http://www.guardian.co.uk/

The Guardian

John McDonnell: Labour would bring PFI contracts 'back in-house' (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Shadow chancellor does not make clear in conference speech whether Labour would buy out contracts or write them off Labour would bring PFI contracts, and the workers they employ, back under the control of the state, the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has announced. Labour’s manifesto included a pledge not to sign any new PFI (private finance initiative) deals, but McDonnell received a standing ovation at Labour’s conference in Brighton on Monday when he went further by announcing: “We’ll bring existing PFI contracts back in-house.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Hammond raises further doubts about May's future as Tory leader (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Chancellor, Philip Hammond, fails to support PM’s post-Brexit future and plans to fight the next election as Tory leader Philip Hammond, the chancellor, has raised further doubts about Theresa May’s future after failing to support her plans to fight the next election as Tory leader, describing her prospects post-Brexit as “not an issue for today.” The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that Hammond, Boris Johnson, David Davis and Amber Rudd were involved in feverish plotting to replace May immediately after her snap election gamble in June failed to deliver the promised Tory majority. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

AfD leader quits party caucus hours after German election breakthrough (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Frauke Petry ‘drops bomb’ on rightwing nationalist party members by announcing she will instead serve as independent MP Germany’s rightwing nationalist party Alternative für Deutschland, in celebratory mode after coming third in elections, was delivered a bombshell by its co-leader on Monday morning after she announced she would not sit with the party in the Bundestag. Related: What the stunning success of AfD means for Germany and Europe | Cas Mudde Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Deloitte hit by cyber-attack revealing clients’ secret emails (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Exclusive: hackers may have accessed usernames, passwords and personal details of top accountancy firm’s blue-chip clients One of the world’s “big four” accountancy firms has been targeted by a sophisticated hack that compromised the confidential emails and plans of some of its blue-chip clients, the Guardian can reveal. Deloitte, which is registered in London and has its global headquarters in New York, was the victim of a cybersecurity attack that went unnoticed for months. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Kidnapping of UK model in Italy may have been a 'sham', says lawyer (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Claim made during extradition proceedings against Michal Herba, who is wanted by authorities in relation to allegations The kidnapping of a British model in Italy may have been faked as a publicity stunt, a lawyer for one of the men suspected of carrying it out has told a court. The claim was made on Monday during extradition proceedings against Michal Herba, who is wanted by Milanese authorities in relation to the allegations. His brother, Lukasz Herba, is in custody in Italy. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Driver in court over crash that killed Chris Boardman’s mother (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Liam Rosney charged with causing the death of Carol Boardman by dangerously driving a Mitsubishi Warrior in north Wales The driver of a pick-up truck has appeared in court charged with causing the death of Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman’s mother by dangerous driving. Carol Boardman, a former racing cyclist, died after a collision on Deeside in north Wales last summer. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Macron to press ahead with speech outlining vision to rebuild EU (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
French president will not be distracted from plans for deeper integration by tricky new coalition government in Germany The French president, Emmanuel Macron, is to press ahead with a major speech setting out plans to “rebuild” the EU, despite fears that a new coalition government in Berlin could limit his ambitions. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, who in recent months had cautiously warmed to Macron’s proposed radical overhaul of the eurozone, won a fourth term in office this weekend. But she faces difficult coalition talks with smaller parties in the face of opposition from the emboldened far-right, anti-Europe Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Uber apologises after London ban and admits 'we got things wrong' (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
London mayor Sadiq Khan says he welcomes apology by CEO of ride-hailing app, which has been stripped of its licence Uber’s chief executive has apologised for the taxi app’s mistakes in London and promised to change as the company fights a decision by the city not to renew its licence. The US company is battling to keep operating after Transport for London decided not to renew its licence to operate. Uber’s London licence expires on 30 September. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Man found dead in his Hampshire home near pet snake (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Inquest to be opened in days over death of Dan Brandon, 31, whose body was found on 25 August A fan of exotic animals was found dead at his home and his pet snake reportedly slithering free from its pen. Hampshire police are preparing a file for the coroner after Dan Brandon, 31, sustained serious injuries and died in Church Crookham on 25 August. A spokesman said the death was not being treated as suspicious. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

British woman mauled to death by wild dogs in Greece is named (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Police investigating death of woman whose dismembered body was found in Rodopi identify victim as Celia Lois Hollingworth A British woman, believed to have been mauled to death by a pack of wild dogs in northern Greece, has been identified as Celia Lois Hollingworth. Greek police investigating the incident confirmed the dismembered body of the 63-year-old Briton were found at the weekend. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

iPhone 8: glass back 'very difficult' to repair and costs more than screen to replace (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Apple’s ‘most durable glass ever in a smartphone’ claim likely to be put to the test with first iPhone 8 accidents, but repairs won’t be cheap, reports say The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus have glass backs that, if smashed, cost more to replace than the screen.
The new plates, which bring glass to the back of Apple smartphones for the first time in four years, have been installed to enable wireless charging, but also introduce a new point of failure. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Who are the 36 BAME people among the UK's 1,000 most powerful? (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Only a tiny handful of top leaders from the worlds of politics, media, finance and more are minority ethnic. This is who they are An analysis conducted by the Guardian and Operation Black Vote has established that of the 1,049 most powerful people in Britain, just 36 are from ethnic minorities – and only seven of those are women. Who are they? Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

James Corden's Peter Rabbit: another kids' classic wrecked forever (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
A new trailer reveals Beatrix Potter’s gentle rabbit has been turned into a house-trashing, cocky jerk. It looks like he’s gone the way of Postman Pat and Thunderbirds In a concrete bunker situated miles below civilisation lives a crack team of scientists dedicated to one thing and one thing only: ruining Peter Rabbit as comprehensively as they possibly can. Parents of young children might be fooled into thinking that their mission has already been a success. After all, there’s already a CBeebies Peter Rabbit adaptation that paints the sedate, 115-year-old Beatrix Potter character as a go-get-’em adventurer whose escapades are typically soundtracked by a series of nightmarish sub-Levellers songs about standing your ground and laughing in the face of danger. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

When good TV goes bad: how Ally McBeal lost its lust for life (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
We loved Ally McBeal because it wasn’t afraid to celebrate human flaws, but the death of Calista Flockhart’s one true love knocked the wind out of the show Calista Flockhart bounced on to our screens in 1997, wearing oversized pyjamas, mouth permanently pouted in a kiss or ooh-ing along to her favourite tune, as David E Kelley’s pint-sized lawyer Ally McBeal. She opened doors with her bottom while carrying too many packages, was frequently caught out talking and/or dancing to herself when she thought no one was looking, and her reaction to finding someone attractive was usually to fall over. She sounds annoying, but to millions of women in their 20s, she was the diminutive embodiment of our inner angst: about how to be a grown up when we felt like children; how to function single when every indication from the universe told us to couple up. Time magazine tagged her as one of the death knells of feminism, which seems harsh. But she sure was hung up on those boys. Well, one in particular. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Houston after Harvey: city faces huge hurdle to recovery (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Texas region is grappling with the slow grind of bureaucracy, the urgent need to clear detritus and the natural desperation to return quickly to normal life A month after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, there is still a simple way to tell if a particular street flooded in Houston – just look at the front lawns. Debris rose as the water receded and residents returned to gut their ruined homes, disgorging the contents curbside. There is so much to remove, and trips to landfills are taking so long, that the region is months away from clearing it all. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

How smearing a student’s reputation was irresistible for the media | Nick Cohen (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Many news organisations published Robbie Travers’ claims to have been victim of a PC stitch-up. If only they had dug a little deeper into the murky racial politics behind the story On 12 May, Robbie Travers sent Esme Allman, a fellow student at Edinburgh University, a Facebook message. “Hey Esme, just to let you know multiple news agencies have been delivered [sic] your comments on calling black men trash. You might want to think about saying that in future, some have been linked it [sic] to neo-Nazism.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Michael Jackson's new album shows the terror in the King of Pop's soul (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
A new compilation, Scream, lays bare the phantasmagoria that plagued Michael Jackson, everywhere from the bedroom to the public eye Following the posthumous albums Michael and Xscape, it would appear the well of unreleased Michael Jackson material is running dry. There was a flurry of excitement as a “new album” was announced earlier this year, entitled Scream, due to go on sale on 29 September. But the only new music on it is a mashed-up version of five relatively deep cuts, tacked on to the end of a compilation – one that is fascinatingly awkward in its presentation of Jackson. Related: John Landis on the making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller: ‘I was adamant he couldn’t look too hideous’ Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Former Met boss Thomas Campbell: 'I was passionate about the museum and its mission' (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
‘Tapestry Tom’ was seen as an odd choice when he took over at the Met, and his modernizing mission caused division and dissent. Now, seven months after resigning, he explains why he feels vindicated In February this year, the New York art world was abuzz with the sound of scandal. Talk was only of one thing: a New York Times front page which had posed the provocative question ‘Is the Met a great institution in decline?’. The allegations against the museum were wide-ranging: financial mismanagement, discontented staff, inappropriate office relationships, a misguided investment in modern art and an expensive obsession with digitising the collection. And the blame landed on the shoulders of one person: Thomas Campbell, the British tapestries curator, who had taken over as director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art eight years previous. Related: Director of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art resigns amid pressure Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

To boldly go for it: why the split infinitive is no longer a mistake (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
It was the Victorians who decided that splitting an infinitive was a grammatical error. Now, researchers says, there is good reason to consign the rule to history Name: The split infinitive. Age: 800 years. Ish. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The Mail's censure shows which media outlets are biased on climate change | Dana Nuccitelli (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Right-wing media outlets like Breitbart, Fox News, and Rush Limbaugh echoed the Mail’s “significantly misleading” and now censured climate story Back in February, the conservative UK tabloid Mail on Sunday ran an error-riddled piece by David Rose attacking Noaa climate scientists, who had published data and a paper showing that there was never a global warming pause. The attack was based on an interview with former Noaa scientist John Bates, who subsequently admitted about his comments: I knew people would misuse this. But you can’t control other people. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Nascar owners threaten anthem protesters as Presidents Cup and NBA prepare to start (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Childress tells employers to respect anthem or ‘get on a Greyhound bus’ Presidents Cup and NBA preseason may be next arenas of protest Several owners of Nascar teams in America have warned that they will back Donald Trump’s suggestion that NFL players who protest during the playing of the country’s national anthem should be sacked. There were no signs of dissent on Sunday prior to a race at the New Hampshire Motorspeedway after the warnings, and Trump tweeted his support for the stance on Monday: “So proud of Nascar and its supporters and fans. They won’t put up with disrespecting our Country or our Flag – they said it loud and clear!” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Charles Piutau: ‘I felt invincible as an All Black … but it’s such a short career’ (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
He missed out on winning a World Cup to sign for Ulster but the New Zealander has no regrets and will become the world’s highest-paid player when he joins Bristol in 2018 “I really had to see the bigger picture,” Charles Piutau says as he considers the wrench of abandoning his Test career with the All Blacks to play for Ulster and, from next season, Bristol. Piutau, a dynamic full-back who can also play on the wing, will become the world’s most highly-paid rugby player when he joins Bristol. Yet his motives are more than mercenary and reflect his arduous childhood as well as the growing problems for Test rugby. “When I was in New Zealand it felt like the All Blacks were everything. It felt like you were going to play forever. You felt invincible. But, taking a step back, you realise it’s such a short career. For me, what really hit home was remembering everything my parents had done for me and my siblings. They left Tonga for New Zealand to give us better opportunities. And for me, coming here, I had the same chance to do something similar for my family.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Chelsea’s Antonio Conte: I miss Italy and I’ll be home before long (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
• ‘Italy is my homeland, I’ll be back’ says Chelsea 48-year-old coach • Conte bemoans ‘hardest Champions League group’ with Roma and Atlético Antonio Conte has admitted that he misses Italy and plans to return to his homeland in the near future, saying that though his experience with Chelsea has been overwhelmingly positive there is “not a doubt in my mind that I will be home before long”. During an interview with Italian radio station RadioUno, Conte spoke at length about his feelings for Italy. “I miss it, that’s beyond doubt,” he said. “Italy is my homeland, so once I have had some good experiences, formative experiences, important and life-changing experiences, I’ll be back. I don’t know when but that’s the aim.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Federico Chiesa a chip off the old block as Serie A youngsters flourish | Paolo Bandini (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The son of Enrico Chiesa shone in Fiorentina’s draw with Atalanta to further justify optimism in Italy about the young talent emerging there The bar has always been set high for Federico Chiesa. At 19 years old, he is a fixture of Fiorentina’s starting XI and has already played one unofficial friendly with the Italian national team. And yet, during an interview with La Repubblica, he suggested it may be some time before he considers himself a top-flight footballer. “My dad once told me: you become a Serie A player when you have made at least 300 appearances,” he observed. An outrageous standard, albeit one founded on personal experience. Federico’s father Enrico played 380 games in the domestic top-flight, representing Fiorentina but also the likes of Sampdoria, Parma and Lazio. Along the way, he won 17 caps for the Azzurri and was named Serie A’s player of the year in 1995-96 by the magazine Guerin Sportivo. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

