theme and incidental music to the ITV crime drama series Inspector Morse. The combination of the complex, grumpy detective, played by John Thaw, the Oxford setting of the underlying novels by Colin Dexter and the 100-minute length of each episode created scope for a very distinctive approach.

BusinessDelancey bid fails to net property firmGreycoat seeks white knight after rejecting £218m spoilerGreycoat, the property group which part-owns the former NatWest Tower, appealed for a white knight yesterday after rejecting a £218 million bid from a company controlled by financial speculator George Soros. The bid forced Greycoat to bring forward previously undisclosed plans to solicit buyers due to its consistently lacklustre share price. The company, it emerged, had been planning to raise the 'for sale' sign after reporting its year-end results in May.

FictionReviewA finely observed Irish debut about a monstrous mother and dysfunctional siblings Kate slips away during a family dinner to throw a perfect baked alaska in the bin. “The freezer door was left open,” she lies to the gathered guests – her brothers Peter and Ray, and Ray’s wife, Liz. “The alaska’s ruined,” she declares, before packing them all off. The truth is that it’s not desserts that are collapsing in this observant debut about an Irish family who are confronted by tragedy in childhood and then forced to contend with the trauma of it in adulthood.

Australia news This article is more than 8 months oldGendy nooch, cozzie livs and murder noodle: Australian words lining up for a Macquarie dictionary debutThis article is more than 8 months oldLinguist says Australians are unique and creative as we ‘take each word and turn it into a diminutive and then put an S on the end’ Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Gendy nooch, cozzie livs and murder noodle.

Best foot forward: is there a way to introduce my fetishes into our relationship? Photograph: Flying Colours Ltd/Getty ImagesBest foot forward: is there a way to introduce my fetishes into our relationship? Photograph: Flying Colours Ltd/Getty ImagesSexual healingSexWhile my partner hasn’t rejected me, she feels feet are inherently unhygienic and won’t let me worship her as I would like. Are there any ways I can change her mind?I have had fetishes for feet and tickling since I was a teenager, but have never been confident in opening up about it before.

Book of the dayBiography booksReviewThe author emerges from this compelling biography as a difficult outsider whose twin passions were feckless men and drink In 1907, Ella Gwendoline (“Gwen”) Rees Williams sailed to England from Dominica, the Caribbean island of her birth, to attend school in Cambridge. Gwen, who was 16, had long dreamed of the motherland, but from the moment she landed at Southampton, her mood began to darken. If London, her first stop, was sooty and drab and populated by permanently indignant landladies, school was little better.

Australian TV reviewTelevision & radioReviewThis very funny and bingeable Netflix series sees an American ‘mafia negotiator’ disguise himself as a priest in a small Queensland town Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email After launching several underwhelming Australian TV shows –from the soapy supernatural drama Tidelands to the meek and messy Heartbreak High redux – Netflix has delivered a surprise early Christmas present: this very cunning, funny and bingeable 10-part comedy series based in a small coastal Queensland town.

THE BODY BEAUTIFULWho was the first person infected with HIV and how were they infected? Chris Williams, Birmingham UK We will surely never know who or how, but we can speculate. There was a great deal of conjecture in the late 1980's about Patient Zero, identified as Gaetan Dugas - a Canadian flight attendant who purportedly knowingly infected as many as 250 men a year on both sides of the Atlantic - said to have singlehandedly started the epidemic, but most of this is now largely discredited.

‘His Pandora’s box sketch is a standout’: Adrian Bliss: Inside Everyone. Photograph: Matthew Hague‘His Pandora’s box sketch is a standout’: Adrian Bliss: Inside Everyone. Photograph: Matthew HagueComedyReviewPleasance Dome, Edinburgh The TikTok star follows an atom through time, via a dinosaur, Julius Caesar’s lunch and Van Gogh’s ear, in an uncynical show with an excess of scene changes Injury time is mushrooming in football in response to the realisation that, in any 90-minute match, the ball may be in play for only half of that.

Russia This article is more than 1 year oldAiden Aslin among 10 international ‘prisoners of war’ released by Russian authoritiesThis article is more than 1 year oldFive UK and two US foreign fighters captured in Ukraine among 10 freed after Saudi Arabia’s intervention Russia-Ukraine war – latest updates A Briton who was threatened with execution after being captured by Russian forces during the siege of Mariupol has been released alongside four other Britons and five other international prisoners after the intervention of Saudi Arabia.

Australian Open 2024Australian Open draw: Emma Raducanu lands favourable first-round clash with Shelby RogersTwo-time champion Naomi Osaka faces Caroline GarciaNovak Djokovic could meet Andy Murray in third roundEmma Raducanu has been handed a favourable draw in her return to grand slam tennis as she faces Shelby Rogers of the US in the first round of the Australian Open next week. The 21-year-old is one of numerous former top players returning from lengthy layoffs in the women’s draw, with the two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka facing a blockbuster first round battle with Caroline Garcia, the 16th seed and former No 4.

Florida This article is more than 4 months oldFlorida man arrested over allegedly hanging swastika flags from bridgeThis article is more than 4 months oldJason Brown, 48, linked to neo-Nazi group, charged with criminal mischief after police said hate banners were hung in Orlando Florida authorities have arrested a man after he allegedly hung extremist hate symbols including swastikas over a bridge. On Wednesday, the Florida department of law enforcement (FDLE) announced that 48-year-old Jason Brown of Cape Canaveral was arrested for allegedly hanging swastikas and other antisemitic banners along the Daryl Carter Parkway overpass in Orlando and charged him with criminal mischief.

FriendshipFriends are essential to our health and happiness, and even affect how long we live. But how do you keep a relationship alive when you are living in different places and can barely make time for yourself? Trish and Mick started chatting about music on a staircase in 1970, when Trish and her flatmates (“strange, slightly hippy people,” Mick laughs) were trying to stop a neighbour’s party guests, including Mick, from getting into their flat.

US sportsThe stadium was once hailed as the finest sporting venue in the world. On Sunday, its demolition will begin and few will shed any tears for its end When the Detroit Lions played their first regular season NFL game at the Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium on 6 October 1975, millions of Americans tuned in to witness Michigan’s new 80,000 state-of-the-art facility in all its glory. Alongside Alex Karras and Frank Gifford in the ABC commentators’ booth, legendary broadcaster Howard Cosell described the venue as “the most magnificent football structure of its kind … the finest edifice of its type known to mankind”.

Top 10sPhilosophy booksYou might not hear much about it if you study philosophy, but this rich intellectual tradition is centuries old and often more open to the mess of life than its male counterpart As a graduate student in philosophy years ago, I had a life-changing insight: there were women philosophers. Lots of them. So many in fact that it was laughably tragic how easy it had been for me to study the history of philosophy completely oblivious to their existence.

TV tonightTelevisionA police officer becomes obsessed with what happened to a man carried away by flood waters. Plus, what are store cards doing with our data? Here’s what to watch this evening After the Flood9pm, ITV1The climate crisis hits primetime crime drama in this action-packed new series about a northern English town devastated after being hit by a mighty flood. After a slightly ridiculous start, it eases into a steady thriller as heavily pregnant PC Joanna Marshall (Gentleman Jack star Sophie Rundle) becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to a man who was dragged away in the deluge.

THIS SPORTING LIFEwhen and how did the first Mexican wave start? Gerard O'brien, Dunedin New Zealand Didn't it start during the Mexican world cup in 1986, hence the name? Duncan, London UK I think Duncan might be right. As to why it started, I think someone spilt hot enchilladas on their lap during a boring match, and the rest is history. Nick Simmons, Cardiff UK The first answer is correct, hence the name.

The ObserverSocietyBrewers prepare to seduce young drinkers with wave of 'Viagra pops'Libido-boosting drinks will flood into bars this summer as young clubbers are targeted with a potent new range of products that have been dubbed 'Viagra pops'. Powerful blends of Chinese aphrodisiacs, vodka and passion fruit will create a 'generation of randy super beings', according to drinks manufacturers who expect the new tipples to rock the market the way alcopops did in the 1990s.

BoxingNo one heard his voice describing the world heavyweight title fight 100 years ago but radio enthusiast Andrew White changed the future of sport, radio and television “Carpentier is out … Jack Dempsey is still the heavyweight champion of the world.” It was Saturday 2 July 1921, a boiling summer afternoon in a field on the outskirts of Jersey City, and a raucous crowd of more than 80,000 had just witnessed what had been billed as the fight of the century.

Puerto Rico This article is more than 2 months oldEx-boxer Félix Verdejo sentenced to life in prison in killing of pregnant loverThis article is more than 2 months oldVerdejo given two life sentences in Keishla Rodríguez killingFormer boxing prodigy was once tabbed as future superstarFélix Verdejo, the boxing prodigy once put forth as the sport’s next great Puerto Rican star, received two life sentences on Friday after he was found guilty in the grisly killing of his 27-year-old pregnant lover.

Game of Thrones: episode by episodeGame of ThronesGame of Thrones: season three, episode six – The ClimbAs events become progressively darker, we are reminded again that the penalties for failure in this world are extremely harshSpoiler alert: this blog is published after Game of Thrones airs on HBO in the US on Sunday. Do not read on unless you have watched episode six (which airs in the UK on Sky Atlantic on Monday at 9pm).

Your next box setHorror (TV)ReviewUsing the living dead as a metaphor, this intelligent and emotional drama explores teenage angst and sexuality with insight and heartThese are desperate times for fans of emotional, intelligent zombie drama. Last week came the news that when BBC3 switches over to the web later this year, In the Flesh will not return for a third series. The move has left the Bafta-winning show’s fanbase – who fall somewhere between “obsessed” and “rabid” – furious at the loss of such a thrillingly original take on the whole zombie horror template.

A ‘multitude of nuances’: Refugee Camp, 2022 by Mohammed Sami. Courtesy of the artist, Modern Art London and Luhring Augustine New YorkA ‘multitude of nuances’: Refugee Camp, 2022 by Mohammed Sami. Courtesy of the artist, Modern Art London and Luhring Augustine New YorkThe ObserverArt and designReviewCamden Arts Centre; Estorick Collection, London The masterly paintings of Baghdad-born Mohammed Sami conjure an ominous no man’s land. And vases conspire with jugs in the still lifes of Giorgio Morandi

Your next box setKevin BaconReviewBacon’s weary FBI man locks horns with James Purefoy’s charismatic, serial-killing cult leader in this gruesome thrillerOne minute in and five people have died. And that’s mild compared to what then unfolds in the course of two series. This isn’t too surprising really, given that The Following was created by Kevin Williamson, writer of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. The result is a refreshingly unsubtle stab-a-thon, with twists aplenty and heaps of gratuitous violence.

FashionThe idea that trends that trickle down from the catwalk has become one of fashion’s most enduring truisms. But does it hold water?The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger, was published in 2003, and the film version was released three years later, yet one line continues to resonate. Or rather, one concise theory involving a blue jumper that claims to illustrate the structural and economic connection between high fashion and the everyday, referred to in popular culture as the “cerulean blue” theory.

Books of defianceKnut HamsunWith Mysteries, Knut Hamsun rewrote the novel's rulesThis strange tale of a quixotic young man disturbing the equilibrium of a Norwegian town also disturbed accepted ways of depicting inner life We’ve all heard of rebels without a cause, desperate for something to defy. Then there are rebels without a clue, who have no idea what they are defying, or why. The Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun specialised in the latter.

Fashion Statement newsletterFashionIn this week’s newsletter: Kitchens turn to designers for more stylish uniforms, while labels give us chef-inspired workwear for the everyday Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here There’s a trend bubbling up in restaurant kitchens, and this time it’s got nothing to do with small plates. “Chefcore”, as coined by the menswear writer Clayton Chambers, has chefs ditching their traditional formal whites for a more casual aesthetic.

FemicideDiscovery of teen’s body has sparked a nationwide outcry and protests, following the murders of 1,000 women last year “Don’t take risks – stay with us,” says one of the slogans at the Nueva Castilla motel, a $37.85 (£30) per night roadside inn in the Mexican city of Monterrey. But the horrifying discovery of a dead teenager in the lodge’s water tank has sparked a nationwide outcry and protests in a country facing a spiraling femicide crisis that saw 1,000 women murdered last year because of their gender.

Human rightsObituaryGani FawehinmiNigerian lawyer and politician, he strove to protect human rightsWhile covering the 2003 federal election in Nigeria, I joined a small group of journalists following the opening of the campaign of an unexpected presidential candidate, Gani Fawehinmi, the veteran human rights lawyer and campaigner, who has died aged 71. Fawehinmi was standing for his own party, founded in 1994, the National Conscience party (NCP), and although he had no chance of winning because of the patrimonial way Nigeria runs its pork-barrel politics, and the nature of its elections, he was making a statement about the injustices of his country's politics and society.

CIAInterviewJames Mitchell: 'I'm just a guy who got asked to do something for his country'Jason LeopoldPsychologist who designed CIA's post-9/11 torture program insists he has nothing to apologise for – and attacks 'people with a Jack Bauer mentality who don't understand how intel works' Architect of CIA torture program breaks silence Dr James Elmer Mitchell has been called a war criminal and a torturer. He has been the subject of an ethics complaint, and his methods have been criticized in reports by two congressional committees and by the CIA’s internal watchdog.

Davos delegates from Will.i.am to the CEOs of Bank of America, Yahoo and Microsoft discuss the need to create stillness in our lives as technological sophistication grows exponentially, writes Jo Confino Published: 26 Jan 2015 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRooaibn6OzqrrO

MusicObituaryKenneth McKellar obituaryClassical tenor and skilful interpreter of Scottish popular songOne of the most accomplished classical tenors of his generation, Kenneth McKellar, who has died of pancreatic cancer aged 82, spent the majority of his career performing the popular and folk songs of his native Scotland on radio and television. His one foray into mainstream pop music was not a success. In 1966 McKellar was selected to perform the British entry for the Eurovision song contest, which took place in Luxembourg.

Guess How Much I Love You, a bestseller since 1994 illustrated by Anita Jeram, is unusual among the top 100 books for having a father as a central figure. Photograph: Anita JeramGuess How Much I Love You, a bestseller since 1994 illustrated by Anita Jeram, is unusual among the top 100 books for having a father as a central figure. Photograph: Anita JeramThe ObserverChildren's books: 7 and under This article is more than 6 years oldMust monsters always be male?

FictionReviewA woman returns to her wife transformed after a deep-sea voyage in this powerful debut novel Julia Armfield’s first book, a collection of stories called Salt Slow, set out a method. Choose a quotidian phenomenon – problem skin, say, or sleeplessness – and use it as a foundation stone for relentlessly logical, haunted edifices reminiscent of the contemporary gothic ofMariana Enríquez or Guadalupe Nettel. So a convent schoolgirl with problem skin, always shedding and peeling, undergoes a metamorphosis; or a town fills with Sleeps, each having stepped out of its owner “like a passenger from a railway carriage”.

GermanyAxel Springer is accused by ex-employees of turning a blind eye to sexual misconduct at flagship title Bild That Axel Springer, a media empire built on digging up stories of sex and sleaze among the rich and famous, should have turned a blind eye to sex and sleaze within its own offices will hardly have come as a shock to its readers. A chauvinistic “Wolf of Wall Street” office culture at its flagship title Bild has always been plain to see, say former staff members at the German media giant, named after its five-times-married founder who died in 1985.

Technology This article is more than 1 year oldAI bot ChatGPT stuns academics with essay-writing skills and usability This article is more than 1 year oldLatest chatbot from Elon Musk-founded OpenAI can identify incorrect premises and refuse to answer inappropriate requests Professors, programmers and journalists could all be out of a job in just a few years, after the latest chatbot from the Elon Musk-founded OpenAI foundation stunned onlookers with its writing ability, proficiency at complex tasks, and ease of use.

PhotographyPhotographer Laura Pannack stripped off to gain access to the secret world of young British nudistsThey sit in old-fashioned halls or play pétanque in the surreal other world of naturist clubs. Britain's young naturists may be an endangered breed, but Laura Pannack, who won their trust by agreeing to take her clothes off before she photographed them, discovered an astonishing diversity of subjects. Her quest to portray the secret lives of naturists under 30 has taken 18 months.

Jonathan Jones on artStreet artGraffiti is ugly, stupid and threatening – there's more creativity in crochetDavid Lynch, that champion of the arts, says graffiti is ruining the world. And he’s right – this hypermasculine display is destroying our environment It’s a familiar scenario. Older person gets angry with modern world and rages against the visual white noise of graffiti that is, well, everywhere these days. Only this time the angry old man is film director David Lynch, whose surrealist pedigree and bizarre sense of style make his condemnation of graffiti difficult to dismiss as mere grey-haired grumpiness.

Monty Don on gardeningLife and styleHow to make passion flower to blossomQ My wife has a passion flower that doesn't flower. It is three-and-a-half years old. Why would this be, and is there anything that she can do about it? Paul Redfern, Birmingham A Passion flowers are the flowers of the climbing woody shrub Passiflora caerulea. You don't say where or how it is growing, but they are not wholly hardy and are likely to suffer - if not die - in anything but a very protected spot in a normal winter.

The ObserverMental health This article is more than 2 years oldI’ve seen everything as a counsellor. But Couples Therapy still has me grippedThis article is more than 2 years oldMost people want their sessions to remain private, but a new TV show that lifts the lid on the process is compelling – and rewarding Two weeks ago, as 2021 turned into 2022, my inbox was suddenly full of couples requesting counselling.

FictionReviewThis experimental debut novel about blood ties and bodily integrity brings a restlessly inventive approach to a woman’s terminal cancer From an early age, Lia is made to feel suspicious of her body. She grows up in a vicarage, where the flesh that matters belongs to Christ. When she is 12, her parents, Anne and Peter, take in an adolescent boy, Matthew. Anne and Peter grow to love Matthew. So does Lia – but in a different way.

TelevisionObituaryPeter Vaughan obituaryVeteran stage and screen actor who played Harry Grout in Porridge and Maester Aemon in Game of Thrones Peter Vaughan, who has died aged 93, was one of the most distinctive and menacing of character actors on stage and screen in a career spanning seven decades and ranging from West End comedy to Dickens and Our Friends in the North on television, to movies with Frank Sinatra and Tallulah Bankhead, and encompassing a string of unpleasant authority figures.

Illustration: Tim McDonagh/The Guardian Illustration: Tim McDonagh/The GuardianAndrew TateThe former kickboxer has achieved global notoriety by peddling violent misogyny to millions, and claims to have made ‘trillions’ – but is his life of fast cars and luxury a facade? Andrew Tate used to cruise along these scruffy suburban streets about 10 miles from the centre of Bucharest in Romania. Past a litter dump and a sprawling cemetery and a line of semis that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the TV soap Brookside.

Tom Service on classical musicClassical musicWhat Stravinsky and Picasso do have in commonPicasso and Stravinsky each had only one great contemporary rival – who had to die before they could become an inspirationI've never much bought the parallels that are sometimes made between Picasso and Stravinsky. For all their chameleon-like stylistic change and range, the fact that they became the most famous and most influential creators in their respective fields, their vaunting egos, voracious sexuality, and the eerie synchronicity of their life spans – Picasso, 1881-1973, frames Stravinsky, who was born in 1882 and died in 1971 (actually, come to think of it, that's quite a lot of connections, isn't it?

TV reviewTelevision & radioReviewEven the grittiest TV depictions of life behind bars seem lightweight compared with this menacing series, which makes celebrities share cells with ex-inmates – including a contract killer Well, my goodness, here’s a thing: a reality show that feels real. I can’t remember the last time something felt real (including reality), but Banged Up strikes out against the tide. I suspect the makers would prefer their series in which celebrities do a week in the decommissioned HMP Shrewsbury with former inmates – instructed to behave exactly as they would have done while serving their sentences – to be referred to as a social experiment.

Police This article is more than 9 months oldBody of man killed in custody may have been shown to trainees, Yorkshire police admitThis article is more than 9 months oldBody of Christopher Alder could have been seen by cadets after mixup of remains, says South Yorkshire force South Yorkshire police have admitted that officers may have been shown the body of Christopher Alder, a former paratrooper who died in police custody, in a mortuary as part of their routine training years after he was supposed to have been buried.

Film This article is more than 10 years oldBrave director criticises Disney's 'sexualised' Princess Merida redesignThis article is more than 10 years oldThe character's creator says Disney's new version of her hero 'send[s] a message that the original, realistic girl is inferior'Disney has been fiercely criticised for creating a "glammed-up" version of Princess Merida from the Pixar fantasy fairytale Brave for a new toy line. Bow-slinging Merida has been given a makeover in advance of her official induction into The Disney Princess Collection.

MoviesAfter years in teen dramas and a squeaky-clean pop group, the 22-year-old has taken on the role of the notorious murderer. But changing his image is all part of the plan Ross Lynch has just taken the strangest journey. After almost a decade as a successful teen-idol musician, touring the world with his family band R5, and as an established aristocrat in the realm of teen TV shows, he has jumped from the Disney Channel to playing serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

Brigid Delaney's diaryYoung people This article is more than 2 years oldI once worked as a ‘dish pig’ in a seminary. It was character-revealingThis article is more than 2 years oldBrigid DelaneyToday’s teens may know the Pythagoras theorem, but do they know how to wash dishes or make gravy in mass quantities? “I’m training”, says the badge, or “Trainee”. Or they tell you “I’m new”, and that it’s their third shift.

Democrats This article is more than 1 year old‘She answers to billionaires’: some Democrats not sorry to see Sinema leaveThis article is more than 1 year oldSenator’s decision to register as independent after playing spoiler role brings Democrats’ bitterness towards lawmaker to surface Upon learning that the Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema was leaving their party, some Democrats’ reactions could best be summed up with two words: good riddance. The lawmaker has been a thorn in their side since the early days of Joe Biden’s presidency, snarling negotiations over the White House’s priorities and voting down reforms dear to progressives such as raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and reforming the Senate filibuster.

FictionReviewNaomi Alderman on other-world warsIain M Banks has never been known to spare his characters suffering. Across his previous Culture novels, major and minor players have been blown up, tortured, hacked to pieces and, in one particularly gruesome example, skinned and turned into a chair. Within the first four chapters of Surface Detail, Banks introduces three likable, sympathetic characters and then immediately appears to kill them off. But in the world of the Culture, where a neural lace woven into the brain allows people to back themselves up, and simulated realities can be indistinguishable from the real thing, death is rarely permanent.

Kanye WestThe rapper delivered snippets of his new album to a confused stadium of attendees in Atlanta, teasing a possible return to form after recent controversies The circular ring of screens at the top of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta went dark at 9.42pm on Thursday. The crowd released a brief, approving cheer at the sign of progress, only to realise that the show had still not begun. “It’s Kanye West,” said Christopher Hicks, a music executive living in Atlanta who attended the listening party with his teenage son, before the music began to play.

Pass notesMona LisaItalian archaeologists believe they’ve found the skeleton of the model for Da Vinci’s La Gioconda. There’s only one small problem – they can’t find her headName: Mona Lisa. Age: 510ish. Appearance: Oil-on-poplar-y. Smiling enigmatically in the Louvre. How’s she doing? Not been stolen again, I hope? No, she’s fine. In fact, there’s good news! Dan Brown is writing a book revealing that the location of the inner sanctum of the lizard overlords of the Illuminati is encoded in the folds of her frock?

Tomorrow’s world Photograph: Serge Attukwei Clottey/WaterAidThe UN declared access to water and sanitation a human right a decade ago, but 785 million people worldwide still have no water close to home Ten photographs marking the 10th anniversary of access to water and sanitation being declared a human right by the UN have been commissioned from 10 visual artists by the charity WaterAid to show the impact of clean water on people’s lives.

The BBC’s Dickensian featured War and Peace’s Tuppence Middleton and newcomer Joseph Quinn. Photograph: Liam Daniel/BBC/Red Planet Productions/Liam DanielThe BBC’s Dickensian featured War and Peace’s Tuppence Middleton and newcomer Joseph Quinn. Photograph: Liam Daniel/BBC/Red Planet Productions/Liam DanielBBC This article is more than 7 years oldBBC axes Dickensian after one seriesThis article is more than 7 years oldBig-budget drama launched with 5 million viewers, but lost audience over the course of its 20-episode run

FootballObituaryBobby Smith obituaryPowerful Tottenham Hotspur and England centre-forwardA prolific and effective centre-forward, Bobby Smith, who has died aged 77, played 15 times for England, and with Tottenham Hotspur won the first League and FA Cup double of the century in 1960-61, scoring 28 goals in the League. The following season he added a second FA Cup medal, and many felt he was unlucky not to be included in the England squad that went to the 1962 World Cup finals in Chile.

A customer purchases water at a Watermill Express water dispensary location in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego. Photograph: John Francis Peters/The GuardianA customer purchases water at a Watermill Express water dispensary location in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego. Photograph: John Francis Peters/The GuardianCaliforniaVended water is many times more expensive than tap water. And there isn’t much evidence to show customers are getting the quality they’re paying for Customers stream into the parking lot of a San Diego strip mall, lining up behind a windmill-shaped vending machine that fills their jugs for 25 to 35 cents a gallon.

Retail industry This article is more than 1 month oldOnline retailer Temu sues rival Shein, alleging ‘mafia-style intimidation’This article is more than 1 month oldChinese-owned e-commerce firm reignites acrimonious legal battle and alleges Shein ‘bullied and intimidated’ suppliers The Chinese-owned online marketplace Temu has sued its rival Shein, alleging that the fast fashion giant “bullied, intimidated, and even detained” suppliers in China as part of a campaign of “mafia-style intimidation”.

Retail industry This article is more than 8 months oldParty supplies firm founded by the Middletons sold after collapseThis article is more than 8 months oldEntrepreneur James Sinclair buys Party Pieces for an undisclosed amount after administrators brought in The online party supplies retailer founded by the parents of the Princess of Wales has been sold after collapsing into administration. Party Pieces, founded in 1987 by Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, was bought out of administration on Thursday by the entrepreneur James Sinclair, who owns businesses including Teddy Tastic Bear Co Ltd.

Queensland This article is more than 2 months oldQueensland prison guard warned that spit hood was suffocating inmate before her deathThis article is more than 2 months oldAmbulance chief’s report stated guard raised alarm 13 seconds after Selesa Tafaifa said ‘I can’t breathe’, inquest documents reveal Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast A prison guard warned colleagues that a spit hood was “suffocating” a female inmate minutes before she died, inquest documents reveal.

Don't Fear Death, narrated by Rik MayallRik Mayall This article is more than 9 years oldRik Mayall narrated Don't Fear Death video last yearThis article is more than 9 years oldOne of the comedian's final pieces of work was the voiceover for this comedy animation Rik Mayall provided a voiceover for a short film called Don't Fear Death last year – one of the last pieces of work he completed before his own death on Monday.

ChinaSwingers sent to jail in China for orgies and wifeswapping partiesUniversity professor Ma Xiaohai, 53, jailed for three and a half years for organising a wife-swapping club and orgiesThey sought not only thrills but an escape from the pressures of ordinary life, they said. But today 19 Chinese swingers began prison sentences following their conviction on group sex charges. A court in Nanjing, eastern China, confirmed that a university professor, Ma Xiaohai, 53, had been jailed for three and a half years for organising a wife-swapping club and orgies.

‘I live in a retirement home now. The other residents here are always talking about my growing clan.’ Photograph: Leah Hennel/The Guardian‘I live in a retirement home now. The other residents here are always talking about my growing clan.’ Photograph: Leah Hennel/The GuardianExperienceLife and styleSix-generation families – especially an unbroken line of women – are very rare. I don’t expect to see a seventh I was 16 years old when I met Ron.

Technology This article is more than 3 years oldFar-right website 8kun again loses internet service protection following Capitol attackThis article is more than 3 years oldShell company owned by two Russians cut ties with internet host of 8kun, which has been linked to other acts of violence Sign up for the Guardian Today US newsletterA far-right website that was among the platforms used to organize the deadly violence at the US Capitol has again been forced to find new internet service protection after a shell company owned by two Russians and registered in Scotland cut ties with the platform’s internet host.

Amazon This article is more than 1 month oldHard-up this holiday? Amazon flyer tells workers to ask company mascot for helpThis article is more than 1 month oldWorkers making $17 an hour not impressed by holiday offer from company that just tripled profits to $9.9bn Amazon is asking workers experiencing hardship to write a letter to its company mascot, Peccy, this holiday season so “some of their holiday wishes can come true”.

ArtReviewSadie Coles HQ, London With its whips and hoists and axes, this group show is a playground of sexual fetishism – but what was once dangerous or taboo can now appear quaint and cliched We have everything we need: gags, rubber masks, leather, various whippy, stingy, thwacky things, hoists, chains and 100ft of rope. Also: one razor blade, three axes, a rack of gold-plated wire bikinis (fashioned from safety pins), several buttocks, plenty of dicks, a bucket of blood and a load of offal.

MLB This article is more than 3 months oldMax Scherzer shelled on return as Astros beat Rangers in Game 3 of ALCSThis article is more than 3 months oldAstros beat Rangers 8-5 to narrow ALCS series deficit to 2-1Max Scherzer pulled after four innings in return from injuryJose Altuve homered, Cristian Javier worked into the sixth inning of another solid postseason start and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 8-5 on Wednesday night, closing to 2-1 in the AL Championship Series.

The ObserverRoald DahlMy years with Roald, by the 'love of his life'Felicity Dahl was married to the much-loved children's writer for only seven years, yet 18 years after his death she still finds life 'hell' without him. As the inaugural Roald Dahl award for children's books is set to be announced, she recalls the great man's seductive charms, his impish generosity - and his habit of having pink milk for breakfastRoald Dahl's writing hut is just as he left it.

NFLOne-handed flips to the trickiest trick play: the 2023 season’s best touchdownsWith the regular season in the books, we look at six of the best scores from the last few months in the NFL 1) Courtland Sutton for the Denver Broncos v Buffalo BillsCourtland Sutton's touchdown catch from Russell Wilson against the Bills is still the most improbable completion in the NFL this entire season. It only had a 3.2% chance of being completed, per @ZebraSports.

Carol Rumens's poem of the weekPoetryPoem of the week: The Attraction by John RileyFrom the last years of the 60s, this is a startlingly even-handed depiction of personal and social promise – and its inevitable dangers The attraction of well-washed hands and young words. Hands eyes emotions in confined spaces. The hill seems clean, the houses on top of it we ignore. Smoke in the valley too proclaims a settlement.

UK newsWoman found dead after car crash in Berkshire named as Maya BrackenBracken, 56, had been stabbed and died at the scene in Pangbourne, Berkshire, this month A woman found dead in a car after officers were called to reports of a crash has been named by police. The body of Maya Bracken, 56, was found inside a Lexus in Flower’s Hill, in Pangbourne, Berkshire, this month. She had been stabbed and died at the scene.

CaliforniaDeaths and disappearances, including actor Julian Sands, have plagued the popular spot as hikers underestimate its perils At 10,064ft high, Mount San Antonio – commonly known as Baldy – towers in the San Gabriel mountains on the eastern edge of Los Angeles. Named for its steep, treeless summit, the mountain is a popular spot for hikers and skiers. It’s also a dangerous one. On clear days, the mountain cuts a striking figure: a snow-capped peak just a 40-mile drive from a glittering metropolis.

Best photographs of 2014 – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email From the Ferguson riots to the school attack in Peshawar, a Missouri ‘firenado’ and hailstones in Siberia: the Guardian’s features picture editor Sarah Gilbert selects the most compelling images of 2014 Sarah Gilbert, Homa Khaleeli and Paula Cocozza Sun 28 Dec 2014 17.00 GMT Last modified on Thu 26 Mar 2020 14.

Prevent strategy This article is more than 11 months oldFormer counter-terror chief hits out at ‘insulting’ findings of Prevent reviewThis article is more than 11 months oldNeil Basu claims parts of government-backed review of scheme are driven by ‘rightwing viewpoint’ Britain’s former top counter-terrorism officer has said parts of the government-backed review of Prevent appear to be driven by a rightwing ideology and are “insulting” to professionals fighting to stop attacks on Britain’s streets.

Health & wellbeingBe positive, look on the bright side, stay focused on success: so goes our modern mantra. But perhaps the true path to contentment is to learn to be a loserIn an unremarkable business park outside the city of Ann Arbor, in Michigan, stands a poignant memorial to humanity’s shattered dreams. It doesn’t look like that from the outside, though. Even when you get inside – which members of the public rarely do – it takes a few moments for your eyes to adjust to what you’re seeing.

Maine shootingsIn the bitter and politically fraught gun ownership debate in the US, distinctions are often lost, leaving some frustrated The mass shooting deaths of 18 people in Lewiston, Maine, has again shone a spotlight on gun ownership and safeguards around mental health in a state that has prided itself both on high levels of gun ownership and low levels of violent crime. The suspect, an experienced marksman and US army reservist Robert Card, is believed to have used an AR-15 military style weapon with an expanded magazine, perhaps carrying 60 rounds, similar to the gun that was found later in his abandoned car.

Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer Photograph: Romas Foord/The ObserverClassic cookbookVegetarian food and drinkDeborah Madison was a pioneer of meat-free menus. David Tanis recalls the pleasures of her San Francisco restaurant’s cookbook Deborah Madison is one of the most prolific food writers, beloved by vegetarians and omnivores alike for more than 30 years. We have known each other for at least that long, shared meals and worked together. I’m one of her most ardent fans.

TheatreReviewSouthwark Playhouse, London It can feel exasperating at times but this well-performed 1951 drama offers a smart balance of discomfort and laughs Eugène Ionesco’s single-act play, about a lesson that unravels into baroque violence inflicted by a professor on his pupil, is built on deliberate, head-scratching confusions. It is only in the final moments that it clarifies all the comic absurdity that has come before, with an ending that lands like a sinister punchline.

TV tonightTelevision & radioTamara Lawrance and Bella Ramsey also play inmates in Jimmy McGovern’s hit drama. Plus, Inside Iran: The Fight for Freedom is a vital watch. Here’s what to watch this evening TimeSunday, 9pm, BBC OneIt takes next-level writing chops to make watchable and moving (as opposed to utterly bleak) drama out of three women’s anguished journeys through the UK prison system. Fortunately, Jimmy McGovern is more than up to the task, following his 2021 masterpiece of the same title with this equally brilliant series.

ObituaryZizinhoBrazilian football star who was once idolised by PeléThomaz Soares da Silva, the footballer Zizinho, who has died of a heart attack aged 80, was Pelé's childhood idol. Had the result of the 1950 World Cup final turned out differently, perhaps both players would be remembered equally. But Zizinho became a symbol of Brazil's unexpected 1950 defeat - a calamity that traumatised the nation. Even though Zizinho, a striker, was not personally blamed for Uruguay's 2-1 victory - that misfortune went to the goalkeeper, Barbosa, and the left back and left half - as the team's strongest personality he was one of its eternal reference points.

Saracens This article is more than 1 month oldBilly Vunipola available for Saracens after red card overturnedThis article is more than 1 month oldNo 8 was sent off in Champions Cup against BullsCommittee ruled insufficient force used in strike to headThe red card Billy Vunipola received during Saracens’ Champions Cup game against the Bulls on Saturday in South Africa has been overturned. It means the England No 8 is available for the European appointment with Connacht on Saturday.

Automotive industry This article is more than 2 months oldBMW, Subaru and Porsche drivers ‘more likely to cause a crash’, study findsThis article is more than 2 months oldResearch found speeding or jumping a red light less likely in a Skoda or Hyundai than in brands sold as ‘performance driving’ What came first, the boy racer or the sports car? Academics have called for further research into the marketing of cars after analysis of UK accident data suggested that drivers of certain brands are more likely than others to cause a crash.

SpaceCould this be Earth's near twin? Introducing planet 55 Cancri fAstronomers discover solar system 41 light years away with similarities to our ownThe discovery of a giant alien world circling a distant star has led astronomers to believe they have located a near twin to our solar system in a far-flung corner of the galaxy. Nasa scientists confirmed the discovery last night in what is a hugely significant step towards finding a second Earth-like planet capable of harbouring extraterrestrial life.

Human rights in focusGlobal development This article is more than 3 years oldCovid-19 spreading quickly through refugee camps, warn Calais aid groupsThis article is more than 3 years oldWith over 1,000 refugees and migrants left without proper sanitation, water supplies or food there is no way to contain virus, say volunteers The last remaining volunteers working with refugees and migrants in northern France have warned that Covid-19 is spreading quickly through the makeshift camps where over 1,000 people are sheltering without proper sanitation, water supplies or food.

Benedict Cumberbatch introduces Crowded House’s Help is Coming GuardianPop and rockSongs can grow and assume new shapes with time, and pop’s power to engage people has taken Crowded House’s 16-year-old ballad and given it new life as a charitable ode to refugees The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link.

THE BODY BEAUTIFULIs it true that when you drink beer and wine you'll feel fine. But when you drink wine and beer you'll feel queer. If the answer is yes, why? Mr Robertson, London There is no proof that mixing wine or beer has any effect on sexual preference, no matter in which order they are drunk. Sexual performance on the other hand... B George, London UK · The Americans say 'beer then liquor, never sicker - liquor then beer, never fear'.

‘I really annoyed people somehow. I wasn’t a conventional artist – and they couldn’t handle it’ … Faithfull. Photograph: Rosie MathesonAfter battling Covid-19 for three weeks in hospital, Faithfull went on to finish her 21st solo album – and possibly her last. She reflects on how she might never sing again, her hatred of being a 60s muse and why she still believes in miracles by Alexis PetridisMarianne Faithfull is on the phone from her home in Putney, south-west London.

Science This article is more than 3 months oldPositively glowing: fluorescent mammals are far more common than earlier thought, study suggestsThis article is more than 3 months oldScientists believe luminescent quality is widespread after finding 86% of species studied had fur that glowed in UV light Fluorescence in mammals is much more common than previously thought, new research suggests. A luminous property, fluorescence has been described in recent years in Australian marsupials including platypuses, wombats, Tasmanian devils and echidnas.

BereavementWhen his wife died, Benjamin Mee seemed to become strangely attractive to women. Why is grief such an aphrodisiac, he asksWhen my wife died at the age of 40 from a brain tumour in 2007, I remember going in a daze to the council offices with my four-year-old daughter to register her death. The certificate was laboriously scrawled with an ancient fountain pen, and the registrar solemnly asked me to check the details before signing it.

Inside Banksy’s Walled Off hotel in Bethlehem GuardianPalestinian territories This article is more than 6 years old'Worst view in the world': Banksy opens hotel overlooking Bethlehem wallThis article is more than 6 years oldExclusive: British artist launches Walled Off hotel in hope of bringing Israeli tourists – and dialogue – to West Bank city The Walled Off Hotel by Banksy – in pictures The Walled Off hotel may sound utilitarian, even bleak.

STAGE AND SCREENDid American gangsters in the 1920s and 1930s really carry guns in violin cases, or was that characteristic invented by movie scriptwriters? D.A. Levey, Boston, Massachusetts USA It was more common for gangsters to carry guns in newspapers. Due to the large size of certain US newspapers in the 1920's and the early part of the 1930's (papers were almost twice the size they are today - this applied to Britain too) even a machine gun could be concealed relatively easily.

Technology This article is more than 23 years oldFirst internet wedding goes onlineThis article is more than 23 years oldMarriage room at Brent Town HallThe first wedding in England and Wales to be broadcast on the internet from a council register office was held this morning at Brent Town Hall, north-west London. Brent Council installed a web cam in its register office, allowing a potential global audience of millions to log on as Ravi Ram and his girlfriend Mamta Patel take their vows.

