- The thing about ‘ageing gracefully’: whatever you call it, I’ll do it my way
- The Trump administration pushed out a university president – its latest bid to close the American mind | Robert Reich
- Flight of the non-doms: how worried should Labour be about the super-rich leaving the UK?
- It was a milestone for progressive education in California. Then it unraveled
- ‘There is no safe way to do it’: the rapid rise and horrifying risks of choking during sex
- A new start after 60: I quit my job, bought a camera – and became a successful wildlife photographer
- Trump to send 12 more tariff letters today, says White House, with more to follow this week – US politics live
- Texas flooding kills 91 people; White House confirms Trump will visit state – latest updates
- Russia’s former transport minister dies from gunshot hours after sacking
- Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide, justice department and FBI review confirms
- Indirect talks over Gaza ceasefire continue as Netanyahu arrives in Washington
- Dozens missing after flash floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh
- Bolsonaro wanted to exterminate us, claims Indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire
- French fencer cleared of doping charge on account of kissing her partner
- Jurassic World Rebirth smashes predictions at box office
- ‘I don’t want my training to go to waste’: the Argentinian scientists working side jobs amid Milei’s sweeping cuts
- Palestinians fear razing of villages in West Bank, as settlers circle their homes
- China’s human rights lawyers speak out, 10 years after crackdown
- Australian mushroom murders: Erin Patterson guilty verdict ends weeks of laborious detail and ghoulish fascination
- Dhaka builds for a wetter future – in pictures
- ‘God chose you, Jair Bolsonaro!’ Is Brazil now in the grip of evangelicals?
- ‘Without a parka, I’ll look like an idiot’: Oasis fans’ fashion at the reunion tour
- Absolute creamer! Instagram star Prime Mutton takes America – with a passion for pints
- The one change that worked: I stopped saying yes to everything – and found a phrase that made it easier
- Is the New York Times trying to wreck Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid? | Margaret Sullivan
- Sabrina Carpenter may be ‘highly sexualised’ – but that’s not what is most provocative about her | Zoe Williams
- Brics summit in Brazil tries to reinvent collective approach to world’s problems | Jonathan Watts
- Europe does not have to choose between guns and butter. There is another way | Shahin Vallée and Joseph de Weck
- The worst thing about AI? That stupid Samsung ad where the guy adds ‘way too much sugar’ to his pasta sauce | Emma Beddington
- The Guardian view on Macron’s state visit: a renewed entente cordiale is good for France, Britain and Europe | Editorial
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- Putellas at the double as rampant Spain hit rain-soaked Belgium for six at Euro 2025
- Stanway urges England to go back to their roots for make-or-break Netherlands clash
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- Women’s Euro 2025: your guide to all 368 players
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- Playing loose with virtue wins no hearts, and Arsenal should know better | Jonathan LIew
- Lando Norris reveals ‘exhausting’ toll of British GP victory and title battle with Piastri
- Football Daily | Two seasons in a day: the Champions League and Club World Cup overlap
- Australia mushroom verdict: Erin Patterson found guilty of murdering relatives with lunch laced with death cap mushrooms
- Tesla shares dive as investors fear new Elon Musk political party will damage brand
- France and UK expected to announce joint plan on small boat crossings
- Apple appeals against ‘unprecedented’ €500m EU fine over app store
- Low water levels push up shipping costs on Europe’s rivers amid heatwave
- Floods are swallowing their village. Trump’s EPA cut a major lifeline for them and others
- Millions of tonnes of toxic sewage sludge spread on UK farmland every year
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- Paramedic jailed for 10 years for secretly giving woman abortion drug during sex
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- Young people in England’s coastal towns three times more likely to have a mental health condition
- Music trade bodies accuse BBC of ‘arbitrary’ changes after Bob Vylan Glastonbury set
- Bee attack leaves dozens of people injured in French town
- Poland begins controls on borders with Germany and Lithuania
- No shorts, no flip-flops: La Scala bars beachwear from the opera
- Pope Leo extends condolences to Texas flood victims: ‘We pray for them’
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- Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes review – eye-opening snapshot of New York’s queer scene
- Super Happy Forever review – glowing love story in reverse with echoes of Before Sunrise
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- Adès, Leith, Marsey: Orchestral Works album review – an impressive collection marks a productive association
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- Face With Tears of Joy: A natural History of Emoji by Keith Houston review
- Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn review – an extraordinary debut
- Butler by Salena Zito review – how Trump won America’s heartland
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- Cute dates, bisexual chaos and game-changing kisses: video games’ best queer moments
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- Michael Douglas says he has ‘no real intentions’ of acting again: ‘I had to stop’
- ‘The army were on the streets – and we were bored’: Stiff Little Fingers on making Alternative Ulster
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- ‘It is not jus. It is not a glaze. It is gravy!’ Britain’s gift to the world finally gets the love it deserves
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- The destruction of Palestine is breaking the world | Moustafa Bayoumi
- People in the US: have you been affected by Trump’s cuts to scientific research?
- Tell us: what questions do you have about the impacts of smartphones on children?
- Living in Israel: how have you been affected by the recent conflict?
- Living in Iran: how have you been affected by the recent conflict?
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- Syria wildfire and a pink octopus in Berlin: photos of the day – Monday
The thing about ‘ageing gracefully’: whatever you call it, I’ll do it my way
One thing I’ve noticed is that as they grow older, people tend to care less about others’ opinions. Sometimes that’s liberatingI started learning about ageing and ageism – prejudice and discrimination on the basis of age – almost 20 years ago, as I entered my 50s. That’s when it hit me that this getting older thing was actually happening to me. I was soon barraged by advice on how to age well. Many concepts, like “active ageing”, were obvious. (Don’t be a couch potato.) Some, like “successful ageing”, were obnoxious. (In my opinion, if you wake up in the morning, you’re ageing successfully.) One, “ageing gracefully”, was intriguing.Although I’ve written a whole book about ageism, I wasn’t sure I knew how to go about ageing gracefully. For starters, it didn’t seem as though I qualified. When I was speaking at a conference a few years ago, a woman in the elevator recognized my name from my badge. “Are you the one talking about ageing gracefully?” she asked. “If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ve got the wrong person,” I blurted. My clumsiness, like my bluntness, is legendary. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/jul/07/the-thing-about-ageing-gracefully
The Trump administration pushed out a university president – its latest bid to close the American mind | Robert Reich
Demanding that the University of Virginia’s president resign is taken from the Viktor Orbán playbook of authoritarianismUnder pressure from the Trump administration, the University of Virginia’s president of nearly seven years, James Ryan, stepped down on Friday, declaring that while he was committed to the university and inclined to fight, he could not in good conscience push back just to save his job.The Department of Justice demanded that Ryan resign in order to resolve an investigation into whether UVA had sufficiently complied with Donald Trump’s orders banning diversity, equity and inclusion.Universities are controlled by leftwing foundations. They’re not controlled by the American taxpayer and yet the American taxpayer is sending hundreds of billions of dollars to these universities every single year.I’m not endorsing every single thing that Viktor Orbán has ever done [but] I do think that he’s made some smart decisions there that we could learn from.Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is a professor of public policy emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Guardian US columnist. His newsletter is at robertreich.substack.com Continue reading...Flight of the non-doms: how worried should Labour be about the super-rich leaving the UK?