County cricket final round: Essex v Yorkshire, Somerset v Middlesex – live! (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Latest action from around the county grounds England strive to solve Ashes puzzle with key pieces still missing Email will.macpherson.freelance@guardian.co.uk | Tweet @willis_macp 2.16pm BST Notts have a point! They need 11 more... Sussex are 61 for three. 2.09pm BST Bartlett gone at Taunton! Patel’s second. 139-3... Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Talking Horses: Hoping for Ulysses weather in France plus Monday tips (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Sir Michael Stoute’s colt needs a dryish surface if he is to turn around the King George form with Enable on Sunday I see that the ground at Chantilly, which will stage the Arc on Sunday, is being reported as ‘soft’ this morning by the International Racing Bureau and that’s hardly a surprise for the time of year. But I’m interested that the forecast for that area is dry and quite warm, with no more than 2mm of rain even on those days when rain is expected. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Sean Dyche was worked up about nothing, Mark Hughes hopes life for Stoke will get easier and Ronald Koeman played his last cards to get Everton out of trouble If Brighton survive this season – and they survived this game thanks to several Newcastle misses and some good goalkeeping – there is every chance we will be talking about the signing of Pascal Gross as a masterstroke. The German midfielder with a picture-perfect delivery has been involved in all of Brighton’s Premier League goals, and was instrumental again at the Amex in the 1-0 win over Newcastle when his free-kick homed in on Dale Stephens, who headed down for Tomer Hemed to finish. The value of an accurate set-piece taker cannot be overlooked in a squad short on goalscorers and one suspects there will be plenty more of those well-rehearsed moves. Ingolstadt were relegated despite Gross creating more chances than any other Bundesliga player; Chris Hughton will hope his creative streak delivers safety for Brighton. Lawrence Ostlere Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Rugby union: talking points from the Premiership weekend (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
HIA’s in the limelight again, Saracens suffer injuries, Jonathan Joseph facing Ben Te’o challenge for England place, and Eddie Jones has a back-row dilemma For the second Friday night in a row, a team has been reduced to 14 players after incurring a head injury, having already emptied their bench. Ten days ago it was Bath then it was Gloucester this time and while the Cherry & Whites claimed a second win of the season, they had to withstand considerable pressure from Worcester to do so. The issue was that Tom Savage suffered a head blow deemed serious enough that he had to be taken off permanently rather than for a head injury assessment and as a result, Ed Slater could not be brought back on. Had Savage gone off for an HIA, however, Slater would have been allowed to return. Todd Blackadder made his feelings clear when it was Sam Underhill who came off at Northampton and the Gloucester captain Willi Heinz did likewise. It is easy to sympathise with both. Gerard Meagher Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Diego Costa and the new Atlético. Same as the old Atlético | Sid Lowe (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
For the first time, Diego Simeone is playing the rotation game. It also reflects something deeper, something seen more as the beginning of a transition At 9.30am, the same time they started serving breakfast at Atlético’s, Diego Costa walked into a Majadahonda clinic across the other side of Madrid, but he wasn’t going to be kept from them for long. He had barely been in the country 15 hours, touching down just before five on Friday, and he was only in the clinic 60 minutes or so, most of it spent getting reacquainted with familiar faces. There were no photos, shirt off, suckers on, thumbs up, and when he was asked if he had passed his medical he pointed to the doctor and said “I don’t know, he knows”, but he was beaming. He stopped for a snap with a Málaga fan nursing a broken and bandaged arm and leg, like something out of a cartoon, then climbed into the car and set off 33km round the M40. Outside the Wanda Metropolitano some were still drinking hot chocolate and eating churros, offered in an attempt to get them there early ahead of the 1pm kick-off on Saturday, while others had moved on to beer. Not far away lay the plaques dedicated to Costa and everyone who had played for Atlético 100 times; he hadn’t seen his yet, but fans gathered taking photos. Inside, friends waited. As he had touched down the day before at Barajas – the only airport named after a member of the A Team – Costa said he was coming “home”. Tiago was at the gate, Diego Godín greeted him in the tunnel – “Welcome, my friend. You’re home now,” he tweeted – and Filipe Luís was delighted too. Afterwards, he said: “I’m immensely proud Diego has chosen Atlético.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

British & Irish Lions to reduce fixtures for 2021 South Africa tour (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
• Organisers believe there is not enough ‘meaningful’ opposition • Premiership clubs concerned about workload of leading players The British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa in 2021 will be cut to eight matches in a move that will be welcomed by England’s Premiership clubs, but future trips could be restored to 10 fixtures with the four home unions keeping their options open. Talks with New Zealand, Australia and South Africa about an agreement to cover the three tours in the next 12 years are approaching a conclusion. The Lions have come under pressure from the Premiership, which secured the backing of the Rugby Football Union, to cut the duration of tours and reduce the load on leading players. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Bayer Leverkusen's identity crisis nearing an end as entertainers emerge | Andy Brassell (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
After a season close to the abyss, Bayer Leverkusen’s rebuilding job has begun in earnest this season and is slowly showing signs of promise For a long time, we’ve known exactly what Bayer Leverkusen are about. They impress, they entertain, they qualify for Europe and achieve to a certain level without actually getting it over the line. The old ‘Neverkusen’ epithet from the Klaus Toppmöller days has endured well. Last season, and the summer that followed, changed all that. The Roger Schmidt era, which had given Die Werkself a firm on-pitch identity, fell to pieces and the club dropped the ball badly in appointing Tayfun Korkut as his successor – at exactly the point where a strong personality was needed to galvanise the players. In between wan performances, poor results and players meeting angry fans to appease them, Leverkusen came worryingly close to the drop. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Sheffield United's derby delight prompts questions over Wednesday's attitude (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
As good as Sheffield United were in trouncing their Steel City neighbours 4-2, Sheffield Wednesday’s tendency to disappear in big games is a concern With a few minutes remaining of the first Sheffield derby in five years, Chris Wilder congratulated and high-fived everyone on the United bench. By that point the job was done, the scoreline at 4-2 and Wednesday’s spirit crushed: this was United’s most comprehensive derby win in 25 years and the first time they have scored four at Hillsborough. Unsurprisingly Wilder, a Blades fan who watched his first derby from the terraces 37 years ago, described it as the proudest moment of his career. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Justin Thomas completes remarkable season with $10m FedEx Cup win (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
• Xander Schauffele wins Tour Championship by one stroke from Thomas • FedEx winner will rise to No4 in the world rankings this week Justin Thomas has $10m worth of consolation after losing the Tour Championship by a stroke to Xander Schauffele. Sunday on the outskirts of Atlanta golf produced one of its curious scenarios in which even the runner-up had cause for epic celebration. For Thomas, the FedEx Cup was fitting reward for a season which returned five victories, one of which was a major championship, the US PGA. Schauffele has cause to be equally delighted with his efforts. Not only did he see off a stellar field at East Lake but his rookie year on the PGA Tour has brought two wins and a cataclysmic rise from the position of merely seeking to retain his card. Even after a share of fifth at the US Open and victory at the Greenbrier Classic Schauffele was 82nd in the world rankings, in what proves an indication of his earlier standing. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

England strive to solve Ashes puzzle with key pieces still missing | Vic Marks (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The selectors pick their touring party to Australia this week, a task made tougher by losses of fitness and form among key contenders The selectors meet and decide their Ashes squad this week – the names of England’s tourists will be announced at 10am on Wednesday – and maybe they deserve some sympathy. Their task is tricky and familiar to anyone who has agonised for hours over a jigsaw puzzle only to discover that there are some key pieces missing. Those selectors have already been in the firing line from Durham’s chairman, Sir Ian Botham, who is enraged by the way so many of his county’s talented cricketers are heading south in pursuit of greener, First Division pastures. Botham has hinted that players are seduced by the prospect of playing for county cricket directors who are also national selectors. Andrew Strauss, England’s cricket director, has countered strongly in defence of Middlesex’s Angus Fraser and Nottinghamshire’s Mick Newell. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Fifa set to reverse controversial poppy ban for home-nations teams (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
• Decision would allow shirts or armbands to display poppy symbol • Ban could be lifted in time for England’s proposed friendly against Germany Fifa is set to lift its controversial ban on the home nations teams wearing poppies on their shirts or armbands in time for England’s proposed friendly against Germany the evening before Armistice Day. There was widespread annoyance last year when the world game’s governing body fined the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish football associations after all defied the ban and players wore poppy-printed armbands during World Cup qualifying matches. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Brighton’s Chris Hughton serves up reminder of lost art of defence | Jonathan Wilson (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
In the 1-0 win over Newcastle both managers set up their teams not to lose and, while their organisation was impressive, it was at the cost of attacking flair Sometimes straightforward virtues are the best. In a Premier League that at times seems to have all but given up anything resembling traditional defending, there was something almost comforting about a clash between two sides who play in such a familiar, unpretentious way. This was a reminder of simpler virtues, a world in which the greatest aspiration is to be compact, and produced a sort of mutually assured self-neutralisation, a game in which flair was all but absent and, where it did exist, confined to a tiny sliver on the flanks. That the one goal came from a set piece was entirely appropriate. The free-kick that produced the goal five minutes into the second half was in part a result of the Brighton left-back Markus Suttner pushing forward and linking with Tomer Hemed on the left, which always looked the most likely source of a breakthrough for Brighton. There seemed a fairly clear plan from the start to isolate DeAndre Yedlin, the Newcastle right-back, against Solly March. It was the 23-year-old’s cross, after Newcastle had been opened up by a burst from Anthony Knockaert, that led to the Pascal Gross shot that cannoned to safety off Knockaert and then his cross-shot, cutting inside, that drew an awkward sprawling save from Rob Elliot. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Hughie Fury’s defeat by Joseph Parker marred by ‘conspiracy’ claims (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Briton’s promoter vows to have split decision overturned and claims corruption is rife at boxing’s highest level after majority decision loss in WBO title fight Hughie Fury’s failure to dislodge the WBO world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in his first major fight was accompanied by such passionate wailing from his supporters that he left the Manchester Arena a wounded king rather than a fallen prince. Perversely, the young Mancunian’s reputation is enhanced rather than diminished. That will be minor comfort to him, however, given Parker is now perfectly placed to pursue much bigger nights: against the winner of the putative rematch between Tony Bellew and David Haye, followed by a mega-fight next summer against Anthony Joshua. There is also the prospect of fighting Deontay Wilder, the unbeaten American knockout artist. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

'It's smoke and mirrors': Arsène Wenger takes aim at cryotherapy (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
• Arsenal face three games in seven days, including Belarus trip • ‘The ones who prove it works are paid by the guy who says it does’ Arsène Wenger has questioned whether modern recovery treatments for players such as cryotherapy actually work and wonders if they have been pushed by specialists with vested interests. The Arsenal manager is at the beginning of a demanding week, in which his team face West Bromwich at Emirates Stadium on Monday and return to their home ground for another Premier League fixture against Brighton on Sunday, which kicks off at 12 noon. In between times, they play Bate Borisov in Belarus in the Europa League on Thursday. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Should we ban sex robots while we have the chance? | Jenny Kleeman (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
AI sex dolls are on their way, with potentially sinister social consequences. So before they hit the market, we must ask whether they should People are blowing a fuse about sex robots – or rather, “rape robots”. Journalists from the New Statesman and the New York Times among others have all reported on the sex robot Roxxxy TrueCompanion’s controversial “Frigid Farrah” setting: a mode in which she has been programmed to resist sexual advances and which will allow men to act out rape fantasies. Women’s rights activists have lined up to condemn Roxxxy. Everyday Sexism’s Laura Bates describes her as “the sex robot that’s yours to rape for just $9,995”. Writing in the Times on Thursday, the barrister Kate Parker called for sex robots like Roxxxy to be criminalised. “The sophistication of the technology behind Roxxxy marks a step forward for robotics. For human society, it’s an unquestionable regression,” she says. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

What the stunning success of AfD means for Germany and Europe | Cas Mudde (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
The radical right party profited from the fact immigration was the number one election issue. But can its breakthrough last? In 1991 Belgium had its (first) black Sunday, when the populist radical right Flemish Block gained 6.8% of the national vote. Since then many other western European countries have gone through a similar experience, from Denmark to Switzerland. And now, even the ever stable Germany has its own schwarzer Sonntag, and it’s blacker than most people had expected. The populist radical-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party not only enters the Bundestag, the German parliament, but does so almost certainly as the third biggest party, with a stunning 13.3%, an increase of 8.8 percentage points according to the exit poll. Moreover, both the centre-right CDU/CSU and the centre-left SPD scored their worst electoral results in the postwar era, with 32.5% and 20% respectively. This means that AfD got two-thirds of the SPD vote, and 40% of the CDU/CSU vote. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

