Husband-wife duo team on a mission to race all World Marathon Majors, in hopes of inspiring others

Amy and Jamie Shinneman plan to run their fifth marathon together in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 30 as part of their mission to race all eight Abbott World Marathon Majors. But what sets them apart from other individual runners is that they compete together as a team. Amy has Bethlem myopathy, a rare form of muscular dystrophy, so Jamie pushes her in a racing wheelchair. They hope their story can inspire others with disabilities to chase big dreams, too.

Milo Yiannopoulos is in ICE custody facing a final removal order, sources say

Far-right political commentator and deportation advocate Milo Yiannopoulos is currently in ICE custody, the agency's database shows.

Trump signs executive order to create a U.S. Space Academy

"Space is the hot thing," President Trump said at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Cattle ranchers express concern about boosting foreign beef imports

Trump administration plan to temporarily waive higher tariffs on beef imports has drawn backlash from U.S. cattle ranchers.

Apple hikes subscription prices for Apple TV and Apple One in the U.S.

Apple raised prices for Apple Music by $1 per month in July, citing licensing costs.

Trump loses bid to transfer New York hush money case to federal court

Trump's conviction in the hush money case relates to conduct that preceded the 2016 presidential election, which led to his first term in the White House.

Crystal Palace v Manchester City: Premier League – live

• Updates from 8pm kickoff (BST) at Selhurst Park

• Get in touch: email Michael about the game

Very interesting. The cameras are trained on Manchester City in the warm-up and it looks like Guéhi is going to line-up in central defence, not midfield. That means Gvardiol at left-back and O’Reilly in midfield. But we’ll have to wait until kick-off to know for sure.

A worrying stat for Palace: Mateta and Sarr, two absentees tonight, scored 21 Premier League goals between them last season. Tonight’s starting XI for Palace against scored … 10 between them last season.

Ross Fire burns 85,000 acres, leaves destruction across 2 counties

The Ross wildfire has burned more than 80,000 acres across Palo Pinto and Jack counties, forcing evacuations, closing roads and disrupting schools.

Fed will have "work to do" if inflation doesn't fade, Warsh says

Fed chief Kevin Warsh said in a closely watched speech that inflation remains a concern, while praising the broader U.S. economy.

‘The flood took everything I have’: survivors grieve for relatives and homes swept away in Nepal

Army helicopters ferry survivors from inaccessible areas to a camp at a barracks in Bidur

The three women sat together in the army tent and wept. They cried out for their sons, their husbands, their homes. As flash floods coursed through the Himalayan mountains on Wednesday morning, a monstrous black wave took everything from them.

As a melting glacier high up in the Himalayas between Tibet and Nepal splintered and crashed into the valley below, it set off a deadly cascade of water, mud and debris down the Bhote Koshi River. The impact of the glacier collapse was so strong that experts initially reported it as an earthquake. The Nepali village homes that lined the riverbank and clung to the mountainside stood little chance.

Olé for Robinson as England take firm control of Lord’s Test against Pakistan

• Second Test, day two: England 290 & 81-3; Pakistan 110

• Ollie Robinson takes 4-11; Emilio Gay unbeaten on 30

Joe Root did not want the England captaincy when the prospect started to be floated earlier this summer. After performing the role as a ­stand-in for the suspended Ben Stokes against New Zealand at the Oval, his father, Matt, floated a full-time return as a hypothetical and says this was met with a “no”.

Root was apparently swayed by the impending arrival of Stephen ­Fleming as head coach, with the pair speaking regularly before roles were locked down. But watching this ­one-sided second day against Pakistan at Lord’s – and indeed the ­one-sided series opener at ­Headingley – one wonders whether being handed the keys to this pace attack was another clincher for Root.

The week around the world in 20 pictures

The Nepal-Tibet flood disaster, Russian strikes in Kyiv, Israeli settlers in the West Bank and tributes to Dolly Parton – the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists

Analysis: Kevin Warsh sharpens inflation warning at Jackson Hole, signaling possible rate hike

After confusing markets at his July news conference, Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh used Jackson Hole to give a clearer view of the case for higher interest rates.

Venezuelan opposition up in arms over reports US wants big stake in oil and gas

Critics call move to gain long-term access to country’s massive energy reserves ‘predatory’ and ‘unconstitutional’

Reports that the US is preparing to claim a big stake in Venezuela’s massive energy reserves have sparked an outcry, with critics describing the move as “predatory” and a “rapacious” land grab.

Several media outlets this week reported that the Trump administration – which abducted Venezuela’s authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, in January and has steered the South American country ever since – hopes to secure long-term access to its oil and gasfields.

Drumcree ruling raises fears of sectarian confrontation in Northern Ireland

High court quashes latest restriction on Orange Order march, reigniting political row over Garvaghy Road

The boiling cauldron known as Drumcree that used to scald and torment Northern Ireland each summer gradually cooled two decades ago, leaving it as a name for the history books.

Instead of pitched battles between Orangemen and police around the parish church near Portadown in County Armagh, and the murderous sectarian violence they triggered across the region, gave way to a de facto truce.

Russia ‘losing 6,000 more troops in Ukraine each month than it can recruit’

Moscow recruits an estimated 1,000 people a day but western officials say it cannot keep up with casualty level

Russia is losing about 6,000 more troops in Ukraine each month than it can recruit, western officials have said.

While Russia is still acquiring new battlefield recruits at speed, with an estimated rate of 1,000 a day, in the last two months even this has not been sufficient to replace those killed or injured.

David Booth pioneered index investing. Here's his advice for investors..

David Booth, the founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors, says the key to investing — and life — is to stay calm in the face of uncertainty.

The Guardian climate pledge 2026

Each year, the Guardian reaffirms its commitment to the environment – both in our reporting and how we operate as a business. From critical tipping points to war in Iran, this is how the last 12 months have looked

• Support the Guardian’s environment coverage

• The Guardian climate forum 2026

Today marks the end of the Guardian’s annual climate support campaign. Each year, during the campaign, we remind our audience about the Guardian’s role in covering the threats to our planet and the importance of independent journalism in telling that story. Our climate pledge is a reminder of the environmental values we place at the heart of our reporting and our organisation.

