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The Guardian

Fresh crisis at ‘toxic’ Strictly as ex-staff claim they faced sexualised comments and cruelty (sam., 27 juil. 2024)
Production workers at Strictly Come Dancing allege BBC refused to take their complaints seriously Production staff who formerly worked on Strictly Come Dancing have complained of a toxic work culture and accused the BBC of failing to take their complaints seriously, in a fresh blow to the corporation’s primetime show, the Observer can reveal. One former staff member alleged they had been subjected to sexist and sexualised comments, including intrusive questions about their sex life, while another claimed they witnessed “talented co-workers treated with cruelty”. Continue reading...
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Trump tells supporters they won’t have to vote in the future: ‘It’ll be fixed!’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Former president implores Christian supports to vote ‘just this time’, then says he’s not Christian Donald Trump has ignited alarm among his critics after telling a crowd of supporters that they won’t “have to vote again” if they return him to the presidency in November’s election. “Christians, get out and vote! Just this time – you won’t have to do it any more,” the Republican former president said on Friday night at a rally hosted in West Palm Beach, Florida, by the far-right advocacy group Turning Point Action. Continue reading...
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Paris 2024 Olympics day one: Australia gold, GB silver in rain-hit women’s time trial – live (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Also featuring rugby sevens, judo, gymnastics, water polo Day-by-day guide | Live schedule, medal table, results Share your thoughts with Adam via email We’re now just 15 minutes away from the start of the action on day one of the Paris Olympics. And that action is badminton. If you don’t know your back alley from your shuttlecock, fear not, because here’s one we made earlier. The pool is shallower than the 3m standard, at 2.30m and there have been some questions raised over the effect this will have. The starting platforms have fins that allow swimmers to really push off at the gun. And one of France’s faces of the Games, swimmer Léon Marchand, believes it will live up to expectations. “The pool is superb,” he said. “I loved the feeling I had in the water, the depth which is the same along the entire length. So you feel like you’re swimming fast and that’s cool. It’s a beautiful pool.” If swimmers are feeling fast in the pool at La Défense, we could yet see some new world records. Continue reading...
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Rachel Reeves to delay some of Tories’ ‘unfunded’ road and hospital projects (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Chancellor attempts to plug £20bn hole in spending but will commit to above-inflation public sector pay rise Rachel Reeves is to delay a number of “unfunded” road and hospital projects on Monday as part of the Treasury’s anticipated plans to plug an apparent £20bn hole in spending left by the Conservatives, while committing to an above-inflation public sector pay rise. The chancellor is expected to argue she has inherited capital projects that are “unfunded with unfeasible timelines” as part of her Treasury audit report to the Commons. The audit will be seen as an indication of the government’s early commitments and priorities. Continue reading...
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Severe heatwave in Iran forces shops and public institutions to close (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Temperatures reach 45C in parts of the country and 225 people seek treatment for heatstroke A heatwave blanketing Iran has forced authorities to cut operating hours at various facilities on Saturday and order all government and commercial institutions to close on Sunday, as hospitals received more than 200 people for heatstroke treatment. Temperatures ranged from 37C (98.6F) to 42C (107F) in the capital, Tehran, according to weather reports. Continue reading...
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Prince William could overturn king’s windfarm ban as he orders renewable energy review for estate (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Wind turbines are among changes being considered by heir to the Duchy of Cornwall estate to tackle the climate crisis His father thinks windfarms are a blot on the landscape, once saying he feared Britain would end up like Denmark “knee deep in these damn things”. But now Prince William is considering overturning their effective ban on royal land. The Prince of Wales has ordered a major review of renewable energy on his 130,000-acre Duchy of Cornwall estate, which is expected to change the face of his hereditary property empire stretching across 20 counties in England. Continue reading...
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Wave of Israeli airstrikes kills at least 50 people in Gaza (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Palestinian officials say at least 30 killed in strike on school in Deir al-Balah where thousands were seeking shelter Middle East crisis live – latest updates A wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting central and southern Gaza have killed at least 50 people and injured an estimated 200, with one strike hitting a school where thousands were seeking shelter. Palestinian health ministry officials said at least 30 people were killed in an airstrike on the Khadija school in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Continue reading...
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‘I never expected this in the UK’: modern slavery expert receives death threat (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Migrants at Work founder Aké Achi claims police failed to act on letter sent to his home warning of harm to his family A leading modern slavery expert who pursues employers on behalf of exploited overseas workers, recovering thousands of pounds for them in the process, has received a threat on his life. Aké Achi, founder and chief executive of Migrants at Work, an organisation which protects workers’ rights, says the letter was posted to his home. Continue reading...
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‘Cliff edge’ deadline for UK digital visas still leaves 4m at risk of losing rights (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Home Office urged to extend year-end date for expiry of biometric residence permits after postponing eVisas rollout The controversial rollout of digital visas for non-EU migrants has been delayed, but without any change to the “cliff edge” year-end deadline. This leaves more than 4 million UK residents facing a race against time to avoid effectively becoming undocumented migrants. Having said people would be able to apply to access the new “eVisas” from June, the Home Office is now advising that applications will open “later in 2024”. Immigration lawyers have written to the Home Office expressing “great concern” at the delay as there has been no change to the 31 December deadline for the transition to eVisas. Continue reading...
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Freud was ‘misunderstood’ and wasn’t so obsessed with sex, new analysis of work suggests (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
A new edition of his theories on dreams argues that he used ‘sexuality’ to described any purely pleasureable activity For a psychiatrist, so the joke goes, any object that crops up within a dream must represent a phallus. But it seems even Sigmund Freud did not really think all our sleeping fantasies are suppressed erotica. It was just a basic misunderstanding of the pioneering psychoanalyst’s work, according to an eminent new version of his influential theories. A revised English edition of Freud’s key work, The Interpretation of Dreams, by scholar Mark Solms will correct several errors of translation and aim to definitively challenge the common misconception that Freud believed the erotic drive was behind much of human behaviour. Continue reading...
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Woman loses appeal over child’s birth certificate after ex-wife had sex with donor (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Judge dismisses challenge over removal of woman’s name and warns against risks of informal conception arrangements A woman has lost a court of appeal challenge over her name being removed from a child’s birth certificate after her ex-wife admitted she secretly had sex with their sperm donor. The “unprecedented” and “unusual” case centred on the question of who were the legal parents of a girl, now aged six. Continue reading...
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From rising star to potential liability: how JD Vance’s fortunes have turned (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Ohio senator’s ratings are at a record low and his hardline views on issues might prove to be a liability than an asset He was supposed to be his master’s mini-me, his elevation as Republican vice-presidential nominee hailed as a virile celebration of Donald Trump’s near-total conquest of the GOP. Now – days after receiving a rapturous response at the Republican national convention in Milwaukee – JD Vance is being lamented within party circles as a potentially fatal liability in Trump’s quest to recapture the White House. Continue reading...
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Jess Phillips: ‘I’ve got a massive ego! I was told I was clever from an early age, and that sticks’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
She’s had death threats, seen her friend and fellow MP murdered, and has just survived a bruising election campaign. So what drives her? • ‘I’ve intervened in environments that would make the toughest men cry’: read an extract from Jess Phillips’ latest book The pub is empty when we arrive. “Can you fit us in?” Jess Phillips asks the barman, followed by the familiar smirk. She can’t help herself. Phillips has never been your regular MP. She’s a warm, wise-cracking, potty-mouthed, deeply serious showoff. She’s political Marmite. Lots of people love her, while a fair few hate her with a passion. At least half a dozen men have been convicted of abuse, death and rape threats. She orders half a lager, then mocks herself for being such a wuss. “Half a lager!” she parrots, as if she can’t quite believe that it’s come to this. But Phillips is exhausted. It’s six days since the most remarkable British general election in decades, with Labour transforming the 2019 trouncing into a landslide victory. On a night of memorable moments (the unseating of Liz Truss, Jeremy Corbyn winning as an independent, Nigel Farage becoming an MP at his eighth attempt, and on it goes), the most memorable might well belong to Phillips – and not in a good way. She had started the day with a majority of 10,659 and only just held on to her Birmingham Yardley seat by 693 votes, with George Galloway’s Workers party of Great Britain, standing on a pro-Palestine platform, finishing a close second. When she began her victory speech, she was heckled by Workers party supporters. She looked both distraught and furious. Continue reading...
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Fears Rochdale could ‘boil over’ as outsiders stir division over Manchester airport video (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Family of a man seen being kicked by police call for ‘time to heal’ as far-right groups and others try to exploit the fallout Friday prayers are often seen as the most important event in the weekly calendar for Muslims. But in Rochdale last week, they were more vital than usual. Three days on from the video that shocked the world, many feared the town was teetering on the brink of serious unrest. The footage showed an armed officer, Taser drawn, forcefully kick the head of a man who lay face down on the ground, already apparently incapacitated, as police responded to reports of an assault at Manchester airport. He then stamped on the man’s head and violently kneed him in the side, as onlookers screamed. Continue reading...
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Starting salaries are £180,000 – but do young lawyers believe the hours, stress and burnout are worth it? (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Tales of poor mental health are forcing change on the legal profession as recruits fight back against competitive culture, with some even abandoning the long-enshrined ambition to ‘make partner’ When Leah Steele was working as a lawyer she had a gruelling schedule – putting in as many as 50 hours in four days – and often felt anxious. Matters came to a head in 2014 after she suffered a bereavement. She remembers constantly checking and rechecking letters, and waking up in the early hours troubled about an email she thought she had sent to a client. Continue reading...
