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The Guardian

Nearly 170m under-10s unvaccinated against measles worldwide (jeu., 25 avril 2019)
Figure includes half a million in UK, as Unicef warns the disease could ‘spread like wildfire’ Nearly 170 million children in the world under the age of 10, including half a million in the UK and 2.5 million in the US, are unprotected from measles in the face of growing outbreaks of the disease, Unicef is warning. More than 21 million children a year are not vaccinated against one of the most infectious organisms in existence, says the UN body. Between 2010 and 2017, an estimated 169 million children missed the first of the recommended two-dose regime. Continue reading...
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Iran offers prisoner swap for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
British-Iranian dual national, held in Tehran on espionage charges, could be released Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian dual national being held in a Tehran jail on espionage charges, could be released as part of a prisoner swap, Iran’s foreign minister has said. Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday that he had the authority to make the swap happen, adding it had already been offered in private six months ago to the US. Continue reading...
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Food bank network hands out record 1.6m food parcels in a year (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Trussell Trust tells state not to rely on them and demands changes to UK benefit system ‘I’m at rock bottom’: food banks stretched as hardship bites A record 1.6m emergency food parcels were given out by the Trussell Trust food bank network last year – more than 500,000 of them to children – as benefit cuts, universal credit delays, and rising poverty fuelled the busiest year in the charity’s history. The trust demanded urgent changes to the UK benefit system – including major reforms to universal credit – as it recorded a year-on-year 19% surge in the number of food bags it gave out, the biggest annual increase for five years. Continue reading...
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Runaway Saudi sisters call for 'inhuman' woman-monitoring app to be pulled (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Maha and Wafa al-Subaie called for Absher, which supports male guardianship system, to be removed by Google and Apple Two runaway Saudi sisters on Wednesday urged Apple and Google to pull an “inhuman” app allowing men to monitor and control female relatives’ travel as it helped trap girls in abusive families. Maha and Wafa al-Subaie, who are seeking asylum in Georgia after fleeing their family, said Absher – a government e-services app – was bad for women as it supported Saudi Arabia’s strict male guardian system. Continue reading...
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Sri Lanka told of extremist network months before blasts – sources (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Exclusive: Foreign agencies warned officials of terrorist threat four months ago Sri Lankan authorities were told by foreign security agencies more than four months ago that a network of violent Islamic extremists was active in the country and likely to commit terrorist attacks, regional and western officials have said. The revelation that officials may have known last year about the threat posed by those responsible for the Easter Sunday bombings that killed more than 350 people will fuel outrage at what now appears to be multiple and systematic intelligence failings. Continue reading...
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Theresa May survives attempt to allow early no-confidence vote (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Move to alter Tory party rules fails but backbenchers demand ‘roadmap’ for her departure Theresa May has survived an attempt to change Tory party rules to make it possible to oust her within weeks, but backbench MPs have demanded a “roadmap” for her departure, in a fresh blow to her authority. Amid a growing sense of political paralysis at Westminster, Brexit-backing members of the executive of the powerful 1922 Committee were keen to change the rules that insulate the prime minister from a fresh leadership challenge until December. Continue reading...
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Carlos Ghosn, former Nissan chairman, granted $4.5m bail (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Tokyo court grants bail to senior executive who has branded raft of allegations ‘a conspiracy’ A court in Tokyo has granted bail to Carlos Ghosn, days after prosecutors charged the former Nissan chairman for a fourth time over allegations he misused company funds. Bail was set at 500m yen ($4.5m), according the the Tokyo district court. Continue reading...
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Lyra McKee funeral: politicians urged to seize the moment (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Clerics and relatives hope politicians present will convert shock into moment of change for Northern Ireland Mourners at the funeral of Lyra McKee have implored politicians to turn the journalist’s murder into a turning point for Northern Ireland. Clerics, friends and relatives of McKee issued blunt, impassioned appeals to Theresa May and other party leaders who attended the service in Belfast’s St Anne’s Cathedral on Wednesday, urging them to convert the shock at her killing into a transformative moment. Continue reading...
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Ministers accused of inaction over Northern Ireland abortion rights (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
MPs say government must provide clarity on legal situation for women Ministers must act urgently to address human rights breaches faced by women in Northern Ireland who seek an abortion, according to a damning report from a cross-party committee of MPs. The women and equalities committee accuses the government of failing to tackle challenges identified by a UN committee on women’s rights last year, which found “systematic violations”. Continue reading...
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'She is back!' Fan Bingbing reappears after nearly a year in wilderness (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Actor fined for tax evasion returns to spotlight after months of rumours she had fled China or was in prison The Chinese megastar Fan Bingbing has appeared in public for the first time in almost a year, after a mysterious disappearance from the public eye believed to be linked to charges of tax evasion. Fan, who is one of China’s highest-profile actors, appeared at a Beijing gala on Monday night in honour of iQiyi, a popular video-streaming platform. Continue reading...
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Printing error: Murdoch's Daily Telegraph includes pages from rival Sydney Morning Herald (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Newspaper mix-up leaves rightwing tabloid with positive letters about climate change and need to reform Anzac Day Readers of Rupert Murdoch’s Daily Telegraph were given a dose of more progressive thinking when they woke up this morning with pages from its rival Sydney Morning Herald mysteriously appearing in the tabloid paper. The SMH’s editorial page in which it argued for Anzac Day to evolve must have confused readers of the more conservative Daily Telegraph. But there it was, side by side with the Telegraph’s gossip page, Sydney Confidential. Continue reading...
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A week with Extinction Rebellion – podcast (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Last week, central London was brought to a standstill when thousands of protesters blocked sites including Waterloo Bridge in a ‘climate rebellion’ organised by Extinction Rebellion. The Guardian reporter Damien Gayle has been with the protesters from the start, while Matthew Taylor, the Guardian’s environment correspondent, assesses their demands Today marks the end of Extinction Rebellion’s latest campaign, in which thousands of protesters blocked roads in central London, bringing widespread disruption to the capital. The 10 days of demonstrations resulted in more than 1,000 arrests and helped attract 30,000 new volunteers, and are being described by the group as the biggest acts of civil disobedience in recent British history, far exceeding the expectations of the organisers. The Guardian reporter Damien Gayle has been with the protesters throughout the campaign. He tells India Rakusen about the founders of Extinction Rebellion, the purpose of the demonstrations and what he feels about criticism that the movement is too white and privileged. Continue reading...
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Terror in Sri Lanka – podcast (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
On Easter Sunday, explosions across Sri Lanka killed hundreds of people and wounded many more. As the country reels in shock, Michael Safi describes reporting in the aftermath. Plus: the Guardian’s chief political correspondent, Jessica Elgot, on what to expect from Brexit now parliament is back On Easter Sunday, eight explosions killed more than 321 people in Sri Lanka, including 45 children, and left over 500 wounded. It was among the worst terrorist attacks worldwide since 9/11. The Sri Lankan government has been criticised for a serious security lapse before the suicide bombings, after it was alerted that the terrorist group National Thowheeth Jama’ath was planning to attack churches, but failed to take action against them or pass on the warning. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the bombings, though as yet there is no evidence to back this up. Sri Lanka’s defence minister said it appeared the attacks were in retaliation for the recent mass shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand. Continue reading...