Florida This article is more than 1 year oldFlorida police arrest legally blind man whose cane they mistook for a gunThis article is more than 1 year oldTwo deputies face suspension without pay after stopping James Hodges, 61, in Lake City last month Two Florida deputies faced suspension without pay after arresting a 61-year-old legally blind man who was carrying a cane they mistook for a gun. Jayme Gohde and her supervisor, Randy Harrison, were also reprimanded.

A group of Verraux's Sifakas sitting together in a tree in Berenty Reserve, Madagascar. Photograph: Kaisa Siren/WWFAs the Queen celebrates 70 years on the throne, the environmental organisation WWF takes a look at animal societies that also have strong females at the helm. From queen bees to elephant matriarchs and bonobo sisterhoods, female leaders can be found across the animal world Bees The queen bee needs royal jelly fed to her by worker bees.

Angel Pittman outside her parent's home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photograph: Alycee Byrd/The GuardianView image in fullscreenAngel Pittman outside her parent's home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photograph: Alycee Byrd/The GuardianNorth CarolinaAngel Pittman says her dream to create a mobile hair salon was thwarted when a neighbor harassed her with racist comments and vandalized her buses Angel Pittman’s dream was to create a mobile hair salon. So the 21-year-old stylist bought less than an acre of unrestricted land in North Carolina for $10,000 in September and purchased three school buses for $14,000 with money she had saved since she was 17.

The ObserverUK newsPolice sniff out mother of all stink bombsThe globalisation debate - Observer specialBritish police forces are considering using vile smells to quell riots, disperse anti-globalisation protesters and end hostage situations. Last year in the United States, the Pentagon commissioned scientists to come up with the mother of all stink bombs which would release the world's worst smell causing rioters and disorderly mobs to flee but not harming anybody.

Cities This article is more than 8 years oldRadioactive city: how Johannesburg’s townships are paying for its mining pastThis article is more than 8 years oldMuch of the waste from 600 abandoned mines around South Africa’s largest city is piled high next to residential communities – most of which are poor and black Johannesburg’s mine dumps look strangely beautiful from a distance. Lustrously yellow in the sun, blazing red at dusk, their huge molehill shapes provide the city with its distinctive skyline.

Young, not American … David Bowie in 1974. Photograph: Terry O'Neill/Getty ImagesYoung, not American … David Bowie in 1974. Photograph: Terry O'Neill/Getty ImagesDavid Bowie This article is more than 7 years oldUnreleased David Bowie album to come out in new box setThis article is more than 7 years oldThe Gouster, which evolved into Young Americans, will be form part of the box set Who Can I Be Now? (1974-1976)

FashionAvoid thick socks with tight shoes, try a neck buff and invest in a rechargeable waistcoat – top tips for dressing warm from a groundsman, a National Trust ranger and a cold-water swimmer Spending time outdoors was fine in June when it might have involved beer, picnic dressing and socially distanced picnic rugs in the local park. And the outdoors remains vital to life right now, whether that is for a sanity-restoring walk or – depending on where you are in the UK – a meet-up with five friends.

FictionAn anti-Stalinist author who died in obscurity in 1951 may be the greatest Russian writer of the last century, his English translator Robert Chandler explains to Daniel KalderStalin called him scum. Sholokhov, Gorky, Pasternak, and Bulgakov all thought he was the bee's knees. But when Andrei Platonov died in poverty, misery and obscurity in 1951, no one would have predicted that within half a century he would be a contender for the title as Russia's greatest 20th-century prose stylist.

Charlotte Rampling: ‘You shouldn’t have a relationship with your image. I’ve always said, “I’m not getting involved”.’ Photograph: Jeff Vespa/Contour by Getty ImagesCharlotte Rampling: ‘You shouldn’t have a relationship with your image. I’ve always said, “I’m not getting involved”.’ Photograph: Jeff Vespa/Contour by Getty ImagesCharlotte RamplingInterviewCharlotte Rampling: 'I'm exotic, and I like that'Sophie ElmhirstStar of a new series of the ITV hit Broadchurch, Charlotte Rampling talks about playing the outsider, how she nailed The Look – and why her sister’s suicide changed everything

Film industry This article is more than 5 years oldGet Out producer booed off stage at Israeli film festival for criticising TrumpThis article is more than 5 years oldJudd Apatow and Jamie Lee Curtis among those defending Jason Blum’s comments Jason Blum is one of Hollywood’s biggest film producers, known for taking risks in the horror genre and with more adventurous independent films. This has been a good year for him: he saw one film he produced, Get Out, nominated for best picture at the Oscars and another, BlacKkKlansman, win the Cannes grand prix.

Restaurant owner José Luis Bracamontes, holding a newspaper spread about Pep Guardiola’s stay in Mexico with Dorados de Sinaloa in 2006. Photograph: Duncan TuckerRestaurant owner José Luis Bracamontes, holding a newspaper spread about Pep Guardiola’s stay in Mexico with Dorados de Sinaloa in 2006. Photograph: Duncan TuckerSportblogPep GuardiolaManchester City’s manager made only 10 appearances for Dorados de Sinaloa in 2006 but his coaching education took a great leap forward thereThe city of Culiacán in north-west Mexico, best known as the bastion of the notorious Sinaloa cartel fronted by the billionaire drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was an unlikely place for Manchester City’s new manager, Pep Guardiola, to begin the process that would culminate in him becoming the world’s most sought-after coach.

Other livesReligious studies and theologyObituaryJames Dunn obituaryMy husband, James Dunn, who has died aged 80, was emeritus Lightfoot professor of divinity at Durham University. Internationally known as a New Testament scholar and writer, Jimmy was an active church member and above all a family man. He could teach, supervise and write with authority on almost every aspect of the New Testament, and this range and versatility made him one of the best known and most influential British New Testament scholars of his generation.

Pierre Cardin's Bubble Palace near Cannes – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Straight lines were anathema to architect Antti Lovag, and you will not find a single one in this complex of domes overlooking the Med being sold by the fashion designer Jill Papworth Main image: For sale: Pierre Cardin’s Palais Bulles on the French Riviera at Théoule-sur-Mer near Cannes.

Comics and graphic novels This article is more than 12 years oldSmurfs accused of antisemitism and racismThis article is more than 12 years oldFans angry over new book alleging that Peyo's much-loved children's tale contains overtones of both Stalinism and nazismA little blue army of fans has mobilised to defend the Smurfs against accusations of antisemitism, racism and communism. Antoine Buéno, a lecturer at Sciences Po university in Paris, makes the claims in his new book Le Petit Livre Bleu: Analyse critique et politique de la société des Schtroumpfs, in which he points out that the Smurfs live in a world where private initiative is rarely rewarded, where meals are all taken together in a communal room, where there is one leader and where the Smurfs rarely leave their small country.

Reconciliation, a sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral. Photograph: AlamyReconciliation, a sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral. Photograph: AlamyThe ObserverFictionReviewSarah Moss, author of Signs for Lost Children, balances a family swept into confusion with a city’s fraught historyThe need for narrative has been much discussed in recent weeks. The lack of one was what led our nation to the brink; only a brave new story can haul us back.

A magnitude 6.8 quake struck on Friday night killing at least 2,000 people by Angelique Chrisafis, Faisal Ali, Glenn SwannA powerful earthquake in Morocco has hit several towns and cities, killing at least 2,000 people and leaving scores of others homeless. The search for survivors is ongoing. When and where did the earthquake happen?The magnitude 6.8 quake struck shortly after 11pm local time on Friday, collapsing stone buildings and jolting people from their beds across a wide area.

FilmReviewAnime tells a familiar tale about boyhood friendship and childhood gangs but does so with genuinely intense feeling Here is a beautifully gentle and melancholy coming-of-age YA adventure from the Japanese animator Atsuko Ishizuka. The story will be instantly familiar: a tale of boyhood friendship coming to an end – or shifting into a new phase perhaps, less intense. There is nothing new to see here, and yet it’s a deeply felt film, romantic and earnest about childhood.

Life and styleHair is considered a sacred part of the body in my tribe, and why Mom left me her hair, but I couldn’t give her anything July marks one year since we buried my mother. She departed this world far too soon in February 2021 – she wasn’t even 62. Several months after her passing, I found a plastic bag with her hair in it, along with a note she’d written in 2013, explaining that she left this lock – so soft and matted flat – for when she moved on to the other side.

ReligionObituaryJohn O'DonohueFormer Catholic priest turned visionary bestselling authorThe philosopher and poet John O'Donohue believed that it is within our power to transform our fear of death so that we need fear little else this life brings. That he has died, unexpectedly in his sleep at 52, robs the world of a genuinely original religious mind who, almost accidentally, became a bestselling writer and public speaker. For a priest and academic who spent most of his time living in solitude in a remote spot on the west of Ireland, O'Donohue was as startled as anyone else by his success.

New Orleans This article is more than 8 months oldLouisiana man wrongly convicted of rape released after 29 years in prisonThis article is more than 8 months oldPatrick Brown, 49, was sentenced to life without parole after being accused of raping his young stepdaughter in December 1994 A Louisiana man who served 29 years for a crime he did not commit has been released from prison after it was revealed in court that the victim had told the prosecutors in New Orleans for over two decades that the man was innocent, but she was repeatedly ignored.

Mississippi This article is more than 1 year oldMississippi school district upholds teacher’s firing for reading I Need a New Butt! to kidsThis article is more than 1 year oldToby Price, an assistant principal who plans to pursue an appeal with the chancery courts of Mississippi, was fired in March The firing of a Mississippi assistant principal for reading pupils a humorous children’s book, I Need A New Butt!, has been upheld by his school district.

France This article is more than 14 years oldS&M lover convicted of French banker's murderThis article is more than 14 years old Millionaire's mistress faces up to 20 years for shooting Victim 'had threatened to take back $1m gift'Cécile Brossard, the shop assistant-turned-artist who shot dead one of France's richest men while he was tied to a chair during a sadomasochistic sex session, was today found guilty of unpremeditated murder by a court in Geneva.

World libraryGlobal developmentReviewOur literary tour of Mexico starts with its bloody revolution and ends with political disappointment and the fight for a better futureThe Years With Laura Díaz by Carlos FuentesFuentes's epic novel uses one woman's life and loves to sweep through 100 years of Mexican history. Laura Díaz – daughter, sister, wife, mother, lover – comes of age during the long, bloody Mexican revolution (1910-20). The execution of her half-brother Santiago (from one of four generations of Santiagos in the novel) by firing squad at the start of the revolution launches her political journey.

Cif beliefPhilosophy This article is more than 13 years oldThe Book of Job, part 1: Who was Job? Why does he matter?This article is more than 13 years oldAlexander GoldbergThe Book of Job is the first document in history to take seriously the question of why really bad things happen to really good peopleMy introduction to the Book of Job (Iyov in Hebrew) was not a promising one. I was in my early teens.

The streets in Vejer- a Spanish Pueblo blanco. Photograph: Nazia Parveen/The GuardianThe streets in Vejer- a Spanish Pueblo blanco. Photograph: Nazia Parveen/The GuardianAndalucia holidaysThis Andalucían town has centuries of stories to tell, from the Moors to the Romans. But it’s a Scotsman who has written its latest chapter, transforming a sleepy backwater into a tourist hub Just above the horizon, wild horses gallop around a white domed building while, within petting distance, a small donkey munches on wild poppies and purple periwinkle.

Azadeh Akhlaghi: the photographer who stages murders in Iran Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Akhlaghi recreates Iran's most notorious death scenes from the time before cameraphones, becoming an eyewitness to her nation's past. From the controversial poet who swerved her car to avoid a school bus and died in the process, to the mysterious end of Iran's beloved gold-medal wrestler, here's a selection of images from her astonishing series By An Eyewitness

Horror filmsObituaryBarbara Shelley obituaryHammer horror and television actor best known for films such as Dracula: Prince of DarknessDuring the heyday of Hammer, the Berkshire-based film production company that transformed the horror genre, there were few surer signs of a film’s integrity than Barbara Shelley’s name in the credits. The copper-haired Shelley, who has died aged 88 after contracting Covid-19, brought elegance and conviction to her work. She possessed a grounded, rational quality that instantly conferred gravitas on whatever lunatic occurrences were unfolding around her.

Environment This article is more than 11 months oldLegal victory in UK Japanese knotweed case could lead to more claimsThis article is more than 11 months oldCourt of appeal ruled homeowner could recover loss of value even if knotweed has been treated A significant legal victory in a case brought by a householder affected by Japanese knotweed has raised the prospect of an increase in claims from people stricken by the hazardous plant.

Meera Sodha’s creamy macaroni with sweet potato and gochujang. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay.Meera Sodha’s creamy macaroni with sweet potato and gochujang. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay.The new veganPastaA creamy vegan macaroni and cashew bake with a chilli kick I buy sweet potatoes by the kilo, so I’m always in want of new and innovative ways to dispatch them into meals.

Stumped?: Gardening Q&AsGardening adviceShould I give up on them?I bought two hostas last year and planted them under an acer in a shady spot among ferns. First the slugs decimated them, then they turned bright yellow. Should I give up and go for something easier? Might they come back? The border is a raised bed in good-quality compost. Hostas turn yellow when they start to go dormant for winter. I'm not going to insult you by implying it could have been that (but do have a little think about the timing) as earlier in the year it is also their stock response to stress.

World newsTurks accused of killing Christians go on trial· Three died in brutal attack during Bible study group · Case begins amid growing intolerance to minoritiesSeven months after a German and two Turks were murdered in a Bible publishing house in eastern Turkey, the five men accused of the crime filed into court yesterday for their long-awaited trial. The case is seen as a test of how the country will handle mounting intolerance towards non-Muslim minorities.

What I see in the mirrorBeauty'I grew seven inches in one year when was 14. I became gargantuan'I love being tall. It's a family trait. I'm 6ft 2in, a big girl. I grew seven inches in one year when was 14. I became gargantuan. I never got attention from boys as a teenager. Totally the opposite because I was taller than them. I never had a boyfriend through school. I was so into my horses and training to be a showjumper that it didn't bother me.

Fashion This article is more than 2 years oldYouTube demonetises James Charles over sexual misconduct allegationsThis article is more than 2 years oldBeauty influencer with more than 25.5 million subscribers accused of sexting underage boys and grooming YouTube has restricted the ability for the popular makeup vlogger James Charles to make money from the online video platform, following underage sexting and grooming allegations. Charles who is a beauty influencer with 25.

Russia This article is more than 4 years oldThis article is more than 4 years oldSiberian farmer Vasily Kamotsky fells opponents with a single blow – attracting hilarity and outrage Vasily Kamotsky does not so much slap his opponents as cudgel them with his massive palm. He was crowned the slapping champion at the Siberian Power Show, a competition so esoteric and objectionable that it seems tailor-made to be stumbled upon during a 3am YouTube binge.

Christopher Lee is knighted Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The veteran actor, famous for playing Dracula among other roles, received a knighthood for his services to drama and charity Fri 30 Oct 2009 16.50 GMT First published on Fri 30 Oct 2009 16.50 GMT The count looms perilously close to the royal jugular. Is he making polite small talk with HRH or struggling to contain a raging thirst for blue blood?

The ObserverUK newsKray's deathbed secrets revealed'Don't make me into a nice person,' Ronnie told the childhood friend who has written his life story.Ronnie Kray, the violent gangster who ruled London's East End during the late Fifties and Sixties, shocked his older brother Charlie by admitting his homosexuality and goaded his twin brother Reg into experimenting with gay sex, a new biography reveals. Laurie O'Leary, author of A Man Among Men and a childhood friend of the Krays, says Ronnie summoned him to Broadmoor Hospital eight weeks before he died.

Afghanistan This article is more than 12 years oldThe curse of number 39 and the steps Afghans take to avoid itThis article is more than 12 years oldCar owners with 39 licence plates lament the stigma of a number associated with pimps and prostitutionOrdinarily the sight of a man having the numbers on his licence plate altered at a paint shop would would raise questions about whether a crime was being covered up.

Tom Smothers in 2003: ‘Fifty years later, I look back on us being fired, and I’m still pissed off.’ Photograph: Louis Lanzano/APTom Smothers in 2003: ‘Fifty years later, I look back on us being fired, and I’m still pissed off.’ Photograph: Louis Lanzano/APTV comedyTom Smothers of sibling comedy duo the Smothers Brothers dies at age 86Tom and brother Dick’s groundbreaking CBS show was pulled when they took a stance against Vietnam war and for civil rights

Donald Trump Trumpy Bear advert: Real or spoof? An ad for a Trump-inspired stuffed animal with an orange coif and bright blue eyes has caused confusion as to whether the product is real or a spoof. Trumpy Bear has an American flag blanket stuffed in the toy’s body and is selling for US$40. The fluffy bear actually debuted last year with the ad running on US conservative cable channels such as American Heroes and INSP but came to wider attention this week after the Trumpy Bear ad played on Fox News

Tiger Woods This article is more than 6 years oldTwo of five drugs in Tiger Woods's system on his arrest banned by PGA TourThis article is more than 6 years old Toxicology report reveals golfer had five substances in his system THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, was also allegedly present Two of five the items named in a toxicology report relating to the arrest of Tiger Woods appear on the PGA Tour’s list of banned substances.

ShortcutsCrimeA couple in East Sussex have been banned from looking at their next door neighbours’ house, while Netflix employees have been told not to look at each other for too long. What’s going on? Name: Looking. Age: As old as eyes. Status: Banned. What? Are you saying that the simple act of looking has been banned? Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that. Shall I explain? Yes, please. Are you either Nigel or Sheila Jacklin, from near Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex?

The ObserverAirbus This article is more than 1 month old‘Worse than giving birth’: 700 fall sick after Airbus staff Christmas dinnerThis article is more than 1 month oldFrench health authorities investigating mass gastroenteritis outbreak after company restaurant served foie gras and lobster A gourmet Christmas dinner for 2,600 workers at the French aerospace group Airbus Atlantic left hundreds of staff sick. The health authorities have launched an investigation to establish what caused a mass outbreak of gastroenteritis among a reported 700 employees.

The ObserverWilliam Shakespeare This article is more than 1 year oldA new Shakespeare plot: garden of Bard’s daughter to be recreated This article is more than 1 year oldRemedies used by healer Susanna Hall and her doctor husband will be planted at Stratford home In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia offers rosemary to boost memory, while in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Puck pours the juice of “love-in-idleness” on to the sleeping eyelids of Titania, making her “madly dote” on Bottom wearing an ass’s head.

US prisonsStudies show incarceration does not improve public safety but ‘tough-on-crime’ Republicans are driving investment in prisons At a time when the US has narrowly skirted a recession, and people around the country are still struggling with the cost of living, a curious number of states have found billions of dollars for one thing: building prisons and jails. In September, Alabama announced that a new prison, currently under construction, would have a final cost of $1.

It has spawned hit spinoffs, bagged a Pulitzer and its evocative, character-led reports now have 5 million fans. Has This American Life grown too big? As the show turns 25, founder Ira Glass reveals what keeps him up at night Published: 10 Dec 2020 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJqfpLi0e8OaraKcXaiypa3Roqo%3D

Should you let your dog or cat lick your face? Some people – including those who are pregnant or immunocompromised – are at greater risk of getting sick from pets. Photograph: Jamie Garbutt/Getty ImagesShould you let your dog or cat lick your face? Some people – including those who are pregnant or immunocompromised – are at greater risk of getting sick from pets. Photograph: Jamie Garbutt/Getty ImagesAustralian lifestyle This article is more than 4 months oldIs it okay to kiss your pet?

The ‘golden age’ of steam heating was in the 1920s and 1930s, an expert says. Photograph: Carlos E Serrano/Getty ImagesThe ‘golden age’ of steam heating was in the 1920s and 1930s, an expert says. Photograph: Carlos E Serrano/Getty ImagesNew YorkNineteenth-century technology is finally being phased out in New York City, but its past is deeply entwined with American history Until recently, my girlfriend and I lived in a steam-heated apartment in Manhattan.

Carling Cup 2008-09 This article is more than 15 years oldRonaldo crashes Ferrari on way to trainingThis article is more than 15 years old Manchester United player unhurt after hitting roadside barrier In pictures: images from the aftermath of the accidentCristiano Ronaldo has escaped unhurt after crashing his Ferrari sports car into a roadside barrier in a tunnel near Manchester airport. The car was badly damaged when it was involved in the accident at 10.

Stephen Hough photographed at his studio in north London. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The ObserverStephen Hough photographed at his studio in north London. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The ObserverObserver New Review Q&AStephen HoughInterviewStephen Hough: ‘Music is not just icing on the cake. It’s the cake itself. It’s human life’Fiona MaddocksThe pianist on playing to an empty Wigmore Hall, his novel about sex and priests, and being fingerprinted for working visas post-Brexit Born in Cheshire, Stephen Hough is one of the world’s top pianists.

OpinionRace This article is more than 6 years oldWhy there’s nothing racist about black-only spacesThis article is more than 6 years oldCharlie Brinkhurst-CuffThe controversy around a black feminist festival in Paris fails to acknowledge the differences between segregationist white spaces and subversive black spacesI despair. Some white people have got so upset about their exclusion from parts of the Nyansapo festival, an intersectional black feminist gathering scheduled for 28-30 July in Paris, that the mayor of the city called for the festival to be banned, until organisers clarify details with her, and anti-racist groups have claimed that Rosa Parks would be “turning in her grave” at the event.

SexOur article about later-in-life virgins generated a huge response – much of it from readers who had finally found love, or started having sex, in their 30s or later. From the woman who lost her virginity six months ago, to the thirtysomething who no longer feels alone, here is what you told us Later-in-life virgins – ‘At my age, it becomes a red flag’ When Preeta read, in last week’s Guardian, about Jim from East Sussex – who, at 35, had never been kissed and was considering paying for sex to lose his virginity – she could have been reading about her husband.

The ObserverDocumentary films This article is more than 14 years oldAs Charlie's Angels star lies dying, she begs for camera to keep rollingThis article is more than 14 years oldAn unflinching documentary of Farrah Fawcett's long struggle with a terminal illness, filmed by her best friend, has been tipped for an EmmyFarrah Fawcett, the 70s television star and sex symbol, wants to live her life on camera until the very end.

Books This article is more than 1 year oldBen Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London novels are set for TV adaptation This article is more than 1 year oldAll nine fantasy-detective books will be used to produce a new ‘ridiculously brilliant’ television series Ben Aaronovitch’s bestselling fantasy series, Rivers of London, is to be adapted for television. A new partnership will bring together all nine of the novels, plus the accompanying short stories, novellas and graphic novels, for the screen.

A book that changed mePhilosophy books This article is more than 10 years oldColin Wilson's glumness entranced me as a budding teenage existentialistThis article is more than 10 years oldTerry EagletonThe Outsider's theme of artistic alienation was perfect for someone trying and failing to grow a beard and get a girlfriendWhen I was 16, I tried to grow a beard and fancied myself as a bit of an existentialist. There was a good-looking girl at a local convent school who not only fancied herself as an existentialist but fancied existentialists, which gave me a strong motive for proclaiming the essential futility of human existence.

Ernie and Bernie (Ziggy Marley and Doug E Doug) ... Sykes has no compunction about sending his two Rastafarian jellyfish henchmen in to shake Oscar down with their stinging sense of humour. Who's who in Shark Tale ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJ6ZobpwvMicq66qlah8qrnAoJxoaFxtgnWBi2ZoaW9gan10hJJramVoYGO1tbnL

‘Underneath it all, he was an old school gentleman’ … a shot from the book Hot Damn! showing Thompson with Bill Clinton. Photograph: Chloe Sells‘Underneath it all, he was an old school gentleman’ … a shot from the book Hot Damn! showing Thompson with Bill Clinton. Photograph: Chloe SellsPhotographyInterview‘He was a handful’ – Hunter S Thompson’s PA and photographer relives her wild jobSean O’HaganShe cooked his weird dinners, dealt with his volcanic rants, and read his prose back to him from dark till dawn.

The G2 interviewDerek JacobiInterview‘I’ve got a feeling I won’t be on stage again’: Derek Jacobi on age, ego, Igglepiggle and unrequited loveRyan GilbeySixty-five years after his first rave reviews, the star of I, Claudius and Last Tango in Halifax is still drowning in work – and self-doubt. Can a man who won Ian McKellen’s heart really see himself as ‘bland and uninteresting’? Derek Jacobi is having a bad hair day. “Oh, he butchered it,” wails the actor in mock despair.

Portraits in the Museum of Smoking. Photograph: Tyler BertramPortraits in the Museum of Smoking. Photograph: Tyler BertramMuseumsThe exhibit, starring figures from Paris Hilton to Carrie Bradshaw, is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to a terrible habit Absolutely no smoking is allowed inside the Museum of Smoking. Sorry, but those are the rules according to the fire code, the exhibit’s curators say. If you want to smoke, you can go outside. Viviana Olen and Matt Harkins run THNK1994, an Instagram account and series of pop-up exhibits dedicated to honoring 2000s-era celebrity kitsch.

The ObserverChessThe end game of Bobby FischerHe was said to have an IQ greater than Einstein's, and he won the world's most famous chess duel. But when he died last month in Reykjavik, Bobby Fischer was a shuffling recluse, consumed by paranoia. John Carlin pieces together the grandmaster's last movesAt 8am on Monday 21 January, under cover of darkest night, a hearse slid stealthily out of the snowy streets of Reykjavik, followed by another car.

Dean Yates, a former Reuters employee now based in northern Tasmania. Dean was bureau chief in Baghdad when two of his colleagues, Saeed Chmagh and Namir Noor-Eldeen, were killed by the US military. Photograph: Matthew Newton/The GuardianFormer Reuters journalist Dean Yates was in charge of the bureau in Baghdad when his Iraqi colleagues Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh were killed. A WikiLeaks video called Collateral Murder later revealed details of their death

OpinionArtificial intelligence (AI) This article is more than 3 years oldA robot wrote this entire article. Are you scared yet, human?This article is more than 3 years oldGPT-3We asked GPT-3, OpenAI’s powerful new language generator, to write an essay for us from scratch. The assignment? To convince us robots come in peace For more about GPT-3 and how this essay was written and edited, please read our editor’s note belowI am not a human.

Stephen Murray has called Paradise home for more than 35 years and became a local hero after helping hundreds of people escape the 2018 fire. Photograph: Rachel Bujalski/The GuardianA deadly blaze in 2018 leveled the area, but now residents are dreaming of a different future in the rapidly developing community by Dani Anguiano in Paradise, CaliforniaStephen Murray drives the streets of Paradise, California, each day, navigating through roadwork and traffic as he takes in the neat dirt lots and gleaming modern farmhouses on his way to job sites.

Celta Vigo 1 - 2 Osasuna Celta Vigo Home team scorers Iago Aspas 19 Osasuna Away team scorers Luis Avila 8 Luis Avila 28 Match stats Possession OSA CEL 50 50 Goal attempts 0 Celta Vigo Off target 0 Osasuna 1 Celta Vigo On target 2 Osasuna Corners 2 3 Fouls 0 0 Lineups Celta Vigo 1 Marchesin 3 Mingueza 15 Aidoo 4 Nunez 17 Galan 7 Perez 5 Rodriguez 8 Fran 11 Cervi 10 Aspas 18 Larsen Substitutes 9 Paciencia (s 57') 13 Villar 14 Tapia 19 Swedberg (s 57') 20 Vazquez 26 Dominguez 29 Rodriguez 30 Alvarez 33 Carrillo 35 Duran (s 86') Osasuna 25 Aitor 15 Pena 4 Garcia 5 Garcia 20 Sanchez 22 Oroz 6 Torro 16 Moi Gomez 9 Avila 17 Budimir 11 Barja Substitutes 2 Vidal (s 63') 3 Cruz 7 Moncayola (s 72') 8 Brasanac (s 83') 10 Roberto Torres 13 Perez 14 Ruben Garcia (s 84') 18 Kike (s 73') 19 Ibanez 23 Aridane 39 Ramos ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJ6fpMGjrculZqaZpJi1br7EnaCrnZOpfHV%2FlGlwcHE%3D

OpinionAustralia news This article is more than 10 years oldDoesn't religion cause most of the conflict in the world?This article is more than 10 years oldRachel Woodlock, Antony Loewenstein, Jane Caro, Simon SmartIn this extract from the book For God's Sake, one question is asked to four Australian writers with very different beliefsRachel Woodlock (Islam)Religion is powerfully motivating and belligerent humans fight over it. Heck, religion has caused conflict even in my diverse and tolerant family.

World newsDrugs and dance as Israelis blot out intifadaNightlife in Tel Aviv on a par with the best in London and New YorkIt is Thursday night and the young of Tel Aviv are queuing for their supplies for the big night out of the Jewish week. At the city-centre kiosks, some customers ask for cigarettes or some gum, but about one in three furtively inquires: "Hagigat?" The shopkeeper looks straight ahead.

Gardening blogGardensIvy: the forgotten festive plantOften dismissed as an unwelcome invader, this evergreen climber is useful in the garden and as part of festive decorations, writes Andy ByfieldNote from gardening editor Jane Perrone: this post was scheduled to go up before Christmas but technology problems - mine, not the author's - resulted in a delay. Apologies to all. The holly and the ivy, When they are both full grown, Of all the trees that are in the wood,

FruitNot-quite-chocolate-pudding fruit: why black sapote is 'utterly unexpected and delightful'Creamy and very pleasing, black sapote is a treat on its own – and makes a very successful fruit loaf too I read a bittersweet autobiography by the outrageously talented Jeanette Winterson while living in the UK in the early 2000s. It was marvellously titled Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. Without getting into it, you immediately get the gist. I think back to that title as much as to the story itself.

‘Sonic explorations’: María Mónica Gutiérrez, AKA Montañera. Photograph: Nicolás Cañon‘Sonic explorations’: María Mónica Gutiérrez, AKA Montañera. Photograph: Nicolás CañonOne to watchMusicThe London-based Colombian singer-songwriter and composer travels through space, time and genres with her trusty Korg synthesiser Cities can be lonely places until you find your footing, especially if you’ve travelled from another continent. But María Mónica Gutiérrez has created her own choir to keep her company. The singer-songwriter and composer layers her vocals to ethereal effect, recalling the delicate layering of Imogen Heap but also the music of her motherland, Colombia – such as bullerengue, where groups of women harmonise to promote peace and preserve traditions.

Leonard Cohen This article is more than 4 years old'You're too much in my heart': Leonard Cohen letters to muse set for auctionThis article is more than 4 years oldChristie’s says letters to Marianne Ihlen document ‘one of the most captivating love affairs of its time as well as the transformation of a young man into a great artist’ It was one of the great love stories of the “flower power” era of the 1960s.

Television industryBBC documentary prompts war crimes investigationAn acclaimed BBC documentary on Auschwitz has prompted what is likely to be one of the last ever war crimes investigations after an 83-year-old German admitted on camera killing Soviet Jews while part of an SS firing squad. The admission is part of the BBC2 series, Auschwitz, the Nazis and the Final Solution, that started running earlier this year. It was based on nearly 100 interviews with survivors and perpetrators, many of whom were speaking in detail about their wartime experiences for the first time.

Improbable researchResearchClowns may be doing their thing for religion, but are they scaring the children?Angelika Richter and Lori Zonner have a funny way of captivating readers. In a study called Clowning – An Opportunity for Ministry they write: "Experiences over five years interacting with patients as the clown Jingles and the experiment and experience of one afternoon as the clown Hairie in a hospital led the authors to reflect on the deeper meaning of clowns .

The ObserverFiction in translationReviewA mother tries to understand why her daughter has cut off contact in the author’s mesmerising and disquieting English-language debut Hila Blum’s English-language debut opens with a scene of domestic harmony, as two young sisters and their parents sit down to dinner in a book-filled house in a Netherlands suburb. What changes everything is the fact that we’re viewing it through the eyes of a woman who is standing across the street, thousands of miles from home and hidden by darkness, glimpsing her grandchildren for the first time.

Dear MariellaRelationshipsTo make friends you need to be ready to display your vulnerabilities, says Mariella Frostrup The dilemma I’m 40 and a full-time working mother of two teenagers. I have zero friends and few acquaintances. Spending time with my husband and children used to quell any feelings of loneliness, but that’s no longer enough. My lack of friendships is making me feel inadequate. I want a group of girlfriends I can confide in and connect with – even a single friend would mean so much.

Art and designReviewDulwich Picture Gallery, London From nuns to nobles, the Flemish artist loved painting unclothed women. But, as this staggering exhibition reveals, there’s so much more to him than frolicking nudes Maria Serra Pallavicino is a queen. Technically she’s a Marchesa. But no one could look more monarchical here, in the painting by Peter Paul Rubens. She looks down imperiously from the throne where she sits swathed in silver, with an impossibly huge ruff collar of floating filigree lace tinged with gold.

The 10 best Fictional sleuths - in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes sequel arrives in cinemas this month. So we hunt down the most brilliant detective minds Euan Ferguson Sun 4 Dec 2011 00.05 GMT First published on Sun 4 Dec 2011 00.05 GMT Sherlock HolmesArthur Conan DoyleIt would be wilful not to make Holmes number one.

ShortcutsUS Open Tennis 2012Player Brian Battistone turned heads with his radical design of racket. But did it help him to improve his game?Brian Battistone turned heads at the US Open with a bizarre contraption. Witnesses compared it to hedge-clippers or a divining rod. "I call it the alien," says Nicole Mellichar, Battistone's mixed-doubles partner. The nature of his two-handled racket allows the right-handed Battistone to play a lefthanded forehand, while still controlling the shot with his stronger arm.

Guests on the beach at Cafe Strandperle in Hamburg, Germany. Photograph: Alamy Stock PhotoGuests on the beach at Cafe Strandperle in Hamburg, Germany. Photograph: Alamy Stock PhotoReaders' travel tipsGermany holidaysFancy some fruity beer with a side of pretzels or a glass of white wine with traditional noodles and cheese? Readers suggest their favourite refuelling spots in Germany Send us a tip and you could win a £200 hotel voucher

Confidence Man’s Sugar Bones and Janet Planet (front) and Reggie Goodchild and Clarence McGuffie (back). ‘We quickly realised that them sinisterly sitting in the backdrop while we strut around is visually quite powerful,’ Bones says. Photograph: Jamie HeathConfidence Man’s Sugar Bones and Janet Planet (front) and Reggie Goodchild and Clarence McGuffie (back). ‘We quickly realised that them sinisterly sitting in the backdrop while we strut around is visually quite powerful,’ Bones says.

Workers survey the damage after the IRA bombing in February 1996, which ended a 17-month ceasefire. Photograph: ReutersWorkers survey the damage after the IRA bombing in February 1996, which ended a 17-month ceasefire. Photograph: ReutersGerry Adams This article is more than 1 year oldGerry Adams ‘unaware of Docklands bomb but would not have stopped it’This article is more than 1 year oldSinn Féin leader said he would have faced ‘serious dilemma’ if he knew, according to declassified documents

Jarryd HayneOnce one of Australia’s biggest sporting stories, Jarryd Hayne has seen his star wane as serious allegations loom once again In the heady days around his debut for San Francisco 49ers, September 15, 2015, Jarryd Hayne drew as much press in Australia as the country’s change of prime minister. Admittedly Australia changes PM relatively frequently – there’s been five in the last 5 years. Yet Hayne’s journey from housing commission kid to rugby league superstar and onwards, outwards, upwards to the big show in America captivated the nation.

Nigeria This article is more than 10 years oldNigeria's yan daudu face persecution in religious revivalThis article is more than 10 years oldOnce-tolerated, the 'men who dress like women' fear they are being driven undergroundOn special days, after dawn prayers at the mosque, father of two Ameer returns home to put on makeup from the collection he shares with his wife. Usually, however, he settles for a colourful headscarf of the sort worn by women throughout Nigeria.

Observer Food Monthly's 20 best recipesFoodFrom Ottolenghi’s lentils to a classic ploughman’s – our pick of the best lunch ideas to save you from supermarket sandwiches 20 best packed lunch recipes – part 1 20 best packed lunch recipes – part 2 20 best packed lunch recipes – part 4 Shuko Oda’s onigiri bento boxI grew up eating bento lunches throughout my school life. There’s something very special about the anticipation and excitement of opening a bento box.

The G2 interviewUK newsInterviewPaul and Rachel Chandler: How we survived being kidnapped by Somali piratesDecca AitkenheadThe British couple were held hostage for 388 days. But despite being dismissive of the Foreign Office's efforts to free them, they are largely untroubled by their ordeal – and looking forward to setting sail againBecause crime is by its nature random, there can be no such thing as a typical victim – and yet we are all familiar with the modern media narrative that makes so many victims sound the same.

The ObserverBiography booksReviewJames Shapiro gets under Shakespeare's skin in his forensic biographical survey, 1599, says Robert McCrum1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare by James Shapiro Faber £16.99, pp416 The film Shakespeare in Love has a lot to answer for. The Oscar-winning movie cut a swath through the tranquil meadows of Shakespeare scholarship. First, there was the idea that the poet's life was, after all, a proper subject for biographical speculation.

The KnowledgeSoccerWhy is Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink so named?Plus: more most-capped brothers, outfield players wearing No1, and who was bought for a lightbulb? Email knowledge@guardian.co.ukWHAT'S IN A NAME? "What's the story behind Dutch striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's unusually area-specific name?" asks David Atkinson. According to our research, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was thus named because, way back in the 17th century, two farming families in the Enschede area of Holland intermarried.

A life in pictures - George Michael Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Singer and songwriter, who has died at the age of 53, experienced huge fame with Wham! and forged a successful solo career amid run-ins with the British police and tabloid newspapers Tributes flood in for late pop star – live reaction Main image: George Michael of Wham at his family home, London, Britain - 1980s

World newsConservationists hail Hilton drunk elephants appealConservationists today hailed the socialite Paris Hilton, who was convicted of drink driving earlier this year, for apparently trying to highlight the problem of binge-drinking elephants in north-eastern India. Activists said the celebrity endorsement would raise awareness of the plight of pachyderms that got drunk on farmers' homemade rice beer and went on the rampage. Last month, six wild elephants that broke into a farm in the state of Meghalaya were electrocuted after discovering and drinking the potent brew before uprooting an electricity pylon.

NBA This article is more than 2 years oldDennis Rodman says visits to gay clubs inspired him during his NBA careerThis article is more than 2 years oldNBA star says visits showed value of being himselfRodman also discusses friendship with Kim Jong-unDennis Rodman says visits to gay and drag clubs helped inspire him during a career that ended with five NBA titles and a place in the basketball hall of fame.

Pop and rock This article is more than 6 years oldJohn Lever, Chameleons drummer, diesThis article is more than 6 years oldThe musician, who played on the first three albums by the 80s post-punk band and joined their 2000 reunion, had suffered a short illness The Chameleons’ drummer John Lever has died, following a short illness. Lever had been a member of the cult post-punk band since they formed in 1981.

Kanye West This article is more than 1 year oldKanye West suspended from Twitter after posting swastika inside Star of DavidThis article is more than 1 year oldElon Musk intervenes after rapper posted image hours after airing antisemitic views in Alex Jones interview Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, has been suspended from Twitter after he tweeted an image of a swastika blended with a star of David, less than two weeks after he returned to the platform.