Reports say wealthy elite are leaving over tax changes – prompting a possible rethink by Rachel Reeves – but hard data is tricky to findIn Chester Square, the exclusive London address that was once home to Margaret Thatcher, multimillion-pound stuccoed townhouses are proving a hard sell.More than 20 luxury properties in the Belgravia postcode are on the market, says a buying agent. In nearby Montpelier Square in Knightsbridge, less than a 10-minute walk from Harrods department store, nine houses are on the open market. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/jul/07/non-doms-labour-super-rich-leaving-the-uk
It was a milestone for progressive education in California. Then it unraveled
The controversy around the state’s once-celebrated ethnic studies curriculum reveals deeper schisms afflicting public schools nationwideIt was celebrated at the time as a major milestone for progressive education. In 2021, California became the first state to make ethnic studies a graduation requirement, mandating all high schools teach the subject by fall 2025.The idea, championed by California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, was to bring modern concepts into the classroom. At its core, ethnic studies, an academic discipline born on California campuses during the civil rights movement, elevates the experiences of historically marginalized groups. Its materials push students to question their biases, reimagine power structures, and think critically about the enduring legacies of colonialism. In California high schools, courses would bring to the fore the experiences of Chicano, Black and Indigenous communities in the state by diving into issues such as gentrification, the impact of pesticides on farm worker communities and the legacies of Indian boarding schools. Many school districts enthusiastically jumped on board. Continue reading...‘There is no safe way to do it’: the rapid rise and horrifying risks of choking during sex
Now thought to be the second most common cause of stroke in women under 40, it can also lead to difficulty swallowing, incontinence, seizures, memory problems, depression, anxiety and miscarriage. How has this extreme practice been normalised?Now that Lucy has been in a steady relationship for a year, she finds herself looking back at previous sexual encounters through a new lens. The slaps to her face. Hands round her neck. The multiple late-night messages from one partner – nine years older and, in her words, “a Tinder situation”: “Can I come over and rape you?”“I like to think I enjoyed my single 20s,” says Lucy, now 24. “I was an avid Hinge and Tinder user and I liked to think of myself as the ‘cool girl’. But I’ve been thinking about it so much – I’m not sure why. There was the friend of a friend who slapped me so hard in the middle of us having sex – no warning, just from nowhere. It actually made my teeth rattle. There was another guy I met at a bar. We got together that night and he started choking me so hard, I felt this sharp pressure, this pain I’d never experienced before. I was drunk but it sobered me up in one second. I still wonder what he did to me to cause that pain.” Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/jul/07/no-safe-way-risks-of-choking-during-sex
A new start after 60: I quit my job, bought a camera – and became a successful wildlife photographer
On retiring at 56, Michelle Jackson needed a big new challenge. So she picked up her first proper camera and was soon spending 20 hours a week in the field, and winning awardsA few weeks ago, Michelle Jackson was in the Peak District, hiding beneath a camouflage net with her camera, waiting for badgers to emerge at sunset. For more than two hours she watched the skylarks and curlews, her hopes intensifying during the 45-minute window in which the light was perfect.At last the heather moved. A badger’s head appeared. “Their eyesight is poor, but they can smell you,” Jackson says. At 66, she has won national and international awards as a wildlife photographer. Although the desire to get the shot “drives” her, for a while she simply watched. “You want to embrace what’s there. It’s so special to see wildlife up close.” Continue reading...Trump to send 12 more tariff letters today, says White House, with more to follow this week – US politics live
White House spokeswoman says US president will release letters on social mediaThe president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she had a “good exchange” with Donald Trump on Sunday, a Commission spokesperson told reporters during a daily press briefing this morning.The spokesperson said:We want to reach a deal with the US (by 9 July). We want to avoid tariffs. We believe they cause pain. We want to achieve win-win outcomes, not lose-lose outcomes. Continue reading...Texas flooding kills 91 people; White House confirms Trump will visit state – latest updates
Texas senator Ted Cruz defends response to flooding as risk of new deluge remains high with more rain forecastCamp Mystic confirms 27 children and counsellors died in floodsTexas flood survivors question planning and responseResidents of Kerr County began clearing mud and salvaging what they could from their demolished properties as they recounted harrowing escapes from rapidly rising floodwaters late Friday.Reagan Brown said his parents, in their 80s, managed to escape uphill as water inundated their home in the town of Hunt. Continue reading...Russia’s former transport minister dies from gunshot hours after sacking
News of Roman Starovoit’s death made public shortly after that of his sacking by Putin, but timeline is unconfirmedRussia’s former transport minister has died from a gunshot wound just hours after Vladimir Putin sacked him.The body of Roman Starovoit, the ex-minister, was found in his car in a Moscow suburb. He appeared to have killed himself, Russia’s investigative committee said in a statement. Continue reading...Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide, justice department and FBI review confirms
Memo says investigators didn’t find evidence to ‘predicate an investigations against uncharged third parties’A review of files held by the US government on the financier Jeffrey Epstein has said there is no secret client list to be released, and confirmed his August 2019 death by suicide while in federal custody, both of which contradict conspiracy theories.A memo said that a Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) review of the files – which has for years been teased as a treasure trove of information about a larger network of wrongdoing – concluded that no further charges are expected, as investigators “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties”. Continue reading...Indirect talks over Gaza ceasefire continue as Netanyahu arrives in Washington
Israeli minister says meeting with Trump will focus on ‘a new Middle East’ with 60-day pause discussed in DohaMiddle East crisis – live updatesIndirect talks between Israel and Hamas over a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza continued for a second day on Monday, hours before a meeting in Washington between Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump.Avi Dichter, an Israeli minister and member of Netanyahu’s security cabinet, said he expected Trump’s meeting with the Israeli prime minister would go beyond Gaza to include the possibility of normalising ties with Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia – an ambitious project that is central to the US president’s policy in the Middle East. Continue reading...Dozens missing after flash floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh
Hundreds of homes, bridges and roads washed away in north Indian state after unusually heavy rainfallIndia’s mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh has been left reeling after it was hit by rainstorms, flash floods and landslides, with dozens of people reported missing.Hundreds of homes, bridges, roads and electricity pylons in the north Indian state were washed away after 23 flash floods and 16 landslides caused by unusually heavy rainfall over the weekend. There were also 19 cloudbursts, in which an enormous amount of rain falls in a sudden deluge, according to a report by the Himachal Pradesh state government. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/07/india-flash-floods-landslides-himachal-pradesh
Bolsonaro wanted to exterminate us, claims Indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire
Kayapó chief tells in memoir of seeing former president in his dreams and of warning Lula not to repeat past mistakesBrazil’s most revered Indigenous leader, Raoni Metuktire, has said he believes that one of the former president Jair Bolsonaro’s goals while in office was to “exterminate” the country’s Indigenous peoples.According to the Kayapó chief, the far-right populist “encouraged invasions, mining and deforestation” in order to hand Indigenous lands over to the kubẽ (non-Indigenous people). Continue reading...French fencer cleared of doping charge on account of kissing her partner
Ysaora Thibus tested positive for ostarine in 2024Partner Race Imboden was taking ostarine, Cas saysFrench Olympic fencer Ysaora Thibus was cleared of a doping allegation Monday because the judges accepted she was contaminated by kissing her American partner over a period of nine days.The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) ruling echoed a verdict clearing another French athlete with a similar defense in a doping allegation – tennis player Richard Gasquet in the celebrated “cocaine kiss” case in 2009. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jul/07/ysaora-thibus-kissing-race-imboden-doping-cleared
Jurassic World Rebirth smashes predictions at box office
Encouraging figures for latest reboot starring Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey, albeit below previous films in the seriesJurassic World Rebirth has outperformed expectations at the box office in its opening week, with the latest instalment of the dinosaur franchise recording over $318m in revenue worldwide after initial projections suggested it might make $260m.The film opened over the Fourth of July holiday weekend in North America, releasing into US cinemas on Wednesday 2 July – a standard tactic to help boost opening-weekend figures. The film grossed more than $147m (£108m) over five days (Wednesday to Sunday) in the US and Canada, and recorded $171m (£126m) in the rest of the world. Continue reading...‘I don’t want my training to go to waste’: the Argentinian scientists working side jobs amid Milei’s sweeping cuts
Javier Milei’s government’s punishing budget cuts have forced researchers to take up work as electricians, school teachers or Uber driversLeonardo Amarilla is desperate. The geneticist and PhD in biological sciences holds a coveted position as a full-time researcher at Argentina’s prestigious national science council, Conicet, studying how to improve yields of crops such as peanuts, soya beans and sunflowers.But after President Javier Milei imposed sweeping austerity measures, known locally as his “chainsaw” plan, Amarilla’s salary plummeted and he found he could no longer afford basic groceries or support his ageing parents. Continue reading...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/07/argentinian-scientists-work-side-jobs-javier-milei
Palestinians fear razing of villages in West Bank, as settlers circle their homes
An Israeli directive gives a green light for demolitions in Masafer Yatta, where residents keep watch at night for attackers in the darknessAli Awad is tired. The 27-year-old resident of Tuba, one of the dozen or so villages that make up Masafer Yatta in the arid south Hebron hills of the occupied West Bank, had been up all night watching as a masked Israeli settler on horseback circled his family home.“When we saw the masked settler, we knew he wanted violence,” said Awad, his eyes bloodshot. They were lucky this time: the settler disappeared into the darkness before police could show up. Continue reading...China’s human rights lawyers speak out, 10 years after crackdown
In 2015, a nationwide campaign rounded up hundreds of rights advocates. Since then, suppression has become more systematic and less visible, lawyers sayA decade on from China’s biggest crackdown on human rights lawyers in modern history, lawyers and activists say that the Chinese Communist party’s control over the legal profession has tightened, making rights defence work next to impossible.The environment for human rights law has “steadily regressed, especially after the pandemic”, said Ren Quanniu, a disbarred human rights lawyer. “Right now, the rule of law in China – especially in terms of protecting human rights – has deteriorated to a point where it’s almost comparable to the Cultural Revolution era.” The Cultural Revolution was a decade of mass chaos unleashed by China’s former leader Mao Zedong in 1966. During that time judicial organs were attacked as “bourgeois” and the nascent court system was largely suspended. Continue reading...Australian mushroom murders: Erin Patterson guilty verdict ends weeks of laborious detail and ghoulish fascination
Victorian jury convicts 50-year-old who poisoned her in-laws with death cap mushrooms, killing threeFull report: Erin Patterson found guilty of murdering relativesFive key moments in the murder trial of Australia’s mushroom lunch cook Erin PattersonSeveral hours after a person eats death cap mushrooms and becomes violently unwell, there is a period of relief. They feel as if they are improving. They are not.This pause soon gives way to “a relentlessly progressive and quite frightening rapid deterioration into multiple organ failure”.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...Dhaka builds for a wetter future – in pictures
Across the Bangladeshi megacity, designers are adapting to the climate crisis Continue reading...‘God chose you, Jair Bolsonaro!’ Is Brazil now in the grip of evangelicals?