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How the Green New Deal was hatched in a London bar – podcast (Tue, 23 Apr 2019)
In 2007, over a friendly drink, the Guardian’s economics editor, Larry Elliott, came up with a radical plan to address the effects of the financial crisis and climate change. He called it the Green New Deal. Plus: the Guardian’s education correspondent on why schools are going to test four-year-olds • What is the Green New Deal and how would it benefit society? In 2007, Larry Elliott met a friend to discuss the financial crisis. Over the course of the evening, and several drinks, they cooked up the Green New Deal – a plan to deal with the effects of the economic crisis and the threat of climate change. They formed the Green New Deal Group and, though Gordon Brown and Barack Obama briefly flirted with the idea, it did not progress much further. But in 2018, the youngest US congresswoman in history, the Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, picked it up and the idea has been gaining traction ever since. Ocasio-Cortez’s plan mixes old and new. She wants a living-wage job for anyone who wants one; universal healthcare; and basic income programmes as part of a “detailed national, industrial, economic mobilisation plan” that would ensure the US is powered by 100% renewable electricity, and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing, agriculture and other industries. Continue reading...
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Belt and Road forum: China's 'project of the century' hits tough times (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Raft of countries including Turkey have refused to attend latest summit amid growing concern about debt diplomacy As China fetes its Belt and Road initiative at a summit this week, Chinese officials will be working hard to defend the flagship project from growing international criticism. The three-day forum starting on Thursday is meant to promote Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s “project of the century”, a foreign policy initiative launched in 2013 to revive ancient trading routes between Asia and Europe, as well as build new links in the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Continue reading...
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The library of things: could borrowing everything from drills to disco balls cut waste and save money? (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Never mind books: in a slightly tatty block in Oxford you can borrow all the things that usually cost a fortune to hire – and its advocates say it’s a scheme that is about to conquer the world Aristotle House in Oxford is not as grand as it sounds. A commercial block built by the canal in the 1960s, it is no longer fit for paying tenants, so its owner, Wadham College, allows a group of social enterprises to stay there, like official squatters. And there’s evidence of their enterprise everywhere outside, from the drop-box for returning poetry books, to the compost heaps built from old pallets, and the young Victoria plum tree blossoming in a pot by the door. Inside, for those who know about it, is the Oxford library of things. It sounds like the setting for a Philip Pullman novel, and represents a vision of humanity that’s nearly as fantastical – an idea so simple and so brilliant that, the first time you hear it, you wonder why it hasn’t conquered the world already. Then you wonder if it’s just about to. Imagine you have a grimy old picnic table that needs sanding after a winter in the garden. Or you want to host a Eurovision party, but your TV is too small for everyone to see. Commercially renting a belt sander for the weekend costs about £40, and a projector much more, so unless you’re on good terms with a well-equipped neighbour, you either spend money on a device you will hardly use, or you give up. But what if someone volunteered to be that neighbour, as people now have in Frome, Crystal Palace, Stirling, Edinburgh, Totnes, Oxford and in growing numbers around the world? If they could just gather a collection of extremely, but only occasionally, useful items, and find a place to keep them, there would be no need for everyone else to buy their own. Even paying a small fee to cover costs, we would save money, and space in our homes, and the benefits to the environment in waste prevented would be enormous. Indeed, as you browse for Oxford’s belt sander (£8 a week) and projector (£10 a night), you might decide, while you’re at it, to borrow a pressure washer for the patio (£10 a day), and add a disco ball (£5 a week) and chocolate fountain (ditto) for the party. You’ll live a cheaper, cleaner, more enjoyable and more sustainable life. Continue reading...
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'A beacon for Northern Ireland': Lyra McKee, remembered by Sinéad Gleeson (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
The Irish author reflects on the life of the journalist murdered in Derry On Tuesday, I gathered with a crowd in Dublin at a vigil for Lyra McKee organised by the National Union of Journalists. The meeting point was the Garden of Remembrance, a site frequently used for the commemoration of political and social causes. Over the decades, it has also become a known starting point for many public marches across the activist spectrum, from housing and homelessness, to causes that Lyra herself had been vocal about: LGBT rights and the need for free, safe and legal abortion (still illegal in Northern Ireland). Down the hill, on O’Connell Street, is the former site of Nelson’s Pillar, blown up in 1966 by a small group of dissidents who had been been expelled from the IRA. And now in 2019, a different sect of republican dissidents in Derry shot Lyra in the head with a single bullet. Standing in the warm spring sun, no one was thinking of those cowards. The crowd were united in their grief for Lyra, her partner Sara, her family and friends. I thought about the beacon she was for so many in the North – young and old, LGBT people, those weary of politics and conflict, of sectarianism and bigotry. Carrying pictures of Lyra and candles, we walked to the Hugh Lane Gallery around the corner. Sections from Suicide of the Ceasefire Babies and A Letter to My 14-Year-Old Self – articles that had made Lyra’s name as an outspoken journalist – were read out. Many people wept silently. Continue reading...
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REM's Michael Stipe on his 37,000 photos – of stars, lovers and Kurt Cobain's hands (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Photography has been a lifelong passion for the singer. He talks us through his finest shots, from a sleeping River Phoenix to ‘his queer grandfather’ William Burroughs ‘It was dismissed as a hobby, which was a bit diminishing,” says Michael Stipe. “It meant a lot more to me than that.” He’s talking about his photography and the way the media ignored it during his time as the frontman of REM. There is, admittedly, something amusing about his gripe: there he was, playing shows to packed stadiums, helping to write generational anthems and singing them with a voice as beguiling as pop has produced – and nobody wanted to talk about his photos! Continue reading...
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Names in the frame to be Bank of England governor (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
From Raghuram Rajan to Janet Yellen or Andy Haldane, who is in the running to succeed Mark Carney? As the chancellor begins the search for a new Bank of England governor to succeed Mark Carney, here are some of the potential runners and riders. Continue reading...
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Scientists create decoder to turn brain activity into speech (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Technology could in effect give voice back to people with conditions such as Parkinson’s Scientists have developed a decoder that can translate brain activity directly into speech. In future the brain-machine interface could restore speech to people who have lost their voice through paralysis and conditions such as throat cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease. Continue reading...
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PMQs understudies shine as MPs suffer collective brain fade (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
David Lidington very capably reassured MPs that ministers had no immediate plans to do anything With Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn in Belfast for the funeral of Lyra McKee, prime minister’s questions was left in the more-than-capable hands of their regular understudies. And for the most part May’s de facto deputy, David Lidington, and the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, were heard in near silence. Partly as a mark of respect following the terror attacks in Sri Lanka and the shooting of McKee, and partly because it was such a treat to hear two articulate politicians, who actually made an effort to engage with one another’s arguments. But mainly because parliament is in the middle of a collective brain fade. MPs are vaguely aware there is a national crisis but have no real idea how to resolve it. So they just sit around taking industrial quantities of drugs and staring at the ceiling while grinning sheepishly. Continue reading...