GreensladeMedia This article is more than 7 years oldMadam President: how Newsweek reported a Clinton victoryThis article is more than 7 years oldNewsweek’s editor did what any sensible magazine chief would have done by preparing an issue based on a very different US presidential result... It could all have been so different. Newsweek’s editor had obviously prepared issues for both possible US presidential election results, as is normal practice in such events.

FashionMargot Tenenbaum: this season's hottest fashion muse is actually a school guidance counsellorThis autumn/winter the fashion industry has been united in its devotion to one muse – the excessively eyelinered Wes Anderson character Margot Tenenbaum. But what’s all the adoration like for the real woman who shares her name? My name is Margot Tenenbaum but I’m not the Margot you’ve been reading about in glossy magazines this autumn/winter – the “coolest muse of the season”, according to fashion critics and Gucci, as played by Gwyneth Paltrow in the 2001 Wes Anderson movie The Royal Tenenbaums.

Nottingham ForestObituaryNigel Doughty obituaryPrivate equity investor with a passion for progressive causes, Labour politics – and Nottingham Forest Football ClubNigel Doughty was a big man, successful in business, with generosity to match. Tall, good-looking and clever, yet modest and unassuming, he never lost contact with his working-class roots in Newark, in Nottinghamshire. He was found dead at the age of 54 in the gym at his home - unexpectedly given his degree of fitness.

Pop and rockObituaryRay Thomas obituaryFounding member of the Moody Blues best known as the group’s flautistRay Thomas, a founding member of the Moody Blues, who has died aged 76, played various instruments, including the French horn, oboe, piccolo, harmonica and saxophone, but was best known as the group’s flautist. Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson would become rock’s most flamboyant flute-brandisher. However, Thomas’s solo in the band’s biggest hit Nights in White Satin, which went to No 2 in the US and reached No 9 in the UK at the end of 1967 (one of its three appearances in the UK Top 20), perfectly encapsulated the song’s mood of mystical melancholy.

Poverty matters blogDemocratic Republic of the CongoAfrica: a continent drenched in the blood of revolutionary heroesBetween 1961 and 1973, six African independence leaders were assassinated by their ex-colonial rulers, including Patrice Lumumba of Congo, who was killed 50 years ago todayPatrice Lumumba, prime minister of newly independent Congo, was the second of five leaders of independence movements in African countries to be assassinated in the 1960s by their former colonial masters, or their agents.

Asher Edelman is an art collector and financier. He worked on Wall Street from 1962 to 1988 and taught a course at Columbia University School of Business titled Corporate Raiding: The Art of War. He is one of the inspirations for the Gordon Gekko character in the film Wall Street. ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRomKyglad6prDEpaSapg%3D%3D

SoccerInterviewElano: ‘It’s not money, it’s passion. It has made me see how beautiful football is’Thiago Rabelo in São PauloFormer Brazil midfielder opens up on coaching in his country’s fourth tier and his regrets at leaving Manchester City The former Brazil international Elano spent a glamorous 15-year playing career with teams such as Santos, Manchester City, Grêmio, Flamengo and Shakhtar Donetsk. High wages, powerful club infrastructures and stadiums packed with vibrant fans seemed worthy reward for the midfielder’s accurate passes and tackles, and his calming, reassuring presence.

OpinionCulture This article is more than 5 months oldI’m a trans person who edits children’s books. The culture wars engulfs me on all sidesThis article is more than 5 months oldAlex DiFrancescoEditors like me are accused of ‘brainwashing’ children. But I simply strive to bring books into the world that let trans children know they aren’t alone Every day, there’s a new, terrible development from those attempting to restrict trans life.

Gorillaz takeoverGorillazKano and Bashy: How to handle GorillazThe grime stars go back to back on the Plastic Beach track White Flag. So what was it like working with a load of cartoons?Kano: 'I was a bit worried someone was going to turn me into a cartoon'You may think it's weird working with a cartoon band but there are a lot of characters in grime, especially since the early days. The scene was built on strong characters – I could imagine someone animating Wiley!

Games blogSonyPSP - officially as powerful as PS2*Anyone fortunate enough to have seen the PSP version of Ridge Racer will know that Sony's handheld is a quite astonishing piece of hardware. But the arguments rumble on concerning exactly how powerful it is. The fact that most journalists are attempting comparisons with PS2 is indication enough that PSP represents a startling move forward for handheld gaming – at least in terms of visual performance.

Tia Sharp This article is more than 10 years oldStuart Hazell searched for incest websites during search for Tia SharpThis article is more than 10 years oldMemory sticks reveal killer's increasing interest in paedophile imagesIn the midst of a high-profile search for Tia Sharp, the man who has admitted in the Old Bailey that he had killed her was searching the internet for incest and sex websites. While the 12-year-old's body lay upstairs in the loft of 20 The Lindens in New Addington, south London, the home he shared with Tia's grandmother, he pursued his growing interest in paedophile images – specifically incest-related.

SEMANTIC ENIGMASWhy aren't the letters on a computer keyboard in alphabetical order? Richard Hearty, Newcastle Upon Tyne UK Because typists have been trained on Qwerty keyboards since the 1860s and noone can be bothered retraining them. Ian, London The "qwerty" keyboard arrangement stems from mechanical typewriters. The keys are arranged to make fast typing difficult as old typewriters would easily jam. Of course humans being adaptable sorts have learned to overcome this obstructionist system and now (some folks) type faster than they talk, or even think.

Science This article is more than 1 month oldAI scientists make ‘exciting’ discovery using chatbots to solve maths problemsThis article is more than 1 month oldBreakthrough suggests technology behind ChatGPT and Bard can generate information that goes beyond human knowledge Artificial intelligence researchers claim to have made the world’s first scientific discovery using a large language model, a breakthrough that suggests the technology behind ChatGPT and similar programs can generate information that goes beyond human knowledge.

New East networkUkraineThe chaos of eastern Ukraine has taken a heavy toll on this Soviet-era winery, which once supplied more than half the country You would not know from Yuri’s calm demeanour, as he describes the bubbles rising in his champagne flute, that that we are only a few miles from the frontlines in eastern Ukraine. Violence flares in war-weary Ukraine as US dithers and Russia pouncesRead moreProtected by more than 80 metres of rich black earth, the Soviet-era winery known for its fizzy cabernet sauvignon and merlot sits beneath the battlefields that, in recent weeks, have seen a fresh wave of violence between Russia-backed separatists and the Ukrainian army.

Nigel Slater. Styling: Andie Redman Photograph: Pål Hansen/The ObserverNigel Slater. Styling: Andie Redman Photograph: Pål Hansen/The ObserverThe ObserverFoodOn the 20th anniversary of his bestseller, Nigel Slater tells how it all began … and how it went to stage and screen Toast is 20. But the memoir that chronicled my childhood (cooking, eating, crying, and a few other “ings” a wiser author might have left out) started life as neither book, film nor stage play, but as an article in the Observer.

The ObserverBiography books This article is more than 14 years oldNow it's the husband's turn to tell all in battle of the ex-filesThis article is more than 14 years oldAs his former wife's bestselling book becomes a film, Michael Cooper adds his own tale to the mixThe book Eat, Pray, Love has been a publishing sensation. Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir of her search for post-divorce happiness by eating, meditating and romancing her way around the world has sold millions of copies and is to be made into a film starring Julia Roberts.

Carol Rumens's poem of the weekPoetryWith its Christian phraseology and powerful imagery, this 1862 verse is likely a response to a death in the American civil war After Great Pain … After great pain, a formal feeling comes – The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs – The stiff Heart questions ‘was it He, that bore,’ And ‘Yesterday, or Centuries before’? The Feet, mechanical, go round – A Wooden way Of Ground, or Air, or Ought –

Immature cheddar. Photograph: Oleksiy Maksymenko/Getty Images/All Canada PhotosImmature cheddar. Photograph: Oleksiy Maksymenko/Getty Images/All Canada PhotosPass notesInternetThe latest internet meme involves a significant waste of cheese – and may not be entirely welcomed by the world’s baby community Name: The cheese challenge. Age: Five days. Appearance: Cute, then shocking, then maybe funny, maybe disgraceful, probably not a crime. Is this one of those internet memes that everyone gets obsessed with for a while, then completely forgets about?

Between camp and uncanny … Clare Louise Connolly as Regan and Peter Bowles as Father Merrin in The Exorcist. Photograph: Pamela RaithBetween camp and uncanny … Clare Louise Connolly as Regan and Peter Bowles as Father Merrin in The Exorcist. Photograph: Pamela RaithTheatreReviewPhoenix theatre, London This stage version of the classic movie deploys blackouts, special effects and the voice of Ian McKellen to do the devil’s work, but possesses no fearful thrills

The ObserverGenderWhen it comes to longevity, surviving illness and coping with trauma, one gender comes out on top. Angela Saini meets the scientists working out why Four years ago, completely spent, blood transfused into me in a frantic effort to allow me to walk, I lay on a hospital bed having given birth the day before. To the joy of my family, I had brought them a son. Blue balloons foretold a man in the making.

Greenhouse gas emissions This article is more than 11 months oldWhat is the best alternative to a wood-burning stove?This article is more than 11 months oldWe look at the best cosy and climate-friendly options that are less likely to land you with a £300 fine As wood-burning stoves have become a talking point in England after warnings about thepollution they emit, those who installed them and feel guilt may worry about how to replace their beloved burner.

Israel-Gaza warAl Jazeera to refer killing of cameraman in Gaza to war crimes courtSamer Abu Daqqa died of his injuries after being hit by an Israeli drone strike while reporting on the earlier bombing of a school Al Jazeera is preparing a legal file to send to the international criminal court (ICC) over what it called “the assassination” of one of its cameramen in Gaza, the Qatari-based network has said.

Canada This article is more than 2 months oldDisabled man drags himself off plane after Air Canada fails to offer wheelchairThis article is more than 2 months oldAirline was forced to apologize to Rodney Hodgins who flew to Las Vegas with his wife to celebrate their anniversary in August Air Canada has been forced to apologize after a man with spastic cerebral palsy was forced to drag himself off a plane when the flagship carrier failed to provide a wheelchair for him.

Movies This article is more than 12 years oldPeta takes aim at We Bought a ZooThis article is more than 12 years oldCameron Crowe asked to tame forthcoming film's cavalier attitude to owning wild animals in wake of Ohio zoo tragedyWith its assertion that "you don't even need any special knowledge to run a zoo – what you need is … a lot of heart", the trailer for Cameron Crowe's forthcoming We Bought a Zoo raised a few eyebrows when it debuted in September.

MelbournePolice on alert for potential violence at Eritrean festival in Melbourne Supporters of the African nation’s dictatorial regime have clashed with opponents in the diaspora at similar events in other countries Australian federal police and government officials have met representatives of the Eritrean community in a bid to avoid potential violence during a planned cultural festival in Melbourne’s western suburbs this weekend. Similar events held in Europe and North America in recent months have ended in violence and arrests, as supporters of the African nation’s regime clashed with members of the pro-democracy youth movement Birged Nhamedu.

Downtown Fayette, Mississippi. Photograph: Eric Shelton/Center for Public Integrity/The GuardianThe poorest and blackest state in the US declined to expand Medicaid, leaving many citizens without coverage by April SimpsonThis story was published in partnership with the Center for Public Integrity, a non-profit news organization that investigates inequality. Jabriel Muhammad pays up to $40 when he sees a doctor at the community health center in Jefferson county in rural south-western Mississippi. And he goes to the center only when he is really ill.

MoviesObituarySusan Anspach obituaryActor who starred in Five Easy Pieces and Play It Again, SamWith her vibrant appearance in Bob Rafelson’s landmark road movie Five Easy Pieces (1970), Susan Anspach, who has died aged 75, emerged at the same time as her co-star Jack Nicholson as a significant figure in the new Hollywood of the 1970s. However, Anspach, unlike Nicholson, saw her film career dwindle after a decade that has been called Hollywood’s last golden age.

Children's booksChildren's booksTop 10 literary rodentsFrom Stuart Little to the beloved Ratty, author Kate DiCamillo picks 10 of the best rodents she has known and loved in children's books – and who have inspired her to go on and create her own in the form of Despereaux the mouse and Ulysses the squirrel Find out more about Kate's Flora and Ulysses which has been longlisted for the Guardian children's fiction prize 2014

Ask HadleyFashionCindy Crawford’s daughter is just 16 and already all over the catwalks. In her weekly advice column, our style expert asks if celebrity parents should allow their kids to enter the limelight?Who or what is Kaia Gerber? Roger, by email I rather enjoy, Roger, that you thought it easier to write to me with this question as opposed to typing into something I believe is called – reaches for old lady spectacles – “Google”.

‘Stripping off the lightweight signifiers’: Corinne Bailey Rae at Ladbroke Hall in London. Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer‘Stripping off the lightweight signifiers’: Corinne Bailey Rae at Ladbroke Hall in London. Photograph: Sophia Evans/The ObserverKitty Empire's artist of the weekCorinne Bailey RaeReviewLadbroke Hall, London Showcasing her fourth album, Black Rainbows, the singer-songwriter moves away from her soulful roots to a more anguished, angry sound that is also joyful and cathartic Corinne Bailey Rae wanders the stage wordlessly, wafting handheld percussion instruments at amplifiers and members of her band as though burning sage to cleanse the space.

Tennis This article is more than 14 years oldFlorida police charge Anna Kournikova's mother with child neglectThis article is more than 14 years old Alla Kournikova, 46, released after posting $3,000 bond Charged after leaving five-year-old son at home aloneAnna Kournikova's mother has been arrested in Florida and charged with child neglect. A Palm Beach police report says 46-year-old Alla Kournikova left her five-year-old son home alone while she ran errands on Tuesday.

Lockdown cultureDanceInterview‘I couldn’t even move my eyeballs’: how dancer Tiler Peck stepped back to the barreLyndsey WinshipThe New York City Ballet star talks about her thrilling lockdown collaboration with master choreographer William Forsythe – and the injury that almost ended her career Possibly the best piece of dance to come out of lockdown is William Forsythe’s The Barre Project. This half-hour film set to the music of James Blake transforms something basic and well-worn – the ballet dancer’s daily exercises at the barre – into something completely fresh.

MusicMariah Carey compares Nicki Minaj to SatanThe diva recalls her time on the American Idol judging panel with little fondness, saying it was like "going to work in Hell every day, with Satan"R&B diva Mariah Carey and pop-rapper Nicki Minaj had no love lost between them when they appeared on the judging panel of American Idol together, and Mariah still doesn't remember the time fondly, telling a US radio interviewer that it was like "

‘Many drag kings gravitate towards playing the most boorish, sexist, cigar-smoking men. Murray is more cheesy than sleazy.’ Photograph: Roberto Portillo/mistershowbiz.com‘Many drag kings gravitate towards playing the most boorish, sexist, cigar-smoking men. Murray is more cheesy than sleazy.’ Photograph: Roberto Portillo/mistershowbiz.comComedyKnown for his self-deprecating humor and stage presence, Hill has become a symbol of the growing transgender performance scene once just known as drag The businessman from Connecticut seemed game for a different night of entertainment – a variety show of sorts.

Nelson Mandela This article is more than 10 years oldNelson Mandela reaches final resting place in ancestral village of QunuThis article is more than 10 years oldIn perfect summer sunshine, Mandela's casket was undraped, blessed and lowered into the soil from which he sprangNearly a century after he roamed these fields as a boy herding sheep and calves, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was buried on Sunday in a curated garden of aloe plants, rocky outcrops and meandering paths atop a hill.

US military This article is more than 3 months oldUS navy sailor pleads guilty to accepting $15,000 in bribes from ChinaThis article is more than 3 months oldIn plea deal, Wenheng ‘Thomas’ Zhao admits providing information on exercises, operational orders and blueprints A US navy sailor pleaded guilty on Tuesday to accepting nearly $15,000 in bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for photographs of unclassified private US military information, according to court papers.

Reclaim your brainWell actuallyThe apps on our phones are designed to be addictive, but if we recognize what is happening, we can claw back our free time Sign up to our free coaching newsletter to help you spend less time on your phone It was 3.30 in the morning when I realized I needed to break up with my phone. I was holding my baby in my arms as I scrolled through eBay, feeling a bit delusional with fatigue, when I had a brief out-of-body experience in which I saw the scene as if I were an outsider.

Attica LockeReviewOil an murder mix on a Texan bayouSome novels never quite recover from the brilliance of their opening chapters. The screenwriter Attica Locke's debut is one of them, but it's still a powerful and skilfully constructed conspiracy thriller – Chinatown without the air of despairing fatalism. We're in Houston, Texas in 1981, not long after Reagan's installation in the White House. Jay Porter is a struggling lawyer with a strip-mall practice that mostly handles minor personal injury claims.

Rudyard Kipling This article is more than 13 years oldKipling's poignant Jungle Book inscription comes to lightThis article is more than 13 years oldA first edition, dedicated to the daughter he lost, has been discovered in a National Trust property in CambridgeshireA first edition of The Jungle Book, complete with a handwritten inscription by author Rudyard Kipling to his youngest daughter, has been discovered in a National Trust property in Cambridgeshire.

OpinionReligion This article is more than 8 years oldMy childhood in a cult is hard to imagine - but my survival is truly unbelievableThis article is more than 8 years oldJenna TracyThe ATI cult and the ‘Quiverfull’ movement defined my life, until I was old enough to break away For the longest time, I didn’t know how to explain to people how I grew up. Raised in Minnesota, my family went to a suburban, evangelical church in the Assemblies of God denomination: most people would consider it conservative, but it was more mainstream than where we ended up.

Each week, the Guardian Weekend magazine's editorial team choose a picture, or set of pictures, that particularly tickle their fancy. This week, their choice is Spencer Tunick's Desert Spirits “It’s a lot of work getting people naked, especially in England,” says Spencer Tunick, the American photographer famous for his nude installation projects around the world. Of his 2005 project in Newcastle and Gateshead, Tunick says, “Despite the fact that we got a lot of people there, it was hard to convince people to take a leap of faith

Leo Tolstoy This article is more than 14 years oldSofia Tolstoy's diaries paint bleak portrait of marriage to LeoThis article is more than 14 years oldNew edition of Sofia's journals record miserable life with the Russian masterThe famous opening line of Anna Karenina tells us that "all happy families are alike, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way". Now the diaries of Leo Tolstoy's wife Sofia are set to cast a new light on the troubled family life of perhaps the greatest Russian writer of them all.

Sea The StarsA champion horse can earn millions in prize money. But that's nothing compared with what it can make at stud. As Sea the Stars - one of the greatest thoroughbreds of all time - retires at the peak of his career to an Irish stud farm, what does the future hold for him?What an odd town Newmarket is. A town that runs on expensive horseflesh and cheap alcohol. A town of nightclubs and early-morning gallops, with the same very thin men sometimes managing to attend both.

Hip-hop This article is more than 10 years oldThree 6 Mafia co-founder Lord Infamous dies aged 40This article is more than 10 years oldRapper, born Ricky Dunigan, reportedly found dead at his mother's home in Memphis following a heart attackThree 6 Mafia co-founder Lord Infamous died on the night of 20 December, aged 40, it has been reported. The musician, born Ricky Dunigan, was reportedly found by his mother at her home in Memphis on Friday night.

Conservatives This article is more than 3 months oldTory candidate shared post using foul language towards struggling parentsThis article is more than 3 months oldAndrew Cooper defends sharing of Facebook post condemning people who cannot feed their children and pay for phone contract A Conservative byelection candidate has defended sharing a Facebook post telling jobless parents who cannot feed their children to “fuck off” if they still pay a £30 phone bill.

US news blogColoradoTranquilized black bear falls safely from tree on University of Colorado campusTo the amusement of onlookers, bear tumbles onto pads set up by wildlife officials, who then released it in the Rocky MountainsNo, this is not a bear bouncing on a trampoline, although it certainly resembles one. This picture in fact shows the animal falling safely from a tree after being tranquilized. The black bear had wandered onto the University of Colorado campus on Thursday, where it had padded around a university residence hall for some time before climbing a tree.

Tiananmen Square protests 1989 This article is more than 13 years old'Tiananmen Square' cartoon removed from Southern Metropolis Daily websiteThis article is more than 13 years oldA cartoon some say refers to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has been removed from the website of one of China's most assertive newspapers, just two days before the anniversary. The Southern Metropolis Daily published a series of cartoons for International Children's Day on Tuesday.

AlbinismInterview‘A fire inside me’: the Zambian singer who overcame prejudice to change attitudes to albinismSarah JohnsonJohn Chiti was spurned by his father and survived a brutal attack for his body parts, but changed his life with music. His story is the inspiration for a powerful new Netflix drama There’s a painful scene in Netflix’s new drama, Can You See Us?, when the protagonist, Joseph, is attacked by men who pin him down and hack at his leg with a knife.

Liam Costello, 19, is the youngest and only Australian to win the Irish Dance World Championships three times consecutively. Photograph: Carly Earl/The GuardianLiam Costello started Irish dancing a century and a half after his ancestors emigrated. Now the Sydney teen is a triple world champ by Elissa BlakeTriple world champions are few and far between. Teenaged ones rarer still. You can find one of them working in his parents’ plumbing supplies shop in suburban Sydney every Saturday morning when he’s not training, or six days a week in the off-season.

Hillel Schenker: Sometimes the terrible tragedy of war is encapsulated in a single lost life. Such a moment happened on Saturday evening, when it became known that Staff Sergeant Uri Grossman, 20, had been killed when his tank was hit by an anti-tank missile in southern Lebanon. ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRon6KknJq5tK%2FHnqWknaI%3D

Top 10sCultureRichard Grant's top 10 books about wanderingRichard Grant is a freelance journalist based in Arizona and the author of Ghost Riders: Travels With American Nomads. Guardian review: Ghost Riders Buy Ghost Riders at Amazon.co.uk "I have a restless personality, a compulsion to keep travelling, and I've always enjoyed reading about people who made their lives into a perpetual journey. The literature of wandering and nomadism is also in part a literature of harsh, arid environments - deserts, steppes, tundra - where trees, agriculture and sedentary societies have found it difficult to take root.

Charred remains of a Cessna lie near the landing approach at French Valley airport, in Murrieta, California, on 8 July. Photograph: Irfan Khan/APCharred remains of a Cessna lie near the landing approach at French Valley airport, in Murrieta, California, on 8 July. Photograph: Irfan Khan/APPlane crashes This article is more than 6 months oldSix victims who died in California plane crash identifiedThis article is more than 6 months oldCessna C550 crashed on approach during second attempt to land at French Valley airport, where visibility was limited

OhioMontgomery county jail’s population is only 600 people – and all seven deaths happened within days of entering the facility, during pre-trial detention Days after Steven Blackshear was booked into Montgomery county jail in downtown Dayton, Ohio, in January, a nurse found him shaking, in a fetal position and vomiting. He complained of chest and leg pains and was taken for medical testing. Two days later, he was found dead in his cell, covered only in towels.

UK newsYouth seduced by older woman 'will suffer trauma later in life'Older women who seduce very young men, like Mrs Robinson in the Dustin Hoffman film The Graduate, can cause males lasting damage and "implant the seeds of self-hate and self-harm", according to a professor of psychiatry. If a girl under 16 has a sexual experience with a man five years older, she was considered to be the victim of abuse, said Michael King from the Royal Free and University College medical school in London.

Four Corners Sunset, 1994 by Bill Lynch. Photograph: Rob Harris/ Brighton CCAFour Corners Sunset, 1994 by Bill Lynch. Photograph: Rob Harris/ Brighton CCAThe ObserverPaintingReviewBrighton CCA He died aged 53 without ever having shown his work, but Bill Lynch’s paintings on salvaged wood transfix with their dual power of primitive joy and high sophistication The great American artist Bill Lynch (1960-2013) never had a single exhibition in his lifetime. Almost nothing was written about his wild and beautiful paintings – ancient yet modern, mythological yet supremely contemporary – and they have only gradually started to emerge.

The ObserverHealth & wellbeingIn 16 weeks, Craig Davidson, a Canadian novelist, transformed himself into a hard-as-nails hunk by injecting illegal steroids. He loved his new body - but not the hideous side-effects. In this graphic account of being a 'roider', he recounts his hellish journeyThe needle is 21 gauge, 1.5in. A hogsticker. Forty of them arrived in a package from Greece. Ever received a package from overseas? You get that puff of air when you rip it open - air that's travelled thousands of miles.

TelevisionInterview‘It was my most terrifying experience – and I’ve seen Trump naked!’: Stormy Daniels on standup, tarot and reality TVCoco KhanShe has endured death threats, hate mail and unfair arrests, but now Stormy Daniels wants to help gay men find love. She talks about her new dating show, writing jokes – and why she won’t back down ‘There is nothing anyone can say that can embarrass me,” says Stormy Daniels, the pornography actor who became a household name in 2018 when it was revealed Donald Trump had paid her to keep quiet about a 2006 affair.

Mexico This article is more than 9 years oldThis article is more than 9 years oldLong-established custom of the hotel de paso is undergoing a style revolution, offering luxury on top of privacy and discretionPirámides del Valle hotel – in pictures For decades their windowless exteriors have looked out over major traffic routes roads through big Mexican cities, and their neon signs can always be spotted along the main roads leading into the smallest of towns.

Vince King and Karen Alcock, pictured, whose dog mauled their three-month-old daughter to death, have been spared jail. Photograph: Phil Barnett/PAVince King and Karen Alcock, pictured, whose dog mauled their three-month-old daughter to death, have been spared jail. Photograph: Phil Barnett/PADangerous dogs This article is more than 5 months oldParents of baby killed by their husky in Lincolnshire given suspended sentencesThis article is more than 5 months oldVince King and Karen Alcock were racing 19 dogs near Woodhall Spa when one fatally mauled their three-month-old daughter

ThrillersReviewA coach accident leads two tourists to a rural French mansion in this intriguing but confused film with implausibility at its core Ana (Andrea Tivadar) and her boyfriend Tom (Tom Ainsley) are Americans travelling around Europe, who take a coach to a rural part of France where they expect to do farm work for a landowner, Richard (Steven Brand). The coach is involved in an accident, and when the two wake up everyone is gone, so they walk the rest of the way to Richard’s mansion.

HolocaustThe story of a family of dwarves snatched from the gas chamber by Josef Mengele himself sounded incredible. But how to verify the testimony of Holocaust survivors? And should you even try?'I was saved by the grace of the devil," Holocaust survivor Perla Ovitz told us. Again and again, she recounted in detail how she and her family were taken to the gas chamber and ordered to strip naked. A heavy door opened and they were pushed inside.

TheatreReviewApollo theatre, London Joss Stone and Dave Stewart’s strangely forgettable score does little to lift this musical but there are some wonderful set pieces For the millions of readers held rapt by Audrey Niffenegger’s 2003 novel, about a woman who falls in love with a time traveller, this might feel like a trip back in time. But alongside the safety of adapting a bestseller on stage, there is a degree of chutzpah in theatrically realising a romance with a dizzying temporal complexity and non-chronological narrative.

The ObserverPop and rockReview(4AD) The moody folk rockers make a welcome return with beautifully arranged songs exploring long-distance relationships and the struggle to be sober Daughter are not the easiest band to place geographically or musically. The London trio all live in different cities now, and their sound has slowly mutated since their bleakly brilliant debut, If You Leave, in 2013. Their comfort zone remains moody indie folk rock, somewhere on the road between forgotten 4AD trailblazers Pale Saints and the Cure’s stadium shoegaze.

Warning: this video contains graphic scenes from the McKamey Manor ‘extreme haunt’ experience. Video by Mae Ryan GuardianHalloweenAt McKamey Manor, people pay to be kidnapped, bound, masked, slapped, stomped on and held under water over an eight-hour ‘tour’. But unlike other ‘extreme haunts’ of the same variety, here there’s no safe word to make it stop On a balmy California morning, three daredevils park in front of an elementary school and lean against their cars, trying to appear nonchalant as they wait to be kidnapped.

Happy Valley: episode-by-episodeTelevisionDanger seemed to lurk at every turn in this penultimate episode of the BBC drama. Catherine and her nemesis are now firmly locked on collision course Spoiler alert: this recap is published after Happy Valley airs on BBC One in the UK. Do not read on if you haven’t watched episode five. A nerve-rattling hour left events in Calder Valley painfully poised for the finale. Here’s your forensic report on the tense penultimate episode …

THIS SCEPTRED ISLEHow tall does a cliff have to be to be classified as a cliff? Paul Barrow, St Albans UK Height is not the criteria for a cliff to be reckoned as a cliff as such. Any steep rock face especially at the edge of the sea can be designated as cliff. It appears that the question has been misconceived by basing the height as the principle or standard for judging cliff.

CrimeShe was convicted of sexually assaulting a female friend while disguised as a man. How? Simon Hattenstone hears a tale of loneliness and betrayal in the digital age Judge David Stockdale QC is a serious man with a hangdog expression and a lugubrious manner. He speaks in a basso profundo and looks as if he may never have smiled in his life. But he is measured and scrupulously fair: the perfect lawyer to preside over last month’s retrial of 27-year-old Gayle Newland in Manchester.

The ObserverGermaine GreerFor nearly 50 years feminist icon and firebrand Germaine Greer has been inspiring and infuriating in equal measure – and her latest book, On Rape, has sparked fresh outrage. We asked three generations of women to read and respond to itYvonne Roberts, writer and journalistView image in fullscreenYvonne Roberts Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose/The ObserverThe iconic cover of the The Female Eunuch, an international bestseller first published in 1970 and still in print, shows the stylised trunk of a naked woman, a handle on each hip, fresh off the conveyor belt.

Blogging This article is more than 12 years oldSecond lesbian blogger exposed as a manThis article is more than 12 years oldPaula Brooks, who claimed to be editor of LezGetReal.com, admitted to the Washington Post that 'she', too, was a manA second supposedly leading lesbian blogger was exposed as a man masquerading as a gay woman, a day after the Gay Girl in Damascus blog was revealed to be the fictional creation of a married male student from Edinburgh.

Irresistible charm … The Band. Photograph: Ronald GrantIrresistible charm … The Band. Photograph: Ronald Grant10 of the bestMusicFrom metaphysical meditations to blue-collar laments, here are 10 standout tracks from the roguish rockers 1. The WeightGram Parsons might have coined the phrase “cosmic American music”, but has any piece of music ever sounded so cosmic, or indeed so American, as the Band’s signature track? By the time Levon Helm’s road-weary traveller has pulled into Nazareth – not in biblical Galilee, but eastern Pennsylvania, where CF Martin founded the oldest guitar company in the US in 1833 – he’s already “feeling ’bout half-past dead”, with light years on the clock, and no end to his journey in sight.

The ObserverParents and parentingAfter the birth of her second child, Amelia Hill gave up drinking. Little did she realise that her simple lifestyle choice would carry such a social stigma I’ve got a dirty little secret: I’ve stopped drinking. I’m not an alcoholic. I don’t have an addictive personality. I’m in robust good health. I enjoy drinking. But after the birth of my second child three years ago, I became a sober mother.

Boston This article is more than 10 years old'Whitey' Bulger prosecution witness died after drinking cyanide-laced coffeeThis article is more than 10 years oldStephen Rakes, who was found dead in a Boston suburb, had hoped to testify at trial but authorities say death is unrelatedA man who said he had been extorted by James "Whitey" Bulger and hoped to testify at his trial was given iced coffee laced with cyanide that killed him, authorities said Friday, and a Massachusetts man was charged with attempted murder in his death.

Illustration showing stalls in Via Pescherie Vecchie Illustration: Hennie HaworthIllustration showing stalls in Via Pescherie Vecchie Illustration: Hennie HaworthA local's guideBologna holidaysLonely Planet writer Kevin Raub offers a tour of the Italian city, taking in parks, museums dedicated to local heroes and artisinal bakeries Kevin Raub is an American travel journalist based in Bologna. He is co-author of more than 100 Lonely Planet guidebooks. FoodBologna is the capital of arguably Italy’s most important food region, Emilia-Romagna, a storied territory whose kitchens have given birth to a long list of specialities famous the world over.

RefugeesObituaryAlan Phillips obituaryHuman rights adviser who in the 1970s proposed that aid to Chile should be reallocated to support humanitarian programmesWhen General Augusto Pinochet seized power in Chile on 11 September 1973, Alan Phillips, who has died of cancer aged 76, immediately began to explore ways to support students and academics in the South American country who were being imprisoned, tortured and displaced by the regime. As the general secretary of World University Service UK (WUS), working with a network of academics in the UK and Chile, Alan presented the incoming Labour government in 1974 with a proposal: that part of the British government’s aid budget for Chile should be reallocated to a humanitarian and social development programme supporting academics from Chile in the UK.

Ben Roberts-Smith This article is more than 1 year oldBen Roberts-Smith’s ex-wife tells court she hopes he ‘survives this nightmare’This article is more than 1 year oldEmma Roberts told the court she believed the decorated soldier was withdrawing cash from joint bank accounts and burying it in the garden Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing The ex-wife of decorated war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith suspected he had been burying their money in the backyard when she uncovered a secret cache of USBs buried in a child’s lunchbox hidden under a rock, a court has heard.

Happy birthday Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855)! Photograph: Apic/ Getty ImagesHappy birthday Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855)! Photograph: Apic/ Getty ImagesChildren's booksChildren's booksCharlotte Brontë's greatest quotes everHappy 200th birthday Charlotte Brontë! Discover her greatest quotes This year marks the bicentenary of Charlotte Brontë’s birth in Thorton, Yorkshire in 1816. Best known for her much-loved novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte has inspired aspiring writers since it was first published in October 1847. Under the male pseudonym Currer Bell, Charlotte brought us wonderful stories from the heartbreaking and desolate Villette to the bold and courageous Shirley.

Al-Qaida This article is more than 1 year old‘I don’t regret it’: ex-CIA agent who inspired Zero Dark Thirty defends waterboardingThis article is more than 1 year oldIn interview with Reuters Alfreda Scheuer says waterboarding was not torture and insisted such techniques can work In the 2012 Hollywood hit Zero Dark Thirty, a red-haired Central Intelligence Agency analyst played by Jessica Chastain travels to a secret CIA prison and watches a colleague waterboard a screaming al-Qaida suspect, then lock him in a box a little bigger than a mini-fridge, to make him talk.

BooksObituaryLiana BurgessItalian-born translator, she was the second wife and team-mate of Anthony BurgessThe 1966 Who's Who entry of the writer Anthony Burgess listed, under hobbies, "wife". It aroused controversy, not quelled by his explanation that any marriage brings "a private language, a system of codes and signals which would be incomprehensible to outsiders". It was not even that simple. In 1968 the translator Liana Burgess, who has died aged 78, was to become his second wife.

Top 10sFictionNarrative tricks minted in the 19th century are still working in contemporary fiction by authors from Margaret Atwood to Sarah Waters In historical fiction, as in all things, fashions come and go. As we near the end of Hilary Mantel’s glorious Tudor revival, the ancient world is again getting a look in, with writers such as Madeline Miller and Pat Barker refashioning the Homeric epics to glittering effect. But these trends mask more durable patterns, at least from a crudely chronological point of view.

MoviesThirty years on, why was Brian De Palma’s star-studded adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s novel such a flop? In the opening minutes of the film adaptation of The Bonfire of the Vanities, Bruce Willis’s journalist Peter Fallow arrives in an inebriated state to the launch of his new book. Through a glorious, unbroken tracking shot, Fallow indulges in the excesses of celebrity while being fawned over by the New York socialite and intellectual scene.

From culture to politics, the cost of living crisis, lifestyle, the environment and science – the next 12 months will bring new stars, trends and challenges. Our experts point the way Published: 12:00 PM ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKSZm7KiusOsq7KklWTApr7InqpoamBngG55x6KeoaSZnLW1v4yapZ1lmKTBtLzOrao%3D

US newsObituaryAC ReedThe saxophonist, singer and songwriter AC Reed, who has died aged 77, made a special niche for himself as a bluesman feeling browned off. In his song I Am Fed Up With This Music, on the album Take These Blues And Shove 'Em!, he castigated himself for his poor career choice: "I want a job where I can get paid every week/ I'm playin' this music and I just can't hardly eat/ Money-hungry peoples and musicians stabbin' me in the back/ I was better off down south with a cotton sack.

IndiaAditya-L1: India’s solar mission reaches sun’s orbitAfter four-month journey, Aditya-L1 will measure and observe sun’s outermost layers India’s solar observation mission has entered the sun’s orbit after a four-month journey, the latest success for the space exploration ambitions of the world’s most populous country. The Aditya-L1 mission was launched in September and is carrying an array of instruments to measure and observe the sun’s outermost layers. India’s science and technology minister, Jitendra Singh, said on social media that the probe had reached its final orbit “to discover the mysteries of sun-Earth connection”.

Wellness or hellness?Health & wellbeingThe instructions – literally – make no sense whatsoever. And it made my foot dirtier, more fetid and more slimy than it has ever been I’m not even convinced the maker thinks anyone will buy this product, it is so bizarrely packaged. Printed right on the front of this box of foot patches is a long, unintentionally hilarious, description of the target market. “Middle and aged people.

The ObserverCycling This article is more than 2 years oldGeraint Thomas denied by freak crash at stage finish in Tour de RomandieThis article is more than 2 years oldBritish rider went down metres from finish line in ThyonMichael Woods takes win on queen stage in bad weatherA crash inside the final 50 metres cost Geraint Thomas the yellow jersey on a dramatic penultimate stage of the Tour de Romandie. Thomas was battling Michael Woods for victory as sleet fell at the summit finish in Thyon, but the Ineos Grenadiers rider slipped as he climbed out of the saddle for a final dig for the line.

Alfred HitchcockObituaryHenry JonesA movie stalwart memorable in Vertigo and countless character rolesWith his bug eyes, receding chin, and canine features, the face of supporting actor Henry Jones, who has died aged 86, was not easily forgotten even if his name was. His most famous roles were as Leroy, the screwy janitor in Maxwell Anderson's Bad Seed, on Broadway in 1954, and in the movie version two years later, and as the coroner in Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 masterpiece, Vertigo.

Julian SandsObituaryJulian Sands obituaryActor whose blond hair and fine-boned looks saw him cast equally as dandy, devil or – in A Room With a View – heart-throb A life in pictures Peter Bradshaw’s appreciation With his shrewd eyes and his forks of corn-yellow hair, Julian Sands was a natural choice to play the valiant, romantic George Emerson, who snatches a kiss from Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) in a Tuscan poppy field in A Room With a View (1985).

The ObserverFictionReviewMost things about DBC Pierre’s violently satirical debut novel, Vernon God Little, are remarkable and some are just inimitable, writes Jonathan Heawood Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre Faber £12.99, pp277 Most things about this violently satirical debut novel are remarkable and some are just inimitable. DBC Pierre's protagonist, 15-year-old misfit Vernon Gregory Little, narrates his story in phrases that whip off the page like gunshot - 'See what happens now I'm in trouble.

GamesA limited-edition ‘Pikachu With Grey Felt Hat’ trading card drew in a new, younger audience to the Amsterdam gallery but caused mayhem In early November, I was standing in a long line at the Van Gogh gift shop in Amsterdam waiting to purchase a Pokémon ballpoint pen. It was one of the few remaining items left in the store – this was the second month of the establishment’s Pokémon collaboration, but the clamour for the limited edition merchandise was ceaseless.