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Katherine Ryan: ‘My love language is intimacy. That’s what my comedy is about’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
The comedian, 41, talks about parents, children, her hot blonde cheerleader days and not lying about her love of money I was an anxious child. I wanted to please everyone and do everything perfectly. My mother pretty much treated me as an equal and I had a lot of really cool feminist women to look up to. The men were not so impressive. My childhood was very happy. My parents had full-time jobs and my dad also had golf, so my two younger sisters and I were left to our own devices a lot of the time, which was a good thing. We didn’t have screens, so we’d come up with our own little games. My parents divorced when I was 15. It was acrimonious and they’ve never been in the same room together since. It helped me when I left the father of my eldest daughter, Violet. I knew from experience there’s a peaceful and kind way to split. I got the message early on that the best thing you could be as a young woman was pretty, because all the female role models in my family were glamorous. But I wasn’t pretty: I was awkward and said the wrong things. So I changed gears as a teenager: I decided to become a hot blonde cheerleader who prioritised boys and partying. There were poor choices. I have not had surgery on my face, but I think I will have a facelift in the next 10 years. I acknowledge that I am poisoned by my culture. I do still value being pretty and I do get rewarded for looking glamorous. Biology pulled me into having two more children [with husband and former high school sweetheart Bobby Kootstra] by saying, “You’re 35. Do you want to have more kids or not?” So that’s the road I went down, but I think I’d be equally fulfilled had I continued on my previous path: Violet and I could be living in New York City. I could be on a jet right now. My love language is intimacy. I want to tell people about my life and I want them to tell me about theirs. That’s what my comedy is about. I don’t have a choice, but to be authentic. That is what people are attracted to. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love money. It makes me feel safe and accomplished. I feel very lucky to be offered huge sums, comparatively, to go and have fun. It seems rude to say no. Any time I’ve stuck my head above the parapet, I’ve done it unknowingly – almost. If I think something is unfair and it’s happening right in front of me, then I do what I think is right in the moment. I don’t properly consider the outcomes of things. Maybe that’s the best way to be. I am very mentally robust. It makes me impervious to criticism. I’m not trying to anticipate how people might want me to behave. Some of that comes with age. I go to bed every night and there are no voices in my head giving me anxiety about anything, because every day I do myself as honestly proud as I can. Battleaxe, Katherine Ryan’s new tour, will be in venues across the UK from September (livenation.co.uk) Continue reading...
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‘It was like us – a chaotic mess’: France enjoys Paris Games opening ceremony (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Most French newspapers praise the Olympics spectacle but far-right commentators reject ‘woke propaganda’ They had waited 100 years for it and the French, mostly, were determined to love their kitsch, crazy, subversive, waterborne and very rain-drenched Olympics opening ceremony. Less happy were far-right figures, who spied “wokeist” propaganda. A thoroughly unscientific poll on the rue de Rochechouart in Paris – where the far right have never had so much as a look-in – found plenty of enthusiasm. Continue reading...
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We had an ordinary marriage. Then I found out my husband had been viewing images of child abuse (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
For Emily and her husband, Matthew, everything changed when the police knocked on the door at 6.20am one morning. Could their family survive? Emily, 35In the 15 years I’ve been with my husband, Matthew, I never imagined opening the front door to the police. As far as I was concerned, we had an ordinary marriage – we met at university, went travelling after graduation and returned home to build our careers. I trained in safeguarding, while he studied to be an engineer. I thought we were so lucky. Ours was a comfortable, middle-class life in an affluent English market town in the south – we enjoyed holidays and had a busy social life, with lots of friends. I’m a bit of an introvert, but my husband’s more popular – the sort who goes out of his way to help other people who might be struggling. Continue reading...
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Documentary-maker Ibrahim Nash’at on filming the Taliban: ‘The secret service asked to see my footage. I left the same day’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Embedded with the Taliban after US forces fled Kabul, Nash’at’s fly-on-the-wall documentary, Hollywoodgate, offers a darkly comic, damning insight into the regime In August 2021, as the capital city Kabul fell to the Taliban, the west’s 20-year mission in Afghanistan, spearheaded by the US and Nato, collapsed in a single day. The Americans abandoned their embassy in panic and there was harrowing footage of desperate Afghans attempting to cling to the undercarriage of a US military plane that was taking off from Kabul airport. At least two seemed to plummet to their death. It was while watching these scenes, at home in Berlin, that Ibrahim Nash’at decided that he wanted to make a film about Afghanistan. A 34-year-old journalist, originally from Egypt, he had never stepped foot in the country – though he had familiarity with war zones and had cut his teeth making YouTube videos during the 2011 Egyptian revolution. “The people hanging on a wheel of a plane just to leave, it triggered something in me and I couldn’t sleep,” says Nash’at, who has dense, corkscrew curls and an unblinking gaze. “I wanted to go and make a story about in whose hands this country was left.” Continue reading...
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Deadpool & Wolverine review – Marvel’s achingly meta new sequel is going to be huge (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s superhero odd couple are flung together in a gagtastic if sloppy action comedy that maxes out its 15 certificate If there’s a more obnoxious film this year, I’ll book myself on an all-expenses trip to “the Void” (a dumping ground for reject mutants, superheroes and sundry franchise miscellanea, which Deadpool, irreverent scamp that he is, describes as “a bit Mad Maxy”). This isn’t unexpected. Obviously this movie is obnoxious. It’s directed by Shawn Levy (Free Guy), whose approach is to deploy cinematic winks and ironic air quotes, and it stars Ryan Reynolds, who has made a career from walking the precarious line that divides lovable from punchable. It isn’t even necessarily a bad thing: a film can be obnoxious and simultaneously very funny, and Deadpool & Wolverine is frequently hilarious. But it’s also slapdash, repetitive and shoddy looking, with an overreliance on meme-derived gags and achingly meta comic fan in-jokes. It’s going to be huge. Already paired up in a series of Marvel comic books, Deadpool (Reynolds) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) make for an entertaining, if explosive movie double act. They have plenty in common: both are self-healers, both have authority issues, both have monster-sized substance abuse problems. But their differences – slashed, stabbed and punched out in close combat in the back of a Honda minivan – are what gives the film its juice. And by juice I mean blood; what with the gore and the risque gags, the film earns every last month of its 15 certificate. Continue reading...
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‘He chose the dog over me’: the pets that ruined relationships – from pups interrupting sex to aggressive pigs (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
For some owners, animals are part of the family. But for their friends and lovers, they can present a serious problem The dog was already on the scene when Jane and her partner got together – this was a man-plus-dog package. But Jane, a Brit living in Barcelona, didn’t foresee the problems. “I’m not a dog person, but I’m not averse to them,” she says, speaking to me from Catalonia. “I innocently thought they were a cute addition to one’s life, not something that would take priority over holidays, nights out, plans to live together as a couple, or where that could be. His dog was the source of all our tensions.” The dog – medium-sized, female, part husky, part something else – was a prickly, difficult character. She barked a lot, couldn’t be left with others, and would destroy soft furnishings, and so wasn’t welcome in Jane’s tastefully furnished apartment. “It mattered less with his crappy sofa, but I paid €2,000 for mine, I did not want it ripped to pieces.” Continue reading...
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Linford Christie and his daughter Briannah look back: ‘It’s a curse having a dad as good as I was’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
The former sprinter and athletics coach and his daughter on their close relationship and fiery debates Born in Jamaica in 1960, Linford Christie is a former sprinter and athletics coach. He spent his childhood near Kingston, before moving to west London aged seven. During the late 1980s and 90s, Christie became the UK’s most celebrated athlete; the only British man to win successive golds at the Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games. Retiring in 1997, Christie devoted his time to his sports management company, Nuff Respect. He lives in Buckinghamshire with his partner and two of his children; his son Kian, and his eldest daughter, Briannah, who is in her final year studying law. The documentary Linford is on iPlayer. Continue reading...
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Team GB make splash with first Paris Olympics medal amid diving drama (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper claim bronze Australian slip allows British divers on to podium A sumptuous Chinese procession, an epic Australian choke and a first medal of the 2024 Olympics for Team GB. On a dramatic opening morning in the Aquatics Centre, Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper claimed a bronze medal in the women’s synchronised 3m springboard, proving one of the oldest truisms in sport. You need talent, you need training, you need dedication and you need resilience. But sometimes, you also need a little luck. Fortune was scarcely a factor for the Chinese pair of Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen, unbeaten at global level since 2022, and who glided to victory by a margin of more than 23 points here. In an event where the bars to entry are vertiginously high, where every competitor is polished and accomplished in ways we can barely imagine, the Chinese still somehow looked as though they were competing on a different plane: not so much diving into the water as diving through it, folding themselves into the pool as if guided by computer design. Continue reading...
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Anna Henderson survives storm to take silver for Team GB in women’s time trial (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Several riders suffer falls in slippery conditions Australia’s Grace Brown takes gold, Chloé Dygert bronze Anna Henderson won silver for Great Britain in the women’s time trial at the Paris Olympics as she edged out the USA’s Chloé Dygert by less than one second. In damp, treacherous conditions that found out several riders, Henderson clocked a time of 41min 10.7sec over the 32.4km course through the centre of Paris, 1:31 down on Australian Grace Brown’s gold medal-winning ride. Continue reading...
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Adam Peaty calls for ‘fair game’ amid doping concerns at Olympic swimming (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
‘You want to be around people who live by same values’ Peaty second in heats; Ledecky fastest in 400m freestyle Adam Peaty has called for a “fair game” as anti-doping concern lingered on the opening morning of swimming in Paris. After months of controversy, heated allegations and vitriolic counter-claims, sparked by anti-doping revelations involving 23 Chinese swimmers, on Saturday it was at last time for some actual action in the pool. While the morning began without incident, politics and controversy were never far from the surface. “It’s always in the back of your mind as an athlete,” said Peaty, the three-time Olympic gold medallist, after qualifying second-fastest in the men’s 100m breaststroke heats. “You definitely want a fair game, you want to win fair and be around people who do the same and live by the same values.” Continue reading...
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‘A great champion’: Andy Murray remembered by rivals before retiring at Olympics (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Three-time grand slam winner’s opponents recall how a switch flicked and a humble teenager became a tennis great Over the past 20 years, Andy Murray has built one of the greatest tennis careers. As he prepares to hang up his racket at the Paris Olympics, those who know him well reflect on the early days of his career and his legacy. Jamie Murray, Andy’s elder brother and a former doubles No 1 At our tennis club, we were probably the youngest ones that were playing there. We’d always muck in with the older kids. Our mum was the club coach at the time and had a ton of junior players. Not necessarily amazing players, but it was a thriving club. There was a lot of atmosphere about the place and I think that’s where we grew to love the game. Continue reading...
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Palestine Olympic chief: no handshakes with Israelis unless they recognise state (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Jibril Rajoub says he will not pay ‘lip service’ to Israelis Israel president says athletes compete ‘proudly and fairly’ The president of Palestine’s National Olympic Committee says he will not shake hands with his Israeli counterpart, or any of their delegation, at Paris 2024 unless they recognise his state’s right to independence. Jibril Rajoub, who has led calls for Israel’s athletes to be banned from international competition amid the war in Gaza, told the Guardian he would not engage with Yael Arad or her colleagues out of principle if they crossed paths during the Olympics. Continue reading...