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Helvetica Now: why the Marmite of fonts was redesigned (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
The love-it-or-hate-it typeface has been given an update to help it survive the internet age There aren’t many typefaces as well-known or divisive as Helvetica. “Lots of people love it. Lots of people hate it. I love it and hate it at the same time,” says Jop van Bennekom, the creative director and co-founder of Fantastic Man magazine. Originally developed by the Swiss designer Max Miedinger with Eduard Hoffmann in 1957, the font has been the subject of a MoMa exhibition and a documentary, and was the typeface of choice for many designers, among them Hedi Slimane. But that Marmite response the font provokes could be about to change, with Helvetica Now: a redesign to help it survive in the internet age. Continue reading...
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The Euro candidates have achieved the impossible – turned me into a Brexiteer (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
That Celebrity Big Brother contestant Ann Widdecombe isn’t the UK’s strangest prospective MEP speaks volumes After a glorious Easter bank holiday weekend, this week has seen political parties announce their candidate lists for the European parliamentary elections. And oh boy, some of them resemble a police lineup where the crime is an am-dram group’s adaptation of Carry on Screaming!. Let us begin with – I’m so sorry – the Brexit Party. Last seen in the “Celebrity” Big Brother house and being repeatedly dragged across a dancefloor on Strictly Come Dancing is Ann Widdecombe. Continue reading...
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The NHS is a huge employer of women – I want it to be one of the best as well | Matt Hancock (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
More family-friendly practices, greater gender equality and a culture that supports diversity will make the NHS better for all • Matt Hancock is a Conservative MP and the secretary of state for health From the days of Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole to our chief medical officer for England, Professor Dame Sally Davies, women have played an integral part in the story of modern healthcare. Today, around 1 million female employees work for the NHS, making it one of the single biggest employers of women in the world. Without them, the NHS would be nothing. Related: NHS must close gender gaps and prioritise staff wellbeing - Hancock Continue reading...
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Martin Rowson on Ann Widdecombe standing for the Brexit party – cartoon (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
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The Guardian view on Huawei: if May wants to trust, we must keep verifying | Editorial (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
The Chinese telecoms firm has won favour for cheap and sophisticated gear. But its participation in Britain’s 5G network demands the closest scrutiny Sweeping narratives can soon take hold, even if critics are already pointing to their holes. In the 1990s, two such theses quickly took root. The first was that liberal democracy had triumphed. The second was that technology would inevitably bring liberation; Bill Clinton quipped, in reference to China, that trying to control the internet would be like nailing jello to the wall. Beijing proved both wrong, helping to spell an end to the end of history, and demonstrating – ever more enthusiastically – that technology’s transformative powers can not only be curbed, but harnessed to the forces of repression. In these gloomier times, the threat that technology will lead not to freedom but to surveillance, control or disruption from authoritarian adversaries has greater resonance – and more supporting evidence. The Trump administration has been pressing its allies to ban the Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei from participating in their 5G networks, arguing that it could be used by the Chinese state for spying or even attacks upon democratic nations. Huawei insists it has been traduced, is independent of the Chinese state and would ever compromise a client. Continue reading...
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At Easter I had a fall. The wild garlic smelled lovely, but I didn’t want to die there (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
There I was, striding across the Gower Peninsula on my way to mass when a rotten stile left me bleeding and shaken It’s well known that once you pass a certain age, falling over requires a noun rather than a verb. And on Easter Sunday, I had a fall. For one reason and another, I had been feeling overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, so I rummaged around in my Roman Catholic bag of tricks and pulled out the trusty old hair shirt. I was staying on the southern tip of the Gower Peninsula in south Wales and resolved to walk 17 miles to St David’s Priory church in Swansea for that evening’s Easter mass. That should sort me out, I reasoned. For added difficulty, I would not take the obvious coastal route: no, I would proceed along Cefn Bryn, the ancient ridge in the middle of the peninsula known as the backbone of Gower. That would show the Almighty my mettle, and no mistake. Then it would be steeply down into wooded valleys and up and over commons and moorland to Swansea. Continue reading...
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Hammond must seek answers from Bank of England hopefuls | Larry Elliott (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
With plenty of suitable candidates for governor, the chancellor needs to ask them the right questions Picture the scene. It is high summer at the UK Treasury. Outside in St James’s Park, the tourists are feeding the ducks but inside a selection panel is interviewing a shortlist of candidates to be the next governor of the Bank of England. Attracting suitable candidates has not been a problem. The headhunters have found plenty of people to fit the job description: a person of the highest calibre respected in the highest echelons of central banking. A shortlist of three names has been drawn up. Continue reading...
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Leroy Sané fires Manchester City past United to tip scales in title race (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Every season there is always one game in the title race when the team who are going to win the Premier League know it is going to be their year. One game when everything turns in their favour, all the hard work comes together and the supporters can think it is going to be a season to cherish. For Manchester City, was this that night? It certainly felt that way even if they still have to negotiate a tricky assignment at Burnley on Sunday before closing their season with a home game against Leicester and a trip to Brighton. City have made it 11 league wins in a row and if they can extend that sequence to 14 there will be nothing Liverpool, in second place, can do about it. No wonder there was such jubilation at the final whistle from the players in blue. Continue reading...
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Haile Gebrselassie hits back at Mo Farah, citing his ‘disgraceful conduct’ at Ethiopia hotel (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
• ‘Bill was unpaid and Farah attacked an athlete in gym’ • Farah claimed money and watch were stolen at Ethiopian’s hotel A war of words has broken out between Sir Mo Farah and Haile Gebrselassie after Farah publicly accused the Ethiopian legend of ignoring his pleas for help following a theft at his Addis Ababa hotel last month. Related: Eliud Kipchoge relishing prospect of taking on Mo Farah in London Marathon Continue reading...
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Diogo Jota-inspired Wolves deal fresh blow to Arsenal’s top-four hopes (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
The script has become a familiar one in this part of the Black Country, yet Arsenal played as though they never knew what was coming. Wolves, who have been so impressive against the Premier League’s top six this season, added another scalp to their collection with a resounding win that raises major questions about Arsenal’s ability to secure a top-four finish. Inspired by the outstanding Diogo Jota, who would later leave the field to a standing ovation, Wolves tore Arsenal apart during a devastating 19-minute spell in the first half that yielded all three goals. Ruben Neves scored the first with a glorious free-kick, Matt Doherty headed in the second and Jota dispatched the third on the stroke of half-time. Continue reading...
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Rob Baxter warns Exeter players over social media dangers (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
• Coach speaks after Folau and Billy Vunipola’s Instagram posts • Baxter warns players of ‘making a statement about yourself’ Exeter’s director of rugby, Rob Baxter, has reminded his players about their responsibilities on social media in the wake of controversies surrounding Israel Folau and Billy Vunipola. Folau is set for a code of conduct hearing early next month after an Instagram post that warned “hell awaits” for “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists [and] idolaters”. If unsuccessful, the Australia full-back faces the sack. Continue reading...