OpinionFood This article is more than 1 year oldAfter three weeks travelling in Europe, I’m calling it – British food is the bestThis article is more than 1 year oldAdrian ChilesIn Italy all you get is Italian and we win hands down on variety. That is, until you stop off at a motorway service station Last month in Croatia an old Serbian guy told me a joke about the British, the French, the Germans and the Swiss.

The ObserverAutobiography and memoirReviewThe bodybuilder turned actor and politician reinvents himself as a motivator with an improvement guide that actually works Arnold Schwarzenegger wants you to know that you’re a lazy piece of shit. But he’s going to tell you politely; with care and a few encouraging suggestions. He’s going to be good-natured and nonjudgmental about it. Or a bit judgmental about it. But only because he doesn’t want you to be a lazy piece of shit any more.

WomenInterviewDomestic violence: how the world's first women's refuge saved my lifeSandra LavilleIn 1973, Jenny Smith became one of the first abused women to find sanctuary at a refuge. Forty-one years later, she says women are suffering more than everJenny Smith will never forget the phone call that saved her life. It was her second attempt after finding herself incapable of speech the first time. Trying again a few days later, she managed a few gasped words: "

US universitiesExperts on Greek life offer students tips on what to wear and what to post, in a bid to ‘smooth out the rough edges’ I need more friends. Or, specifically, I need more photos on social media where I’m posing with my friends. That’s what Lorie Stefanelli, a sorority recruitment consultant who trains girls on how to get into the toughest houses in the country, would recommend if I were an incoming freshman.

New York This article is more than 7 years oldMark Carson murder: jury finds New York man guilty of anti-gay hate crimeThis article is more than 7 years oldElliot Morales was accused in the shooting death of Carson, a gay man killed on 17 May 2013 after a brief verbal dispute in New York’s West Village A New York jury found Elliot Morales, the man accused of a hate crime for the shooting death of Mark Carson, guilty of all charges on Tuesday.

TetrisOklahoma 13-year-old believed to be first person ever to beat TetrisPreviously only bots and AI had got game to its ‘kill screen’ but Willis Gibson managed to get game to freeze with score 999999 A 13-year-old in Oklahoma is believed to be the first person ever to beat Tetris since the game’s release more than three decades ago. Previously, only bots powered by artificial intelligence had forced the game, popularised by the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy consoles, to the end of its “kill screen”, where its signature blocks are falling so fast that the game itself can’t continue.

The best vinyl album covers of 2023 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The annual Art Vinyl prize for the best designed vinyl album cover has announced its shortlist, celebrating the creatives behind the most memorable covers this year. The winner will be announced in January 2024, and all will be exhibited at Quarterhouse in Folkestone. Here’s a selection of the best

You should’ve asked. Illustration: EmmaYou should’ve asked. Illustration: EmmaGenderThe French comic artist Emma illustrates the concept of the ‘mental load’. When a man expects his partner to ask him to do things, he is viewing her as the manager of their household chores Maternity leave is like a vacation, right? A feminist comic 2345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaK%2Bfp7mle5FpaHBnnZbGcH6VaJ6eppSav27DwKuqZqCfqsCmtM6lm2abmKS%2Fpr%2BMnKamoZM%3D

Football DailySoccerSign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! BABY, WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUTPetty. Immature. Hilarious. Call it what you like, Alianza Lima produced a glorious segment for our Fun and Games in South America department after losing out to Universitario for the Peruvian league title on Wednesday night. Following a 1-1 draw away in the first leg against their city rivals, Alianza were confident of clinching glory in the return game as the clásico title playoff concluded.

Television & radioObituaryAnthony Bate obituaryActor best known for British television espionage dramasThe actor Anthony Bate, who has died aged 84, had many starring roles on British television but will be best remembered for three espionage dramas. He was firmly at the centre of the action as the double agent Kim Philby in Philby, Burgess and Maclean (1977). The writer Ian Curteis's feature-length account of the Cambridge spy-ring saga also featured Derek Jacobi (Burgess) and Michael Culver (Maclean) as the traitors passing American atomic secrets to the KGB.

ChildrenChildren trafficked into Britain for sacrifice ritualsAn unknown number of children are being trafficked from Africa and then used in ritualistic abuse and sacrifice offerings in the UK, according to a leaked report from the Metropolitan police. The confidential report, leaked to the BBC, means police have discovered what has been known for years, African community activists say. Many trafficked children suffer abuse at the hands of their relatives and guardians, such as the 10-year-old girl known only as Child B, whose aunt and two other adults were convicted this month for torturing her after the girl was branded a witch by church leaders.

David Hockney’s 1972 painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) was sold at Christie’s for $90.3m. Photograph: David Hockney/APDavid Hockney’s 1972 painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) was sold at Christie’s for $90.3m. Photograph: David Hockney/APOpinionDavid Hockney This article is more than 5 years oldDavid Hockney’s $90.3m painting reminds us what great art looks likeThis article is more than 5 years oldJonathan JonesThe record-breaking Portrait of an Artist, painted in 1972, speaks from the heart.

Observer New Review Q&AThalidomideInterviewMikey Argy: ‘I don’t blame the parents who rejected babies with thalidomide’Interview by Kate KellawayThe thalidomide activist on family, frustration and a powerful new documentary, Attacking the DevilWhat is the main message of new documentary Attacking the Devil, about Harold Evans’s Sunday Times campaign to win compensation for thalidomide families? It is that one person can make a difference – I get goosebumps thinking about it. When you meet Harold Evans, you can’t believe he’s 87.

MusicReview(Pias)Instrumental post-rock has become a tedious cul-de-sac populated by listless bands who think that noodling guitar lines, a scrape of cello and a handful of sombre chords convey crushing import. Mogwai's painfully marvellous 2001 LP, Rock Action, proved that the lairy Scots were head and shoulders above their peers, co-opting deceptively sweet melodies, corralling guest vocalists and confining the whole thing to a perfectly judged 39 minutes. If anything, Happy Songs For Happy People is even sweeter, a trove of tunefulness that sometimes lulls and sometimes overwhelms.

The ObserverHistory booksReviewThis history of (American) psychiatry by a high-ranking insider is ultimately too partial and limited in scope Journeying through the history of psychiatry with Jeffrey A Lieberman is not unlike being led by Voltaire’s indomitable optimist, Professor Pangloss, through the seven years’ war and the Lisbon earthquake. Psychiatry’s past may have been blinded by mesmerists and fast-talking snake-oil sellers. There may have been brutal incarceration of the “mad”, terror, torture by insulin coma, surgery and electricity, and too many Freudian years of rooting around in buried familial sites.

The model Shari Siadat proudly shows off her natural brows. Photograph: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan/Getty ImagesThe model Shari Siadat proudly shows off her natural brows. Photograph: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan/Getty ImagesBeautyWomen are reclaiming their natural facial hair – and dismantling Eurocentric beauty standards at the same time With more than 90,000 posts to its name, the #unibrow movement on Instagram focuses on the women who choose to sport their natural brows. These women are dismantling societal norms of femininity – an act of defiance in an industry built around Eurocentric beauty standards.

High time: a grownup's guide to the cannabis revolutionCannabisWhile sharing edibles around the yule log isn’t as popular as Christmas cookies, there are plenty of ways to spark up the holidays Cannabis devotees don’t usually need a reason to light up. But if they want one, the holiday season is as good as any. As one recent email from a pot delivery service said, “Holidays SUCK. We can help.” 'You're not going to die': how to survive an edible marijuana overdoseRead moreLegalization has made cannabis a more visible presence at festive gatherings across the board – from marijuana weddings to pot-infused fine dining.

Insects This article is more than 4 years old'Body eruption': the aphids that sacrifice themselves for colonyThis article is more than 4 years oldScientists study species that releases huge quantities of bodily fluids to plug nest holes While humans might change their locks to deal with intruders, a species of aphid opts for a communal sacrifice, releasing huge quantities of a sticky bodily fluid to plug holes in their nests.

Andros island’s picturesque main town is on a narrow peninsula on the east coast. Photograph: Free artist/AlamyGreece is the word on everyone’s lips and, fingers crossed, its sun-kissed beaches will welcome us back soon. All these places offer a taste of true Greek culture by Mary ValiakasWith the end of lockdown in sight, holiday bookings to Greece are surging, as people plan what will be some of the most-anticipated holidays ever.

You are on a long motorway journey and your partner, who is driving, disagrees about the best route. Do you:     Agree that women can't read maps and go back to sleep   Order them to shut up and pull over, then take the wheel and proceed to your destination in record time to prove you were right   Gently remind them what happened last time they didn't listen to your directions: you got lost near Bognor and arrived four hours late to your brother's wedding   You see an absolute dish of a man in your favourite wine bar.

Global developmentAttacks on commercial vessels have dropped thanks to more security around the country’s coast – but small fishing communities are facing brutal assault Under a moonlit sky in November, Etim Asuquo and his family sat outside their home in Issiet Ekim, southern Nigeria, enjoying the breeze from the river. The sound of gunshots broke the calm. Pirates were attacking Asuquo’s village. “I still cannot believe how it happened. It was like a dream,” says the 57-year-old.

TheatreObituaryPamela Lane obituaryStalwart of British theatre and first wife of John OsbornePamela Lane, the first wife of the playwright John Osborne, who has died at the age of 80, outlived all of his subsequent four wives. Her impetuous, runaway marriage to Osborne in June 1951 – when they were both 21 – became the model for the murderous marriage of Jimmy Porter and Alison in Look Back in Anger. (Osborne wrote it on her portable typewriter.

Wisconsin This article is more than 6 months oldTeen dies in sawmill accident as US states aim to roll back child labor lawsThis article is more than 6 months oldInvestigation underway after police were called to find unresponsive teenager last week at Florence Hardwoods sawmill A 16-year-old boy has died following an industrial accident at a sawmill in Wisconsin. Police received an early-morning call last Thursday regarding an unresponsive teenager at Florence Hardwoods, a sawmill in northern Wisconsin, according to the Florence county sheriff’s office.

Children's booksChildren's booksThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time by Mark Haddon - review‘It is one of those stories, like To Kill a Mockingbird, that I feel everyone should know about’ The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time is an incredible rollercoaster of a tale, written in the voice of a fifteen-year-old boy with Asperger’s Syndrome called, Christopher Boone After discovering his neighbour’s dog has been murdered, he sets off to find out who the murderer could be.

HostelsTake advantage of low hostel prices without having to share with snoring strangers by picking a family room in one of these popular UK locations Top 10 UK cabins and farmstays for families The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link.

The ObserverShere HiteWomen’s sex lives were a mystery to men. Then along came Shere HiteYvonne RobertsA new documentary celebrates the life of the feminist pioneer who shocked the world – and about time too In a society in which nine-year-olds watch pornography and song lyrics are more explicit than The Kama Sutra, the revolution that Shere Hite helped to bring about in the 1970s, employing the words vagina, clitoris and masturbation, on primetime television for a start, is easily forgotten – which is exactly what has happened.

Three thingsAustralian lifestyle‘365 days without soft drink’: TikTok star Rohit Roy on the items that helped himIt’s been just over a year since Roy captured Australia’s imagination with his quest to quit soft drink – here he shares the objects that helped along the way Rohit Roy is not the typical TikTok star. He doesn’t dance, or sing, or make memes about why millennials need to stop wearing skinny jeans. The 42-year-old financial planning assistant from Melbourne has found online fame for one thing: quitting soft drinks.

Rod Stewart This article is more than 1 month oldAtlantic crossing: Rod Stewart to sell up LA mansion and move back to UKThis article is more than 1 month oldSinger lists nine-bedroom, 12-bathroom, 28,000 sq ft property for $80m. It comes with a full-size football pitch, but not his legendary train set Rod Stewart has put his Los Angeles mansion on the market for $80m, as he prepares to spend more time living at his UK residence.

Crime fictionIn response to a list of the 100 best crime novels that had only 28 female authors, Ann Cleeves, Val McDermid and Dreda Say Mitchell and other leading writers nominate some alternatives When the Sunday Times picked its 100 favourite crime and spy novels published since 1945 last weekend, only 28 were by women. “Seeing the chronic conscious and unconscious bias against work by women is enraging,” wrote Marian Keyes on Twitter.

Tasting notesFoodHow a child's food preferences begin in the wombTests have shown that what a woman eats during her pregnancy is easily detectable in her amniotic fluid, and the foetus develops a taste for familiar flavoursIt may be a survival mechanism that's come back to bite us on the bum, but human beings are born to love sweets. We love them even when we're in the womb. Some 15 to 16 weeks after conception, foetuses will show their sugar appreciation by swallowing more amniotic fluid when it's sweet, and less when bitter (pdf).

TheatreObituaryMick Lally obituaryCo-founder of the Druid theatre in Galway, he achieved soap fame as Miley ByrneThe Irish actor Mick Lally, who has died aged 64, succeeded in straddling the worlds of stage, television and film. In particular, he was a vital presence in the renaissance of Irish drama in the 1970s and 80s, while making himself a household name in Radio Telefís Éireann's soap operas Bracken and Glenroe. The eldest of seven children on a 30-acre hill farm in Tourmakeady, County Mayo, in the Gaelic-speaking west of Ireland, Lally, through the generosity of a grandfather, attended St Mary's College in Galway and University College Galway, where he read Irish and history.

The ObserverCrime fictionReviewIf only this taut Australian thriller wasn't quite so grim, writes Edmund GordonTruth might seem, at first, a more promising title for a treatise on epistemology than a hardboiled detective story, so grand is the project that it appears to map out. Yet by the end of Peter Temple's new novel the title feels almost elegiac. The book's major theme is corruption, personal and political. Temple puts old-fashioned abstract values into conflict with a bleak vision of modern reality, and the result is consistently arresting.

Plastics This article is more than 5 years oldWHO launches health review after microplastics found in 90% of bottled waterThis article is more than 5 years oldResearchers find levels of plastic fibres in popular bottled water brands could be twice as high as those found in tap water The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a review into the potential risks of plastic in drinking water after a new analysis of some of the world’s most popular bottled water brands found that more than 90% contained tiny pieces of plastic.

SloveniaDivers free five people trapped in flooded cave in Slovenia after heavy rainThree adults and two guides freed after hours-long rescue mission by six divers after being trapped in Krizna cave for two days Five people who had been trapped in a cave in Slovenia for more than two days because of high water levels have been rescued, according to local media. The rescue operation became possible after water levels inside the cave receded, Walter Zakrajsek, the head of the Cave Rescue Service, told the STA news agency.

BasketballEuroLeague playoff game suspended after wild on-court brawl in MadridMadrid-Partizan basketball game suspended after meleeFormer NBA player Dante Exum suffers apparent leg injuryA EuroLeague basketball game between Real Madrid and Partizan Belgrade was suspended with less than two minutes left after a brawl between players from both teams. Madrid were losing 95-80 at home – and about to go down two games to none in their playoff series – when a hard foul by Madrid guard Sergio Llull on American forward Kevin Punter upset Partizan players and led to the benches being cleared.

PetsHave you considered having your dead dog stuffed? Or perhaps turning it into a rug? Or a drone? With no established way to mourn the loss of a loved animal, pet owners have turned to any number of curious methods This year, a woman from Dundee posted an unusual ad for her dog, Snoopy, on Facebook’s Marketplace. The unusual thing about it was that the dog was dead. “Had our dog turned into a rug when he died,” the ad read.

BooksInterview‘I was not being loved. I was just a body’: Mena Suvari on surviving sexual abuse, acting and American BeautyEmine SanerThe model and actor’s shocking memoir tells how shame and denial prevented her from telling anyone she was raped when she was 12, which led to another abusive relationship – with an older man – and years of drug addiction When Mena Suvari’s memoir came out last year, her son was only a few months old and she was dealing with postnatal depression, all while promoting her book, The Great Peace, and talking about the traumas within: rape; predatory older men; drug addiction; and a terrifying and abusive relationship.

The ObserverFiction in translationReviewA 12-year-old girl is obliged to care for her younger siblings in a powerful novel about rural destitution on the edge of Europe Liliana Corobca’s Kinderland is the story of three children in contemporary Moldova whose parents have gone abroad to work. The novel opens with the middle child, Dan, crying because there’s a tick on his stomach. His sister, Cristina, who narrates the book, doesn’t know how to remove it and so she goes out into the street, asking for help.

Russia-Ukraine war at a glanceUkraine This article is more than 2 months oldExplainerThis article is more than 2 months oldZelenskiy announces criminal inquiry after Ukrainian soldiers die in missile strike, reportedly during medal ceremony; Ukraine hits Russian warship See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverage The Ukrainian army has confirmed soldiers from its 128th Mountain Assault Brigade were killed in a Russian missile strike during what media described as a medal awarding ceremony.

Australian book reviewsAustralian booksReviewOften unsettling and sensitive novel follows a thread of emotional repression through three generations of women Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Every family has strengths and every family also has weaknesses. What is spoken, enacted and demonstrated can be just as powerful as what is left unsaid, to be figured out or reconciled later. Within the family the parent often has a profound responsibility – to provide comfort and care, to teach us a good way to be in the world – but should we expect them to teach us everything?

Fennessey challenged herself and her team to build a social media platform that could be a force for good.The next phase of social media is set to be different. Social media platforms are deeply embedded in our day-to-day lives. And they serve a multitude of purposes, providing connection with loved ones, platforms for collective action, access to lifesaving and life-changing information, and so much more. But it’s generally accepted that our highly filtered, finely curated feeds are also masking a much darker reality: we’re becoming more isolated, more judgmental and less hopeful.

Kate MosseReviewThis lyrical fable of skinning, disembowelling and stuffing is a pleasurable jeu d'espritVisiting Salisbury Museum, I found myself eyeballing the last great bustard in Victorian England, shot down by a bird-scarer with a marble in 1871. The bustard's succulent innards had been consumed at a grand dinner hosted by the museum director, then it was stuffed and put in a glass case, where it's been ever since. Reading Kate Mosse's darkly lucid fable of skinning and disembowelling and stuffing, the bustard's arrested flight returned to haunt me.

Bosnia and Herzegovina This article is more than 11 years oldAngelina Jolie receives threats over In the Land of Blood and HoneyThis article is more than 11 years oldJolie and several Serb members of the cast have received online threats after the film premiered before 5,000 people in SarajevoListen to the audio - Angelina Jolie speaks to Julian Borger about In the Land of Blood and Honey Angelina Jolie's directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey, was intended to remind the world of the horrors of the Bosnian war which began 20 years ago, and trigger a debate among Bosnians over what happened and why.

China This article is more than 13 years oldChinese swingers face up to five years in jailThis article is more than 13 years oldUniversity professor accused of running wife-swapping chatroom with more than 190 membersTwenty-two swingers went on trial in China today, charged with "group licentiousness" in a case that has highlighted the transformation in the country's sexual attitudes. The defendants – who include a university professor, company bosses and shop assistants – face up to five years' imprisonment if convicted.

BeautyFluffy, HD or microbladed, eyebrow grooming is a boom business thanks to icons such as Cara Delevingne The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Jared Bailey is the “global brow expert” for Benefit Cosmetics. He travels to about 40 countries every year, talking brows with women.

Jim Parker’s musical career began with the Barrow Poets, a performance collective he had joined in 1963. Photograph: Mark BourdillonJim Parker’s musical career began with the Barrow Poets, a performance collective he had joined in 1963. Photograph: Mark BourdillonMusicObituaryJim Parker obituaryProlific Bafta-winning composer of music for Midsomer Murders, the BBC’s House of Cards and Victoria Wood’s TV dramas“I committed a lapse of taste last month and I will not be surprised if I am dismissed from my honourable office,” wrote Sir John Betjeman in 1974.

Omaha firefighters look for one of two men swept into manhole during a rainstorm. Photograph: Chris Machian/APOmaha firefighters look for one of two men swept into manhole during a rainstorm. Photograph: Chris Machian/APNebraska This article is more than 6 months oldNebraska firefighters rescue two men swept a mile into a sewerThis article is more than 6 months oldThe workers were employed by a private contractor and were swept into a manhole after heavy rain in downtown Omaha

Pakistan cricket team This article is more than 1 month oldPakistan spinner Noman Ali rushed to hospital and ruled out of Test series in AustraliaThis article is more than 1 month oldVeteran ‘stable and doing fine’ after surgery for appendicitisInjury and illness have struck Pakistan ahead of Boxing Day TestPakistan have been hit by a second series-ending withdrawal in as many days, with spinner Noman Ali suffering from appendicitis. Ali, who didn’t play in the first Test, will miss the rest of Pakistan’s series in Australia after undergoing surgery in Melbourne on Saturday.

ArtA new monument has been crafted in Virginia to commemorate the historically black neighbourhood destroyed in 1941 for the construction of the Pentagon William Vollin remembers the games he played as a boy. “Hide and go seek and marbles and ball games and that kind of thing,” he says in a video call. “I never thought I was poor personally because I had a grandmother who worked 30 years or so as a maid and always kept food on the table.

Crime - Australia This article is more than 6 years oldTara Brown murder: Lionel Patea pleads guilty to killing former partnerThis article is more than 6 years oldTwenty-four-year-old killed after Patea ran her car off a Gold Coast road then bludgeoned her to death with a fire hydrant cover Lionel Patea has been jailed for life after admitting the murder of his former partner Tara Brown as the victim’s mother denounced him as a “monster” in a packed courtroom in Brisbane.

ArchaeologyValley of lost cities that flourished 2,000 years ago found in AmazonLaser-sensor technology reveals network of earthen mounds and buried roads in rainforest area of Ecuador Archaeologists have uncovered a cluster of lost cities in the Amazon rainforest that was home to at least 10,000 farmers about 2,000 years ago. A series of earthen mounds and buried roads in Ecuador was first noticed more than two decades ago by archaeologist Stéphen Rostain.

Architecture and design blogDesignBrad Pitt turns master furniture designer – with discomfiting resultsFrom squirming table legs to a swooping bed frame, the Hollywood superstar's foray into high-end furniture design has spiralled into something altogether ungainlyBrad Pitt is no stranger to the world of architecture. He has collaborated with Frank Gehry to build homes in New Orleans, dropped by the offices of Rem Koolhaas in Rotterdam, and has said he is "

Elias Visontay gets set to fight the ‘maddening’ fog. Australian lifestyleAnti-fog solutions have become widely available in the wake of mandatory face mask rules. Elias Visontay puts three popular products to the test When the request went out for a “bespectacled guinea pig” to test if anti-fog treatments actually work when you wear a face mask, I was desperate. As someone with such a strong genetic predisposition for eyesight issues that I practically came out of the womb wearing glasses, lens fogging has long been a frustration.

Mikel Arteta This article is more than 2 months oldMikel Arteta charged by FA over VAR rant after Arsenal’s loss to NewcastleThis article is more than 2 months oldManager called VAR decisions ‘an absolute disgrace’He has until next Tuesday to respond to the chargeMikel Arteta has been charged by the Football Association over comments he made after Arsenal’s defeat by Newcastle earlier this month. The Arsenal manager branded VAR’s failure to rule out Anthony Gordon’s goal in his side’s 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park “an absolute disgrace”.

A scene from That Dragon, Cancer. Photograph: That Dragon, CancerA scene from That Dragon, Cancer. Photograph: That Dragon, CancerCultureWhen Joel Green was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, his parents took an unusual step. They turned their family’s tragedy into an interactive computer adventureThe scene goes like this. Ryan and Amy Green are sitting in a hospital waiting room. Their toddler, Joel, slouches beside them, playing with a toy that makes farmyard noises.

UkraineWhen Russian soldiers started going from house to house shooting people, Igor Pedin set off with his dog Zhu-Zhu to Zaporizhzhia Russia-Ukraine war: latest updates The aim was to be the invisible man, says Igor Pedin, 61. It was to drift, as if a ghost, with his small trolley bag of supplies and dog Zhu-Zhu, a nine-year-old mongrel terrier, through the hellscape of the besieged port city of Mariupol, out into the badlands of Russian-occupied territories and on to the relative safety of the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia – a mere 225km walk away.

The top 20 artificial intelligence films - in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Since Fritz Lang gave us ‘false Maria’ in 1927’s landmark sci-fi film Metropolis, robots have terrified and fascinated moviegoers in equal measure. With the release of Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, Michael Hogan picks his top 20 films (in no particular order); including Star Wars, The Terminator, Star Trek and Blade Runner; that star A.

BooksOctavia’s Bookshelf promotes Black writers, culture and business in Pasadena, where the famed novelist lived and worked Books are strewn everywhere and are awaiting their turn to be shuffled into their assigned nooks in tall black shelves. It’s just seven days until the grand opening of Nikki High’s southern California bookstore and despite the frenzy, the independent bookseller is outwardly calm and collected in the chaos, managing self-care and getting a full nine hours of sleep a night.

MusicInterview'The god of hellfire returns!' Can Arthur Brown incinerate Covid?Dave SimpsonKnown for his face paint, flaming helmet and 1968 hit Fire, the 78-year-old is back with a molten-hot manifesto for music in the pandemic era ‘I am the God of Hellfire!” proclaimed Arthur Brown at the start of Fire, the 1968 UK No 1 by the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, an international smash in the psychedelic era. Such commercial heights weren’t scaled again, but the singer’s flaming helmet, pre-Kiss face paint and mix of pop, opera, progressive rock and proto-heavy metal have become influential.

A poster ordering women to wear the hijab at a private university in Afghanistan. The Taliban then barred women from universities in 2022. Photograph: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/GettyA poster ordering women to wear the hijab at a private university in Afghanistan. The Taliban then barred women from universities in 2022. Photograph: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/GettyRights and freedomGlobal developmentAfghan girls detained and lashed by Taliban for violating hijab rulesGirls as young as 16 arrested in shops, classes and markets in Kabul by the Taliban, who labelled them ‘infidels’ for wearing ‘bad hijab’

Ryan Gosling Photograph: Broadimage/REXRyan Gosling Photograph: Broadimage/REXFashion blogFashionFrom Louis Vuitton to Gucci and Ralph Lauren, manbags are definitely a thing. Here are five styles for autumn/winter and how to wear them The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Matthew McConaughey with his bumbag Photograph: Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty ImagesLast month, Matthew McConaughey offered a strident defence of the oft-derided bumbag and even some advice on how to wear one with aplomb.

Italy This article is more than 3 years oldItaly blocks TikTok for certain users after death of girl allegedly playing 'choking' gameThis article is more than 3 years oldProbe launched after girl’s sister reportedly told parents she had been ‘playing the blackout game’ before her death Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into the accidental death of a 10-year-old girl who allegedly took part in a “blackout challenge” on the video-sharing network TikTok.

Classical musicObituaryJennifer Bate obituaryVirtuoso organist who was a leading exponent of the music of Olivier Messiaen The organist Jennifer Bate, who has died aged 75 from cancer, was a leading exponent of the music of Olivier Messiaen. They met in 1975, when the composer and his wife, Yvonne Loriod, went to hear her play his music at St James’s, Muswell Hill, north London. Afterwards he asked her if she had heard his own recordings.

Muhammad Ali – 25 of the best photographs of the legendary boxer Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Our picture editor has selected his favourite photographs of Muhammad Ali from the archives. The selection includes pictures of some of the most memorable fights as well as distinctive portraits from his life outside the ring What was it like to photograph Muhammad Ali?

T20 World CupNew York confirmed as T20 World Cup venue for rivals India and PakistanRecord 20 teams will be involved in month-long tournamentRoot and Sciver-Brunt shortlisted for ICC player awardsIndia and Pakistan are in the same group for this year’s men’s Twenty20 World Cup and will meet in a marquee match in New York, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Friday. The match will take place on 9 June as first revealed by the Guardian.

Observer comment cartoon Inflation Rishi Sunak attempts to slay the inflation Jabberwock – cartoon Beware the jaws that bite, prime minister! • You can order your own copy of this cartoon Illustration by Chris Riddell. Chris Riddell Sat 24 Jun 2023 13.00 EDT Last modified on Sun 25 Jun 2023 06.16 EDT Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Topics Inflation Observer comment cartoon Lewis Carroll Rishi Sunak Economics ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJuforqmutOiqp%2BqlZp8sbXCrayrnV9nfXN%2FjqOsp2diaXyztdKhoGarpaOurHnArauepaCpwG7AzmaqpZmpYsGpsYyipZ%2Bkkam2sLqMo5ibmpWnxLCvyrJknJmiqbywug%3D%3D

Book of the dayFictionReviewInspired by the fight to change the law and social mores in Victorian England, this excellent debut dramatises physical intensity and moral dilemmas Tom Crewe’s virtuoso debut The New Life is one of the most embodied historical novels I have read. The tone is set in the extraordinary opening scene. It’s London in 1894, and John is jostled against another man in a tube carriage, “close enough to smell the hairs on the back of the man’s neck”.

Book of the dayRobert HarrisReviewThis rich and riotous novel, following the search for two of the men who signed Charles I’s death warrant, is also an important book for our own historical moment There’s a passage in Vasily Grossman’s Life and Fate in which the author imagines the parallel lives of a man and his murderer. “If one man is fated to be killed by another,” he writes, “it would be interesting to trace the gradual convergence of their paths.

Pantry remixAustralian food and drinkThis staple of hot chips, pies and sausage sizzles also works brilliantly in everything from Japanese-style pasta to Malaysian fried rice In the first of her new fortnightly cooking column, Pantry Remix, chef Rosheen Kaul explores Australia’s favourite sauceThe term “pantry staple” is so boring. How are you expected to find inspiration from a dusty cupboard of jars, spices and unidentifiable flours? Really though, the pickles and condiments hiding away in dark recesses have so much untapped potential.

Mexico This article is more than 1 month oldClash between criminal gang and villagers leaves 14 dead in central MexicoThis article is more than 1 month oldVideo of fight shows villagers with sickles and rifles chasing down suspected gang members amid gunfire A clash between gunmen from a criminal gang and residents of a small farming community in central Mexico left 14 people dead and seven injured, local authorities said on Saturday.

Killecrankie House’s A Naughty Night, roaring fire optional. Photograph: Rob Lawson/The Guardian. Drink styling: James Huertas.Killecrankie House’s A Naughty Night, roaring fire optional. Photograph: Rob Lawson/The Guardian. Drink styling: James Huertas.The good mixerCocktailsA Scottish twist on the manhattan that’s an ideal after-dinner nip for the cold months ahead Winter evenings in Perthshire can get rather chilly, and this cocktail comes into its own as the days get ever shorter and the nights longer.

Well actuallyTech mogul Bryan Johnson swears by the rejuvenating power of shockwave therapy. A good sleep is a safer place to start In an interview on the Diary of a CEO podcast in November, the 46-year-old tech mogul Bryan Johnson shared an update on his genitals. The anti-ageing fanatic, who has spent over $4m since 2021 to attempt to reverse the “biological age” of his body and increase his longevity, said that he was two months into a course of experimental shockwave therapy on his penis, and that as a result, his penis felt “15 years younger”.

Homeland: episode by episodeHomelandHomeland recap: season three, episode eight – A Red WheelbarrowThere was a long wait for any action and yet again Carrie's reckless behaviour was frustrating. Still, look who's back!SPOILER ALERT: This blog is for people watching the third series of Homeland at UK broadcast pace. Don't read on if you haven't seen episode eight – and if you've seen later episodes, please do not leave spoilers. Catch up with previous episode blogposts

Pop and rockSince emerging two years ago, they’ve divided the critics with their strange sounds and highly manufactured image. We meet the collective blurring the lines between art and artifice Let’s just say, Jools wouldn’t get it. If the cast of producers, vocalists, creative directors and conceptual cyber droids who form PC Music were booked on Later…, he would have a nervous breakdown. “How did you meet?” he would ask. “When’s the record coming out?

Comedy This article is more than 2 years oldPhil Jerrod, ‘spectacularly talented’ comedian, dies aged 42This article is more than 2 years oldComics including Romesh Ranganathan pay tribute to ‘caring and terrific’ standup, whose death from cancer has been announced The comedian Phil Jerrod, known for his richly lyrical observations and tirades, delivered with surreal flights of fancy, has died from cancer aged 42. His agency, Off the Kerb, announced on Monday that Jerrod had died at home “with his devoted wife Beck by his side” and described him as “a dear friend to us, an incredibly kind and talented man”.

WeatherwatchEnvironmentMany headline writers and meteorologists are justifiably turning to Genesis to describe an unprecedented deluge “Biblical proportions” is an expression that headline writers use when trying to describe unprecedented rainfall or flooding. And “Biblical rain” was one tabloid’s response to a prediction that this month would be the wettest ever August. The near-disaster at Whaley Bridge was described in similar terms. Meteorologists do sometimes refer to rainfall of biblical proportions, but only in exceptional cases.

Ireland This article is more than 5 years oldAnger over spelling of Irish names on transport passesThis article is more than 5 years oldIrish transport authority blames ‘technical limitation’ for lack of fadas on Leap cards The fada – a slanting line over a vowel – is a way of indicating a particular pronunciation or meaning in Irish. Seán is the Irish version of John whereas sean means old. On Monday the fada had a new meaning: affronted.

Colombia This article is more than 5 years oldColombia: tens of thousands ordered to evacuate after floods at damThis article is more than 5 years old600 people already left homeless after heavy floods at hydroelectric dam project, with another wave of flooding feared Tens of thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in western Colombia after heavy floods at Colombia’s largest hydroelectric dam project, which had already displaced hundreds over the weekend.

Boy George This article is more than 15 years oldEscort tells of 'kidnapping' by Boy GeorgeThis article is more than 15 years old Man says he was attacked after erotic photo shoot 'Did he really have to hurt him?' asks prosecutionBoy George subjected a male escort to a violent assault that included chaining him to the wall and beating him after accusing him of tampering with his computer, a court heard yesterday.

Arnold Schwarzenegger This article is more than 7 months old‘Forget all the excuses’: Arnold Schwarzenegger expresses regret over groping claimsThis article is more than 7 months oldIn the forthcoming documentary Arnold, the actor says of the historical allegations that ‘it doesn’t really matter what time it is … it was wrong’ Arnold Schwarzenegger has revisited historical allegations of groping in a new documentary series about his life and career. In 2003, shortly before his re-election as governor of California, the Los Angeles Times published a report detailing claims of groping by six women across three decades.

Fashion This article is more than 2 years oldGiles Deacon creates ‘work from anywhere’ fashion collection This article is more than 2 years oldBritish designer’s WFA outfits aim to offer smart but relaxed look with flexible working on the rise With the government possibly announcing the end of working from home and hybrid working options being discussed, the British fashion designer Giles Deacon has created a capsule collection for those whose workspace is now undefined.

The front page of Black Market Reload. Photograph: Screenshot Photograph: ScreenshotThe front page of Black Market Reload. Photograph: Screenshot Photograph: ScreenshotTechnology This article is more than 10 years oldSilk Road replacement Black Market Reloaded briefly closedThis article is more than 10 years oldA code leak spooked the administrator of the site, a marketplace for illicit products, into briefly shutting it downBlack Market Reloaded, a darknet marketplace in the vein of the now-shuttered Silk Road, briefly closed itself overnight following a code leak.

A look back at Berra’s career. GuardianNew York Yankees This article is more than 8 years oldThe quotable Yogi Berra: the 20 most memorable Yogi-ismsThis article is more than 8 years oldLooking back at the wit and wisdom of the departed Yankees legend, who was known equally for his pithy quotes and malapropisms as his formidable bat Yogi Berra, 1925-2015 : a life in pictures The beloved Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra died on Tuesday at 90.

Global development This article is more than 1 year oldUN envoy calls for release of jailed journalist on hunger strike in SenegalThis article is more than 1 year oldConcerns raised over health of Pape Alé Niang, detained since 20 December on charges of revealing confidential government information Pressure is mounting on authorities in Senegal to release a journalist and human rights defender on hunger strike in detention, after reports of his deteriorating health.

Border citiesCitiesUnshackled from Bosnia’s bloody history, seemingly thriving as a beacon of multi-ethnicity, is Brčko a model for urban success? Brčko looks like any small Bosnian city. Smoke-filled cafes line the pedestrianised main street, serving bitter coffee against the blaring backdrop of another regional speciality: high-octane turbo-folk music. But behind Brčko’s quotidian façade lies a novel political experiment. In the impressive Hapsburg-era city hall sits a municipal assembly with powers that more closely resemble a sovereign state.

Top 10 city guidesMumbai holidays10 of the best books set in MumbaiMumbai's extraordinary colour, energy and humanity are captured in some of the most celebrated writing of the past three decades. Malcolm Burgess, publisher of the City-Pick series, selects his favourite stories and essays set in the city As featured in the Mumbai city guide Browse our Mumbai interactive for top tips If you have a favourite novel, essay or other piece of writing on Mumbai, please share it by leaving a comment

IsraelObituaryAbba EbanIsraeli foreign minister who put his country on the map but was later confined to the wildernessThe Israeli statesman Abba Eban, who has died aged 87, used words, with fluency and accuracy, as his most potent weapons. It was Eban who, in 1978, said of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's Yasser Arafat that he "never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity". Eban first came to global attention three decades earlier, when he rose to address the General Assembly of the United Nations on May 5 1949.

29 Mar 202322.11 BSTThank you so much for joining me for this thrilling end to Arsenal’s quarter-final against Bayern Munich! Ahead of kick-off Arsenal had a slight hill to climb and they took the challenge head on. They were 2-0 up before half-time and managed to maintain the lead in a clinical defensive second 45. The Gunners are through to their first Women’s Champions League semi-final in 10 years! To re-live all the action have a read of Suzy Wrack’s report from the Emirates:

Heritage in Dulwich, London SE21: ‘Dances a fine line between high-end, crowdpleasing classics and more unexpected delights.’ Photograph: Karen Robinson/The GuardianHeritage in Dulwich, London SE21: ‘Dances a fine line between high-end, crowdpleasing classics and more unexpected delights.’ Photograph: Karen Robinson/The GuardianGrace Dent on restaurantsFoodReview‘I keep a picture of the king prawns on my phone and sometimes look at them during sadder life moments in life’ Heritage in Dulwich is my favourite sort of review – a restaurant I didn’t plan to write about, but somehow it ambushed me.

Inside trackHorse racingHorse racing provides the perfect cover for money laundering and more needs to be done to crack down on it, ex-AFP officer says Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast The Australian horse racing industry provides fertile ground for money laundering, with the limited regulatory remit of racing authorities potentially making it more difficult for the practice to be effectively policed, an expert on organised crime has warned.

Pop and rockInterviewKarol G: 'Why should I limit how I express myself because I'm a woman?'Carolina Abbott GalvãoThe vastly popular Colombian singer is challenging outdated views of women in Latin pop – but her naive racial politics have sparked controversy I catch Colombian singer Karol G in a rare moment of calm, while she is in a car on her way to a hotel. She has just landed in New York to film a music video, but home is Miami, she clarifies, the engine humming in the background.

Republicans This article is more than 2 months oldOutrage grows after ‘chilling call for genocide’ by Florida Republican This article is more than 2 months oldCalls to censure Michelle Salzman, who said, ‘All of them’ when Democrat asked: ‘How many [dead Palestinians] will be enough?’ Outrage continues to grow over a public comment made by a Florida state Republican lawmaker calling for all Palestinians to die. The remarks came during a debate in the state legislature about calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s invasion of Gaza, which has so far killed more than 10,000 Palestinians, many of whom are children.