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Park’s Hollywood finish at Chariots of Fire stadium sets GB flying in hockey (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Pool A: Great Britain 4-0 Spain Nick Park sparkles with brilliant 40m solo run and finish It has been 100 years since they staged an Olympic event at this stadium in Colombes: those were the 1924 Games made famous in Chariots of Fire. A century later Nick Park picked up where Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams left off with a spectacular Hollywood finish of his own – his first international goal on his Olympic debut – to set Great Britain’s men on their way to an impressive 4-0 win over Spain in their Pool A opener. This storied venue also hosted the 1938 World Cup final but can’t have witnessed many better strikes than Park’s solo effort late in the first quarter when GB had been under the cosh. The 25-year-old dispossessed one opponent just inside the Spanish half before setting off on a 40m run, brushing off another defender, drawing the keeper, and flicking the ball high into the top right corner. Park has 19 caps and had never scored: this one bore all the hallmarks of Maradona or Messi. Continue reading...
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China bag first gold medal of Paris Olympics in mixed air rifle shooting (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
World champions overcome heat to edge out South Korea Team GB shooters upbeat despite early elimination The biggest threat to anybody’s medal hopes in shooting disciplines is not the exceptional talent of the Chinese. It is, instead, perspiration. China’s glory in the 10m mixed air rifle team event was as straightforward as one could anticipate for the world champions and pre-competition favourites, Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao. Here was the rarest of things; a Chinese Olympic success apparently free from the whiff of controversy. Continue reading...
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Max Whitlock cool under pressure to lay down medal marker on pommel (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
British gymnast almost certain to qualify for final Whitlock aiming for third Olympic pommel gold The Olympics qualifying round is one of the most tense days of some gymnasts’ careers. While there is not a medal on offer, the prospect of their hopes and dreams crumbling to dust on the first day of competition looms over them all. That is even truer for a specialist gymnast such as Max Whitlock, who now puts almost all his efforts into thriving on the pommel horse. One wrong move and the dream is over. Time and again, though, Whitlock has shown that he can handle that pressure. He did so again on Saturday afternoon, working through a tight, clean and difficult routine to almost certainly qualify for next Saturday’s final on a brilliant day for British gymnastics. Continue reading...
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England v West Indies: third cricket Test, day two – live (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Play gets under way at Edgbaston at 11am (BST) England refine Bazball approach to play smarter Pope chops on! England lose another one early and are in some strife. 10th over: England 43-3 (Pope 6, Root 7) Seales is full and at the stumps, pinning Root on the pad in front of all three. That looks close?! Seales implores but the umpire is not having it and neither are his teammates. What do you know – the DRS shows three reds and Root would have been on his way with a review. Next ball he pounces on a half volley and drives down the ground for four. Continue reading...
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Erling Haaland warns players cannot be sharp ‘if they play 70 games a year’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Manchester City striker says players looked tired at Euros ‘I don’t think we can be sharp in every single game’ The Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has warned that players cannot be “sharp” if they are made to play 70 games a year. The Norway international has enjoyed a summer break, but some of those who were on duty in Germany struggled to reproduce their best form at the end of a long campaign. Haaland, in New York on City’s pre-season tour, said: “We all saw in the Euros as well in general how tired people were. You could see the level, you could see even in people’s faces how tired they were of football, if you can say it that way. Continue reading...
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Rattled Max Verstappen faces further frustration at Belgian Grand Prix (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Red Bull driver, who launched tirade at team after car underperformed and handled badly in Budapest, struggling to handle threat of resurgent McLaren team Formula One wants gladiatorial drivers, sportspeople set apart, racing on the edge in the heat of battle, so it might be considered a little rich when the sport clutches at its pearls in distaste over Max Verstappen’s vehement swearing at last week’s Hungarian Grand Prix. It is impossible not to sense that the affront at his bad language is rather missing the point. When Verstappen launched a tirade at his Red Bull team’s poor performance in Budapest, at one point including one “bullshit” and two “fucks” in the same breathless exposition of distaste, the team radio bleeper operative would have struggled to mash his button fast enough. Continue reading...
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Elisabeth Terland can bring firepower to a Manchester United side in flux | Elsie Grover-Jones (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
The 2024 FA Cup winners have lost several big names but have added the Norway striker who sparkled for Brighton Elisabeth Terland’s first taste of English football was one of sour defeat. She came on in the 84th minute to make her tournament debut at the 2022 European Championship for a hopeless Norway side who went on to lose 8-0 against England, the eventual winners, in their Group A encounter. That humiliation took place at the Amex Stadium and, as such, Terland could have been forgiven for never wanting to step inside the venue again. Instead, however, she made it her home that summer, moving from Brann to Brighton in August 2022 and subsequently scoring 23 goals in 50 appearances for the club. Of those goals, 13 came in 22 Women’s Super League appearances last season, leading to her finishing joint-second in the race for the golden boot. Continue reading...
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Erik ten Hag warns Manchester United need depth for ‘survival of the fittest’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Dutchman fears repeat of last season’s injury woes Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee have joined this summer Erik ten Hag is concerned that Manchester United need to “catch up on squad depth” with the manager worried that the 60-plus injuries his side suffered last season could happen again due to the load on players. United have already signed the defender Leny Yoro and forward Joshua Zirkzee this summer. The manager is also pursuing a full-back – Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui is a target – plus a defensive midfielder, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte of interest. Continue reading...
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Canada spying scandal threatens to tarnish their Tokyo football gold (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Claims that drone use was not a one-off cast doubt over Bev Priestman’s future in women’s game and team’s 2021 glory The reputation of one of the most respected coaches in the women’s game lay in tatters on Friday after the spying scandal engulfing the Canada team led to Bev Priestman being sent home from the Paris Olympics in disgrace. Three years ago Priestman, who is from County Durham in England, oversaw one of Canada’s proudest modern-day sporting achievements, as her side upset the odds to win a historic first gold in women’s football. Back-to-back nominations for the Best Fifa coach of the year award followed for Priestman, who had been Phil Neville’s assistant with England at the 2019 World Cup. Such was her standing in the game that, when Neville announced in April 2020 that he would leave the England head coach role, Priestman was initially installed as the bookmakers’ favourite to succeed him. Continue reading...
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Warrington thrash Wigan to take their place at top of Super League table (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Wigan Warriors 4-40 Warrington Wolves Teenager Lindop and Ashton run in doubles for Wolves When the dust settles on this most extraordinary of Super League seasons, it is highly likely that all six teams who make the playoffs look back on this night as one of the most pivotal of them all. Let us begin at the top, and this outstanding victory for Warrington Wolves. As recently as a fortnight ago, the battle for the League Leaders’ Shield was considered done and dusted when Wigan Warriors beat St Helens, who at the time were second but could finish this weekend sixth, such is the congested nature of the competition in 2024. Continue reading...
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Rebel’s Romance poised to upset hot favourite Rodin in King George (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Ultra-consistent choice has an impressively game attitude and no-nonsense front-running style to go with his talent Rebel’s Romance is a more familiar name to racegoers in Dubai, Hong Kong and the US than he is to fans in the UK, as nine of his last 10 starts – including five Group One or Grade One wins – have been abroad. Charlie Appleby’s six-year-old gelding could raise his profile with the British betting public significantly on Saturday, however, when he will be a live 7-2 shot against Auguste Rodin, last year’s Derby winner, in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. Continue reading...
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This is a misogyny emergency. A huge outpouring is coming in the runup to the US election (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
This time Kamala Harris will be the target for the social media platforms that promote prejudice In 2016, a historically unprecedented incident took place. And yet, barely anyone even noticed. Even years later, we’ve failed to acknowledge it or to have begun the process of understanding it. Because we still can’t even see it. And that’s because this incident involved a woman. And she was asking for it. Continue reading...
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Elon Musk’s 20-year-old estranged daughter responded to his rant about her (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
On Thursday, the billionaire went on a disturbing anti-trans rant about Vivian Wilson, who legally dropped Musk’s name in 2022 Would you like to do some Muskian mathematics? Here we go: there are 24 hours in a day and even the most superhuman among us need to spend a few of those hours asleep. Elon Musk, unless he has figured out a way to clone himself, is just one person. He has at least 12 kids with multiple women. His first child tragically died as a baby and a couple of his offspring are adults now, but he has six kids under the age of five. He also runs six companies and oversees more than 130,000 people around the world. And he spends an inordinate amount of his life tweeting. Bearing this busy existence in mind, how on earth does the billionaire spend any significant amount of time with his kids? Continue reading...
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My new iPhone symbolises stagnation, not innovation – and a similar fate awaits AI | John Naughton (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Development of ChatGPT and its ilk will plateau, just like it did for smartphones, and then what are we left with? More ho-hum consumer tech I bought an iPhone 15 the other day to replace my five-year-old iPhone 11. The phone is powered by the new A17 Pro chip and has a terabyte of data storage and accordingly was eye-wateringly expensive. I had, of course, finely honed rationales for splashing out on such a scale. I’ve always had a policy of writing only about kit that I buy with my own money (no freebies from tech companies), for example. The fancy A17 processor is needed to run the new “AI” stuff that Apple is promising to launch soon; the phone has a significantly better camera than my old handset had – which matters (to me) because my Substack blog goes out three times a week and I provide a new photograph for each edition; and, finally, a friend whose ancient iPhone is on its last legs might appreciate an iPhone 11 in good nick. But these are rationalisations rather than solid justifications. The truth is that my old iPhone was fine for the job. Sure, it would need a new battery in time, but apart from that it had years more life in it. And if you take a cold, detached look at the evolution of the iPhone product line, what you see from the 2010 iPhone 4 onwards is really just a sequence of steady incremental improvements. What was so special about that model? Mostly this: it had a front-facing camera, which opened up the world of selfies, video chat, social media and all the other accoutrements of our networked world. But from then on, it was just incremental changes and price rises all the way. Continue reading...
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'Do you mind listening to that with headphones?' How one little phrase revolutionised my commute | Hannah Ewens (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Noisy devices are making public transport hell. But do passengers realise the pain they inflict? Earlier in the summer I started a social experiment – one you might consider ingenious or insufferable, depending on how much you prioritise a peaceful life. It began with a fragmented journey from north to south London, during which at each section of the journey (bus, overground, bus), someone was playing content on their phone, loudly. First there was a woman flicking impatiently through TikTok videos: four-second assaults of traditional Chinese medicine tutorials, girls pranking their boyfriends and self-help tips. The woman next to her put in her earbuds, but said nothing. Next, there was a woman listening to a nearly 20-minute long voice note from a friend out loud that all of us could hear. This is the life of the passenger in our new ambient hell. Hannah Ewens is a freelance editor and writer, and the author of Fangirls: Scenes From Modern Music Culture Continue reading...