I had chronic fatigue syndrome. The Lightning Process at least offers hope | Vonny Leclerc (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The treatment may be controversial but for teenagers whose whole lives are on hold because of CFS, anything that might help is worth trying She thought I was dead. You come home, call out, no answer. You walk in to find your 16-year-old crumpled on the dining-room floor. Drugs? Alcohol? It’s a leap the brain makes. Being so tired that they collapsed on the spot doesn’t feature. Months later, after all but abandoning school, I was told it was myalgic encephalopathy (ME), more commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It was a diagnosis that felt like little more than a question mark. I’ve long since recovered, but I’m still frustrated by the lack of options for sufferers. How long will they have to wander this wasteland of unanswerables? But there is perhaps a glimmer on the horizon. A small trial has shown that a commercial therapy called the Lightning Process helped speed up recovery for some youngsters. Though experts have dismissed it as junk science based on the shonky, largely debunked theory of neuro-linguistic programming, there’s a website full of testimonies, and celebrity endorsements. The whole thing has a cult-cum-televangelist piquancy that would crinkle the nose of most sceptics. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The Today programme needs more than a harrumphing John Humphrys | Fiona Sturges (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The show’s editor, Sarah Sands, has got a lot of stick for her direction, but her attempt to make it more relevant is exactly what’s required The BBC Radio 4 listener whose blood pressure isn’t regularly sent off the charts by the Today programme is a rare one indeed. Young people declare it too old, while old people say it’s too young. No one likes John Humphrys apart from the scores of people who can’t get enough of his harrumphing, and would picket Broadcasting House in the unlikely event of him being crowbarred from his desk. Women invariably find it too male, though there are men who still balk at the sound of two female presenters. Pity the poor mug patrolling the programme’s Twitter feed and wading through the torrent of indignation and invective while still on the first coffee of the day. Lately, however, the ire levelled at the programme has gone up a notch. The extra helping of irritation has largely been directed at Sarah Sands, who was appointed editor in January following eight years in charge of the London Evening Standard. Among the complaints thus far – and it’s been said that many are coming from inside the network – are that it has become lightweight and magazine-ish, that fashion and arts stories are being given undue prominence, that the political argy-bargy has been toned down, and that it is failing to set the news agenda. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Minister’s call for cyclists to behave is more headline-grabbing hypocrisy (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
A Highway Code prompt aimed solely at cyclists – not to the road users that caused more than 99% of deaths on UK roads last year – has nothing to do with improving safety On Friday, transport minister Jesse Norman wrote to cycling leaders asking them to remind their members to follow the Highway Code. The letter came less than 48 hours after the announcement of a review on whether the law should be changed to tackle dangerous cycling. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The New York Times had an anti-Hillary Clinton agenda? That's untrue | Jill Abramson (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Despite claims made in her recent book, the news editors at the paper were never hostile to Clinton. The only proof I have is that I was there Jill Abramson is the former executive editor of The New York Times In her book, Hillary Clinton says the news media has not done enough soul-searching about its role in her loss. Her argument boils down to this: too much firepower was aimed at her emails, part of a long pattern of unfair scandal mongering over the years. Unfair press coverage fueled the “Lock her up” frenzy and created doubts in the minds of some undecided voters. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Trump’s global vision is a nightmare. The UN has to act | Mark Seddon (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
For the sake of world peace and security, António Guterres must stand up to this narcissistic bully The presidential cavalcades have departed Manhattan. But the aftershocks of Donald Trump’s speech to the UN general assembly still reverberate. “You can be sure of one thing,” a veteran UN official whispered to me during the speech: “Trump never fails to disappoint.” Still, there had been enthusiasts, including John Bolton, once George Bush’s ambassador to the UN, whose grandstanding and savaging of the organisation is still recalled with a shiver by many older hands. Bolton declared Trump’s tour-de-force to be the “best speech he has given yet”. Related: Ignore Trump’s lies. North Korea is no threat to Britain | Simon Jenkins Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Want to help after a disaster? Give cash, not clothing | Julia Brooks (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Most of the stuff sent to disaster areas is inappropriate or useless. Get your wallet out instead so the professionals can buy what they need Julia Brooks is a researcher at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Between government bodies , charities of every size, and contributions from concerned individuals, a massive Hurricane Harvey relief effort has taken shape in the US. But these well-intentioned bids to ship goods to Texas are perpetuating a common myth of post-disaster charitable giving. As a researcher with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, acentre at Harvard University dedicated to analysing and improving the way professionals and communities respond to emergencies, I’ve seen the evidence on dozens of disasters, from Hurricane Sandy to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. It all points to a clear conclusion: in-kind donations of items such as food, clothing, toiletries and nappies are often the last thing that is needed in these areas. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Robots have already taken over our work, but they’re made of flesh and bone | Brett Frischmann and Evan Selinger (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Many jobs in the modern economy have been sapped of their humanity. How should we resist the rise of ‘digital Taylorism’? Most of the headlines about technology in the workplace relate to robots rendering people unemployed. But what if this threat is distracting us from another of the distorting effects of automation? To what extent are we being turned into workers that resemble robots? Take taxi drivers. The prevailing wisdom is they will be replaced by Uber drivers, who in turn will ultimately be replaced by self-driving cars. Those lauding Transport for London’s refusal to renew Uber’s licence might like to consider how, long before that company “disrupted” the industry, turn-by-turn GPS route management and dispatch control systems were de-skilling taxi drivers: instead of building up navigational knowledge, they increasingly rely on satnavs. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Universal credit is a social policy disaster in the making | Priya Thethi (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Research compiled from social landlords show more people being pushed into poverty. We need to fix the delays and mistakes before full rollout Universal credit is the biggest change to our welfare system in 40 years. By the time it has been fully rolled out in 2022 it will potentially affect 8 million people across the UK. The rollout so far has been controversial, and fraught with difficulties. Social housing organisations, in which only around 2.6% of tenants (pdf) are currently claiming universal credit, have been hit particularly hard by the speed and scale of the change. In August 2017 the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) released a guide for landlords, in a bid to to explain what the changes will mean and how they can support their tenants. Unfortunately, it made little to no mention of how to deal with the slew of administrative issues, faults and delays, which have already caused hardship for so many claimants. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The male contraceptive pill? Bring it on | Angela Saini (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Women have shouldered the burden of birth control for too long Tomorrow is World Contraception Day, a perfect time to remember just what a radical difference birth control, and particularly the pill (60 years old this year), has made to women’s lives. What you may not know is that contraception is also about to experience a revolution: we are on the cusp of – wait for it – a new male contraceptive. Allow me to recap. In October last year, a team of international scientists announced that they had developed a hormone injection (so, not a pill) for men that is almost 96% effective at preventing pregnancy in their partners. This makes it about as reliable as condoms when they are used correctly, which frequently they’re not. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Labour can’t afford to get emotional over Brexit | Zoe Williams (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
An open letter asking Corbyn to cleave to the single market lends a with-us-or-against-us emotional charge to what should be a purely practical issue Thirty Labour MPs, together with trades unionists, MEPs and mayors, signed an open letter on the eve of party conference, asking – begging? – Jeremy Corbyn to make Labour the party of the single market and the customs union. There were ideas in there that should appeal to the Labour leader – workers’ rights rather than curbs on immigration, solidarity with the rest of Europe, public services that are protected by judiciously not setting the economy on fire. Yet it was an unintelligent manoeuvre, platitudinous on the surface, divisive in its unspoken binaries, for exactly the same reason Theresa May’s Florence speech was platitudinous and divisive. Tory Brexit has become a fight to the death between small-state, low-tax, free-market fundamentalists and one-nation, politeness-and-prosperity, small-and-large-C conservatives. Labour Brexit, in this letter’s frame, is turning into a battle between market-sympathetic, social-democratic “centrists” and hard-left, anti-capitalist change-makers. All the ideological faultlines opened up by a decade of political acrimony and man-made hardship have met in this one issue, and it is the wrong issue. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

If they are to understand our digital world, MPs should play videogames | Rob Gallagher (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Tech is all-powerful and all-pervasive. The gaming industry reflects (and lampoons) this better than any other medium, and politicians should take note Digital technologies have transformed everyday life. They’ve profoundly altered how we interact, express ourselves and frame our identities – and that’s just for starters. While in many cases these changes have been for the better, in others, Silicon Valley’s sleek aesthetics and fancy buzzwords have turned out to mask new forms of profiteering, surveillance and control. If we want digital technologies to be a force for good, it’s crucial to understand what’s at stake – not least for regulators, politicians and policymakers. Fortunately, we already have a fictional form that can help us do just that: the humble videogame. Related: Don’t lock up young offenders – send them to top boarding schools instead | Afua Hirsch Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Scunthorpe schoolgirl held on suspicion of attempted murder (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Humberside police arrest girl, 16, after 61-year-old welfare officer stabbed at Winterton community academy A 16-year-old girl is being held on suspicion of attempted murder after a welfare officer was stabbed at a school in Scunthorpe. The 61-year-old woman was taken to Hull Royal infirmary on Monday morning with non-life-threatening stab wounds after being attacked at Winterton community academy. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Bank of England warns a consumer debt crisis could cost banks £30bn (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Stress tests reveal lenders are underestimating exposure to bad debt in face of an economic downturn The Bank of England has issued its strongest warning yet about the UK’s ballooning consumer debt, saying Britain’s banks could incur £30bn of losses on their lending on credit cards, personal loans and for car finance if interest rates and unemployment rise sharply. After assessing the fast growth in the consumer credit market, Threadneedle Street is requiring the banking system to hold an extra £10bn of capital as protection against any future losses after finding that lenders are underestimating their exposure to bad debts in an economic downturn. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Campaign group director in court for refusing to divulge passwords (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Muhammad Rabbani, a director of Cage, charged under Terrorism Act but denies police had right to demand passwords The international director of the campaign group Cage has appeared in court charged with obstructing or frustrating an examination under counter-terrorism stop-and-search powers after refusing to hand over passwords. Muhammad Rabbani was stopped at Heathrow on 20 November last year by police who had advance information of his travel plans, Westminster magistrates court was told. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Stabbing of surgeon at Manchester mosque treated as hate crime (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Dr Nasser Kurdy suffers stab wound in neck while arriving for evening prayers at Altrincham mosque A man has been stabbed outside a mosque in Greater Manchester in an incident that police are treating as a hate crime. The victim, named locally as Dr Nasser Kurdy, an orthopaedic surgeon and imam, was reportedly arriving at the Altrincham Islamic centre, Grove Lane, for evening prayers at 6pm when someone stabbed him in the neck from behind. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Man 'shot and killed' by arrow in Dundee (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Police are investigating death being treated as suspicious after party in flat reportedly spilled out into the street A police investigation is under way after a man was reportedly shot and killed by an arrow in Dundee. Police Scotland confirmed that a man had died after a disturbance at Dundonald Court at about 11.45pm on Sunday. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Too high: men rescued from Scafell Pike 'unable to walk due to cannabis' (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
‘Words fail us,’ say police after four men had to be helped down from England’s highest mountain in the Lake District Four men were rescued from England’s highest mountain after “becoming incapable of walking due to cannabis use”, police have said. Cumbria police were called at about 6.30pm on Saturday after the group ran into difficulty on Scafell Pike, a 978-metre (3,210ft) peak in the Lake District. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Parsons Green tube attack: police make seventh arrest (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Twenty-year-old man taken into custody overnight as police officers search property in Cardiff Detectives investigating the Parsons Green tube attack have arrested a seventh man, Scotland Yard has said. The 20-year-old was taken into custody in the early hours of Monday in Cardiff and has been taken to a police station in south London. Officers are searching a property in Cardiff, police said. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Survey reveals scale of hostility towards Arabs in Britain (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Most people polled say Arabs have failed to integrate, and support racial profiling against them by police The scale of hostility in Britain towards Islam and Arabs is revealed in a YouGov survey showing most UK voters believe Arabs have failed to integrate themselves into British society, and their presence has not been beneficial. The survey also shows that most voters back security policing based on assumptions about the likelihood of races to commit crimes – so-called racial profiling. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

David Davis starts fresh talks denying Johnson has changed Brexit plan (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Brexit secretary arrives in Brussels for new round of negotiations amid reports of Tory disagreements over strategy The Brexit secretary, David Davis, will arrive in Brussels on Monday to begin a fresh round of talks about British withdrawal from the EU against a backdrop of renewed cabinet infighting over Britain’s negotiating strategy. Davis will meet the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, in the Belgian capital in the morning to commence the fourth round of negotiations. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Aldi's UK profits drop for third successive year despite growth (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Discounter’s determination to keep prices lower than rival supermarkets continues to dent profits even as sales rise The UK arm of Aldi has announced a third consecutive year of falling profits as the German discounter struggles to maintain cheaper prices against its supermarket rivals. The grocery chain reported a 17% fall in profits to £211.3m in the year to 31 December 2016, from £255.6m the year before, despite a 13.5% leap in sales to £8.74bn. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Welsh schoolchildren to receive early help with mental health problems (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Pupils at more than 200 schools across Wales will be able to access on-site help as part of government’s £1.4m pilot scheme Children with emotional and mental health problems are to receive early help at school from teams of experts as part of a “unique” initiative being set up by the Welsh government. Pupils at more than 200 schools in Wales will be able to access on-site help as part of the £1.4m pilot scheme. The Welsh government’s announcement comes as concern grows about the ability of schools to look after children with mental health problems. Research published last week found that more than half of primary school teachers in England do not feel adequately trained to support pupils with mental health problems. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Obama: 'The world has never been healthier, wealthier or less violent' (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Former president urges optimism and focus on progress at Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation conference, despite shadow cast by Trump’s UN speech There’s never been a better time to be alive, the former US president Barack Obama told an audience of musicians, activists, comedians, innovators and royalty, gathered at the Lincoln Center in Manhattan on 20 September. Despite the “extraordinary challenges” the world is facing – from growing economic inequality and climate change to mass migration and terrorism – “if you had to choose any moment in history in which to be born, you would choose right now. The world has never been healthier, or wealthier, or better educated or in many ways more tolerant or less violent,” he said in his speech, at an event for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Bali volcano: 50,000 flee Mount Agung as tremor magnitude intensifies (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Number of people leaving homes in shadow of volcano soars amid fears it could erupt for first time in more than 50 years Nearly 50,000 people have been evacuated from their homes amid fears of an imminent volcanic eruption on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. Mount Agung, 47 miles (75km) from the tourist hub of Kuta, has been shaking since August and threatening to erupt for the first time in more than 50 years. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Japan's PM Shinzō Abe calls snap election (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Abe aims to take advantage of opposition disarray and says vote would be an appraisal of his handling of North Korea crisis Japan’s prime minister, Shinzō Abe, has called a snap election to take advantage of opposition disarray and support for his hard line against North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes. Related: We will sink Japan and turn US to 'ashes and darkness', says North Korea Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Iraqi Kurds vote in historic independence referendum (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
More than 3 million people are expected to vote in non-binding poll that has raised tensions and fears of instability Iraqi Kurds are casting ballots in Iraq’s Kurdish region and disputed territories on whether to support independence from Baghdad, in a historic but non-binding vote that has raised regional tensions and fears of instability. The referendum will not immediately bring independence, but it would mark a definitive stance by the Kurds to break away, and Kurdish leaders say they will use a “yes” vote to press for negotiations with Iraq’s central government to win statehood. Iraq has called the vote constitutional and it is opposed by Iran, Syria and Turkey, who also have Kurdish minorities. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Jared Kushner used private email account for official business – reports (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Lawyers for president’s son-in-law say Kushner complied with government record-keeping rules by forwarding all emails to his official account Donald Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, used a private email account alongside his official White House account to exchange messages with other administration officials, according to reports. The emails included correspondence about media coverage, event planning and other subjects, Politico reported on Sunday. Kushner’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said his client complied with government record-keeping rules by forwarding all the emails to his official account. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

New Zealand party leaders woo Winston Peters' support after election stalemate (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Both National and Labour need New Zealand First’s nine seats to form government, in negotiations expected to take weeks New Zealand’s major political parties are scrambling to woo the support of the smaller New Zealand First party to form a government after Saturday’s stalemate election. Neither the incumbent National party, led by a revitalised Bill English, nor the opposition Labour party, led by Jacinda Ardern, are in a position to take office, with 15% of the vote still to be counted. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Trump travel ban extended to blocks on North Korea, Venezuela and Chad (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
President’s proclamation may throw major hurdle in front of ongoing court challenges to ban which blocked travel from six majority-Muslim countries Donald Trump has announced new travel restrictions on visitors to the United States that will expand his controversial travel ban to eight countries. The new proclamation, which will come into effect on 18 October, will continue to target travellers from Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Libya and Iran, but also adds North Korea, Chad and Venezuela to the list of targeted countries. Sudan has been dropped from the administration’s list of nations and Iraqi citizens will be subjected to “additional scrutiny” but will not face any blanket bans. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