From TV soaps to the supreme court to the top job, Christian fundamentalists are on a power-grab in the country. We meet the director of Apocalypse in the Tropics, a new film charting their risePetra Costa was rewatching footage of what has become a historic speech made in 2021 by Jair Bolsonaro, the then Brazilian president, when suddenly she noticed something that went largely unnoticed at the time. Addressing thousands of supporters in São Paulo, the far-right leader lashed out at a supreme court justice, and said he would only leave the presidency “in prison or dead”. This statement is now cited as evidence against Bolsonaro, who is currently on trial, accused of attempting a coup to overturn his 2022 election defeat to current president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro denies these allegations.But what caught Costa’s eye in the footage was Bolsonaro’s gaze. As he shouted into the microphone, the paratrooper-turned-populist repeatedly looked – seemingly seeking validation – at one particular man in his entourage: the televangelist Silas Malafaia. In response, the evangelical leader appeared to be lip-syncing along to the president’s every word. “I watched the scene many times,” says film-maker Costa, “and the only conclusion I can draw is that Malafaia wrote Bolsonaro’s speech. If not, how could he have known every word?” Continue reading...‘Without a parka, I’ll look like an idiot’: Oasis fans’ fashion at the reunion tour
From bucket hats to Man City socks and the band’s logo everywhere, gig-goers in Cardiff talk us through their outfits – and explain why Liam is still a style icon, even with shorter hairIn the weeks leading up to their first gig for 16 years, Oasis have been busy when it comes to merch. They opened pop-up shops and announced collabs with Levi’s, Adidas and Next. The results are plain to see on the streets of Cardiff the afternoon before the long-awaited gig. If they say you are never more than six feet away from a rat in a city, here you are never more than six inches away from that famous Oasis Helvetica Black Oblique logo.It’s on bucket hats, football shirts, tracksuit tops, T-shirts and, every so often, someone’s face. The fanbase goes across generations and demographics. There are those who were there the first time, and teenagers who grew up on their music. Some have travelled for miles – from Italy, Spain, Portugal and the US. If the crowd is largely white, there’s a contingent of fans from east Asia.From left: Ash Parker, Marcus Long and Joe Gallagher in their brand new T-shirts Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/07/oasis-fans-fashion-reunion-tour-cardiff-liam-gallagher
Absolute creamer! Instagram star Prime Mutton takes America – with a passion for pints
Jason Hackett’s army of ‘muttonistas’ adore his beer reviews – in New York, the Guardian found, even star actors are fansYou might not be familiar with Prime Mutton. Maybe you haven’t heard his catchphrases – “absolute creamer”, “muttonista”, or the still-in-development “creamerisimo”.If so, you’re missing out on a man who in the space of a year has created little short of a cult: an army of more than 160,000 social media fans, including celebrities, who cheer along online and in person as their leader – basically – reviews beer. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/07/prime-mutton-jason-hackett-absolute-creamer
The one change that worked: I stopped saying yes to everything – and found a phrase that made it easier
I had been conditioned to be kind, agreeable and unselfish since I was a child. Pausing to consider what I really want to do has transformed my lifeIt was 6.18pm when the email pinged through. The lasagne smelled decidedly overcooked as I attempted to referee another squabble between my kids. The cat litter needed changing, and my cup of tea sat next to the microwave, stone cold and grey. Still, irresistibly, I was drawn to the screen. I read the subject line: “Quick favour this evening, if you have a sec?” Without thinking I started to reply: “Of course, no probl ...”I didn’t reach the end of the sentence. The hyper-sensitive smoke alarm started blaring. I grabbed a towel and swatted at the ceiling; by the time the house fell silent, I had forgotten about the email. Continue reading...Is the New York Times trying to wreck Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid? | Margaret Sullivan
With their made-up scandal, combined with the pre-election editorial, the Times looks like it’s on a crusade against MamdaniA recent New York Times news story immediately drew fire from readers – and for very good reason.Headlined “Mamdani Identified as Asian and African American on College Application,” the article centered on Zohran Mamdani, the candidate for New York City mayor who drew national attention recently with his stunning win in the Democratic primary election.Margaret Sullivan is a Guardian US columnist writing on media, politics and culture Continue reading...Sabrina Carpenter may be ‘highly sexualised’ – but that’s not what is most provocative about her | Zoe Williams
The superstar singer is being used in an argument about sex, pornography, the male gaze, female desire and blond hair that has been going on since before her grandmother was born. Meanwhile, her autonomy is overlookedThere are some hot takes on feminism that it’s better to bow out of when this isn’t your first rodeo. The reveal of Sabrina Carpenter’s album cover, which landed last month, was such an event. The photograph shows Carpenter on her hands and knees, with her hair being pulled by (presumably, as you couldn’t see his face) a man. The Daily Mail reported that “over-sexed Sabrina Carpenter” had been “roasted by fans” for her “highly sexualised and provocative album art”.Could we prove that she wasn’t being criticised by people who hated her already, while her fans understood something different from “sexualisation” and were not provoked? Never mind. When you are in the business of slating young women, the onus isn’t upon you to explain what the problem is, or whether it’s you who has the problem, or indeed whether it’s some other constituency, be it 700 bots on X or real people who think. All you have to do is say what you see. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/07/sabrina-carpenter-highly-sexualised-femininity
Brics summit in Brazil tries to reinvent collective approach to world’s problems | Jonathan Watts
President Lula rebukes wealthy countries for retreating on climate and trade but bloc is divided and unbalancedAs the US retreats from the international stage, the most powerful political alliance in the global south has come together in Brazil this week to try to revive and reinvent a collective approach to the world’s problems.The summit of the Brics group of nations at the Museum of Contemporary Art on the edge of Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro is both a dress rehearsal for the Belém Cop30 UN climate conference in November and a rebuke to wealthier countries that have withdrawn to bunkers, launched missiles and choked off aid to poorer regions. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/07/brics-summit-brazil-president-lula
Europe does not have to choose between guns and butter. There is another way | Shahin Vallée and Joseph de Weck
Yes, defence spending has to rise – but slashing the welfare state to fund it would be a big mistakeEuropean governments are once again haunted by a tough choice between financing the military or spending on social programmes. That, at any rate, is the narrative that has taken hold since Donald Trump’s retreat from the postwar global security order and the urgent pressure to rearm Europe.But to frame the dilemma facing Europe in this way is a big mistake. History teaches us that the political choice has never been about guns or butter, but rather guns or taxes. Continue reading...The worst thing about AI? That stupid Samsung ad where the guy adds ‘way too much sugar’ to his pasta sauce | Emma Beddington
Only a robot would attempt to turn it into ‘tasty cookies’. A human would just scoop the sugar out againAt a time of intense, bitter division, it’s heartwarming when something brings us together. No, not “briefly becoming experts in lawn tennis”, or “being too hot” – that stupid Samsung advert where the guy “added way too much sugar to my gochujang pasta sauce” and asks his phone for help.If, by the greatest good fortune, you have managed to dodge it, Google Gemini (an AI “assistant”) suggests he makes “tasty cookies” out of his sugary sauce. Instead of throwing his phone out of the window in holy rage, the youth seems inexplicably enthused (“Sweet!”) and follows its frankly inadequate instructions – add butter, mix, bake for 10 minutes – before wandering off with a cookie, apparently happy with this bizarre outcome. Continue reading...The Guardian view on Macron’s state visit: a renewed entente cordiale is good for France, Britain and Europe | Editorial
After being sabotaged in the Brexit years, one of the UK’s most important bilateral relationships is back on a firm footingIn the years after the Brexit referendum, the deterioration of Anglo-French relations became one measure of the sorry disconnect between a radicalised, reckless Conservative party and any sane notion of the national interest. In 2021, a bellicose Boris Johnson sent Royal Navy frigates to patrol off the coast of Jersey in response to a dispute with Paris over fishing rights. The following year, notoriously, Liz Truss declined to say whether she considered the French president, Emmanuel Macron, to be a friend or foe to Britain. For five years, no Franco-British bilateral summits took place at all.That, thankfully, was then. France and Britain are close neighbours, nuclear powers and members of the United Nations security council. At a time of acute geopolitical instability, fuelled in part by the return of Donald Trump to the White House, it is overwhelmingly in the interests of both countries, and Europe as a whole, that a fully functioning entente cordiale is restored. Continue reading...Wimbledon 2025: Sinner v Dimitrov, Swiatek v Tauson; Djokovic and Andreeva through – live
Updates from the fourth round action at SW19Email Daniel | Doubles champion handed £9,200 fineDjokovic teases crowd and De Minaur before winningCilic has won from two sets down on eight previous occasions, but not since 2020 and never at Wimbledon. Four of them came at the US Open, three at the Australian Open and one in Davis Cup play. Oddly enough, he’s managed it twice against former Wimbledon semi-finalist Jerzy Janowicz.Cobolli closes out the second set with a 131mph ace down the middle. He’s taken a 6-4, 6-4 lead over Cilic after 73 minutes. More impeccable serving from the Italian, who has won 19 of the last 20 points on his racket. Continue reading...Portugal v Italy: Women’s Euro 2025 – live
Updates from the 8pm BST kick-off in Group BPlayer guide | David Squires’ wallchart | Email WillThe teams are in the tunnel with the mascots in depressingly corporate kits.Portugal are warming up in shirts with ‘DIOGO J’ on the back following the death of Diogo Jota last week. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2025/jul/07/portugal-v-italy-womens-euro-2025-live
Sprint leader Jasper Philipsen crashes out of Tour as Tim Merlier wins chaotic stage three
Remco Evenepoel able to get up after he also crashedDefending champion Pogacar gets climber’s jerseyTim Merlier took stage three of the Tour de France here in Dunkirk, after the peloton’s top sprinter and points leader Jasper Philipsen, crashed out of the race 60km from the finish.Merlier’s own celebrations were muted because of another crash 3km from the end that took down his Soudal Quick-Step team leader Remco Evenepoel, although the frustrated Olympic road race champion was able to remount and finish the stage. Continue reading...Novak Djokovic teases crowd and De Minaur before reaching Wimbledon quarter-finals
Serb beats Alex de Minaur 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4Seven-time champion loses first set in 30 minutesNovak Djokovic won his 101st match at Wimbledon and advanced to his eighth consecutive quarter-final at SW19. Not that this was enough for the Serbian all-timer. In an act of grand generosity, he threw away the first set to his challenger Alex de Minaur, granting a rapt Centre Court crowd a rare moment of jeopardy at one of his matches.The seven-time Wimbledon singles champion was broken three times in the first set by the Australian 12 years his junior. His game was all over the place. In that short window it was possible to imagine a world in which decent, well-rounded challengers such as De Minaur might come into these matches with hope of something other than chastening defeat. It was a nice thought while it lasted. Continue reading...South Africa’s Mulder declares on 367 and says ‘legend’ Lara should keep Test record
Stand-in captain hits unbeaten score in ZimbabweLara keeping record 401 ‘is the way it should be’South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder scored an unbeaten 367 against Zimbabwe before the stand-in captain remarkably declared 33 runs shy of Brian Lara’s Test record.In his first match as South Africa captain in place of the injured Keshav Maharaj, all-rounder Mulder reached the stunning total – the highest by a player in his first Test innings as captain – as he arrived at lunch with the team on 626 for five. Continue reading...Putellas at the double as rampant Spain hit rain-soaked Belgium for six at Euro 2025
Spain continued their rich goalscoring form and closed on the knockout stages of Women’s Euro 2025 as they put six goals past Belgium on a rain-soaked evening in Thun.The world champions were twice pegged back by Belgian equalisers, but Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir’s side were eventually overpowered and Belgium will now be eliminated unless Portugal beat Italy in Monday’s late kick-off. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/07/spain-belgium-womens-euro-2025-match-report