Peter Saville on his album cover artwork Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Next month sees the release of Total, the first compilation to combine the back catalogues of Joy Division and New Order – who shared band members, a record label and a sleeve designer. Peter Saville was a co-founder of Factory Records and credits the label's unique culture for providing him with a creative freedom on a par with its bands.

Depths hidden … Donna Tartt. Photograph: Beowulf SheehanDepths hidden … Donna Tartt. Photograph: Beowulf SheehanDonna TarttHer novels do not fail the Bechdel test, and her women are not without nuance. But they are obscured by unreliable male narrators Only two women get any real page space in Donna Tartt’s debut The Secret History: Camilla Macaulay, the ethereal yet steely sole female member of the novel’s core friendship circle; and Judy Poovey, the vulgar and brash Californian with a crush on the novel’s narrator, Richard Papen.

Chrysler building, the art deco masterpiece – in archival photos Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email A look at the famous building currently on sale New York City’s second most famous skyscraper Main image: View of Manhattan, 1957. Photograph: Bettmann/Getty Images Thu 10 Jan 2019 10.52 EST Last modified on Thu 10 Jan 2019 11.

Week in geekMoviesDisney CEO Bob Iger says it must ‘get better at curating’ its sprawling output, which could signal thinner pickings for the geek community Geeky couch potatoes are spoilt for choice these days. In the 1980s, we were lucky if Star Wars came on the telly once a year, while superhero movies arrived in multiplexes at a pace of about three a decade. These days, the average fan boy or girl is like Jabba the Hutt, slavering with gruesome delight as we devour content from streaming sites, cinema screens and social media.

OpinionGrace Dent's Weekend column This article is more than 4 years oldLizzo is a joyous inspiration – but body positivity has come too late for the likes of meThis article is more than 4 years oldGrace DentThere was no such thing when I was a teen in the 80s; there was the heavenly Maria Whittaker on Page 3 and Sabrina in the Boys Boys Boys video As Lizzo paraded gloriously with her flute at Glastonbury last month, a paean to body positivity, a poster girl for billions of proud, perfectly-imperfect young women worldwide, I finally accepted that, when it comes to radical self-acceptance, I have missed the boat.

StageA new stage production tells the stories of women and their bodily autonomy, or lack thereof, as part of the fight to reverse the supreme court decision to restrict abortion Theirs was a secret space. In the early 1970s, Molly Smith and her sister Bridget attended weekly women’s consciousness-raising sessions in a friend’s living room near Washington’s Catholic University. They read books such as Our Bodies, Ourselves, a groundbreaking text about women’s health and sexuality.

BooksObituaryObituary: Adrian HenriProlific painter and poet famed for communicating the delights of popular cultureAdrian Henri, who has died aged 68, was perhaps best known as a poet, though he was primarily a painter, as evidenced in a recent retrospective at Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery. But it was as a communicator, in the broadest sense of the word, that he made his greatest impact, both on those around him and on the cultural scene generally.

History booksReviewThis powerful survey reflects on the past to assess the likely characteristics of conflicts to comeIn this authoritative and illuminating survey, Freedman – a professor of war studies and member of the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war – argues that “the future of war has a distinctive and revealing past”. The subject of wars to come has long fascinated not just those in the military but also politicians and writers highlighting concerns about foreign threats, campaigning against types of weaponry or seeking to banish war.

MonarchyAnalysisTwo royal health announcements in one day show different approach since late queenEsther AddleyBuckingham and Kensington palaces announced procedures for King Charles, 75, and Princess of Wales, 42 When Queen Elizabeth was admitted to hospital for a night in October 2021 for “preliminary investigations”, the first the public learned of her health concerns was a front page story in the Sun. The monarch might have hoped not to cause a fuss, but the fact that royal reporters had been told she was advised to rest, but not that she was in hospital, led to feverish speculation over the true state of her health – and criticism of palace “secrecy”.

‘A unique improvising artist’ … Chet Baker performing in Amsterdam, 1983. Photograph: Frans Schellekens/Redferns‘A unique improvising artist’ … Chet Baker performing in Amsterdam, 1983. Photograph: Frans Schellekens/RedfernsJazz album of the monthMusicReview(Jazz Detective) On previously unheard 1979 recordings for Dutch radio, impulsive improvisations by the trumpeter-vocalist are expressed with his inimitable featherlight phrasing In 1988, the Vogue photographer and occasional film-maker Bruce Weber made Let’s Get Lost, a lingeringly homoerotic but revealing documentary homage to “the white Miles”, jazz trumpeter Chet Baker.

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Across the world, people are celebrating the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair Compiled by Michael Williams Main image: A Hindu devotee places a Diya (earthen lamp) on a rangoli, a framework of decorated pattern, as part of Diwali festivities in a temple in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Houseplant of the weekLife and styleThis otherworldly succulent will command attention wherever it sits Why will I love it? The dragon bones (Euphorbia lactea) plant earns its moniker from its uncanny resemblance to the legendary creature’s fossilised remains. Its intricate, ribbed pattern and unique branching structure give it an otherworldly appearance. Light or shade? This succulent thrives in bright indirect or filtered sunlight. Where should I put it? Its sculptural form and distinctive texture make it an ideal focal point, whether it graces your windowsill, adorns your desk, or commands attention on a shelf.

Electronic music This article is more than 9 years oldMusic producer Mark Bell of LFO has died, label confirmsThis article is more than 9 years oldWarp Records confirms the death of the electronic music pioneer known for his work with Björk and Depeche Mode Pioneering music producer Mark Bell, half of the British electronic duo LFO and regular collaborator with Björk and Depeche Mode, has died, his record label has confirmed.

Ask Annalisa BarbieriRelationshipsBeing open and honest is the best way forward, but work out what you want beforehand and accept he may not provide it In late 2020, during lockdown, I met a nice guy. We started dating and our relationship developed at a rapid pace. Six months into our relationship, I found an email on his computer from his university sweetheart. When we first met, he had told me about her, and how, 20 years before, he was in love with her and wanted to marry her, but his family disapproved.

Top 10sMusic booksTop 10 books on 1960s AmericaBigots, LSD, Vietnam and Motown – all part of the reading list that inspired Stuart Cosgrove’s Penderyn music book prize-nominated account of 1960s Detroit 1967 in Detroit marked a period of complicated upheaval that powered a sea change in the city’s musical culture, one that was heard and revered around the world. That year, as the city’s most famous group, the Supremes, were riven by personal animosity and Motown tried to cope with the fallout of the greatest girl group ever, Detroit faced up to the biggest challenges in its history – race, poverty, endemic police corruption.

UK newsToys children will be demanding this ChristmasOnly 77 shopping days till Christmas, and toy retailers are keen to get in early with a list of toys that they predict children will be pestering their parents to buy this year. The top 10 toys for Christmas 2002 include new playground crazes and some traditional characters, revitalised by TV or cartoon tie-ins, according to the British Association of Toy Retailers and the British Toy and Hobby Association, which published the list yesterday.

OpinionIsrael-Gaza war This article is more than 2 months old‘We are not special. Be prepared,’ my mother-in-law tells me from Gaza. Then comes the terrible newsThis article is more than 2 months oldSamiha OlwanLast time I visited from Australia, Ibtisam remained calm as I trembled through an Israeli attack. This time it is very different “We are not special,” Ibtisam, my mother-in-law says, and it is as if I am beside her, trembling, while she calmly pours the summakiya into the plates.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn This article is more than 11 years oldDominique Strauss-Kahn's lawyers deny reports of settlement with maidThis article is more than 11 years oldReports that former IMF chief agreed to pay $6m to settle civil case with New York hotel maid are denied by attorneysAttorneys for Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Friday denied that the former International Monetary Fund chief has reached a settlement with a New York City hotel maid who accused him of trying to rape her.

James Wong on gardensGardening adviceNot only does this great trick give you colour and life in the darkest time of year, the branches work as cuttings and can in due course be planted out When I was a kid growing up in Singapore, it seemed like Christmas was barely over when preparations for Chinese New Year would start. It was one of my favourite times of year, not for the feasting and fireworks, but mainly because of the horticultural extravaganza that would ensue.

Iceland This article is more than 1 month oldIceland downgrades volcano threat level as activity appears to endThis article is more than 1 month oldOfficials say no visible movement at site near Grindavík but it is possible lava may still be flowing underneath Authorities in Iceland have downgraded the threat level from the volcano that erupted earlier this week, as officials said they could no longer observe volcanic activity at the site of the eruption.

RapInterviewInsane Clown Posse: And God created controversyJon RonsonAmerica's nastiest rappers in shocking revelation – they've been evangelical Christians all alongNews: Insane Clown Posse fans classified as a gang in FBI report Milwaukee. A bad and quite eerie part of town. This happens to be the very block where the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer murdered 17 people in the 1980s. Now, from all around, thousands of young men and women, wearing scary clown face paint, are descending upon a disused indoor swimming pool that has been transformed into a music venue.

Animals Kobe the husky saves Philadelphia neighbourhood from potentially explosive gas leak – video Kobe the husky has saved his Philadelphia neighbourhood after detecting a gas leak. In a video posted to social media, Kobe’s owner, Chanell Bell, recounts how she noticed her four-year-old dog repeatedly digging in a hole that was in the concrete of her front yard. Bell said she thought the action was unlike him and decided to investigate further because there had been a gas leak in her home in the previous weeks.

The ObserverScienceScience isn't always about the big questions. Marc Abrahams spends his time studying research that seeks the answers to more unlikely problems – little conundrums that others dare not tackleWhy do Bedouins wear black in the desert?The question so intrigued four scientists – all non-Bedouins – that they ran an experiment. Their study, called Why Do Bedouins Wear Black Robes in Hot Deserts?, was published in the journal Nature in 1980.

The joy of sixFriendliesThe Joy of Six: club v country friendliesFrom Barcelona hosting Brazil to Arsenal taking on France, via England's trip to Aylesbury and the great brawl of China1) Barcelona 2-2 Brazil, 28 April 1999Fantasy match-ups are usually reserved for the PlayStation or the playground. Arguments over the greatest sides of all time will persist for ever, because there is no definitive way of settling them, beyond forcefully pointing out that obviously Lionel Messi is better than Ian Ure.

Donald TrumpTrump gaining ground among Latino voters, poll showsEx-president ahead with 39% support among Latino voters surveyed, wiping out Biden’s lead among crucial voting bloc A new poll indicates former US president Donald Trump is gaining ground among Latino voters, wiping out incumbent Joe Biden’s lead among the crucial, but diverse, voting bloc. A USA Today and Suffolk University survey showed Trump was ahead with 39% support among Latino voters surveyed, compared with Biden’s 34%, signaling a slump since 2020, when Biden garnered 65% of the approval from Latino voters.

THIS SCEPTRED ISLEWhy is it so hard to find a calendar that starts the week on a Monday, not a Sunday? It can't just be my family who gets outraged by this. Samantha Joly, London, UK It certainly seems like a minor thing to get "outraged" about. Your query does not state where you are writing from but most European calendars start the week on Monday while North American calenders on Sunday.

The ObserverFashion50 fashion questions you should be asking right nowStumped by spring's new clothes? Fashion expert Mimi Spencer has set up wonderstuff.co.uk, a website dedicated to answering those conundrums of style that can keep a girl awake at night. Here, she explains what to buy and what not to wear this season1. What colour should I wear? It's a Crayola moment, so crawl out from that dark, comfortable place and get a load of brights.

Children's tech This article is more than 9 years oldAdventure Time: new mobile game gets kids to create their own levelsThis article is more than 9 years oldGame Wizard app encourages children to draw and share their ideas using either the touchscreen or pens and paper Adventure Time has been a hit as a TV show and as a series of mobile games, but its latest interactive spin-off wants to get children creating as well as playing.

Wales This article is more than 1 month oldFour teenagers found dead in car in north Wales drowned, says coronerThis article is more than 1 month oldProvisional cause of death of Jevon Hirst, 16, Harvey Owen, 17, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Hugo Morris, 18, was drowning, inquests told Four teenagers drowned after the vehicle they were travelling in left a road in north Wales, a coroner has said. The inquests into the deaths of Jevon Hirst, 16, Harvey Owen, 17, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Hugo Morris, 18, all from the Shropshire area, were opened and adjourned on Wednesday.

The ObserverHistory booksReviewThe story of the mission to find the wrecks of two long-lost ships from Sir John Franklin’s 1845 Arctic expedition is timely and compellingThe fate of Sir John Franklin and his lost crew has had a remarkable hold on the public imagination for more than 170 years. The 59-year-old mariner set sail in May 1845 in the best-equipped expedition ever launched to find the North-West Passage to the Pacific.

OpinionEaster This article is more than 6 years oldJesus was on the side of the poor and exploited. Christian politicians should remember thatThis article is more than 6 years oldBrad ChilcottFollowing Jesus requires we love people in costly solidarity, and requires us to expose any ideology that pretends inequality is natural or ordained by God In the church I grew up in it was culturally assumed that Christians would vote Liberal.

MoviesA true star isn’t somebody film lovers rave about, but someone you could easily pick out of a lineup – like Meryl Streep, but not Charlie Hunnam Like many film critics, I started out to be a mortician, but got sidetracked. Yet vestiges of that childhood vocation linger on in my lifelong fascination with autopsies, particularly postmortems involving epic film failures. In this context, I have thought a lot about King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, a colossal bomb.

The rural networkCattle This article is more than 5 months oldNo bull: Australian Angus stud sells for record $360,000 at auctionThis article is more than 5 months oldTexas Thunderstruck becomes the most expensive bull sold in the country amid a surge in prices Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast An Australian Angus bull has sold for a record-breaking $360,000 – making it the most expensive bull sold in Australia.

The art of baring it all: the Observer’s cover from 21 June 1992. Photograph: Andre RauThe art of baring it all: the Observer’s cover from 21 June 1992. Photograph: Andre RauFrom the Observer archiveLife and styleYoung actors discuss their conflicted feelings about having to strip in front of the cameras in an industry before the #metoo movementIn 1992, the Observer took a look at high-end on-screen nudity, talking to the young women ‘not afraid to bare all in the name of quality entertainment’.

Reclaim your brainWell actuallyRevealed: almost half of British teens feel addicted to social media, study saysExclusive: Millennium Cohort’s finding raises questions about why a large proportion has a difficult relationship with social media Almost half of British teenagers say they feel addicted to social media, according to findings that come amid mounting pressure for big tech companies to be held accountable for the impact of their platforms on users. The finding, from the Millennium Cohort study, adds to evidence that many people feel they have lost control over their use of digital interactive media.

WomenGet Off My Internets serves as a gathering place for readers to criticize blogs – and comments can be brutal. But for adult victims of online condemnation, there are few ways to stem the tide of mockery Jenna Andersen is a 30-year-old ex-Mormon photographer who lives in San Francisco’s suburbs. She writes the blog That Wife, where she posts diary-style entries about enrolling in developer bootcamp, breastfeeding her children, and baking zucchini cupcakes.

TheatreHe couldn’t get his foot in the door as an actor, so wrote his own play based on working in his uncle’s grocery store. Thirteen years and a global sitcom hit later he’s reopening the shop “This story is my love letter to my parents and to all first-generation immigrants who have made the country they’ve settled in their home,” Ins Choi tells me from his house in Toronto. He is referring to his groundbreaking play, Kim’s Convenience, which arrives on the UK stage for the first time this week, more than 12 years after it premiered in Canada.

True crime booksReviewWhy would anyone kill a model citizen of austerity Britain? Blake Morrison investigatesIt was a passing driver who spotted the woman's shoe lying by the road. Times were hard in Britain in 1946 and good shoes unaffordable; he hoped to locate the matching shoe and that the pair would fit his wife. But the other shoe, when he found it, was attached to a woman's body. She lay half-hidden in the hedgerow, with her stocking torn and her coat rucked up.

ArsenalInterviewPer Mertesacker: ‘Jack Wilshere has proved me wrong – it’s brilliant to see’Nick AmesAcademy manager is proud of former teammate, who leads Arsenal Under-18s into Tuesday’s FA Youth Cup final against West Ham When Mikel Arteta departed Arsenal in 2016, his playing days finished and a transformative apprenticeship in coaching with Pep Guardiola around the corner, he left a note for his chief executive. One extraordinary football mind was about to up sticks, for a few years at least, but another remained within reach.

Nancy Mace said: ‘The time has come to unite behind our nominee.’ Photograph: Kent Nishimura/Getty ImagesNancy Mace said: ‘The time has come to unite behind our nominee.’ Photograph: Kent Nishimura/Getty ImagesRepublicansRepublican who said she held Trump accountable for January 6 endorses himCongresswoman Nancy Mace announces support of ex-president despite saying ‘we’ve got to start over’ after Capitol attack in 2021 The Republican South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace faced widespread accusations of hypocrisy after she endorsed Donald Trump – the presidential candidate she previously said she held “accountable” for the January 6 attack on Congress.

Self and wellbeingLife and styleThe story of one family’s struggle with drugs has become a Hollywood film – and is showing others they aren’t alone Nic was a lovely child, though of course I’m prejudiced. I’m his father. According to the external barometers we often use to measure how our kids are doing, as Nic grew up – in California where we live – he was doing great. He was a good student, had good friends and his teachers described him as a leader.

Children's booksGlobalTolkien's The Hobbit - quizWith the release of the second film in the Hobbit trilogy, test your knowledge of the source material - JRR Tolkien's book - and find out if you're set for treasure or desolationncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJuYnrmlvsSnqmaan6S4tHnSoqueZ6Gqtrt7kWlobGeUmrBwfZBon6iakp7Bbq7OqKJmrJ%2BhuKqxzWaorqGq

The LGBT rights activist Sarah McBride will represent Delaware’s first senate district Photograph: Paul Sancya/APThe LGBT rights activist Sarah McBride will represent Delaware’s first senate district Photograph: Paul Sancya/APUS elections 2020 This article is more than 3 years oldUS elects first trans state senator and first black gay congressmanThis article is more than 3 years oldPolarised country also elects first lawmaker to openly support QAnon conspiracy theory US election live – follow all the latest updates Trump v Biden – full results so far A deeply polarised US electorate has given the country its first transgender state senator and its first black gay congressman – but also its first lawmaker to have openly supported the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory.

MusicNew data released by SoundCloud suggests last year was dominated by the obscure offshoot of hip-hop. But does it explain the success of Desiigner’s Panda? Miami heat: has the southern rap giant lost its hip-hop spark?Read moreRemember 2016? Almost nobody does. It was a long time ago now and, in any case, what were we all so vexed about? Anyway, unlike many needless recaps of this distant epoch, SoundCloud’s late-to-the-breakdown analysis of its stats last year offers some insight into the shape of music’s future.

‘I would feel less used and alone if you pitched in financially, even a little.’ Composite: Getty‘I would feel less used and alone if you pitched in financially, even a little.’ Composite: GettyA letter to ...FamilyThe letter you always wanted to writeI remember the thrill of first seeing you at law school orientation. You were radiant in a sea of dour, nervous faces. It quickly became clear that you were kind, down-to-earth, engaging, loyal to family and friends.

The ObserverChina holidaysBig Mac, pizza, duck's foot and deer's penis soup...... that was the bizarre combination of old and new discovered by David Aaronovitch when he explored Shanghai and BeijingOn the river front in Shanghai, not long after dawn, the old chap with the red trousers let me fly his kite. The string stretched out from the reel into infinity, anchoring a white and red kite which soared above the Art Deco buildings of the Bund.

Sydney This article is more than 8 years oldDaniel Jack Kersall found guilty of stabbing Morgan Huxley to deathThis article is more than 8 years oldJury returns guilty verdict in less than three hours in relation to the Neutral Bay 2013 murder The man accused of stabbing Sydney man Morgan Huxley more than 20 times has been found guilty of his murder. It took the jury just under three hours to find Daniel Jack Kelsall guilty of indecently assaulting the 31-year-old and murdering him in the early hours of 8 September 2013.

TelevisionFrom E4’s new clothes-free hiking show to programmes featuring life-size holograms of contestants’ wobbly bits, television has become insatiably obsessed by nudity. But why? Reader, it is important that you remember where you are, today. Because it is a certainty that, in decades to come, your adorable grandchildren will gingerly approach you, tug on your cardigan and, in voices pure enough to break your heart into a million pieces, ask if you can remember the first full season of E4’s reality show Naked, Alone and Racing to Get Home.

The ObserverElon MuskThe billionaire’s posts began with a laboured gag and ended with a dangerous intervention into the reporting of the conflict in Gaza A year ago this week, when he completed the purchase of Twitter for $44bn, Elon Musk tweeted “the bird is freed”. Billionaires like nothing more than casting themselves as popular liberators, but the acquisition fitted the pattern of his ever-expanding empire. Musk has colonised areas of the economy from which public funding and regulation have been in retreat.

Soccer This article is more than 9 years oldNew autopsy claims Albert Ebossé was stabbed and beaten to death in AlgeriaThis article is more than 9 years old Official report said Cameroonian hit by object thrown from stands Pathologist believes JS Kabylie striker killed by ‘brutal aggression’A new autopsy has claimed that the Cameroonian footballer Albert Ebossé was stabbed and brutally beaten to death in the changing rooms after a match in Algeria and not an object thrown by rioting fans as had been initially claimed.

Sinéad O’Connor performing in the Netherlands in 1990. Photograph: Michel Linssen/RedfernsNeil Jordan, Róisín Murphy, MC Lyte, Anne Enright and more share their memories of a uniquely talented, uncompromising artist, mother and ‘Celtic warrior’ by Ben Beaumont-Thomas, Sian Cain and Laura Snapes‘She was very beautiful and very wild’Anne Enright, author Sinéad O’Connor was a daughter, a mother and a sister, she made a family that brought many people into its extended web of care, one that included the fathers of her four adored children.

FamilyLosing your parents is never easy, however old you are, says Eleni Kyriacou, who was 39 but still felt like an orphan. And other people's embarrassment around death and bereavement only adds to the grief you feelOn a bitterly cold April morning in 1998, my father died of a heart attack. The shock of his death was like a punch to the stomach. It was the first bereavement I'd experienced up close.

Van Morrison performing in New York, late 1960s Photograph: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesVan Morrison performing in New York, late 1960s Photograph: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images10 of the bestVan MorrisonFrom radio-friendly R&B via religious fervor to spiritual reawakening, these tracks map the Northern Irish songwriter’s soul-searching career 1. TB SheetsDuring Van Morrison’s spell in Them, the brutally, brilliantly reductive Belfast band he fronted between 1964 and 1966, there had been glimmers of an artistic sensibility at odds with the turbo-boosted dockside R&B of songs like Gloria and Baby Please Don’t Go.

The ObserverJournalism booksReviewSpanning just a few dramatic days, the foreign reporter’s riveting account of the battle for Voznesensk highlights the weaknesses of Putin’s invasion and the courage of Ukrainians When Russian troops approached the small farming town of Voznesensk, they were not expecting a battle. A week earlier, Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine had begun. An armoured column trundled insouciantly across a landscape of southern fields and villages. The goal was to capture a crossing point between two rivers.

The ObserverBret Easton EllisInterviewBret Easton Ellis: ‘My ability to trigger millennials is insane’ Rachel CookeThe former enfant terrible of 80s literature is now a self-appointed scourge of victimhood and outrage. He talks about his first book for a decade Poor Bret Easton Ellis. For someone I imagine to be rather fastidious – years ago, a friend of mine visited his New York apartment, where he was a little surprised to be told not to touch any of its owner’s CDs – this can hardly be the easiest of Monday mornings.

Money blogFamily financesIs 35 really the best age to be?A survey claims that by 35 people have reached certain milestones but have good years ahead of them. Do you agree?What's the best age to be? Carefree 16 or a young-enough-to-have-fun but old-enough-to-leave-home 21? Or maybe a wise and stately 65? No – it's 35, according to research by insurer Aviva. It asked more than 2,000 adults from across the age ranges what they thought the best age was to be, and the average came out as 35.

Higher educationReviewJohn Mullan reads David Stevenson's The Beggar's Benison: Sex Clubs of Enlightenment Scotland and Their Rituals and finds a lot of masturbation amongst the intellectuals The Beggar's Benison: Sex Clubs of Enlightenment Scotland and Their Rituals David Stevenson 265pp, Tuckwell Press, £18.99 Clubs were one of the 18th century's great inventions. "Clubbable", a word invented by Dr Johnson, was a coinage for the age. For men, the club promised a new form of sociability.

London 2012 Olympics: the pain Games – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email China's Liu Xiang falls while competing in the men's 110m hurdles heats. For some competitors, the Olympics end in painful disappointment Tue 7 Aug 2012 09.15 EDT First published on Tue 7 Aug 2012 09.15 EDT China's Liu Xiang sits up after falling while competing in the men's 110m hurdles heats Photograph: Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images

Susan Collins has a ‘B’ rating from the National Rifle Association and has received $18,000 in funding from the group. Photograph: J Scott Applewhite/APSusan Collins has a ‘B’ rating from the National Rifle Association and has received $18,000 in funding from the group. Photograph: J Scott Applewhite/APMaine shootings This article is more than 2 months oldMaine shootings highlight Republican senator’s voting record on gun controlThis article is more than 2 months oldAs her state mourns 18 dead in latest shooting spree, Susan Collins is now facing criticism for her votes against gun control laws

US Senate This article is more than 4 months oldMitch McConnell did not have stroke or seizure, Capitol doctor saysThis article is more than 4 months oldBrian Monahan suggests Republican leader in US Senate, 81, may be suffering effects of concussion sustained during fall in March Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the US Senate, is not evidently suffering from “a seizure disorder”, a stroke or a “movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease”, the congressional physician said on Tuesday.

Dear MariellaPetsA woman whose family begged her to get two dogs now hates the pets – and her life. Mariella Frostrup says she needs to focus on the real causes of her unhappiness If you have a dilemma, send a brief email to mariella.frostrup@observer.co.ukThe dilemma Five years ago I gave in to the urging of my daughters and husband and acquired two dogs. I am not a dog person but felt that feelings might develop.

Dana International singing her winning entry at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest in Birmingham. Photograph: Peter Bischoff/Getty ImagesTwenty years ago, the Israeli singer cemented Eurovision as a celebratory space for LGBTQ people everywhere with her winning song Diva. But, she admits, she didn’t believe in the song when she first heard it British Eurovision hopeful SuRie believes ‘anything is possible’ by Eve BarlowShe was tall, svelte and glamorous in a floor-length glitter gown, with luscious brown curls and the kind of dramatic arm movements that would put an ice dancer to shame.

True story … Robert Gustafsson in The Truth Will Out. Photograph: Baldur Bragason/Kanal 5True story … Robert Gustafsson in The Truth Will Out. Photograph: Baldur Bragason/Kanal 5This is EuropeTelevisionForget Nordic murder noir. Continuing our look at European culture, we find Scandinavian TV’s new obsessions are go-getting young girls, wartime Royals – and the Swedish origins of Spotify Poland’s world-beating new film-makers How Greece’s theatre roared out of a national crisis

Couple Lottie and Tegan kiss for Alec Doherty jewellery, 2020. Photograph: Sophie GreenTo celebrate Valentine’s Day, leading photographers including Richard Billingham, Martin Parr, Viviane Sassen, Pieter Hugo and Arpita Shah share their images of love – of all kinds – and tell us why they chose them by Killian Fox and Jude RogersPaul GrahamSenami, Shambhala, New Zealand, 2012 Senami, Shambhala, New Zealand, 2011. Photograph: Paul Graham/Courtesy the artist and MACKPaul Graham is an English fine-art and documentary photographer living in New York.

Fashion blogFashionIn Christopher Nolan’s new film Interstellar, the only thing to get more screentime that Matthew McConaughey is his sandy-coloured Carhartt jacket. But its appearance is no accident... The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. If Interstellar, Christopher’s Nolan’s thrilling, screaming, dystopian vision of one man v the apocalypse teaches us anything, it’s that crops might fail, but Matthew McConaughey’s career will never slow down.

Culture This article is more than 6 years oldKendall and Kylie Jenner pull 'disgusting' T-shirt line after legal threatsThis article is more than 6 years oldJenners were criticized for selling shirts on their website with their faces cropped over images of artists including Notorious BIG, Tupac and Ozzy Osbourne Celebrity sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner were called “disrespectful” and “disgusting” after they unveiled a new line of T-shirts featuring their faces superimposed over images of musical acts including Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur.

South Africa This article is more than 13 years oldMatron cleared of abuse at Oprah Winfrey school says case left her 'humiliated'This article is more than 13 years oldProsecutors had accused Tiny Virginia Makopo of trying to kiss and fondle pupils at TV host's Leadership Academy for Girls near Johannesburg in 2007A woman acquitted of sexually abusing girls at a South African school set up by the television host Oprah Winfrey has told how the case left her "

Sweden This article is more than 8 years oldSweden school attack: horror as sword attacker kills teacher and pupilThis article is more than 8 years old Latest report: Police investigate racist motive for double murder Masked attacker posed for picture with students before killing spree Assailant, who was shot dead by police, said to have far-right sympathies Premier calls attack a ‘black day’ for country as two patients remain critical

ArtHidden away in a chateau in Angers is the beautiful Apocalypse Tapestry, made after war and pestilence had killed millions in medieval Europe. It is, quite literally, a Revelation In a basement gallery in a French provincial chateau stands the perfect artwork for our chilling times. The Apocalypse Tapestry is by turns grotesque and daunting. It is also mesmerising in its beauty and intricacy. Yet few people know about it, even in France; fewer still have visited it.

The ObserverFictionReviewThe Irish writer’s follow up to Exciting Times is amusing and sympathetic about romantic fickleness – if not as spiky as her hit debut Among the many complaints from why-oh-whying critics about last month’s Grantalist of best young British novelists (sorry if you’re sick of the subject) was the absence of the Irish writers Naoise Dolan, Michael Magee and Sally Rooney. While historians probably have a better word for that kind of inclusivity, the slightly bizarre consensus could also be seen as an uncomplicated tribute to the fact that so many of the best recent novels in English have come from Ireland.

The ObserverPhilosophy booksReviewDavid Brooks’s quest to discover the fundamentals of good character gets hopelessly lost along the wayDavid Brooks is a conservative columnist for the New York Times and a broadcaster. He tells us in The Road to Character that he has a “natural disposition to shallowness”. At full mea culpa throttle, he adds that he is paid to be, “a narcissistic blow hard… I have to work harder than most people to avoid a life of smug superficiality”.

A life in pictures: Diego Maradona Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Arguably the world’s greatest ever footballer, Diego Armando Maradona has died aged 60. We take a look back at his colourful career on and off the pitch Diego Maradona dies aged 60 Child genius Maradona became the fulfilment of a prophecy Paul Bellsham

OpinionChristmas This article is more than 1 month oldChristmas joy feels more elusive than ever. Look for quiet contemplation insteadThis article is more than 1 month oldPaul DaleyIn troubled times like these it’s hard to know where to find beauty and meaning, let alone any joy Christmas, most of us are brought up to believe, is all about joy. Joy about being with loved ones. Joy about giving and gracefully receiving.

OpinionEthical and green living This article is more than 7 years oldI shower once a week. Here’s why you should tooThis article is more than 7 years oldDonnachadh McCarthyDaily showering is expensive, polluting and unnecessary. The old-school weekly bath or shower – with a brief daily sink-wash – is healthier for the environment, and for us When I was a kid, bathtime was a once-a-week affair. We weren’t an unhygienic family – this is just how most of us lived in the 1960s, and I do not remember any horrific body odours resulting from it.

The ObserverWomen's hairOn the catwalk and the red carpet, the unkempt hairstyle is all the rage: not dirty, but nonchalant, natural and casual Many famous faces have walked through the doors of the Hair Los Angeles salon, but at 4pm last Monday, the phone lines were switched off and the doors were locked as more than 30 stylists gathered for a sold-out class on how to create the latest fashion-magazine style.

NFL This article is more than 5 years oldMan given 30 years in prison for shooting dead former NFL player Joe McKnightThis article is more than 5 years oldRonald Gasser convicted of manslaughter over road rage incidentMcKnight played in NFL for New York Jets and Kansas City ChiefsThe man convicted of manslaughter in the 2016 road rage shooting death of former NFL running back Joe McKnight was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday.

World newsRadio host apologises for claim Michael J Fox faked symptomsSee the YouTube video nowParkinson's disease has become the latest battleground in the American midterm elections, with the rightwing talk radio host Rush Limbaugh locked in an unseemly wrangle with the actor and Parkinson's sufferer Michael J Fox. Limbaugh was forced to apologise to the actor after he accused Fox of exaggerating the symptoms of his illness in an election television advert.

Spot the sniper – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email German artist Simon Menner has photographed a camouflaged sniper in each of these images. Can you spot them? • Jonathan Jones on camouflage and the art of disguise Wed 19 Feb 2014 09.11 EST Last modified on Thu 26 Mar 2020 10.47 EDT The sniper is above and slightly to the right of the brownish, rotten wood Share on Facebook Share on Twitter There he is!

Books of the century so far Composite: PRDazzling debut novels, searing polemics, the history of humanity and trailblazing memoirs ... Read our pick of the best books since 2000 Read an interview with the author of our No 1 book Read Ali Smith on Autumn Read David Mitchell on Cloud Atlas 100I Feel Bad About My Neckby Nora Ephron (2006)Perhaps better known for her screenwriting (Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally, Heartburn), Ephron’s brand of smart theatrical humour is on best display in her essays.

FictionReviewChristopher Tayler enjoys short pieces from an American originalPaul Klee famously thought of drawing as "taking a line for a walk". Lydia Davis, an American short-story writer, or writer of short texts ambiguously situated between fiction, jeux d'esprit, prose poetry and philosophy, seems to have a similar approach to what she does. Sometimes she takes a word for a walk, as in "Examples of Remember", which reads: Remember that thou art but dust.

Early days … Noa Maxwell with his parents and brother Jo (bottom left) at the ashram in Poona, India, in 1978 before the sect moved to Oregon.View image in fullscreenEarly days … Noa Maxwell with his parents and brother Jo (bottom left) at the ashram in Poona, India, in 1978 before the sect moved to Oregon.Television & radioGrowing up in the Wild Wild Country cult: ‘You heard people having sex all the time, like baboons’In 1976, Noa Maxwell’s family joined Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh’s ‘free love’ commune, now the subject of a Netflix series.

A letter to ...FamilyThe letter you always wanted to writeIt's been about 12 weeks since I saw the awful texts that confirmed my suspicions that you were being unfaithful. For two years I had been questioning whether you loved me as I felt so unloved – so much so that I occasionally asked if you were having an affair. And I felt you were avoiding me. You assured me every time that you did love me and were not having an affair, which made me feel happy that things were fine again, for a while.

Movies This article is more than 7 months oldDisney pushes back Avatar sequels, with fifth film now due in 2031This article is more than 7 months oldDisney has shuffled plans for its biggest franchises, with new Star Wars and Avengers films also delayed It may have taken Avatar: The Way of Water more than a decade to finally arrive in theatres in 2022, but the long parade of Avatar delays isn’t over yet.

SportblogRyder Cup This article is more than 6 months oldGolf can begin to heal wounds by bringing Henrik Stenson back as Ryder Cup captainThis article is more than 6 months oldEwan MurraySwede’s reappointment for 2025 would offer proof of compromise as LIV joins forces with the DP World and PGA Tours The only current certainty in elite golf is uncertainty. A month has passed since confirmation that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has joined forces with the PGA and DP World Tours to promote peace on the fairways but nobody apparently has a clue about details for the future.

The ObserverPrince Harry This article is more than 1 month oldRoyal book at centre of racism row barely stirs a ripple on London streetsThis article is more than 1 month oldFew rushed to buy the book, despite hype over claims two royals discussed skin colour of Prince Harry and Meghan’s first child In the last two centuries London’s oldest bookshop, Hatchards on Piccadilly, has sold stories of royal scandals, ructions and rifts.

Caroline Aherne: ‘We were all protective of her because she could be very vulnerable,’ says Ricky Tomlinson, who played her father in The Royle Family. Photograph: Eamonn McCabe/The GuardianShy, intelligent, prone to a drink and generous to a fault. The people closest to the star remember a comedy legend hounded by the press and racked by depression by Simon HattenstoneRicky Tomlinson will never forget the first time he met Caroline Aherne.

Taskmaster’s 100 best bits. Composite: Channel 4Over 400 tasks are whittled down, in our ranking of the best challenges set by Alex Horne and Greg Davies by Jack BernhardtAs someone who tried to make a career out of live comedy, I should probably hate Taskmaster. The premise – five comedians desperately compete to impress a famous comedian – is basically a concentrated version of my worst Edinburgh fringe anxiety dreams, the ones where I’m back in the Underbelly, Cowgate, but I’ve forgotten all the lines to the show, I’m naked and the only people in the audience are David Mitchell, Josie Lawrence and my horrible PE teacher from year 7.

Lost in showbizCelebrityThe disturbing story of the Lostprophets singer's conviction for child sex offences doesn't have to be accompanied by photos of Fearne Cotton and Alexa Chung to catch readers' attention in the newspapersPlease don protective clothing as we venture into the unspeakably grim story of Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins' conviction for a string of child sex crimes, including the attempted rape of a baby, and ask whether it represents a new low for the "

Reggae This article is more than 9 years oldVybz Kartel found guilty of murderThis article is more than 9 years oldDancehall reggae star and three co-defendants were found guilty of killing an associate, Clive Lizard Williams, in a row over guns Dancehall and reggae star Vybz Kartel has been convicted of murder. In a high-profile trial under heavy security, Kartel and three co-defendants were found guilty of killing an associate, Clive Lizard Williams, in a row over a missing gun.

Gwyneth PaltrowVagina candles nowhere to be seen as Architectural Digest features the actor’s surprisingly cluttered home Nowhere to be seen are her company Goop’s own vagina candles, psychic vampire repeller sprays and toothpaste squeezers, and yet Gwyneth Paltrow’s home in Montecito, California is still causing gasps across the internet. As she showed off her palatial house in the March issue of Architectural Digest, many rolled their eyes online at designer Robin Standefer’s claim that it “takes its cues from Gwyneth’s height [and] beauty”.

4 Jan 202400.49 ESTGeoff LemonStumps have been called at 4:49pm local time. With that, time for me to creep on out of here. Angus Fontaine will start things off on the OBO tomorrow, and I’ll see you in the second session. Here’s hoping! Stay dry with our wrap of day two at the SCG: Australia and Pakistan evenly poised as poor weather overshadows David Warner’s Test farewellRead moreUpdated at 01.31 EST4 Jan 202400.

CricketBlurred vision leaves Tudor gloomyAlex Tudor has become England's latest injury worry after saying he might not make the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. The fast bowler said he was suffering from impaired vision more than two weeks after being struck on the head by a Brett Lee bouncer in Brisbane. Tudor, who is still unable to bat in the nets, will see an eye specialist here tomorrow. "The bruising has gone down but my eye is still quite bloodshot,"

Bubala Soho, London W1: ‘Service is that type of warm that makes you want to stay and hang out with the gang afterwards.’ Photograph: Cristian Barnett/The GuardianBubala Soho, London W1: ‘Service is that type of warm that makes you want to stay and hang out with the gang afterwards.’ Photograph: Cristian Barnett/The GuardianGrace Dent on restaurantsFoodReviewYes, you could make these things at home, but it would take all day and 17 different bowls

‘It was a huge accomplishment for Afghanistan’: Mohadese Mirzaee was a pilot on her country’s first all-female flight. Photograph: Handout‘It was a huge accomplishment for Afghanistan’: Mohadese Mirzaee was a pilot on her country’s first all-female flight. Photograph: HandoutWomen's rights and gender equalityMonths after Mohadese Mirzaee became Afghanistan’s first female commercial airline pilot, the Taliban took Kabul. Now a refugee in Bulgaria, she is determined to fly again Sitting alone in her small flat in Bulgaria, Mohadese Mirzaee contemplates the future.

