ØkonomiPolitikkSportKulturRampelysTeknologiHelseUtenriksAnnet

for 21 timeer siden

Melania: Amazon’s $106m documentary takes $982 per screen in Australian opening weekend

Documentary about the US first lady debuted at No 31 at Australian box office, making $32,399 from 33 screens Melania, Amazon’s $106m (US$75m) documentary about the US first lady, has bombed at the Australian box office on its opening weekend, debuting at No 31 on the charts and taking just $982 (£503, US$688) per screen. The documentary, directed by Brett Ratner, was screened in 33 cinemas across Australia and made $32,399 overall. Continue reading...

for 23 timeer siden

Mark of Cain singer comes out as trans ‘to finally live as myself’

Josie Scott, who has played in the Australian heavy metal band with her brother Kim for 40 years, writes to fans: ‘I’ve decided to embrace, rather than endure, who I am’ Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email The guitarist and vocalist in Australian heavy metal band the Mark of Cain has come out as a trans woman, writing that seeing younger trans people live freely had “helped shine a light on the possibility that maybe I can finally be me in my autumn years.” On Monday night, Josie Scott wrote a statement to fans on the band’s social media, announcing that her family know her as Josie or Jo and “given where I identify on the gender spectrum, I fit within the paradigm of being a trans woman”. Sign up for our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

‘They are not manufactured’: how Brit school stars took over the Grammys

Croydon school’s principal says success of Olivia Dean and Lola Young is a ‘brilliant celebration’ of free arts education As the Grammy winners took to the stage in Los Angeles on Sunday night, one common thread emerged: many had once walked the halls of a comprehensive school in Croydon, south London. British performers Olivia Dean, who won the prestigious gong for best new artist; Lola Young, who took home best pop solo performance for Messy; and FKA twigs, who won best dance/electronic album for Eusexua, all attended the Brit school in Selhurst. As did Raye, who earlier in the week received the Harry Belafonte best song for social change award for Ice Cream Man. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Roman Polanski rape scandal movie to follow perspective of 13-year-old victim

The Girl, based on Samantha Geimer’s memoir, will revisit ‘one of Hollywood’s most notorious scandals through the eyes of the person most misrepresented by it’ A new movie will explore the notorious Roman Polanski statutory rape scandal from the perspective of the 13-year-old girl, Samantha Geimer. The Girl, based on Geimer’s 2013 memoir The Girl: A Life in the Shadow of Roman Polanski, will trace her time in the famous director’s orbit in the 1970s, her experience being subjected to sexual assault and the media maelstrom that followed after Polanski, then 43, was arrested in 1977 on charges of statutory rape and lewd and lascivious act with a child. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

‘This is history, it should be free’: Rome’s €2 Trevi fountain fee divides opinion

Charge is designed to protect much-loved monument from overtourism, but not all visitors like the idea Teresa Romero is in Rome to celebrate a milestone birthday and one of the first things she did on Monday was visit the Trevi fountain to participate in the ritual of tossing a coin into the waters of the late baroque masterpiece. But before the Portuguese tourist could get close to the fountain, she had to hand over €2 (£1.70) – the cost of an access fee that has finally been enacted by Rome council officials after years of discussions. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Hidden detail found in Anne Boleyn portrait was ‘witchcraft rebuttal’, say historians

Exclusive: Underdrawing suggests attempt to debunk myth that former wife of Henry VIII had sixth finger Anne Boleyn’s Hever “Rose” portrait is one of history’s most iconic faces, with her “B” pendant, her French hood, her dark eyes and a red rose in her right hand. Now a secret that has remained hidden for nearly 500 years has been discovered beneath the layers of paint. Scientific analysis of the painting at Hever Castle, her childhood home in Kent, has uncovered evidence that an Elizabethan artist sought to create a “visual rebuttal” to claims that Henry VIII’s ill-fated wife was a witch with a sixth finger on her right hand. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Bad Bunny and Kendrick Lamar win big in Grammys ceremony filled with anti-ICE sentiment

Musicians delivered impassioned speeches during a star-packed night that saw Lamar become the most awarded rapper of all time Grammy awards 2026: list of winners Bad Bunny and Kendrick Lamar took home major Grammy awards during a night that saw musicians hit back at Donald Trump’s ICE occupation. From Justin Bieber to Carole King, artists wore anti-ICE pins while others also spoke out during their speeches. Bad Bunny, who is performing at the Super Bowl next weekend, took home three awards, for album of the year, best música urbana album and global music performance, and used his time on stage to call out anti-immigration sentiment. Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

Kennedy Center will halt entertainment operations for two years, Trump says

DC arts venue, which has seen wave of canceled events after Trump’s takeover, will start renovations in July The John F Kennedy Center, a world-class venue for the performing arts in Washington DC, will halt entertainment events for two years starting on 4 July during renovations, Donald Trump posted on Sunday on Truth Social. The Kennedy Center, which has seen a wave of performers cancel events in recent months as well as the lowest ticket sales in years, has been in turmoil since the president orchestrated a leadership overhaul in the beginning of his term. Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

Dozens of historic Maseratis recreated for movie about Italian car company

Film with a cast headed by Anthony Hopkins tells the story of a supercar marque that began in a small Bologna garage Dozens of Maseratis of 1920s and 1930s designs have been built specially for a feature film about the Italian car company’s earliest days, with a cast headed by Anthony Hopkins. Maserati: The Brothers tells the story of siblings driven by their love of cars to create an automotive company from scratch. It all began in a little garage in the Italian city of Bologna: in 1914 they founded a sports supercar company that went on to make some of the fastest vehicles on the planet. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

‘Island of peace’: Israeli-Palestinian restaurant in Berlin to close – but live on as TV series

Kanaan, a symbol of dining across religious and political divides, will shut it doors ‘probably in March’, say owners An Israeli-Palestinian restaurant in Berlin conceived as an “island of peace” will close in the spring, but its Jewish and Arab owners say their dream will live on in a television series based on their unlikely partnership. Kanaan, a decade-old casual eatery in the Prenzlauer Berg district of the German capital, gained an international profile for its message of “unity over hate” after the 7 October attacks on Israel by Hamas and the outbreak of the Gaza war. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

As stars wear black at Valentino’s funeral, tributes are dressed in red

Fashion designer’s death has put the red dress – and his particular shade of the colour – back in the spotlight “The red dress,” said Valentino Garavani in 1992, “is always magnificent”. This week, following the announcement of his death at the age of 93, the red dress – and the particular shade of red used by the designer known simply as Valentino – is back in the spotlight. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Delroy Lindo: the Sinners Oscar nominee who could make Spike Lee’s secret British weapon rather less secret