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The German thirst for beer is waning – it’s not cool to be drunk any more | Nicholas Potter (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
From Berlin’s techno scene to Oktoberfest, a revolution in drinking culture is taking place, and it’s led by young people The first cliche that comes to mind when many think of Germany is thigh-slapping oompah music, embroidered lederhosen and, above all, litre-sized mugs of beer. And Deutschland’s beer culture is best epitomised by Munich’s Oktoberfest. Millions of revellers descend on the Bavarian capital each September for 16 days of booze, bretzel and bratwurst. But it’s a cliche out of sync with modern Germany, where abstinence is on the up – and boozing is in decline. One example is Die Null (The Zero). Before the world-famous beer festival kicks off this year on 21 September, a new alcohol-free beer garden has opened in the heart of the city, inaugurated by the mayor of Munich himself. The venue serves a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, from mocktails to alcohol-free lager. Continue reading...
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Robots sacked, screenings shut down: a new movement of luddites is rising up against AI | Ed Newton-Rex (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Company after company is swallowing the hype, only to be forced into embarrassing walkbacks by anti-AI backlash Earlier this month, a popular lifestyle magazine introduced a new “fashion and lifestyle editor” to its huge social media following. “Reem”, who on first glance looked like a twentysomething woman who understood both fashion and lifestyle, was proudly announced as an “AI enhanced team member”. That is, a fake person, generated by artificial intelligence. Reem would be making product recommendations to SheerLuxe’s followers – or, to put it another way, doing what SheerLuxe would otherwise pay a person to do. The reaction was entirely predictable: outrage, followed by a hastily issued apology. One suspects Reem may not become a staple of its editorial team. This is just the latest in a long line of walkbacks of “exciting AI projects” that have been met with fury by the people they’re meant to excite. The Prince Charles Cinema in Soho, London, cancelled a screening of an AI-written film in June, because its regulars vehemently objected. Lego was pressured to take down a series of AI-generated images it published on its website. Doctor Who started experimenting with generative AI, but quickly stopped after a wave of complaints. A company swallows the AI hype, thinks jumping on board will paint it as innovative, and entirely fails to understand the growing anti-AI sentiment taking hold among many of its customers. Continue reading...
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Kamala Harris still needs to define herself – but she is the ultimate anti-Trump candidate | Arwa Mahdawi (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Fate has swung wildly in her favour, with everything from the Democrat establishment to memes on her side. Will we finally see a Madam President? A week has always been a long time in politics, but this might have been the longest week in Kamala Harris’s life. While Joe Biden is still technically the US president, he already feels irrelevant. All eyes are on Harris now. The speed with which she has gone from being one of the most unpopular vice-presidents in modern history to sitting at the top of the Democratic ticket, with an army of enthusiastic fans behind her, is astounding. Biden’s trajectory has been widely compared to a Shakespearean tragedy; Harris’s sudden reversal of fortune, meanwhile, is like something out of a fairytale. A quick recap: Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris on Sunday. The Democratic establishment then threw its weight behind her on Monday. So did hundreds of thousands of donors; Harris’s campaign raked in a record-breaking $81m in just 24 hours. By Tuesday, she had earned enough support from delegates to win the Democratic nomination for president next month. On Wednesday, Democrats approved rules meaning that any Democrat who wants to compete against Harris for the nomination only has days to do so. Then, on Friday, Barack Obama endorsed the vice-president. Her coronation is almost complete. Continue reading...
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Get the cheese grater out: Edith Pritchett goes for a pedicure – cartoon (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
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Should Ukraine join Nato? (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
We don’t agree that Nato membership for Ukraine would provoke a conflict with Russia On 8 July, the eve of Nato’s 75th anniversary summit, a Russian missile struck Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, destroying, among other sections, its cancer center, hematology lab and surgical transplant unit. Russia launched 40 missiles at cities across Ukraine that day, killing more than 40 people, wounding numerous others, and demonstrating yet again that there are no legal, political or moral lines it won’t cross in its determination to conquer Ukraine. As Ukrainian doctors, rescue workers and volunteers evacuated child patients, many of them still in hospital gowns and attached to IVs, from the bombed-out hospital, heads of state from Nato’s 32 member countries arrived in Washington DC to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine and how to strengthen Ukraine’s defense. Although they affirmed that “Ukraine’s future is in Nato,” and that the country’s path to the alliance is “irreversible”, Ukraine’s potential membership was once again deferred: the Washington summit declaration stated that an invitation for Ukraine to join Nato would come “when Allies agree, and conditions are met”. Continue reading...
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The Guardian view on Israel and the world: Benjamin Netanyahu’s US trip won’t help| Editorial (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
The horrors of the war in Gaza, and the Israeli prime minister’s conduct and rhetoric, are spurring shifts in policies overseas The multiple standing ovations that Benjamin Netanyahu received in Washington this week, on his first trip abroad since the Hamas attack of 7 October, must have rung hollow even to his ears. The problem was not merely the distraction of the US political class by Joe Biden’s abandonment of his re-election bid, and Kamala Harris’s ascension. Almost half of House and Senate Democrats boycotted his address to Congress. Many instead met relatives of hostages, who are furious at Mr Netanyahu for failing to reach a ceasefire agreement. Nancy Pelosi described his speech as by far the worst by any foreign dignitary at the Capitol. The Israeli prime minister is used to unpopularity: around 70% of Israelis think he has not done enough to win the hostages’ release; a similar number want him to resign. But abroad, he bears much of the responsibility for a decisive shift in attitudes towards his country as well as himself, even in its staunchest ally. Continue reading...
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The Guardian view on Strictly Come Dancing: a serious stumble but hopefully not a fall | Editorial (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
The duty of care must be taken more seriously as illusion meets the tough reality of the dancefloor The new political dawn, when the BBC might have hoped for at least a brief period of tranquillity, came to an abrupt end with the double whammy of a scandal on one of its flagship programmes, Strictly Come Dancing, and an annual report which revealed that half a million households had cancelled their licence fee last year. Though there is no direct link between the two the coincidence demonstrates the delicate line the corporation is treading in terms of keeping itself match fit and beyond criticism in an era of proliferating competition and sniping social media. For the last 20 years, Strictly Come Dancing has been one of the pillars on which the BBC has been able to lean in demonstrating its capacity to entertain multiple generations simultaneously, while reflecting their own diversity back to them as something to be celebrated, with stars excelling regardless of age, physical disability, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Continue reading...
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Was the jailing of Just Stop Oil protesters fair? | Letters (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
The crackdown on the right to protest in recent years is starting to look like an insidious march towards illiberal democracy, writes Patrick Callaghan. Plus letters from Rosy Mackin, Michael Daniell, Nigel Hooper, Ric Allen, Robert Nelson and Rowena Beighton-Dykes I agree wholeheartedly with Chris Packham’s and Dale Vince’s article criticising the jailing of environmental protesters (You may find Just Stop Oil annoying. You may dislike their tactics. But they do not belong in prison, 19 July). It’s a chilling response that shames our judiciary. Yes, the protesters are often annoying, aggrandising and disruptive: that’s the point. Our history is littered with such protesters, whose actions have changed the lives of many and resulted in governments enacting legislation. That we now have legally protected characteristics for many citizens is, in part, due to campaigns by annoying, aggrandising and disruptive citizens, often pilloried, jailed and worse. Our legislative limits on the right to protest in the past few years are starting to look like an insidious march towards “illiberal democracy”, to coin a phrase that Viktor Orbán has used to describe his government. Patrick Callaghan London Continue reading...
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Australia’s north-west reefs teem with life – but they are also at the centre of a massive fossil fuel expansion (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Woodside’s designs on the country’s largest untapped gas basin around Scott Reef are, some say, just another example of fossil fuel companies getting their way in what has become a petrostate Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Australia’s next wave of fossil fuel expansion is planned for environments far from where most people will ever see it. Places like Scott Reef. Once part of an interconnected coral ecosystem that rivalled the Great Barrier Reef in scale, Scott Reef now sits in a remnant group of atolls near the edge of the Australian continental shelf, nearly 300km from its sparsely populated north-west coast. Continue reading...
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Extreme heat poses ‘real risk’ to Spain’s mass tourism industry (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Public health adviser says higher temperatures caused by climate crisis pose danger for visitors not used to them The climate emergency poses a “real risk” to Spain’s traditional mass tourist model as rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves hit the country’s most popular coastal destinations, a senior public health adviser has warned. Héctor Tejero, the head of health and climate change at Spain’s health ministry, said the increasingly apparent physical impacts of the climate emergency had already led the ministry to begin talks with the British embassy on how best to educate “vulnerable” tourists about coping with the heat. Continue reading...
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‘A real pioneer’: King Charles seeks to embody green values in royal estate (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Changes include converting Bentleys to run on biofuels but helicopter use shows difficulties in balancing priorities A pair of gas-guzzling Bentleys are not the most obvious candidates to burnish the monarch’s green credentials. But news that King Charles is converting his chauffeur-driven luxury vehicles to run on biofuels was this week billed as a small step in a bigger plan to reduce emissions – perhaps the equivalent of lesser mortals separating paper from plastic in the weekly rubbish. “The two existing state Bentleys will undergo refurbishment in the coming year to enable them to run on biofuel,” said Sir Michael Stevens, the keeper of the privy purse, adding that it was an interim measure in advance of “the next generation of state vehicles being fully electrified” and part of a “wider plan to make a significant impact on our carbon emissions in the years ahead”. Continue reading...
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Man gets third-degree burns from walking on sand dunes in Death Valley (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
European visitor rushed to hospital after briefly walking barefoot in California national park amid extreme heat A European visitor got third-degree burns on his feet while briefly walking barefoot on the sand dunes in California’s Death Valley national park over the weekend, park rangers said Thursday. The rangers said the visitor was rushed to a hospital in nearby Nevada. Because of language issues, the rangers said they were not immediately able to determine whether the 42-year-old Belgian’s flip-flops had somehow been broken or were lost at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes during a short Saturday walk. Continue reading...
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‘A minority inside a minority’: fear and conspiracy theories in the Leeds Roma community (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
False rumours that a child died in Harehills while being taken into care sparked unrest a week ago “A child died at the weekend,” a Roma woman in Harehills, Leeds, said on Monday. “Police came to take him and he jumped out of an upstairs window and died. The authorities have covered it up.” Where has she heard this? “TikTok.” Continue reading...