HiPP to relaunch Croatian baby food item amid row over inferior products (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Exclusive: test finds Croatian product contains fewer vegetables than same jar in Germany as brands accused of ‘cheating’ eastern European shoppers A leading baby food brand is to relaunch one of its products after jars sold in eastern Europe were found to contain a lower proportion of vegetables and an omega-3 source compared with the identically branded product sold in the west. The new study, supervised by the Croatian Food Agency, reports finding a “significant difference” in the composition between the jar of HiPP baby food on sale in Croatia and in Germany. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Greece: missing British woman reportedly killed by stray dogs (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Foreign Office would not confirm reports that 64-year-old woman was retired Oxford University professor A British tourist is believed to have died in Greece after apparently being attacked by a pack of stray dogs. The 64-year-old woman remains unaccounted for on the mainland, according to the British Foreign Office. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Humpback whale carcass exhumed from NSW beach after protests (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Port Macquarie-Hastings council bows to community concerns and begins removing a whale it buried at Nobbys beach A large excavator has started digging up an 18-tonne humpback whale that was buried at a mid-northern New South Wales beach a week ago. The 12-metre whale died after being beached and its carcass was buried at Port Macquarie’s Nobbys beach because it was too big to be moved. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Senate blow for Macron as he pushes through unpopular reforms (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Partial results showed the centre-right Republican party on track to keep majority after vote for about half of the 348 seats Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party suffered its first electoral blow on Sunday as rival conservatives dominated elections to the French Senate. The French president is embarking on unpopular changes to labour law and other reforms he hopes will reinvigorate the economy. Related: Macron takes a page from Trump to change France's labour laws Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Pakistani MP who says Imran Khan harassed her faces wave of abuse (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Ayesha Gulalai Wazir is denounced by her party, while some on social media say she should be whipped or attacked with acid When the Pakistani politician Ayesha Gulalai Wazir accused the cricket-star-turned-opposition-leader Imran Khan of sexual harassment, the vitriol unleashed against her was swift and vicious. First, leaders of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI) party – which Gulalai also belongs to – publicly denounced her and demanded 30 million rupees (£218,000) in compensation for damage to his reputation and “mental torture”. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Ted Cruz joins Republicans ranged against Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Effort to replace ACA appears doomed as Cruz indicates Lee will follow him and Collins says it is ‘very difficult’ for her to envision voting for the bill The Trump administration’s latest efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) appeared to be disintegrating over the weekend, as a growing number of Republican senators indicated they would vote against the so-called Graham-Cassidy bill. Related: Trump attacks McCain and other Republicans over healthcare failure Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

West courts Libyan general accused of human rights abuses (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Ex-CIA asset Khalifa Haftar, due to meet Italian officials in Rome, ordered soldiers to commit war crimes, according to legal experts European leaders are embracing a Libyan general who has ordered his soldiers to commit war crimes, according to new evidence that has been analysed by senior legal experts. The allegation of human rights abuses by Gen Khalifa Haftar, a former CIA asset who controls nearly half of Libya from his base in the east, comes as the general is due to arrive in Rome on Tuesday, where he will be received by Italian officials. The visit is a radical departure for Italy, who had previously shunned Haftar and seen him as a major obstacle to stability in the region because of his refusal to recognise the UN-backed government in the west. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Greek police expose audacity of £3,000-a-day pickpocketing gang (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Officers detail crackdown on major criminal network that worked shifts and in teams to distract and prey on tourists The audacity and creativity of a pickpocket gang who worked shifts, employed teams of runners and made tourists their exclusive prey has been revealed by one of the most successful crackdowns to date on street crime in Greece. Pickpocketing may flourish in tourist havens, but in Athens, where visitor numbers are booming, thieves appear to have been on a roll. With takings in excess of €3,500 (£3,100) a day, pickpockets posing as holidaymakers built a criminal network of unprecedented scale, “working” the public transport system for the best part of a decade. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Portuguese children to crowdfund European climate change case (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Group from region hit by deadly forest fires to sue 47 countries alleging failure to tackle climate change threatens their right to life Portuguese schoolchildren from the area struck by the country’s worst forest fires are seeking crowdfunding to sue 47 European countries, alleging that the states’ failure to tackle climate change threatens their right to life. The children, from the Leiria region of central Portugal, where fires this summer killed more than 60 people and left hundreds injured, are being represented by British barristers who are experts in environmental and climate change law. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

North Korea foreign minister says firing rockets on US mainland 'inevitable' (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Ri Yong Ho tells the UN general assembly that Donald Trump was on a ‘suicide mission’ as tensions between the nations escalate further North Korea has said that firing its rockets at the US mainland was “inevitable” after Donald Trump called Pyongyang’s leader “rocket man”, in a further escalation of rhetoric between the two leaders. North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong Ho’s remarks before the United Nations general assembly came hours after US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers escorted by fighter jets flew in international airspace over waters east of North Korea, in a show of force the Pentagon said demonstrated the range of military options available to the US president. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Architect defends treatment of workers at Louvre Abu Dhabi (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Jean Nouvel dismisses ‘old question’ over exploitation, saying conditions were better than for some in Europe The French architect Jean Nouvel has defended his Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi, a massive domed complex that opens in November, from accusations it was built by exploited and abused migrant workers. The building opens on 11 November, 10 years after the Paris museum signed an unprecedented £663m deal to allow Abu Dhabi to use its name for 30 years and borrow 300 works from its collection. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Australia failing to meet Paris targets and more renewables needed, report says (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Australia Institute report says 66-75% renewable energy target by 2030 needed to meet its commitments With the Coalition still hamstrung by internal divide over a clean energy target, a new report shows Australia is in danger of not meeting its Paris agreement commitments unless it acts soon. A report by the Australia Institute’s climate and energy program examined the government’s own modelling of the nation’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and found Australia could either transition to a 66-75% renewable energy target by 2030 to meet its commitments, or push the responsibility on to other sectors, such as agriculture or manufacturing. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Catalan campaigners hand out a million referendum ballots (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Thousands gather across Catalonia to show support for 1 October independence vote that Madrid has vowed to stop Catalan independence campaigners have held rallies across the region, distributing 1m ballot papers a week before people are due to vote in a sovereignty referendum that the Spanish government has vowed to stop. Thousands of people congregated in town squares around Catalonia on Sunday to show their support for the vote as tensions between the pro-independence regional government and the Spanish state continued to rise. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

'Jeremy Corbyn has exceeded expectations': Sadiq Khan talks to Katharine Viner – video (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Guardian editor-in-chief Katharine Viner asks Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, about housing in the capital, Brexit and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Khan’s verdict on Corbyn is: ‘Good manifesto, energising Labour supporters who’d left our fold, bringing them back, energise a new generation of Labour voters … huge progress made by Jeremy in the space of two years’ Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The colour of power: why is the British establishment so white? – video (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Take the 1,000 most powerful people in Britain. How many are not white? Leah Green delves into the data on representation at the top of British society. From politics to law, charities, sport, business, the media and the military, the gatekeepers at the top of British society are overwhelmingly white * Revealed: Britain's most powerful elite is 97% white Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Qandeel Baloch: the life, death and impact of Pakistan’s working class icon (ven., 22 sept. 2017)
The life, death and impact of Pakistan’s working-class icon Qandeel Baloch, killed in 2016 after becoming a social media celebrity. This film tells Qandeel’s story through her own videos and media appearances. A young, fearless woman who collided with Pakistan’s mainstream media, Qandeel exposed the religious right and challenged middle-class morality. From her life before stardom in a rural village to her early days in entertainment as a model and actor, Qandeel gained attention by making provocative web videos. We get to know Qandeel through her family, admirers and those she interacted with and inspired. The film also analyses her life through the lens of class and power politics and connects it to women’s continuing struggle for self-expression in Pakistan Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Kingsman: The Golden Circle: Colin Firth on the superspy comedy sequel – video (jeu., 21 sept. 2017)
The second Kingsman film sees the dapper British secret agents go up against American supervillain Poppy Adams, played by Julianne Moore, with the help of Statesman, their US equivalent. Kingsman: The Golden Circle is out now in the UK, and is released on 21 September in Australia and 22 September in the US. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Portugal's biggest wildfire: 'We all thought we were going to die' – video (mar., 19 sept. 2017)
On 17 June, a fire swept through the forests of central Portugal, killing 64 people and destroying more than 480 houses. After a summer of record numbers of wildfires across southern Europe, the Guardian travelled to devastated villages in Portugal to find out why the June fire was so deadly, and what can be done to prevent it happening again *Satellite imagery courtesy of Deimos Imaging, an UrtheCast Company Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

'I'll be here until I die': Florida Keys residents on life after Hurricane Irma (lun., 18 sept. 2017)
A week on from the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma, Florida Keys residents are finding strength in one another as they try to piece together their homes and make sense of what happened Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The Vietnam War: terror, heartbreak and helicopters ablaze in an epic documentary (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
It was the first war fought on TV – and now documentary master Ken Burns brings the most extraordinary look at Vietnam ever to the small screen. And from guerrilla truths to dead people’s testimonies, it will rock history It’s rare for someone who makes TV documentaries to become the subject of one. But earlier this year, Tom Hanks hosted a tribute show called Ken Burns: America’s Storyteller. Colleagues, historians and even presidents praised the work of a film-maker who has consistently encouraged Americans to look to their past. Burns made his name with The Civil War in 1990, analysing historical divisions in the US from 1861-65. Now, he burnishes his supremacy among factual film-makers by tackling the second great nation-splitting conflict that occurred exactly a century later. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout review – a moving return to the midwest (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Going back to the small Illinois town of her previous book, the stories in this novel can feel a little overfamiliar, but they are beautifully told Elizabeth Strout once told a friend: “Kathy, if I ever return to a small town, I want you to kill me.” She wrote about this conversation here in the Guardian; alas, she didn’t give us Kathy’s response. I for one am very keen to know if Kathy still feels any obligation to her friend’s request – because, if she does, Strout’s days are numbered. Not only has Strout bought a house in rural Maine, she also keeps coming back to small-town life in her fiction. The same places, too. In Anything Is Possible, she returns to Amgash, Illinois, the rural hometown of the narrator of her novel, My Name Is Lucy Barton. With this new collection of intertwining stories, she also revisits many of the same characters, and even scenes from last year’s excellent Booker-longlisted novel. Now we get full dramatic treatment of incidents that received passing mention as Lucy’s mother gossiped away the hours beside her daughter’s hospital bed. Some of the questions raised in the earlier novel are answered; in My Name Is Lucy Barton, her mother asks: “Now how does that feel, I’ve always wondered. To be known as a Pretty Nicely Girl?” Here, we actually get to sit with the Nicely sisters as they muse over that very same thing. (One says “horrible”, the other not.) Such elucidation has its satisfactions. But it can also be like reading the extended footnotes to a more complete novel. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Ramona Tells Jim review – hapless romance among the hermit crabs (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Bush theatre, London The Scottish coast is the setting for Sophie Wu’s witty play about crustacean-loving Jim, his girlfriend and his kooky ex Like many actors who turn to writing, Sophie Wu has a knack for nifty dialogue. Her debut play is an engaging, quirky 80-minute piece about the kinship of oddballs and the disruptiveness of innocence. It shows enough promise to make you hope that Wu in future pushes herself further. Wu’s setting is the west coast of Scotland where Jim, a 32-year-old loner who collects crustaceans and acts as a luckless tourist guide, is being badgered by his 19-year-old girlfriend, Pocahontas, to settle down. She dreams of marriage, a job as a mortgage adviser and a four-bedroom house: the fish-loving Jim is more thrilled by the prospect of a world crustacean congress in Frankfurt. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The Child in Time review – an agonising portrayal of panic and guilt (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Benedict Cumberbatch and Kelly Macdonald are both brilliant as the parents whose child goes missing in a deeply affecting drama. Plus: Antiques Roadshow hits Brideshead God, that’s not an easy watch, the first 10 minutes or so of The Child in Time (BBC1). First, Stephen (Benedict Cumberbatch) returns home in a police car and goes inside to tell his wife, Julie (Kelly Macdonald), the worst news in the world: that their four-year-old daughter Kate has disappeared. “She was there,” he says. “She was there, she was just there, she was right there.” Next, we’re a few years down the line. Stephen, a writer of children’s books as well as a member of a government childcare committee, is trying – inevitably not entirely successfully – to carry on with some kind of life. Without Julie, however, who, also inevitably, now lives separately. How can a marriage ever survive that? Not just the loss and the pain, but the blame and the guilt, too. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Marvel vs Capcom Infinite review: too much power, no responsibility (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The hyper-accelerated tag team brawling series returns with a beginner-friendly riot of mega combos – but the first casualty is nuance Over the course of two decades, the Marvel vs Capcom franchise has mutated into a sprawling crazy quilt of exuberant brawling. Look for a unifying theme and it seems to be loopy excess, with overflowing character rosters, screen-filling hyper combos and a fondness for mob-handed tag-team battles. “Gonna take you for a ride!” declared Marvel vs Capcom 2’s jazzy selection screen ear-worm, and if the shield-chucking, hellfire-hosing action could occasionally be chaotic to the point of confusion, it was certainly never dull. Six years on from Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom (a buffed-up version of the third instalment that boosted its warrior headcount to an impressive 48) and here comes a new challenger. In Marvel Vs Capcom Infinite, the conflict implied in the title has become inextricable. A diabolical team-up by Marvel’s tetchy AI zealot Ultron and Mega Man’s lantern-jawed nemesis Sigma has forcibly fused the two corporate universes together, creating an uncanny hybrid dimension. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