Lining up for best supporting actor in the year’s most hotly-tipped film, the Lewisham-born actor has long been a favourite of the Malcolm X director and is poised for brighter limelight In the aftermath of the Oscar nominations, Wunmi Mosaku was heralded as Britain’s saviour after her best supporting actress nod at Hollywood’s most prestigious awards. The UK had been facing its first nomination-less year in the acting categories since 1986. But the Sinners star was joined by a fellow cast member, Lewisham-born, Delroy Lindo, who will also be representing Britain on the big night on 15 March. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Digested week: Let us focus on the few, brief bright spots we can

Squint hard into the darkness and you’ll find there’s so much to look forward to. Gwyneth Paltrow and HBO Max for starters Ah, Blue Monday – it seems to come round quicker every year, no? For those of you not familiar with the term it denotes the third Monday of January, which is alleged to be the most depressing day of the year. Collectively, I mean – obviously each us has a birthday plus a year coming up that will inescapably include bad haircuts, disappointing Vinted purchases, and expensively untraceable leaks in the home. And Prue Leith’s leaving Bake Off. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Arctic Monkeys release first new song since 2022 to benefit War Child

Opening Night will appear on HELP(2), a charity compilation out in March which also features Olivia Rodrigo, Depeche Mode, Pulp and more Arctic Monkeys have released Opening Night, their first new song since 2022 album The Car, with proceeds benefiting the charity War Child. Opening Night is taken from HELP(2), a sequel to War Child’s 1995 album Help, which brought together A-list music names to raise £1.2m for children affected by conflict, including Radiohead, Blur, Sinéad O’Connor and the Smokin’ Mojo Filters (a supergroup of Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller). Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Hand shape in Indonesian cave may be world’s oldest known rock art

Archaeologists say stencil painted with ochre in limestone cave on Muna Island was created at least 67,800 years ago The faded outline of a hand on a cave wall in Indonesia may be the world’s oldest known rock art, according to archaeologists who say it was created at least 67,800 years ago. The ancient hand stencil was discovered in a limestone cave popular with tourists on Muna Island, part of south-eastern Sulawesi, where it had gone unnoticed between more recent paintings of animals and other figures. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Forget Keanu: Ulster Scots translation of Beckett classic takes on spate of celebrity Godots

Tragicomedy will be performed outdoors in Northern Irish countryside as part of new festival celebrating Irish playwright Beneath a stark steel tree in a bleak upland bog, a literary masterpiece is set to assume a different linguistic mantle. Samuel Beckett’s enigmatic tragicomedy Waiting for Godot will make its world premiere in Ulster Scots, a moment described as a “coming of age” for the minority language, and the antithesis of the trend for celebrity Godots. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

New Traitors contestants include detective, crime writer and psychologist

BBC reveals latest cast, which also features cybersecurity expert, sweet shop assistant and personal trainer A retired police detective, a crime writer and a psychologist are among the next cohort of contestants to enter The Traitors’ castle, as the BBC revealed details of the latest series of its smash-hit sleuthing show. A sweet shop assistant, a cybersecurity expert and a personal trainer are also among those to be divided into plotting “traitors” and the “faithfuls” tasked with unmasking them. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

‘It’s not a hen party hellscape’: Dublin’s Temple Bar strives to shake off its bad reputation

Despite reviews of the district as a raucous tourist trap, improved policing has restored safety and an eclectic vibe When Ireland redeveloped a swathe of central Dublin in the 1990s, the idea was to create a version of Paris’s Left Bank, a cultural quarter of cobbled lanes, art and urban renewal. Planners and architects transformed the run-down Temple Bar site by the River Liffey into an ambitious experiment that drew throngs of visitors and won awards. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Andreas Whittam Smith, co-founder of the Independent, dies aged 88

Journalist and editor also led British Board of Film Classification and served as senior lay member of the Church of England Andreas Whittam Smith, the co-founder of the Independent newspaper and a former president of the British Board of Film Classification, has died aged 88. Whittam Smith was also the first editor of the Independent and served as first church estates commissioner, the senior lay member of the Church of England, from 2002 to 2017. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Bridge to the past: JR to wrap Pont Neuf again, 40 years after artistic forebears

Exclusive: French artist planning to cover bridge over Seine in tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude The enigmatic French artist JR will undertake what he says is his biggest ever challenge next year when he “wraps” Pont Neuf, the oldest standing bridge across the Seine River in Paris, in a tribute to a monumental art project by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. For three weeks next June, the 232-metre (761ft) long bridge will be wrapped in fabric, 40 years after the married artists known for their large-scale, site-specific environmental installations did the same thing. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Can you have a community without craic? Scholars of Ireland’s pubs warn of declining numbers

Two new books analyse what makes the ‘perfect pub’ and both come to a sobering conclusion: Irish pubs are in trouble Like triple-distilled whiskey, Irish pubs appear to have timeless appeal. They are staple setting in films, books and plays, draw tourists to Ireland, replicate themselves around the world and induce social media quests for the perfect snug and the perfect pint. Scholars have now bestowed academic imprimatur on this cultural treasure status by examining – and celebrating – pubs through the lens of history, sociology, architecture, psychology, design, art and literature. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Party dressing’s most unexpected upgrade: the cocktail T-shirt

Cashmere and wool tees will keep you warm, cool and stylish during the festive season When it comes to dressing for a party, a T-shirt is usually something you change out of rather than put on. But this party season, the casual tee is experiencing a metamorphosis. Enter: the cocktail T-shirt. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Lee Tamahori, director of Once Were Warriors and James Bond movie Die Another Day, dies aged 75

New Zealand film-maker became a Hollywood fixture in the 90s and 00s, including making Pierce Brosnan’s last 007 movie, before returning to his home country Lee Tamahori, the New Zealand director of Once Were Warriors and Die Another Day, has died aged 75. In a statement to Radio New Zealand, Tamahori’s family said he had Parkinson’s and died “peacefully at home”. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Grammys 2026: the nominations in all the major categories

With big numbers for Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny and more, check out the nominated artists this year • News: Kendrick Lamar leads Grammy award nominations with nine nods Bad Bunny – DtMF Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild Doechii – Anxiety Billie Eilish – Wildflower Lady Gaga – Abracadabra Kendrick Lamar with SZA – Luther Chappell Roan – The Subway Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Kendrick Lamar leads Grammy award nominations with nine nods