Stanway urges England to go back to their roots for make-or-break Netherlands clash
Lionesses face the Netherlands after defeat by France‘We’ve spoken about wanting to be proper England’Georgia Stanway wants the Lionesses to go back to their roots and be “proper England” as they prepare to face the Netherlands at Euro 2025 after their opening-game defeat against France.“We know as a team that we underperformed. We know as individuals that we underperformed,” Stanway said. “I didn’t want to do the press conference today because I’m fed up of talking now. It’s time that we focus on putting things right on the grass. Continue reading...‘I want to put socks on without being in pain’: Millie Bright on missing Euro 2025
Centre-back is recovering from knee operation ‘I feel better in my mind and ready to support the girls’“There’s more than just England under consideration when it came to that decision,” said Millie Bright on stepping away from the Lionesses ahead of their European title defence. “There’s me being able to walk down the stairs after I’ve played 90 minutes of football, there’s me in the future when I have children being able to walk around properly, being able to bend down and pick up toys, there’s me being able to do normal life things like put on socks without being in pain and, for the first time in a long time, I genuinely didn’t think about the response of the public because that just wasn’t a priority.”Chelsea’s Bright was discussing her decision to step back from this summer’s Euros for her mental and physical health with the former England international and close friend Rachel Daly. The pair have recently launched a podcast that leans into the chemistry they have as friends. Continue reading...Women’s Euro 2025: your guide to all 368 players
Get to know every single squad member at the tournament. Click on the player pictures for a full profile and ratings Continue reading...Luka Modric joining Milan from Real Madrid after Club World Cup, Allegri confirms
Manager describes 39-year-old as ‘extraordinary player’Allegri says Maignan and Leão seem willing to stayReal Madrid’s captain Luka Modric will join Milan after the Club World Cup, the Serie A club’s manager, Massimiliano Allegri, confirmed on Monday.The 39-year-old midfielder announced in May that he would be leaving Madrid after the tournament. Madrid face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals on Wednesday, with the final scheduled for Sunday. Continue reading...Playing loose with virtue wins no hearts, and Arsenal should know better | Jonathan LIew
There were plenty of legally unproblematic options available to the club before their former midfielder was charged with rape “We are courageous in the pursuit of progress.” “We champion our community and each other.” Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/07/arsenal-football-culture-thomas-partey
Lando Norris reveals ‘exhausting’ toll of British GP victory and title battle with Piastri
British driver says intensity of races is proving draining‘They’re pretty strenuous, exhausting weekends’Lando Norris described his victory at the British Grand Prix and his intense battle with Oscar Piastri for the world championship as exhausting, but is hopeful he has established some momentum for the next round in Belgium.“It’s two wins, but they’ve not come easy by any means,” he said, after following up his win in Austria at Silverstone. “We’ve had good fights, but they’re pretty strenuous, exhausting weekends because you’re fighting for hundredths and thousandths and you’re fighting for perfection every session and I’m against some pretty good drivers. So, it takes a lot out of you, especially when you have a race like Sunday.” Continue reading...Football Daily | Two seasons in a day: the Champions League and Club World Cup overlap
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Football Daily would prefer not to have to think about Copa Gianni at all but we have a certain professional obligation to do so and have never knowingly been found shirking in the face of our responsibilities. To keep things simple, we prefer to view the tournament as a stand-alone competition that’s taking place between the end of the last season and the beginning of the next one, but the fact that it’s being contested by clubs instead of countries leaves plenty of room for debate. Watching Kingsley Coman “sprint” on to a through-ball from Harry Kane during Bayern Munich’s defeat by PSG as if he was running in knee-deep wet cement, we were presented with the sight of a player in next season’s kit who was quite clearly exhausted by the exertions of the one that may or may not have ended before the tournament in which he was playing started. Does the goal he didn’t score go down in the official xG column of last season, next season, or neither?There’s me being able to walk down the stairs after I’ve played 90 minutes of football, there’s me in the future when I have children being able to walk around properly, being able to bend down and pick up toys, there’s me being able to do normal life things like put on socks without being in pain and, for the first time in a long time, I genuinely didn’t think about the response of the public because that just wasn’t a priority” – Millie Bright reveals how she is feeling better in her mind after taking the decision to miss Euro 2025 and prioritise her recovery from a knee injury.Sometimes Mauricio Pochettino wants it to be a penalty, sometimes he doesn’t. There’s just no pleasing some people. Extra moaning points for Poch insinuating that the officials were swayed by the pro-Mexico crowd for a game that USA USA USA were playing at home. P.S. A doff of the cap to Mexico for that uber cool black and gold kit …” – Noble Francis.With a tip of the cap to The Usual Suspects … the greatest trick Infantino ever pulled was turning me into a Chelsea fan for two hours rooting against Infantino’s home team making the finals” – Harry Webb.I can’t have been your only reader who paused between Friday’s tea time email and big website’s MBM coverage of the Jurassic reunion opening gig, to turn the dial of my retro digital transistors to the political satirical radio broadcast, Deadringers. I – and what I suspect to be 1,056 others – nearly choked on my fermented tofu when I heard a repeat of your dinosaur banter about the aforementioned group of monobrows. I assume the requisite phone calls were made – i.e. your people calling their people, etc – and payment made (four pack of budget Tin) before Tom Baker’s closing remarks” – Nicholas Tipple.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...Australia mushroom verdict: Erin Patterson found guilty of murdering relatives with lunch laced with death cap mushrooms
Victorian jury convicts 50-year-old Australian woman who cooked poisoned beef wellingtons that killed three in-lawsFive key moments in the murder trial of Australia’s mushroom lunch cook Erin PattersonA jury has found Erin Patterson guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth with a deadly beef wellington lunch laced with death cap mushrooms almost two years ago.As the trial entered its 11th week, a Victorian supreme court jury convicted Patterson of murdering her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt, Heather Wilkinson. The 12-person jury also found Patterson guilty of attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, who survived the lunch after spending weeks in hospital.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...Tesla shares dive as investors fear new Elon Musk political party will damage brand
Fall of 7.5% in early trading wipes $76bn off firm’s value as market frets CEO’s foray into politics will distract from roleShares in Tesla fell 7.5% in early US trading on Monday, wiping $76bn (£56bn) off the company’s value, amid investor concern that Elon Musk’s launch of a new political party will present further problems for the electric carmaker.Tesla’s market capitalisation fell from just over $1tn to about $940bn shortly after stock markets opened on Wall Street, with the value of his stake in the company reduced by nearly $10bn, lowering it to below $120bn. Continue reading...France and UK expected to announce joint plan on small boat crossings
Starmer and Macron could set out plans for a ‘one in, one out’ returns scheme for asylum seekersKeir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron are expected to announce plans for French police to do more to block small boats crossing the Channel at a summit in London this week, but a wider deal on returning asylum seekers is still up in the air.While details remain limited, with French officials believed to be still finalising what action the country can take with boats that are already in shallow waters, an announcement is expected on Wednesday. Continue reading...Apple appeals against ‘unprecedented’ €500m EU fine over app store
iPhone maker accuses European Commission of going ‘far beyond what the law requires’ in rulingBusiness live – latest updatesApple has launched an appeal against an “unprecedented” €500m (£430m) fine imposed by the EU on the company, in the latest clash between US tech companies and Brussels.The iPhone maker accused the European Commission – the EU’s executive arm – of going “far beyond what the law requires” in a dispute over its app store. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jul/07/apple-appeals-eu-fine-app-store
Low water levels push up shipping costs on Europe’s rivers amid heatwave
Vessels on Rhine in Germany and Danube in Hungary forced to sail partially loadedBusiness live – latest updatesLow water levels after heatwaves and drought are limiting shipping on some of Europe’s biggest rivers including the Rhine and the Danube and pushing up transport costs.As much of Europe swelters in hot temperatures, water levels in its main rivers have fallen. This is affecting shipping along the Rhine – one of Europe’s key waterways – south of Duisburg and Cologne in Germany, including the choke point of Kaub, forcing vessels to sail about half full. Continue reading...Floods are swallowing their village. Trump’s EPA cut a major lifeline for them and others
The administration has wiped over $2.7bn in climate grants, hitting underserved communities across the US the hardestThis story was originally published by FloodlightAcre by acre, the village of Kipnuk is falling into the river. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/07/trump-administration-epa-grants-floods
Millions of tonnes of toxic sewage sludge spread on UK farmland every year
Exclusive: Experts call for stricter regulation as current rules set in 1989 require testing for only a few heavy metalsMillions of tonnes of treated sewage sludge is spread on farmland across the UK every year despite containing forever chemicals, microplastics and toxic waste, and experts say the outdated current regulations are not fit for purpose.An investigation by the Guardian and Watershed has identified England’s sludge-spreading hotspots and shown where the practice could be damaging rivers. Continue reading...‘Like working in a volcano’: stories from six countries in Europe on a day of extreme heat
How chefs, street performers and cheesemongers struggled to get their jobs done in record-busting temperaturesHundreds of millions of people across Europe suffered an extreme heatwave this week, with temperatures smashing records as the continent sweltered.With the human-caused climate emergency pushing the mercury ever higher, early in the summer Europe is experiencing troubling temperatures. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/05/stories-from-six-countries-europe-extreme-heat
Paramedic jailed for 10 years for secretly giving woman abortion drug during sex
Stephen Doohan caused ‘long-term psychological injury’ to his victim, judge tells high court in Glasgow A paramedic who tricked a woman into having an abortion by secretly inserting drugs inside her during sex has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.Stephen Doohan, 33, was married when he met the woman on holiday in Spain in 2021 and began a long-distance relationship. Continue reading...7/7 London terror attack victims remembered at 20th anniversary service
Keir Starmer and Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh join survivors and emergency workers at St Paul’s CathedralUK politics live – latest updatesThe prime minister and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh joined survivors and emergency workers at St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the 20th anniversary of the 7 July London bombings.Four coordinated attacks on three tube trains and a double-decker bus killed 52 people and left several hundred injured in the worst single terrorist atrocity on British soil. Continue reading...Young people in England’s coastal towns three times more likely to have a mental health condition
They are suffering disproportionately and without help, say researchers, and unless they are given a voice, problems will continue to mount upRead more: ‘We’re told we won’t amount to anything’: is it possible to change the fortunes of young people living in England’s coastal towns? Young people living in the most deprived stretches of England’s coastline are three times more likely to be living with an undiagnosed mental health condition than their peers inland, according to new research.This “coastal mental health gap” means that young people in these towns, which include areas of Tendring on the east coast and Blackpool and Liverpool to the west, are suffering disproportionately, often alone and with no help, said the researchers who conducted the study. Continue reading...Music trade bodies accuse BBC of ‘arbitrary’ changes after Bob Vylan Glastonbury set
Industry insiders cite free speech concerns, saying broadcaster overreacted by limiting live streaming of ‘high risk’ artistsMusic industry figures have accused the BBC of making “arbitrary and disproportionate” changes to its coverage of live music after the fallout from Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury festival performance.There is serious concern among artists and music agencies over a BBC decision that means any musical performances deemed to be high risk will not be broadcast live or streamed live. Continue reading...Bee attack leaves dozens of people injured in French town