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About 50 people brought to Dover as small boat crossings continue (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Children among group led ashore by UK Border Force as number crossing Channel since last Saturday nears 400 Small boat crossings continued on Saturday as the UK Border Force brought a group of people from the Channel into Dover. Children were among the group of about 50 people who were led ashore from the first boat that docked. Other Border Force vessels remained in the Channel. Continue reading...
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Type of mouth bacteria ‘melts’ some cancers, study finds (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
People with head and neck cancers are said to have better outcomes if fusobacterium is found with their cancer Scientists have discovered that a common type of mouth bacteria can make certain cancers “melt”. Researchers at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College London said they had been “brutally surprised” to find that fusobacterium – a type of bacteria commonly found in the mouth – appears to have the ability to kill certain cancers. Continue reading...
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Eye-popping and under pressure: a unique London fashion street’s struggle (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Fonthill Road has almost 100 clothes shop and a huge ethnic mix but rent rises and restaurant chain expansion mean change is on the way There is oodles of lace, glinting diamante and enough sequins for several series of Strictly Come Dancing: no, it’s not the Met Gala but an unassuming street in north London where a quiet battle is under way to protect a hidden fashion treasure. Almost 100 fashion stores, with names such as Bien Avenue, Cinderella and the sadly now defunct FFUK (short for Fashion Fashion UK) are crammed into about 250m of Fonthill Road, tucked behind Finsbury Park station. Amir Sediqi, from Afganistan, at Huda Boutique Continue reading...
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Savers urged to lock in best deals before UK interest rate decision (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
With Bank of England meeting on 1 August, people are advised to take advantage of top-paying accounts now Experts are split on whether there will be a UK interest rate cut on Thursday but most agree on one thing: savers should “act now” to lock into the best rates while they are still available. All eyes will be on the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee when it meets on 1 August, although while some believe we could see it announce the first base rate cut in more than four years, others reckon we will have to wait until at least September. Continue reading...
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Ministers urged to act over physical and online intimidation in UK election (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
MPs and candidates who faced abuse discuss polling station buffer zones and action to tackle social media ‘Constant abuse’: three UK candidates on their election experience MPs and candidates who faced abuse on the campaign trail have pressed ministers to act over intimidation around polling stations and via social media algorithms that push incendiary material. Half a dozen MPs and candidates attended a roundtable meeting with Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, Dan Jarvis, the security minister, and Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, on Wednesday. Continue reading...
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Sad last days of Harold Wilson revealed by Cabinet Office archives (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Former politicians pay tribute after files show ‘Labour’s most successful leader’ was forced to consider selling legacy to pay for his dementia care Margaret Thatcher described him as “the most skilful of politicians” and Tony Blair thought him “Labour’s most successful leader ever”. Such elegies on the death in 1995 of Harold Wilson, 79, the twice Labour prime minister who had Alzheimer’s and colon cancer, betray nothing of the reality of his later years – spent in the unforgiving grip of dementia and, it has emerged, forced to consider selling his personal and political papers to meet the heavy and increasing costs of care. Continue reading...
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Ted Baker ‘plans to shut all its UK shops within weeks’ (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Hundreds of staff at the fashion chain reportedly told they will lose their jobs Ted Baker could disappear from British high streets as the struggling fashion chain plans to shut all its stores within weeks. The business behind the fashion brand’s UK shops, No Ordinary Designer Label Limited (NODL), entered administration in March. Continue reading...
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Why scientific support for alcohol’s health benefits is fading (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Research exposes flaws of older, often industry-funded studies and finds lowest mortality risk in lifelong abstainers Humans have been drawn to the idea that alcohol may have health benefits for almost as long as they have been drinking it. In ancient China, rice wine was widely used for medicinal purposes, while Hippocrates, the ancient Greek “Father of Medicine”, advocated moderate amounts of alcohol for the mind, body and soul. Later, proponents of the temperance movement, who urged 19th century workers to quit booze, were met with resistance by those who thought beer was necessary for good health. Continue reading...
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Buying British: can Labour’s defence policy really help UK industry? (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Questions over whether plan to spend billions on weapons will work as a tool to spur economic growth Even in a room full of generals from around the world decked in military braid, the arrival of the prime minister causes a stir. At the Farnborough international airshow this week, knots of advisers and armed police surrounded Keir Starmer as he walked through the stalls, occasionally allowing a favoured chief executive or a nervous apprentice into the inner circle. A few words with the prime minister will always be valuable for bosses of big business. But at this year’s version of the biennial aviation and weapons show, defence companies in particular were hanging on his words for any hints of the intentions of the first Labour prime minister since 2010. Continue reading...
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Record-breaking Zoom supporting Harris mobilizes white female voters (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Over 160,000 attendees in a key demographic ‘answered the call’ on Thursday, with nearly $8.5m raised for Harris Following the success of a virtual call to mobilize Black women voters for Kamala Harris, a similar event with more than 160,000 attendees was held on Thursday aimed at white women, and appeared to break records. White women will be a key demographic for the Democrats to win over this election. Continue reading...
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Top pilots’ union sounds alarm as regulators consider smaller crew sizes (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Firms accused of putting profits over safety as EU group weighs cutting minimum number of pilots from two to one Aerospace giants have been accused of putting profits ahead of safety as officials consider cutting the minimum number of pilots required on commercial flight decks from two to one. The move, which is currently being evaluated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), would weaken standards to the “lowest common denominator”, the world’s largest union of airline pilots has warned. Continue reading...
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Members of US family gospel group the Nelons killed in plane crash (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Three members of group among seven people who died in Wyoming crash on Friday Three members of the US family gospel group the Nelons have been killed in a plane crash, their management announced. Jason Clark, Kelly Nelon Clark and their daughter Amber Kistler died on Friday while taking a flight to perform on a cruise ship. Continue reading...
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Video emerges of Francis Ford Coppola kissing female extras on set (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
The film-maker has been accused of acting inappropriately on the set of his self-funded sci-fi epic Megalopolis Videos have emerged of director Francis Ford Coppola trying to kiss female extras on the set of his new film Megalopolis. Variety obtained footage of the film-maker taken by a crew member during a nightclub scene on set last year. The Guardian had originally reported that the 85-year-old was seen as “old school” in his behaviour around women while shooting, pulling women to sit on his lap and kissing extras to get “them in the mood”. Continue reading...
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California governor declares emergency as multiple wildfires rage across state (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Gavin Newsom makes declaration for three counties as thousands flee and hundreds of homes destroyed Multiple wildfires continued raging overnight in northern California amid dry conditions, high temperatures and wind, prompting the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, to declare a state of emergency in three counties. Newsom’s emergency declaration for the counties of Plumas, Butte and Tehama came as thousands of residents were forced to flee their homes. Hundreds of houses and other buildings have also been destroyed, though no deaths have been reported. Continue reading...
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Further Eurostar cancellations hold up Paris 2024 passengers (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
The rail operator has pulled four of 15 trains from its Saturday schedule, affecting more than 3,000 people Eurostar passengers hoping to catch the start of the Paris Olympics have continued to face difficulties after an arson attack in France caused train cancellations. People travelling by Eurostar from London to Paris on Friday were asked to postpone trips if possible after the rail operator cancelled one in four trains over the weekend as a result of arson attacks that lead to widespread disruption to France’s high-speed rail network hours before the start of the Olympics. Continue reading...
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Cinque Terre’s Path of Love reopens with charges to ease Insta-tourism (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Visitors will need to pay up to €15 to stroll – and take photos – along romantic 900-metre walkway in Liguria, Italy Stifling though the crowds of tourists can be at the height of summer, a hint of love is in the air across the five villages of Italy’s Cinque Terre as a Ligurian riviera coastal path famed as a meeting point for courting couples reopens after an almost 12-year closure. Sculpted into the steep cliffs wedged between the villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola, the Via dell’Amore (Path of Love) had been closed since being damaged by a September 2012 landslide that injured four Australian tourists. Continue reading...
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Sinéad O’Connor waxwork pulled from Dublin museum after backlash (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Irish singer’s brother speaks of shock at ‘hideous’ figure which ‘looked nothing like her’ Dublin’s wax museum is withdrawing a figure of Sinéad O’Connor amid criticism from her family and members of the public that it looked “nothing like her”. Many reacted with shock when the waxwork figure was unveiled on Thursday. Continue reading...
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Norwegian princess investigated over role in commemorative wedding gin (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Märtha Louise is not allowed to use her title commercially after renouncing her royal duties two years ago A letter has claimed that the Norwegian princess Märtha Louise was more deeply involved with a gin launched to mark her forthcoming wedding than previously stated, amid growing questions over the use of her name on the bottle. The royal, who will marry the American businessman Durek Verrett in a four-day fjord-side wedding in Geiranger, Norway, next month, is not permitted to use her princess title in commercial contexts. Continue reading...
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Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv’s forces strike Russian military airfield in Crimea (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Volodymyr Zelenskiy commends troops for hitting ‘Russian bases and logistics on occupied territory’; Russia hands out long jail terms for alleged anti-war plots. What we know on day 885 See all our Ukraine war coverage Continue reading...
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‘It was the first time I wasn’t obsessed with food’: comedians mine Ozempic trend for laughs at Edinburgh Fringe (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Female comics will confront body dysmorphia by turning the mirror on themselves and then back on society Solo performers on Edinburgh’s fringe are jointly confronting one of the most personally undermining ailments – body dysmorphia. Next weekend a range of female comedians – from self-confessed users of weight-loss drugs, to obsessive dieters and serial cosmetic surgery customers – will be fighting back against the damage caused by the pressure to look thin. In a string of shows they will turn the mirror first on themselves and then on wider society. “Like many people, I thought life would start when I got to the right weight. Then you lose weight and think, how come I still don’t feel right?” said Michelle Shaughnessy, 40, an acclaimed Canadian comic who has written an unflinching new show, Too Late, Baby, revealing her reliance on semaglutide, the controversial weight-loss drug. “I never wanted to talk about it at my age. I thought, people are going to think it is a younger woman’s issue, and that I should have bigger things on my mind. But I still can’t get a handle on this.” Continue reading...