The night sky above River Murray Dark Sky reserve in South Australia. Photograph: Michael WaterhouseThe night sky above River Murray Dark Sky reserve in South Australia. Photograph: Michael WaterhouseAustralia holidaysAustralia has a relative abundance of astro-tourism destinations, and a growing movement to help protect their darkness Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email An Aboriginal dreamtime story tells of the fire magic in the foot of Kambughuda, protecting her younger sisters from the hunter Nyeeruna.

Ready for battle … a still from The Wizard of AI. Photograph: Alan Warburton/Open Data InstituteReady for battle … a still from The Wizard of AI. Photograph: Alan Warburton/Open Data InstituteArt and designIs artificial intelligence going to put artists out of a job? Alan Warburton decided to make a film posing that very question – using AI. The result was disturbingly watchable A toilet bubbles over with sticky yellow goo. Bedazzled executives are treated to a speech by a cartoon ghost.

Tom Hunt’s pheasant Normandy with apples. Photograph: The GuardianTom Hunt’s pheasant Normandy with apples. Photograph: The GuardianWaste notFoodAs apples start to lose their lustre, use up the last of the season’s crop to finish this classic French game casserole A sweet-yet-sharp apple is the perfect accompaniment to wild game, and has a similar season from autumn to midwinter, when stored apples start to fade and the shooting season ends. An old apple still makes great cooking, though, and in today’s recipe I saute them with thyme and butter, then spoon over creamy braised pheasant.

Art and designMartijn Doolaard has released 83 videos documenting his restoration of an Alpine cabin. They are slow, quiet, uneventful – and hugely successful. He explains his secret On 5 October 2021, Martijn Doolaard came home. Not to a flat in Amsterdam, where the Dutch graphic designer turned videographer and travel writer had lived before embarking on the epic road trips that made him internet famous, but to two Alpine stone cabins in the Italian Piedmont region.

Sali Hughes on beautyMakeup‘Clean girl’ minimalism has erased the rule on matchy-matchy varnish – now nail polish is all about milky nudes and glossy tones When was the last time your tips’n’toes matched? For me it must have been when I was about 10 and working with whatever polish I had manage to pilfer from my mother. For all of recent beauty history, to be matchy-matchy with finger and toenail lacquer was to commit a fashion faux pas – the beauty equivalent of double denim.

Coca-Cola This article is more than 14 years oldCoca-Cola trials sweet, fizzy, milky 'vibrancy' drink in three US citiesThis article is more than 14 years oldSoft drinks giant launches new Vio drink in New York but no word yet on whether it will reach the UKIt may not quite sound the real thing but consumers are being asked to decide whether milk goes better with sparkling water, cane sugar and fruit flavouring.

Where other midlife male standups splash in the shallows of domesticity, dinner parties and feeling tired, Birbiglia dives right into family, death and the meaning of life Published: 17 Sep 2023 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKuklrSme8KopJ6cqWDBsLrEaKmerpmaxLQ%3D

Hacking This article is more than 5 years oldHacker sentenced to prison for role in Jennifer Lawrence nude photo theftThis article is more than 5 years oldGeorge Garofano, 26, one of four charged over illegal hacking of American actor and other celebrities A hacker was sentenced to eight months in prison on Wednesday for a scheme that exposed intimate photos of the actor Jennifer Lawrence and other celebrities. George Garofano, 26, was accused of illegally hacking the private Apple iCloud accounts of 240 people, including Hollywood stars as well as average internet users, allowing their nude photos and private information to be spread around the internet.

TV reviewTV comedyReviewThe 30-something creators, Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, play their 13-year-old selves in a carthartic comedy that has lots of laughs but never mocks On paper PEN15 has a gimmick, which is that the two 31-year-old writers and creators of the 10-part comedy series – Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle – play their 13-year-old selves trying to navigate middle school, amid a cast of actual teenage actors. So rapidly, however, are they subsumed into their parts that (apart from Konkle being a head taller than everyone else) it becomes unnoticeable.

The ObserverSportThe growing pains of the world's strongest boyMedical experts were appalled. Richard Sandrak, driven on by his parents, looked more like a champion bodybuilder than an eight-year-old child. Seven years on, Andrew Anthony goes in search of the 'mini-Schwarzenegger' and finds a familiar tale from La La LandI am heading north out of Los Angeles on Interstate 5, bound for a meeting with Richard Sandrak. His name sounds like that of a double agent from the Cold War.

MusicInterview‘To dive into yourself is scary’: the anxiety and awesome alt-rock of LiarsLuke TurnerFor 20 years, Angus Andrew has made Liars one of rock’s most interesting, slippery acts – and by microdosing drugs to help understand his fears, he’s written his masterpiece One night, Angus Andrew woke to a blood-curdling scream. Rushing out into the darkness of the bush around his house in a remote part of Australia’s Ku-ring-gai Chase national park, he encountered a giant python attacking a kangaroo.

‘Breaking news: Colorado just removed me from the ballot! Chip in now,’ Donald Trump posted to Truth Social. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP‘Breaking news: Colorado just removed me from the ballot! Chip in now,’ Donald Trump posted to Truth Social. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/APDonald Trump This article is more than 1 month oldTrump lashes out after Colorado ruling removing him from ballotThis article is more than 1 month oldPredictably, the ex-president took to his social media site to condemn the decision – and to raise funds

‘Individually each task might seem quick and painless, but as a whole they amount to a lot.’ Photograph: Lol Keegan/The Guardian‘Individually each task might seem quick and painless, but as a whole they amount to a lot.’ Photograph: Lol Keegan/The GuardianLife and style‘Errand paralysis’ might be the most boring and overwhelming anxiety of our age. How did we get so swamped? It was the eyes that I noticed first; where before he’d made soothing eye contact, now he kept his gaze averted.

Exodus: Gods and KingsEgypt thinks so, claiming it presents a Zionist view of events. But is it more guilty of being pompous and badly scripted? Exodus: Gods and Kings review – holy Moses, wholly acceptable for the devout Egypt bans ‘Zionist’ film This week, big-budget Hollywood epic Exodus: Gods and Kings was banned in Egypt. “It gives a Zionist view of history and contains historical inaccuracies and that’s why we have decided to ban it,” explained culture minister Gaber Asfour.

James Bond This article is more than 8 years oldIdris Elba says he's still smiling after comments by James Bond authorThis article is more than 8 years oldAuthor Anthony Horowitz has apologised after saying Elba was ‘too street’ to play the role of 007 Idris Elba has addressed controversial comments made by James Bond author Anthony Horowitz, who claimed the actor was “too street” to play 007. Horowitz, who has penned the “continuation” Bond novels, including the latest, Trigger Mortis, apologised earlier this week for his “clumsily” chosen words to discuss the prospect of Elba being cast in the notorious role.

Movies This article is more than 2 years oldIrish teenager Charlie Reid lands major film role with Olivia ColmanThis article is more than 2 years oldFourteen-year-old from County Kildare to play opposite Oscar winner in feelgood film Joyride An Irish teenager has been plucked from obscurity and cast alongside Olivia Colman, one of the industry’s most sought-after actors, as the lead characters in a feature film that begins shooting this month.

Everyone in their right place: Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke.Listen upRadioheadRadiohead and Paul Thomas Anderson join forces for another music videoMinimal video for The Numbers features Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke on a bench, following There Will Be Blood director’s work on Present Tense Radiohead and There Will Be Blood director Paul Thomas Anderson have released another minimal video, this time for The Numbers, a song from their ninth studio album, A Moon Shaped Pool.

ScotlandAfter 20 years living in a remote and derelict stone cottage without electricity, the famed tattooed 'leopard man of Skye' has moved into a flat. He tells Neil Stephen why, at 73, life in the wild finally lost its charmThe leopard man has been domesticated. After 20 years of living in the wilds on a remote part of Skye, the man made famous for his leopard tattoos has changed his spot for a one-bedroom apartment.

Golden Globes 2024Even in a star-studded list of award show host stinkers, the Filipino-American comedian was special – in that he went down like a lead balloon Full report: Oppenheimer and Succession dominate major awards Black lace and Barbie pink: the 2024 red carpet – in pictures Much like Portaloo cleaners and gastroenterologists, award ceremony host is a thankless job that involves handling a lot of crap. The Academy Awards got so used to its hosts tanking (see: a gurning James Franco; Seth MacFarlane singing about boobs) that they briefly stopped hiring them all together before returning to the safe, staid embrace of Jimmy Kimmel (four years in a row now and counting).

PropertyUK housing market sees ‘respite’ as mortgage rates easeRoyal Institution of Chartered Surveyors says falling inquiries from new buyers approaching a ‘flatter trend’ The housing market has had some “respite” in recent weeks as activity picked up amid easing mortgage rates after a challenging 2023, according to surveyors. Inquiries from new buyers are approaching a flatter trend, after falling in recent months, according to the December report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics).

Film blogFilmWhy I'd like to be … Matt Dillon in The OutsidersDallas Winston, Dillon's wrong-side-of-the-tracks rebel, is a shirtless man of his word, a fearless social climber and, in the right circumstances, the world's wisest manAs a Muslim growing up in an asbestos-ridden council estate in Fulham, south-west London, seeing all the posh houses from our third-floor balcony, heroes were hard to find. Until I saw Matt Dillon in The Outsiders.

TheatreReviewOlivier, London"Who here has ever been to jail?" asks the eponymous hero of this frenetic musical. It is not a question often asked of National Theatre audiences, but it is indicative of a show that, whatever its flaws, joyfully breaks down conventional barriers between stage and auditorium, and joins passion and politics to the pounding music of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. We are in Lagos in 1978 watching the final concert at the Shrine by Fela, legendary creator of Afrobeat.

The ObserverLife and styleGetting away with murderIt was the savage killing that gripped America - the six-year-old beauty queen found strangled in her parents' basement, a bizarre ransom note left on the stairs and an extraordinary cast of suspects. But 10 years after the death of JonBenet Ramsey, her killer remains at large. Gaby Wood travels to Colorado to meet the investigators still trying to solve one of the most notorious murders of the 20th centuryThe house on 15th Street isn't quite the house it used to be.

TelevisionInterview‘Good luck with your horse opera!’: Hugo Blick on his rule-breaking western The EnglishStuart JeffriesAt the heart of this subversive frontier tale is a sumptuous but doomed love story. That’s what makes it the renowned TV writer’s most radical and pleasurable work yet Though born in Henley-on-Thames, Hugo Blick could have been a cowboy. Aged 18, his concerned parents decided he needed to have his waywardness ironed out of him. He was packed off to Montana and put under the tutelage of a family friend who happened to be an avid outdoorsman and former US air force captain.

Jacinda ArdernIn a Guardian interview, New Zealand’s prime minister reveals how her life has changed and her ambition for a can-do country It’s just gone lunchtime in New Zealand’s largest city and Jacinda Ardern arrives at her two-bedroom suburban home after a primary school meet and greet. The 37-year-old prime minister of New Zealand and poster woman of progressive politics is sitting in the passenger seat of a blue Subaru, craving a muesli bar and wearing woollen shoes that look like slippers.

A life in ...FictionInterviewMiriam Toews: ‘I worried people would think, what is wrong with this family?’Interview by Alice O'KeeffeThe Canadian author of All My Puny Sorrows talks about growing up a Mennonite and how she managed to transform family tragedy into a novel suffused with joy I meet Miriam Toews as she is awaiting the announcement of the Folio prize, for which her novel All My Puny Sorrows has been shortlisted.

World newsNew warning on Taj MahalIndia's largest state has launched an investigation into whether the Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world, is sinking into the earth after experts warned about the drying out of a nearby river. This month two historians pointed out the Taj Mahal may already be tilting and could crumble or sink if the government of Uttar Pradesh, the state in which the Taj is located, did not pay immediate attention to the monument's immediate surroundings.

The ObserverThrillersReviewThe survivors of a mysterious childhood abduction struggle with their memories in Maggie Mitchell’s teasing, many-storied debutEver since Emma Donoghue, inspired by the Josef Fritzl case, impressed and horrified in equal measure with Room, there has been a slowly growing trend for thrillers about abducted children. Maggie Mitchell’s debut, Pretty Is, joins a phalanx of fellow kidnap-lit novels out in recent months – The Girl in the Red Coat, How I Lost You, The Boy That Never Was – but stands out for its slick, subversive take on a trope that is showing no signs of going away.

Elvis PresleyReturn of the king: Elvis hologram show to premiere in LondonElvis Evolution promises ‘immersive’ experience with concerts also planned for Las Vegas, Tokyo and Berlin AI Elvis not the first hologram star to shake his moves on stage While some believe that the king of rock’n’roll may celebrate his 89th birthday next week propping up the bar of the Heartbreak Hotel, the rest of us will have to make do with an Elvis Presley hologram show in 2024.

FilmReviewAn intricate tapestry of 17th-century political intrigue and family feuding is bolstered by fabulous costumes as Chinese invaders are dealt with The Swordsman, a pacy, crisply choreographed South Korean action film set in the 17th century handicaps itself by opting for such a bland, generic title. It’s like naming a Hollywood action movie The Gunman or The Cop. Debutant writer-director Choi Jae-Hoon could have been a little more specific about the protagonist Tae-yul (played by boy-band-beautiful star and sometime rapper Jang Hyuk) by calling it The Blind Swordsman, given the character’s vision impairment.

Nicholas Lezard's choiceAutobiography and memoirReviewThis honest, defiant book from the Slits’ guitarist is a lesson in how to look back from middle ageThere’s a moment towards the end of this book when Viv Albertine confronts an audience she feels has not been giving her enough attention or respect. To put this outburst in context: it is 2008, and she has had to relearn the guitar from scratch after decades of not playing. (For readers unfamiliar with Albertine: she was the guitarist and songwriter for a punk band called the Slits, about whom more in a minute.

Country diaryFungiWenlock Edge, Shropshire: The appearance and disappearance of these strange forms gives them an uncanniness that seems to have nothing to do with their ecological function The fairy bonnets have popped up from the turf and the world is reflected in a million raindrops. Suspended on spindly stalks, the pale flesh of their pointy heads has an ethereal glow. These Marasmius fungi grow in troops or circles in grassland as rotters of organic litter, feeders of grass and stages for supernatural dances.

SportblogEngland cricket team This article is more than 1 year oldGilbert Jessop’s record stands test of time but new England likely to surpass featThis article is more than 1 year oldAndy BullFastest Test century by Englishman set 120 years ago but hell for leather cricket by batters suggests it will finally be beaten England were 48 for five when Gilbert Jessop got to the middle, 215 runs behind. The pitch was tricky, soft, and pitted from where they had been playing on it after the rain, and Australia’s spinners, Hugh Trumble and Jack Saunders, had swept through the best of the batting, Archie MacLaren for two, Johnny Tyldesley for a duck, Lionel Palairet for six, three wickets for 10 runs in as many minutes, then Tom Hayward and Len Braund, both caught behind in single figures.

From the Guardian archiveFranceInsurrection in Paris: attempt at a new revolution - archive, 1832On 5 June 1832, anti-monarchist republicans rose up against the King, seizing a central section of Paris and building dozens of barricades. See how the Guardian and the Observer reported events The June Rebellion, also known as the Paris Uprising of 1832, took place between 5-6 June, 1832, when republicans in Paris attempted to reverse the establishment in 1830 of the July Monarchy.

Twatt in Orkney – not to be confused with the one in Shetland. Photograph: Jorge Tutor/AlamyTwatt in Orkney – not to be confused with the one in Shetland. Photograph: Jorge Tutor/AlamyGeographyThe UK is full of extremely rude-sounding towns and villages. But what’s it like to live in them? Some locals can’t wait to change the names, while others embrace the quirk – even selling signpost souvenirs On the road to Twatt, a message arrives from a resident there.

Oscars 2021 This article is more than 2 years oldNomadland wins best picture Oscar as Chloé Zhao makes history with best director winThis article is more than 2 years oldFilm about retirees struggling to make ends meet takes the top prize at the Academy Awards, while Chloé Zhao becomes first woman of colour to take the directing prize Oscars 2021: the dresses, the winners, and the speeches – live! Oscar winners 2021: the full list – updating live!

Ny Nourn … ‘The prosecutor didn’t care about the background, the violence, my age.’ Photograph: Talia Herman/The GuardianNourn moved from Cambodia to the US as a child, and ended up in an abusive relationship that led to a man’s murder. After years in prison, she is now a powerful voice for those who face incarceration and deportation by Anna MooreWhen Ny Nourn entered Central California Women’s Facility, the largest women’s prison in the world, there was every reason to believe she would never walk free on American soil again.

Book of the daySharon OldsReviewA new collection from the TS Eliot prizewinner finds beauty in the outrages visited on ageing bodiesSharon Olds’s inspired new collection alerts us to taboos we barely think about ordinarily. The book is exposed – in more ways than one – and could only have been written by a woman: bold, no longer young and inextinguishably curious. In one poem she reports that her partner mocks her: “My partner says that what I write / about women is self-involved.

Hip-hop This article is more than 3 years oldRapper Lil Marlo dies after being shot in AtlantaThis article is more than 3 years oldInvestigators believe 30-year-old Rudolph ‘Marlo’ Johnson, who was found dead in his car, was the victim of a targeted shooting The US rapper known as Lil Marlo has died, his record label said Sunday. Quality Control Music announced the death of Rudolph “Marlo” Johnson in a social media post, saying he will be remembered as “a man of great talent who feared nothing.

Opioids'I could get 500 tablets a month': the ease of buying opiates onlineHelen, 26, ordered codeine from several pharmacies while addicted to the painkiller UK online pharmacies accused of ‘aggressive’ tactics to sell opiates Helen*, 26, used online pharmacies to buy codeine for about three years, although she no longer has a dependency. She began ordering the painkiller in 2016 after her partner killed himself. “Someone gave me codeine at work one day when I was unwell and I enjoyed the sensation of it – and then I went to France and at the time you could get strong painkillers over the counter.

Bob Menendez This article is more than 3 months oldBob Menendez’s wife struck and killed pedestrian in New Jersey in 2018This article is more than 3 months oldNo charges were brought after the crash, which occurred two years before Nadine Arslanian married the now embattled US senator The wife and co-defendant of the indicted US senator Bob Menendez struck and killed a pedestrian in 2018, according to newly released police records.

A 12-year-old trips and puts his hand through a painting at an art exhibition in Taiwan Taiwan This article is more than 8 years oldBoy trips in museum and punches hole through paintingThis article is more than 8 years oldTaiwanese 12-year-old holding a drink stumbles and tears through 17th-century oil on canvas artwork A 12-year-old Taiwanese boy lived out a slapstick nightmare at the weekend when he tripped at a museum and broke his fall with a painting, smashing a hole in it.

BasketballEric Montross, former North Carolina basketball star, dies of cancer aged 52Former UNC and NBA big man dies after cancer fightMontross led Tar Heels to 1993 national championshipEric Montross, a former North Carolina and NBA big man, has died after a cancer fight, his family said. He was 52. The school released the family’s announcement Monday morning, saying Montross died Sunday surrounded by loved ones at his Chapel Hill home. He had been diagnosed with cancer in March, leading to him stepping away from his duties as a radio analyst for UNC game broadcasts.

Photograph: Linda Nylind/The GuardianNina Gold’s role is invisible, and yet her taste has shaped much of what we watch on film and TV by Sophie ElmhirstEarlier this year, the casting director Nina Gold sat at the back of the stalls of the Criterion theatre in the West End and watched a group of students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland perform their showcase. After three years at drama school, each actor had a couple of three-minute scenes to impress a silent audience of agents and casting directors on their lunch hour.

Hamas This article is more than 11 years oldHamas executes six suspected informants for Israel on Gaza streetThis article is more than 11 years oldMilitary wing Izzedine al-Qassam says those shot dead at crossroads gave details of rocket sites to the enemyMasked gunmen publicly shot dead six suspected collaborators with Israel in a large Gaza City intersection Tuesday, witnesses said. An Associated Press reporter saw a large mob surrounding five of the bloodied corpses shortly after the killing.

Schools in Denmark prioritise teamwork and empathy rather than individual achievement. Photograph: AlamySchools in Denmark prioritise teamwork and empathy rather than individual achievement. Photograph: AlamyBook of the daySociety booksReviewDenmark approaches childhood, and society as a whole, very differently to Britain or the US, argue Jessica Joelle Alexander and Iben Dissing SandahlHaving muddled through six years of parenthood without consulting any books on the subject, I was pretty excited about this, my first one.

Classical musicObituaryYuri Temirkanov obituaryRussian conductor admired for his electrifying interpretations of his nation’s repertoire, especially Prokofiev and TchaikovskyAs head of two of Russia’s leading musical institutions, the Kirov (later, Mariinsky) Opera and Ballet Theatre (1976-88) and the Leningrad (later, St Petersburg) Philharmonic Orchestra, of which he was principal conductor for more than three decades from 1988, Yuri Temirkanov, who has died aged 84, was at the forefront of music in the Soviet Union for nearly half a century.

IndiaObituaryAruna Asaf Ali obituaryHeroine of India’s freedom struggle Aruna Asaf Ali, who has died aged 86, was a legendary heroine of India's freedom struggle. She was first a member of the Socialist Party and then of the Communist Party of India, with a seat on its central committee. Although she drifted apart from the Communists, she remained a committed leftist. Even in later years of declining health, she remained a respected figure on the Indian political firmament, which explains the outpouring of grief over her death.

Bob GuccioneObituaryBob Guccione obituaryFounder of Penthouse, he made and lost a fortune in the porn industryThe American pornography publisher Bob Guccione, who has died of cancer aged 79, made and lost a fortune with the explicit nudes in his magazine, Penthouse. Guccione launched the glossy, lushly designed Penthouse in the UK in 1965 while working in London as a part-time cartoonist and columnist. The first issue sold out in a few days and the magazine's success led him to return to America in 1969 to launch the first US issue, challenging Hugh Hefner's Playboy.

Peaky BlindersInterviewCillian Murphy: ‘I think James Bond should be a woman, which rules me out’Lanre BakareWith Peaky Blinders series five on TV soon, its star Cillian Murphy talks about gangster violence, PTSD, #MeToo, what Brexit means for Ireland – and 007 In the summer of 1996, Cillian Murphy was at a crossroads. He had failed his law exams at University College Cork. He had turned down a three-album record contract with his Frank Zappa-influenced “funk-jam band”, the Sons of Mr Green Genes.

Israel-Gaza war This article is more than 2 months oldIDF publishes footage of what it says is Hamas tunnel at al-Shifa hospitalThis article is more than 2 months oldIsrael says opening was discovered beneath floor of a garage within Gaza medical complex’s walls Israel-Hamas war – live updates The Israeli army has published video footage that it says shows the first solid evidence of a sophisticated Hamas tunnel network underneath Gaza City’s Dar al-Shifa hospital complex.

RED TAPE, WHITE LIESIn total, how many words does the average person speak in a day/year/lifetime? Iain Pearson, Mexico City, Mexico The average woman speaks around 5000 words per day whereas the average male speaks around 2000. Apparently. (Source: Men are Lunatics, Women are Nuts) David, Newport, UK Working males average 2000-3000, females from 10,000-20000. However, both average about 500-700 words of actual value (i.e. words which have intent to communicate to another person an item of importance to both).

Ireland holidaysThe classic Irish bar, whose hallmarks evoke the qualities of an earlier era, has been in steady decline – but recently its future has started to look a little brighter There’s more to traditional Irish bars than their vernacular design or their location on almost every street corner and village green in Ireland. Behind their distinctive facades is an elusive character that has barely changed over the centuries: the rustle of the newspaper on a Sunday afternoon, the banter from the bartender or the gentle thud of a perfectly drawn pint of stout on solid, time-smoothed timber.

Dallas MavericksThe Mavericks roster has often failed to reflect the demographics of the league. There are a number of reasons, some more justifiable than others In 2020, the NBA was 74.2% black and 16.9% white. It seems every decade, the white NBA player becomes less relevant. Yet one franchise has often kept the dream of mediocre white guys alive: the Dallas Mavericks. In 15 of the last 21 Mavs seasons, there were three or more white players on the 12-man active roster.

TelevisionObituaryTom Bosley obituaryActor best known as Mr C in the American sitcom Happy DaysThe actor Tom Bosley, who has died of lung cancer aged 83, played Howard Cunningham, the tolerant, unflappable paterfamilias, in all 255 episodes of the nostalgic American sitcom Happy Days, from 1974 to 1984. Set in Milwaukee during the 1950s, Happy Days, as the title suggests, was a rosy view of an earlier era. Mr C, as Bosley's character was called by "

As a grownup, you’re in charge of your own diary. Don’t forget to make time for fun. Photograph: Boone Rodriguez/CorbisAs a grownup, you’re in charge of your own diary. Don’t forget to make time for fun. Photograph: Boone Rodriguez/CorbisHappy for lifeLife and styleAct your shoe size, not your ageWant to be happier? Then you need to release your inner child As adults, it seems that we are constantly pursuing happiness, often with mixed results.

Film industryChris Rock: 'If Jennifer Lawrence were black, she’d really have something to complain about'Comic and actor highlights yet greater discrepancies for women of colour in Hollywood pay debate Chris Rock, the stand-up comic and film-maker, has cautioned that the gender pay debate in Hollywood risks overlooking the injustice of black actors being paid less than their white counterparts. Speaking as part of a profile of the Saturday Night Live actor Leslie Jones in the New Yorker, Rock appeared to take exception to the territory staked out by Jennifer Lawrence, saying that if she wasn’t white, she would have more cause for complaint.

Jonathan LethemReviewPatrick Ness searches through the smoke of a genial narrativeLet us consider for a moment the deleterious effect of marijuana on the arts. George Michael, to take a random example, used to be one of the most extraordinary pop songwriters on the planet. A song such as "Freedom '90" bursts with so much invention and feeling it's like listening to 17 brilliant choruses all in a row. Then George started smoking weed in really quite extraordinary quantities, and things began to feel somewhat less vital.

Children's booksChildren's booksDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick - review'An incredibly deep and complex book that makes for a very interesting read'Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is probably his best known work, and was adapted into the well known movie, Blade Runner. It follows the story of Bounty Hunter Rick Deckard, whose job is to 'retire' renegade androids who have escaped from the outer colonies.

Photograph: Patti McConville/Alamy Photograph: Patti McConville/AlamyFictionColleen Hoover’s novels took the top six places on last year’s New York Times bestseller list, while in the UK she rivals Richard Osman as the biggest author in recent times. How has she done it? The first Colleen Hoover book I read was It Ends With Us, and when I opened it on the tube, I saw that the woman next to me was reading It Starts With Us.

Iggy Azalea This article is more than 8 years oldLGBT festival faces backlash over Iggy Azalea headline slotThis article is more than 8 years oldProtesters have criticised Pittsburgh Pride for booking Azalea, claiming she has a history of posting racist and homophobic messages online Organisers of a music festival in Pittsburgh have been forced to defend their decision to book Iggy Azalea following a backlash from protesters. The Australian rapper is due to headline Pittsburgh Pridefest on 13 June, a decision that has proved controversial with LGBT activists who claim the rapper has made racist and homophobic comments online in the past.

Brooklyn College students rally in support of Palestinians on campus in New York on 12 October 2023. Photograph: Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty ImagesBrooklyn College students rally in support of Palestinians on campus in New York on 12 October 2023. Photograph: Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty ImagesNew YorkArab and Muslim students decry lack of leadership on Islamophobia at City University of New York On the morning of 12 October, a crowd of about 100 members of the Brooklyn College chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine and neighborhood residents gathered outside the school’s campus for a rally in support of the Palestinian people.

StageReviewSadler’s Wells, London Tender, brutal and humorous, the choreographer’s 1978 piece about gender wars and sexual mores still feels acutely contemporary It was 40 years ago that choreographer Pina Bausch first brought Kontakthof to London (it was made in 1978) and yet its subject matter hasn’t aged a bit. Its themes centre on the endless miseries of mating, gender wars and sexual mores as well as the irritations, humiliations and pain we inflict on each other in our struggle to connect and make physical contact.

FictionReviewA decade after wining the Pulitzer prize, the Australian-American author has retold the story of history’s most famous harpist and warrior king In 2005, Geraldine Brooks’s son began learning the harp. Neither of them then realised his decision would inspire the Pulitzer-winning author to pick up the Bible and read again of history’s most famous harpist and singular warrior king, David. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks - reviewRead moreIn her latest historical novel, The Secret Chord, Brooks has chosen Natan the prophet to narrate David’s tale.

As one attorney whose client was taken to Homan Square said: ‘Operating a massive, warehouse between two crime-filled areas ... the demographics that surround it speak for themselves.’ Video by Philipp Batta and Mae Ryan GuardianHoman Square This article is more than 8 years oldHoman Square revealed: how Chicago police 'disappeared' 7,000 peopleThis article is more than 8 years oldExclusive: Guardian lawsuit exposes fullest scale yet of detentions at off-the-books interrogation warehouse, while attorneys describe find-your-client chase across Chicago as ‘something from a Bond movie’

Mia Wasikowska in Alice Through the Looking Glass. Photograph: Allstar/DisneyMia Wasikowska in Alice Through the Looking Glass. Photograph: Allstar/DisneyWalt Disney CompanyAfter decades of selling young girls damsels in distress, Disney has finally made a run of films with strong female roles. It’s just a shame it took them so long A lot of the talk surrounding Alice Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to the 2010 hit Alice in Wonderland, is centring on whether the film can survive the departure of Tim Burton from the director’s chair, whether Sacha Baron Cohen can pull off another attempt at an orthodox acting role, or whether the project can overcome the near-wholesale jettisoning of the delicate charm of the Lewis Carroll original.

Self and wellbeingLife and styleReview I’d spent years in a tearful cycle of shame and anxiety about my possessions and didn’t understand why – until I got help I’ve bought my fifth ball gown today and although I don’t need it – and I’m not convinced the waistband would actually zip up around my thigh – I’m definitely going to buy it. It’s an absolute steal at £30 when the price tag indicates it was originally £700.

DesignThe cool glamour of Orry-Kelly’s costumes saw him pick up three Oscars and a host of A-list Hollywood confidantes from Cary Grant to Bette Davis Bette Davis wouldn’t make a film without him; with Marilyn Monroe he had tête-à-têtes and private jokes between takes. Despite this – and perhaps because of his tremendous discretion – Orry-Kelly, the Academy award-winning costume designer born in the Australian surfing town of Kiama, has always been something of a mystery.

Crosswords Fri 22 Dec 2023 19.00 EST Quick crossword No 16,734 Print | PDF version | Accessible version Fri 22 Dec 2023 19.00 EST Time on your hands? Stay connected and keep in touch with your friends with our new Puzzles mobile app. You can access more than 15,000 crosswords and sudoku and solve puzzles online together. Download and try it for free now. Time on your hands? Stay connected and keep in touch with your friends with our new Puzzles mobile app.

SoccerInterviewRay Hudson: ‘I was in love with America before I even came to the United States’Tom KludtThe magisterial football commentator opens up about his long, strange American trip and the steady rise of soccer in the US Ray Hudson will always be a Geordie, but America claimed his heart long ago. As a kid growing up in Tyneside, Hudson, was drawn to the pop culture of the United States, its movies and television.

Books blogPoetryRefreshing breaks: how fragmented stories can be fulfilling readingAnne Carson’s new poems make extensive use of broken snatches of writing, a modernist technique that presents readers with difficult – but liberating – challenges “Reading can be freefall,” runs the blurb on the back of Anne Carson’s new poetry collection, one of several recently published books to offer readers a more interactive way to engage with the printed word. Historically, fragmentation has been used as a troubling effect, or to indicate a subject under stress.

Joe BidenBiden says he faced off gang leader armed with a razor blade in 1962 – a former state president of the NAACP supports his yarn The year was 1962, and Joe Biden, a swimming pool security guard in his early 20s, had a problem. A tough guy by the name of CornPop, leader of a Delaware gang called “the Romans”, was waiting for him outside the pool. In Biden’s telling, CornPop was a “bad dude” who “ran a bunch of bad boys”, was armed with a straight-razor and backed by other gang members.

Zoolander No.2 film poster. Photograph: Universal Pictures InternationalZoolander No.2 film poster. Photograph: Universal Pictures InternationalStylewatchFashionZoolander 2: Derek reminds the world that he invented the selfie faceHead tilted down, lips pursed, cheeks sucked in: the Blue Steel look is the template for a zillion Instagram poses Once upon a time it was all about the quality of your ambi-turn. Now, the most important weapon in a model’s arsenal is the ability to take a flattering selfie – and here Derek Zoolander and Hansel show the world that they certainly have the goods.

Pop and rockWith a voice adored by Bob Dylan, Robert Plant and millions across the Arab world, Umm Kulthum rejected gender norms with her powerful, political music. But can her 90-minute songs work in a new stage musical? You hear the Umm Kulthum cafe before you see it. Violins swoon and a monumental voice surges from a doorway in Cairo’s Tawfiqia neighbourhood. Outside, couples smoke shisha on plastic chairs, dwarfed by two immense golden busts depicting the singer known variously as “the star of the east”, “mother of the Arabs” and “Egypt’s fourth pyramid”.

Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. Photograph: Sarah Maria GriffinSuper Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. Photograph: Sarah Maria GriffinGamesWhether you enter the big green pipe to Super Nintendo World, or want to rummage through rare games in Tokyo’s Electric Town, Japan is a video game paradise The experience of travelling in Japan is simultaneously overwhelming and freeing. The world feels bigger out there, gilded by how mainstream video game culture is in comparison with the west.

Observer book of the weekAutobiography and memoirReviewThe first and presumably last Briton ever to lead European foreign policy gives us a glimpse of an approach – more collaboration, less alpha male showboating – now sadly lost In February 2014, Catherine Ashton flew to Kyiv to hold talks with Ukraine’s embattled president, Viktor Yanukovych. For four years, she had been the European Union’s top envoy. As its first ever high representative for foreign affairs and security, Ashton was used to dealing with crises.

Argentinian president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner delivers a statement during a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. Photograph: Rolex Dela Pena/APArgentinian president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner delivers a statement during a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. Photograph: Rolex Dela Pena/APArgentina This article is more than 8 years oldArgentina's president Cristina Kirchner attacked for 'racist' Chinese jokeThis article is more than 8 years oldPresident Cristina Fernández de Kirchner comes under further fire following row over state prosecutor’s murder as she visits China on trade trip

Art and designSix years ago, they were told they shouldn’t be in the same building as ‘artists of calibre’. But, with a Turner nomination under their belt, life is changing for the Project Art Works collective and other neurodiverse artists ‘Everyone’s done brilliant, not just me.” I’m chatting to Lucy, an artist with Project Art Works, about the Hastings-based collective’s Turner prize nomination (they lost out to Belfast’s Array Collective in the end).

Chile This article is more than 5 years oldMan believed to be the world's oldest dies in Chile aged 121This article is more than 5 years oldCelino Villanueva Jaramillo, thought to have been born in 1896, died in hospital after puncturing his lung falling out of bed A Chilean man believed to be the world’s oldest person has died in hospital at the age of 121. Celino Villanueva Jaramillo, whom the Guardian met and interviewed last year, died on Wednesday in the southern Chilean town of San José de Mariquina.

Classical musicObituarySir Philip Ledger obituaryConductor, organist and director of music at King's College, Cambridge, who inspired players and singers alikeSir Philip Ledger, who has died aged 74, was an outstanding musician of great versatility. As a conductor, he inspired players and singers with his enthusiasm, energy and musicality; as a piano accompanist, he enhanced the performances of the distinguished soloists for whom he played – Janet Baker and Robert Tear among them; as a composer, he produced thoughtful and finely crafted works with immediate appeal.

The ObserverParticle physicsThe IceCube project has constructed a giant detector in the Antarctic ice to find subatomic particles. It could reveal where cosmic rays come from – and their cause. We meet the scientists at the south poleSpencer Klein is holding a thick glass ball the size of a watermelon and it is stuffed with electronics. For 10 minutes or so, he turns it over in his hands and talks through what it does, how it works and the brutal environment it can withstand.

Book of the dayHistory booksReviewAn archaeologist’s sparkling new analysis of the West and its antagonists, from Herodotus to Tullia d’Aragona to Carrie Lam In her new book, classical archaeologist Naoíse Mac Sweeney sets out to challenge and reinterpret the notion of “western civilisation” over the past 2,500 years, through the lives and writings of 14 women and men – ranging from Herodotus, the great Greek historian of the fifth century BC, to Carrie Lam, the 21st-century chief executive of Hong Kong, who presided over its recent slide into authoritarian rule.

New York holidaysWith HBO's hit show Girls released here on DVD on Monday, our writer, a huge fan, tours the gritty Brooklyn neighbourhoods where the action takes placeGirls begins with Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) working out how much longer she can remain in New York now that her parents have cut her off. "I calculated I can survive … for the next three days," she reasons. "Maybe seven, even, if I don't eat lunch.

FilmReviewJohn Carpenter’s enjoyably pulpy adaptation of King’s 1983 horror novel, about a car that infects its owners with evil, gets a 40th-anniversary revival Three years after Stanley Kubrick unveiled the vast mysterious grandeur of his film version of The Shining, John Carpenter demonstrated a very different and more unassuming approach to Stephen King with this adaptation of King’s cult horror classic; it came out in 1983 and is now revived for its 40th anniversary.

PhotographyCast out of Hollywood, Dennis Hopper picked up his camera as the LA art scene exploded. The resulting photographs have recently come to light and deserve acclaim in their own rightLost books by great writers occasionally turn up but, in a literary context, "lost" usually means "not worth publishing in his or her lifetime". The history of photography, on the other hand, is constantly updated and rewritten as entire bodies of work – by EJ Bellocq, William Gedney and others – are discovered.

Book of the daySociety booksReviewA stirring call to make justice and equity a reality by applying the ideas of liberal philosopher John Rawls If members of the shadow frontbench seek inspiration on how to differentiate their future administration from the mendacious nonentities who have run the country for the past 13 years, they could do worse than read this book. Free and Equal is a stirring call by an LSE philosopher and economist for egalitarian liberalism based on the ideas of John Rawls.

Hillary Clinton This article is more than 7 years oldHillary Clinton seen hiking day after conceding US electionThis article is more than 7 years oldDemocratic presidential nominee went for a hike with her husband near their New York home, hugging a supporter and ‘exchanging some sweet pleasantries’ An upstate New York woman, hoping to take her mind off of the US election results with a hike through the woods of Westchester County, bumped into another woman with a presumably similar notion: Hillary Clinton.

Jeremy Corbyn This article is more than 5 years oldJeremy Corbyn to MPs: I did not call Theresa May a 'stupid woman'This article is more than 5 years oldSpeaker says Labour leader should be taken at his word over alleged remark at PMQs Follow all the day’s politics news – live Parliament descended into chaos on Wednesday as angry Tory MPs accused Jeremy Corbyn of calling Theresa May a “stupid woman”, which the Labour leader vehemently denied.