Three were in critical condition but have since improved after incident in Aurillac, south-central FranceA unusual attack by bees in the French town of Aurillac has left 24 people injured, including three who were in critical condition but have since improved, according to local authorities.Passersby were stung over a period of about 30 minutes on Sunday morning, according to the prefecture of Cantal, in south-central France. Firefighters and medical teams treated the victims, while police set up a security perimeter until the bees stopped their attack. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/07/bee-attack-dozens-people-injured-french-town-aurillac
Poland begins controls on borders with Germany and Lithuania
Move after far-right protests is latest example of measures within EU that are straining passport-free Schengen zonePoland has reintroduced temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania in response to public concerns over irregular migration.The measures came into force at midnight on Sunday and will last until 5 August, in the latest example of EU governments imposing measures that are straining the fabric of the bloc’s passport-free Schengen zone. Continue reading...No shorts, no flip-flops: La Scala bars beachwear from the opera
Management ask visitors to ‘choose clothing in keeping with the decorum of the theatre’ after complaintsOperagoers have been warned they will be banned from entering Milan’s prestigious La Scala theatre if they turn up wearing shorts, tank tops or flip-flops. Kimonos, however, are acceptable.The venue’s management team reminded people how not to dress for an opera after complaints that some spectators were donning attire more suitable for the beach. Continue reading...Pope Leo extends condolences to Texas flood victims: ‘We pray for them’
US-born pontiff addresses probably the deadliest natural disaster in his home country since assuming role in MayPope Leo XIV on Sunday voiced his sympathies for the families whose lives have been upended by the flooding in Texas’s Hill Country, which left about 80 dead – many of them children – and others missing.After reciting Angelus prayers at the Vatican, the American-born pontiff remarked in English: “I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in a summer camp in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/07/pope-leo-texas-flood-victims
‘I’m rooting for them’: why American Movie is my feelgood movie
The next in our series of writers drawing attention to their favourite comfort films looks back to a funny and touching documentary from 1999“I was a failure and I get very sad and depressed about it. I really feel like I betrayed myself. Big time. When I was growing up, I had all the potential in the world. Now I’m back to being Mark with a beer in his hand who is thinking about the great American script and the great American movie. This time I cannot fail. I will not fail.”As far as opening monologues go, you couldn’t have scripted a more perfect introduction to a film that captures one of the purest pursuits of the American Dream ever set to film. But these were not written for a character, but instead straight from the heart of Mark Borchardt in a 1999 documentary. It’s rare that documentaries are associated with feelgood movies, which is odd because they are remarkable vehicles for generating warmth, empathy and humor from spending time in the company of real life people who you grow to like. And I utterly adore spending time with these people. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jul/07/american-movie-documentary-feelgood-movie
‘As thrilling as driving a sports car’: the Tokyo capsule tower that gave pod-living penthouse chic
They had portholes, cutting edge mod cons – and the ultra luxurious models even came with a free calculator. As Japan’s beloved Nakagin Capsule Tower resurfaces, we celebrate an architectural marvelLooking like a teetering stack of washing machines perched on the edge of an elevated highway, the Nakagin Capsule Tower was an astonishing arrival on the Tokyo skyline in 1972. It was the heady vision of Kisho Kurokawa, a radical Japanese architect who imagined a high-rise world of compact capsules, where people could cocoon themselves away from the information overload of the modern age. These tiny pods would be “a place of rest to recover”, he wrote, as well as “an information base to develop ideas, and a home for urban dwellers”. Residents could peer out at the city from their cosy built-in beds through a single porthole window, or shut it all out by unfurling an elegant circular fan-like blind, all while remaining connected with the latest technology at all times.Launched to critical acclaim, the Nakagin tower’s 140 capsules quickly sold out, and became highly sought after by well-heeled salarymen looking for a place to crash when they missed the last train home. Never intended to be full-time housing, the pods came stuffed with mod cons: en suite bathroom, foldout desk, telephone and Sony colour TV. But, 50 years on, after a prolonged lack of maintenance and repairs, and disagreements among owners about its future, the asbestos-riddled building was finally disassembled in 2022. The creaking steel capsules of Kurokawa’s space-age fantasy were unbolted and removed from the lift and stair towers, pod by pod. Continue reading...Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes review – eye-opening snapshot of New York’s queer scene
Documentary celebrates the American photographer who lived, breathed and captured the shimmering fever dream of NYC’s gay culture in the 1940s and 50sGeorge Platt Lynes was an American photographer who lived in Paris in the 1920s and then mostly in New York City for the rest of his life; he died in 1955. A gay man who was very out by the standards of the times, he was right in the middle of the one of the most flamboyant bohemian queer scenes of the period. And, man, did he have fun, shagging up a storm and taking nude pictures of beautiful men and women (but mostly men) when he wasn’t earning work shooting fashion spreads for Vogue magazine. This documentary, directed by Sam Shahid, introduces his life and work in a deeply respectful, straightforward way, splicing in hundreds of examples of his mostly black-and-white pictures with curators, admirers and some surviving friends and acquaintances. Notable interviewees include portrait artist Don Bachardy, and the painter Bernard Perlin, seen in archive footage given he died in 2014, who was a very close friend of Platt Lynes and the executor of his artistic estate.Like so many other documentaries about dead artists that require cooperation from the deceased’s estate, this sometimes gets a little hyperbolic about its subject’s talent. Which is not to say that Lynes’ work isn’t worth exploring and celebrating, not only for its aesthetic merits but also for the way it captures a specific time and place. His commercial work was classical and elegant, tinged with a surrealism he learned first hand from Man Ray himself. His nudes and frankly erotic material are gorgeously sensual with a chilly, sculptural quality whose influence can be traced in later photographers of male nudes like Robert Mapplethorpe. Continue reading...Super Happy Forever review – glowing love story in reverse with echoes of Before Sunrise
In this beautifully acted film, a man returns to the Japanese seaside town where he met and fell in love with his wifeFor the first 40 minutes, this film’s title feels like a poke in the eye. There is nothing remotely happy about twentysomething Sano (Hiroki Sano). His wife has just died suddenly in her sleep, and Sano is visiting the sleepy Japanese seaside town where they met five years ago. He is rude and sullen, and obsessive about finding a red baseball cap he lost on that first visit. In the pain and anger of his grief, everyone sounds vapid and dumb, their words meaningless blah-blah-blah.It’s hard to see where the happy fits in, until the film flips back in time. In the same hotel five years ago, Sano first claps eyes on his wife Nagi (Nairu Yamamoto) in a chance meeting in the hotel lobby. Yamamoto gives the performance of the film as aspiring photographer Nagi: funny, scatty and earnest. She plays it so naturally, so true to life, that Nagi feels like someone you might have actually met. She and Sano wander around town, young and free: dancing in a club, eating instant noodles. There is a glow to these scenes, a bit like in Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise, which similarly bottles the heart-flutter moment of something clicking, flirtation that feels like more than flirting. Continue reading...The Zola Experience review – life follows art as stage relationship spills into real-life romance
When actor-director Anne Barbot embarks on an adaptation of a Zola novel with her neighbour, the gap between theatre and reality appears to collapse entirelyArt and life fuse deliriously in Gianluca Matarrese’s hybrid film, which alternates between documentary and fiction, theatre and cinema. Recently divorced from her husband, actor-director Anne Barbot throws herself into preparing a stage adaptation of Emile Zola’s classic novel L’Assommoir. In Gervaise, the working-class heroine of the book, Barbot finds echoes of her current situation: both are women who struggle to reclaim professional autonomy in the aftermath of broken relationships. Barbot’s production becomes more complicated when she casts Benoît Dallongeville, a neighbour who is also an actor, in the role of her love interest in the play. Soon, passion and tension begin to spill from personal relationships on to the page, and vice versa.Matarrese’s film keeps the camera strikingly close to Barbot and Dallongeville as the pair embark on a long and physically arduous rehearsal process. Jagged, handheld closeups of minute facial expressions and gestures clue us into private emotions that may be unknown even to the two actors. We can sense that, in the beginning, Dallongeville is interested in courting Barbot, though she is pulling back. Yet, over long takes in which they feed each other lines, a certain chemistry gradually emerges, followed by actual romance. The film keeps this development deliberately opaque, as scene transitions make it difficult to tell whether they are reading a script or communicating as themselves. It is as if the border between performance and life has entirely collapsed. Continue reading...The Tree of Authenticity review – talking tree explains Congo’s struggle to overcome colonial past
Sammy Baloji’s experimental documentary juxtaposes observations from both sides of the divide in its exploration of European exploitation of the country’s natural resourcesIn his first solo directorial feature, photographer and visual artist Sammy Baloji excavates the colonial legacies in the Congo basin, the second largest tropical forest in the world. Building on a decades-spanning archive from the Yangambi National Institute of Agronomic Studies and Research, the film is loosely divided into three sections, each guided by a different voice that speaks to the complicated environmental history of the area. The first segment is informed by the journal entries of Congolese agronomist Paul Panda Farnana. Working both within and outside Belgium’s colonial control during the 1910s and 1920s, Farnana wrote of his frustration with the extractive regime, as well as meteorological statistics related to rainfall and temperature, which are narrated in voiceover. This is combined with largely static shots of present-day Congo, where vestiges of colonial buildings lie next to verdant fields, a haunting reminder from a dark past.This cinematic link through time continues with the second narration, taken from the writing of Belgian colonial official Abiron Beirnaert. A stark contrast to Farnana’s clear-eyed, political perspective, Beirnaert’s contemplations luxuriate in boredom and jadedness. The images that accompany this section are also of sparsely attended archives and abandoned factories that do little to subvert Beirnaert’s imperialist outlook. The third voice, however, grants sentience to the ancient tree of the title, bearing witness to decades of Congolese history. Continue reading...Jameela Jamil launches a tongue-in-cheek riot of a history show: best podcasts of the week
‘So-called sidechicks’ are celebrated in the presenter’s new show with a TikTok historian. Plus, a shocking investigation into gangs profiting from inheritance scamsJameela Jamil and Dr Kate Lister host this podcast dedicated to the untold tales behind “history’s so-called sidechicks”, with interludes from TikTok’s History Gossip, AKA Katie Kennedy. If you prefer a more strait-laced approach then this isn’t the show for you: it’s a tongue-in-cheek riot, kicking off with Louis XIV’s paramour Madame de Montespan, and her fall from grace via a poisoning scandal. Hannah J DaviesAudible, all episodes out now Continue reading...‘The best song to have sex to? Anything by Marvin Gaye. Nothing by Rick Astley’: Rick Astley’s honest playlist
The pop veteran works up a sweat to Biffy Clyro and recognises the dancefloor power of Abba, but which Kylie banger hits a little too close to home?The first song I fell in love withI’ve got two older brothers and an older sister. My sister played the grooves out of Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell. When I got my chance, I’d put on I Wan’na Be like You from The Jungle Book.The song I do at karaoke
Tale As Old As Time from the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack, even though it’s a duet. My daughter Emilie is 33, but when she’s home, we’ll watch a Disney film together. She turns into a five-year-old, I turn into a young dad and it’s just lovely. Continue reading...