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Paralympics GB stunned after Yokohama hotels demand payment for accessibility (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
• Paralympics GB team hit with ‘huge headache’ for training camp • Senior figure says hotels have shown a ‘total lack of interest’ British Paralympic officials say they were left stunned when hotels near their training camp for the 2020 Games demanded they pay to make rooms accessible for wheelchair athletes – and then pay again to convert them back afterwards. One senior figure said there had been a “total lack of interest” from hotels they had contacted in Yokohama when it came to helping the British Paralympic team, who will make their final preparations in the city for Tokyo 2020. Another source said the problem had been a “huge headache” for more than 18 months. Continue reading...
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Somerset see off Sussex after rain curtails James Hildreth’s big day (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
• Derbyshire manage last-ball win against Leicestershire • Lancashire sink Northants thanks to Hameed and Jennings Somerset made it three wins out of three in the Royal London Cup after beating the previously undefeated Sussex by 68 runs on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern at Hove. Chasing 283 for eight, Sussex were 62 for four from 16.3 overs when rain arrived at 4pm. Somerset’s win was set up by solid contributions from Azhar Ali (68), James Hildreth (81) and Lewis Gregory (50). Continue reading...
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Judd Trump wins final-frame thriller but Mark Allen suffers Crucible exit (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
• Trump fights back from 6-3 down to win 10-9 • World No 6 Allen beaten 10-7 by Zhou Yuelong Judd Trump survived a final-frame decider as the world No 6 Mark Allen joined Ronnie O’Sullivan in making a first-round exit at the world championship in Sheffield. Trump recovered from 6-3 down overnight and held his nerve to produce a break of 53 in the last frame to edge past Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 10-9 at the Crucible. Continue reading...
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Women's World Cup: former England players on the threat of Scotland (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Avoid the hype and Phil Neville’s side can contend in France, say Rachel Yankey and Kelly Smith With almost 250 England caps and a staggering 38 domestic trophies between them, Kelly Smith and Rachel Yankey know the women’s game in England like few others. Neither, though, was able to get her hands on the World Cup trophy, which they stood tantalisingly close to for photos in front of the Brighton Pavilion this week. Making its way around the 24 nations competing in the World Cup finals this summer in France, the trophy was on the south coast four days before Arsenal have the opportunity to clinch their first title in seven years at the Amex Stadium against Hope Powell’s Brighton. The Lionesses will play their World Cup send-off match at the same stadium against New Zealand on 1 June. Continue reading...
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Plastic in paradise: the battle for the Galápagos Islands' future – video (Wed, 03 Apr 2019)
The Galápagos Islands are supposedly one of the most pristine locations on the planet, but plastic pollution arriving by sea is threatening this unique habitat and wildlife. Leah Green travels to the islands to see how our reliance on plastic is affecting even the most remote of locations, and to see how the archipelago is hoping to lead the worldwide fight against plastic Continue reading...
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The Greta Thunberg effect: her activism in London in two minutes - video (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Teen activist Greta Thunberg spent the Easter weekend in the UK and joined Extinction Rebellion protesters in London. She also took part in a Guardian Live event and told audiences that the world was facing an 'existential crisis' and movements such as Extinction Rebellion are putting crucial pressure on governments to act. She also took her message to the heart of power in Westminster, and prompted politicians to declare contrition for their failure to act.  The recent surge of demands for more ambition – on the streets, from the Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, and from David Attenborough – have helped to amplify the message that Greta and others are stressing with their climate strikes. The big test on this will come on 2 May, when the Committee on Climate Change announces the results of a review of the UK’s targets, including when the country should aim to reach net zero emissions The Greta Thunberg effect: at last, MPs focus on climate change Continue reading...
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The highs and lows of impersonating Boris Johnson – video (Mon, 15 Apr 2019)
Drew Galdron has been impersonating the Conservative politician for 11 years. His recent focus has been on campaigning against Brexit, but with Johnson tipped as a Tory leadership contender, is his life about to get even busier?  Watch more of Fake BoJo here  Continue reading...
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Extinction Rebellion: a week of protest in three minutes – video (Tue, 23 Apr 2019)
More than 1,000 people have been arrested in the past week while taking part in the biggest civil disobedience event in recent British history – a campaign of mass non-violent direct action orchestrated by the group Extinction Rebellion to highlight how little time the world has left to halt manmade environmental breakdown. The group started its protest on 15 April, stopping traffic at Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Waterloo Bridge and the area around Parliament Square, and has continued to occupy sites across the capital alongside smaller protests around the UK Continue reading...
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Why your memories can't be trusted – video (Thu, 14 Mar 2019)
Memory does not work like a video tape – it is not stored like a file just waiting to be retrieved. Instead, memories are formed in networks across the brain and every time they are recalled they can be subtly changed. So if these memories are changeable, how much should we trust them? With experts Dr Julia Shaw and Prof Elizabeth Loftus, the Guardian's Max Sanderson explores the mysterious world of human memory, how false memories can be implanted – and how this can be harnessed for good and ill Continue reading...
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'If this is what it takes': London​ reacts to the Extinction Rebellion ​'shutdown' – video (Wed, 17 Apr 2019)
As thousands of protesters use roadblocks and glue to paralyse parts of central London, the Guardian's Bruno Rinvolucri finds out how the public and the police are reacting to the disruption. Demonstrators have taken part in civil disobedience protests, blockading four landmarks in the capital in an attempt to force the government to take action on the escalating climate crisis Extinction Rebellion keep control of major London sites into a third day Continue reading...
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Why can’t I sleep? My mission to understand insomnia – video (Thu, 11 Apr 2019)
Millions of people in the UK have trouble sleeping, and Guardian reporter Leah Green is one of them. Like many insomniacs, she has tried all the home remedies, sleep hygiene techniques and gadgets designed to cure her sleep problems. She finds out why it is so difficult to conquer insomnia, and why good treatment is so hard to come by For more information about treating insomnia: NHS advice Digital access to CBT-I treatment - Sleepio  Continue reading...
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Brexit breakdown: affluence, decay and fury in the Tory heartlands – video (Tue, 09 Apr 2019)
As Tory tensions over leaving the EU continue to grow, John Harris and John Domokos take a trip through the Conservatives' Thames valley heartlands, starting in Theresa May's backyard. It's all there: unbelievable opulence, social decay and a bitter clash between a neighbouring remainer Tory MP and the hardcore local leavers who claim he is a 'traitor'  Continue reading...
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'People don't even look at me': eight black women discuss politics of light and dark skin – video (Mon, 08 Apr 2019)
As part of our Shades of Black series, we invited eight women to talk about their experience of colorism in their relationships, careers and everyday life.  Colorism is the discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone. This means that darker-skinned black people have to fight prejudice even within their own community, where lighter skin is seen as more desirable. As such, darker-skinned black people can experience both racism and colorism. Have you experienced colorism? Share your story here Continue reading...