Since our 2025 climate pledge, the world has experienced extreme levels of heat as well as extreme forms of denial and abdication in the face of the climate crisis. But, across the world, there have also been inspiring efforts to tackle it.

We will be publishing our annual company emissions data in the autumn, explaining what drives our emissions and where they have risen and fallen.

We have started the process of estimating our emissions from generative AI usage. We hope to report on this next year.

We have undertaken our B Corp recertification in line with the new standards introduced by B Lab in 2026. We will find out our result later this year.

We have participated in advertising industry working groups that published a methodological framework that aims to capture the emissions impact of digital and print advertising.

We open ourselves up to scrutiny by independent third parties, such as the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and B Corp, so they can assess the robustness of our targets and our internal policies.

New heart attack definition promises better care for women

Leading cardiovascular health groups reclassify overlooked causes and introduce sex-specific diagnostic thresholds

Doctors have agreed the world’s first universal definition of a heart attack, paving the way for millions of women to finally receive better treatment after decades of being “deprioritised”.

In one of the biggest procedural shake-ups in a generation, the world’s four leading cardiovascular health groups have signed off on new guidance for healthcare professionals when seeing suspected heart attack patients.

London Science Museum cuts links with BP after decades of partnership

Campaigners say ‘seismic shift’ follows years of pressure to sever ties with oil and gas firm

The London Science Museum has ended its decades-long partnership with the oil and gas company BP in what has been described as a “seismic shift” for the museum.

The Science Museum Group academy, which was established in 2018 to provide training and resources, announced on Friday that it would be ending its partnership with BP. In a statement, the director and chief executive of the Science Museum Group, Sir Ian Blatchford, said the partnership had “drawn to a close at the end of the current contract term”.

The Guardian view on political donations: Labour should curb the power of big money | Editorial

Before becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham favoured a £500,000 donations cap. In office, he’s backing away. That is a mistake

On the campaign trail in Makerfield, Andy Burnham told a democracy activist that he favoured a political donations cap of around £500,000 and wanted it reduced over time. His government is now resisting amendments that would move in precisely that direction. Mr Burnham was right in May. He is wrong now. It is difficult to argue that restricting a single person to giving half a million pounds a year to a political party would damage democracy. Such a cap would only affect the mega-rich. Reducing the cap would force parties to wean themselves off the present regime that allows the rich too much say.

There are two contra arguments swilling around Labour. The first is that there should be room for wealthy, progressive donors – whose cash helps rebut claims that Labour is in the pocket of the trade unions. The second is the warning from unions that a cap could undermine their ability to contribute to the Labour party.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

The Guardian view on the loan of the Bayeux tapestry: a manifestation of soft power | Editorial

The British Museum’s landmark cultural exchange is a symbol of post-Brexit rapprochement between Britain and France

“Harold Rex interfectus est”: King Harold is killed. As every British schoolchild knows, the Bayeux tapestry depicts a turning point in the history of these islands: defeat at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, which would lead to the ascent of William the Conqueror to the English throne. Its return to the UK for the first time in nearly 1,000 years is being hailed as a hugely historic moment in its own right. The loan of the tapestry (technically an embroidery of wool on linen) to the British Museum in exchange for UK treasures from Sutton Hoo is the ultimate manifestation of soft power – a 70-metre symbol of post-Brexit Anglo-French rapprochement in comic-strip form.

Ticket sales for the exhibition, which opens on 10 September, were the biggest in a single day in the museum’s history, with online queues of 80,000. Radio 4 is devoting a day of special broadcasts to mark the arrival of the tapestry, including a new drama with verse from the poet laureate Simon Armitage. The museum’s videos explaining this tale of ambition, friendship, betrayal and revenge are fittingly narrated by Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman. Norman-mania is here.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Wilem Frischmann obituary

Structural engineer who worked with the architect Richard Seifert on striking modernist buildings

As a modern high-rise city, London had its skyline shaped through the acumen of the pioneering structural engineer Wilem Frischmann, who has died aged 95. Widely considered among the most influential engineers of his generation, he was best known for his work with the modernist architect Richard Seifert. The 34-storey slab of Centre Point at the east end of Oxford Street, and the City’s NatWest Tower (now Tower 42), at 600ft high, once Europe’s tallest building, were landmark structures, establishing Frischmann’s reputation for engineering innovation.

Conventional wisdom held that London’s soft clay soil could not support high-rise towers, but Frischmann proved otherwise, developing the use of large-diameter piled foundations that made such structures achievable. “I was told you can’t build tower blocks on clay, so I made a point of showing that you could,” he told the Observer in 2018. The method involved drilling a series of closely packed piled foundations to distribute the building load. Frischmann would inspect the holes himself, and once got stuck in one, being obliged to spend the night there until finally extracted.

Infallible style: Pope Leo appears in Vanity Fair’s ranks of most fashionable

Pontiff, who has caught the eye in trainers and a baseball cap, praised for taking dress to ‘heavenly heights’

For the first time in a decade, Vanity Fair has released a best-dressed list. Featuring 70 names, the list ranks the most fashionable people in the world in 2026. The lineup includes the usual suspects spanning Hollywood actors and global pop stars but nestled among the Hollywood stars is an unexpected entrant. Pope Leo XIV.

The 70-year-old head of the Catholic church has been praised by the magazine for taking papal style “to heavenly heights”. His most memorable look? A simple white cassock styled with a pair of Nike trainers.

Shaky Sabalenka and wide-open men’s draw set stage for US Open drama

Defending champion arrives at Flushing Meadows in poor form and with a host of challengers looking to usurp her

Under any normal circumstances Aryna Sabalenka would not have lost her third-round match at the Cincinnati Open last week. For all of her unforced errors, indecisiveness and the obvious tension surrounding her tennis, the world No 1 had led the unheralded Sára Bejlek 5-1 in the first set tie-break and then 4-1 in set two. She gave herself more than enough chances to close out a comfortable win.

Instead Sabalenka returns to New York trying to find a path through her greatest crisis since she first reached No 1 in the rankings more than three years ago. That straight-sets loss in Cincinnati extended a mediocre 17-7 record dating back to the beginning of April during which she has not reached a final. She has just one more chance to turn her fortunes around as she tries to claim her first grand slam title of the year at the US Open, the tournament she has won on the last two occasions.