‘Their songs are rousing, trippy, witty, moronic. I’ve sung along to them all’: Simon Armitage hails the return of Oasis
Ahead of the first tour date tonight, the poet laureate explores the ‘brotherhood and chemistry’ that forged the band, repelled the Gallaghers and brought them together againIn retrospect it all seems so obvious. Form a band, plunder the Beatles’ back catalogue for riffs, guitar tabs, chord changes and song structures, then bang it out in a key that a stadium crowd could put their lungs into but which suited the subway busker, too.The resulting success now looks so inevitable. In 1994, dance music flooded the UK charts but not everyone thought a rave DJ wearing oversized headphones and playing records counted as a gig. Some people – a vast number, it turned out – still yearned for meat-and-two-veg pop-rock with guitars and drums, and for songs played by groups. Throw in some Manc bluster, the death throes of a Tory government that had occupied Downing Street since for ever, and the first glimmers of a cooler Britannia, and hey presto: Oasis. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/04/simon-armitage-hails-the-return-of-oasis
Adès, Leith, Marsey: Orchestral Works album review – an impressive collection marks a productive association
Hallé Orchestra/Adès(Hallé)This brings together new works of his own and by composers he admires that Thomas Adès has conducted at Bridgewater Hall during his residency with the HalléSince 2023 Thomas Adès has been artist-in-residence with the Hallé Orchestra. He has featured as composer, conductor and pianist in his appearances with the orchestra, and all his concerts have included new or nearly new works, both his own and by composers he admires. As the residency comes to an end, this collection brings together pieces he has conducted in Manchester; there are four by Adès himself, alongside William Marsey’s Man With Limp Wrist and Oliver Leith’s Cartoon Sun.Of the four pieces by Adès, only one is substantial. Aquifer, which he wrote last year for Simon Rattle and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, is a densely packed 17-minute movement, which contains enough ideas to power a symphony at least twice as long, before being brought to a halt by the most common-or-garden of cadences. Tower – for Frank Gehry is a fanfare, and both Shanty and Dawn, composed during lockdown in 2020, are pieces that work wonders with repeated phrases. Marsey’s musical narrative, in eight “scenes”, is a strangely evocative succession of musical ghosts, inspired by paintings by Salman Toor, while Leith’s wacky processional, punctuated by enormous climaxes, leaves an exhilarating impression. Continue reading...‘It feels an almost holy moment’: the beauty and magic of reading aloud to children
Bedside reading is a quietly magical time, says author Horatio Clare, bridging the gulf between childhood and the adult worldGet our weekend culture and lifestyle email“So,” my father would ask, after the bath and the doing of teeth, as if the answer was unknown, “what’s it going to be?”“Shady Glade!” Continue reading...Face With Tears of Joy: A natural History of Emoji by Keith Houston review
An deep dive into the surprising uses and linguistic shortfalls of the ubiquitous symbolsIn 2016, Apple announced that its gun emoji, previously a realistic grey-and-black revolver, would henceforth be a green water pistol. Gradually the other big tech companies followed suit, and now what is technically defined as the “pistol” emoji, supposed to represent a “handgun or revolver”, does not show either: instead you’ll get a water pistol or sci-fi raygun and be happy with it. No doubt this change contributed significantly to a suppression of gun crime around the world, and it remains only to ban the bomb, knife and sword emoji to wipe out violence altogether.As Keith Houston’s fascinatingly geeky and witty history shows, emoji have always been political. Over the years, people have successfully lobbied the Unicode Consortium – the cabal of corporations that controls the character set, including Google, Microsoft, Meta and Apple – to include different skin colours and same-sex couples. It was easy to agree to add the face with one eyebrow raised, the guide dog and the egg. But not every request is granted. One demand for a “frowning poo emoji” elicited this splendid rant from an eminent Unicode contributor, Michael Everson: “Will we have a crying pile of poo next? Pile of poo with tongue sticking out? Pile of poo with question marks for eyes? Pile of poo with karaoke mic? Will we have to encode a neutral faceless pile of poo?” Continue reading...Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn review – an extraordinary debut
This brilliant short-story collection confronts the knotty truths of Northern Ireland’s bloody pastThe literature of the Troubles is a rich one, from Seamus Heaney’s North (1975), Jennifer Johnston’s Shadows on Our Skin (1977) and Bernard MacLaverty’s Cal (1983), to Eoin McNamee’s Resurrection Man (1994), Anna Burns’s Booker-winning Milkman (2018), and Louise Kennedy’s Trespasses (2022). The latest addition to the corpus, a slim debut story collection by nonbinary Northern Irish writer Liadan Ní Chuinn, shares the brilliance and burning energy of those other books, but there is a fundamental distinction. Ní Chuinn was born in the year of the Good Friday agreement, the 1998 power-sharing deal that delivered peace and brought an end to the Troubles; why, then, should their writing be so obsessed with them?“I believe, these things, they’re the making of us,” a character says at one point. He’s talking about a dead friend, but his words might apply to Northern Ireland’s past 50 or so years. Throughout the book the violence of that period is shown to persist, the past proving powerfully, inconveniently alive. Tensions flare between those who attempt to ignore that fact and others who insist on it. Continue reading...Butler by Salena Zito review – how Trump won America’s heartland
From the site of the failed assassination comes a sharp-eyed account of Trump’s political gains – and Democrats’ failings The Democrats’ famed blue wall is more the stuff of nostalgia than reality. On election day 2024, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin voted for Donald Trump for the second time in three elections. Barack Obama’s upstairs-downstairs coalition lies in ruins, as Democrats struggle to connect with working-class voters across racial and ethnic lines.Last November, Trump came within just three points of winning a majority of Latino voters. Such Americans walked away from their presumed political home – in droves. A Trump endorsement by Roberto Clemente Jr, son of the late Pittsburgh Pirates baseball star, was a harbinger. Likewise, Trump posted double-digit gains among Catholics and Jews, once core constituencies in the Democratic party of FDR.Butler is published in the US by Hachette Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jul/06/butler-salena-zito-review-trump
‘Close to perfect’: readers’ favourite games of 2025 so far
Whether Nazi-punching your way through an Indiana Jones sequel or losing yourself in a beautiful fantasy world, you told us your best video game experiences of the first half of the year • The best video games of 2025 so farEnshrouded is a beautiful combination of Minecraft, Skyrim and resource gathering that makes it at least three games in one. My daughter told me I would love it and I ignored her for too long. I’ve tackled Elden Ring, but much prefer the often gentler combat of Enshrouded. It sometimes makes me feel like an elite fighter, then other times kicks my arse in precisely the right measures. Continue reading...From Pong to Wii Sports: the surprising legacy of tennis in gaming history
From the lab-born Tennis for Two to the console classics of Nintendo and Sega, the sport has been a constant, foundational force in gaming’s riseWith Wimbledon under way, I am going to grasp the opportunity to make a perhaps contentious claim: tennis is the most important sport in the history of video games.Sure, nowadays the big sellers are EA Sports FC, Madden and NBA 2K, but tennis has been foundational to the industry. It was a simple bat-and-ball game, created in 1958 by scientist William Higinbotham at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York, that is widely the considered the first ever video game created purely for entertainment. Tennis for Two ran on an oscilloscope and was designed as a minor diversion for visitors attending the lab’s annual open day, but when people started playing, a queue developed that eventually extended out of the front door and around the side of the building. It was the first indication that computer games might turn out to be popular. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/jul/02/pushing-buttons-tennis-pong-wii-sports-wimbledon
Donkey Kong Bananza: gorilla finds his groove with Mariah Carey on his shoulder
For his first Nintendo Switch 2 appearance, DK goes on a rhythmic rampage, powered up to new hulking heights by singing sidekick Pauline. It’s big, brash and impossibly enjoyableWhile searching for gold in the dingy mines of Ingot Isle, a severe storm sweeps dungaree-donning hero Donkey Kong into a vast underground world. You think he’d be distraught, yet with the subterranean depths apparently rich in banana-shaped gemstones, DK gleefully uses his furry fists to pummel and burrow his way towards treasure. From here, the first Donkey Kong platformer since 2014 is a dirt-filled journey to the centre of the Earth.Much like the Battlefield games of old, Bananza is built to let you pulverise its destructible environments as you see fit. That seemingly enclosed starting area? You can burrow your way through the floor. Bored with jumping through a cave? Batter your way through the wall instead. There’s a cathartic mindlessness to smashing seven shades of stone out of every inch of the ground beneath you, pushing the physics tech to its limits and seeing what hidden collectibles and passageways you unearth. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/jul/02/donkey-kong-bananza-nintendo-switch-2
Cute dates, bisexual chaos and game-changing kisses: video games’ best queer moments
From Fable and Life Is Strange to Last of Us, Thirsty Suitors and Unpacking, five queer game developers and writers pick their sweetest, realest, most meaningful scenesLife Is Strange, as a series, is really characterised by a patented mix of earnestness and cringe for me – but you can’t fault its determination to put queer characters front and centre. It has been variably successful at this – the messy relationship between shy, photography-obsessed Max and chaotic blue-haired Chloe in 2015’s original Life Is Strange was left somewhat ambiguous, but Alex Chen in Life Is Strange: True Colors was openly bi and pretty laidback about it. My favourite queer moment from the series, though, came in last year’s Double Exposure. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/jun/30/best-queer-moments-fable-life-is-strange-last-of-us
‘Free of human logic’: the modern artists inspired by surrealism’s 100-year-old parlour game
A century after André Breton invented Exquisite Corpse artists are using it to tap into something unexploredSome time in the winter of 1925-1926, the French author André Breton and his comrades Yves Tanguy, Jacques Prévert and Marcel Duchamp invented an old-fashioned parlour game. You write a word on a piece of paper, then fold it over so the next person can’t see what you’ve written, and you end up with a strange sentence. The game is now known as Exquisite Corpse, after the result of their first go: Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau (The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine).Exquisite Corpse gave Breton so much joy because it summed up the essence of the surrealist school of art he was trying to articulate at the time. In his first 1924 manifesto, he told budding surrealists to put themselves in “as passive, or receptive, a state of mind” as they can and write quickly. Forget about talent, about subject, about perception or punctuation. Simply trust, he writes, “in the inexhaustible nature of the murmur”. Continue reading...‘It was an earth-shattering reality right away’: director Catherine Hardwicke on life after Twilight
From her groundbreaking debut Thirteen to forthcoming teen drama Street Smart – ‘a homeless Breakfast Club’ – the film-maker explains how she’s made her way in a job still largely made for menFilm-makers have long used their movies as Trojan horses to express their political beliefs and values and Catherine Hardwicke is no different. In her 2003 debut feature, Thirteen, and her 2008 teen vampire hit Twilight, the writer-director bolstered the stories with environmentally and socially conscious messaging to inspire people to “save the planet”. And with her latest film, Street Smart, which she describes as “a kind of homeless The Breakfast Club”, she is still “sneaking in” her “good values”.Street Smart, now in post-production, is a low-budget ensemble drama, executive-produced by Gerard Butler and partnered with charities Covenant House and Safe Place for Youth, that centres on a group of unhoused teens bonding through music, trauma and humour while fending for themselves on the margins of LA society. It stars Yara Shahidi (Grown-ish), Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan) and Michael Cimino (Never Have I Ever), as well as a group of unknown actors whom Hardwicke describes as having “big hearts and compassion for others; otherwise, they would be trying to work on a superhero film”. Continue reading...Michael Douglas says he has ‘no real intentions’ of acting again: ‘I had to stop’
The 80-year-old, two-time Oscar winner said he had been ‘working pretty hard for almost 60 years’ – and is ‘quite happy’ watching his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones workTwo-time Oscar winner Michael Douglas has revealed he may be finished with acting, saying he has “no real intentions” to return to the industry.Speaking at the Karlovy Vary international film festival in the Czech Republic for the 50th anniversary of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – which Douglas co-produced – the 80-year-old actor and producer told a press conference that unless “something special came up” for him, he would not act again. Continue reading...‘The army were on the streets – and we were bored’: Stiff Little Fingers on making Alternative Ulster
‘There wasn’t time to sit down and discuss politics and the future of the world, or your aims and aspirations. You just did stuff’I was approached by Gavin Martin, who ran a fanzine called Alternative Ulster. He wanted to put a flexi-disc on the cover and said: “Can we use Suspect Device?” That was going to be Still Little Fingers’ debut single so I told him he couldn’t have that, but I would write him a song. Continue reading...Anne Reid on fame, desire and ambition at 90: ‘The most wonderful things have happened since I was 68!’