John Oliver recapLate-night TV roundup This article is more than 4 years oldJohn Oliver takes on muzzling lawsuits – and the man who sued his showThis article is more than 4 years oldTwo years after Last Week Tonight was sued by a coal executive for critical coverage, Oliver addresses the ‘scourge’ of Slapp suits On Last Week Tonight, John Oliver ripped into frivolous lawsuits meant to silence dissent, an issue with which he has personal experience: two years ago, Last Week Tonight was sued by Bob Murray, the then CEO of Murray Energy, the largest private coal company in America, after the show did a segment highly critical of the coal executive.

Pamela Anderson with ‘kindred spirit’ Vivienne Westwood. Photograph: Dominique Charriau/WireImagePamela Anderson with ‘kindred spirit’ Vivienne Westwood. Photograph: Dominique Charriau/WireImageThe FashionFashionVegan leather and faux fur are huge trends this season. Here the star, talks about why she, for one, will never again wear Barbed Wire-style black leather Read more from the autumn/winter 2018 edition of The Fashion, our biannual fashion supplementI decided to become vegetarian when I was a child. My father was a hunter and one day I found a dead deer, without its head, hanging outside our home, dripping blood into a bucket.

Name and shameLife and style This article is more than 8 months oldBella Hadid’s regrets about her teenage nose job mirror my own. But now I have a new role modelThis article is more than 8 months oldEmma ForrestThe actor Marisa Abela, who will play Amy Winehouse in a new biopic, is a breath of fresh air, radiating youth – and confidence in her ancestry In a move that can be sincerely described as “Cher-Adjacent”, I was once placed next to Cher’s best friend at a dinner.

Hawaii This article is more than 10 months oldCouple accuse Hawaiian snorkeling tour company of abandoning them in oceanThis article is more than 10 months oldCalifornia newlyweds claim they returned to boat after dive to find it sailing away A California couple has filed a $5m lawsuit against a tour company in Hawaii which it claims abandoned them in the middle of the ocean during a snorkeling tour. In September 2021, Elizabeth Webster and her husband, Alexander Burckle, were on their honeymoon in Hawaii during which they booked a snorkeling excursion with the boat tour company Sail Maui.

Pass notesSkincareKate Beckinsale is the latest celebrity to try the treatment, which uses a serum derived from babies’ circumcised penises. Has anti-ageing finally gone too far? Name: The foreskin facial. Age: At least a week old. Appearance: A serum cloned from the circumcised foreskins of South Korean babies. Quick question: is this the end of the world? Not at all. It is perfectly normal to want to have the liquidised foreskins of multiple babies rubbed all over your face.

FilmInterview‘I was running naked with a fake penis’: how Simon Rex found redemption playing a washed-up porn star Ryan GilbeyFrom comedy rap with Charlie Sheen to a sitcom with Meghan Markle, Rex has had a rollercoaster life. Now, Sean Baker’s film Red Rocket has bestowed one quality that eluded him – respect for his acting What must it be like to have a penis the size of a draught excluder? “I wouldn’t know, dude!

Peaky Blinders: episode by episodePeaky BlindersPeaky Blinders recap: series five, episode five – back to its best at last!Just when it seemed all was lost, this perfect, pulsating episode came right on cue to reel us back in Oh Peaky Blinders, just when I think I might be out you pull me back in. This was a perfectly paced, pulsating episode, not only one of my favourites from this series but one of my favourite hours of the show overall.

Television industryReality show men sue Sky over transsexual 'trick'A group of reality show contestants are taking legal action against Sky after being tricked into seducing a woman who turned out to be a transsexual. The men are angry at being duped as part of the Sky One series Find Me a Man, which was recorded in Ibiza during the summer. The participants had to pick the woman they found most attractive from a line-up; all selected Miriam.

TheatreReviewDuke of York Theatre, LondonThey call this "Rent Remixed". I'd dub it "Rent Reduced", in that the late Jonathan Larson's reworking of La Bohème, while never a great musical, has been turned into a grisly, synthetic, pseudo pop concert with no particular roots or identity. It may be significant that the director, William Baker, and the music supervisor, Steve Anderson, are described as "the celebrated creative team behind Kylie". Originally seen off Broadway in 1996, Rent was the Hair of its day: a tribal musical that offered a hymn to the suffering young on New York's Lower East Side, with characters who vaguely echoed Puccini's originals.

MusicWith festival season upon us, from stadium-rousing anthemicists to legacy-honouring techno wizards and bowel-loosening drone-metallers, here are the performers that every music fan will want to tick off their bucket list Taylor SwiftTaylor Swift tours have quickly become the Marvel blockbusters of the live circuit, stuffed with famous cameos, era-specific multiverses and very online intertextual readings. At the heart of the maelstrom, however, is modern pop’s biggest megastar, deftly flitting between delicate folk balladry, heavyweight pop and empowered country, all tied up with a lyrical precision that can make a stadium feel like a theatre.

Matthew McConaugheyIn a new book, Hollywood’s ‘easy-livin’ superstar bares all about his route to the top. Here are some choice nuggets of McConna-sense The biggest question in the universe, writes Matthew McConaughey in his new autobiography (of sorts) is “WHOWHATWHEREWHENHOW?? – and that’s the truth. WHY? is even bigger.” With Greenlights, his love letter to livin, McConaughey attempts to answer these questions and others, such as why he never puts a “g” on the end of “living” – “because life’s a verb”.

Serge GainsbourgProperty owned by daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg has been kept as it was when singer died 30 years ago Since his death in 1991, fans of the singer-songwriter and French cultural icon Serge Gainsbourg have turned his home in a quiet street in the chic 7th arrondissement of Paris into a shrine. For more than 30 years they have painted graffiti and portraits on the outside walls and left quotes and messages of love and affection in homage to the controversial artist hailed as both a great poet and a grandstanding provocateur.

TheatreFrom unreadable scripts to ‘cripping up’, a career in theatre with a visual impairment can be a challenge. Chloë Clarke and Douglas Walker share their successes and hopes for the future What is it like to navigate not only a stage but the entire theatre industry as a blind person? From the practicalities of performing to harmful preconceptions about the roles visually impaired actors can play – and how blindness itself is portrayed – there is a lot to deal with.

SoulObituaryChuck Jackson obituarySoul singer known for his powerful delivery of Burt Bacharach’s sombre Any Day Now Chuck Jackson was a matinee idol among his generation of soul singers in the early 1960s, displaying the looks and the bearing to match the elegance of his singing. He shared with such contemporaries as Ben E King, Jerry Butler and Lou Johnson an understated masculinity that would be lost in the subsequent decade, with the arrival of grunting sex machines and smooth “love men”.

FoodThey're fried in fat and smothered in salt, but still we eat a heart-stopping 6bn packets of them a year. So why do we have an unhealthy obsession with potato crisps? Food blog: what's your favourite crisp? In an unremarkable suburb of Leicester called Beaumont Leys is a big factory – or actually two, side by side. But let's not split hairs already. The point is that it's big; a winding 10-minute march from reception round to the delivery bays.

Fania All-Stars in 1973. Photograph: Salsero73Fania All-Stars in 1973. Photograph: Salsero7320 iconic festival setsPop and rockIn a tiny club, 2,000 peacocking punters witnessed a historic gathering of talent for this mini-festival, showcasing a music craze on the brink of a breakthrough Read the rest of our 20 iconic festival sets series It’s the evening of 26 August 1971, and on the cramped stage of the Cheetah – a glitzy discotheque on Broadway and 53rd in Manhattan decorated in aluminium, black velvet and thousands of multicoloured lightbulbs – gather some of the finest Latin musicians of their era.

Women's rights and gender equalityGlobal developmentFemale genital mutilation has long been commonplace among Colombia’s Emberá people, yet secrecy and speculation has shrouded the tradition. Now the country is belatedly awakening to the possible extent of a hidden problem By the standards of the Emberá, Colombia’s second largest indigenous group after the Wayuu, Karina is a fairly modern-minded woman. Having spent much of her childhood in Bogotá, the Colombian capital, she navigates big cities easily.

The ObserverTikTokObserver investigation reveals how the ex-kickboxer and Big Brother contestant from Luton has gone from obscurity to global internet fame in months How TikTok bombards young men with misogynistic videos Andrew Tate says women belong in the home, can’t drive, and are a man’s property. He also thinks rape victims must “bear responsibility” for their attacks and dates women aged 18–19 because he can “make an imprint” on them, according to videos posted online.

VictoriaMDMA overdose: nine people hospitalised after Melbourne music festival had severe hyperthermiaAuthorities believe extreme heat and physical activity, rather than a single bad batch, exacerbated drug’s impact at Hardmission Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast All nine people hospitalised after a mass drug overdose at an electronic music festival in Melbourne last weekend suffered severe hyperthermia, with three people remaining in a critical condition.

Global development This article is more than 1 year oldRape survivor wins case against ‘cruel and inhumane’ state of BoliviaThis article is more than 1 year oldAn international court found that Brisa De Angulo, who was abused at 15, had her rights violated during the judicial process In a historic verdict, Brisa De Angulo, a rape survivor and campaigner for child victims of sexual abuse, has won a groundbreaking case against the state of Bolivia.

Life on the tiny island of Migingo - in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email A rounded rocky outcrop covered in metal shacks, Migingo Island rises out of the waters of Lake Victoria like an iron-plated turtle. The densely populated area covers barely a quarter of a hectare. Its residents are crammed into a hodge-podge of corrugated-iron homes, bars, brothels and a tiny port

The ObserverMovies This article is more than 8 years oldLiv Ullmann: Films should be fantasies, not pornographyThis article is more than 8 years oldIngmar Bergman’s muse talks about ever-more explicit mainstream movies and her new version of Miss JulieSex scenes in some of today’s films are so graphic that they are little more than “porno” movies, according to Liv Ullmann, one of cinema’s most revered actor-directors. “It has gone too far,” the award-winning Norwegian star of stage and screen told the Observer.

Higher educationManchester student arrested in IraqA Manchester University student has been arrested in northern Iraq while allegedly attempting to join a radical Islamic guerilla group believed to be linked with al-Qaida. Urslaan Khan, 21, from Yarm, near Middlesbrough, was discovered last month traveling with a British passport through the mountains of northern Iraq. He was detained by American military officials who questioned him about his movements in Iraq. Mr Khan is thought to be the first Briton to be arrested in Iraq for allegedly being linked to groups in combat with the coalition troops.

Ask PhilippaRelationshipsAccepting your grief, no matter how long ago it happened, will make it easier to live withThe dilemma I am 50 years old, live a privileged life with my husband and our two children and really don’t want for much. My mother died very suddenly when I was 25 – she was 61. Her death was from a heart attack. We had no clue that she was gravely ill. My father died of bowel cancer in 2020, aged 81.

‘You can’t go incognito on a Pendleton Somerby.’ Photograph: PR/Guardian‘You can’t go incognito on a Pendleton Somerby.’ Photograph: PR/GuardianCyclingReview‘It’s cheap and poorly made: why has Victoria Pendleton put her name to this donkey?’It’s one of the friendlier heckles I’ve received while cycling in central Manchester. “Get back to the Netherlands, you!” yelled a bloke on Deansgate. It was 5pm on a Saturday, shortly after the full-time whistle had blown at one or other of the city’s football grounds.

BooksReviewOn stage this story has won Tony and Olivier awards. But as a book set in the UK, it suffers from the extra padding – and it feels more heavy-handed, too When it comes to sexual assault and the law, a lot has happened since Suzie Miller debuted her one-woman “rape play” (her words). Prima Facie, about a sexual assault defence-barrister-turned-complainant who tries to get justice for her own rape, opened at Sydney’s Griffin Theatre Company in 2019.

How to believeHolocaust This article is more than 9 years oldWhat was God's role in Auschwitz? A question often prohibited, but always askedThis article is more than 9 years oldAndrew BrownOtto Dov Kulka's writing considers how religious belief can exist in a world with no future. His answer comes in the form of a dreamOne part of the immense distance that separates Gentiles from the Jewish experience of Auschwitz is the role of God there.

Ask JackTechnologyWhat's the best tablet for a photographer with a DSLR?Tim Locke edits photos on a laptop and would like to show them on a tablet. Should he use an iPad or a Windows 8 convertible?I take pictures with a Canon DSLR camera, and use Canon software (EOS Utility, Zoom Browser and Digital Photo Professional) to edit them on a 4.5-year-old Toshiba laptop. The laptop is still reliable (though slowing down) with a decent screen and still enough oomph to do the editing.

Toad and Princess Peach in Easter potato form. Photograph: Courtesy of Joel SnapeToad and Princess Peach in Easter potato form. Photograph: Courtesy of Joel SnapeEasterNothing brings a family together like decorating root vegetables. At least that’s what I tell my five-year-old Would you paint a potato? Don’t worry, this isn’t some mad dadaist take on those old “You wouldn’t download a car” ads. America, apparently, has been gripped with potato-decorating fever, sparked first by memes about how expensive eggs are getting in the run-up to Easter, and then a concerted effort by Potatoes USA to get everyone’s favourite root vegetable briefly trending.

24 hours in pictures: September 24 2007 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Wed 26 Sep 2007 17.22 BST First published on Wed 26 Sep 2007 17.22 BST Luton, UK: A full moon next to a floodlight prior to the Carling Cup third-round match between Luton Town and Charlton Athletic Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Rangoon, Burma: A protesting Buddhist monk sheds tears for other monks arrested by police Photograph: STR/AFP

OpinionMental health This article is more than 10 years oldAmanda Bynes and the crass media treatment of 'troubled starlets'This article is more than 10 years oldHannah Jane ParkinsonThose genuinely affected by mental illness are not helped by a buffet of schadenfreude about 'the latest slice of crazy'Question: when does a Mail article about a celebrity posting nude selfies on Twitter transcend from banal lechery to something truly, irresponsibly odious? Answer: when the subject of that article is somebody displaying signs of mental illness.

Other livesEngineeringObituaryPeter Seaton obituaryMy father, Peter Seaton, who has died aged 91, was a senior design engineer who started his career as a shipwright apprentice and went on to work on several landmark defence projects, including the Thunderbird missile and UK-3 satellite. Born in Gillingham, Kent, the son of Henry Seaton, an electrical engineer, and his wife Ellen (nee Bonnick), he was one of four children: an older sister, Pat, older brother, Harry, and younger brother, John, who was born the day after Henry’s death following kidney surgery.

Books This article is more than 2 months oldResearcher uncovers a new body of work believed to be by Louisa May AlcottThis article is more than 2 months oldAcademic suggests seven short stories, five poems and one non-fiction work were written by the Little Women author under the name EH Gould A researcher has uncovered a trove of stories and poems he believes to have been written under a pseudonym by Little Women author Louisa May Alcott.

Movies This article is more than 10 years oldSean Penn, Michael Moore and Oliver Stone pay tribute to Hugo ChávezThis article is more than 10 years oldHollywood figures who became friends with the Venezuelan president mourn a 'great hero' and 'champion of the poor'Hollywood liberals Sean Penn, Michael Moore and Oliver Stone have paid tribute to Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, who died on 5 March after a long battle with cancer, at the age of 58.

‘For the love of God, just take the chips!’ Photograph: Tara Moore/Getty Images‘For the love of God, just take the chips!’ Photograph: Tara Moore/Getty ImagesPass notesAnimalsThey say an elephant never forgets. The same appears to apply to octopuses, camels and more – sometimes with deadly results for humans Name: Animal grudges. Age: As old as the oldest disputed space on the planet. Appearance: Like any animal attack, but this time it’s personal.

Children's booksBooksTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - review'To Kill a Mockingbird will never stop being a good book, and it will never stop inspiring good people'To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those books that almost everyone reads at some point in their lives. Whether you've been forced to read it at school, or you've had a look because everyone's been urging you to, most people have their own personal experience of reading Mockingbird.

The ObserverPop and rockReview(World Circuit) The Malian guitarist returns to the spare style of his father in this haunting set addressing unrest in his homeland Heritage, a word that’s everywhere these days, comes no weightier than that borne by Vieux Farka Touré, son of Mali’s great guitar master, the late Ali Farka Touré. Even for a teenage Vieux to pick up a guitar required the patriarch’s reluctant consent. Over the past 15 years, Vieux has honoured his eminent father while exploring other connections: reggae, remixes, a stint with Israeli rocker Idan Raichel and, on 2013’s Mon Pays, an embrace of Mali’s wider culture during its conflict-ridden years.

Guardian StudentsStudentsMany student societies raise money through the sales of nude calendars – is it fun and liberating, or do they objectify women?This week the University of Warwick's women's rowing team have come into the spotlight for publishing their second naked calendar, sales of which raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Last year they received criticism for posing in the nude, with many people arguing that the calendar objectified the students and was "

Animation in film This article is more than 7 years oldArriba, arriba! Speedy Gonzales racing to the big screen in new animated adventureThis article is more than 7 years oldLooney Tunes stalwart and perennial bête noire of the hapless Sylvester the Cat is getting his own movie from studio Warner Bros Speedy Gonzales, the rocket-heeled Mexican mouse whose battles with Sylvester the Cat lit up the golden age of American animation, looks set to return to the big screen in a new adventure, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Booker prize This article is more than 1 month oldBookies make the three Pauls their favourites to win 2023 Booker prizeThis article is more than 1 month oldPaul Harding, Paul Lynch and Paul Murray have been given the best odds of winning the prestigious £50,000 literary prize this weekend The three shortlisted authors named Paul — Paul Harding, Paul Lynch and Paul Murray — are at the top of the list of bookies’ favourites to win this year’s Booker prize.

30 minutes with …Pop and rockInterviewDemi Lovato: 'If you want to be famous, just make a sex tape'Peter RobinsonThe Heart Attack singer and former Disney star talks about fame, being the subject of an intervention and – possibly – having a crush on Barney the DinosaurGood evening Demi. Your new album is far better than your last. Did you realise this while you were recording it? Well, thank you. When I finished the last album I thought it was great for a while, but I got sick of the songs a lot faster than with my others so I figured maybe it wasn't my best.

OpinionFlorence + the Machine This article is more than 12 years oldFlorence and the Machine feed a bourgeois fantasy of 'folksiness'This article is more than 12 years oldAlex NivenFATM's popularity reveals how the liberal middle classes have abandoned true counterculture for escapist vintage chicThe music world is buzzing with excitement this week. Against a backdrop of seemingly immovable industry pessimism, the release of the second Florence and the Machine album, Ceremonials, has occasioned widespread hope that its magic formula of style and kooky indie eclecticism might stem the tide of haemorrhaging sales and anoint a new PJ Harvey-style icon in the process.

World news This article is more than 15 years oldGiant dog turd wreaks havoc at Swiss museumThis article is more than 15 years oldInflatable artwork blown from moorings and brings down power lineA giant inflatable dog turd created by the American artist Paul McCarthy was blown from its moorings at a Swiss museum, bringing down a power line and breaking a window before landing in the grounds of a children's home.

David Shariatmadari: ‘I begin to have visions of blocks of letters falling across the screen.’ Photograph: Kellie French/The GuardianWordle is the deceptively simple puzzle that became a global sensation last Christmas. The challenge: to create a rival Play Wordiply, the game we made, here by David ShariatmadariIt’s December 2021. We’ve been through 18 months of grief, fear and disruption. Just as life is beginning to return to normal for many, warnings of a sinister new variant spread.

30 minutes with …Sarah Jessica ParkerInterviewSarah Jessica Parker: 'I don't think we're alone in the universe'Stuart HeritageHas SJP's role as Kira Supernova in Escape From Planet Earth fostered a belief in aliens? Is it the best-named character she has ever played? And is she sick of being asked about Sex and the City 3?Hello Sarah. Is Escape From Planet Earth your first animated movie? I think it's the first full-length theatrical release.

To celebrate the anniversary of the dramatist’s birth, here is a banquet of images from productions of his works by Guardian photographer Tristram Kenton and featuring Tamsin Greig, Judi Dench, Kenneth Branagh and Ralph Fiennes Published: 23 Apr 2020 ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJulocG2vsRoq5qlo567brPRnqCg

The upsideWomenArchitects behind Lapee say pink spiral design could end gender toilet inequality It’s the great injustice of festival life. While men don’t have to think twice about it, for women the question of when and where to pee is always there. Do you brave a long queue and risk losing your friends, or are you drunk enough to relieve yourself in a more informal setting? Gina Périer, a French architect living in Copenhagen, thinks she has the answer.

TV reviewTelevisionReviewAfter a predictably watery start, this six-parter becomes an ace murder mystery starring the wonderful Sophie Rundle and Lorraine Ashbourne. A rare treat from ITV I’ll be honest with you. My hopes weren’t high for new six-part drama After the Flood. ITV drama is a hit-and-miss affair – increasingly the former, but not yet often enough that you can approach an evening’s viewing with unassailable confidence in the investment you are about to make – and the publicity made this one sound like a standard police procedural, with added water.

Women This article is more than 9 years oldBarbie can be a computer engineer ... but only with help of a manThis article is more than 9 years old‘I’ll need Steven and Brian’s help to turn this into a real game!’ laughs computer programmer Barbie in new book Breaking away from her pink heels, pink ball gown and oversized pink hairbrush, Barbie – the fashion doll manufactured by Mattel – now has a range of gender-stereotype-breaking books.

Bob Marley performing at the Rainbow theatre in London in 1977. Photograph: Adrian Boot/ReutersAs Tuff Gong releases a limited edition series of Marley albums, we pick the greatest work of reggae’s biggest star by Alexis Petridis30. Rude Boy (1965)The ska-era Wailers launch themselves into the 60s Jamaican vogue for singles either praising or condemning the violent Kingston “rude boy” youth cult. Tellingly, given the socio-political songs that lay ahead of him, Marley focuses on the deprived circumstances that birthed the phenomenon: “Want it want it – can’t get it, get it get it – no want it.

Health, mind and body booksObituaryDonald West obituaryWriter of a book on homosexuality that helped change the climate of opinion at a time when sex between men was illegalThe criminologist and psychiatrist Donald West, who has died aged 95, made his name with his book Homosexuality, first published in 1955. The time was right, West wrote then, to deal with the “problem” of homosexuality in a dispassionate and popular manner. Very little had been published previously on the subject for a wide readership.

Mad Men: notes from the break roomMad MenMad Men: season four, episode threeA visit to Anna leaves Don devastated. So he heads to the only place close to being a home – the SCDP officesSPOILER ALERT: This blog is for those who are watching season four of Mad Men on BBC4. Don't read on if you haven't seen episode three – and if you've seen more of the series, please be aware that many UK viewers will not have done so …

Sport and leisure booksReviewSwept up by the story of the 'greatest cyclist in the world'Forget Lance Armstrong and his tidy seven victories in the Tour de France. Between 1961 and 1978, Eddy "the Cannibal" Merckx won 525 races, including five Tours de France, four Giros d'Italia and three world championships. He began his season in February and ended in October, a mess of saddle sores and cracked vertebrae. Unlike Armstrong, Merckx never saved himself for a particular event.

‘Cities die just like people’ … civilians in Aleppo. Photograph: Abdalrhman Ismail/Reuters‘Cities die just like people’ … civilians in Aleppo. Photograph: Abdalrhman Ismail/ReutersFictionReviewAleppo becomes a central character in this sad, beautiful portrait of a family psychologically scarred by war and tyranny Were Syrians wise to revolt? Aren’t they worse off now? Such questions misapprehend the situation. Syrians didn’t decide out of the blue to destroy a properly functioning state. The state had been destroying them, and itself, for decades.

TV and radio blogCultureThe Gallery of Regrettable FoodFor today's web trawl ... check out this horribly funny site, featuring the worst of past cuisine.If anyone still doubts that food has improved over the last 40 years then they should visit this horribly funny site, featuring the very worst of past cuisine. All the recipes, submitted by the public, come from genuine cookery books, and most are accompanied by photographs. Thus a book called Barb B Trix - which, as the commentary points out, sounds less like a cookery book and more like a prostitute specialising in bondage - advises us to mix ground beef with peas and carnation-evaporated milk in order to get our burgers to bind properly.

US news This article is more than 10 months oldUS Christian group accused of covering up sexual abuse of minorsThis article is more than 10 months oldLawsuits claim International Churches of Christ leaders failed to report as well as plotted to conceal abuse of women and children Michele “Chele” Roland was looking for salvation when she joined the International Churches of Christ. She never imagined that, three decades later, she would lead a legal battle accusing the controversial Christian religious organization of enabling and covering up the sexual molestation of children in its congregation, among other alleged abuses, but that’s exactly what she’s doing.

Film This article is more than 20 years oldBertolucci's Dreamers gets NC-17 ratingThis article is more than 20 years oldBernardo Bertolucci's controversial The Dreamers has received a prohibitive NC-17 certificate for its release in the US next month. It is the first studio film in six years to receive the rating, which is seen to spell box office death for a movie. Set against the backdrop of the 1968 Paris uprisings, The Dreamers stars Eva Green and Louis Garrel as a pair of hothouse siblings who seduce the young American student (Michael Pitt) who moves into their apartment.

Chris BrownInterviewChris Brown: 'It was the biggest wake-up call'Decca AitkenheadHe was a teen superstar, the unassailable crown prince of R&B – until he assaulted his girlfriend Rihanna. Chris Brown talks about 'that incident', his year in anger management and why he's got a lot more music (and money) to makePeople who hate Chris Brown – and there are many – might sum him up as the bad boy of R&B, chiefly famous for beating up Rihanna.

TheatreReviewVaudeville, London Robert Askins’s Broadway hit about a Bible belt teenager in thrall to a foul-mouthed puppet is merely crude American religious fervour inevitably breeds a reaction. Although Robert Askins’s play has made a five-year journey from the theatrical margins to Broadway hit, it strikes me as a coarse, crude satire that – not unlike The Book of Mormon – greets one form of excess with another. Sock it to Satan: the barman behind profane puppet drama Hand to GodRead moreThe play is set in a world Askins knows, as it were, at first hand: that of a Lutheran ministry in Texas, where sock puppets are used as a way of spreading the gospel.

TheatreReviewWyndham’s theatre, London At two hours with no interval, the actor-director’s production hurtles past at such speed that the depths of the play are too rarely realised Kenneth Branagh has confirmed his mercurial ability to inhabit Shakespeare’s flawed heroes over decades on stage and film. We have come to expect great things: energy, polish and accomplished verse diction. That is what we get here, in his production of what some believe to be the most tragic of Shakespearean downfalls.

TheatreReviewRoyal & Derngate, Northampton Katori Hall’s astonishing drama, based on the alleged visions of three schoolgirls, explores the power of faith and miracles as Rwanda’s genocide looms Katori Hall’s astonishing play, dealing with the apparent visitation of the Virgin Mary to a trio of Rwandan schoolgirls in 1981, has some distinguished forebears. Like Shaw’s Saint Joan, it explores the nature of miracles, and, like Miller’s The Crucible, it raises the spectre of mass hallucination.

OpinionUS news This article is more than 15 years oldPreventing the rise of a 'messiah'This article is more than 15 years oldJonathan David FarleyThe US government's efforts to discredit Martin Luther King and other civil rights leaders illustrate the lengths to which it will go to stifle left-wing movementsForty years ago today, a bullet severed the spine of a man whom many the world over thought of as a prince. We have all seen the picture of the hotel balcony where that prince stood, and fell, surrounded by his entourage, all pointing - presumably, in the direction from which the bullet came.

TED Global 2011Ted This article is more than 12 years oldInterviewTED's Chris Anderson: the man who made YouTube cleverThis article is more than 12 years oldCarole CadwalladrWith his TED Talks series, the former magazine mogul Chris Anderson has racked up 500 million web video views for speeches by academics and technological experts. But that, he says, is only the start of an educational revolutionA few minutes after Alain de Botton announced to a packed auditorium in Edinburgh that secularism needed to learn the lessons of religion and reintroduce the concept of the sermon, Chris Anderson, the head of TED, needed to fill a few minutes and asked for questions from the floor.

WomenWhen relationships are hit by serious illness, such as cancer, it can bring existing gender inequalities shockingly to the surface When Christie Sanchez was 12, she had the best stepdad in the world. He was charismatic and intelligent. He introduced her to new music and took her hiking every weekend. Then, her mom got sick. For two years Sanchez’s mom, Sandra, battled stage four breast cancer. It was advanced enough that within days of her diagnosis she was having her breasts, lymph nodes and both ovaries removed.

BooksReviewRyan Grim provides an exhaustive account of challenges faced – and sometimes failed – by the US progressive stars Ryan Grim’s sprawling new book is called The Squad, but it is about much more than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her progressive allies in the US House. It does provide mini-biographies of AOC, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman, but it should have been called The Squad and Its Enemies, given the amount of space it devotes to their adversaries.

‘A tremendous hater’ … Gore Vidal. Illustration by Edel Rodriguez for Review‘A tremendous hater’ … Gore Vidal. Illustration by Edel Rodriguez for ReviewBiography booksSpats with Truman Capote, punch-ups with Norman Mailer, a TV showdown that electrified the US and has now been made into a feature-length documentary … Jay Parini on the bravery and bite of Gore Vidal I came to know Gore Vidal in the mid 1980s, when I was living in southern Italy, virtually a neighbour, and our friendship lasted until his death in 2012.

Australian lifestyleYou’ll need a hefty list of materials, but it’s worth it to keep veggie gardens happy and watered for up to 10 days – even in the heat Hotter summers make for harder growing soil conditions, and the poor veggie garden beds can suffer the most. One way around this is to set yourself up with wicking beds. The basic theory behind wicking beds is that the water is stored in an airtight reservoir underneath the soil, and it “wicks” up through the soil to the roots above as the plants transpire moisture through their leaves.

Luxury goods sector This article is more than 3 months oldLVMH hit by growth slowdown amid fall in demand for high-end drinksThis article is more than 3 months oldRising inflation and global instability also blamed for drop in revenue growth in third quarter Nils Pratley: the AI revolution is coming. Invest in $10,000 handbags Rising inflation, growing global instability and falling demand for high-end drinks have been blamed for a slowdown in growth at the luxury goods multinational LVMH, owner of Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Moët & Chandon.

ComedyReviewSoho theatre, London Australian comic delivers a compelling but messy exploration of grief – but where’s the bear? The “dead dad” show has become a standup genre unto itself in recent years – but that isn’t the half of it in Aussie act Michelle Brasier’s Average Bear. It is about a life that lacked hardship, then overflowed with it, as the gilded daughter of Wagga in New South Wales migrated to theatre school in Melbourne, and got more drama than she bargained for.

Kentucky This article is more than 9 years oldMother of 13-year-old girl who went on crime spree with boyfriend arrestedThis article is more than 9 years oldAccused of taking daughter from father’s house despite not having custody Boyfriend says they were fleeing girl’s abusive familyDaughter and 18-year-old boyfriend stole vehicles and checks in multistate runThe mother of one of the two teenage sweethearts from Kentucky who are suspected in a multistate crime spree of stolen vehicles and pilfered checks has been arrested.

Red deer in Scottish Highland landscape Photograph: Design Pics Inc/Rex/ShutterstockThe Scottish Highlands have a deer problem. Is shooting tens of thousands of them the only solution? By Cal Flyn by Cal FlynWhen we arrive at the cottage, they are already there, watching us from high on the crags overlooking the water. The five of us are still tasting the chill, stale air of the empty building and staking claims on stained mattresses when Julien spots a silhouette through the warped pane of the back window.

The ObserverIndieInterviewPhoebe Bridgers: 'Aged 12 or 13 I was just like, I'm the next Bob Dylan'Killian FoxAs she prepares to release a second album, the Californian indie rocker reflects on provocative lyrics, recent collaborations and what she now thinks of Ryan Adams You are a talented young musician whose career has taken off in the past couple of years. Artists you greatly admire want to collaborate with you, declaring themselves “floored” by your music, and excitable comparisons are made to the work of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

The ObserverBiologyThe microscopic animals can withstand extreme conditions that would kill humans, and may one day help in the development of Covid vaccines. How do they do it? On 11 April 2019, a spacecraft crashed on to the Moon. The Israeli Beresheet probe was supposed to land gently in the Mare Serenitatis, a huge plain of basalt rock formed in a volcanic eruption billions of years ago. It would have been the first privately funded mission to land on the Moon.

OpinionCancer This article is more than 12 years oldThe Big C is not the cancer comedy for meThis article is more than 12 years oldDeborah OrrThis sentimental TV programme breaks none of the taboos surrounding the illness or its treatmentIs carcinoma suddenly everywhere? Or have I just been ultra-sensitive lately, noticing every tiny mention of the illness since I was diagnosed with breast cancer last June? No, it's not that, not just that, anyway.

Photograph: C Squared Studios/Getty Images Photograph: C Squared Studios/Getty ImagesAlex Bellos's Monday puzzleMathematicsCan you solve it? The bat, the ball and the bamboozleYou’ll be hit for six UPDATE: To read the answers click here Here’s a famous puzzle: A bat and a ball cost £1.10. The bat costs £1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? The puzzle is well-known because people often get it wrong, even though the arithmetic involved is very simple.

Tennis This article is more than 8 months oldFifteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva topples Beatriz Haddad Maia at Madrid OpenThis article is more than 8 months oldRussian youngster wins 7-6 (6), 6-3 against world No 14Andy Murray loses in first round to Andrea VavassoriAcross the southern barrios of Madrid, the 15-year-old Mirra Andreeva continued to command attention on her debut at the Madrid Open as she followed up her maiden WTA victory against Leylah Fernandez by toppling Beatriz Haddad Maia, the world No 14, 7-6 (6), 6-3 to reach the third round.

MoneyFinancial adviser who killed elderly client jailed for lifeAn independent financial adviser who fleeced an elderly client out of almost £300,000, then murdered her after she demanded her money back, was jailed for life yesterday. Peter Crittenden seduced Joan Beddeson, 71, and persuaded her to hand over the money. When she had second thoughts about their relationship and asked for the money back, he murdered her. In the early hours, he drove from his Worcester home to her bungalow in Macclesfield, Cheshire, and smothered her with a pillow.

US news This article is more than 1 year old‘I won’t survive’: queer California man facing deportation after 44 years in USThis article is more than 1 year oldSalesh Prasad could be sent to Fiji, where he fears anti-LGBTQ+ violence, with California law enforcement aiding his detention A 50-year-old California man who was born in Fiji but has lived in the US since he was six years old is facing deportation to a country where he has no family and is at risk of violence and abuse as a queer person.

The ObserverPolitics booksReviewThis deftly constructed account of the IRA’s 1984 attempt to kill the prime minister leaves us with one insistent question: what would have happened if they had succeeded? At 2.54am on 12 October 1984, a bomb, which had been concealed in room 629 of the Grand hotel in Brighton several weeks earlier, detonated with such force that it toppled one of the hotel’s five-ton Victorian chimney stacks. “Like a monstrous guillotine, it sliced through concrete, steel and wood, all the way to the ground floor,” writes Rory Carroll in Killing Thatcher, his meticulously rendered account of the IRA’s most audacious terrorist operation.

TheatreReviewThe Print Room, LondonI was wrong about Brian Friel's play. Seeing it for the first time at the Almeida in 1994, I took it to be an arid replay of Friel's Faith Healer: again two men and a woman engage in monologues on the curative process. But although it is a play that asks whether seeing is to be equated with understanding, it also becomes, in Abigail Graham's incisive production, a play about a shared, profoundly Irish sense of exile.

Health & wellbeing This article is more than 1 year oldThis article is more than 1 year oldLondon’s ‘Screamatorium’ is one way to self-soothe as office tension (and therapy costs) mount Little evidence screaming helps mental health, say psychologists On Zoom, no one can hear you scream. But since our return to the office, those quiet corners and private meeting rooms might be proving in high demand. Whether it’s for personal or professional, or the inextricable intersection of the two, nearly everyone who passes time in an office will have at least once had a meltdown there.

World newsReturn of the great white killerRecent savage attacks have convinced experts that the shark is deadlier than before ... and now it's heading our wayThere was no warning, no trace of the menacing score that accompanied the mythic monster of Jaws. Teenager Nick Peterson could surely not have known what struck him as he stretched on his surfboard last week. The shark's first bite severed his torso, onlookers howled as the blue-green sea off Adelaide turned red with his blood.

Jerusalem, Mr Burns and Barbershop ChroniclesA hip-hop history lesson, a dizzy Dahl musical and a continent-hopping barbershop … we pick the finest new works of theatre since 2000 Jez Butterworth: the sage behind our No1 by Michael Billington, Alexis Soloski, Catherine Love, Mark Fisher and Chris Wiegand50Three Kingdoms (2012)Few productions this century have divided opinion like Three Kingdoms. Simon Stephens’ detective yarn took audiences on a thrilling and disorientating trip across Europe, in a trilingual collaboration with German director Sebastian Nübling and Estonian designer Ene-Liis Semper.

Demonstrators protest near the White House last month over the death of George Floyd. Photograph: Evan Vucci/APDemonstrators protest near the White House last month over the death of George Floyd. Photograph: Evan Vucci/APGeorge Floyd This article is more than 3 years oldGeorge Floyd told officers 'I can't breathe' more than 20 times, transcripts showThis article is more than 3 years oldDerek Chauvin, the officer kneeling on his neck, replied: ‘It takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk’

Los Angeles This article is more than 11 years oldJustin Bieber paparazzo killed by car in Los AngelesThis article is more than 11 years oldPop star says his prayers are with family of photographer who was hit by vehicle on Sepulveda BoulevardPop star Justin Bieber says his thoughts and prayers are with the family of a paparazzo who was fatally struck by a car after taking pictures of the singer's white Ferrari sports car in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

TheatreReviewYoung Vic, London Erin Doherty emerges as one of the year’s great discoveries with a stunning performance as the young American desperate to rectify the world’s injustices Time changes things. This selection from the journals of Rachel Corrie – judiciously compiled by the late Alan Rickman and the Guardian’s editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner – was first seen in 2005. Then, the memory of its protagonist’s death was still fresh: she was crushed by an Israeli army bulldozer in Gaza two years earlier.

OpinionGames This article is more than 6 years oldNazis as the bad guys in videogames? How is that controversial?This article is more than 6 years oldTauriq MoosaWhite grievance is on the rise around the world – even in the non-real world, as criticism of the latest instalment of the Wolfenstein game demonstratesWolfenstein has been around longer than I’ve been alive. What began as two innovative anti-Nazi stealth video games for the Apple II and Commodore 64 became id Software’s famous first-person anti-Nazi shooter.

BooksReviewThe former secretary of state wants to be president. His vicious memoir will sell, but he may not find buyers at the polls Mike Pompeo is prescient, at least. Back in 2016, as a congressman, he warned Kansas Republicans of the danger posed by Donald Trump. Pompeo lamented that the US had already endured more than seven years of “an authoritarian president who ignored our constitution” – meaning Barack Obama – and cautioned that a Trump presidency would be no different.

Civil rights movementObituaryTom Hayden obituaryCampaigner against injustice and critic of the Vietnam warWhen he was running, unsuccessfully, in the 1990s to be governor of California, Tom Hayden, who has died aged 76, complained ruefully to the Los Angeles Times that his image among the voters of his adopted state could be summed up in just four words: “60s radical Jane Fonda”. He had been married for 17 years to Fonda, Hollywood royalty and a living symbol of what many loved and more despised about the New Left.