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Funeral poverty: one woman's battle to pay for her son's burial – video (Wed, 10 Apr 2019)
One suddenly bereaved mother, already in debt, has to find thousands of pounds to pay for her son's funeral. The funeral business is an unregulated industry, with providers criticised for taking advantage of vulnerable, grieving families, who can then feel obliged to pay large sums of money for an appropriate goodbye.  Across the UK the average funeral cost stands at £4,271, having risen 122% since 2004. The Guardian’s Richard Sprenger reports With thanks to Down to Earth, Quaker Social Action Continue reading...
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Tory MPs seek to overturn May's Huawei supply decision (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Plans to encourage candidates in any leadership contest to ban ‘non-core’ 5G equipment Some Conservative MPs are hoping to overturn Theresa May’s decision to allow the Chinese telecoms firm Huawei to supply some “non-core” equipment for 5G mobile phone networks by persuading any future party leader to consider a blanket ban. The decision was taken in principle by May and other senior ministers at a meeting of the cabinet’s national security council (NSC) on Tuesday afternoon, and leaked that evening amid cabinet unrest over the issue, to the frustration of Downing Street. Continue reading...
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Man arrested after teenager stabbed to death in Birmingham (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Police hold 19-year-old on suspicion of murder after 18-year-old stabbed in Harborne Detectives have launched a murder investigation after a teenager was stabbed to death in south-west Birmingham. Police were called by paramedics treating an 18-year-old man for serious injuries on Tennal Road, Harborne, at 7.15pm. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after. Continue reading...
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Curbing pensioner benefits could help the young, says report (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Lords committee calls for free TV licences for over-75s and other perks to be scrapped Free TV licences for over-75s should be scrapped, the age threshold for free bus passes raised and the triple-lock on pensions abolished to close the widening gap between young and old in Britain, according to a Lords report. The House of Lords committee on intergenerational fairness and provision said it was time to rebalance government policy in favour of the young, to remove the risk of the social bonds between generations fraying further. Continue reading...
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NHS must close gender gaps and prioritise staff wellbeing - Hancock (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Health secretary urges more flexible working while promising to boost staff numbers Matt Hancock has said the NHS must end the gender pay gap and overhaul its working culture to free doctors from punishing shift uncertainty, in a speech that will burnish the Conservative leadership hopeful’s liberal credentials. The health secretary called for the NHS to have “a more caring and compassionate culture” towards its own staff, speaking of his shock at the story of one doctor who worked long shifts while going through a severe and traumatic miscarriage. Continue reading...
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Sturgeon outlines new Scottish independence referendum plans (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Announcing legislation, first minister says vote must be held by May 2021 if Brexit proceeds Nicola Sturgeon is to introduce new legislation to stage a second Scottish independence referendum, claiming one must be held by May 2021 if Brexit goes ahead. The first minister said Brexit would have such a catastrophic impact on Scotland’s economy and Westminster’s approach to it had been so chaotic that Scottish voters must have the option to choose independence. Continue reading...
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Climate change and sexual harassment top list of girls' concerns (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Young women and girls also worry about bullying and gender stereotypes, research finds Climate change and tackling sexual harassment are the biggest concerns for girls and young women, a major research project has found. The consultation with 76,000 girls and young women aged from four to 25 in the UK by the Girlguiding organisation, also found bullying, gender stereotypes and pressures to look a certain way were among primary concerns. Continue reading...
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UK growth likely to rise above 1.5% next year, says thinktank (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Plans to ease austerity slightly over next five years are not believable, according to NIESR Britain’s growth rate will bounce back above 1.5% next year as ministers exceed existing public spending budgets to cope with an ageing population, a leading thinktank has said. The National Institute for Social & Economic Research (NIESR) said plans to ease austerity only slightly over the next five years were “unbelievable”. It added that government spending would almost certainly need to increase by more than expected in the next few years, increasing the UK’s GDP growth. Continue reading...
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Call to scrap visa fees for Commonwealth veterans of UK forces (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Cross-party group asks Home Office to act as family of four face costs of almost £10,000 MPs have demanded that the Home Office abolish visa fees for Commonwealth soldiers who have served in the British armed forces but can end up paying almost £10,000 for a family of four to settle in the UK. A cross-party group of more than 130 MPs, coordinated by the Conservative Richard Graham and Labour’s Madeleine Moon, have written to the home secretary, Sajid Javid, calling for the fees to be scrapped. Continue reading...
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Donald Trump repeats unproven claims of GCHQ spying (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
GCHQ says US president’s claim that it spied on his election campaign is ‘utterly ridiculous’ Donald Trump has repeated unproven and unverified accusations that British intelligence agencies spied on his election campaign, just a day after the UK confirmed he had been invited to London on a state visit to meet the Queen. The tweet also prompted GCHQ to reiterate that the US president’s claims were “utterly ridiculous”, although the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, maintained that the “special relationship” remained intact. Continue reading...
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Police seize 'super obedient' lookout parrot trained by Brazilian drug dealers (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Bird was taught to alert criminals to officers’ presence, according to reports: ‘As soon as the police got close he started shouting’ A parrot has been taken into custody in northern Brazil following a police raid targeting crack dealers. According to reports in the Brazilian press, the bird had been taught to alert criminals to police operations in Vila Irmã Dulce, a low-income community in the sun-scorched capital of Piauí state, by shouting: “Mum, the police!” Continue reading...
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Facebook expects FTC fine of up to $5bn in privacy investigation (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Company makes revelation in financial reports showing first-quarter revenue growth to more than $15bn Facebook is expecting to pay as much as $5bn to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), it revealed in first quarter financial reports, which otherwise showed continued revenue growth to more than $15bn for the first three months of the year. Facebook recorded a $3bn legal expense “in connection with the inquiry of the FTC into our platform and user data practices”, the company said. The expenses result in a 51% year-over-year decline in net income, to just $2.4bn. Absent this one-time expense, the company noted, Facebook’s earnings per share would have beaten analyst expectations, and its operating margin (22%) would have been 20 points higher. Continue reading...
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R Kelly sexual abuse accuser wins civil case after singer fails to appear in court (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Judge in Chicago enters default ruling against Kelly, 52, after he did not respond to woman’s lawsuit and missed court hearing A woman who accused R Kelly of sexual abuse has won a civil case by default against the singer, after he failed to respond to her lawsuit and was a no-show in court. The woman, who accused Kelly of repeatedly having sex with her when she was 16, filed the case in Chicago in February, a day before Kelly was arrested on 10 charges of sexual abuse. Continue reading...
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Rotten eggs: e-waste from Europe poisons Ghana's food chain (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Toxins from old computers, fridges and other electronic goods are polluting chicken eggs in an area where 80,000 people live Some of the most hazardous chemicals on Earth are entering the food chain in Ghana from illegally disposed electronic waste coming from Europe. According to a new report by two environmental groups tracking the disposal of e-waste, chicken eggs from the Agbogbloshie slum in Ghana’s capital, Accra – where residents break up waste to recover metals – contain dangerous levels of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), among other harmful substances. Continue reading...
