Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from April, 2025

Three in four English hospitals failing to hit two cancer targets in league tables

Exclusive: Cancer experts declare ‘national emergency’ as hospitals miss targets on diagnosis and starting treatment Three in four NHS hospital trusts are failing cancer patients, according to the first league tables of their kind, prompting experts to declare a “national emergency”. Labour published the first league tables to rank hospitals in England since the early 2000s this week. The overall rankings score trusts based on a range of measures including finances and patient safety, as well as how they are bringing down waiting times for operations and in A&E, and improving ambulance response times. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/gfYG2Tn via IFTTT

James Maddison hungry to repay loyal Spurs fans with Europa League glory

Tottenham face Bodø/Glimt in semi-final first leg ‘It hurts me a lot that we’re having a poor season’ James Maddison wants to reward Tottenham’s long-suffering supporters by winning the club’s first trophy since 2008 and has said a dismal Premier League campaign has made the players more determined to succeed in the Europa League. Spurs host the Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt in the first leg of the semi-final on Thursday after suffering a record-equalling 19th league defeat at Liverpool on Sunday. Although Spurs have reached this stage of the Europa League for the first time since they won its predecessor, the Uefa Cup, in 1984, they have beaten only Southampton in the Premier League since the end of February and are on course for their lowest finish since its formation in 1992. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WtjDfiH via IFTTT

Trump pressures journalist to accept doctored photo as real: ‘Why don’t you just say yes?’

President lashed out at Terry Moran in tense TV interview, which included questions about deportations and tariffs US politics live – latest updates Donald Trump lashed out at an ABC journalist in a tense TV interview to mark 100 days of his second term in office, in which among other confrontations he angrily pushed correspondent Terry Moran to agree with him that a doctored photo was actually real, telling him: “Why don’t you just say yes.” The 40-minute interview in the Oval Office veered off course when Moran pressed Trump on the case of Kilmar Ábrego García , a Salvadorian man living in Maryland who was deported despite a protective court order. When Moran pointed out that the supreme court had ordered García’s return to the US, and suggested Trump had the power to comply by making a single phone call, the president bristled. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/taDlGoq via IFTTT

FIA president hints at climbdown amid F1 driver standoff over swearing fines

Mohammed ben Sulayem suggests rule ‘improvements’ F1 drivers raised concerns over fines and free speech The standoff between drivers and the president of Formula One’s governing body over the contentious issue of swearing may have taken a step towards resolution. Ahead of this week’s Miami Grand Prix, the FIA’s Mohammed ben Sulayem posted on Instagram that after “constructive feedback” from drivers across the world of motorsport he is considering making “improvements” to the document which lays out the punishments for a range of offences ranging from physical violence to political statements and swearing. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xGq4ujr via IFTTT

Trump’s first 100 days supercharged a global ‘freefall of rights’, says Amnesty

World now in era of repressive regimes’ impunity, climate inaction and unchecked corporate power, says report The first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency have “supercharged” a global rollback of human rights, pushing the world towards an authoritarian era defined by impunity and unchecked corporate power, Amnesty International warns today. In its annual report on the state of human rights in 150 countries, the organisation said the immediate ramifications of Trump’s second term had been the undermining of decades of progress and the emboldening of authoritarian leaders. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lKeS0Ns via IFTTT

Ronnie O’Sullivan closes in on record 23rd world snooker quarter-final

O’Sullivan leads Pang Junxu 12-4 Judd Trump wins £100,000 for 100th century of season Ronnie O’Sullivan eased to the verge of a record-extending 23rd World Snooker Championship quarter-final after making short work of opponent Pang Junxu in the second session of their second-round match at the Crucible. O’Sullivan was seldom required to reach top gear as he turned a 6-2 overnight lead into a 12-4 advantage, which leaves him requiring just one more frame on Monday evening to confirm his return to the last eight. Playing in his first tournament since January, the seven-time champion often looked far from happy with his form, but still fired back-to-back centuries en route to establishing a seemingly unassailable lead over his outclassed 25-year-old opponent. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/v5QrAcH via IFTTT

‘After 26.2 miles of sheer hell ...’: John Barnes to hand out drinks at London Marathon