TV's Front Row is a pulped and processed version of radio's. Why? (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
This low-interest, no-risk reboot of Radio 4’s long-running culture strand is yet another reminder of how terminally timid BBC TV always is with the arts Front Row, on Radio 4, is reliable, it is competent, it is always there, just after the news and the Archers. Its presenters are interested in their subjects, and good journalists. It knows what it is; it feels comfortable in its skin. I would care if it got taken off air. One can see, then, after the demise of BBC television’s The Culture Show and Newsnight Review (each shunted around the schedules until they died of confusion) why it was chosen to form the template of a new BBC2 arts show. But would Front Row work on TV? There was trouble before the first programme even aired on Saturday evening. Instead of giving the regular radio presenters – Kirsty Lang, Samira Ahmed and John Wilson – jobs on the telly, new anchors for the small-screen version were announced. They were to be BBC media editor Amol Rajan, radio presenter and former actor Nikki Bedi, and, weirdly, Giles Coren, not everyone’s cup of tea, a journalist noted for his newspaper restaurant reviews and for having presented The Supersizers, but having no apparent qualifications for fronting an arts show aside from once having won the bad sex award for his debut novel, Winkler. Then came an interview in the Radio Times in which Coren declared he had not been to the theatre much for the past seven years (owing to paternal bathtime duties) and found the medium “stressful”; Rajan confessed to the sin of enjoying Andrew Lloyd Webber; and Bedi said she disliked sitting through very long plays without intervals. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

For Love or Money review – Northern Broadsides strike comedy gold (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Viaduct, Halifax Blake Morrison transposes a corrupt, covetous 18th-century Paris to 1920s Yorkshire in a lively satire directed by and starring Barrie Rutter Northern Broadsides have made a habit of giving European classics a Yorkshire setting. So it seems fitting that Barrie Rutter’s farewell, at least on home soil, to the company he founded should be a version by Blake Morrison of Alain-René Lesage’s Turcaret. Related: Angels and demons: the unmissable theatre, comedy and dance of autumn 2017 Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Seoul Kimchi: ‘The soup should be offered on prescription’ – review (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
This tiny restaurant is as uncomfortable as it gets, but the Korean cooking makes it all worthwhile Seoul Kimchi, 275 Upper Brook Street, Manchester M13 0HR (0161 273 5556). Meal for two, excluding wine: £30-£45 The cab rumbles down a broad street just to the south of Manchester city centre, of the sort even its planner would struggle to love. To one side is the hefty sprawl of the Royal Infirmary. To the other is the blood centre. If you’re leaking, or bits of you are falling off, this is clearly the place to be. It is not the kind of drag you would necessarily go down in search of dinner. But then sometimes worthwhile restaurants are the product of happenstance rather than design. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Simon Amstell review – perky, pained, anxious, ironic, wise – and funny (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Leicester Square theatre, LondonFrom his long process, after coming out, of self-acceptance to his newfound romantic happiness, this is classic, neurotic, angst-ridden Amstell If there were any doubts that romantic bliss might have dulled Simon Amstell’s neurotic edge, they’re allayed in the opening seconds of the first night of his new tour. He may be six years into a relationship, have just published his first book and made a splash with the recent TV mockumentary Carnage. But he still can’t help telling us – it’s the first thing he says – how undermined he feels by a single empty seat on the front row. Plus ca change, plus c’est le meme angst-ridden Amstell, laying bare his overthought emotional life in the name of our entertainment. The new show is called What Is This?, with emphasis firmly on the middle word. The “this” is life, that mysterious thing Amstell can’t bring himself to just get on with like everyone else. After all: why? OK, so he’s not as riddled with self-loathing as he once was. Back then, he could barely get out of bed; now, “I get out of bed, but I don’t know why I’ve done it.” Existential angst, or wealthy man’s privilege? A bit of both. Amstell doesn’t remotely apologise for being famous – one droll gag finds him repaying his mum for the use of her womb by introducing her to Derren Brown. But it’s clear celebrity is just one more circle of alienation for a man whose every social interaction feels like an out-of-body experience. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

LCD Soundsystem review – dream band back from the dead (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Glasgow Barrowlands Six years after their ‘farewell’ show, James Murphy’s dance-punk magpies have returned, bigger and bolder than ever Before a snare is hit, before LCD Soundsystem supremo James Murphy starts gesticulating at the monitor sound desk, there is a charge in the air. It telegraphs the delight that, to paraphrase one of LCD Soundsystem’s album titles, this is actually happening. A gig that should not have been, this second night in Glasgow promotes a fourth LCD album – the recently released American Dream – that should not have been, either. Lairy gratitude informs the dancing that erupts with the first keyboard blobs of Get Innocuous!, LCD’s perfect set-opening gambit. Second only to Oasis as a lauded pilferer of others’ catalogues, Murphy grafts the vocals of David Bowie on to the synth lines of Kraftwerk, somehow making it sound all LCD. (A fab graphic rendition online illustrates the track’s structure.) Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Unbelievable review: Katy Tur's Trump tale relives an utterly insane campaign (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
NBC reporter writes with the bravery and wit she showed as Trump and his fans attacked her. She also exposes the worrying decline of broadcast news itself Towards the end of last year’s election, NBC correspondent Katy Tur and her colleagues played a game no other presidential contest had inspired: name a campaign headline too crazy to be real. Related: Devil's Bargain review: Steve Bannon and the making of President Joe Pesci Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The Naked Ape at 50: ‘Its central claim has surely stood the test of time ‘ (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
In October 1967, Desmond Morris published his landmark study of human behaviour and evolution. Here four experts assess what he got right – and wrong Professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Into Film Awards: entries open for young film-makers and their teachers (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Schools invited to enter creative work by students and examples of exceptional use of film for learning by teachers The Into Film Awards 2018 – celebrating achievements in film by young people and the work of those who teach them – are open to entries from schools across the UK. Run by charity Into Film, with the support of partners the Guardian Teacher Network and NATE, the awards invite schools to champion their best film-makers, reviewers, film clubs, and teachers using film for learning. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Lakes of mercury and human sacrifices – after 1,800 years, Teotihuacan reveals its treasures (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
When archaeologists found a tunnel under Mexico’s ‘birthplace of the gods’, they could only dream of the riches they would discover. Now its wonders – from jewel-eyed figures to necklaces of human teeth – are being revealed to the world In 2003, a tunnel was discovered beneath the Feathered Serpent pyramid in the ruins of Teotihuacan, the ancient city in Mexico. Undisturbed for 1,800 years, the sealed-off passage was found to contain thousands of extraordinary treasures lying exactly where they had first been placed as ritual offerings to the gods. Items unearthed included greenstone crocodile teeth, crystals shaped into eyes, and sculptures of jaguars ready to pounce. Even more remarkable was a miniature mountainous landscape, 17 metres underground, with tiny pools of liquid mercury representing lakes. The walls of the tunnel were found to have been carefully impregnated with powdered pyrite, or fool’s gold, to give the effect in firelight of standing under a galaxy of stars. The archaeological site, near Mexico City, is one of the largest and most important in the world, with millions of visitors every year. This was its most exciting development for decades – and the significance of these new discoveries is explored in a major exhibition opening this month at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

'You leave part of yourself on stage': Royal Ballet dancers on Kenneth MacMillan (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
For Edward Watson they’re terrifying and exhilarating. Sarah Lamb struggles to return to reality after performing them. Twenty-five years after Macmillan’s death, his visceral works have made a mark on the whole company Kenneth MacMillan holds a peculiarly revered position within the culture of the Royal Ballet. Many junior dancers say that it’s the principal roles within his story ballets – Romeo and Juliet, Mayerling and Manon – to which they most aspire. Older dancers acknowledge that performing the MacMillan repertory has not only shaped them profoundly as artists but has stamped a collective identity on the company. MacMillan’s works may be several decades old, the Royal may be about to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his death, but still there are elements of his style – his richly textured realism and his raw-edged characterisation – that dancers claim they find in no other choreographer. Related: Mayerling review – sex, drugs and revolution in the Royal Ballet's superb staging Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

What would an entirely flood-proof city look like? (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The wetter the better. From sponge cities in China to ‘berms with benefits’ in New Jersey and floating container classrooms in the slums of Dhaka, we look at a range of projects that treat storm water as a resource rather than a hazard They call it “pave, pipe, and pump”: the mentality that has dominated urban development for over a century. Along with the explosion of the motorcar in the early 20th century came paved surfaces. Rainwater – instead of being sucked up by plants, evaporating, or filtering through the ground back to rivers and lakes – was suddenly forced to slide over pavements and roads into drains, pipes and sewers. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Why Hillary Clinton was right about white women – and their husbands (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Conventional wisdom says women will show solidarity at the polls. But new research shows that for white women, having a husband trumped the sisterhood Hillary Clinton hoped to wear white on election night, a tribute to the suffragettes and the sweep of political history. Instead, as she wrote in her new book, the white suit stayed in her garment bag as she donned the gray and purple garment she had intended for her first trip to Washington as president-elect. Given the opportunity to make history by electing the first female president, women didn’t take it. And ironically, the women who bore the most resemblance to Clinton – white, heterosexual and married – were less likely to vote for her. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Super savers: meet the coupon queen and the cashback king (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Saving Money Week As part of our series on saving cash, here’s how three canny consumers make their budgets stretch further It has been four years since Great Yarmouth resident Smith, 32, paid full price for anything at the supermarket. “It all started one night when I couldn’t sleep,” she says. “I got up and started looking for coupons on the internet, which I could combine with supermarket deals to get the item for free. I became really good at it and then a friend encouraged me to start a blog online. So I did.” She now has almost a million followers on her Facebook page, Couponmumuk, and spends up to 14 hours a day sourcing coupons and bargains that she can share. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

From Blade Runner to Rollerball: did cinema's sci-fi dystopias predict the future? (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
We are living in the era imagined by science-fiction films – but is reality really mirroring fiction? Related: Deadly reality TV and sex robots: what can we learn from films set in 2017? Police cars can’t fly, artificial snakes are not commercially available, and the exodus to off-world colonies has not yet begun, but we’re already living in the world of Blade Runner – chronologically, at least. The original movie is set in 2019. Rutger Hauer’s replicant-in-chief has been activated since January 2016. He might be watching attack ships off the shoulder of Orion as we speak. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The shorter your sleep, the shorter your life: the new sleep science (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Leading neuroscientist Matthew Walker on why sleep deprivation is increasing our risk of cancer, heart attack and Alzheimer’s – and what you can do about it Matthew Walker has learned to dread the question “What do you do?” At parties, it signals the end of his evening; thereafter, his new acquaintance will inevitably cling to him like ivy. On an aeroplane, it usually means that while everyone else watches movies or reads a thriller, he will find himself running an hours-long salon for the benefit of passengers and crew alike. “I’ve begun to lie,” he says. “Seriously. I just tell people I’m a dolphin trainer. It’s better for everyone.” Walker is a sleep scientist. To be specific, he is the director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley, a research institute whose goal – possibly unachievable – is to understand everything about sleep’s impact on us, from birth to death, in sickness and health. No wonder, then, that people long for his counsel. As the line between work and leisure grows ever more blurred, rare is the person who doesn’t worry about their sleep. But even as we contemplate the shadows beneath our eyes, most of us don’t know the half of it – and perhaps this is the real reason he has stopped telling strangers how he makes his living. When Walker talks about sleep he can’t, in all conscience, limit himself to whispering comforting nothings about camomile tea and warm baths. It’s his conviction that we are in the midst of a “catastrophic sleep-loss epidemic”, the consequences of which are far graver than any of us could imagine. This situation, he believes, is only likely to change if government gets involved. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Can you solve it? Are you a ninja at numbers? (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Outfox the other readers of this column and win a prize Hi guzzlers Today we’re going to play a game I learned about in Japan when I was researching my latest book, Puzzle Ninja. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Land of tassels, swags and sash windows: a swipe at Britain's pseudo-Georgian wonderland (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
It’s cheap, boring, shoddy and everywhere. But now artist Pablo Bronstein has turned his love-hate relationship with Britain’s ‘pseudo-Georgian’ architecture into a delightful show Fibreglass porches, panelled garage doors and uPVC sash windows have rarely been celebrated in the hallowed halls of the Royal Institute of British Architects, but then Pablo Bronstein isn’t your usual suspect for an exhibition at the Portland Place pile. “I like to think it’s a bit Christine Hamilton,” says the artist, standing in one of the rooms, wallpapered a buttercup yellow, that he has erected in the RIBA’s gallery. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Rugged coastline and hunky blokes: is Cornwall the UK's new literary capital? (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Following in the foaming wake of Poldark’s TV success, and picking up a tradition taking in Du Maurier and Woolf, a new wave of Cornish reading is rising Where are most British novels set? Well, the smart money would be on London. But once you get out of the capital, I’d lay a bet on Cornwall being the landscape that inspires the biggest number of fictional backdrops. The rugged, dramatic coastline will have a lot to do with it, of course. Winston Graham’s Ross Poldark, recently seen on telly equipped with smouldering good looks and preposterous abs, would not carry half as many hearts aloft if his frequent (and, one suspects, often unnecessary) horseback gallops across the cliffs weren’t framed by the sun setting over the storm-lashed Atlantic. Daphne du Maurier has lured many a literary traveller to the county, just as Joss Merlyn and his murderous wreckers guided unwary ships on to the rocks in Jamaica Inn, or the siren call of the foreboding Manderley (in reality Du Maurier’s home Menabilly, near Fowey) in Rebecca. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Momentum building in Brighton as grassroots group goes mainstream (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
The World Transformed festival was once seen as rival event to Labour conference, but now even non-Corbynite MPs take part On the way down the hill towards the Labour conference on the Brighton seafront, delegates cannot miss Momentum’s message, spraypainted across the front of the Synergy Centre: “Join the party.” The building is one of nine venues hosting the grassroots group’s festival, The World Transformed. Once seen by many in Labour as a rival event, within 12 months, it has become part of the mainstream. Activists are here to celebrate, but also to be at the heart of the Labour party. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

'My people will disappear': Rohingya call for Bradford to give sanctuary again (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Yorkshire city with Europe’s biggest Rohingya community urged to offer haven for those fleeing crackdown in Myanmar Nijam Uddin Mohammed recalls vividly his first day in Bradford: “Ninth of December 2008 – the most life-changing date of my life.” He remembers the eight-hour flight from Dubai to Manchester and the biting winter air when they landed. The hour-long coach journey up the M62, and his dad being confused about why people weren’t walking on the road, as they did in Bangladesh. He also remembers being warmly welcomed by Bengalis, who brought curry to the £26-a-night Ibis hotel where they were staying. The 36-year-old was among the first group of Rohingya refugees to arrive in Bradford, the city more than 300 of the “world’s most persecuted minority” now call home – their biggest community in Europe. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Feelers out for insect fine dining in Bangkok (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Insects have long been a staple in the countryside of Thailand. Now, a top chef is creating a buzz in Bangkok by putting this eco-friendly protein on the menu Were it not for the cocoa-dusted silkworms garnishing the dish, an unknowing diner might never realise there was anything out of the ordinary about this tiramisu. There may be only three dainty insects visible but 30% of the luscious mascarpone cream in the confection is powdered pupae, which add a barely detectable bitterness that harmonises with the espresso-saturated sponge fingers. The same goes for the innocuous-looking ravioli stuffed with mascarpone, Provençal herbs and water beetle flesh, which tastes like crab. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