Rapper receives nominations in all top categories while Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter and Leon Thomas are also major nominees • Grammys 2026: the nominations in all the major categories The Grammys’ love continues for Kendrick Lamar. The rapper, who took home the most trophies at the 2025 music awards with five, leads the nominees for the 2026 awards. Lamar is up for nine awards, including album of the year (for his most recent album, GNX), best rap album, record of the year and song of the year. He faces competition for the night’s top award – album of the year – from Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, Leon Thomas, Tyler, the Creator and Clipse, Pusha T & Malice. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

The artist Luke Jerram on the tree-planting project he’ll never see finished

This may be a midlife crisis, says man behind seven-metre installations of the Earth, moon and Sun who has planted 365 trees in 100-year project in Somerset Luke Jerram – whose art installations have travelled the world – is philosophical about his latest project bearing fruit beyond his time on earth. Known for his “Play Me I’m Yours” street pianos project and his Museum of the Moon artwork – a seven-metre in diameter sculpture of the moon featuring detailed Nasa imagery of the lunar surface – Jerram is now working on Echo Wood, a living, breathing installation made of native British trees. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

‘Huge step in the right direction’: arts leaders hail move to boost creative subjects in England’s schools

Cultural figures hope proposed shake-up of curriculum can reverse years of ‘madness’ in which arts were devalued For years, Britain’s leading cultural figures have warned that substandard arts provision in schools is devaluing the sector and creating an increasingly elite industry. But the government’s proposed shake-up of the national curriculum, which includes scrapping the English baccalaureate (Ebacc), has been met with overwhelming positivity, with one figure saying it could end “the madness of the past decade”. On Wednesday the Department for Education said it wanted to boost the creative subjects taken at GCSE as part of its wider changes to England’s national curriculum. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Shirley Valentine actor Pauline Collins dies aged 85

Family pays tribute to actor who was ‘bright, sparky, witty presence on stage and screen’ The Shirley Valentine actor Pauline Collins has died aged 85, her family have announced. She died peacefully, and surrounded by her family, in her care home in Highgate, north London, having had Parkinson’s disease for several years, they said. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Southport reveals year of cultural events to entice tourists after attack

Town to become ‘elegantly eccentric’ to boost economy after horrific incident that left three young girls dead Southport has unveiled an “elegantly eccentric” year-long cultural programme as it seeks to lure back tourists after the fatal attack on young girls last summer. The Merseyside town will transform into an “open air ballroom” as part of an outdoor spectacular by the acclaimed French street theatre company Transe Express in the spring. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Louvre heist a ‘deafening wake-up call’, says auditor

Report says Paris museum prioritised ‘visible and attractive’ projects over security in run-up to robbery Europe live – latest updates The spectacular theft of an estimated €88m (£77m) of crown jewels from the Louvre last month was “a deafening wake-up call” for the “wholly inadequate pace” of security upgrades at the Paris museum, the head of France’s state auditor has said. Presenting the report, which was completed before the dramatic heist at the world’s most-visited museum, Pierre Moscovici said the Louvre had sufficient funds for the improvements and “must now implement them without fail”. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Danes are Europe’s keenest nudists in principle and practice, survey suggests

YouGov study of six countries finds those in Denmark most likely to approve of nudism and have been naked in public Germans may have a hard-won reputation for being Europe’s most enthusiastic nudists, but a survey suggests Danes are not only more accepting of stripping off in public, but more likely to have actually done so. The YouGov survey of six western European countries – the UK, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – found that Danes were the most likely to say it was perfectly OK to bare all in public places – and to have followed through. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Director of Kim Kardashian show All’s Fair responds to scathing reviews: ‘Hopefully opinions will change’

Anthony Hemingway, who is both director and executive producer on the legal drama, has defended the show which has been the subject of a critical pile-on The Guardian has only ever published 15 zero-star reviews. Here they all are One of the directors of critically maligned legal drama All’s Fair has responded to negative reviews, saying that “not everything is for everybody”. Anthony Hemingway, who has directed four episodes of the show and is an executive producer on it, was asked about his thoughts on the overwhelmingly bad reviews in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Ed Sheeran takes partial credit for move to overhaul music teaching in England

Singer says changes reflect points raised in open letter to PM organised by his foundation with over 600 signatures Ed Sheeran has taken partial credit for the government’s move to overhaul the teaching of music in England’s state schools, shortly after being mentioned by the education secretary in parliament. The Department for Education (DfE) said it wanted to broaden the appeal of music education “to give every child a strong start in the subject” and boost the creative subjects taken at GCSEs as part of its wider changes to England’s national curriculum. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Miss Piggy movie on way from Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone and Cole Escola

The demanding Muppet is set to get her own movie at Disney with Oscar-winning actors producing and the Tony-winning multi-hyphenate writing Miss Piggy is getting the movie star treatment, courtesy of Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone. A feature film about the diva puppet is in the works at Disney, which owns the rights to the Muppets franchise, Variety reported on Wednesday. Lawrence and Stone will serve as producers, working with a script from Oh Mary! creator Cole Escola. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

CNN’s All Access election night ‘watch party’ might not be the network’s future

Its new $6.99 streaming show aimed to make politics fun and fresh – instead felt offbeat and out of touch CNN wanted to try something new on election night, and you can’t blame them. Cable news networks – well, besides Fox News – are struggling to retain viewers, even on a night where voters were getting their first real say on Donald Trump’s second presidency. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

BBC must change or be ‘a Titanic’, says manager of the Sidemen YouTubers

Jordan Schwarzenberger says BBC is becoming irrelevant to gen Z and risks crashing unless it attracts younger viewers The BBC risks becoming the Titanic of the media world and culturally irrelevant to gen Z unless it embraces a “radical shift” towards reaching young audiences, the manager of one of the most successful YouTube collectives has warned. Jordan Schwarzenberger, the manager of the Sidemen, who have well over 100 million subscribers between them, said he believed the corporation produced “great entertainment” and wanted it to succeed. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

‘I could eat this podium with a fork and knife I’m so angry’: Kristen Stewart blasts neglect of female film-makers

The actor, whose forthcoming directorial debut The Chronology of Water spent eight years in development, said women in the industry should ‘print our own currency’ Kristen Stewart has spoken out against “the violence of silencing” female directors in the film industry, which she described as being “in a state of emergency”. Speaking at the Academy Women’s Luncheon on Tuesday, Stewart said her fellow women in film should reject tokenism and “print our own currency”. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Radiohead’s 2025 tour: the opening night setlist

From The Bends to A Moon Shaped Pool, nearly the whole album discography was accounted for at the art-rockers’ first gig since 2018 Let Down 2 + 2 = 5 Sit Down. Stand Up Bloom Lucky Ful Stop The Gloaming Myxomatosis No Surprises Videotape Weird Fishes/Arpeggi Everything in Its Right Place 15 Step The National Anthem Daydreaming A Wolf at the Door Bodysnatchers Idioteque Encore Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Radiohead fans ‘incredibly excited’ for band’s first live show in seven years