Former England international will be supporting runners before cheering Liverpool on in quest to clinch title There will be a familiar face to greet the 56,000 runners during Sunday’s London marathon, just when their legs are heavy and their mouths desert dry. Because, at mile 23, the former England footballer John Barnes will be handing out drinks and revelling in a near-perfect day with the race expected to break the world record for the most finishers and his former club Liverpool likely to win the Premier League . “It’s going to be great,” he says. “I’ll be handing out Lucozade bottles at mile 23 as they’re the longest serving partner of the London Marathon, having worked with them for 24 years. From a charity point of view the race raises a lot of money, and for promoting fitness and mental health it’s also fantastic. And hopefully we’ll have 56,000 finishers, which will break the record of 55,646 held by New York.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/oYG9Uym...

Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault, has died aged 41

Giuffre’s family issued a statement confirming she took her own life at her farm in Western Australia, where she had lived for several years Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent victim’s of the disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein who also alleged she was sexually trafficked to Prince Andrew, has died. She was 41. Her family on Saturday issued a statement confirming she took her own life at her farm in Western Australia, where she had lived for several years. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/bZoai13 via IFTTT

‘People can’t imagine something on that scale dying’: Anohni on mourning the Great Barrier Reef

The Anohni and the Johnsons singer is collaborating with marine scientists for two special shows at Sydney’s Vivid festival that will show the reef’s plight Anohni Hegarty is about to go to the Great Barrier Reef for the first time. “I feel like I’m going to Auschwitz,” she says nervously. “On the one hand, I’m so excited to go because the landscape is so beautiful, and I know there’s going to be so much that’s gorgeous. And yet, I’m also scared.” In a week, the British-born, New York-based avant garde singer of Anohni and the Johnsons is flying to Lizard Island, a paradise of powdery sands on the reef, 1,600km north-west of Brisbane. Its luxury villas and bluest of blue waters are a stark contrast to the grim nature of Anohni’s assignment: documenting the current state of the world’s biggest coral reef. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9nekRQr via IFTTT

Trump targets Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue with memorandum

President directs attorney general to investigate supposed foreign contributions, an unsubstantiated rightwing claim The Republican president is taking aim at a Democratic fundraising platform, issuing a presidential memorandum to crack down on supposed foreign contributions to elections, an unsubstantiated claim from the right.. Donald Trump announced the memo on Thursday, directing the attorney general to investigate, and report to the president, “concerning allegations regarding the use of online fundraising platforms to make ‘straw’ or ‘dummy’ contributions and to make foreign contributions to US political candidates and committees, all of which break the law”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tSFWyU9 via IFTTT

The Proms 2025 season offers plenty both to cherish and challenge

Alongside rareties such as Birtwistle’s Earth Dances and Reich’s The Desert Music there’s some intriguing and ambitious new music coming to this year’s festival Even if it doesn’t really seem like one, this year’s Proms marks the beginning of a new era for what styles itself as the world’s biggest classical music festival. Though Sam Jackson took over as controller of BBC Radio 3 and director of the Proms two years ago, the 2023 and 2024 programmes were essentially planned under the aegis of his predecessor as Proms supremo David Pickard. So the coming season is the first for which Jackson has been responsible, though he is keen to emphasise that organising a festival on the scale of the Proms is a team effort, and that though his name is the one that appears on the introduction to the printed guide, he is just one among several who have put the season together – a season of 72 concerts in the Royal Albert Hall, together with weekend residencies and concerts in Belfast, Bradford, Bri...