‘Dazzling and worrying’: my memories of Bruce Chatwin and In Patagonia (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Forty years ago, Chatwin’s debut book transformed travel writing. But just 12 years later, its author was dead. The Observer theatre critic, Chatwin’s editor for that book, reflects on a brief, brilliant career ‘Does anyone read Bruce Chatwin these days?” asked Blake Morrison, reviewing his letters seven years ago. Well, someone must: nearly 30 years after his death, all six of Chatwin’s books are still in print. But it is true that when the dominant writers of the 1970s and 1980s are discussed, Chatwin’s name is rarely among them. The penalty of once being fashionable is that you may come to be thought of as merely fashionable. Almost violently successful at first, his books are now less likely to be mentioned than the Moleskine notebooks in which he sketched and jotted. Vintage’s 40th anniversary edition of In Patagonia is an invitation to look again at one of the most vivid but elusive writers of the late 20th century. Chatwin’s first book, it helped to change the idea of what travel writing could be. It appeared at a rich literary moment, when both reportage and the novel were beginning to fly high in new directions. I remember the time well – I edited In Patagonia and in doing so became friends with the author. Angela Carter and Ryszard Kapuściński, Martin Amis, Ian McEwan and Salman Rushdie were already publishing; Julian Barnes was preparing to take off. In Patagonia was in a category of its own. It was clearly not a novel, but it flirted with fiction. A collage of histories, sketches, myths and memories, with short scenes glinting towards each other, without judgment, conclusion or, often, links. Chatwin said he was trying to make a cubist portrait. It is paradoxical, in content and in style. The syntax is snappy but the vocabulary is orchidaceous. It holds back from intimate revelation – “I don’t believe in becoming clean,” Chatwin announced – but is fuelled by autobiography, lit up by personal obsessions. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The Big Anxiety festival: mental health, science and the healing power of art (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
The world’s biggest mental health and arts festival features more than 60 events, ranging from relaxing art installations to Awkward Conversations Anxiety can come in many forms: from feeling nervous about giving a presentation, to not wanting to leave the house. But can an arts festival provide some sort of balm for mental health problems? An ambitious and large scale project, The Big Anxiety festival – a University of New South Wales initiative run over seven weeks in Sydney – is trying to not only get people talking about their mental health, but also to alleviate some of the associated pain. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Why India's farmers want to conserve indigenous heirloom rice (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
India was once home to 100,000 rice varieties, but high-yield, less hardy hybrids have taken over encouraging farmers to safeguard more resistant strains India is rice country: the cereal provides daily sustenance for more than 60% of the population. Half a century ago, it was home to more than 100,000 rice varieties, encompassing a stunning diversity in taste, nutrition, pest-resistance and, crucially in this age of climate change and natural disasters, adaptability to a range of conditions. Today, much of this biodiversity is irretrievably lost, forced out by the quest for high-yield hybrids and varieties encouraged by government agencies. Such “superior” varieties now cover more than 80% of India’s rice acreage. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Fearful neighbours look on as Iraq’s Kurds stake claim to nationhood (sam., 23 sept. 2017)
Monday’s independence poll for the Kurdish north is supported by voters but opposed by Turkey, Baghdad and the west, which fear it will deepen instability Below the Erbil citadel, where empire and insurrection have been fought out over the course of 5,000 years, Kurdish flags stake out the claim to a nascent era – that of a sovereign state. Banners were gathering rapidly during the week in advance of a referendum on independence in the Kurdish north of Iraq due to take place on Monday. Hours ahead of the ballot, the citadel square and nearby markets were teeming with Kurds draped in nationalistic red, white and green, symbolising the struggle that they believe will deliver them a new nation from the rump of another. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Little Rock Nine: the day young students shattered racial segregation (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Sixty years ago, nine teen braved violent protests to attend school after the supreme court outlawed segregation – but racial separation is not over in the US Minnijean Brown Trickey didn’t intend to make a political statement when she set off with two friends for her first day in high school. She was, after all, only 15. “I mean, part of growing up in a segregated society is that it’s a little sort of enclave and you know everybody,” says Trickey, who is African American. “So, I was thinking: ‘Wow! I can meet some other kids.’” Central high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, seemed to have a lot going for it. “The black school was kind of far away and there was no bus,” she says. “We went to get new shoes and we were really trying to decide what to wear. So we were very teenage-esque about it, just totally naive.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Anna Jones’s recipes from A Modern Cook’s Year | Book extract (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
One side of autumn does not resemble the other, yet we insist on speaking of just four seasons. In this extract from Anna’s new book, recipes are arranged more in rhythm with nature. Here are a few that feel fitting right now ... My new book is written in six chapters, each of which roughly knits together two months at a time – I find a year divided into four seasons a bit too vague. Just step into a greengrocer on the summer side of autumn and then again as autumn turns into winter and you’ll see the difference. There are so many more subtleties to what’s growing than spring, summer, autumn and winter. While the seasons are a useful tool, your eyes and tastebuds should always be your primary guide. What I cook is not always led by produce but by the mood of the day, the feeling of rain or sun on my skin, the arrival of a certain friend, even something I see on the news. Some days dinner comes entirely from the storecupboard – there is as much of a thrill in the ingenuity of that for me. So, sometimes its macaroni cheese in July, and if that’s what I crave, so be it. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

'It's like walking through fire' – the rise of competitive fitness (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
From log carrying to trail running, events such as Tribal Clash and CrossFit are growing fast. What’s the appeal of this hardcore approach to training? You probably didn’t notice but at the end of this summer, on the sandy beach of Bantham, near Kingsbridge in South Devon, 960 men and women gathered for a gruesome battle. For an entire weekend, this stretch of English coastline saw teams of furious men and women dashing across hilly trails, hoisting atlas stones and lugging a 240kg sandworm, in both blistering heat and torrential rain. This wasn’t a Viking re-enactment (too much compression gear for that), but an annual competitive fitness event called Tribal Clash, the appetite for which is almost as strong as the participants’ mettle. Since its launch in 2013, Tribal Clash has more than doubled in size, from 100 teams of four to 160 teams of six, and has also begun holding a second annual event in Portugal. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Nine rules for your first days in student halls (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Settling into you accommodation is the first big challenge at uni. Here are some tips to help you through It’s almost three years ago to the day that I moved into my university halls of residence, and it remains one of the most stressful things I’ve ever done. It wasn’t the (admittedly strenuous) early-morning move from the Isle of Man that made it so tough, but the anxiety that came after. Meeting the strangers that you have committed to live with is often strained, awkward and a bit weird for everyone involved. Here are some golden rules to help you through those jittery first days. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

I’ve started fantasising about women. Is it because my boyfriend is so disappointing? (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
We only see each other at weekends, and he rarely texts me or socialises. Should I follow my two female best friends and seek a relationship with a woman instead? Two of my female friends have a strong romantic relationship. I am happy for them, but their relationship has shown me how unfulfilling my own is. My boyfriend of two years and I only see each other at weekends, and he rarely socialises with my friends or texts me. Recently, I have found myself fantasising about women. But has this just stemmed from envying my friends? Should I try to fix my relationship or embrace my new feelings? You are putting up with a lot, and you must sometimes wonder why you would want to continue in such an unfulfilling situation. In fact, there is surely an important reason why you spend your time imbued with longing. Perhaps it is that this absentee boyfriend creates in you a familiar state that dates back to much earlier in your life; the childhood trauma of feeling unimportant or unprioritised can follow a person into adulthood. Unconscious choices to repeat elements of a painful familial relationship can lead to exactly the kind of misery you are experiencing, so it would be wise to seek professional help. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

20 best seafood recipes: part 1 (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Monkfish saffron rice from Spain, a Thai salt-crust fish and classic langoustines with mayonnaise – part 1 of Observer Food Monthly’s favourite fish and shellfish recipes Part 2 launches tomorrow morning Clams or prawns can be added to this rice with great success. Put the prawn shells in the stock for extra flavour. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Is it possible to reverse Type 2 diabetes? (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Most doctors only address the symptoms, but the disease can be beaten into remission. However, it requires losing a lot of weight – and keeping it off Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition that can lead to heart disease, nerve damage, kidney disease and blindness. However, it is possible to beat it into remission. The pancreas can begin again making insulin, the hormone that regulates levels of glucose in the blood. The liver can reassert itself as the body’s reservoir for glucose and stop pumping out unwanted sugar. And many people who have been taking tablets to control their type 2 diabetes can potentially throw them away. This is good for the NHS, because 5% to 10% of people have type 2 diabetes. However, to beat it, you would need to lose about 10% of your body weight – and keep it off. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

My daughter is dating a much older man | Mariella Frostrup (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Mariella Frostrup says a father’s anger at his daughter’s relationship is understandable – but may be to do with his own unresolved past The dilemma I have a 23-year-old daughter. Her mother and I split up when she was seven due to her mother’s infidelity. I still see my daughter regularly and she is close to my wife and the two other children we have. My daughter didn’t have a “proper” boyfriend until she was in her late teens. Last week I was informed that her new boyfriend is a little older than her. It transpires he’s 48! He also has a wife and two children who he is preparing to leave to be with my daughter. I am, in equal measures, furious, horrified, embarrassed, ashamed and desperate. This new boyfriend is older than my wife, who is 46. I am 55. My daughter wants me to meet this man, but I am too shocked and angry that a man of his age and with his responsibilities could behave in this manner. How should I handle this? I am too embarrassed to talk to my friends about it. Mariella replies I feel your pain. Though I don’t think you have anything to be embarrassed about. Your job was to raise her and teach her how to be the best adult possible. At 23 she may well be romantically naive but she’s a grown-up. Your situation is a parental nightmare, but not the most unusual of scenarios. She’s certainly not the first young woman to fall for an unhappily married mature man. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Inside my art gallery home | Kate Jacobs (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Art sets the tone in each room of this home, a gallery with a difference. Kate Jacobs is given a private view When Jemma Hickman launched the bo.lee gallery in Bath nine years ago, her choice of artists was intuitive. “I would ask myself, would I want to hang this piece in my own home?” she says. This proved to be a prescient principle as, having brought the business to London in 2012, she decided to look for a space that was a home and gallery in one. This decision was partly down to the capital’s prohibitive rents, but also because of the benefits of displaying art in a domestic setting. “Galleries can feel quite sterile and intimidating, but a home feels more relaxed, plus it freed me up to travel to international art fairs,” says Hickman. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Dolce & Gabbana show off brand's heritage at third Milan show (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Collection, called Queen of Hearts, mixes 90s black corsets and Italian resort style with witty touches Sunday afternoon in Milan hosted Dolce & Gabbana’s spring/summer 2018 show. But this wasn’t the first show for the brand during the city’s fashion week – it was the third. A pop-up show happened at the city’s La Rinascente department store on Thursday and at 10pm on Saturday night there was a “secret show” for its wealthy clientele. The cast included socialites and celebrity offspring, such as Kitty Spencer, Ella Richards and Christian Combs, the son of Sean Combs. The collection consisted of eveningwear designs including floor-length tulle dresses, lacy gowns and brightly coloured suiting. It demanded the lifestyle – and the budget – of the 1%. The rest of the world could enjoy watching it on Instagram. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Nigel Slater’s end-of-season vegetable and herb recipes (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Make the most of the late summer glut with delicious baked vegetable tarts and herb-crusted tomatoes There have been cries for help this week over what to do with the end-of-season vegetables and herbs – the final few stragglers on the vegetable plot. In particular the last shout from the tomatoes, courgettes, marrows and basil. “Can I freeze a glut of basil?” “Where are all the courgette recipes?” “WTF do I do with yet another marrow?” This week I made two fat aubergines and a rather heady mountain of basil leaves into crisp, generously filled tartlets; baked an oddball assortment of tomatoes with a herb crust for eating as a main course and made a soupy marrow and tomato stew with couscous, just to share some recipes to make the most of the last of the early-autumn produce. I could have bottled the tomatoes and frozen the pesto, but this was more fun, more immediate. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

A beginner’s guide to pickling (sam., 23 sept. 2017)
Grown too many vegetables? Sick of making chutney? There is an alternative… Your harvests may have been bountiful, but by now you must be bored with making chutney. It’s time to embrace brine. With the help of salt water, a process known as lacto-fermentation can give surplus veg a new lease of life. Fermented foods are manna for good gut flora, and fermented pickles are part of that package. These sorts of pickles are often best done in small batches, so they’re ideal for that handful of beans you can’t motivate yourself to eat, or the courgette that ballooned when you weren’t looking. You can also save crops that might not be at their best, such as green tomatoes that won’t ripen. Turnips, radishes, carrots, runner and french beans, mangetout, grated horseradish, chillies, peppers and tomatoes are among my favourites. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

'We have forged our own identity': Welsh readers on 20 years of devolution (sam., 23 sept. 2017)
Readers in Wales on issues facing their country after marking 20 years since the vote for a devolved government Wales voted for devolved government 20 years ago this week by a very narrow margin - just 50.3 to 49.7. We asked readers from Wales to consider what impact this decision had on the country and to share their hopes and concerns about the future post Brexit. We have heard how the referendum affected communities, national identity and society as a whole. Here are some of their views.
Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Gather around: readers' photos on the theme of group (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
For last week’s photography assignment in the Observer New Review we asked you to share your photos on the theme of group via GuardianWitness. Here’s a selection of our favourites Share your photos on this week’s theme ‘sleep’ by clicking the button below Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