Crowds gather outside Movistar Arena in Madrid for first concert of European tour that sold out in minutes An hour or so before the sun rose over Madrid, Francesco Puddu staked out a prime spot in front of the city’s hulking Movistar Arena. He was among the first Radiohead fans to arrive at the venue, buzzing with expectations for the British band’s first live show in seven years, kicking off a 20-date European tour. “I’m incredibly excited. Like, I don’t think it’s real,” said the 27-year-old, who had travelled from Italy. “It’s been so long that even if they play the same song 20 times in a row, I’ll be happy.” Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

John Lewis ad kickstarts Christmas countdown to the tune of 90s club classic

Department store chain banks on nostalgia to get customers into festive mood with Where Love Lives John Lewis is hoping that a dash of nostalgia will get consumers into the festive mood this year as it officially kickstarts the countdown to Christmas with the launch of its 2025 advert to the tune of the 1990s club classic Where Love Lives. The department store chain is appealing to ageing clubbers – and their teenage kids – with this year’s ad focused on a middle-aged dad transported back to his clubbing days after receiving a vinyl record from his son. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Diane Ladd, Oscar-nominated actor of Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, dies aged 89

The death of the three-time Oscar nominee, whose starred in films including Chinatown, was announced by her daughter Laura Dern Oscar-nominated actor Diane Ladd has died at the age of 89. The actor, whose credits included Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Chinatown and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, died at her home in Ojai, California. The news was announced in a statement shared by her daughter, Oscar-winning actor Laura Dern. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Horror show: North American box office records lowest monthly total since 1997

Halloween weekend failed to make numbers jump, adding up to the weakest monthly performance – other than during the pandemic – for three decades Box office earnings in October have crashed to levels not seen since the late 1990s, with Halloween weekend becoming the worst of the year so far. According to a report in Variety, cinema takings for October in North America totalled $425m (£323m), the lowest figure since October 1997, when it was $385m – not counting October 2020, when North American cinemas only took $63m as moviegoing was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

My Father’s Shadow looms over competition at British independent film awards

Akinola Davies Jr’s Nigeria-set drama has 12 nominations, including best film and besr director Nigeria-set drama My Father’s Shadow is the leading contender at this year’s British independent film awards (Bifas), after it scooped 12 nominations, including best British independent film, best director for Akinola Davies Jr, and best screenplay for Davies’s brother Wale. The film came out ahead of Pillion, adapted from Adam Mars-Jones’s coming-of-age relationship story, which got 10 nominations, and biopic I Swear, which got nine. My Father’s Shadow, which stars Sope Dirisu and is Davies’s debut feature as a director, premiered at the Cannes film festival to admiring reviews. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw described it as “a transparently personal project and a coming-of-age film in its (traumatised) way, a moving account of how, just for one day, two young boys glimpse the real life and real history of their father who has been mostly absent for much of their lives”. The film is yet to be released in the UK, but has already come out in Nigeria. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

‘Badass’ Salman Rushdie says he doesn’t have PTSD symptoms after 2022 attack

Author was injured in multiple places and lost use of his right eye after assassination attempt during a lecture Salman Rushdie says he has been free of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder despite almost dying from being stabbed during an attempted assassination in 2022, prompting his therapist to humorously conclude that it’s because the famed novelist is a “badass”. Rushdie shared the lighthearted anecdote during an interview aired Sunday morning by CBS News in which he discussed his new fictional story collection titled The Eleventh Hour – while also revisiting the attack at a literary gathering in western New York state that left him blind in his right eye. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Richard Gott, former Guardian journalist and historian, dies aged 87

Charismatic figure of the left is remembered as one of the most informed commentators on Latin American affairs The former Guardian journalist and historian Richard Gott has died aged 87. Gott’s career at the Guardian began in 1964 and included spells as foreign correspondent, leader writer, features editor and literary editor. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Paintings by UK pioneer of abstract art to be displayed in West Country

Large-scale William Scott works feature in exhibition that tells story of artist’s friendship with Mark Rothko The story of how one of the UK’s great abstract painters was inspired by ordinariness – and the extraordinary meeting he had with an American artistic giant – is being told in a new exhibition in the West Country. Three large-scale paintings by William Scott (1913 –1989) have been loaned to the Museum of Somerset in Taunton, not far from the artist’s home and studio in the countryside south of Bath. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Rosalía’s Berghain is a thundrous goth-pop hit – but is it opera?

The Catalan star’s epic new single is delighting and dividing classical music fans in equal measure The Top 10 of today’s Spotify Global Top 50 looks like business as usual: two Taylor Swift songs; Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ Die With a Smile hanging around for an eighth month; the eminently normal male pop stars Sombr and Alex Warren doing brisk business. But nestled among the crowd-pleasers is something of an outlier: a gothic, baroque assault powered by Vivaldi-style strings and operatic singing in German and Spanish. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

‘What are they going to do, chase someone up?’ Victorian rock climbers scorn ban on Mount Arapiles Indigenous sites

State park contains rock art dating back at least 3,000 years and tens of thousands of artefacts Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Rock climbers are openly discussing flouting Victoria’s voluntary bans on routes near Mount Arapiles despite a plea from the state government to respect the area’s Indigenous heritage. The area in the state’s west is regarded as among Australia’s premier rock climbing destinations. It also contains millennia-old rock art, among other significant Indigenous sites. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Veteran actor Tchéky Karyo, star of Nikita and The Missing, dies aged 72

French-Turkish actor appeared in a string of high-profile films, as well as hit BBC series The Missing Tchéky Karyo, who appeared in some of director Luc Besson’s biggest hits and a string of international films, died on Friday at the age of 72, his family have announced. A statement from his wife and children sent to AFP said he had “succumbed to cancer”. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Big belly, wavy fur and a nose for trouble: we exclusively reveal the new-look Paddington

It’s been the biggest secret in theatre: what will the marmalade-loving, hyper-polite Peruvian look like in Paddington the Musical? As the curtain rises, we speak to the new bear’s creator, a veteran of Star Wars and PG Tips ads Paddington stands within touching distance. His fur flutters as he turns, his neat button nose sniffs the air, and his eyes soften with a smile. For years, design details of the bear for Paddington the Musical, directed by Luke Sheppard, have been kept top secret. Now here he is, in his blue duffel coat and red hat. A quiet theatrical marvel. “What we’re doing,” says producer Sonia Friedman, “has never been done before.” Standing around 1.2 metres (just under 4ft) tall, the bear is beautifully round, all belly and sloping shoulders. He is not an exact replica of the Paddingtons we’ve seen in illustrations or movies, but something new. His shaggy, caramel fur has a gentle wave, and his white snout is dotted with a brown nose, ideal for sniffing out trouble. Around his neck sits a label, threaded through an old piece of string, asking for someone to look after him. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Lost grave of daughter of Black abolitionist Olaudah Equiano found by A-level student