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On my radar: Evie Wyld’s cultural highlights (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
The author on a musical tribute to Andy Warhol, the book that made her swear out loud, and an exciting new restaurant in Peckham Born in London in 1980, the author Evie Wyld grew up between her home town and Australia. Named one of Granta’s best of young British novelists in 2013, her debut, After the Fire, a Still Small Voice (2009), won the John Llewellyn Rhys prize and a Betty Trask award, while her follow-up, All the Birds, Singing (2013), received the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered prize. Her latest novel, The Echoes (Vintage), is a ghost story set between London and Australia. She lives with her husband and son in south London, where she runs a small independent bookshop called Review. Continue reading...
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Céline Dion ‘so full of joy’ after return in Paris Olympics opening ceremony (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Singer says she feels honoured to have been part of event, her first live on-stage performance since 2020 Céline Dion at the Paris Olympics review – a dazzling and emotional return Céline Dion has said she is “so full of joy” after making a triumphant return to the stage in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. The star, who has been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a neurological disorder, sang Édith Piaf’s Hymne à l’amour on the Eiffel Tower for a global audience of millions in her first live onstage performance since early 2020. Continue reading...
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Pet Shop Boys review – still never being boring (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Royal Opera House, London Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe deliver hits and new songs with their trademark bittersweet ambivalence, theatrical staging and imperviousness to fashion “We could make five times more money playing the O2 arena for one night,” Pet Shop Boys’ singer Neil Tennant mused to an interviewer in April, on the decision to play five nights at London’s Royal Opera House. They eschewed the opportunity in favour of this intimate, refined space to stage Dreamworld – the duo’s ongoing greatest hits tour. It’s a set that covers much hallowed pop ground but finds space for deep cuts and the band’s latest output as well. This is the third time Pet Shop Boys have played an Opera House residency; the venue suits them. Both institutions are long-lived bastions of aesthetic sophistication and mannered feeling in a rapidly changing world. When not making sleek pop that marries the frictionless glide of Kraftwerk and the controlled release of New Order with Tennant’s cool-eyed aperçus, the Boys score ballets and films. There is a grand gesturing to many of their synth chord progressions that chimes with the red velvet upholstery. Continue reading...
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Loud and queer: Gareth Thomas, Rosie Jones and more on the culture that helped them find their true selves (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
From a rugby great to a former MP, LGBTQ stars spill the beans on the shows, songs and films that made them understand their identity Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy Continue reading...
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Paris Olympics opening ceremony review – soaring ambition deflated by patchy delivery (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
River, roads and rooftops were in play on rain sodden night that lacked usual class of French capital Paris Olympics day one live: latest updates The immaculate execution of Tokyo’s Olympic opening ceremony was always going to be a tough act to follow. Paris made the canny decision not to try to emulate its stadium spectacle and hi-tech bling. (Remember that formidable arrangement of 1,800 drones?) This ceremony’s creative director, Thomas Jolly, had the inspired idea to lean into Paris’s famed romance by using the city itself as a stage. So a country-by-country flotilla of athletes sailed down the Seine while a 6km (3.7 mile) parade snaked across its bridges, roads and rooftops. But what appears like a truly original idea on paper does not always live up to its enactment on a rain-sodden night in central Paris. Continue reading...
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Wash and grow: how the right payment platform helped a laundry service to innovate (Wed, 05 Jun 2024)
When Katy Mitchell took over ownership of Washstation, her first job was to modernise the business. And when she brought a new provider on board to handle its payments, she found a willing partner for creative growth Katy Mitchell didn’t ever imagine she’d buy a laundry company. So, in June 2019, when she took control of the keys and cash boxes for 270 student laundry facilities around the UK, she could be forgiven for wondering what she’d just done. Fast forward five years and she’s doubled the turnover of the business, built a team of 25, and been named Managing Director of the Year for Laundry Solutions by SME News. “It was a complete surprise,” she says of the award. “And absolutely brilliant to have some recognition – as a small business manager you’re so far away from being on a Forbes list or on the front page of MoneyWeek. We’re just really proud of what we do.” Continue reading...
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Slather it on: seven things dermatologists want you to know about sunscreen (Tue, 09 Jul 2024)
Keep your cool when it’s hot out there by picking the ideal sunscreen. Use loads more than you think you need – and follow a tennis star’s two-hour rule Longer summer days mean we’re stocking up on sunscreen. But although we all know how important it is to protect our skin from the UVA and UVB rays which can cause cancer and premature ageing, many of us still aren’t sure how best to do it. A 2022 suncare study by La Roche-Posay1 showed that among women aged over 18, only 15% apply standalone sunscreens daily on their face, and just 48% of people in the UK wear it when the weather really calls for it. Continue reading...
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It doesn’t have to be a big commitment: your no-stress guide to throwing a successful charity fundraiser (Fri, 05 Jul 2024)
Keen to raise money for a good cause, but unsure where to start? The secret is to keep it manageable – you don’t need to run a marathon or jump into a bath of baked beans if a coffee morning or wine tasting will hit the spot When you say the words “charity fundraiser”, it sounds like a lot of organisation. Rewarding, sure, but a big commitment all the same. But what if you could do your bit for a good cause without the stress? Macmillan Coffee Morning is an excellent fundraising opportunity that anyone can get involved with, no matter how little time they have to spare. As one in two people in the UK will develop some form of cancer, Macmillan Cancer Support is needed now more than ever. The charity is all about supporting those with cancer every step of the way. Through its support line and online chat, you can get reassurance about diagnosis and treatment from experienced cancer nurses, as well as expert tips on finances and accessing benefits from Macmillan’s trained and accredited welfare rights advisers. Macmillan even provides grants to help cover the essentials for those who need it – as well as helping those living with cancer to claim the benefits they are entitled to. And if it’s just a chat with someone who really gets it that you need, Macmillan Buddies are always there to listen. That’s not to mention advocacy work on behalf of the 3 million people living with cancer in the UK. Working to cut waiting times and supporting the cancer workforce are all in a day’s work for Macmillan. Continue reading...
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Castles, spas and coastal gems: eight memorable Welsh holiday experiences (Mon, 15 Jul 2024)
Wales might be small, but between its dramatic coastline and rolling hills, the country offers a jam-packed roster of incredible options to make any stay unforgettable Experience mountain bike paradiseWith its famously hilly terrain, dense forests and sweeping valleys, Wales is a mountain biker’s dream. From the rugged trails of Coed y Brenin in Eryri (Snowdonia), north Wales, to the forest tracks of Afan Forest Park in south Wales, there’s an epic adventure for every rider. For an adrenaline-fuelled biking experience try Antur Stiniog’s network of 14 trails, from beginner through to rocky, technical options. There’s also a handy uplift service, so you can enjoy the downhill thrill without the upward push. Meanwhile, BikePark Wales, near Merthyr Tydfil, boasts more than 40 purpose-built trails for novices and pros alike, complete with jumps, drops and technical sections. Most facilities offer high-quality bike hire, too. Be enchanted by PortmeirionDesigned by Welsh architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1973, Portmeirion is both wonderfully charming and entirely unexpected. An Italian-inspired village nestled on the coast of north Wales, its vibrant, pastel-coloured buildings, lush subtropical gardens, and scenic coastal views make it a photographer’s dream. Indulge your Wes Anderson fantasies as you explore quirky shops, quaint cafes, and relax in uniquely serene surroundings. For the ultimate experience, consider staying overnight in the historic Hotel Portmeirion, to enjoy the village’s magical atmosphere after day-trippers have headed home. Continue reading...
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Exclusive vegan recipes from Meera Sodha’s new book | The new vegan (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
In this exclusive extract from her new book, Dinner, our star food writer reveals what she really cooks at home, from family meals to feeding a crowd I’m flabbergasted to tell you that this month marks my seventh year of writing the New Vegan column. That’s a total of 348 recipes (or just 17 short of one for every day of the year). It’s taken a lot of vegetable peelings, sweat and tears to get here, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that plant-based cooking has been anything but a limit on my creativity, and that the fire in my belly for writing new recipes has often been sparked by your support. As a “thank you” for coming along for the ride, here are eight exclusive recipes from my new book, Dinner, which is published on 1 August. Continue reading...
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‘America was futuristic once. Now all the crazy things are from Asia’: why the British are going wild for kawaii culture (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
From bubble tea and corn dogs to K-pop and plushies, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese brands have captured the pocket-money market Ayla and Edie, both aged 12, are hanging out in Westfield Stratford City, a shopping centre next to London’s former Olympic Park, on a Saturday afternoon. They first go to T4, a Taiwanese outlet that sells bubble tea – a sweet, multicoloured cold drink with chewy, or exploding, tapioca balls at the bottom. Ayla went for a rose tea; Edie for strawberry flavour. They cost £6 each. “It is quite expensive,” says Ayla, “but I earn money from doing chores like unloading the dishwasher, hanging up the laundry.” They head a few metres down the centre to Kenji, a gift, homeware, snack and stationery shop that describes itself as an “east Asian-influenced brand”. As a birthday present for a friend, Ayla buys a £10 “sushi cat” plushie – a squidgy stuffed animal with a pillow strapped to its back as if it were a bed of rice topped with tuna. “My friend brings in sushi to school every day. She’s really into it,” Ayla says. Continue reading...
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Daphne Guinness: ‘I don’t look in the mirror much. Growing up, I never thought I was beautiful’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
The model and musician on wanting to be a spy, a brush with gun violence, and the pleasure of fishfingers with ketchup Born in London, Guinness, 56, married at 19, moved to Switzerland and had three children. She went on to work as a model, fashion writer and muse to Alexander McQueen and Karl Lagerfeld. In 2011, she created a show from her own archive for the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She began recording music in 2011 and, this summer, released her fourth album, Sleep. Divorced, she lives in London. When were you happiest? I am often happiest on a shoot with David LaChapelle, being pushed to the extremes – either suspended from a harness or immersed in a tank of water. He calls it “extreme modelling”. Continue reading...
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This is how we do it: ‘I bought a book on tantra – erections are not necessary’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Caleb’s never felt attractive but after two years with Jen – and buying a book that rejected the normal sex agenda – his self-confidence is growing Jen had been widowed, and was lonely at the time. We connected immediately Continue reading...
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Blind date: ‘I felt flustered at times – in a good way’ (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Birgit, 42, an academic, meets Solomon, 44, a healthcare professional What were you hoping for? A fun evening with someone interesting. I chose to not think about it too much beforehand and to just let things happen. Continue reading...