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Tesla earnings: company posts surprisingly large losses in delayed report (Thu, 25 Apr 2019)
Firm reveals losses of $2.90 a share after waiting more than an hour after markets close Tesla posted larger-than-expected losses in its first-quarter earnings report, as the company struggles with production rates and was forced to raise prices on a number of its cars. The electric carmaker reported a loss of $2.90 a share in its filing, weaker than the $1.30 loss a share experts were expecting. The company’s stock closed out the day at $258.66 a share and prices fluctuated wildly in after hours trading. Continue reading...
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Russia tests Ukraine's new president with passports for breakaway regions (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Decree issued by Moscow causes anger in Kyiv and will be challenge for Volodymyr Zelenskiy Vladimir Putin has swiftly moved to test Ukraine’s new president-elect, signing a law that could allow millions of Ukrainians living in breakaway regions of south-east Ukraine to receive Russian passports. The provocative decision came just three days after the 41-year-old Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comedian with no political experience, won a landslide victory in presidential elections. The Kremlin has not yet congratulated Zelenskiy or officially recognised the election result. Continue reading...
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Boeing: global grounding of 737 Max will cost company more than $1bn (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Plane-maker says it’s abandoned 2019 financial outlook and halted share buybacks in mid-March as it deals with crisis The global grounding of Boeing’s 737 Max jets will cost the company more than $1bn, the company said on Wednesday. The jets were grounded after two fatal crashes that killed 346 people, triggering investigations into the accidents across the world and engulfing Boeing in one of the biggest crises in its history. Continue reading...
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Anonymous comes to town: the hackers who took on high school sexual assault in Ohio – documentary (Thu, 18 Apr 2019)
The sleepy rustbelt town of Steubenville, Ohio, was once best known for high school sports and as the birthplace of Dean Martin. But when a teen sexual assault committed by two members of the football team surfaced, the shadowy hacker group Anonymous caught wind of the story and decided to intervene. After publishing videos and social media from the night of the assault to their millions of online followers, they sparked viral outrage and demands for #JusticeforJaneDoe. They unleashed a passionate mob and their actions divided the small town, but in the process gave strength to generations of women forced to hide abuse. This film asks, when it seems like nothing will change, when is it OK for outsiders to intervene? Continue reading...
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'Let them roar': West End stages first baby-friendly performance (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Vaudeville theatre claims to break new ground in London with parent and baby showing of hit play Emilia Cliche has it that matinee audiences are full of snoring older people. But it was infants who were snoozing – and gurgling, screaming and playing peekaboo – at the Vaudeville theatre in the Strand on Wednesday afternoon. They were assembled for what is thought to be a first for London’s West End: a baby-friendly performance. Bottle warmers and rows of changing mats were installed in the bars as part of the pioneering initiative for the hit play Emilia. Parents and carers were invited to bring children under 12 months old and “let them roar” during Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s feminist drama about the supposed “dark lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets, Emilia Bassano. Continue reading...
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Diary of explorer David Livingstone's African attendant published (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Jacob Wainwright’s diary is only handwritten witness account of missionary’s death The diary of an African attendant on the Scottish explorer David Livingstone’s final journey into the continent has been published online, containing the only handwritten witness account of the the Victorian missionary’s death in 1873. The manuscript was written by Jacob Wainwright, a member of the Yao ethnic group from east Africa and the only African pallbearer at the explorer’s funeral in Westminster Abbey in 1874. Continue reading...
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Ted Kelsey, Archers actor who played Joe Grundy, dies (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Actor, 88, credited with giving ‘one of the great performances in the history of British radio’ Edward Kelsey, who played Joe Grundy on The Archers from 1985, has died at the age of 88. The actor, known as Ted, has been remembered for his “insatiably curious mind” and love of “lively conversation, good company and a great storyline” on the BBC Radio 4 soap. Continue reading...
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Beyoncé's father producing Destiny's Child musical – told from his perspective (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Matthew Knowles said he wants to ‘give the world an opportunity to hear, see and feel the victories and failures’ Matthew Knowles, co-creator, former manager of Destiny’s Child and father of Beyoncé, is producing a musical about the R&B group. Best known as the trio comprising Beyoncé, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, the Houston band sang of being independent women who warned men not to expect relationships on their terms, making it somewhat surprising that Knowles’s musical will be told from his perspective. “I want to pull back the curtain,” Knowles said in a press release. “I feel it’s time to give the world an opportunity to hear, see and feel the victories and failures that I’ve had as a husband, father and manager who risked everything in pursuit of fulfilling dreams – those of mine and others.” Continue reading...
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Other People’s Money review – good capitalism goes to war with greed (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Southwark Playhouse, LondonUnfettered excess and predatory humour combine in a timely reflection on big business Jerry Sterner’s play about Wall Street avarice first opened off-Broadway two years after the stock market crash of 1987 and soon became a film starring Gregory Peck and Danny DeVito. Revived in our age of economic collapse and austerity, it is a timely rumination on the amorality of unfettered free-market capitalism. The plot pits Andrew Jorgenson, the patriarch of a family-run firm on Rhode Island, against Larry the Liquidator, a corporate raider from New York who seeks to make a profit from other people’s failing assets. “There’s an important story that needs to be told,” says William (Mark Rose), an employee at Jorgenson’s wire and cable firm, who is also our narrator. “It’s about loyalty, friendship, tradition and of course, money. Lots of money.” Continue reading...
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The Dig review – a hole lot of buried rage (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
An Irish bog consumes two men seeking revenge and redemption, in Ryan and Andy Tohill’s tense thriller Twins Ryan and Andy Tohill’s distinctive homecoming parable, further proof of Irish cinema’s resurgent boldness and versatility, finds a striking visual metaphor for the emotional labours required to find peace of mind nowadays. In the prologue’s teachable example of show-don’t-tell film-making, rough-hewn, edgy Ronan (Moe Dunford) returns to the boarded-up farmhouse he once called home with an apparent eye to starting afresh. An obstacle to the quiet life soon emerges, in the form of a crumpled older man, Sean (Lorcan Cranitch), observed digging up the adjoining peat bog. Why his quest agitates the prodigal farmhand is but gradually revealed; yet with admirable economy the Tohills and screenwriter Stuart Drennan establish a stand-off between men in small, dark holes who have sublimated all feeling into obsessive, possibly futile activity. Certain shots framing these worker ants against the horizon reminded this viewer of Philip Haas’s underseen film of Paul Auster’s The Music of Chance, which set two disparate drifters to assembling a stone wall on an eccentric recluse’s estate. Yet the Tohills’ antagonists aren’t building but excavating, dragging themselves towards early or shallow graves; the idea of a long-buried past resurfacing in the Irish present carries a renewed resonance. Below the film’s mournful top layer, there lurks a simmering, suppressed violence. We fear relations between this pair will only deteriorate if either party finds what they’re looking for; and while Sean’s daughter Roberta initially holds out some prospect of escaping these ruts, tending Ronan’s calluses and keeping a lid on his rage, Emily Taaffe’s portrayal gives even this prospective peacemaker her own flinty secrets. Continue reading...