Fitzwilliam Museum has uncovered student’s work from 1977 that revealed Cambridgeshire location of child’s burial place An A-level pupil found the lost grave of the Black abolitionist Olaudah Equiano’s daughter, revealing a story of love and solidarity in 18th-century rural England. Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797), also known as Gustavus Vassa, escaped enslavement to become a celebrated author and campaigner in Georgian England. His memoir, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, was a bestseller. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Madrid regional government co-funding Woody Allen’s new film – but it must feature ‘Madrid’ in the title

Regional authority is investing €1.5m in the project but has stipulations about featuring ‘identifiable locations’ on screen and the film premiering at an international film festival The Madrid regional government is hoping to harness the power of film tourism by investing €1.5m (£1.3m) in a new Woody Allen movie that will be shot in and around the Spanish capital and which will be contractually obliged to feature the word “Madrid” in its title. Regional authorities are confident the 89-year-old film-maker’s next project could do for Madrid what Roman Holiday did for Rome tourism in the early 1950s, and what Sex and the City and Emily in Paris have more recently done to increase visitor numbers to New York and the French capital. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Bonus episode: Searching for the spirit of Pan-Africanism – podcast

In this bonus episode, the Guardian journalist Chris Osuh explores whether we are living through a Pan-African moment 80 years on from Manchester’s groundbreaking 1945 Pan-African Congress ‘A sense of freedom’: 80 years on from the Pan-African Congress in Manchester In this bonus episode, the Guardian journalist Chris Osuh looks at the idea of Pan-Africanism in 2025 – the belief that all Black people, whether on the continent or in the diaspora, are united in a shared struggle for liberation. As Manchester gears up to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the landmark 1945 Pan-African Congress, Chris speaks to Ntombizodwa Nyoni, the writer of the play Liberation that recently brought the event back to life. The pair discusses how congress delegates drove the wave of the African independence movements that followed, the parallels between 1945 and 2025, and what Pan-African activists today can learn from the experiences of those at the talks. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Egypt’s vast $1bn museum to open in Cairo after two-decade build

Grand Egyptian Museum next to pyramids of Giza billed as world’s largest archaeological facility for single civilisation A vast $1bn museum billed as the world’s largest archaeological facility dedicated to a single civilisation will open outside Cairo on Saturday, after countless delays over the course of its two-decade construction. The Grand Egyptian Museum, located a mile away from the pyramids of Giza, covers an area of 470,000 sq metres. The complex was announced in 1992 but it was not until 2005 that construction began. Some areas of the museum opened in a soft launch in 2024. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

‘When you’re in the corn, everything looks the same’: it’s fun to get lost in California’s giant corn maze

Cool Patch Pumpkins’ enormous maze allows visitors a little uncertainty in an age of always knowing where we are The owner of a giant northern California corn maze once crowned the world’s largest wants visitors to remember that there is fun in getting lost. “It is confusing. It’s exciting, and in a world of GPS and constant signage, you always know where you are, where you’re going,” said Taylor Cooley, owner of Cool Patch Pumpkins. “When you’re in the corn, everything looks the same until you pop up on a bridge and you’re like, ‘Oh wait, I’m all the way over here. I thought I was over there.’” Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

Cleveland bakery to represent US in ‘Bread Olympics’ in France

For the first time since 2017 the US will be represented in the event, by Brian Evans of On the Rise Artisanal Breads A bakery in Ohio has been chosen to pursue its own slice of worldwide fame by representing the US at the “Bread Olympics”, a prestigious international baking contest. The biennial Mondial du Pain event, held in France, brings together elite bakers from around the world to compete in traditional breads, viennoiseries and elaborate artistic creations. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

‘Bans are disheartening’: US author criticises Dorset school’s removal of her book about race

Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give was taken off year 10 reading list at Budmouth Academy after parent complained A bestselling black American author has condemned a Dorset school’s decision to drop her critically acclaimed novel from a reading list. Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give was removed from Budmouth Academy’s year 10 reading list after a complaint from a parent. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

Nature boys and girls – here’s your chance to get published in the Guardian

Our wildlife series Young Country Diary is looking for articles written by children, about their autumn encounters with nature Once again, the Young Country Diary series is open for submissions! Every three months, as the UK enters a new season, we ask you to send us an article written by a child aged 8-14. The article needs to be about a recent encounter they’ve had with nature – whether it’s a bug under some leaves, a rutting stag or a garden bird. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

Carabinieri seize 21 artworks from Salvador Dalì show in Parma amid authenticity doubts

Members of Italy’s art squad confiscate works after experts were dispatched from Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation Italy’s art squad on Tuesday seized 21 artworks from a major exhibition in Parma dedicated to works by Salvador Dalì on suspicion they were falsely attributed to the Spanish surrealist. The show, entitled Dalì, Between Art and Myth, had only been open for a few days at Palazzo Tarasconi before police confiscated the allegedly forged works, including drawings, tapestries and engravings. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

Broadway actors preparing to strike over union negotiations

Healthcare is a central issue in the ongoing negotiations between the Actors’ Equity union and the Broadway League Broadway actors are preparing to walk off the stage in a strike that would shut down 32 stage productions as theater attendance approaches its peak season, according to their union. Actors’ Equity, a union that represents 900 current Broadway performers and stage managers, said it has yet to reach agreement on a new labor contract with the Broadway League, the trade association that represents theater owners, producers and operators. Negotiations continue, though the three-year contract ended on 28 September. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

Rochdale gang members jailed for up to 35 years for rape and abuse of teenage girls

Court hears how vulnerable girls were supplied drugs and treated as ‘sex slaves’ between 2001 and 2006 Seven men who groomed two vulnerable teenage girls in Rochdale and treated them as “sex slaves” have been jailed for between 12 and 35 years. The gang members raped and sexually abused the girls between 2001 and 2006 from when they were 13. The two girls had “deeply troubled home lives” and were given drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, places to stay and people to be with, a jury heard. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

‘We can leave knowing we left a mark’: how Corsica Studios transformed London nightlife – and why it’s closing