Martin Rowson on Trump and the consequences of the climate crisis – cartoon

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Walmart settles opioid lawsuit brought by Justice Department

Walmart settled claims that it filled thousands of invalid prescriptions at its pharmacies at the height of the opioid epidemic.

Tell us about the TV shows that that have turned sour for you

We would like to hear about the TV shows that you simply can’t stomach anymore and why

From Euphoria to The Great British Bake Off Guardian writers have compiled the TV shows that are now part of their viewing history they feel tainted by. Now we want to hear from you.

Which TV shows that once thrilled have now turned sour for you?

‘Special for Norway’: Leknessund breaks clear to win stage seven of Vuelta

• Norway in mourning after death of King Harald

• ‘It’s only a small thing in the bigger picture’

The Norwegian Andreas Leknessund launched a successful solo attack on ⁠the final climb to the summit finish of Aramón Valdelinares to win stage ⁠seven of the ⁠Vuelta ​a España, ahead of his Uno-X Mobility teammate and compatriot Tobias Johannessen on a day ⁠when their country mourned the death of King Harald.

Leknessund made his move from ⁠a five-rider breakaway 7.5km from the finish at ​the end of the ‌149.8km ride from ‌Vall d’Alba, and pulled away to win his first ‌Grand Tour stage on his Vuelta debut.

Is the environmental impact of datacentres finally cutting through?

In this week’s newsletter: Anti-datacentre sentiment is growing across the political spectrum in the US – and the public is only just finding out about the potential effects on their energy bills

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Anti-datacentre sentiment is growing from across the political spectrum in the US.

More than a dozen states have considered moratoria on datacentres. New York became the first US state to enact a temporary ban last month. Progressive stalwarts Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have proposed a national moratorium. And even Greg Abbott, the far-right governor of Texas, called for a ban on datacentre development in rural swaths of his state.

‘Our new normal’: how marine heatwaves affect life in British seas

Iraq’s ghost villages: Islamic State drove people away – now a new enemy is preventing their return

Destroyed crops, riverbed cyclists and a ‘Rock of Starvation’: how drought has devastated the Danube

Younger workers are more scared of AI than older employees, survey finds

Employee attitudes toward AI are closely tied to their age and generational concerns, according to Glassdoor.

Fed Chairman Warsh expresses concern about inflation, advocates for 'quieter' central bank

He used the speech to outline his philosophy on policymaking while carefully sidestepping any signals

An $18bn settlement – and Zuckerberg barely blinked. The tech titans must be stripped of their power, and soon | Jonathan Freedland

Those who said Meta harms children struck a blow, but the ability of big tech to gouge profits and cause harm is barely diminished. That’s the battle to come

Follow the money. If you want to know how the tech giant Meta really feels about the $18bn it agreed to fork out to end a landmark lawsuit against it – an outcome widely hailed as a victory for campaigners – just look at its share price. It didn’t go down when word came on Wednesday that Meta had settled with the 29 US states that had argued that the company’s Facebook and Instagram platforms harmed children. On the contrary, Meta stock went up, initially surging by 5%, before levelling out at a gain of just over 1.25%. There could be no clearer proof that the money men reckon Meta dodged a bullet.

To be sure, there was plenty to hearten those who have long believed that social media damages teenagers especially, whether by exposing them to content they shouldn’t see or by sapping their self-esteem, offering them filters that show how much prettier they would look if they had cosmetic surgery or giving them a metric of their popularity – and unpopularity – in the form of a running tally of “likes” and views.

Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Fed's Kevin Warsh warns inflation is too high, sparking bets rate hikes are coming

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh reiterated his commitment to fighting inflation in a major speech — raising expectations that rate hikes may be coming, though he did not clearly spell out a path going forward.

Norway’s King Harald dies aged 89

Norwegians gather to remember monarch whose death comes amid scandal over links between crown princess and Jeffrey Epstein

Norwegians have gathered in their thousands to pay their respects to King Harald V, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, who has died, aged 89, in Oslo. He was succeeded immediately by his son, King Haakon VIII.

The new king thanked “the government and Norwegian people for their support and sympathy for the royal family at this time”. A period of national mourning was announced as crowds left wreaths and messages outside the royal palace in Oslo.

Fed chair says delivering ‘stable prices’ is central bank’s job as inflation persists

However, Kevin Warsh didn’t say if interest rates would change in coming months, as inflation remains stubborn

The US Federal Reserve is not done fighting high inflation, its chair, Kevin Warsh, said in his first major speech in the role on Friday, emphasizing that it was “the Fed’s job to deliver stable prices”.

Warsh did not indicate where the Fed will take interest rates in the coming months, despite US inflation remaining stubbornly above the central bank’s 2% target amid the war in Iran. But his speech was taken by markets as a signal that rates may rise in the coming months, a move that may put him at odds with Donald Trump, who has aggressively called for rates to be cut.

Exclusive discounts from CBS Mornings Deals

On this edition of CBS Deals, we show you items that will help improve your everyday lifestyle. Visit cbsdeals.com to take advantage of these exclusive deals today. CBS earns commissions on purchases made through cbsdeals.com.

ICE deports Venezuelan father from Texas to West Africa

Carlos Tellez Sanchez had worked at a car dealership in Dallas during the day and drove for Uber Eats at night to support his family.

The micro-wedding trend isn't going away

As wedding costs skyrocket, engaged couples are eager to save. Some are turning to micro weddings to tie the knot.

Tropical Storm Dolly downgraded to ‘open tropical wave’ as it heads to Caribbean

Remnants from tropical storm could cause heavy rainfall on Leeward Islands and affect Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola

Remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly, which has been downgraded to an “open tropical wave”, were moving still across the Atlantic Ocean toward the Leeward Islands, and could bring heavy rainfall to parts of the Caribbean this weekend, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Friday..

Dolly, which formed on Thursday, had maximum sustained winds of near 40mph (65km/h) with higher gusts on Friday morning. Later on Friday, forecasters said that Dolly was no longer a Tropical Storm, and had “become an open tropical wave”.