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Solo saving: tips from a twentysomething on living within a budget (Mon, 04 Mar 2019)
Berkshire-based Ruth Young bought her first property in 2018 in her mid-20s. Here, she shares how she stays on top of money, the mortgage and managing bills Ruth Young, 26, is a marketing manager in Newbury, Berkshire. She bought her first home, a two-bedroom apartment at Newbury racecourse, through the national shared ownership scheme just over a year ago. I have a relaxed, yet healthy, approach to money. I know when to treat myself and when to be more frivolous, but I also know what I can afford and when I should put the debit card away. It hasn’t always been this way. A few years ago I was scared to even look at my bank balance and would try to avoid it at all costs, until I decided to get on top of things. Just knowing what my bank balance was has made a big difference. Continue reading...
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Nine apps to help simplify adult life (Thu, 17 Jan 2019)
It can be difficult to cope with modern living without some support. From personal organisation to keeping fit and healthy, these apps will help make your world run more smoothly Todoist todoist.comSimple to use and clearly designed, Todoist is your pocket PA, organising and scheduling multiple tasks, tracking and prioritising as you go. Add, complete, reschedule with drag-and-drop and set due dates. Organise lists according to colour or prioritise by subprojects and subtasks and earn karma points for ploughing through it all. Sorted. Available for iOS and Android Continue reading...
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10 simple signs that you’ve turned into a responsible adult (Thu, 17 Jan 2019)
Being a child meant no responsibilities. Being adolescent meant ignoring them. But now that you’re a grownup, there’s no running away. Thankfully, there are 10 simple ways to show you’re tackling adulthood like a pro RecyclingThere was a time when all your rubbish went into one bin. Not any more. Now it’s a military operation – food, paper, cardboard, bottles and plastic all need to be separated and placed in specific colour-coded containers. But you’re well-drilled, you know the weekly collection rota and you have all the rubbish out the night before. You’ve nailed it. Weekly shopsNo more grazing on sweets in corner shops or picking up a ready meal on the way home from work. You climb in the car on Saturday mornings and drive to a supermarket on the outskirts of town and buy enough groceries to last you all week, resulting in a three-figure bill. Or you order it all online and have it delivered. But it still takes one simple thing that demonstrates you’re an adult: forward planning. Continue reading...
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Eight simple life hacks for easier everyday organisation (Thu, 17 Jan 2019)
Do you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of responsibilities? Save time, stress and money with these tips on how to simplify life admin Mundane personal jobs such as making appointments, managing bills or cooking are a necessary part of life, but every day these tasks eat into our precious free time. What if there were a few simple ways to cut down the time and effort spent on these while saving money? We take a look at some of the best ways to approach life admin so it becomes less of a chore. Tackling admin with mini blasts of productivityDealing with household chores is best done in short bursts. Setting a 15-minute timer or taking the opportunity to dust the TV while the kettle boils can help add a few extra moments in the day. Using apps such as Wunderlist – which allows users to categorise certain tasks – is a handy way to keep track of everything that needs to be done. Or there’s always the option to delegate. Sign up to Airtasker and have someone come by to move a couch, fix a dodgy light or mow your lawn while you get on with your day. Continue reading...
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Why you should turn your lawn into a meadow (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Most lawns are biodiversity deserts, but there is a simple way to encourage nature – and you don’t even have to ditch the mower My garden sings its own song. It starts after the dawn chorus with the honeybees, followed by the heavier buzz of the bumbles, punctuated by the hoverflies’ higher pitch. You can even sometimes hear the rustle and creak of beetles as evening comes. To lie among it, eyes closed, is to hear something exquisite. My garden sings this song because it is allowed to. I have long been a proponent of neglecting lawns to nurture nature, as Margaret Renkl recently made the case for in the New York Times – and there isn’t a manicured strip of green that doesn’t ache to do the same. Continue reading...
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Trump is visiting Britain – at least we can enjoy Melania’s contempt (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
From the Queen to the First Lady, leave it to the women around the president to send messages about their true feelings towards the giant man-baby So, Donald Trump is coming back to the UK. What should we expect, style-wise?Caroline, by email Re-inflate the orange blimp, the human orange blimp is coming back. This June, to be precise, for his first official UK state visit, as opposed to his last visit which was – amusingly, adorably – described as “a working visit”, which is like when I tell my toddlers how helpful they are when they unload the dishwasher by putting all the cutlery in the bin. Last summer, if you remember – and who could forget – Trump spent his four days in Britain alternately hiding from and grumping about the British people who seemed less than enthusiastic about his visit. He managed to be a dick even to the Queen, barging ahead of the 93-year-old woman as she valiantly attempted to humour the giant man-baby on walkabouts around Windsor. But the Queen might, or might not, have had her revenge, possibly-allegedly-maybe sending coded messages through the medium of her brooches to communicate her distaste for this man even other Americans refer to as “that vulgar American”. It was a headily exciting time for us all, and cost the UK tax payer a mere £18m for the joy. Ma’am, we are keenly awaiting your brooch messages. Red for emergency, orange for double emergency. Continue reading...
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Kim-Joy’s recipe for pig-themed vegetarian mini-pies (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
These porcine pastries are, in fact, filled with meat-free sausage and caramelised onion – and very easy to make The filling for these is really simple, with only two key ingredients. They are meat-free (although you could make them with meat), but do feature pigs. The hot-water-crust pastry follows very different rules from normal pastry – don’t be afraid to handle it a little more than you would shortcrust. Serve these with gravy, mash and greens – or just as picnic pies. Prep time: 10 min for pastry, 25 min for filling, 15-20 min for shaping Bake time: 35-45 min Makes 12 mini-pies Continue reading...
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How to cook moussaka – recipe | Felicity Cloake’s Masterclass (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
What better way to use up leftover lamb than in this gently spiced, moreish moussaka – the perfect spring supper Moussaka is, I think, the perfect dish for April, a rare combination of southern sunshine and warming comfort. It’s also the ideal way to use up leftover lamb from the Easter roast. Most widely associated with Greece, it pops up in various forms from North Africa to the Balkans – sweetly spiced, rich and wobbly, and always utterly delicious. Prep 15 minSalt 30 min (optional) Cook 1 hr 35 min Serves 4, generously Continue reading...
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Not dead but gone: how a concussion changed my girlfriend's personality forever (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
We have no place in our culture for this kind of grief. After her brain injury, Gabrielle was still there – it just wasn’t the her I had loved It’s strange the way that, in a crisis, your mind stops filming and starts taking polaroids; essential snapshots of sound and color and light you can hold at arm’s length afterward. There is the call from Gabrielle*, her voice frantic: I have been in an accident, please come, please come right now. Continue reading...
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The kiss-off: should hugging be banned at work? (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
A third of employees say they have suffered awkward physical greetings from colleagues – even kisses on the mouth How affectionate are you with your colleagues? If the thought of touching anyone in your office makes you shudder, then you will empathise with those who say hugging and kissing should be banned at work. One-third of employees, according to a survey by TotalJobs, said they had suffered awkward greetings from colleagues attempting to navigate the social minefield of saying hello. “What’s new there?”, you might be thinking. After all, we are British – everything is a social minefield. Count the times you’ve gone in for two kisses when the other person has only expected one. We are not a nation that is naturally physically affectionate, and though the Europhiles among us may envy the easy intimacy of the French, the fact remains that many of us are uncomfortable with physical contact, even from those we know well. Half my family, for instance, will pat you on the back throughout a hug until you finally pull away and resume the distance between you. Continue reading...