Scottish government has ‘no plans’ to bring back gender bill after court ruling

Social justice secretary says Holyrood ‘fully accepts’ supreme court ruling and will amend guidance The Scottish government has “no plans” to return to its controversial bill on gender recognition, the high-water mark of Nicola Sturgeon’s progressive agenda, as it attempted to reassure the trans community that “you are valued”. In a statement to MSPs on Tuesday afternoon, the social justice secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said Holyrood “fully accepts” the judgment of the supreme court, which ruled against Scottish ministers last Wednesday in the culmination of a long-running legal action brought by the campaign group For Women Scotland. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/INpRWol via IFTTT

European football: Dani Olmo extends Barça’s La Liga lead to seven points

Olmo scores winner early in second half against Mallorca PSG held 1-1 by Nantes but retain unbeaten run Barcelona ’s Dani Olmo scored inside the first minute of the second half to earn a hard-fought 1-0 home win against Mallorca , extending their lead in La Liga over Real Madrid at the top of the table to seven points with five games to go. Barça dominated proceedings despite coach Hansi Flick deciding to rest several key starters ahead of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against bitter rivals Real, but Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Román put on a show between the posts to keep them at bay. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Q1IYUnc via IFTTT

What’s up with White Fox? How ‘Hotmail viral’ marketing helped the fashion brand win over gen Z

Outdoor advertising is just a very visible tip of the rapidly growing Australian fast-fashion brand’s sales efforts, which also include a university student influencer program Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Four women standing in front of a caravan in the desert appear the first time I open the White Fox app. The cowboy hats, micro-shorts, low-slung belts and knee-high boots suggest they’re on their way to Coachella. The text reads: “Your new wardrobe just dropped,” alluding to the “hundreds of styles” the online-only Australian fast-fashion brand says it releases every week. The image encapsulates the strategy that has made White Fox a favourite among teenage girls and twentysomethings across Australia, the United Kingdom and United States. It positions White Fox as the brand hot girls wear to cool parties, and generates fear of missing out in the process. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday ...

Travel body accuses government of ‘sabotaging’ UK tourism industry

WTTC says 5.3% decline in tourist spend suggests policies such as increased air passenger duty have had impact The government has been accused of “sabotaging” the UK’s tourism industry, after figures showed international visitors spent more than £2bn less last year than they did before the pandemic. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) – which found in a new study that people visiting the UK spent £40.3bn in 2024, down 5.3% on 2019 – said that the government has made “deliberate policy choices” that had created “barriers to travel”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/dEH14cL via IFTTT

Steward steers Leicester to victory at Bristol to boost title push

Bristol 19-36 Leicester Tigers overhaul Bears to climb up to second In theory it was a day for Bristol to consolidate second place and reaffirm their Premiership title credentials. The sun shone, the pitch was hard and fast and the free-scoring Bears welcomed back the inspirational wing, Gabriel Ibitoye, after a four-month injury absence. In reality what materialised was a largely dominant Leicester victory that took them past their opponents into second, on points difference, with four games remaining. Michael Cheika’s one-year assignment as Tigers coach will soon be over but the possibility of him departing a champion cannot be discounted. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/8u4Wkog via IFTTT

Jameela Jamil: ‘I used to be a massive troll and bitch on the internet’

The actor and podcaster on her cringiest celebrity encounter, why musicians should be older and uglier, and the dumb stunt that changed her life Read more 10 Chaotic Questions Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email What’s been your most cringeworthy run-in with a celebrity? I knocked over Al Pacino at a party. It was at the head of UTA’s house back in maybe 2015. I’d stolen a bunch of food – they had really good wagyu steaks, so I took 10 wrapped in a cloth napkin, they were kind of bleeding. I bundled them in between my legs, underneath my miniskirt, and was shuffling as fast as I could out of the party when I knocked over Al Pacino. And then I left him on the ground, because the steaks flew out from under my skirt, leaving this bloody streak across the white floor. I grabbed the steaks and ran out of the party and texted Judd Apatow: “Sorry, I had to leave. I hope they catch that guy that knocked over Al Pacino.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9Xil...

Piece of the action: entering the British Puzzle Championship

Speed puzzling requires quick hands and a cool head, something Elizabeth McCafferty finds out by jumping straight in Are you here for the puzzle championship?” asks a smiling fellow competitor as I join the queue of puzzle enthusiasts. I most definitely am. But my smile drops as she continues: “That’s all the niceness you’ll be getting from me today, then.” She is, of course, joking but, as with most jokes, there is a glimmer of truth behind it. I am in Newmarket, Suffolk, for the Gibsons British Jigsaw Championship , which has been held here for the past 11 years. Competitors battle it out to be in with a chance of the £100 first-place prize money. There are three categories: Fun, Pairs and Elites, who would expect to complete a 1,000-piece puzzle in under three hours. In 2023, Elite nine-time British champion Sarah Mills finished her puzzle in 1 hour 52 minutes, meaning she was doing a jaw-dropping eight pieces per minute. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/SWn...