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Can you face Frank Paul’s fiendish summer quiz? (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
A set of cunning quizzes from the former Only Connect champion and the author of The Cryptic Pub Quiz Book. You might need a pen and paper … The eight answers in this round form a palindrome. That is to say, if the answers are seen collectively as a single string of letters (disregarding spaces, punctuation and capitalisation), it will read the same forwards and backwards. Continue reading...
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Tell us: have you been affected by travel disruption ahead of the Paris Olympics? (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
We’d like to hear how people are experiencing travel disruptions ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris France’s high-speed rail network has been hit by coordinated “malicious acts” including arson attacks that have brought major disruption to many of the country’s busiest rail lines hours before the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Eurostar journeys are also affected, with eighteen Eurostar trains due to run between London and Paris, but an unknown number having been cancelled. Travellers from London to Paris face 90-minute delays and train cancellations on the day of the Olympic Games opening ceremony. Continue reading...
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Tell us: have you been affected by the UK’s two-child limit on universal credit? (Thu, 11 Jul 2024)
We want to hear from people in the UK hit by the two-child limit on their experiences The prime minister, Keir Starmer, is facing pressure to abolish the two-child limit on universal credit, with the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, calling the cap “wrong” and urging Starmer to scrap it. The limit on universal credit or child tax credit for more than two children (with exceptions for children with disabilities or those born before April 2017) impacts around 450,000 families, including 1.6 million children. Continue reading...
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Tell us: if you work in the UK holiday industry, how has business been so far in 2024? (Wed, 24 Jul 2024)
We’re keen to hear from workers and business owners in the British tourism sector what this year’s holiday seasons have been like We’re interested to hear from people working in the UK travel and leisure industry about what business has been like to date in 2024. If you work or own a business in UK tourism, tell us what bookings, cancellations and profits have been like this year, or if you’re a seasonal holiday worker in Britain tell us how busy things have been and whether you’ve been able to work as much as you’d like. Whether things have been positive or whether you have concerns about the UK holiday industry or your position in it, we’d like to hear about it. Continue reading...
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Send us your old Ucas personal statements (Tue, 23 Jul 2024)
To mark the end of the personal statement for university applications in Britain, we would like to see your old ones The Ucas personal statement has long been a dreaded stage in the university application process for teenagers. But from next year, the 4,000 character statement will be replaced by a set of questions on why students want to study their chosen subject and how they are prepared. Continue reading...
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GOP wants to hold Harris’s immigration record against her - what did she do? (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
US vice-president has been called a ‘border czar’ by Trump and a ‘champion for Dreamers’ by immigration advocates This week the House passed a Republican-led resolution condemning Kamala Harris for her role in the Biden administration’s handling of migration, part of a ramped up effort to portray the presumptive Democratic nominee as dangerously lax on border security. Following Joe Biden’s decision to bow out of the presidential race, Donald Trump has also unleashed a barrage of fresh attacks on the US vice-president’s record on immigration, a politically volatile issue expected to play a central role in the November presidential election. Continue reading...
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‘Hold on to your seats’: how much will AI affect the art of film-making? (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
The future is here, whether some like it or not, and artificial intelligence is already impacting the film industry. But just how far can, and should, it go? Last year, Rachel Antell, an archival producer for documentary films, started noticing AI-generated images mixed in with authentic photos. There are always holes or limitations in an archive; in one case, film-makers got around a shortage of images for a barely photographed 19th-century woman by using AI to generate what looked like old photos. Which brought up the question: should they? And if they did, what sort of transparency is required? The capability and availability of generative AI – the type that can produce text, images and video – have changed so rapidly, and the conversations around it have been so fraught, that film-makers’ ability to use it far outpaces any consensus on how. “We realized it was kind of the wild west, and film-makers without any mal-intent were getting themselves into situations where they could be misleading to an audience,” said Antell. “And we thought, what’s needed here is some real guidance.” Continue reading...
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Who launched attack on the French rail network – and why? (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Arsonists used crude methods but disruption to opening of the Olympic Games in Paris was severe It was about 1.15am when the SNCF maintenance workers, carrying out repairs by moonlight, spotted the group of people a little further down the railway line near a signal box outside the sleepy village of Vergigny, in the northern French department of Yonne. They were concerned enough by the unlikely sight at such an hour to approach the intruders, and then to make a call to the local police as those they had interrupted ran off into the dark. Continue reading...
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‘I just feel like living every day’: oldest American, 115, offers tips for longevity (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Louisiana’s Elizabeth Francis, ‘America’s grandmother’, was born before women could vote and has seen two world wars The oldest person in the US offers two bits of advice when asked for the keys to her longevity: “If the good Lord gave it to you, use it” and “Speak your mind, don’t bite your tongue!” Elizabeth Francis’s pearls of wisdom were recirculated widely as she celebrated her 115th birthday on Thursday. The milestone cemented her place as the world’s fourth-oldest living person, according to the LongeviQuest website, an authority on supercentenarians, or those who are 110 or older. Continue reading...
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Your food is more expensive – are US corporate profits to blame? (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Many companies such as Chipotle and McDonald’s are seeing profits jump as they continue raising prices, an analysis finds As inflation shot to its peak around mid-2022, Chipotle’s prices also rose, pushing up what customers paid for burritos and bowls by as much as several dollars. Since then, the fast casual restaurant’s costs have broadly fallen. Prices have not. Chipotle’s decision to maintain high prices helped boost profits 110% in recent years, while its executives boasted to investors that they raised prices higher than inflationary costs. Continue reading...
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‘So uniquely her’: where did Kamala Harris’s self-help speaking style come from? (Thu, 25 Jul 2024)
The vice-president blends a prosecutor’s precision with pearls of wisdom. Experts shed light on her language “What can be, unburdened by what has been” is a phrase Kamala Harris uses so often there are minutes-long supercuts available to watch on YouTube. It even has its own Wikipedia page. In other speeches, Harris has also expressed a belief in “the significance of the passage of time” and a desire to “honor the women who made history throughout history”. Since becoming the presumptive nominee, Harris has invigorated the Democratic party. It’s not only that she’s a much younger candidate than Biden; she also has a stump speech style that embraces metaphor and a new age vernacular not often heard in national politics. The meme accounts love to quote it. It’s even led some to draw comparisons with Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s portrayal of Selina Meyer, the frothy politician in Veep. (In one episode, Meyer stumbles through a speech saying: “We are the United States of America because we are united … and we are states.”) Continue reading...
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Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony: a high-kitsch, riverside spectacle (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
An armada of boats carrying athletes along the Seine, dangling dancers and parading drag queens – all under torrential rain Opening ceremony review – soaring ambition deflated by delivery Paris Olympics day one live: latest updates The Paris Olympic Games opened on Friday night with a high-kitsch, riverside spectacle, as an armada of boats carried athletes along the Seine, dancers dangled from high poles, drag queens paraded on bridges and the Olympic rings lit up the Eiffel Tower – all under unrelenting, torrential rain. France had promised its opening ceremony would be the biggest open-air show on Earth. More than 300,000 people watched from the riverside and bridges – and hundreds more stood at windows and balconies – as a show of dance, live music and acrobatics unfolded along more than 6km of river from the Pont d’Austerlitz to the Eiffel Tower. Continue reading...
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‘Selina was not modelled on Harris’: Iannucci on how US presidential race came to mirror Veep (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Writer says cyclical nature of politics allows satire to appear to predict future, including vice-president’s run for top job For years, British politics has echoed the ludicrous and sometimes concerning storylines of Armando Iannucci’s TV show The Thick of It. Now, with the US vice-president, Kamala Harris, campaigning to become the commander-in-chief, Americans are using the show Veep as proof of the satirist’s gift for prophecy. So what does Iannucci think about being dubbed the Nostradamus of western politics? Continue reading...
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Are the lives of Rupert Murdoch and Succession’s Logan Roy inching closer? (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
A secret legal battle between the media mogul and his children is evoking parallels with his TV counterpart This article contains spoilers for the HBO series Succession Rupert Murdoch is reportedly in a secret legal battle with his four eldest children over the future of his media empire, in a turn of events that has sparked comparisons with the battles of the Roy family in the hit HBO drama Succession. According to sealed court documents seen by the New York Times, Murdoch, 93, is arguing that his eldest son, Lachlan, should have sole control of the family’s investments in a move that would in effect freeze out his other children – James, Elisabeth and Prudence. Continue reading...
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Linford review – the scenes about the racist fetishisation of his genitals are heartbreaking (Thu, 25 Jul 2024)
He may have been one of Britain’s most successful ever athletes, but Christie’s triumphs opened him up to abuse from the press, the police – and sexual harassment ‘I am so proud of being British,” says Linford Christie. Watching this painful hour and a half-long portrait of one of Britain’s most accomplished yet controversial athletes, it’s hard to figure out why. England’s footballers may be enduring 58 years of hurt, but Christie runs them a close second. When Christie sensationally won gold in the 100m final of the 1986 European Championships in Stuttgart (“I must have been ranked about 15th”), he celebrated on track by draping the union jack over his shoulders – only to be ticked off. Now 64, Christie recalls being told by a British official that it was not the done thing: “He meant it was not the done thing for a Black person.” Continue reading...
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Bullied, belittled but indisputably brilliant: how Victoria Pendleton became a cycling legend; and what’s missing from Twisters? – podcast (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Victoria Pendleton is one of Britain’s greatest ever athletes, but has often felt like a failure and fraud. She tells Simon Hattenstone about her Olympic golds, the misery that came with them, and the joy she has found since she retired. And Twisters is the tornado blockbuster that almost has it all. But its two hot stars – Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones – avoid a climactic smooch. Is Steven Spielberg to blame? Continue reading...
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‘I’m good, I promise’: the loneliness of the low-ranking tennis player – podcast (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
I was once Ireland’s No 1 player, and tried for years to climb the global ranks. But life at the bottom of the top can be brutal. By Conor Niland Continue reading...
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Harris navigates Netanyahu visit - podcast (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Kamala Harris enjoyed a brief period of excitement as Democrats rallied behind her presidential bid ahead of November’s election. Only a few days in, however, she is being asked questions over her stance on Israel and the war in Gaza. With fewer than 100 days left, Joan Greve speaks to the former adviser to Barack Obama and co-host of Pod Save The World, Ben Rhodes, about the state of play for November 2024 Archive: CBS, CNN, Al Jazeera, PBS Newshour, Dawn News Continue reading...