The beloved south London club has announced it will shut next year as redevelopment of the site goes ahead. Founder Adrian Jones, DJs and promoters look back Ask any music-loving Londoner to name the city’s best venues, and there’s a decent chance Corsica Studios will appear somewhere near the top of their list. Opened in 2002 by Adrian Jones and Amanda Moss, for 23 years this unassuming railway arch beneath Elephant & Castle station, with its pummelling sound, no-frills aesthetics and adventurous musical programming, has become one of the capital’s most influential and beloved clubs. Founded and envisaged as a multi-purpose creative space rather than just a nightclub, it’s attracted massive names such as Jeff Mills and Björk, nurtured underground scenes from acid techno to jungle and pushed the boundaries of what a clubnight can be, via Evian Christ’s maximalist Trance Parties, Hyperdub’s groundbreaking Ø series or more recent forays into sex-positive raving. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

No plucking way: Stella McCartney pioneers plant-based fashion feathers

Designer uses ‘fevvers’, made from grass grown on her farm, in her collection for Paris fashion week Stella McCartney is trying to save the world, one feather at a time. Or rather one “fevver”, a new plant-based product that has the look of a feather without the bird, which made its first ever appearance at the designer’s spring/summer show in Paris. “It’s weird to me that feathers being plucked from a bird are seen as delicate in fashion,” said McCartney backstage at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. “I’m trying to show that you can still have the theatre of fashion without the animal compromise.” Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

Italy to revive national holiday in honour of patron saint, Francis of Assisi

Millions of Italian workers expected to get day off every 4 October in honour of 13th-century mystic and poet Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government has revived a national holiday in honour of Italy’s popular patron saint, Francis of Assisi, in a nod to “the very core of our nation’s identity”. Millions of Italian workers are expected to get a day off each 4 October, the feast day of Saint Francis, after the lower house of parliament overwhelmingly approved a bill making it a public holiday. The measure will pass to the senate for the final nod. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

Horror film digitally altered in China to make gay couple straight

Viewers outraged after same-sex wedding scene changed in Together, starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie An Australian horror film featuring a scene with a same-sex wedding was reportedly digitally altered for release in mainland China, transforming the gay couple into a heterosexual one, provoking outrage from viewers who spotted the change. The critically acclaimed film Together, starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, was released in selected cinemas in China on 12 September. It follows the journey of a young couple who move to the countryside and encounter mysterious and grotesque changes to their bodies. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

School history lessons minimise the role of women, report finds

Campaigners say key stage 3 curriculum plays to misogny and teaches a ‘false version of the past’ The role of women in history goes far beyond Elizabeth I or Anne Boleyn, according to a campaign that seeks to add more female lives and achievements to the curriculum taught in England’s schools. Research by the group End Sexism in Schools found that women were largely absent from history taught in key stage 3, the first three years of secondary education in England. Monarchs were among only a handful of women mentioned by name alongside the suffragettes Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Davison. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

Apple postpones Jessica Chastain series about domestic extremism

The Savant pulled from Apple TV+ release schedule ‘after careful consideration’ Jessica Chastain-led series The Savant has been pulled from the Apple TV+ release schedule. The thriller was set to begin on 26 September but its release has been postponed. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane could become most expensive album art ever sold

Original image shot by Brian Duffy estimated to fetch £300,000 when it goes under the hammer in October The original image for David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane album could become the most expensive album artwork ever sold when it goes under the hammer with an estimate of £300,000. The famous picture of Bowie with a lightning bolt across his face could beat the record set by Led Zeppelin’s debut album artwork, which sold for $325,000 in 2020. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

Alan Partridge is conduit to talk about ‘taboo’ subjects, says Steve Coogan

As TV character returns to BBC, Coogan says new series is a kind of ‘Trojan horse’ to air issues people feel anxious about bringing up Alan Partridge has become a “Trojan horse” to talk about “taboo” subjects that make people anxious, Steve Coogan has said. The hapless TV character is returning to the BBC in How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) – a new series featuring him returning to the UK having been doing promotional work in Saudi Arabia and attempting to rebuild his career through a documentary about mental health. How Are You? It’s Alan Partridge airs on BBC One and iPlayer from 3 October Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer: first look at big-screen Star Wars spinoff

Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White team up for first movie in Star Wars universe since 2019 The Star Wars universe is returning to the big screen with our first look at The Mandalorian and Grogu, next summer’s big bet from Disney. The film follows the hit Disney+ show The Mandalorian and was born out of the delay insisted on the fourth season by the Hollywood strikes of 2023. In that time, the strategy for the franchise was re-evaluated and a film was prioritised over the fourth season. Continue reading...

for 4 måneder siden

British art dealer in row over return of Banksy artworks from Italy

Essex-based John Brandler seeking final loan payments as well as three murals from exhibitions company A bitter row has broken out between a British art dealer and an Italian exhibitions company over three enormous Banksy murals that were loaned three years ago and which the dealer insured for £15m. John Brandler, an Essex-based specialist in work by the graffiti artist, is pursuing legal action after losing patience with Metamorfosi in Rome, which stages temporary touring exhibitions. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Dua Lipa ‘feeling grateful’ after Kosovan president grants her citizenship

Singer of hits such as Training Season, Houdini and One Kiss was born in London to Kosovan-Albanian parents Singer Dua Lipa has said she is “feeling grateful” after being awarded citizenship of Kosovo by the country’s president. The 29-year-old was born in London to Kosovan-Albanian parents, Anesa and Dukagjin Lipa, and moved to the country’s capital of Pristina aged 11, when her family returned after Kosovo gained its independence in 2008, before moving back to London aged 15. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

‘A sign of how we live now’: friction in Notting Hill over counter-terrorism barriers

Film tourists, market traders and residents react as council imposes traffic control measures on famous London street If Richard Curtis had shot his romcom classic Notting Hill over the past month, things might have turned out very differently. Julia Roberts would have had to stumble past huge concrete blocks while losing the hand of her British sweetheart and Hugh Grant might have missed his departing lover as he struggled to exit the area in an overstuffed Peugeot 406. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Germany’s ‘oldest and biggest’ gay nightclub declares bankruptcy

SchwuZ, a 50-year-old dance hotspot, falls victim to inflation and rising rents threatening Berlin’s club scene Germany’s oldest and biggest gay dance club has declared itself bankrupt after near half a century in business, falling victim to inflation and an evolving party culture threatening Berlin’s nightlife. Management troubles and dating apps were among the factors putting SchwuZ on the ropes last year and in May the club shortened its opening hours, laid off staff and asked regulars for help to plug a growing shortfall, to little avail. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