Tropical Storm Dolly dissipates over the Atlantic Ocean

Tropical Storm Dolly was the fourth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

UK urged to ban imports of Brazilian meat over health concerns

Brazil has failed to prove compliance with EU rules on use of antibiotics in cattle and poultry farming

The UK’s leading farming organisations and animal health experts have called for an urgent ban on imports of Brazilian meat, in light of concerns over the safety of imports.

The National Farmers’ Union in England and its sister organisations in the devolved administrations wrote to the government on Friday warning that public health was at risk.

Good Good Golf's very bad, bad week amid backlash over Callaway ad

Good Good Golf will no longer sponsor an upcoming PGA tournament, while Callaway said it has ended its partnership with the company.

Choking is sold to teens as a safe sexual practice. The research says it never is

More and more young people are engaging in sexual strangulation. But experts say there’s no safe pressure – and we have to start talking to teenagers about it

When touching someone’s throat, it can only take the pressure of a handshake to cause serious injury, unconsciousness or death. These injuries, which include brain damage and stroke, are often internal and invisible, showing up days or even months after the initial incident occurred. Experts say many who participate in sexual choking are not aware of the risks.

Choking or sexual strangulation is common among young people, says Prof Heather Douglas of the Melbourne Law School. In a 2024 survey of 4,702 Australians aged between 18 and 35, she and her research team found that 57% reported ever having experienced sexual strangulation; 51% reported ever having strangled a partner and 43.9% reported participating in both.

De Zerbi wants one more signing for Tottenham before transfer deadline

• Spurs head coach pushing for ‘one specific position’

• Tottenham could offload players at end of hectic window

Roberto De Zerbi is keen to add one more signing to his Tottenham squad and has said outgoing deals are also possible before Tuesday night’s transfer deadline.

De Zerbi had dinner on Thursday night with Spurs’ owners and key executives and they discussed a final push to a window that has already exceeded his expectations. The manager welcomed Omar Marmoush to the club on Thursday from Manchester City and is preparing to involve him in Saturday’s home game against Newcastle. Spurs have also been linked with a move for Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo.

Egyptian queen’s 673-diamond necklace stolen in Vienna smash-and-grab raid

Police hunt two suspects after historic 200-carat piece is snatched from Austrian museum during opening hours

Austrian police are hunting two men alleged to have stolen a 200-carat platinum necklace encrusted with 673 diamonds that was on loan to a museum in Vienna and once belonged to Egyptian royalty.

Authorities in the capital released pictures of the suspects captured by security cameras during the heist at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), amid a rash of spectacular smash-and-grab thefts from European cultural institutions.

Marine One has trouble communicating with air traffic control again

The incident happened about an hour after the National Transportation Safety Board released new details​ about a similar incident in early August.

New Jersey is a fossil hotspot, with answers about the day the dinosaurs died

Paleontologist Ken Lacovara never expected to find critical fossil data in a New Jersey suburb—let alone info about the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs. His dig site is now a fossil park and museum.

Dolly Parton offered to try experimental drugs if "no hope" in her cancer battle

"She told me recently that if there was no hope for her, she would still allow her medical team to try experimental drugs in the hope of helping others in the future," Stella Parton said in a Facebook post.

Four men admit destroying Jewish community ambulances in Golders Green

Prosecutors allege men were deliberately targeting Jewish community when four vehicles were set ablaze in March

Four men have pleaded guilty to destroying four Jewish community ambulances in an arson attack causing about £1m of damage.

Hamza ⁠Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, and Judex Atshatshi and Saif Ali, both 18, admitted to a charge of destroying or damaging property being reckless whether life would be endangered.

Andy Burnham says he will not vote on assisted dying bill to avoid swaying debate

Exclusive: PM also warns his ministers against trying to influence vote when bill returns to Commons next month

Andy Burnham has told Labour MPs that he will not cast a vote when the assisted dying bill returns to the Commons next month, to avoid influencing the debate.

While supporters of the measure welcomed his move, No 10 officials said the prime minister had no wish to affect the process in either direction, and was just doing what he thought was best to allow MPs to reach their own collective view.

On the ground in Nepal after deadly flash floods – video

South Asia correspondent Hannah Ellis‑Petersen is on the ground in Bidur, one of the most devastated towns in Nepal, after the deadly flash floods that struck on Wednesday morning. Most homes were completely washed away when a tide of mud, rocks and debris flooded the river valley. Those who survived describe clinging on to buildings and trees as the water rushed over them

FDA approves daily HIV pill from Gilead designed to simplify treatment for some patients

The new pill is also aimed at people who are doing well on a single-tablet regimen, including Biktarvy, and want to switch to a new treatment.

Rollercoaster at LA’s Six Flags shut after two riders suffered brain injuries, inquiry finds

X2 ride at Magic Mountain has been closed for a month after one rider experienced brain compression and another remains in coma

An infamous Six Flags Magic Mountain rollercoaster, long favored by intrepid theme park goers, has been closed for more than a month after two people say they experienced brain injuries after riding it, according to a new CNN investigation.

The X2 rollercoaster sends riders plummeting and twisting hundreds of feet, reaching up to 76mph (about 122km/h) as the seats rotate 360 degrees. On the southern California theme park’s website, it’s advertised as a rite of passage for daredevils.

King Harald V of Norway obituary

Monarch who opened up the Norwegian royal family and its palaces to the public, and married a commoner despite his father’s opposition

King Harald V of Norway, who has died aged 89, Europe’s oldest serving monarch, was the country’s third king since it regained independence in 1905 following the dissolution of its union with Sweden. Although he ceased to be head of the Lutheran state church in 2012 and subsequently lost his constitutional status as “holy” six years later, he did exhibit the Scandinavian moderation, stoicism and genial approachability that led a newspaper to name him Norway’s person of the year in 2017.