US senator says margaritas in photo with wrongly deported man planted by El Salvador - live

Chris Van Hollen of Maryland says drinks placed on table created hoax and neither he nor Kilmar Ábrego García touched them The US is optimistic that it can end “the very brutal war” between Russia and Ukraine, Vice-President JD Vance said before a bilateral meeting with the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Friday. The meeting comes less than 24 hours after the pair met in Washington. Vance said: I want to update the prime minister on some of the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine … even in the past 24 hours, we think we have some interesting things to report on. Since there are the negotiations I won’t prejudge them, but we do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this war, this very brutal war, to a close. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WoTYNwu via IFTTT

Chris Dobey shines in Rotterdam to earn long-awaited Premier League triumph

Dobey gets first nightly win in two years ‘I’m a fighter and I’ll be here until the end’ Luke Littler’s wait for a record-breaking fifth nightly win of a single Premier League season goes on as Chris Dobey reigned on night 11 in Rotterdam. Dobey took his first nightly win in two years with a 6-2 victory over Stephen Bunting , who saw off Littler in the semi-finals. After avoiding a scare to edge out Rob Cross 6-5, Littler fell 3-2 behind to Bunting and then drew the ire of the Dutch crowd when he spent time changing his barrels – to no avail, as Bunting charged into a 5-2 lead. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/54cKYiI via IFTTT

‘Book brigade’: US town forms human chain to move 9,100 books one-by-one

A small Michigan community banded together to help a beloved local bookstore move its stock to a new storefront Residents of all ages in a small Michigan community formed a human chain and helped a local bookshop move each of its 9,100 books – one by one – to a new storefront about a block away. The “book brigade” of about 300 people stood in two lines running along a sidewalk in downtown Chelsea on Sunday, passing each title from Serendipity Books’ former location directly to the correct shelves in the new building, down the block and around the corner on Main Street. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ZYXuLci via IFTTT

‘Massive step’: Arteta praises Arsenal’s character in statement Real Madrid win

‘The way Saka handled penalty miss was incredible’ Arsenal set up PSG semi-final after 5-1 aggregate victory Mikel Arteta joked that he could have given Bukayo Saka a “clip round the ear” after his dinked penalty was saved by Thibaut Courtois, but the Arsenal manager described the winger as “incredible” for the way he recovered to score the goal that helped to send the Gunners into the Champions League semi-finals. Arteta described Arsenal’s 2-1 victory at the Bernabéu as probably the proudest moment in his career, and announced “the feeling we have is a reality” and that his team are “ready to compete against anybody” after going through 5-1 on aggregate. He also revealed that he called Pep Guardiola on the morning of the game to thank him for being an inspiration as a player and a coach and giving him the opportunity that led to him coaching here for the first time. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/fbq1KHI via IFTTT

Trump signs healthcare order that includes a win for pharma companies

Order instructs health department to work with Congress on changing law that allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices Donald Trump directed his health department on Tuesday to work with Congress on revamping a law that allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, seeking to introduce a change the pharmaceutical industry has lobbied for. Drugmakers have been pushing to delay the timeline under which medications become eligible for price negotiations by four years for small molecule drugs, which are primarily pills and account for most medicines. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/o4nfK7D via IFTTT

Tuvalu marks ‘momentous occasion’ with unveiling of its first ATMs

All banking in the Pacific nation used to be done in cash but that is about to change on the main island of Funafuti Tuvalu, one of the world’s most remote nations, has unveiled its first ever ATMs, at the headquarters of the National Bank of Tuvalu in the village of Vaiaku on Funafuti, the country’s main island. Tuesday’s ceremony marked a historic shift for the island nation of 12,000 people, which has never before had access to electronic banking. Attended by prime minister Feleti Teo, the governor general, traditional leaders, members of parliament and representatives from the diplomatic and business sectors, the event celebrated a long-anticipated move toward financial modernisation. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/NwkY7tX via IFTTT