In her 20s, the actor says, casting directors didn’t rate her. In her 60s, she got her big break. She discusses fun, family, optimism, regrets – and wild sex on screen with Daniel CraigAnne Reid wants to get one thing straight from the off. She adores working with the director Dominic Dromgoole. “He treats actors like grownups. Some directors feel as if they’ve got to play games and teach you how to act. But a conductor doesn’t teach a viola player how to play the blooming instrument, does he?” She talks about directors who get actors to throw bean bags at each other and go round the room making them recite each other’s names. “Blimey! I want to be an adult. I think I’ve earned it now.” She pauses. Reid has always been a master of the timely pause. “You can’t get more adult than me and be alive really, can you, darling?”Reid turned 90 in May. She celebrated by going on a national tour with Daisy Goodwin’s new play, By Royal Appointment. I catch up with the show at Cheltenham’s Everyman theatre. She’s already done Bath. Then there’s Malvern, Southampton, Richmond, Guildford and Salford. I feel knackered just thinking about it, I say. She gives me a look. “Oh, they send me in cars. I don’t have to toil much!” Continue reading...Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for lettuce wraps with aromatic lemongrass chicken and peanut sauce | Quick and easy
Light and aromatic lemongrass chicken wrapped in lettuce and doused in peanut sauce makes perfect assemble-and-enjoy material for a summer’s dayThe perfect meal for a hot day, when you want something light and refreshing. You can assemble all the components for these lovely, fresh lettuce wraps while the chicken poaches in an aromatic broth, and either make up the cups yourself or put all the components down on the table for everyone to help themselves. This was a hit with my three-year-old daughter, and it even encouraged the one-year-old to try lettuce for the first time. Continue reading...‘Deeply wrong’: would you use a barbecue to cook a full English breakfast?
If so, you’ve got company – nearly one in six Britons have prepared bacon and eggs on an open flame. But not everyone is happy about the practiceName: Breakfast barbecues.Age: Our ancestors cooked with fire at least 780,000 years ago; they must have done it in the morning at some point. Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/jul/07/barbecue-cook-full-english-breakfast
‘It is not jus. It is not a glaze. It is gravy!’ Britain’s gift to the world finally gets the love it deserves
Chefs have gone head over heels for the brown stuff. Some drown their burgers in it; others serve it with brioche and black pudding; one even turns it into ice-cream. What’s going on?Pub roasts, grannies, Sunday lunch, Ah! Bisto!: gravy triggers nostalgic food memories for Britons like little else. But unlike complex French sauces, for example, gravy is brown and plain, not gastronomic alchemy. Its homely bedfellows – potatoes and pies – have had fancy makeovers, but gravy’s potential hasn’t been much exploited on the modern menu. Until now.The nostalgic wave sweeping Britain’s food scene is reviving this ancient staple, but with a twist: gravy is going gourmet. It is appearing as a dip for burgers in London at the upmarket chain Burger & Beyond and at Nanny Bill’s. It is served with brioche and black pudding at Tom Cenci’s modern British restaurant Nessa in Soho, and even does a turn at Shaun Rankin’s Michelin-starred Grantley Hall in Yorkshire, where it is styled as beef tea and served with bread, bone marrow butter and dripping. Continue reading...How to make baba ganoush – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass
Shop-bought rarely compares to the punch of homemade baba ganoush, and it really isn’t very difficult to make at home. Here’s how …Public service announcement: baba ganoush does not require smoked paprika, acidity regulators or indeed any kind of preservative beyond lemon juice. There are some dips I will happily buy – tzatziki, taramasalata, even hummus, with due caution – but tubs of this smoky Middle Eastern aubergine dish always seem to be slimy and underpowered in comparison with the real freshly made deal.Prep 15 minDrain 30 minCook 40 min
Serves 2-4 Continue reading...
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/jul/06/how-to-make-baba-ganoush-recipe-felicity-cloake
Schiaparelli has celebrities in its sights with buzzy war-inspired futurism
Brand culls signature corseted silhouettes for shorter bustiers in effort to ‘keep pushing forward’Schiaparelli is a 98-year-old fashion brand that has somewhat unexpectedly become synonymous with viral internet moments. There has been Kylie Jenner’s hyper-realistic lion headdress, Bella Hadid wearing a gold necklace resembling a pair of lungs and even a robot baby made up of electrical wires and crystals.On Monday as it opened couture fashion week in Paris, there was speculation that the instigator of its most recent buzz worthy moment – Lauren Sánchez – might be in attendance. Continue reading...Michael Rider evolves a winning formula in debut for Celine in Paris
The American designer balances a homage to the past with a nod to his own fashion storyAfter a year of musical chairs in fashion, September is gearing up to be one of its biggest show months ever: with debut collections slated from new creative directors at brands including Matthieu Blazy at Chanel and ex-Balenciaga designer Demna at Gucci.On Sunday in Paris, Michael Rider, who recently succeeded Hedi Slimane at Celine, decided to get a head start. Continue reading...Zara at 50: how the brand rose to the top – and what it’s doing to stay there
As fashion empire hits middle age, it’s cutting costs and closing stores, shifting to larger outlets and new productsIn Arteixo, northern Spain, workers are putting the final touches to a gigantic white box of a building, fixing windows and planting greenery in the new global headquarters of the fashion brand Zara, which turned 50 this year.The site, complete with a private high street where the retailer will test out its latest store concepts, is not far from the small store on the corner of a nondescript street in the centre of nearby La Coruña where, in 1975, Amancio Ortega opened his first fashion store. Continue reading...Sydney’s white T-shirt suggests there is more to The Bear than costume and drama
With audiences ‘more fashion aware than ever’, being worn on a TV show can be life-changing for small brandsThe Bear is back for season 4, but never mind Carmy’s famous white T-shirt. All eyes are on Sydney, the quietly competent sous chef played by Ayo Edebiri, who has been breaking the internet with her own white tee.Designed by a small independent US brand called Everybody.World, and worn as she is prepping in the opening episode, it mirrors the tight white T-shirt by Merz b. Schwanen preferred by her erratic boss. His crashed the company’s website – and helped propel Jeremy Allen White to become the face (and body) of Calvin Klein. Continue reading...This is how we do it: ‘It’s been exciting to introduce him to toys, role play and unusual positions’
Leon had lost his mojo in his marriage, but meeting the more experienced, confident Annie has liberated his sex life• How do you do it? Share the story of your sex life, anonymouslyThere’s quite a seductive element of being a bit like a teacher Continue reading...A controlling partner is isolating my daughter. What can I do to help? | Ask Annalisa Barbieri
She may not realise she’s experiencing domestic abuse, or may not be ready to talk about it yet. Let her know you’re there for her no matter what • Every week Annalisa Barbieri addresses a problem sent in by a readerMy daughter has gradually withdrawn from family events. She lives far from us all and doesn’t come home any more after being a real homebird. She hasn’t visited for over a year and didn’t see any of us at Christmas or my birthday, which is not like her.When I visit her, it’s becoming clear she isn’t making choices for herself any more – even the simplest ones are made by her partner and she concedes to everything he wants. He is also jealous of any other male family member who is spoken about positively. Continue reading...The kindness of strangers: I used to hate being judged, but then a woman on a train praised my parenting
I saw that my toddler was annoying some passengers but the words of encouragement made a stressful situation a lot more bearableRead more in the kindness of strangers seriesI had my eldest child when I was 19, and being a young mum can be tricky – I was used to feeling judged by other people in public.One evening, I was on a crowded train home in Melbourne at peak hour, which is also witching hour for toddlers. My two-year-old son just started losing it, so I was distracting him with silly noises and games. It was largely working and he was mostly laughing and squealing with delight. I registered that it was annoying some passengers, but the alternative would have been much louder and annoying for us all. Making matters worse, no one offered me a seat, so we were standing up and bumping into other people, who were getting pissed off. Continue reading...The moment I knew: he pulled me close for my last-ever first kiss
Mariah Reynolds and her workout buddy were at a restaurant in their sweaty gym gear. By the end of the meal, it felt like a romance novelFind more stories from The moment I knew seriesMoe and I met at an obstacle course race in south-western Sydney in 2015 when I was 21. He’s a naturally charismatic guy and, while I wasn’t immune to his charms, I didn’t think of him again until nearly a year later when I saw him on a dating app.I swiped to say hello and he invited me to go rock climbing. I chickened out at the last minute but a few months later Moe joined the same gym as me. We became fast friends, regularly training and trail running together. Continue reading...Is it true that … we’re all a little bit intolerant to dairy?