County Championship 2017: how has your team fared this season? (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Newly promoted Essex won their first title since 1992 as last year’s challengers fell away. How has it been for your team? The 2017 County Championship season is almost over and Essex have won their first title in 25 years. It’s a great achievement for the newly promoted team, who were tipped to struggle in their first season back in Division One. Are you an Essex fan still trying to get your head around the team’s success? What went wrong with Middlesex’s title defence? What has happened to Somerset, who were second last season but are now fighting off relegation? And who will make the step up to next season? Share your thoughts on the season with us and we’ll feature some of your contributions on the site next week. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

What's your reaction to the German election result? (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
If you took part in Germany’s general election, we’d like you to share your reaction with us Angela Merkel is heading for a fourth term as Germany’s chancellor initial exit polls have projected, with the far-right securing their spot as third largest party. We’d like you to share your reaction to the election result. Merkel’s CDU (Christian Democrat Union) party and its Christian Social Union (CSU) sister party won 32% of the vote, with Social Democrats in second place on 20%, according to initial estimated. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Violence has no place in transgender debate | Letters (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Women gathered to discuss the law on gender identity should not come under physical attack, say Linda Bellos, Lucy Masoud and others Speakers’ Corner in London was where suffragettes met to debate the laws and rights of the day. This was the intention for women who congregated there on 13 September to be directed to a meeting to discuss the impact of proposed legislation on gender identity. The venue could not be advertised because the original one, a community meeting space, had been intimidated into cancelling the booking. Transgender activists who opposed the debate taking place instigated a campaign to shut it down, which led to the attack on 60-year-old Maria MacLachlan by multiple assailants. Her camera was smashed, her hand cut, and her face and neck bruised. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

'I was kicked out of halls after one night' – your freshers' week regrets (sam., 23 sept. 2017)
Readers tell us what they got wrong in their first week of university The very first night at university I had a few drinks (of course). I went to bed and I was woken up in the early hours by the fire alarm in my halls of residence. Being tipsy, as well as young and foolish, I punched the fire alarm control panel and dented it. The next day the hall manager gave me a massive telling off and evicted me from the accommodation. I spent the next two months living with a strict vegetarian family who set me a 10pm curfew. Alistair, West Midlands Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

It’s no mystery – science and religion cannot be reconciled | the big issue (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Scientists exist to defy, examine and explain the things that others might claim to be acts of God While I am sure that there are many people working in scientific fields who would claim to be religious, it always seems to me that there really is a basic conflict here, rather than a “misunderstanding” (“Would you Adam and Eve it? Why creation story is at heart of major misunderstanding”, News). How can any ultimately “supernatural” explanation (whatever that means) for a phenomenon ever be a “scientific” answer? At what point can any dedicated scientist investigating a difficult problem decide that there is no scientific answer to it and that it can be explained only as an act of God? How would such results be presented for scientific peer review and in what terms would they be couched? Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Sports quiz of the week: sackings, strike partnerships and a sensational start (ven., 22 sept. 2017)
Who keep winning? Who kept scoring? And who could have been a contender? Sergio Agüero and Gabriel Jesus were both on the scoresheet for Manchester City last weekend (and the weekend before). They have now scored nine league goals between them this season. Which two strikers contributed 55 goals to their club in a single Premier League season? Andy Cole and Peter Beardsley for Newcastle in 1993-94 Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton for Blackburn in 1994-95 Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole for Manchester United in 1998-99 Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suárez for Liverpool in 2013-14 Why were Celta Vigo fined by La Liga this week? Because their players were "wearing their socks too low" Three of their players mooned to a group of photographers who came to watch them train Their manager did an interview while wearing a set of branded headphones All eight of their games this season have ended nil-nil and they’ve been accused of "unsportsmanlike tactics". Not enough fans have attended their home matches this season What is the missing number: ???-110, 114-114, 113-115? 101 114 118 122 What was unexpected about Mark Beaumont’s attempt to cycle "around the world in 80 days"? He wasn't able to complete it as someone stole his bike The ferry he had booked from Dover to Calais was delayed and he finished in 81 days He arrived home and found out his sponsor had gone bust and hadn’t been paying him He finished it two days earlier than planned Gareth Barry made his 632nd appearance in the Premier League on Saturday, equalling Ryan Giggs’ record. What Premier League record does Barry own all to himself? Most appearances without winning the title Oldest goalscorer Most yellow cards First person to score a hat-trick for two different clubs Mark Sampson, the manager of the England women’s football team, was sacked on Wednesday. How had the team performed the night before? They lost 2-0 They lost 4-1 The drew 3-3 They won 6-0 Which football club in the UK has not dropped a point yet this season? Manchester City Celtic Coleraine Llandudno Rio Ferdinand has taken up boxing after a long and successful career as a footballer. Which other sport did the teenage Ferdinand reject before signing a contract with West Ham? Cycling Ballet Table tennis Snooker Which other athlete took up boxing late in his sporting career and went on to win a British title? Andrew Flintoff Curtis Woodhouse Leon McKenzie Nobby Stiles Jake LaMotta, the fighter immortalised in Martin Scorsese's film Raging Bull, died this week at the age of 95. What was LaMotta's other nickname? The Brooklyn bruiser The Staten Island stomper The Manhattan maniac The Bronx Bull The Queensberry ruler Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Unpalatable truths about laboratory-grown food | Letters (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Synthetic meat and fish can’t, on their own, provide an answer to climate change, argues Iain Climie, while David Ridge envisages technical problems in taking the technology out of the lab, and onto people’s plates Synthetic meat and fish (Is ‘Frankenfish’ the start of a food revolution?, G2, 21 September) could have huge benefits – although there are cheaper and simpler ways to improve food supplies, including better livestock practices, conservation plus careful use, integrated methods, silviculture and using different animals fed more sensibly. These ideas, technology and cutting waste could massively reduce livestock’s impact, but nobody wants the bill while benefits could still be lost. Even dramatic reductions in human emissions may not stop the climate change trend. Those most at risk won’t benefit from technological advances, and the response to climate refugees approaching richer countries can be imagined. More food from less space doesn’t guarantee more room for wildlife; environmentalists often estimate western lifestyles for all would require at least three fully exploited planets. And it isn’t just burgers: biofuels, other cash crops, mineral extraction, suburban sprawl, dams and other developments could outweigh potential gains.  Underlying these concerns are free market idiocies. Resources are looted for short-term gain, having enough is an alien concept and “make more money, buy more stuff” rules. Maybe the world needs to chill in more ways than one. Iain Climie Whitchurch, Hampshire Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

'Boris is Boris': who said what this week in Brexit? (ven., 22 sept. 2017)
An international week in Brexit that saw Theresa May head to Vancouver before meetings in London and a big speech in Florence. But who said what? 'Boris is Boris' Theresa May Michael Gove Amber Rudd Donald Trump 'It’s a bit like a school where discipline has broken down completely [and] the headteacher is barricaded in her own office' Amber Rudd Vince Cable Nicola Sturgeon Ken Clarke 'I said before [that the referendum] was a dumb idea, other things should've been tried first. In some possible branches of the future, leaving will be an error.' George Osborne Dominic Cummings Diane Abbott Kate Hoey 'What I do not envisage is that we should pay into the EU just for access to the single market, or some such concept. It does not seem to be necessary. We do not get money for access to our markets.' Jeremy Corbyn Boris Johnson Theresa May David Davis 'I still have some difficulty seeing how after the general election, which produced a hung parliament in the UK, this government is going to get its form of Brexit through.' Emily Thornberry Tim Farron Tony Blair Kier Starmer 'There is clearly cause for concern about the rate of progress in Brussels just as there is in the UK. And the ball is very much in the prime minister’s court' Jean-Claude Juncker John McDonnell Kier Starmer Michel Barnier 'Leaving the European Union is a great liberation for the United Kingdom, as worthy for celebration as victory at Waterloo or the Glorious Revolution.' Emmanuel Macron Boris Johnson Nigel Farage Jacob Rees-Mogg 'The very fact we have no idea what the final outcome might look like suggests there is a case for a second referendum' Justine Greening Nicola Sturgeon Tom Watson Nick Clegg 'It’s perfectly possible to feel English, British and European at the same time. As it is perfectly normal to be a Dubliner, Irish and European at the same time' Guy Verhofstadt Arlene Foster Leo Varadkar Jeremy Corbyn 'Expect negative briefing from the commission, sarcasm from Guy Verhofstadt, and a polite but not positive reply from Michel Barnier and Jean-Claude Juncker.' Andrea Leadsom Nick Timothy Fiona Hill Philip Hammond 5 and above. Not bad! You seem to be pretty much following developments 9 and above. Almost perfect – a fine effort! 1 and above. Hmm ... hit refresh and have another go? 0 and above. Oh dear ... were you really trying? 10 and above. Congratulations – you appear to be making perfect sense of the confusion! Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Accessing cities with a disability: what have your experiences been? (mer., 20 sept. 2017)
Inaccessible venues and public spaces are a daily occurrence for most disabled people, whether at home or on holiday. We want to hear from Guardian readers with a disability about your experiences of accessing cities, good or bad Last year Chester was named the most accessible city in Europe, selected from 43 cities in 21 countries for its achievements in creating a disability-friendly environment across many different sectors. Related: Roman holiday: how Chester became the most accessible city in Europe Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Readers recommend: share your songs about taboos (jeu., 21 sept. 2017)
Make your nomination in the comments and a reader will pick the best eligible tracks for a playlist next week – you have until Monday 25 September We want to hear about songs that talk up taboos – or, indeed, may have been taboo themselves. For more on how to interpret the theme, keep an eye on the comments. You have until 11pm on Monday 25 September to post your nomination and make your justification. Samantha Birchard, who posts below the line as drunkenpanda, will select from your recommendations and produce your playlist, to be published online on 28 September. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Tips, links and suggestions: what are you reading this week? (lun., 18 sept. 2017)
Your space to discuss the books you are reading and what you think of them Are you on Instagram? Then you can be featured here by tagging your books-related posts with #GuardianBooks Scroll down for our favourite literary links Read more Tips, links and suggestions blogs Welcome to this week’s blog, and our roundup of your comments and photos from last week. Where are the songs of spring? Think not of them... It’s autumn on Tips, Links And Suggestions and readers like Brooke Sherbrooke have been tailoring their choices accordingly: Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Where to see spectacular autumn colours around the world: our readers’ tips (jeu., 21 sept. 2017)
It’s the season for mother nature to dazzle us with golds, reds, yellows and oranges … Our readers recommend the most vibrant autumnal displays in Europe, North America and Japan They call it the Złota Polska Jesień – the Polish Golden Autumn. It’s when the oaks and sycamores around Krakow do their best New England impression. Just 20 minutes’ drive north of the city is the smallest national park in the country: Ojców. A series of small, sylvan valleys turns into a beautiful patchwork of ochre and rust-red starting in September. There are forest trails running past streams, caves and crooked cottages. You can climb up to lookout points for views over the tops of the woods, and see Ojców Castle studding the hillside like something out of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Bolkonsky Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Have you been affected by the earthquake in Mexico? (mer., 20 sept. 2017)
Central Mexico has been hit by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake. If you’re in the region, you can share your experiences with us Your safety is most important. Do not take any risks when recording or sharing your story At least 224 have been killed by a powerful earthquake in central Mexico. The quake, which measured 7.1 on the Richter scale, is the deadliest to hit the nation since 1985. It struck shortly after 1pm local time, causing violent, prolonged shaking which flattened buildings and sent masonry tumbling onto streets, crushing cars and people in the capital Mexico City and surrounding areas. The earthquake also appeared to have triggered an eruption of Mexico’s Popocatépetl volcano. In Atzitzihuacan on the slopes of the volcano, a church collapsed during mass, killing 15 people, Puebla governor Jose Antonio Gali said. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Send us your questions for Philip Pullman (mar., 19 sept. 2017)
The Observer New Review offers you the chance to put your questions to the master storyteller Next month sees the publication of Philip Pullman’s La Belle Sauvage, the long-awaited first volume of The Book of Dust, an epic fantasy trilogy intended to stand alongside his bestselling series, His Dark Materials. Pullman devotees have waited 17 years for him to return to the magical world of Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, which have together sold more than 17.5m copies and been translated into 40 languages. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Jennifer Lopez donates $1m to Puerto Rico hurricane recovery effort (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The actor and musician will contribute proceeds from her Las Vegas residency to a New York state aid programme after two hurricanes devastated the island Jennifer Lopez has donated $1m in aid to the Puerto Rico recovery effort, following the devastating effects of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican parentage and was born in the Bronx, has said she will source the money from her Las Vegas residency shows. On a video posted on her Instagram account, Lopez revealed that she had not been able to reach family members living on the island. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Wild Beasts, band who brought sensuality to British indie, split up (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Four-piece originated in Kendal in 2004 before scoring a Mercury nomination for second album Two Dancers and two Top 10 records Wild Beasts, the four-piece British band whose literate guitar pop took them from indie oddity to festival headliner, have split up after 13 years together. In a letter posted on Twitter, they wrote: “The four of us have decided, for our own reasons and in our own ways, that it is now time to leave this orbit. We’re care takers to something precious and don’t want to have it diminish as we move forwards in our lives.” They hinted at farewell concerts, saying: “Before we go, we’d like to celebrate with you.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Czech actor Jan Tříska dies, aged 80, after fall from Prague bridge (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Actor who emigrated to the US during Czechoslovakia’s communist era was best known for his appearances in The Karate Kid Part III and Quantum Leap Actor Jan Tříska, who moved to the US after being banned by Czechoslovakia’s communist regime, has died after falling from Prague’s iconic Charles Bridge. He was 80. Prague theatre director Jan Hrušínský confirmed Tříska’s death on Monday. The actor died in Prague’s military hospital overnight due to injuries from the fall on Saturday, the circumstances of which remain unclear. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Pharrell Williams 'takes a knee' in Charlottesville protest (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The R&B singer joined Stevie Wonder in the protest against racism that has swept the NFL and enraged Donald Trump Pharrell Williams has become the latest music star to show solidarity with NFL players, by sharing in their “take a knee” protest against racial injustice in the US. Related: Colin Kaepernick has won: he wanted a conversation and Trump started it Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Mark Zuckerberg loves cheesesteak and he really wants you to know it (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Facebook founder and rumoured aspirant presidential candidate traveled to Philly for ‘the best cheesesteak in the land’ – and posted about it eight times Mark Zuckerberg wants you to know he is a normal human being who loves cheesesteak cheesesteak cheesesteak cheesesteak cheesesteak cheesesteak cheesesteak cheesesteak. He wants you to know he loves cheesesteak so much so that he posted a picture of his visit to The Original Pat’s King of Steaks, with the caption “Traveled all the way to Philadelphia for the best cheesesteak in the land.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Why the world expert on Asperger's took 30 years to notice condition in his own son (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Prof Tony Attwood, an internationally renowned clinical psychologist, was blindsided when he realised his son Will had the syndrome Will Attwood has been addicted to drugs for the past two decades, an affliction which has seen the 35-year-old jailed multiple times and reliant on support from his family. His father, Prof Tony Attwood, describes him as “a hero”. It’s a feeling towards his son that has come about since his decision about five years ago to watch an old family video. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Kelly Macdonald: ‘People were still drunk on the Trainspotting set’ (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
The actor, 41, on cowboy boots, childbearing, self-sufficiency and being bullied at school for not swearing When I started acting I knew nothing. It was a momentous decision to pick up the flyer for the Trainspotting audition. “Destined” is a bit of a poncy word for it, but I do think I was headed in that direction. Swearing never came naturally to me. I got bullied in school for it. I was pinned up against the girls’ cloakroom wall while everyone chanted at me to swear. All I could come up with was “bloody”. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Naomi Klein to address Labour conference (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
Writer will appear in Brighton on Tuesday in international speaker slot previously filled by Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton The climate campaigner Naomi Klein will address the Labour party conference this year as its international guest speaker, a slot previously given to prominent international politicians including Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and the then Afghan president Hamid Karzai. Klein, an award-winning journalist whose works include This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate, will also address the grassroots festival The World Transformed (TWT), which is organised by Momentum. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Charles Bradley obituary (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
American soul singer and songwriter who found fame late in life Fame came late to the soul singer Charles Bradley, who has died of cancer aged 68. He did not record his first single until 2002, and made his debut album only in 2011. Nonetheless he seized his opportunity, and in the last years of his life was able to build a devoted audience while basking in belated critical acclaim. “If I’d gotten that break when I was 25, the world wouldn’t have known what to do with me,” he said in 2014. “I know so much more now and I know how to deal with things better … I can dig into a lot of my memories. I can do things I was afraid to do before.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