When dust settles on PSG exit Aston Villa will be proud of their progress | Ben Fisher

The disappointment on show after a valiant quarter-final defeat shows just how far Unai Emery’s team have come It was the 57th minute when Unai Emery made a series of small circles with his hands as the pulses of everyone else in this stadium began to race that little bit quicker. Emery tapped his temples, reminding his Aston Villa players to stay focused, but, really, who was he kidding? Ezri Konsa had just side-footed a shot in off a post to earn Villa the lead on the night and, with the help of a tail wind from the Holte End, this stadium felt liftoff. And not for the first time. The noise was so loud and the atmosphere so fervent that it seemed worth checking on the foundations of this grand old ground. Villa won the match and, though they lost the tie, this was a night they will always remember. It is also an evening when, once they have fully digested the drama of rousing from 5-1 down on aggregate, they will surely reflect on the strides they have made, particula...

Sicilian gravedigger accused of removing corpses to resell burial sites

Arrested man was allegedly aided by a forensic pathologist said to have falsely certified the decomposition of bodies Police in Sicily have arrested a former gravedigger and are investigating 18 others accused of illegally removing bodies from tombs to make way for new corpses. The former gravedigger’s assistant was also arrested on Monday in the investigation dating from 2023 for alleged corruption and bribery in Trapani, on the west coast of the Italian island. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/YFpk6Ww via IFTTT

The Trump administration trapped a wrongly deported man in a catch-22

The US says it can’t aid in his return as he’s in El Salvador; El Salvador says to help would be like ‘smuggling’ him back It is difficult to find a term more fitting for the fate of the Maryland father Kilmar Abrego García than Kafkaesque. Abrego García is one of hundreds of foreign-born men deported under the Trump administration to the Cecot mega-prison in El Salvador as part of a macabre partnership with the self-declared “world’s coolest dictator”, Nayib Bukele. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/41gkorf via IFTTT

‘Like you’re a giant’: Edinburgh artist creates pintsize replicas of city’s pubs

Among Keith Crawley’s detailed tiny models is the Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar that includes statue of the dog “It’s almost like you’re a giant looking down on something,” says the artist Keith Crawley, describing the tiny tributes he has made to some of Edinburgh ’s best-loved pubs. Crawley, 55, has recreated 12 pubs in miniature – including Barony Bar, the Cask & Barrel and the Conan Doyle, with each creation, depending on the complexity, taking up to a month to finish. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/epcIsCZ via IFTTT

Suede to go: leather’s hippy cousin is back for 2025

While not thought of as a summer fabric, suede is the surprise trend for right now From blazers to mini-skirts and slouchy shopper bags, we’re spoilt for choice in suede on the high street this year. As with most trends worth following, the provenance can be traced back to Prada and Miu Miu, the latter showing neat biker jackets and knee-length skirts styled with shirts (left) or swimsuits for summer: think fitted bodysuit with a sleek suede skirt and a minimal sandal. The suede blazer or short jacket is an incredibly useful wardrobe addition. A blazer adds instant interest to a jeans and a T-shirt look and keeps a mini skirt look modern when worn with a chunky flat sandal or loafer. It’s perfect for that in-between April weather. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jMkH3R1 via IFTTT

‘When I came out of prison, I couldn’t wait to create’: leading artists and inmates team up to break the prison cycle

Blak In-Justice, staged by the Torch and the Heide Museum of Modern Art, features works by Judy Watson, Vernon Ah Kee and Destiny Deacon Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Melissa Bell loves to paint images of water. In her work, blues and greens swim alongside one another in a colourful flow. “I grew up on the river in the backyard,” the artist says. “I was pretty lucky with that, living on country at Cummeragunja on Yorta Yorta, where I’m from. The water was always a part of me.” Bell always loved art – and studied it at RMIT – but then her life got “a bit chaotic”. “I ended up meeting a partner, [which led to] domestic violence, and I lost my way,” she says. Bell was incarcerated for the first time in 2015 when she was in her late 20s, and four more times over the next five years. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WAMBX2d via IFTTT