‘He was so excited’: painter discovers 122-year-old message in a bottle inside lighthouse walls

Bottle stashed in wall cavity of heritage-listed Cape Bruny lighthouse contained letter written in 1903 by Tasmanian lighthouse inspector A painter in Tasmania has uncovered a sealed glass bottle containing a message that was hidden within a wall cavity of the historic Cape Bruny lighthouse more than 120 years ago. Specialist painter Brian Burford was performing routine maintenance on the seaside structure when the discovery took place, according to Annita Waghorn, historic heritage manager for the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

And Just Like That: Sex and the City spin-off to end after third season

The critically maligned return of Carrie Bradshaw will not be returning after a two-part finale And Just Like That, the Sex and the City spin-off series, is set to end after its current season. The news was announced on the official social channels by showrunner Michael Patrick King, who wrote that they held off on telling fans to avoid overshadowing the third and final season, which will end with a two-part finale. “It’s with great gratitude we thank all the viewers who have let these characters into their homes and their hearts over these many years,” he said. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Flaco Jiménez, Grammy award-winning tejano music legend, dies at 86

The singer-songwriter and accordionist won six Grammy awards and worked with the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan Flaco Jiménez, master of the accordion and pioneer of tejano music, has died at the age of 86. “It is with great sadness that we share tonight the loss of our father, Flaco Jimenez,” reads a post from his family on Facebook. “He was surrounded by his loved ones and will be missed immensely. Thank you to all of his fans and friends – those who cherished his music. And a big thank you for all of the memories. His legacy will live on through his music and all of his fans.” Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Bishop who shut down London choir in his dressing gown issues apology

Bishop of Fulham says sorry for offence caused when he told singers to leave for making ‘terrible racket’ A bishop who went on stage in a dressing gown and shut down a choir for making a “terrible racket” has apologised for the “distress and offence” he caused. Last Friday, Jonathan Baker, the bishop of Fulham, told a room of about 360-people, including the City Academy Voices choir, to leave St Andrew church in Holborn, central London, as they neared the end of their special summer concert. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Allan Ahlberg, beloved children's author, dies aged 87

Working first with his wife Janet, and later with illustrators including Raymond Briggs and Bruce Ingman, he wrote more than 150 books Author Allan Ahlberg, who delighted generations of children with colourful characters and nimble rhymes, has died aged 87. Working with his wife Janet, an award-winning illustrator, Ahlberg produced a host of bestselling nursery classics including Burglar Bill, Peepo!, and Each Peach Pear Plum. After Janet’s death in 1994, he worked with illustrators such as Raymond Briggs and Bruce Ingman, with his career coming full circle in a series of collaborations with his daughter Jessica including Half a Pig and a pop-up set of anarchic variations on the tale of Goldilocks. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Rare original proof of David Bailey’s 1965 Box of Pin-Ups discovered

Exclusive: Near-mint condition preprint copy features 36 portraits of stars including John Lennon and Mick Jagger David Bailey’s Box of Pin-Ups of 1965 was a defining portrait of the swinging 60s, immortalising some of the most fashionable stars of the era, from John Lennon and Mick Jagger to Jean Shrimpton and Susan Murray. Now the original proof copy of this landmark portfolio of 36 portraits by one of Britain’s foremost photographers has come to light for the first time. It is the personal working proof copy of David Hillman, the influential graphic designer who went on to give the Guardian a groundbreaking redesign in 1988. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Spanish discovery suggests Roman era ‘church’ may have been a synagogue

Oil lamp fragments point to presence of previously unknown Jewish population in Ibero-Roman town of Cástulo Seventeen centuries after they last burned, a handful of broken oil lamps could shed light on a small and long-vanished Jewish community that lived in southern Spain in the late Roman era as the old gods were being snuffed out by Christianity. Archaeologists excavating the Ibero-Roman town of Cástulo, whose ruins lie near the present-day Andalucían town of Linares, have uncovered evidence of an apparent Jewish presence there in the late fourth or early fifth century AD. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Indian film company to rerelease romantic drama with AI ‘happy ending’

Director ‘heartbroken’ after 2013 film about doomed romance between Hindu man and Muslim woman altered without his knowledge An Indian film company is rereleasing a 2013 romantic drama with an alternate artificial intelligence ending without the involvement of its director, in what could be the first instance of its kind in global cinema. Raanjhanaa, a Hindi-language film about the doomed romance between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman, will return to cinemas on 1 August under its Tamil-language title Ambikapathy. The film’s original tragic ending will be replaced by a “happy” one. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Tens of thousands of people take to streets for London Trans+ Pride 2025

Event becomes biggest of its kind as more than 100,000 turn out to support its ‘existence and resistance’ theme More than 100,000 people took to the streets for London Trans+ Pride 2025 on Saturday, making it the biggest such event in the world, organisers said. The route wound through the centre of the capital’s most famous sites, taking in Regent’s Street, Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square. It concluded at Parliament Square with speakers including Heartstopper and Doctor Who actor Yasmin Finney. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Music venues subject to noise complaints to get ‘greater protection’

New government measures will also require developers to soundproof flats and apartments near existing venues Music venues that are subject to noise complaints by nearby residential developments will be offered “greater protection” under new government plans. The measures, which are set to be introduced under the national licensing policy framework, would mean developers taking responsibility for soundproofing flats and apartments near existing pubs or music venues. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

‘You are in my house’: bishop interrupts church concert, telling choir to leave due to late hour

Jonathan Baker took to stage in nightgown complaining over ‘terrible racket’, telling stunned singers night is ‘over’ The City Academy Voices choir had just finished belting out The Supremes hit, I’m Gonna Make You Love Me, when the lights went out and they were joined by an unexpected guest. As they were about to perform their last song, a man appeared on stage wearing a blue nightgown with no shoes. He took the mic, described theirsinging as a “terrible racket” and told them to get out, leaving the 360-odd people in the room shocked and dumfounded. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Triple J Hottest 100: Never Tear Us Apart by INXS voted best Australian song ever

More than 2.6m people voted in radio poll to find the most loved homegrown hits of all time Never Tear Us Apart by INXS has been named the best Australian song of all time in Triple J’s poll of the country’s favourite homegrown hits. The 1987 song topped the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, a spin-off of Triple J’s annual poll of the year’s most popular tracks. The poll, which aired on Saturday, was open to Australian releases from any time in history. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Six great reads: the world’s new diplomatic capital, the Londonisation of Manchester and a perfect nightclub

Need something brilliant to read this weekend? Here are six of our favourite pieces from the last seven days Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Freud Museum faces call for inquiry over bullying and board misconduct claims