John Jack obituary (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Tireless producer, promoter and enabler of British jazz Jazz is often a noisy music, but some of the most quietly diffident people make it happen. John Jack, who has died aged 84, was one of British jazz’s most influential backroom visionaries. A fascinating source of oral jazz history, as well as a producer, promoter and enabler, John was appositely dubbed “the Zelig of British music” by his friend Mike Gavin for the nous that seemed unerringly to put him in the right place at the right time. From his 20s to his 80s, John had his finger on the pulse of contemporary music, and of many of Britain’s wider cultural changes too. He was a trombone-playing participant in the birth of Britain’s “trad-jazz” revivalist scene as a teenager, an adventure that began with the purchase of Jelly Roll Morton’s Dr Jazz and Pinetop Smith’s Jumpsteady Blues records in Shepherd’s Bush market, west London, around 1947. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Yrsa Daley-Ward: ‘People are afraid to tell the truth' (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
She has a lot to say… about sexuality, relationships and mental health. But how did Lancashire’s Yrsa Daley-Ward become the toast of Los Angeles? Eve Barlow meets the poet, feminist, model and LGBTQ activist spelling out some hard truths If you’re afraid to write it, that’s a good sign. I suppose you know you’re writing the truth when you’re terrified.” These words in black type on a white background make up one of poet Yrsa Daley-Ward’s Instagram posts. This monochrome snapshot of her innermost thoughts has more than 5,200 “likes”. That’s more than double the number she gets for any pictures. Daley-Ward spent her late teens and early 20s as a model struggling to pay her rent in London, working for brands such as Apple, Topshop, Estée Lauder and Nike. She still models today. Ironically, however, it was the image-obsessed medium of Instagram that enabled her to pursue the written word. “I always was a writer,” she explains today in a thick Lancashire accent, sitting in a downtown Los Angeles restaurant close to where she lives. “But I was depressed [in London] and that made me choke. Modelling is an interesting profession because it teaches you so much about here…” She points a finger at her face. “But not here…” she sighs and points at her heart. “You become introverted, you disappear into yourself.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Jennifer Egan: ‘I was never a hot, young writer. But then I had a quantum leap’ (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Six years after winning a Pulitzer with the ‘postmodern’ A Visit from the Goon Squad, Jennifer Egan reveals why she has now embraced traditional storytelling In interviews, Jennifer Egan used to spend a fair amount of time explaining what she wasn’t interested in doing with her writing. Verisimilitude was boring. The linear was “the weird scourge of writing prose”. Conventional narratives were absolutely not her bag. In the same conversations, she would sometimes refer to her time at the University of Pennsylvania, when she was “a literary theory nut”; such ideas, she insisted scarily, were with her still. All of which made it seem a safe bet that when she finally delivered a new book – it’s six years since the publication of her Pulitzer prize-winning fourth novel, A Visit from the Goon Squad, which came with a chapter in the form of a PowerPoint presentation – it would be every bit as formally daring as her last. But, no. Reach for your smelling salts, Goon Squad fans. For her next trick, Egan has written a 400-page historical novel called Manhattan Beach. Set in New York during the Depression and the second world war – specifically, much of the action takes place in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, then the biggest builder and repairer of allied ships – it comes not only with a forward-moving plot, but with a thoroughly old-fashioned heroine: the kind of girl, brave and determined, with whom readers are almost duty bound to fall in love. A Victorian novel by any other name, its sensibility is, in other words, so thoroughly conventional, I can’t help but wonder: when, exactly, did its author start thinking verisimilitude and the linear might be interesting after all? Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

David Shepherd obituary (jeu., 21 sept. 2017)
Artist whose popular wildlife paintings helped raise millions for conservation Fresh out of school, with no scholastic achievements to recommend him, David Shepherd applied for a place at the Slade School of Art in London. The Slade did him the biggest favour of his life by telling him that he had no talent for art. Instead, Shepherd, the artist and conservationist, who has died aged 86, took to painting meticulous pictures of railway engines, aircraft and – the real breakthrough – wildlife, especially his trademark African elephant bull, facing the viewer head-on with ears spread wide. A picture of this beast, alone or with its fellows, might be called The Men of Etosha, or Dusty Evening, or Elephant Heaven, or even, as in his bestseller, Wise Old Elephant. It didn’t much matter. The reproductions sold hugely. Shepherd was, some said, Britain’s Tretchikoff, with Wise Old Elephant his Chinese Girl, and this was intended as a compliment. Certainly, he became immensely rich and helped to raise more than £8m for his other great passion – wildlife conservation – initially through donating painting sales proceeds to charities such as the World Wildlife Fund, and latterly through the efforts of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, set up in 1984. The charity campaigns to protect endangered species, and combat poaching and its trade. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Nabil Elouahabi: ‘Identity is important, but it can also be limiting’ (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
The actor on his role in feted diplomacy drama Oslo, evading typecasting and his other life as a night-time driver for the NHS Nabil Elouahabi, a British actor of Moroccan heritage, is currently performing in the hit play Oslo, which moves from the National Theatre to the Harold Pinter next month. Written by acclaimed US playwright JT Rogers and directed by Bartlett Sher, the production first played in New York to rave reviews and critics here have been equally glowing in their praise of a gripping political thriller with wit, verve and heart. Oslo concerns Norwegian power couple Terje Rød-Larsen and Mona Juul (played here by Toby Stephens and Lydia Leonard) who organised secret talks between representatives of the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organisation in 1992. Nine months of intense negotiations eventually led to the Oslo accords and the historic handshake between PLO leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in front of the White House in 1993. Elouahabi plays Hassan Asfour, one of the PLO negotiators. Are you surprised by reaction to the play? Well, it’s a strong, powerful piece. They [Rød-Larsen and Juul] created a backchannel for the PLO to have talks with Israel at a time when the PLO was incredibly toxic. They were like Isis now, and it was a very outlandish thing to suggest that they should speak to the Israeli government, but they had the balls to push it through. A friend of mine who lives in Jerusalem happened to be in London and came to see it, and it was so much about his own history that he was ashen-faced after the performance. He was quite teary because he said it reminded him that there was that moment when there was a bit of hope. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Best photos of the day: a polar bear's lunch and night-time surfing (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The Guardian’s picture editors bring you a selection of the best photographs from around the world, including a referendum in Iraq, the Labour party conference and an art campaign Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Taking the knee: how NFL players protested during national anthem in every game – in pictures (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
After the president said those kneeling to highlight issues of racial justice should be fired, players across the league showed defiance in different ways Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

London's International Tattoo Festival – in pictures (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The 13th annual International London Tattoo Convention, which showed off the best of eastern and western styles, took place at Tobacco Dock in the East End of London at the weekend Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The Elvises of Porthcawl – Elvis impersonators in pictures (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The world’s largest gathering of Elvis enthusiasts and impersonators takes place every September in the seaside town of Porthcawl, Wales. Photographer Gareth Cattermole set up a portrait studio and persuaded a selection of Elvises to sit for him Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Milan fashion week spring/summer 2018: 10 key shows – in pictures (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
From glam rock at Gucci to female cartoonists and manga artists at Prada and 90s supermodels at Versace – Observer fashion editor Jo Jones picks her 10 highlights from the shows Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Photographing the Peak District in autumn – in pictures (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
The Peak District is arguably at its most spectacular at this time of year, when its moorlands turn burnished brown – as Mick Ryan’s images show in a new guide on photographing the national park Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

From Warhol to Studio 54: legendary New York posters – in pictures (lun., 25 sept. 2017)
New York cultural institution Poster House kicks off with a pop-up exhibition, Gone Tomorrow, featuring posters from classic venues and cult events from New York City’s history Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Best photos of the day: Marni in Milan and skinny-dipping at sunrise (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Our picture editors bring you highlights from around the world, including models at Milan fashion week and skinny-dippers in Northumberland Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Covering the counterculture: the 60s underground press – in pictures (sam., 23 sept. 2017)
In 1966, author Barry Miles and photographer John “Hoppy” Hopkins founded International Times, or IT, Britain’s first underground newspaper. The following decade saw an explosion of publications – including Oz, Friends/Frendz, Gandalf’s Garden and Ink – dedicated to avant garde poetry and music, radical politics, the sexual revolution, psychedelia, vegetarianism and other ideas associated with 1960s counterculture. “It was everything to do with youth culture – we would cover everything from the price of marijuana in Amsterdam to known undercover agents in London,” says Miles, who with curator James Birch has collected the magazines for an exhibition at A22 Gallery, London EC1 from 28 September. “With Trump and Brexit and all the rest of it, it’s a very good time to reassess a more human, loving approach to humanity.” Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The 20 photographs of the week (sam., 23 sept. 2017)
The Mexico earthquake, the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar and the Catalan vote of independence – the news of the week captured by the world’s best photojournalists Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The great cover up: modest dressing – in pictures (dim., 24 sept. 2017)
Long skirts, generously cut tops, opulent knits and rich textures all make modesty this autumn’s big new trend Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Versace: backstage at the S/S 2018 show – in pictures (sam., 23 sept. 2017)
To mark the 20th anniversary of Gianni Versace’s death, Donatella paid homage to her brother with a collection that delved into the archives. From Cindy Crawford to Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer, his supermodel friends joined the tribute Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

‘There was an unsaid understanding between us’: the Dallas Veterans Day Parade, 2004 (ven., 22 sept. 2017)
Marine staff sergeant Mark Graunke recalls being embraced by Pearl Harbor veteran Houston James in Dallas There’s an unwritten rule in the Marines that if you get caught in the media, you have to buy everyone a case of beer. So when this photograph went viral, my first thought was: “Uh-oh, I owe a lot of people a lot of drinks.” As a staff sergeant, I was part of the initial effort in Iraq, entering from Kuwait in March 2003. My first job was to keep routes open, making sure there were no explosive hazards near the roads. Then I worked in explosive ordnance disposal, the military version of the bomb squad. Our job was to prevent things blowing up, or explode them in a controlled environment. I handled everything from bombs to grenades and mines. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The week in wildlife – in pictures (ven., 22 sept. 2017)
A rare rhinoceros under constant protection, an albino orangutan, and protected pandas are among this week’s pick of images from the natural world Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

The striking feminist art of Louise Bourgeois – in pictures (ven., 22 sept. 2017)
The often provocative work of the French sculptor is being celebrated in a new exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and shines a light on some of her lesser-known print pieces that focus on issues of patriarchy, sexuality and womanhood. Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Here We Are: British photographers document ways of life – in pictures (jeu., 21 sept. 2017)
Here We Are, Burberry’s exhibition of British social and documentary photography, features more than 200 works by, among others, Dafydd Jones, Bill Brandt, Brian Griffin, Shirley Baker, Jane Bown, Martin Parr, Jo Spence and Janette Beckman. The exhibition is divided into themes, and it also showcases important bodies of work by individual photographers. Here, the co-curator Lucy Kumara Moore introduces some highlights from the show. The exhibition is displayed over three floors of the Old Sessions House in Clerkenwell, London, from 18 September to 1 October Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Exotic pet owners of Beijing – in pictures (mer., 20 sept. 2017)
A dramatic rise in owning exotic pets in China is fuelling global demand for threatened species. The growing trade in alligators, snakes, monkeys, crocodiles and spiders is directly linked to species loss in some of the world’s most threatened ecosystems Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Going downtown, the New York subway reaches Delhi - in pictures (mer., 20 sept. 2017)
Art lovers in India will this month have the chance to see panoramic views of New York Subway stations and their passengers, on display as part of the Indian Photography Festival in Hyderabad. Natan Dvir’s series Platforms, is on show until October 8th Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite

Meet South Africa's 'boxing grannies' – in pictures (mer., 20 sept. 2017)
The gogos train with coach Claude Maphosa in twice-weekly sessions. Many claim that they no longer suffer from the ailments they had before and are stronger than ever. Such has been the popularity of the sessions, Maphosa is in the process of planning events in other areas for people who have been inspired by the story to join in Continue reading...
>> Lire la suite