The first Norwegian king to be born in the country since 1370, Harald was also related to both the Swedish and the British royal families. His parents were Crown Prince Olav, who was king as Olav V between 1957 and 1991, and his wife, Princess Märtha, a member of the Swedish royal dynasty. His grandparents were King Haakon VII, the first king of the independent country, who reigned for 52 years from 1905, and his wife, Queen Maud, daughter of Britain’s Edward VII. The family roots are Danish – from the Glücksburg dynasty – as were those of the Duke of Edinburgh and the former Greek royal family. The mixed heritage made him sympathetic to refugees: “It is not easy to say where we come from. Home is where the heart is,” he said.

White House construction played part in Trump helicopter incident, safety officials say

Helipad relocation led in part to incident where Marine One, carrying the president, had close call with passenger jet

Safety officials say the relocation of a helipad amid Donald Trump’s multi-project White House reconstruction led in part to an incident earlier this month in which a military helicopter carrying the president came too close to a passenger jet.

A preliminary report published on Thursday by the National Transportation ⁠Safety Board (NTSB) blamed “communication issues” for the failure of the crew of Marine One, the presidential helicopter, to give the required three minutes’ notice to air traffic controllers that they were about to take off from the White House.

French far-right leader Jordan Bardella to address Reform UK party conference

Speech part of effort to strengthen National Rally party’s international ties before Marine Le Pen’s presidential bid

The French far-right leader Jordan Bardella is to give a speech at Reform UK’s party conference in Birmingham next week as he attempts to boost international ties before Marine Le Pen’s bid for the French presidency next spring.

Le Pen’s far-right, anti-immigration National Rally (RN) is high in the polls and she is predicted to reach the final round of the French presidential race in May.

This week on "Sunday Morning" (Aug. 30): "By Design"

"Sunday Morning" presents its annual edition touching on all aspects of design, hosted by Jane Pauley.

Trump’s Greenland fixation puts security at the heart of Iceland’s knife-edge EU vote

Trump’s push to acquire Greenland and growing uncertainty over U.S. security commitments have added a geopolitical dimension to Iceland’s EU debate.

Marc Benioff is getting his mojo back as Salesforce's AI strength quiets skeptics

Salesforce's stock had its second-best day on record following earnings, as Wall Street shows renewed confidence in CEO Marc Benioff's AI story.

NTSB investigates second issue involving Trump's Marine One chopper

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating after another serious communication issue with President Trump's Marine One helicopter.

Trump signs executive order to rename Lake Ontario "Lake America"

The executive order directs the Interior Department to update the Geographic Names Information System, changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America.

August apartment rents turn positive for the first time in four years

Apartment rents are finally turning positive as vacancies drop, thanks to less new supply.

Rob Reiner’s son Jake gives first interview after parents’ deaths: ‘I will never understand why this happened’

Jake says his parents ‘never stopped helping’ his brother Nick, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering both of them at their Los Angeles home

Jake Reiner has given his first interview since the killing of his parents, the film-maker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, saying: “I will never understand why this happened.”

Reiner, who directed films including The Princess Bride, This Is Spinal Tap and Stand By Me, was found dead alongside Singer Reiner from apparent stab wounds in their home in Los Angeles in December.

Husband and wife take on marathons with a racing wheelchair and a mission

Jamie and Amy Shinneman are teaming up for their fifth marathon, with him on foot and her in a racing wheelchair.

The Guide #258: the perennially puerile, eternally eccentric Adult Swim turns 25

In this week’s newsletter: resolutely for grownups but proudly immature, the late-night channel has influenced an entire genre of comedy. But it still retains its cult status

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Twenty five years ago this coming week, a strange block of programming suddenly began airing in the wee small hours on the US cable channel Cartoon Network. Anyone half-watching with the sound off might have mistaken the shows as a continuation of the toons airing in the daytime: bright, big-eyed affairs full of energy and slapstick comedy. Those paying attention, though, would have noticed something was off: old-fashioned Hanna-Barbera superheroes had been recast as attorneys or talkshow hosts; a crew of talking fast-food items, supposedly a hero squad called the Aqua Teen Hunger Force, just seemed to be bickering with each other and watching TV rather than fighting crime; and the whole mood of the programmes, with their halting, babbled dialogue, juvenile humour and janky animation, seemed not quite right. The name of the block was odd too: Adult Swim.

Piggybacking on the adult animation boom of the 90s – The Simpsons, South Park et al. – Adult Swim steered things off in to bizarre and unsettling new territory. If anything, it’s only gotten weirder in the quarter of a century since it started. Close to 100 shows have aired in this insomnia-friendly night-time block (though today it arguably operates as its own independent channel within a channel), almost all of them strange enough to make you feel like you might be asleep after all and having a particularly psychedelic dream. It has platformed demon-fighting death metal bands, redneck squids, preposterously dark claymation parodies of Rankin/Bass, and a crime-fighting, gun-toting backside – as well as real-life figures with faces as boggle-eyed and elasticated as their cartoon counterparts. It has remained a defiant corner of freakery in a homogenised TV landscape.

Esther González, Saudi Arabia and the questions around an unexpected transfer saga

The Gotham striker said she was stepping away from the sport, but then signed for Al Qadsiah. The move sparked questions over professionalism and raised concerns of LGBTQ+ fans who have disavowed the Saudi league

A recent World Cup winner joins a historically downtrodden club, immediately leads them to their first championship, praises the level of play in the league, speaks fondly of living in the club’s market, extends her contract with the club, leads the club to another championship, is named a league MVP finalist, and breaks the club’s all-time scoring record. That’s the fairytale of Esther González and Gotham FC – a story that ended abruptly, just nine days after that scoring record was set. On 27 July, Gotham announced that they had mutually parted ways with the striker as she “temporarily steps away from soccer to attend to personal matters in Spain”. The announcement of her departure was full of gushing words going both directions, and was met with understanding and support from the women’s soccer world.

But less than a month after González left Gotham, Al Qadsiah, a club in the Saudi Women’s Premier League, announced her as their newest signing, on a one-season contract with an option to extend for a second. NWSL journalist Jenna Tonelli soon reported, “League sources tell me that Gotham did not expect Esther to sign with another club this soon.” Questions swirled: did she actually intend to take a break from soccer when she left Gotham? And why would a player who just had a child with her female partner choose to play in Saudi Arabia, a country where same-sex relations are criminalized?