Rory McIlroy’s electric finish ignites Masters bid as Justin Rose leads pack

Northern Irishman roars into tie for third with sublime 66 Rose leads on -8 with Bryson Dechambeau one shot back Rory’s revenge. Rory McIlroy had opted to keep his thoughts to himself after the wounding end to his first round at the 89th Masters. An inspired follow up by the Northern Irishman made it easy to assume he had taken things personally. Did you think the two double bogeys in four closing holes ended his latest attempt at claiming the career grand slam? Think again. Courtesy of spellbinding, stunning golf, McIlroy blasted his way through the Georgia pines and back into contention. Statistical gurus had insisted glory was already beyond him. Craig Stadler was the last man to triumph here with more than one double bogey on his card. That happened in 1982. What the numerati failed to acknowledge was that McIlroy had 54 holes to recover. With 36 remaining, he sits two from Justin Rose. Buckle up. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/84Y3H2D via IFTTT ...

Nathan Aspinall fights back for home Premier League win over Humphries

Aspinall stuns world No 1 in Manchester night 10 final Gerwyn Price hits nine-darter in defeat by Luke Littler Nathan Aspinall earned his first nightly win of this year’s Premier League, fighting back to beat Luke Humphries 6-4 in the final on home turf in Manchester. Stockport native Aspinall moved up to fourth in the standings after a dramatic night of action at the AO Arena. Humphries defeated Luke Littler in his semi-final, after the world champion overcame a stunning nine-darter from Gerwyn Price in his opener. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2NpHWwT via IFTTT

Supreme court orders Trump to return Maryland man wrongly deported to El Salvador to US – live

Justices rule in favor of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who lived in the US legally with a work permit and was erroneously deported to El Salvador Supreme court orders US to help return man wrongly deported to El Salvador The House on Wednesday passed a bill restricting district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions in a move that would vastly diminish the ability of courts to block Donald Trump ’s policies, The Hill reports . Dubbed the No Rogue Rulings Act, the legislation would limit judges to providing relief only to parties directly involved in the suit. It passed in a 219-213 vote. Since President Trump has returned to office, left-leaning activists have cooperated with ideological judges who they have sought out to take their cases and weaponize nationwide injunctions to stall dozens of lawful executive actions and initiatives. These sweeping injunctions represent judicial activism at the worst. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle want you to believe that...

Netflix and co should pay levy to fund crisis-hit UK drama sector, say MPs

British stories risk disappearing from small screen as public broadcasters struggle to compete with streaming services Netflix, Amazon and other streaming services should pay a levy to fund the crisis-hit UK drama sector, MPs have said, following concerns that their dominance could see “distinctly British” stories disappear from the small screen. The cross-party culture, media and sport committee said new tax breaks should also be used to help fund UK dramas produced by the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 – the public service broadcasters who have seen their programme budgets squeezed while the costs of making shows have spiralled. The committee said there was currently a threat to such programming, which was vital to the UK’s identity, national conversation and talent development. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/PUcDKR3 via IFTTT

The composer still making music four years after his death – thanks to an artificial brain

In Australia, a team of artists and scientists have resurrected the US composer Alvin Lucier. It raises a storm of questions about AI and authorship – and it’s also incredibly beautiful In a darkened room, a fractured symphony of rattles, hums and warbles bounces off the walls – like an orchestra tuning up in some parallel universe. But there’s not a musician in sight. If you look closely there is a small fragment of a performer. Albeit one without a pulse. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tQZgS14 via IFTTT

Executions at 10-year high after huge increases in Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Amnesty International confirms 1,518 people executed in 2024 but says real total is likely to be thousands more More people were executed in 2024 than in any other year over the past decade, mainly reflecting a huge increase in executions in Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, according to Amnesty International’s annual report on the use of the death penalty. The human rights NGO said that although the number of countries carrying out executions was the lowest on record, it had confirmed 1,518 executions globally in 2024, a 32% increase over the previous year and the highest since the 1,634 carried out in 2015. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/R74Ewmk via IFTTT