Occasional sensitivity to lactose can occur as we get older, or through stress, but for most people it’s only temporaryMost of us aren’t inherently dairy intolerant, but we can go through periods where we become more sensitive to lactose in our diet, says Amanda Avery, an associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Nottingham.She says that when people talk about being “dairy intolerant”, they’re usually referring to lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. In most people, that sugar is broken down by an enzyme called lactase, which is found in our small intestine. It helps our bodies digest and absorb lactose without causing discomfort. “We’re born with plenty of lactase. But as our diets diversify, our lactase levels decline,” says Avery. “If there is minimal milk in the dairy diet then lactase levels may be zero, thus people from some cultural backgrounds and countries where dairy intake is negligible may be intolerant.” Continue reading...Healthy chocolate, low-hangover wine and nutritious breakfast cereal: 10 guilty pleasures … without the guilt
Sometimes you just need to treat yourself but you don’t always need to feel bad about it. Nutritionists recommend the smartest ways to indulge (including a healthy kebab!)We all know we should be snacking on blueberries and eating more leafy greens. But what should you do when you’re stuck at a motorway service station with a choice between crisps and more crisps? If you can’t resist a glass (or two) of wine, what’s the healthiest option? And is it possible to hit the kebab shop at 1am without being struck down by the spectre of Gwyneth Paltrow?Not all junk food is created equal. Top nutritionists suggest the treats, booze and ultra-processed foods that pose the smallest risk to our health – and the ones even they eat from time to time. Continue reading...The truth about fruit juice and smoothies: should you down them or ditch them?
Some experts say we shouldn’t drink any fruit juices at all. Others point to the fibre, vitamins and anti-inflammatories they provide. Here’s what you need to knowWhen my sister saw me drinking a glass of orange juice at breakfast, she was horrified. “You’re drinking pure sugar!” she said.Juice, once considered so virtuous people paid good money to go on “juice fasts”, has been demonised over the past decade. The epidemiologist and author Tim Spector has said orange juice should “come with a health warning” and he’d rather people drink Coca-Cola. Despite this, the global juice market is growing, with chains such as Joe & the Juice expanding rapidly – and in an umbrella review last year, Australian researchers found potential health benefits to drinking juice. Continue reading...Get some earplugs – and never remove wax at home: 16 ways to protect your hearing, chosen by audiologists
Turn the volume down, don’t use cotton buds and get your hearing tested before it’s too late. Here’s what experts recommend to keep your ears healthyHearing loss can make life difficult and lead to social isolation. But with extremely loud devices in our pockets, and earbuds in near-constant use, we are at more risk than ever. How can you take care of your ears to avoid problems? Continue reading...Framework Laptop 12 review: fun, flexible and repairable
Smallest and most affordable Framework still has brilliant modular ports, is upgradable and designed to lastThe modular and repairable PC maker Framework’s latest machine moves into the notoriously difficult to fix 2-in-1 category with a fun 12in laptop with a touchscreen and a 360-degree hinge.The new machine still supports the company’s innovative expansion cards for swapping the different ports in the side, which are cross-compatible with the Framework 13 and 16 among others. And you can still open it up to replace the memory, storage and internal components with a few simple screws. Continue reading...Can you solve it? The world’s most fascinating number – revealed!
It’s not what you expectUPDATE: Read the solutions hereBefore we get to today’s puzzles, I’d like to introduce the most interesting number in the universe.108 Continue reading...From creaking IT systems to your dirty pants: Edith Pritchett’s week in Venn diagrams – cartoon
Continue reading...‘Wake up curious about the world!’ Readers’ tips for regaining your sense of adventure
From slow travel and sea swims to backpacking and axe-throwing, here’s how to get bolder as well as olderAs we get older, many of us feel like we lose our sense of adventure. Busy lives can leave us feeling exhausted, while increasing responsibilities leave little room for more intrepid pursuits.But maintaining an adventurous perspective is one of the best ways to keep life exciting. With this in mind, we asked readers to share their tips for reigniting a sense of adventure. Here are 10 of the best suggestions: Continue reading...Waska: the cost of spiritual healing in the Amazon
The plant medicine hayakwaska (ayahuasca), marketed as a mystical shortcut to healing and enlightenment, is an example of what the Indigenous storyteller Nina Gualinga, sees as commodification and extractivism in the Amazon. Nina is from the Kichwa people of Sarayaku, Ecuador, and she speaks with the memory of her shaman grandfather about the ongoing cultural appropriation, environmental destruction and marginalisation of her people, questioning our very relationship to the Earth and the quest for healing Continue reading...Exiles from Uganda’s harsh anti-gay laws now fear ‘moral panic’ legislation could follow them
Gay people who found sanctuary in neighbouring Kenya now fear a new family protection bill could once again threaten their rightsSitting on the porch of their shared house on the outskirts of Nairobi, Entity* and Rock* are chatting amiably. Aged 27 and 33 respectively, the Ugandan housemates have much in common – both exiled to Kenya for the the violence they faced at home for being gay.In May 2023, Uganda passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, infamously one of the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ+ laws, including the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” and life imprisonment for same-sex relationships. The law harshened the 2009 “kill the gays” bill, which had come into effect in 2014 without the death penalty. Continue reading...Reboots and remakes: why is Hollywood stuck on repeat?
As Jurassic World: Rebirth and 28 Years Later become the latest franchise titles to hit the big screen, movie fans are realising a depressing truthOn Monday, the director of the new Jurassic Park movie explained his aim for the seventh film in the series. Innovation it was not. Rather, said Gareth Edwards, it was karaoke. To prepare, he binged Steven Spielberg clips on repeat, hoping to accomplish genre cloning.“I was trying,” he told BBC’s Front Row, “to make it feel nostalgic. The goal was that it should feel like Universal Studios went into their vaults and found a reel of film, brushed the dust off and it said: Jurassic World: Rebirth. Continue reading...The destruction of Palestine is breaking the world | Moustafa Bayoumi
The rules of the institutions that define our lives bend like reeds when it comes to Israel – so much that the whole global order is on the verge of collapseSereen Haddad is a bright young woman. At 20 years old, she just finished a four-year degree in psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in only three years, earning the highest honors along the way. Yet, despite her accomplishments, she still can’t graduate. Her diploma is being withheld by the university, “not because I didn’t complete the requirements”, she told me, “but because I stood up for Palestinian life”. Continue reading...People in the US: have you been affected by Trump’s cuts to scientific research?
We want to hear the experiences of scientists, researchers and students after hundreds of research grants have been abruptly cancelledThe Trump administration is dismantling the National Science Foundation (NSF), which critics say risks losing a generation of scientific talent and jeopardizes the future of US industries and economic growth.The NSF, founded in 1950, is the only federal agency that funds fundamental research across all fields of science and engineering. It has contributed to major scientific breakthroughs and innovations. Continue reading...Tell us: what questions do you have about the impacts of smartphones on children?
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or just someone curious about the long-term effects, we’d like to hear your questionsA quarter of three- and four-year-olds in the UK now own a smartphone, but the impact of that is still being understood. From endless scrolling to constant notifications, smartphones expose children not just to their friends and classmates, but to a world of advertising, influencers, and algorithms. But how is all of this shaping how children see themselves, relate to others, and develop emotionally?In a video series on our It’s Complicated Youtube channel, we’re speaking to experts to explore how smartphones might be affecting children’s mental health, attention, self-esteem and relationships. Are social apps making kids more anxious? What happens when children are targeted by ads that shape their sense of identity from a young age? What do we know, and what don’t we yet understand, about growing up in a world where you’re always online? Continue reading...Living in Israel: how have you been affected by the recent conflict?
We would like to hear from people living in Israel and those who are part of the diaspora on the situation in the regionIsrael’s attack on targets across Iran on Friday, has been followed by three days of escalating strikes, as both sides threatened more devastation in the biggest ever confrontation between the longstanding enemies.We would like to hear from those living in Israel and who are part of the diaspora on how they have been affected. Continue reading...Living in Iran: how have you been affected by the recent conflict?
We would like to hear from people living in Iran and those who are part of the diaspora on the situation in the regionIsrael’s attack on targets across Iran on Friday, has been followed by three days of escalating strikes, as both sides threatened more devastation in the biggest ever confrontation between the longstanding enemies.We would like to hear from those living in Iran and who are part of the diaspora on how they have been affected. Continue reading...Sign up for the First Edition newsletter: our free daily news email
Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they meanScroll less, understand more: sign up to receive our news email each weekday for clarity on the top stories in the UK and across the world.Explore all our newsletters: whether you love film, football, fashion or food, we’ve got something for you Continue reading...Sign up for the Football Daily newsletter: our free football email
Kick off your afternoon with the Guardian’s take on the world of footballEvery weekday, we’ll deliver a roundup the football news and gossip in our own belligerent, sometimes intelligent and – very occasionally – funny way. Still not convinced? Find out what you’re missing here.Try our other sports emails: there’s weekly catch-ups for cricket in The Spin and rugby union in The Breakdown, and our seven-day round-up of the best of our sports journalism in The Recap.Living in Australia? Try the Guardian Australia’s daily sports newsletter Continue reading...https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up