The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past – Geralt of Rivia returns after a decade in the sun

Before The Witcher 4 arrives in 2028, CD Projekt Red is returning us to the world of The Witcher 3 for one last foray. Looks like wind’s still howlin’

The game that graced us with Bathtub Geralt, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, arrived more than a decade ago. So it was a touch surprising this summer when developers CD Projekt Red announced a new expansion to the venerable adventure, titled Songs of the Past, for next year. It will release alongside a full remaster of the original game, which will be free for anyone who bought it back in 2015. (The studio is also working on a sequel, The Witcher 4, but that’s not due until 2028.)

As it turns out, this is all possible thanks to a partnership with Fool’s Theory, a studio founded by CD Projekt Red veterans, which took on the brunt of the development work. “We’ve had this story in a drawer for many years,” explains Marcin Blacha, VP story director at CD Projekt Red. “Of course, we moved on to Cyberpunk 2077 and now The Witcher 4, as well as our other projects. But because we knew The Witcher 4 would take time, we saw a gap in our release calendar where Songs of the Past could go. Thankfully, we were able to find the right partner to help execute it.”

All Blacks brace for Bok-lash as Erasmus adds late fly-half plot twist

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s inclusion may be a classic piece of misdirection from South Africa in their must-win match against New Zealand

On the face of it, South Africa have been beset by disruption before their most significant match since the successful defence of their World Cup title. Rassie Erasmus had sought to lean further on the Springboks’ set-piece strengths by selecting Handré Pollard at fly-half for the second Test against New Zealand in Cape Town, suggesting a narrow gameplan. A return to the tried and tested. A reliance on what he knows best. Then came news of the “niggle”.

Out goes Pollard, who, according to the Friday morning bulletin, suffered said niggle in training on Wednesday and failed a fitness test 24 hours before the match, and back comes the far more adventurous Sacha Feinberg‑Mngomezulu into the No 10 jersey. Feinberg‑Mngomezulu struggled in last week’s 33-16 defeat at Ellis Park, as he did on his comeback from injury against Argentina earlier this month, but the 24-year-old has a skill set that has marked him out as a future global star.

Cocktail of the week: Legare’s mini bay leaf martini – recipe | The good mixer

Make a batch of this vodka- and vermouth-infused tipple to keep fresh in the fridge and sip over the weeks ahead

We came up with this when we were looking to create some fun, bespoke but easy-to-serve cocktails that we could pre-batch for busy services but that still had an edge. Vodka is an especially good base for infusions because it’s so neutral, while martinis are having a real moment right now, so this ended up ticking all our boxes, being something that’s recognisable but fun, and also noticeably our own.

Alex Mammone, general manager, and Matt Beardmore, executive chef, Legare and Luna, London SE1

Managerial turnover means we need new ways to predict Premier League fixtures

With 110 matches to feature two coaches appointed this year, tactical history may be more insightful than teams’ head-to-head records

New managers are facing an almost one-in-two chance of being fired before the end of the season, a finding from Guardian analysis that shows 22 of the past 50 permanent Premier League managers to leave their roles lasted less than a year.

The betting markets reflect this reality. Six of the eight Premier League managers deemed most likely by bookmakers to be next to leave their post were appointed in 2026. Football management is a very precarious employment position. It looks inevitable that some of the 11 men who have only been in their role since earlier this year will fall before the end of the 2026-27 season – even if none of them are the first to move on.

Dolly Parton was the polar opposite of our bullying president | Robert Reich

Terrified of being seen as a loser, Donald Trump is nonsensically lashing out – even against our old friend Canada

I’m still grieving Dolly Parton. I never met her and always wanted to. She was almost exactly my age and my height and had values I deeply admired. Her death leaves a hole in the firmament.

Which brings me to the person whose values are as far from Dolly Parton’s as any human could possibly be and still claim to be human. I’m referring, of course, to the current occupant of the Oval Office.

Can international stocks continue to beat S&P 500? A weak U.S. dollar will help

International stocks have delivered big gains. Investing experts say U.S. dollar weakness is among reasons to believe the foreign bull market has room to run.

Memo to Ridley Scott: no one needs more Alien: Covenant movies – get the franchise back to stalk’n’slash

News that Scott is working on a follow-up to his maligned 2017 film leaves me worried the franchise has run out of shocks

If any science-fiction saga looked beyond recovery, it was the Alien franchise. For the 38 years that followed James Cameron’s Aliens, film-makers contrived to find every imaginable way of not making a good Alien film. They tried killing everyone the audience cared about before the opening credits, marooning Sigourney Weaver on a planet populated entirely by bald British character actors, cloning Ripley, pitting xenomorphs against Predators, and sending scientists across the universe to ask an enormous, hairless space bodybuilder why he made them. They even ponied up the thick end of $100m for a film in which Michael Fassbender teaches himself to play the flute.

And then in 2024, we got Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus, in which actual xenomorphs chase actual human beings down actual corridors for the clearly defined purposes of either killing them or putting smaller xenomorphs inside them. Better still, a year later we got Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth, which reminded us that giant, murderous space insects are in fact less awful than tech trillionaires.

Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh delivers his key Jackson Hole speech Friday. Here's what to expect

Prior Fed chairs have used the speech as an opportunity to lay out broad policy frameworks and intentions.

Experts warn more flooding might hit Nepal. And, Fed chairman to give key address

As the death toll rises from flash floods that hit the Nepal-Tibet border, experts are warning more flooding could be on the way. And, Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh is expected to give a key address today.

Add to playlist: the spectral, fathoms-deep folksong of June McDoom and the week’s best new tracks

Rich harmonies mix with synth, harp and aquatic grace on the intriguing first single from the New York songwriter’s debut album

From New York, USA
Recommended if you like Jessica Pratt, Minnie Riperton, Cocteau Twins
Up next Debut LP Follow the Light released via Jagjaguwar on 16 October

In Robert Silverberg’s 1973 sci-fi anthology New Dimensions 3, there’s a story by author Terry Carr called They Live on Levels. The simplest outline of this tale is that thanks to a technological breakthrough, humans are able to exist and communicate through different planes of existence. Through musical styles and generational layers, the spectral folk of New York-based songwriter June McDoom expresses this very notion in stunning fashion.