Writers and academics urge charities regulator to investigate ‘serious issues’ with London institution A bitter row at the Freud Museum in London has resulted in it facing calls for an official investigation into allegations of political interference and “autocratic” board decision-making that critics say put the future of the institution at risk. The museum, in Hampstead, was the final home of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, and his daughter Anna Freud, a children’s psychoanalyst, and is dedicated to promoting their intellectual and cultural legacy. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

‘Perfect match’: Charli xcx opts for classic Vivienne Westwood wedding dress

Pop star’s choice was surprisingly traditional – but brand has a legacy of clothing unconventional brides Charli xcx is the British pop star known for pioneering trends. Last summer she turned the word ‘Brat’ into a cultural phenomenon complete with a uniform featuring “a pack of cigs, a Bic lighter, and a strappy white top with no bra.” So it came as somewhat of a surprise to fans when, last weekend, she opted for a more classic bridal look to marry George Daniel, the drummer in the band the 1975. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Cleo Laine, Britain's most successful jazz singer, dies aged 97

Versatile vocalist straddled jazz, classical, pop and musical theatre with four-octave range, and collaborated for decades with husband, John Dankworth Dame Cleo Laine, the UK’s most successful and celebrated jazz singer, has died aged 97. A statement from her children Jacqui and Alec reads: “It is with deepest sadness that we announce the passing of our dearly beloved mother, Cleo, who died peacefully yesterday afternoon. We will all miss her terribly. The family wish to be given space to grieve and ask for privacy at this very difficult time.” Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

‘City of singles’: cosmopolitan prewar Paris’s ‘crazy years’ brought to life

Database of 8m handwritten census entries paints portrait of city that was hub for intellectuals, artists and young, single people In 1926, James Joyce was working on his novel Finnegans Wake while living in a spacious apartment in the 7th arrondissement of Paris with his partner, Nora Barnacle, and their two adult children, Giorgio and Lucia. Joyce’s neighbours in the elegant stone building at 2 Square de Robiac included a Syrian family whose three children had an English nanny called Jessie, Russian émigrés, an Egyptian industrialist, and the US writers William and Elizabeth Placida Mahl. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

‘We’re terribly sorry’: South Park creators respond with humour to White House anger over naked Donald Trump

Speaking at Comic-Con on Thursday, Trey Parker and Matt Stone revealed they spent days negotiating with producers to show the US president’s genitals South Park co-creator Trey Parker had the briefest of responses on Thursday to anger from the White House over the latest season premiere, which showed a naked Donald Trump in bed with Satan. “We’re terribly sorry,” Parker said, followed by a long, deadpan-comic stare. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Wear flowers in your hair … and take the bus: San Francisco fetes Grateful Dead concerts with tie-dye

Transit will transport concertgoers at a three-day concert series celebrating 60th anniversary of the band’s formation The summer of love is pulling back in to San Francisco – aboard three tie-dye and paisley-wrapped trains and buses. Designed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s formation, the city’s Muni transit vehicles will double as transport for concertgoers attending a three-day Dead & Company series at Golden Gate Park. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Chuck Mangione, Grammy-winning jazz musician and composer, dies aged 84

Celebrated flugelhorn and trumpet player released over 30 albums and sold millions of records throughout his career Grammy-winning jazz musician and composer Chuck Mangione died on Tuesday, according to a statement from his family. He was 84. “The family of Chuck Mangione is deeply saddened to share that Chuck peacefully passed away in his sleep at his home in Rochester, New York on July 22, 2025,” his family said in a statement released on Thursday to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Artist Amy Sherald cancels Smithsonian show over censorship

Portraitist withdrew her National Portrait Gallery show over reports that a transgender Statue of Liberty painting could offend Trump Artist Amy Sherald has decided to withdraw her upcoming show at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery over fears of censorship. Sherald, who gained wider recognition after her portrait of Michelle Obama, was set to become the first contemporary Black artist to have an exhibition at the gallery. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

South Park targets Paramount after signing $1.5bn deal and skewers Trump: ‘He can do anything to anyone’

Show begins 27th season covering Trump’s lawsuit against Paramount and cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show, depicting Trump in bed with Satan South Park has kicked off its 27th season with a blistering episode taking aim at Donald Trump and its newly minted parent company, Paramount, just one day after signing a $1.5bn deal with the network. The premiere episode, “Sermon on the Mount,” sees Trump in bed with series regular Satan and covers topics including Trump’s lawsuit against Paramount, the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, wokeness, Trump’s attacks on Canada and more. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

‘Mad fer it’: Greater Manchester Aldi to keep Aldeh name in tribute to Oasis

Rebranding before homecoming gigs, reflecting local pronunciation, to be permanent after outpouring of support An Aldi store in Greater Manchester rebranded Aldeh in honour of Oasis is to keep the new name, the supermarket chain has said. The new sign was erected at the Prestwich store ahead of the Oasis homecoming gigs earlier this month. The band played five sold-out shows at Heaton Park, which is near the store. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Fiddle-laden fake trailer reignites debate about Hollywood’s Irish stereotypes

Clip turned out to be a stunt, but strength of reaction speaks to genuine affront at Ireland’s portrayal on big screen A man in a bar with a flat cap, bloodied knuckles and a dreamy look lays down his whiskey and writes a letter. “Dear Erin,” he begins, and a soundtrack of fiddles swells as he yearns for his lost love in the distant land of America. The trailer for the upcoming film – tagline: “she was the Irish goodbye he never forgot” – ran in recent weeks in cinemas and online and was accompanied by a poster showing green mountains, shamrocks and a rainbow. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Neolithic long cairn in Yorkshire given extra protection after walkers remove stones

Dudderhouse Hill in dales is thought to be one of first structures in UK to be communally constructed by humans A rare and remarkable 5,000-year-old monument that is an example of one of the earliest visible structures in England is to receive extra protection because walkers, sometimes innocently, have been removing and moving stones. The Dudderhouse Hill long cairn in the Yorkshire Dales has been granted “scheduled monument” status by the government, making it a site of national importance with greater legal protection. Continue reading...

for 6 måneder siden

Heritage groups try to save decaying modernist studio in Scottish Borders

Studio built for textile designer Bernat Klein by Peter Womersley put up for auction despite hopes of private sale A coalition of heritage and design groups has launched a last-minute attempt to save one of the UK’s most threatened modernist buildings after its owners put it up for auction. The late modernist studio was built in the Scottish Borders in 1972 for the textile designer Bernat Klein, whose fabrics were worn by Coco Chanel and Jean Shrimpton, and is widely regarded as a jewel of late 20th-century architecture. Continue reading...