Madonna and Elton John make peace after decades-long strained relationship

Briton apologised for his ‘big mouth’ and asked for forgiveness, saying he had written a song for the female star Madonna has said she has “buried the hatchet” with Sir Elton John and hinted she will collaborate with him, after watching the pianist and singer perform with Brandi Carlile on Saturday Night Live (SNL). The strained relationship dates back to 2002, when John was quoted by CBS News as describing her theme to Die Another Day as “the worst Bond tune ever”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/is0uCo3 via IFTTT

Nikkei plunges as Asian markets brace for further tariff fallout; Trump says ‘sometimes you have to take medicine’ – business live

Japan’s stock index plummets almost 9% on Trump tariff concerns after almost $5tn was wiped off the value of global stock markets last week Hong Kong stocks have plummeted more than 9% at open, while Singapore stocks dropped over 7%, according to reports. Hong Kong and Chinese stocks dived on Monday as markets around the world crumbled in the face of the widening global trade war and fears it will unleash a deep recession, Reuters says. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Nyt42FD via IFTTT

We have more data on ourselves than ever before. But can we really track our way into happiness? | Samantha Floreani

Self-tracking is regularly promoted as a way toward self-improvement. But life is not a mathematical problem waiting to be solved Inspired by a curiosity to factcheck my own feelings, I’ve been tracking my mood: Far too often a bad day can feel like a permanent state rather than a passing experience. As it turns out, observing the little coloured emojis on my mood chart, one bad day does not, in fact, mean I am doomed to live a blue crying-face life forever. Thank goodness. Others track themselves in different ways : monitoring daily step counts, tracking sleep cycles and bodily functions, counting calories, logging meals and so on. Digital technologies, wearable devices and an array of platforms make this easier than ever. Many people set reading targets and log books read on Goodreads or films watched on Letterboxd. Some track daily outfits online with the goal of perfecting personal style. Self-tracking is regularly promoted as a way toward self-improvement. Samantha Floreani is ...

One in four Britons victim of ticket scams for in-demand events, says Nationwide

Building society makes warning to fans desperate not to miss out as resale for Glastonbury festival approaches One in four Britons say they have fallen victim to a ticket scam involving an in-demand event and lost £82 each on average, according to research issued ahead of the official Glastonbury festival ticket resale. High demand and low availability, fuelled by “fomo” (fear of missing out), were creating a “perfect storm” for scammers, said Nationwide building society, which commissioned the analysis. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/U4cJhQS via IFTTT

US revokes all visas for South Sudanese over country’s failure to repatriate citizens

State department ‘taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and prevent further entry’, secretary of state says Washington is revoking all visas for South Sudanese passport holders and blocking new arrivals, secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Saturday, complaining the African nation is not accepting its nationals expelled from the US. The state department “is taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and prevent further issuance to prevent entry”, Rubio said in a statement. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mMt63fD via IFTTT

George Santos prosecutors seek seven-year prison term for campaign fraud

Disgraced Republican congressman ‘made a mockery’ of election system and merits long sentence, US officials say Prosecutors are seeking more than seven years in prison for disgraced former congressman George Santos after he pleaded guilty to federal fraud and identity theft charges. The US attorney for the eastern district of New York argued in a court filing on Friday that a significant sentence was warranted because the New York Republican’s “unparalleled crimes” had “made a mockery” of the country’s election system. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/P47oDXe via IFTTT

Trump insists he won’t back down from global trade war as markets slump

On social media, the president said, ‘My policies will never change’, before suggesting possible change with Vietnam US politics live – latest updates Donald Trump doubled down on his decision to launch a global trade war, declaring that he would “never” back off from sweeping tariffs on US trading partners. The US president’s announced action sent shock waves around the world this week, prompting fierce threats of retaliation and sharp sell-offs in stock markets . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EnMuDcG via IFTTT

BBC and ITV opt against bids to televise Fifa Club World Cup in summer

Dazn has global rights and will show games on app Dazn remains confident of securing agreement The BBC and ITV have declined to pursue the chance to televise this summer’s Club World Cup, leaving Fifa increasingly concerned about the visibility of its flagship new tournament in a key market. The streaming platform Dazn agreed to pay $1bn (£787bn) for global Club World Cup rights in a deal which involved the company pledging to make all 63 matches available free-to-air on its app. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/fTXH7Dx via IFTTT