Detroit despairs as ‘insanity’ of Trump’s Canada trade war punishes city

Unpopular new policy comes as midterms loom and control of Congress could be decided by several Michigan races

Every day $1bn worth of goods crosses the river dividing Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, two largely blue-collar US and Canadian cities that have come to act as one in the creation of North America’s auto industry.

News this week of Donald Trump’s escalating trade spat with Canada has everyone worried. Political and economic leaders and observers labeled the move an act of “hubris” , blamed Trump’s “ego”, and called the escalation “insanity”.

Children’s books roundup – the best new picture books and novels

Poetry with wonder and wit; a heartwarming tale for horse lovers; a portal to the future; a brilliant YA wartime romance and more

Small Monster, Big Monster by Allan Sanders, Phaidon, £7.95
Refrigerator is EMPTY. Monster is FULL (of pizza!). An eye-wateringly bright board book, featuring splendidly zany, toddler-pleasing pairs of opposites.

The Flying Machine of Dreams by Kate Wakeling, illustrated by Viviane Schwarz, Otter-Barry, £12.99
A delectable picture-book collaboration that perfectly distils the wonder of the everyday, from the textures of a leaf to a squishy-cushioned den. Wakeling’s irresistible poetry is richly heightened by Schwarz’s sweet, strange illustrations.

So long to shorts? In Silicon Valley, tech workers are showing less leg

Men in the tech industry are covering up their legs, even as their counterparts in finance are increasingly open to showing them off.

Nepal-Tibet flood: this is the cost of not acting in the face of the climate crisis | Sunil Acharya

Nepalis and Tibetans must not pay the price – with their lives, livelihoods and money meant for education and health – for global heating caused by wealthy states

• Sunil Acharya is an international climate policy and just transition specialist based in Kathmandu, Nepal

As a Nepali citizen working on international climate policy for more than a decade, it is difficult to look at the harrowing images coming out of the catastrophic flash flood that thundered down valleys in Nepal, sweeping down the Lhende Khola, Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, and not feel angry.

Not just because of the destruction, but because it comes after years of warnings from scientists and civil society that a rapidly warming planet would make disasters more frequent, more intense and harder to predict. This is what the cost of delaying global climate action looks like.

Sunil Acharya is an international climate policy and just transition specialist based in Kathmandu, Nepal

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

'It's essentially been one long day': A daughter details search for parents in Nepal

 Shreya Ahuja is searching for her parents after devastating floods struck Nepal. She is calling for international help and communications access as her family waits for news.

Digested week: Is there anything sadder than the end of summer? | Emma Brockes

Plus, views from the Cotswolds of Harry and Meghan’s return, and the embarrassing anachronism that is Ali G

Is there anything sadder than the end of summer? As schools go back next week and parents rely on the boosting effect of a return to routine, we look around for other ways to soften the blow. A few things this year that might make it easier: the need for rain ensures that the advent of autumn is slightly less depressing than usual; people with attic conversions in which you could bake a muffin over the summer will be able to use them again; and if you happen to be a woman of 50 or thereabouts, the fresher weather is ... a relief.

Trump’s midterm campaign theme is unrequited love | Sidney Blumenthal

The president senses a crisis in his cult of personality. He believes the path to victory is through unwavering devotion

Donald Trump has framed his theme for the midterm elections. It has come to him as naturally and inevitably as staring into the mirror, beyond any logic or argument, his definitive answer to no specific issue, providing no understanding of any particular problem, but transcending all of them. His political theme is more primal than programmatic, more instinctive than analytical, a heartfelt expression to protect his greatest romantic attachment, his obsessive fixation, his idealized object: himself.

Trump’s campaign theme is unrequited love. Unlike the pollsters, media consultants and pundits, he alone has grasped the magnitude and the source of the existential crisis threatening his politics. He has identified the problem for the Republicans as the faltering measure of complete devotion to him. His demand has nothing to do with mutual affection. It is a ploy to reassert his slipping control, a manipulative test to prove loyalty to him, or else. There can be no absolute rule without an absolute ruler; no absolute ruler without absolute submission; no absolute submission without the expression of absolute love. His sadness at its fading gives way to anger, paranoia and greater acts of retribution. He equates the fear he instills as a form of love. Trump accepts subservience, from whatever motive, as affection or its closest equivalent. He cares nothing about sincerity, so it’s all in the show. The less love displayed, the more fear required. Yet there is no rebound, but only deeper rejection.

NASA is about to launch a space telescope that could change how we see the universe

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launches Aug. 30 on a mission to explore some of the most pressing mysteries of the cosmos.

Russian forces intensify attacks in Donetsk as Ukraine lauds fresh EU push to unlock frozen assets

Russia claims advances toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk as fighting intensifies in Donetsk.

‘Lapped by the turquoise, crystal seas’: readers’ favourite unsung European islands

From secluded coves in Ireland to an evening passeggiata on Italy’s Aeolian islands, readers share their discoveries
• Tell us about your most memorable food and drink discoveries in Europe

Giant griffon vultures glided parallel with my bus as it reached the highest point of Cres, the least populated of the four main islands in the Kvarner Gulf at the very north of the Croatian Adriatic. Covered in scrubby heath, olive groves and lavender, with small towns and villages on its coastline, its wildness is its appeal. Some, like Cres town, are unobtrusively set up for holidaymakers; in others local people just quietly get on with the life they’ve lived since the Venetians ruled here. All are lapped by the turquoise, crystal seas Croatia is known for.
Rhiannon

Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason review – a tale of literary obsession, with cameos from real-life authors

A heartbroken woman becomes fixated on a famous writer in this witty, touching follow-up to Sorrow and Bliss

The protagonist of Meg Mason’s new book, the follow-up to the 2020 tragicomedy Sorrow and Bliss, is an invisible woman. She might well be standing there but you won’t notice her. She’s a techie at literary festivals – the person who shuffles up to a famous writer a few minutes before their event and apologetically slides a microphone cable down their shirt while they’re making small talk with the chair or accepting a bottle of room-temperature mineral water from an anxious publicist.