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The mother who forgave her daughters’ killer – but not the police – podcast (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Mina Smallman’s world fell apart after the murder of her two daughters. Then came a shocking revelation about the police’s behaviour. She explains how she found the strength to fight back Mina Smallman’s life has not been an easy one but she could always find hope somewhere. The first female archdeacon from an ethnic minority background she was brought up, she says, in “poverty and chaos”. But as a young single parent she went back to school and became a teacher, looking for sparks of potential in even the most unpromising children. She met her husband Chris, and had a wonderfully happy family life with her three daughters until one day when everything changed. Two of her adult daughters had been celebrating a birthday together but never came home. The police did not go to look for them so their friends and family did – only to find they had been killed. Mina says, for the first time, she felt robbed of hope. Continue reading...
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Can Strictly survive its biggest scandal? – podcast (Thu, 25 Jul 2024)
This week, Chanté sits down with pop culture writer and Strictly Come Dancing fan Michael Hogan to discuss the latest Strictly scandal and why the show is such a big deal in the UK Archive: BBC One, BBC News, Youtube (James Acaster) Tik Tok (mxwlch03, eveningstandard, metro, dailymail) X (RNCResearch, ryanlong03), ‘The Bear’ (Disney), ‘Dance Moms’ (Lifetime), Channel 4 News Continue reading...
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Trophy hunting: can killing and conservation go hand in hand? - podcast (Thu, 25 Jul 2024)
A series of super tusker elephant killings has sparked a bitter international battle over trophy hunting and its controversial, often-counterintuitive role in conservation. Biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston speaks to Amy Dickman, professor of wildlife conservation at the University of Oxford, about why this debate has become so divisive, and the complexities of allowing killing in conservation Trophy hunter killings spark fierce battle over the future of super tusker elephants Continue reading...
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Labour suspensions and the Tory leadership race - Politics Weekly UK (Thu, 25 Jul 2024)
Keir Starmer has suspended seven of his MPs who rebelled against the whip to scrap the two-child benefit cap. So why won’t Labour scrap the controversial limit, and what does this first test of Starmer’s leadership tell us about the party’s financial position? The Guardian’s John Harris is joined by columnist Gaby Hinsliff and former Downing Street chief of staff and Conservative peer Gavin Barwell to discuss the issue. Plus, the Conservative leadership race begins Continue reading...
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Inside the war on kush: The drug ‘mixed with human bones’ taking over Sierra Leone – video (Wed, 24 Jul 2024)
Sierra Leone is facing a drug abuse epidemic with young people becoming addicted to ‘kush’ – a deadly cocktail containing chemicals and even human bones. The government has announced a crackdown on kush and called the crisis a national emergency as people are dying from its use, though the exact numbers are unknown. While police raid drug dens, the government burns confiscated drugs, and desperate families turn to the help of ‘kush healers’ who put users in chains. Our reporter Saidu Bah asks: can the spread of kush be stopped? Continue reading...
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Joe Biden: a look back at his 50-year political career – video (Mon, 22 Jul 2024)
Joe Biden has announced he will no longer be seeking reelection as US president. When he leaves office on 20 January 2025, it will mark the end of a political career spanning more than 50 years. At the age of 30, he was one of the youngest senators in the country's history The tragedy and resilience of Joe Biden: a look back at a life in politics Biden’s selfless decision to drop out sets stage for an entirely different election Continue reading...
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Why Joe Biden has dropped out of the presidential race - video explainer (Sun, 21 Jul 2024)
Joe Biden has withdrawn from the race for the US presidency, an extraordinary decision upending American politics, that plunges the Democratic nomination into uncertainty just months before the November election against Donald Trump, a candidate he has warned is an existential threat to US democracy. Biden thanked the vice-president, Kamala Harris, in a letter announcing his decision, and later endorsed her as the Democratic nominee for president in a tweet. In this video the Guardian US's politics correspondent, Lauren Gambino, explains why Biden has ultimately decided to step aside The tragedy and resilience of Joe Biden: a look back at a life in politics Joe Biden endorses Kamala Harris for Democratic nomination; Trump claims Biden ‘not fit to serve’ – live Continue reading...
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Inside Trump’s alternative reality: behind the scenes at the RNC - video (Sat, 20 Jul 2024)
Less than a week after a failed assassination attempt, Donald Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination in Milwaukee. But supposed nods to national unity gave way to partisan falsehoods, as the former president was anointed at a moment of national crisis. Oliver Laughland and Tom Silverstone go behind the scenes at the RNC Continue reading...
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Is a new opioid crisis about to devastate the UK? – video (Tue, 16 Jul 2024)
When the Afghan Taliban ceased production of heroin, global supplies were depleted, with new, powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl and nitazenes flooding in to fill the vacuum. With overdoses creeping up and very little on-the-spot testing available in the UK, experts are concerned about how to keep drug users safe. The Guardian visited Copenhagen to see how the Danish approach to problematic drug treatment differs from the UK and asks, with a new safe injection room set to open in Glasgow this summer, whether we might have something to learn from our continental neighbours Continue reading...
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Frozen in Time: the motherhood dilemma for single women in China (Wed, 17 Jul 2024)
Fertility tourism is booming for single Chinese women with hopes of future motherhood. China's birthrate is at a record low, yet unmarried women are not legally allowed to freeze their eggs there. We meet Lei and Abu, as they travel to the US for the procedure, battling self-doubt and scepticism along the way. What does this mean for womanhood and parenting in modern China? Continue reading...
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Four kids left: The Thai school swallowed by the sea – video (Wed, 15 May 2024)
Ban Khun Samut Chin, a coastal village in Samut Prakan province, Thailand, has been slowly swallowed by the sea over the past few decades. This has led to the relocation of the school and many homes, resulting in a dwindling population. Currently, there are only four students attending the school, often leaving just one in each classroom. The village has experienced severe coastal erosion, causing 1.1-2km (0.5-1.2 miles) of shoreline to disappear since the mid-1950s Continue reading...
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So what does the future look like now? | Anywhere but Westminster - video (Fri, 05 Jul 2024)
On a non-stop road and rail trip, John Harris and John Domokos go from Rishi Sunak's well to-do seat in Yorkshire via County Durham and Lanarkshire to arrive amidst the new-town community spirit of Milton Keynes on election day. Everywhere people are holding places together: will a victorious Labour party soak up those vibes? Continue reading...
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Sign up for the Fashion Statement newsletter: our free fashion email (Tue, 20 Sep 2022)
Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, direct to your inbox every Thursday Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday Explore all our newsletters: whether you love film, football, fashion or food, we’ve got something for you Continue reading...
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Sign up for the Guardian Documentaries newsletter: our free short film email (Fri, 02 Sep 2016)
Be the first to see our latest thought-provoking films, bringing you bold and original storytelling from around the world Discover the stories behind our latest short films, learn more about our international film-makers, and join us for exclusive documentary events. We’ll also share a selection of our favourite films, from our archives and from further afield, for you to enjoy. Sign up below. Can’t wait for the next newsletter? Start exploring our archive now. Continue reading...
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Guardian Traveller newsletter: Sign up for our free holidays email (Wed, 12 Oct 2022)
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors. You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays. From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors. You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays. Continue reading...
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Sign up for the Feast newsletter: our free Guardian food email (Tue, 09 Jul 2019)
A weekly email from Yotam Ottolenghi, Meera Sodha, Felicity Cloake and Rachel Roddy, featuring the latest recipes and seasonal eating ideas Each week we’ll send you an exclusive newsletter from our star food writers. We’ll also send you the latest recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi, Nigel Slater, Meera Sodha and all our star cooks, stand-out food features and seasonal eating inspiration, plus restaurant reviews from Grace Dent and Jay Rayner. Sign up below to start receiving the best of our culinary journalism in one mouth-watering weekly email. Continue reading...
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In the picture: a vibrant art-filled home in Chicago (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Blue walls, green ceilings… Inside the colourful home of a creative couple Danielle Taylor, an Illinois native, moved into her top-floor Chicago apartment in 2020. When she and her then boyfriend, writer-director Curtis Taylor Jr, saw the building, it reminded them of something out of a Harry Potter film. Period features recalled Old Chicago with crown mouldings, hardwood doors and a quaint foyer exuding charm. “The apartment has beautiful bay windows, a spacious floor plan and plenty of natural light,” explains Danielle, a sustainability marketing executive. “There were built-in bookshelves and an archway separating the small galley kitchen and the dining area.” A combination of interesting elements made it feel magical, propelling the couple to secure the lease. The building is in Hyde Park, which is a historically black neighbourhood in Chicago that’s become increasingly diverse. Despite being only an hour away from where Danielle was raised, it was a world apart. “I grew up in a predominantly white neighbourhood and when I moved here, I wanted to immerse myself in black culture.” It’s where Curtis co-owned a concept store called The Greens, which Danielle managed. It also doubled up as an art curation space, where they hosted exhibitions and talks and built up relationships with artists. Continue reading...
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Original Observer Photography (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
Musicians, farmers, actors and restaurateurs all feature in the best original photographs from the Observer commissioned in July 2024 Continue reading...
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‘A day at the beach is such a universal pastime’: Mariel and Katherine Tyler’s best phone picture (Sat, 27 Jul 2024)
For the twin photographers, this spontaneous shot captures the timeless pleasures of a day by the sea ‘Coney Island beach and boardwalk is such an iconic fixture in so many people’s New York summers,” Mariel Tyler says of the location of this iPhone photograph. She and her twin sister, Katherine, make up the Tyler Twins, professional photographers who specialise in celebrity portraits, events and concerts. Past subjects include Jay-Z, Whoopi Goldberg and Lady Gaga. Mariel took this image in 2015. “Normally when we shoot professionally, we pass the camera back and forth. Whoever is not shooting is directing. We rarely remember, or care, who took what shot. It’s always a joint effort,” Mariel says. “This shot was entirely spontaneous. The work I do with my sister often has to be more thought out, so it’s nice to shoot without expectations sometimes. On this occasion, Katherine was on a work trip in LA but, ironically, had taken photos of Santa Monica pier earlier that day.” Continue reading...
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The week around the world in 20 pictures (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
Wildfires in California, Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, Israeli bombardment in Gaza and Snoop Dogg at the Paris Olympics: the last seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists • Warning: this gallery contains images that some readers may find distressing Continue reading...
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Artworks in the Seine and a Swedish shipwreck: photos of the day – Friday (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading...
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Week in wildlife – in pictures: an escaped tortoise, friendly harvest mice and a giraffe on the move (Fri, 26 Jul 2024)
The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...
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