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Tell us: have you stayed in a relationship after a betrayal? (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
If your relationship survived infidelity or another kind of betrayal by you or your partner we’d like to hear from you Did you, or your partner, betray your relationship – whether through infidelity, financial dishonesty, secrecy or another kind of deception? Did you subsequently decide to remain together? We would like to hear from readers willing to share their stories of staying or getting back together after putting the event or situation behind you. Tell us about what happened and what motivated you both to stay together afterwards. Did it affect you and your partner differently? How has your relationship changed since? Tell us about any challenges you faced since deciding to stay together and how you overcame these. Perhaps you feel that it has changed your relationship for the better – either way, we’d like to hear about it. Continue reading...
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Have you been advised to take measures against UK air pollution? (Tue, 16 Apr 2019)
As residents are advised to keep windows closed we want to hear from UK readers about measures to tackle poor air quality Residents of a newly approved south London housing development will live in an area where illegal levels of air pollution are so bad they will be told to keep their windows closed. Nitrogen dioxide levels in Lewisham far exceed allowed limits, but the majority of urban areas in the UK have also been at excessive levels since 2010. The UK has been taken to Europe’s highest court three times over air pollution, and lost each time. Continue reading...
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Send a tip on places to stay near railway stations in Europe for the chance to win a £200 hotel voucher (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
A friendly welcome after a long journey, comfy room, excellent breakfast … tell us about a place to stay that’s handy for a station in a European city Whether you’ve discovered a brilliant B&B in a village or small town on the continent you reached by train, a boutique gem, or a hostel near a city terminus, we’d love to hear your experiences of places to stay in Europe by railway stations (not the UK this time). Please supply website and price details as well as particularly memorable aspects of your stay there. Continue reading...
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Tips, links and suggestions: what are you reading this week? (Mon, 22 Apr 2019)
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 blogpost. Here’s our roundup of your comments and photos from last week. Oreo is a lost novel from 1975 novel by Fran Ross. Reedist says it deserves to be rediscovered: Continue reading...
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'The end of the story of my daughter, my wife': the victims of the Sri Lanka attacks (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Most who died were locals, but victims – including young children – came from across the world Sri Lankan authorities have confirmed that 359 people were killed in a wave of suicide bombings on the island on Easter Sunday. Since then, the names and stories of those who died have begun to emerge. This list does not include all the victims, the vast majority of whom were Sri Lankans. Continue reading...
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Trevor Noah on Pete Buttigieg's lack of policies: 'Dude's like, I'm just gonna wing it' (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
The Daily Show host discussed the Democratic 2020 candidates – and how much easier it is to run for president as a man After days of Mueller report coverage, Trevor Noah shifted focus to the 2020 presidential race, fully under way even 18 months out from election day. On Monday night, CNN hosted five hours of town halls with a handful of Democratic candidates, highlighting prominent differences in campaign strategy. Elizabeth Warren came prepared with reams of policy ideas and calculations, including a wealth tax of “two cents on every dollar above $50m”, on the 75,000 largest fortunes in the US to pay for universal childcare, universal pre-K, universal college and debt forgiveness for student loans. Continue reading...
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Huawei dilemma is a question of Britain's post-Brexit future (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
The UK must weigh its ties to the US and Australia against the value of Chinese friendship It may sound like an argument about technology, but in reality it is a battle of geopolitics. Should Brexit Britain yield to pressure from the US and ban Chinese hi-tech manufacturer Huawei from supplying kit to British mobile phone companies? Or should the UK keep the door open to China – and benefit not just from cheaper technology but across the economy in sectors such as nuclear power, where the world’s most populous country has shown it is willing to invest. Continue reading...
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'It's a groundswell': the farmers fighting to save the Earth's soil (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Farmers across the world are ditching their ploughs to protect ecosystems – and it’s working John Cherry bends down and takes a handful of soil in his hands, brings it up to his face and breathes deeply. “You can smell when it is good,” he says, poking it with a finger. “This smells of roots … there is a rich, organic quality to it. It is a good smell.” Continue reading...
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'It's not a little child': gynecologists join the fight against six-week abortion bans (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Doctors argue that the bans, known as ‘fetal heartbeat’ bills, are medically inaccurate and use misleading language High-profile gynecologists are criticizing the framing of six-week abortion bans, known as “fetal heartbeat” bills, as medically inaccurate. The bans, now moving through nearly a dozen state legislatures, propose the strictest limitations on the right to abortion as established by the US supreme court case Roe v Wade in 1973. Continue reading...
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From India to Ireland: a week of Extinction Rebellion actions (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
Activists tell us why they have taken part in the protest group’s international rebellion week I am part of XR [Extinction Rebellion] Bhopal. The group is still in a very early phase and is working mostly on educating people about climate issues. On the evening of 15 April 2019 some school students and local activists gathered at Bhopal’s upper lake in solidarity with XR international rebellion week. There were speeches, dancing and music. A participant also read out a Hindi translation of Greta Thunberg’s speech to a large crowd. Continue reading...
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Climate protesters and Ping Pong: Wednesday's best photos (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
The Guardian’s picture editors select photo highlights from around the world Continue reading...
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The funeral of Lyra McKee – in pictures (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
The funeral of the murdered journalist Lyra McKee is taking place on Wednesday in Belfast. McKee was shot dead as she observed clashes between police and New IRA dissidents on the Creggan estate in Derry on 18 April Continue reading...
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The island of cinemas: Cuba's faded movie theatres – in pictures (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
In 1958, Cuba had 511 cinemas, and Havana alone had 130 – more than either New York or Paris at the time. Carolina Sandretto documents the now largely forgotten buildings for the book Cines de Cuba, published by Skira Continue reading...
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The art of visual storytelling – in pictures (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
This year’s LensCulture Visual Storytelling awards encompass a global set of artists documenting the world around them from big moments to small. Submissions hailed from 166 countries and a jury of experts picked a wide range of compelling and surprising images. The winners and finalists are now showing at Aperture Gallery, New York, until 2 May Continue reading...
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Kim Jong-un in Russia – in pictures (Wed, 24 Apr 2019)
The North Korean leader arrived in Russia by train on Wednesday, a day before his much-anticipated summit with President Vladimir Putin. He visited with diplomacy over his nuclear programme deadlocked. Kim is travelling to the Pacific port city of Vladivostok for a meeting with Putin on Thursday Continue reading...
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London harness horse parade – in pictures (Tue, 23 Apr 2019)
The parade of harnessed horses, ponies and donkeys attracts exhibitors from across the UK and Ireland. The historic event is an amalgamation of the London cart horse parade, founded in 1885, and the London van horse parade, founded in 1904 Continue reading...
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