Film This article is more than 4 years oldTrue History of the Kelly Gang's cross-dressing punk rock outlaw is not quite as radical as he looksThis article is more than 4 years oldJeff SparrowStan’s new film undercuts its own attempt to subvert the traditional masculinity in which the Ned Kelly myth is steeped Every generation reinvents Ned Kelly anew. The new Stan film production True History of the Kelly Gang self-consciously celebrates the innate pliability of the Kelly myth.

TV tonightTelevisionNatalie doesn’t remember having sex with Archie in this essential one-off film. Plus, Shamima Begum tells her story. Here’s what to watch this evening Consent10pm, Channel 4Emma Dennis-Edwards has written a queasy drama about sexual abuse and harassment in schools that gets under the skin and is excruciating from beginning to end. Set in a private school, it follows scholarship student Natalie, who doesn’t remember having sex with classroom crush Archie.

Wildlife This article is more than 3 years oldWild grey seal caught ‘clapping’ on camera for the first timeThis article is more than 3 years oldThe sound resembles ‘shotgun-like cracks’ and attracts potential mates A wild grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) has been caught “clapping” on camera for the first time, making sounds that resemble “shotgun-like cracks”. The large male was filmed striking its flippers together off the coast of the Farne Islands, near Northumberland, during the breeding season in 2017.

Relatives attend the funeral of Glendy Yesenia López, 20. She was killed by two gang members while she was driving her motorcycle taxi Photograph: Ignacio MarinDecades of migration to the US left generations of children behind for whom gangs are substitute families Photographs and text by Ignacio Marin Since she arrived in Guatemala City a few decades ago, she has lived in the same humble home. Between bare concrete walls and under a tin roof, she raised three children.

Law (Australia)Thirty years after the trial of five men for the shocking attack on a Sydney nurse, then public defender Bill Hosking reflects on his part in it The tragedy that would shock the whole of Australia began just before 10pm on 2 February 1986. A registered nurse, 26-year-old Anita Cobby, had been having dinner with friends after finishing her shift at Sydney hospital on Macquarie Street, next to state Parliament House in the city.

ShortcutsBeesTowns in southern England are being beset by noisy hordes of honeybees in search of new homes. Here’s what to do if you get caught by the buzz “The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams,” said Henry David Thoreau, who clearly knew what he was talking about. Swarms of honeybees have appeared in Salisbury, Marlborough and Chichester, and the growing fashion for amateur beekeeping may be to blame.

Mike Johnson This article is more than 2 months old‘Go pick up a Bible’: Speaker Mike Johnson defends anti-LGBTQ+ viewsThis article is more than 2 months oldRepublican House speaker, who has advanced extreme views as attorney and legislator, says ‘I am a Bible-believing Christian’ Questioned about comments and actions deemed by many to be homophobic, the new Republican US House speaker, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, told Fox News his worldview was: “Go pick up a Bible.

The ObserverPhilanthropyWhat would you do if your inherited wealth was built on slavery, fossil fuels or came at the price of neglect? Meet the guilty rich who want nothing to do with their moneyMorgan Curtis’s life story is the American Dream in reverse. Her great, great, great grandfather was a banker in early 1800s New York – he invested in railroads, while his brother invested in Central American mines. The family wealth grew as it passed through the generations, and Curtis’s father added to the pile as a management consultant for “major” firms.

Darlene and Cisco’s fateful dinner date Photograph: PR company handoutDarlene and Cisco’s fateful dinner date Photograph: PR company handoutMr Robot: episode by episodeTelevision & radioMr Robot recap: season two, episode 10 – pass the smelling salts!With romance, assassins and plans for world domination, we’re finally seeing the big picture – not to mention the even bigger conspiracy. And what an ending She’s well acquainted with the touch of the velvet handJeepers H Creepers, that was some ending.

US newsThe fascist who 'passed' for whiteLawrence Dennis was a leading light in the American fascist movement of the 1930s. He was a fan of Hitler and a self-avowed anti-semite. Now a new book reveals that he was actually black - although even his wife didn't know. Gary Younge reportsLawrence Dennis was, arguably, the brains behind American fascism. He attended the Nuremberg rallies, had a personal audience with Mussolini, and met Nazi leaders; throughout the 1930s he provided the intellectual ballast for America's bourgeoning pro-fascist movement.

WH AudenDespite the poet’s best attempts to destroy it, readers still turn to his poem about Germany’s invasion of Poland in times of crisis. Why? There are many acclaimed poems that address themselves to the question of love. There are many that address themselves to the problems of war. There are others, both ancient and modern, that seem to speak directly to our contemporary condition, and to various crises, fears and threats of annihilation.

England This article is more than 2 months oldFamily appeal for help to return body of son killed in UK to AnguillaThis article is more than 2 months oldTwo boys, aged 12, to appear in court for murder of Shawn Seesahai, 19, in Wolverhampton The family of a 19-year-old man who was stabbed to death in Wolverhampton have launched a fundraising appeal to return his body to his home country of Anguilla, after two 12-year-old boys were charged with his murder.

World newsFormer New York police officers accused of killing for mafia· Murder, racketeering and kidnap among charges · Ex-detectives deny using their jobs as coverAs a former mafia killer, Eddie Lino must have known his death might always be around the corner. But he wasn't expecting it to find him in retirement, on a Brooklyn freeway in 1992, when two police officers reportedly pulled him over in his Mercedes. Maybe he thought he was about to get a ticket for speeding.

Rail industryLondon Underground tube strike called off after ‘positive’ talks with TfLRMT suspends action which threatened to halt almost all tube services in the capital over next four days A strike that threatened to halt all London Underground services for the next four days has been called off. The RMT union announced that it had suspended its planned action after talks with Transport for London (TfL), after the mayor of London apparently made new funds available.

Louisiana This article is more than 1 year oldLouisiana trio imprisoned for 28 years freed after judge tosses murder convictionsThis article is more than 1 year oldNewly uncovered evidence linked investigation into 1994 New Orleans murder to disgraced officer currently on federal death row Three Louisiana men incarcerated for over 28 years were found to have been wrongfully convicted of murder on Wednesday, after newly uncovered evidence linked the original police investigation to a notorious officer found guilty of murder conspiracy and endemic corruption in the New Orleans police department.

Global developmentObituaryMartin KellyMartin Kelly, who has died suddenly of a heart condition at the age of 43, was a craniofacial plastic surgeon of enormous talent and dedication whose work won international recognition. He pioneered techniques that established him as a leader in the field of facial reconstruction. Not for nothing was he referred to as the king of rhinoplasty. However, newspaper stories concentrated on his celebrity clients, and so tended to overlook the more serious work that he carried out for the National Health Service and Facing the World, the charity that he and I founded.

Cif beliefReligion This article is more than 14 years oldPigs may not fly in heavenThis article is more than 14 years oldMusab BoraMuslims' complex relationship with animals in this life makes for uncertainty in the nextThe question: Do animals have souls?A cursory look at Islamic scriptures would indicate that the souls of animals do not carry on into the afterlife. Islam however, has plenty to say on animals and our relationships with them.

Iceland‘This town might be over’: Grindavík residents face uncertain future after volcano erupts againThe 3,800 inhabitants of south-western Icelandic town fear they may never be able to return home Residents of the Icelandic town of Grindavík fear they may not be able to return to their homes after volcanic lava destroyed several houses and damaged water and electricity supplies. The Fagradalsfjall volcano erupted for the second time in less than a month on Sunday morning, hours after the authorities had instructed residents to leave the fishing town in the south-west of the island after a “swarm” of mini-earthquakes suggested an eruption was imminent.

Sold: the business of sex traffickingSexual violenceJürgen Rudloff’s chain of ‘wellness spas’ sold sex as a health service for men. But his business model was fatally flawed – as his trial for aiding and abetting trafficking revealed Until his dramatic fall from grace, Jürgen Rudloff was the self-proclaimed “brothel king” of Germany. Owner of a chain of clubs he boasted was the “the largest marketplace for sex in Europe”, he was every inch the well-dressed entrepreneur, a regular face on reality TV and chat shows.

The ObserverKenyaSince she moved to Kenya, she’s lost her husband and son. Now she’s been shot by tribesmen determined to take her land. But Kuki Gallmann’s going nowhere There is thunder and the equatorial rain falls perfectly straight, drenching the lawn and a pair of towering candelabra trees that frame the driveway which leads to a two-storey, colonial-era house. Inside, logs burn in the grey stone fireplace, worn kilims are spread on the parquet floor and Kuki Gallmann – 74 years old and recovering from two bullet wounds in her abdomen – sits regally upon a chair of wrought iron and stained glass shaped like a resting bird.

FashionThe costume designer from the hit French show on how the clothes make the characters – and how you can channel their effortless chic In France, the hit Netflix series Call My Agent! is called Dix Pour Cent in reference to the fee charged by French cinema agents. For those in the know, the name says it all. For others, like me, the reference was opaque at first, but it sent the message that this is a show – unlike others representing a cliched take on French life, such as Emily in Paris – that positions itself as an insider’s peek into the capital and its movie business.

CountryReview(Yep Roc)After playing for a decade with the American progressive bluegrass band Crooked Still, Aoife O'Donovan records her first solo album and sets her sights on the big-league concert circuit. She has all the right credentials. She sounds cool, breathy and relaxed whether she is singing thoughtful ballads or country-rockers, and is an impressive writer, with gently mournful songs that at times are reminiscent of Joni Mitchell. Alison Krauss recorded O'Donovan's song Lay My Burden Down on her Paper Airplane album, and Aoife's own version opens this set, now dressed up with layers of pedal steel and clonking guitars.

Derek Bromley will have his final chance at having his murder conviction overturned by Australia’s high court this weekDerek Bromley will have his final chance at having his murder conviction overturned by Australia’s high court this weekAustralia news This article is more than 8 months oldDerek Bromley in final bid for freedom after nearly 40 years in South Australian jail for murderThis article is more than 8 months oldHigh court appeal this week is Bromley’s last chance to walk free after being jailed for life

Football This article is more than 2 months oldEngland’s Under-17s dumped out of World Cup by Uzbekistan as coach sees red This article is more than 2 months oldAsian side win 2-1 against 2017 champions in IndonesiaJamoliddin Rahmatullayev sent off for kicking ball awayEngland’s Under-17s were dumped out of the World Cup by Uzbekistan despite the Asian country’s manager being shown a red card for deliberately kicking the ball into the stands.

Russia-Ukraine war at a glanceUkraine This article is more than 1 month oldExplainerThis article is more than 1 month oldUkrainian military moving to defensive positions, UK’s MoD says; Russian tax revenue from oil exports slashed by 32%, US says See all our Russia-Ukraine coverage Ukraine’s armed forces are taking up a more defensive posture, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said in its latest analysis of the conflict, after their summer counteroffensive failed to achieve a major breakthrough against Russia’s army and as winter weather sets in after almost 22 months of war.

UK newsSpeedboat crash: husband tried to turn vessel at high speedNick Milligan and his daughter died when family fell into the water in Cornwall last year, says reportA television executive and his daughter were killed in a speedboat accident after he reached across his wife and tried to execute a "an exceptionally unusual" tight, high-speed turn, an official investigation has concluded. Nick Milligan, who was a senior executive with BskyB, his wife Victoria and their four children were thrown into the water.

Quiet intimacy … Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window (detail), by Johannes Vermeer. Photograph: Wolfgang Kreische/Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, DresdenQuiet intimacy … Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window (detail), by Johannes Vermeer. Photograph: Wolfgang Kreische/Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden2023 in CultureArt and designOur critics’ high points include a ceramic wedding cake you can climb inside to Alice Neel’s fearless portraits, plus a new children’s V&A and a school with lumpy yellow walls

The ObserverBiologyThey behave like ants and can live for more than 30 years, but what's really captured the imagination of scientists is the fact that naked mole rats don't get cancerDoctor Chris Faulkes, who has been working with them almost every day for the last 25 years, has long since learned to love naked mole rats, but, as he concedes, since they are "pretty much blind and live underground in the dark, they are not necessarily naturally selecting on good looks"

US gun control This article is more than 8 years oldAnalysisWaco, Columbine, Aurora and Newtown: 20 years of mass shootings that changed (and didn't change) AmericaThis article is more than 8 years oldJamiles Lartey and Jon Swaine in New YorkMass shootings remain an almost exclusively American phenomenon among advanced countries. These nine rocked the country and galvanized many in favor of gun control – so why has so little action followed?

Your problems, with Anna TimsMoneyA bonkers US rule brands me a terrorist because of a Cuba passport stampI just want to take part in a yacht race but have to pay in advance for a non-immigrant visa I can’t even get I want to travel to Florida in March to take part in a yacht race. However, in 2019, competitors (including Americans) sailed to Cuba to begin the race back to Florida, and my passport was stamped by Cuban border control.

The ObserverIsrael-Gaza war‘All faiths and none’: London peace march aims to ease Gaza tensionsVigil is one of a series of events due to be held in the next few days in solidarity with people affected by events in Middle East A multi-faith peace march is due to be held in London on Sunday, aimed at easing the bitterness and tension over the Israel-Gaza war. The midday march from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square and back is one of a series of events due to be held in the next few days and weeks in solidarity with people affected by conflict in Israel and Palestine.

Magic eyes: the surreal world of Arthur Tress – in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email From doll makers to swamp-dwellers, the Brooklyn photographer turns his unique gaze on the more dreamlike aspects of America and beyond Main image: ‘A singular figure’ … Self-Portrait in Photomat Mirror, Coney Island, New York, 1970. Photograph: Arthur Tress courtesy J Paul Getty Museum Fri 1 Dec 2023 02.

Australia news This article is more than 2 months oldPort Noarlunga Jetty shark attack: woman in hospital after being bitten on head This article is more than 2 months oldWoman rushed to Flinders Medical Centre with serious injuries after incident near Adelaide Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast A 32-year-old woman has been left with serious injuries after a shark attack at Port Noarlunga Jetty in South Australia.

RomaAnalysisRoma run out of patience after riding the José Mourinho hurricaneNicky BandiniSerie A club have turned to a beloved figure in Daniele De Rossi to pick up the pieces left by the Special One’s era of wild highs and lows Perhaps the story should have ended in Budapest. There had been speculation leading up to the Europa League final last May that it could be José Mourinho’s final week in charge of Roma.

Belarus’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, also outlawed discrediting the armed forces in legislation similar to that brought in by Vladimir Putin. Photograph: Sputnik/ReutersBelarus’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, also outlawed discrediting the armed forces in legislation similar to that brought in by Vladimir Putin. Photograph: Sputnik/ReutersBelarus This article is more than 10 months oldRussia ally Belarus brings in death penalty for high treasonThis article is more than 10 months oldAlexander Lukashenko signs bill allowing execution of officials and military personnel for harming national security

Book of the dayFictionReviewThis is a bravura reimagining of the real-life relationship between Bram Stoker and two stars of the Victorian theatreThe Irish writer Joseph O’Connor is still best known for his 2002 novel, Star of the Sea, but in 2016 he wrote a radio play, Vampyre Man, about the real-life relationship between Bram Stoker and the two greatest stars of Victorian theatre, Henry Irving and Ellen Terry. It is easy to imagine these three magnificent characters refusing to be abandoned on the airwaves, and O’Connor has given them an appropriately grand stage in the breathtaking Shadowplay.

‘They were part of the fabric of every family Christmas’: Elizabeth Quinn and her mother with a pot of ‘Gran's beans’‘They were part of the fabric of every family Christmas’: Elizabeth Quinn and her mother with a pot of ‘Gran's beans’ChristmasLast year at Elizabeth Quinn’s Christmas, the green beans were served whole, al dente and bright green. They were nothing like ‘Gran’s beans’ This festive season, a combination of coronavirus, distance and the rising costs of air travel will mean an incomplete family gathering for many.

How to believeTS Eliot This article is more than 9 years oldTS Eliot's Ash Wednesday – a call to spiritual awareness that falls shortThis article is more than 9 years oldRoz KaveneyAs with Dante, this is a poem in which the visions of hell are stronger than the visions of heavenAmong the first fruits of TS Eliot's conversion were the first three parts of the poem that he ended up calling Ash Wednesday and that, accordingly, we think of, not wholly inaccurately, as an essentially liturgical piece.

Euthanasia campaigner Phillip Nitschke says the seizure of his book by Border Force officials amounts to government intervention ‘with the choices and decisions of elderly Australians’. Photograph: Joe Castro/AAPEuthanasia campaigner Phillip Nitschke says the seizure of his book by Border Force officials amounts to government intervention ‘with the choices and decisions of elderly Australians’. Photograph: Joe Castro/AAPPhilip Nitschke This article is more than 7 years oldBorder Force seizes copy of assisted suicide book written by Philip NitschkeThis article is more than 7 years oldExclusive: Peaceful Pill Handbook was ordered by a 73-year-old Victorian woman who was told it was ‘prohibited absolutely’ Australian Border Force has seized and destroyed copies of a book that provides information on euthanasia and assisted suicide to the elderly and the seriously ill.

Kenney Bui was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with concussion. He never woke up. Photograph: Highline School DistrictKenney Bui was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with concussion. He never woke up. Photograph: Highline School DistrictUS sportsEarlier this month Kenney Bui, a 17-year-old star pupil who loved football and the Seahawks, died from severe head trauma after a high school game in Seattle. Les Carpenter reports on the tragic story of the boy whose death represents an alarming trend

Brisbane Olympic Games 2032 This article is more than 1 month oldNew Queensland Labor leadership hits pause on $2.7bn Gabba stadium rebuildThis article is more than 1 month oldIndependent body to review plans for Olympic and Paralympic games as new premier and deputy distance themselves from Palaszczuk-era policies Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails,free app or daily news podcast Queensland’s new leadership team have signalled a “pause” on the controversial $2.

An xPoint survival shelter in South Dakota. Photograph: Scalzo/EPA-EFE/Rex/ShutterstockDoomsday luxury accommodation is a booming business, offering customers a chance to sit out global pandemics and nuclear wars in comfort – as long as they have the money to pay for it. By Mark O’Connell Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage by Mark O’ConnellNot long ago, I travelled to the Black Hills of South Dakota to see the place from which humanity would supposedly be reborn after global civilisational collapse.

Temperature CheckClimate crisis This article is more than 10 months oldRussell Brand is the latest to platform climate conservative Bjørn Lomborg’s ‘reckless’ net-zero cost claimsThis article is more than 10 months oldGraham ReadfearnThe Danish commentator has been accused of continuing to misrepresent findings about the costs of cutting emissions, despite pleas from scientists Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast If you like your YouTube content to have plenty of references to global elites, industrial complexes, “freedom” and the conservative conspiracy theory of a “Great Reset”, then the British comedian and actor Russell Brand’s channel might be for you.

Sweden This article is more than 9 months oldSweden ‘places on hold’ deportation of UK woman with Alzheimer’sThis article is more than 9 months oldExclusive: Charities have called Kathleen Poole’s removal order a ‘cruel’ misapplication of Brexit withdrawal agreement An elderly British woman with Alzheimer’s threatened with deportation from Sweden has been given a stay following international condemnation of a move that was called a cruel, inhumane and deeply shocking misapplication of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Isabella Hammad – a natural storyteller. Photograph: Sophia Evans/The ObserverIsabella Hammad – a natural storyteller. Photograph: Sophia Evans/The ObserverBook of the dayFictionReviewAn engaging hero’s journey through the end of the Ottoman empire to the rise of Palestinian nationalism Isabella Hammad’s remarkably accomplished debut novel very quickly snares the reader’s attention. Ranging from Nablus in thedying days of the Ottoman empire via Istanbul and Cairo to Montpellier and Paris, and always connecting the personal with the political, the journey of our hero Midhat Kamal – who as the book opens in 1914 is sailing to pursue his studies in medicine in France – makes for compelling reading.

Mary GaitskillReviewThe anger and ambiguities of #MeToo are masterfully distilled into the account of a complicated friendshipMary Gaitskill’s formidable new novella opens in the aftermath of an intense period of reckoning, during which sexual abusers and harassers have been called out. Trials are set; justice is pending. In other words, the book’s fictional world is our current one. The duo narrating the story are friends of 20 years – Quinlan Maximillian Saunders (known as Q), and Margot (M).

US elections 2024Trump wins big in Iowa as Republican contest kicks off 2024 presidential raceFormer president a step closer to Joe Biden rematch, as Ron DeSantis edges out Nikki Haley for distant second place finish Iowa caucus 2024 – full results Donald Trump has won an overwhelming victory in the US’s first election contest of 2024, easily fending off a winnowed field of Republicans in the Iowa caucuses. The Associated Press called the race for Trump rapidly, while caucus-goers in much of the state were still casting ballots, a sign of the wide lead the former president had in the race.

The ObserverPolitics booksInterviewAnthony Seldon on Boris Johnson: ‘At his heart, he is extraordinarily empty’Tim AdamsThe distinguished historian and headteacher discusses his latest book about a contemporary prime minister, a devastating – and dispiriting – account of Johnson’s chaotic reign Andrew Rawnsley reviews Johnson at 10 by Anthony Seldon and Raymond Newell Sir Anthony Seldon, the famous headteacher, has been writing book-length report cards on British prime ministers for 40 years.

Chelsea This article is more than 1 year oldChelsea executive initially brushed off female agent’s complaint over inappropriate messagesThis article is more than 1 year oldTom Glick initially told Catalina Kim it did not interest himGlick said he had not reviewed messages and swiftly sacked employeeChelsea’s president of business, Tom Glick, told a female agent that her complaint to him about a string of inappropriate messages from a senior executive he had hired days earlier did not interest him and was not relevant to his job.

Hello again! It's a big day, because it's time for our Halloween story to begin! But before we start, thank you all so much for your brilliant JOKE suggestions. I loved them all. There were lots of great ones involving people (usually George) getting hit in the face with books, a funny one about a werewolf headmaster falling off a rock, and also an excellent extended idea involving our heroine, Lucy, and a big pair of frilly pink knickers (I'll leave the details of that one to your imagination…).

Lee Krasner in her New York studio, c 1939: ‘She didn’t suffer fools.’ Photograph: Photograph by Maurice Berezov. Copyright A.E. Artworks, LLC.Lee Krasner in her New York studio, c 1939: ‘She didn’t suffer fools.’ Photograph: Photograph by Maurice Berezov. Copyright A.E. Artworks, LLC.The ObserverArtLee Krasner’s huge contribution to abstract expressionism was overshadowed for years by the work of her husband, Jackson Pollock. On the eve of a major London show, we trace her story

CountryReviewOVO Hydro, Glasgow Backed by cowboys and aliens, the all-conquering country-pop outlier dons that leopard-print catsuit and leads her crowd through hit after hit A Shania Twain concert can only end one way. The Canadian country star has a host of Grammy-winning, record-breaking singles, but two songs from her double-diamond 1997 album Come On Over just keep getting bigger and, obviously, she’s saved them for last. Just in case it’s not obvious, Twain’s also wearing the hooded leopard-print catsuit straight from the video for sarcastic anthem That Don’t Impress Me Much.

US news This article is more than 9 years oldThe life of the Vegas 'porn slapper': 'I don't care if they punch or hit me'This article is more than 9 years oldCard workers on the Las Vegas Strip, advertising for the sex trade and often working without papers, endure humiliation from tourists, fight their employers for pay, and are targeted by police The first thing they do is put on those T-shirts.

A woman carrying a portrait of Vladimir Putin takes part in a pro-government anti-Maidan rally. Photograph: Alamy StockView image in fullscreenA woman carrying a portrait of Vladimir Putin takes part in a pro-government anti-Maidan rally. Photograph: Alamy StockBook of the dayBooksReviewThis account of how Putin’s new Russia rose from the ruins of the Soviet Union is judicious, humane and highly entertaining Everyone’s talking about Russia again, troll farms, sanctions, money laundering, and all the rest of it.

Crosby, Stills, Nash and YoungInterview‘There was an enormous amount of drugs being taken’: Graham Nash on groupies, feuds, divorce and egoSimon HattenstoneThe Crosby, Stills and Nash singer on the wild early years, Joni Mitchell, his former bandmates and why his children no longer speak to him “I feel good,” a ludicrously youthful Graham Nash tells me. “Eighty years old and still rocking.” And some. Nash has rocked his way twice into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – as a member of the pop group the Hollies and as part of the groundbreaking folk-rock super-group Crosby, Stills and Nash.

The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, laughs off the idea that he could be facing a right-wing insurgency from within his party, led by the former prime minister, Tony Abbott Published: 11:38 PM ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaK6ZmbKwi8%2Banp51YWmBdQ%3D%3D

History booksReviewAn engaging tale of how an unsung group from the Women’s Royal Naval Service helped to defeat the U-boats This is a curious book. The publisher, though perhaps not the author, claims that it reveals how the second world war was won, but the eponymous “secret game” does not appear until page 143 and then turns out to be a training exercise for convoy escort officers. No doubt this was a useful addition to the armoury of reforms and new equipment that marked the final stages of thebattle of the Atlantic, the theme of the book.

MusicThe subject of a new documentary, who is also portrayed in an upcoming Dalí biopic, scorned modelling as ‘immoral and stupid’, turning instead to a lifetime of underrated, high-minded pop At the peak of the disco era in the late 1970s, Amanda Lear, who had established herself as a singer after 15 years of being a Vogue model and muse to everyone from Salvador Dalí to Bryan Ferry, had a bone to pick.

World newsChild prostitutes available at $100 a night: the human cost of junta's repressionMilitary officials profiting from sex industry as sleazy trade flourishes amid poverty and misrule, say international campaignersThis is a side of life the Burmese military junta might prefer you did not see: girls who appear to be 13 and 14 years old paraded in front of customers at a nightclub where a beauty contest thinly veils child prostitution.

The ObserverAppsInterviewDan Gardner wanted to know when to go to the loo during films – so he built an appAnugraha SundaraveluThe developer of RunPee, the app that tells cinemagoers the best time to take a loo break, on what makes a good ‘peetime’ and how the program helped him meet his wife Created out of personal necessity by North Carolina-based developer Dan Gardner during a near three-and-a-half-hour King Kong screening, RunPee is an app that tells film audiences the best times to nip to the loo.

Ask Annalisa BarbieriFamilyAnnalisa Barbieri advises a reader on her problemI have two daughters. The younger is two: beautiful, smiley, gets everyone to do what she wants. The elder is five: intelligent, sensitive, kind and more like me. The problem is that I never liked me. I grew up with a lot of criticism from my parents, who thought I needed to be perfect. In certain aspects, I turned out OK, but in others I still have problems.

Maggie O’Farrell. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The GuardianMaggie O’Farrell. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The GuardianJane GardamReviewJane Gardam admires Maggie O’Farrell’s lucid account of madness and incarceration, The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell 256pp, Headline Review, £14.99 Maggie O'Farrell's new novel is a short book about a long life and has the dream-like intensity of imagination and the gift of conveying pain, fear and sometimes rapture for which 0'Farrell is known.

Seascape: the state of our oceansWhales This article is more than 8 months oldWhales take up to two hours to die after being harpooned, Icelandic report findsThis article is more than 8 months oldFood and veterinary authority report questions whether hunting large whales can meet animal welfare objectives Whales have taken as long as two hours to die during Icelandic hunts, according to a report by the Icelandic food and veterinary authority.

OpinionRace This article is more than 5 years oldWhy are black people desirable as entertainment in clubs but not as clientele?This article is more than 5 years oldKimberly McIntoshClaims that Drama, which has previously hosted Rihanna and Drake, charged black women double to get in are being investigated Another London nightclub, another race row. A few years ago, DSTRKT nightclub allegedly refused entry to a group of black women for being “too dark” and “overweight”.

24 Dec 202310.41 ESTThanks for joining us. Here is Pete Lansley’s report. Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty on target as Wolves see off ChelseaRead more24 Dec 202310.23 ESTMauricio Pochettino: “We feel very disappointed because we deserve much more. We are not clinical enough. We created chances and had the possession. “It is a young team and many players are in the Premier League for the first time. They need to adapt. We need to learn from these games.

TV and radio blogAnna Massey This article is more than 12 years oldAnna Massey dies aged 73This article is more than 12 years oldThe award-winning actor of stage and screen, who became the mainstay of the British costume drama, has died after suffering from cancerAnna Massey, the award-winning British actor who played innocent victim for both Alfred Hitchcock and Michael Powell, has died from cancer at the age of 73. The news was confirmed in a brief statement from her agent: "

Pass notesChernobylEveryone has been talking about the hit HBO series this year – but few pronounce it correctly. And how do you say Megan Rapinoe, Greta Thunberg or Pete Buttigieg? Name: Chernobyl. Appearance: Kind of a mess. Location: The tip of your tongue. Really? I thought it was near the city of Pripyat in northern Ukraine. You must be thinking of Chernobyl, the scene of the nuclear disaster in 1986. I’m talking about the word itself.

Cranberries vocalist Dolores O'Riordan – a life in pictures Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The singer born in Limerick shot to fame in the 1990s with the Cranberries, who sold millions of albums worldwide, aided by her passionate and haunting vocal style Dolores O’Riordan: anguished 90s star whose voice lingers on, dies at 46 Main image: The Cranberries in concert in Milan, Italy, in 2012.

OpinionBaftas 2023 This article is more than 10 months oldGermans are right to be incensed by All Quiet on the Western Front: it paints them as the good guysThis article is more than 10 months oldNicholas BarberMaking changes to a classic novel is always questionable – but could there be a worse time to risk glorifying invaders? *This article contains spoilers for the book All Quiet on the Western Front, and the latest film version

Invasive species This article is more than 2 years oldGoldfish dumped in lakes growing to more than 1ft, threatening ecosystemsThis article is more than 2 years oldMinnesota pet owners warned not to release fish into wild, where they wreak havoc on native species Authorities in Minnesota have appealed to aquarium owners to stop releasing pet fish into waterways, after several huge goldfish were pulled from a local lake. Officials in Burnsville, about 15 miles south of Minneapolis, said released goldfish can grow to several times their normal size and wreak havoc on indigenous species.

The greatest nature photographs of all time Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email 22 April 2010: A polar bear dance, a doomed thresher shark, and a crowd of giant tortoises gathered at dawn in the Galapagos are just a few of the stunning images that have been selected as the top 40 nature photographs of all time.The images, chosen by the world's top professional conservation photographers, will be auctioned to raise money for charity to coincide with the 40th annual Earth Day today Thu 22 Apr 2010 11.

Drama filmsReviewThe ever-watchable Stephen Graham isn’t enough to save this gloomy and insubstantial British drama This gloomily lit drama (shot in Newcastle, seemingly on the darkest day of the year, with only a sputtering 20w bulb for illumination) revolves around Benjamin (Stephen Graham), who was once a proud son of an Orthodox Jewish community but now finds himself on the edges of its society. Benjamin has been semi cast out for pursuing his passion for boxing – now indulged for money in grubby illegal bare-knuckle fights – and for marrying a non-Jew (Rebecca Callard).

Premier LeagueSon signs off in style as Tottenham sink Bournemouth to close gap on top fourThe more Tottenham change, the more they stay the same. They tried to make life easy for themselves here, they really did. They scored early and scored late, weathered the long periods of Bournemouth pressure, the occasional scare and a very Tottenham kind of rain: one that came in furious, intense squalls before disappearing entirely for about 20 minutes at a time.

Taylor Swift This article is more than 8 months oldThe Taylor Swift effect: why a mystery book is rocketing up US charts – despite no one knowing anything about itThis article is more than 8 months oldWild speculation over a book known as ‘4C Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023’ has seen excited Swifties placing pre-orders. The bad news? It is likely not by her The formula to a bestselling book is a mystery publishers have wrestled with for centuries.

Cities of the New Silk RoadCitiesThe once-sleepy beach town of Sihanoukville has been transformed by Chinese investment – and the sheer speed of development has divided locals Follow the New Silk Road: Jon Watts’ journey Interactive explainer: what is China’s Belt and Road? Inside a lavishly decorated casino where chandeliers hang from the ceiling, cigarette smoke lingers in the air and platters of mango are served to gamblers, a game of baccarat is getting heated.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Nepalese potato salad. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay. Food styling assistant: Susanna Unsworth.Yotam Ottolenghi’s Nepalese potato salad. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay. Food styling assistant: Susanna Unsworth.Yotam Ottolenghi recipesFoodThe potato gets a makeover in these salads: one a Nepalese dish singing with tangy spices, the other a riot of smoky tomato and citrus The starting point for most of my recipes are the vegetables that are in season.

The ObserverAbortion This article is more than 10 years oldJustin Bieber's mother courts conflict with backing for abortion filmThis article is more than 10 years oldChristian groups praise movie as producers aim to raise $10m for 'pregnancy crisis centres'Justin Bieber may cause hysteria among millions of teenage girls around the globe, but the Canadian-born pop star is not known for getting mixed up in political controversy. That clean-cut image might be about to change as his mother, Pattie Mallette, 37, is one of the driving forces behind a prize-winning US film that aims to raise millions for the anti-abortion cause.

MediaMan admits selling Pinkham photosA man has admitted taking private photos, understood to include one of Prince Harry fondling Natalie Pinkham's breast, from her London flat and selling them to a newspaper, according to her lawyers. The man emailed Ms Pinkham late on Saturday evening to make the confession and she is discussing further possible action with her lawyers. "Following media speculation, lawyers acting for TV presenter Natalie Pinkham today confirmed that she had received an email from a person .

Indiana This article is more than 9 months oldMan with schizophrenia was left naked in jail cell for weeks before death, video showsThis article is more than 9 months oldJoshua McLemore died of malnutrition after 20 days in windowless Indiana jail cell with no medical treatment New surveillance video from inside an Indiana jail shows how a 29-year-old man who died in the summer of 2021 from dehydration and malnutrition was left naked in solitary confinement for three weeks with no medical attention.

Mark Heath, MD, is an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Columbia University Medical Center and an attending physician at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He studies the interface between clinical anesthesiology and the drugs and techniques used in lethal injection. In his research, he has interviewed executioners, wardens, physicians, nurses and death row prisoners; inspected 10 lethal facilities; and provided legislative testimony in multiple states and the UK House of Lords. He is opposed to the medicalization of capital punishment, does not support the current death penalty system in the United States and serves as an expert witness on behalf of condemned prisoners facing execution by lethal injection.

Mary MacLeod as Mrs Kemp in Lindsay Anderson’s private school satire If…. Photograph: Moviestore/RexMary MacLeod as Mrs Kemp in Lindsay Anderson’s private school satire If…. Photograph: Moviestore/RexFilmObituaryMary MacLeod obituaryActor best known for appearances in the Lindsay Anderson films If …. and O Lucky Man!Mary MacLeod, who has died aged 78, was a prolific character actor whose face was more familiar than her name. She left her most lasting impression in two of the establishment-baiting films of the director Lindsay Anderson.

Dieunerst Collin has a student athlete endorsement deal with the fast-food chain. Photograph: Courtesy of PopeyesDieunerst Collin has a student athlete endorsement deal with the fast-food chain. Photograph: Courtesy of PopeyesNew Jersey This article is more than 1 year old‘Memes to dreams’: viral Popeyes boy finally reaps reward of online fameThis article is more than 1 year oldDieunerst Collin, who became internet famous as a child for video of him at fast-food chain, signs advertising deal with company

14.51 ESTUS says 'we don't support a ceasefire at this time'The US still opposes a ceasefire in Gaza, the White House said on Friday. Kirby said that the US still opposes a ceasefire, believing that such a move would help Hamas militants. “We do support humanitarian pauses, as I said, to try to get hostages out and more aid in, but we don’t support a ceasefire at this time,” Kirby said during a news briefing on Friday.

30 Jul 202311.08 EDTSo in Celine Boutier, France can finally celebrate a winner of the Evian Championship! Boutier never looked like shipping the lead she immediately extended at the start of her final round, serenely progressing around the Evian Resort and ending the week with four sub-70 rounds, the only player to do so. A thorough and systematic dismantling of the rest of the field. Brooke Henderson will be proud of her title defence, while Gaby Lopez, Celine Borge and Gemma Dryburgh posted career-high major finishes.

SportblogCristiano RonaldoCristiano Ronaldo leaves fans to miss the teenager but not the manThe Portuguese grew up at Old Trafford but in latter seasons Manchester United supporters had fallen out of love with himWhat we can now say with absolute certainty is that when he walked out on the pitch at the Stadio Olimpico on 27 May, he fully intended it to be the last time the world would see him as a Manchester United player.

FictionReviewThis bruising yet surprisingly tender tale of urban isolation shines a light on the drifters and the broken-down Hector Hidalgo is a young Mexican boxer who wants to turn professional. Only “Hector Hidalgo” doesn’t exist – he’s the persona of Horace Hopper, a 21-year-old ranch hand born to a Native American father and an Irish mother who is desperate to escape his own stifling sense of failure. The trouble with reinventing oneself is that it involves leaving other people behind, and US novelist and musician Willy Vlautin’s fifth novel is a meditation on loneliness, in which the outer and inner landscapes ring with a sound akin to desolation.

Bali This article is more than 4 months oldFive killed as elevator at Bali resort plunges down ravineThis article is more than 4 months oldAccident at Ubud’s Ayuterra Resort believed to have occurred when cable in inclined lift carrying hotel staff snapped Balinese police are investigating the catastrophic failure of a lift that left five hotel workers dead at a resort on Friday. The accident took place at Ubud’s Ayuterra Resort about 1pm and is believed to have occurred when a cable in the inclined lift carrying the three women and two men snapped, plunging them 100 metres down a steep ravine at the hillside resort.

Teen booksReviewSimon Mason enjoys an exhilarating tale of Gypsies, young love and rebellion in rural England"It was three months after Mum left that the Gypsies moved in." To Iris's father and brother and best friend Matty, the family who set themselves up in the paddock over the road are trouble: thieving, filthy pikeys, impossible to live with and almost impossible to move on. But 13-year-old Iris (nickname "Eye, as in ball"

ArizonaIs it a bird? Is it a dinosaur? No, it's a fakeIt was a coup for National Geographic - the first pictures of a creature whose existence would turn the theory of bird evolution on its head. Then it was exposed as a hoax. Julian Borger on the missing link that never wasArchaeoraptor first turned up in a hotel room in Tucson, Arizona. Stephen Czerkas, a dinosaur enthusiast who ran a small private museum, was wandering around a fossil fair when he heard that a Chinese dealer had something extraordinary.

ColombiaMark Henderson had been held captive in the Colombian jungle for three months. After his release, he'd managed to put his ordeal behind him when his former kidnapper contacted him. It led to an extraordinary journeyYou can't fault Mark Henderson for enterprise. In 2003, he was kidnapped by leftist guerrillas in a remote, mountainous jungle area in the north of Colombia and held for three months. The experience would have broken many people, and few would have wanted to relive it.

Why I quitLife and style This article is more than 1 year oldMy online chess addiction was ruining my life. Something had to changeThis article is more than 1 year oldStuart KennyI didn’t like the person it was making me, but a few strategic moves later, the calm and mystique of the game returned Perhaps it was when I missed my bus stop so I could finish a three-minute game of online blitz chess that I realised I had a problem.

ObituaryPenelope MortimerHer steely prose charted the death of love and the Queen Mother's lifePenelope Mortimer, who has died of cancer aged 81, might not immediately be thought of as a feminist, but her nine novels all took up the cudgels on behalf of women - most notably The Pumpkin Eater. Published in l962, it was her fifth novel. With an exemplary spareness of prose, it tells the story of the emotional disintegration of a mother with numerous children, and of her husband's estrangement.