First trailer for Liam Neeson’s Naked Gun reboot released

Neeson steps into the role of the bumbling detective made famous by Leslie Nielsen in the TV show and film series created by the Zucker Abrahams Zucker team The first footage has been released of Paramount’s upcoming reboot of the much-loved Naked Gun series of spoof police movies. The new film stars Liam Neeson has Frank Drebin Jr – revealed to be the son of Leslie Nielsen’s bumbling detective from the original films. The trailer introduces him a considerably slicker operator to his late father, disabling a baddie in a schoolgirl disguise with a sharpened lollipop. He is then seen tearfully addressing a photograph of Drebin Snr, as offspring of Captain Ed Hocken (George Kennedy) and, more controversially, Officer Nordberg (OJ Simpson) are seen following suit. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/bCUFO4l via IFTTT

Will Trump’s tariffs ignite a global trade war? Today in Focus Extra – podcast

Donald Trump has introduced eye-watering tariffs on countries around the world. Will they ‘make America wealthy again’? Richard Partington reports Donald Trump is on a mission to ‘make America wealthy again’. Speaking outside the White House, he said for too long the country had been ‘looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike’. Now that would come to an end, he said, as he slapped eye-watering tariffs on countries around the world. The Guardian’s senior economics correspondent, Richard Partington , explains why Trump has taken such action and how it could affect the global economy. ‘It could come at huge costs to consumers,’ he says, as markets around the world react with confusion. With prices in the US also likely to rise, will voters soon rue what the president has called ‘liberation day’? Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6Eysvic via IFTTT

The best cordless vacuum cleaners for a spotless home: 10 tried and tested favourites

Stick vacuums are a convenient alternative to corded designs, but which model wins for overall cleaning prowess? Our expert reveals all • The best robot vacuums to keep your home clean and dust free Choosing a cordless vacuum isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. You’re likely to keep a vacuum cleaner for years, relying heavily on its ability to suck up dust, crumbs, mud, pet hair and any other dry spillages or sheddings that end up on your floor. Choosing the right model can be the difference between an effective cleaner that’s a delight to pull out of the cupboard and a dud that you dread having to unblock, detangle and clean after every use. In this review, I took 10 of the leading cordless vacuum cleaners from a range of manufacturers and at various prices and inflicted the same cleaning tests on each one. That takes all the guesswork out of picking your next cleaner: I can tell you exactly which ones picked up the most mess. Best cordless vacuum cleaner overall: Shar...

‘Reminds me of sun cream’: the best (and worst) supermarket coconut milk, tasted and rated

Whose brand tastes like a tropical ambrosia, and whose tastes like soapy gunk? Restaurateur Ravinder Bhogal dives in … • The best rice cookers for gloriously fluffy grains at home Coconut milk is always found front and centre in my pantry because it is a cornerstone of so much of my cooking. I buy it in bulk and rely on it to bring a voluptuous, fragrant, dairy-free creaminess to so many of my favourite dishes, from curries and dals to soups and rice dishes. It’s also indispensable for puddings for vegan friends, and for my sweet-toothed, lactose-intolerant husband. It mellows out spices and pulls a dish together, adding a silkiness to sauces and a sweet, nutty richness to cakes, batters and vegan custards. I appreciate the convenience of the canned stuff because making coconut milk from scratch, as my mother used to do when I was growing up in Kenya, is laborious: a mature brown coconut has to be broken, its flesh grated, then soaked in hot water, before being strained and squeezed...

Patient satisfaction with NHS has hit record low of 21%, survey finds

Dissatisfaction also at record 59% in Great Britain, with A&E, GPs and dentists causing the most discontent Public satisfaction with the NHS is at a record low and dissatisfaction is at its highest, with the deepest discontent about A&E, GP and dental care. Just 21% of adults in Britain are satisfied with how the health service runs, down from 24% a year before, while 59% are dissatisfied, up from 52%, the latest annual survey of patients found. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9UFthk1 via IFTTT
PlayStation 5 shot

Sports news, Tech, lifestyle & Anime