No man is a hero to his valet, and no writer is a hero to the technical staff lurking in the wings of a venue. Mason’s opening pages present a teasing but not quite libellous series of cameos from real writers: George Saunders deciding at an inconsiderately late stage to insist on swapping his headset for a lapel mic; Ann Patchett being frosty with a fan; Mick Herron accidentally stepping on someone’s foot and not apologising.

This week's quiz includes two Dolly Parton questions, because she deserves it

The singer, actress and philanthropist could have filled a whole quiz, but we had to give other people a chance.

4 ways to cope with constant thoughts about your body image

Obsessing over your looks should not take up all your energy, says psychologist Diana Hill. If you're struggling with uncomfortable thoughts about your body, ground yourself with these techniques.

The hollowing out of Tennis.com is a warning for American sports journalism

The site once paired news and scores with distinctive voices. Its overhaul under Sinclair Media is the latest sign that serious tennis writing in the US is becoming endangered

A few weeks ago, as I often do, I went to the Tennis.com site to get an update about a match and to check out the commentary from my fellow tennis journalists. I was taken aback when, instead of the usual colorful graphics and info, I was greeted with a rudimentary-looking homepage that displayed only scores and rankings.

At first I thought it was a glitch of some sort. But sadly, no. As it turns out, Tennis.com, originally the online site of Tennis Magazine, is under a complete overhaul and will no longer be the home of esteemed writers such as Steve Tignor and Pete Bodo, robbing fans of unique and personal takes on the sport. It appears the longest running American tennis-specific publication is no longer alive in any form.

How Katseye became the world’s biggest girl group – while falling apart

Their raucous pop music has made Katseye the biggest girl band in two decades. Can they weather toxic fandom, critical pans and a dwindling member count?

Before screenings of their new documentary, the members of Katseye appear in a video message to thank fans for their support. Their followers, Eyekons, have played a critical role in their rise to stardom, so it makes sense that Katseye: Wild Hearts, released in global theaters this month, takes a beat to shout out to them. Perhaps more than many other big music groups today, the group’s rise has depended on their relationship with their devotees who ensure that few corners of the world are safe from Katseye mania.

Katseye’s multinational members – Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae – were selected through a combination of fan votes and judge scores on the 2023 YouTube reality competition The Debut: Dream Academy. The joint project between the American record label Geffen Records and Korean entertainment company Hybe aimed to create a global girl group, with hopefuls participating in a rigorous bootcamp to test their singing and dancing skills. The following year, Netflix’s docu-series Pop Star Academy: Katseye – which documented the group’s nascent era, behind-the-scenes drama and all – catapulted them to a new level of visibility.

A melting glacier contributed to the deadly Nepal floods. We can expect more like this

As the climate continues to warm, scientists warn that the frequency of disasters like the floods in Nepal will increase.

The Social Security trust fund is running out, and yet it's not a top campaign issue

Limited public discussion of the trust fund's shortfall has experts worried that most Americans don't fully understand the problems Social Security faces — let alone be able to weigh in on solutions.

Weather tracker: More extreme rain in Japan and a tornado in France

Flash flooding and mudslides in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, while convective storms hit western Europe

After an “unprecedented” deluge in Chiba in mid-August, Japan has experienced further extreme rainfall in recent days. Moisture from the Sea of Japan brought relentless heavy rain to the prefectures of Ishikawa and Toyama on Thursday.

In Himi, Toyama, 361.5mm of rain fell in 24 hours, equivalent to half the average annual rainfall in London and Paris. Several rivers burst their banks, triggering flash floods and mudslides, felling and damaging buildings.

Dahi: Black Boy (Alternative) review – Kendrick producer takes the spotlight for all-star guitar celebration

(ALTER)
The Grammy winner unites former clients including Lamar and Ravyn Lenae for a playful, dazzling voyage through the guitar’s diversity, from alt-rock to Afrobeat

On this long-awaited debut, Grammy-winning hip-hop producer Dahi steps out from the booth and into the spotlight. He’s best known for transforming a dreamy Beach House sample into Kendrick Lamar’s hit Money Trees, alongside chameleonic production work for SZA, Madonna, Drake and many more. Now that Dahi’s got the mic, what does he want to say?

Blending the brittle 90s British rock he loved as a California teen with the west African grooves his father played in the house, Black Boy (Alternative) celebrates the guitar as a transcendent tool that spans genres and continents. No other album this year will boast such starry guest features – Dahi calls up former clients Lamar, Childish Gambino, Vince Staples and Ravyn Lenae alongside experimentalists such as Moses Sumney, Baby Rose and Fousheé – but it’s testament to the strength of his vision that these distinct voices come together like a bedded-in, playful house band. All trust, no ego.

The Whisper Man review – Robert De Niro sleepwalks through silly Netflix potboiler

A father and son must team up to find a serial killer in a cheaply made and increasingly uninteresting thriller

It’s not as if Robert De Niro’s choices have improved all that much since the nadir of the mid-2000s (last year did see him crop up in a Scott Eastwood-led actioner and The Alto Knights) but there’s something specifically rubbishy about his latest that transports us back to that particularly cursed time. The Whisper Man, a film as openly stupid as its title would suggest, could have been released in between the evil clone horror Godsend and imaginary friend thriller Hide and Seek, the kind of bottom-tier project that offers the actor a nice big cheque and the audience a nice little nap.

It’s a familiar pile of B-movie schlock – serial killers, missing children, bumps in the night, more imaginary friends – and there is some initial junky fun to be had as we wonder just where it all might be headed. I was hoping for a destination a little more deranged or vaguely surprising, the film making a silent promise that we’re hurtling toward somewhere wildly unexpected before dumping us in a ditch instead.

Fairytales pending: the fringe musicals hoping to live happily ever after

Edinburgh has given festival audiences a look at two long awaited musicals – Bliss and Disenchanted! – with both aiming to now scale up their spectacle

The Edinburgh fringe is mostly where new work is forged but that’s not the full picture. Amid all the hot-off-the-press shows are a number of familiar titles that have been around for years yet are only making their professional UK debut now. That’s the case with two fairytale musical productions hoping for a longer life whose festival run is a chance to engineer that happily ever after.

Bliss, co-created by Tyler Beattie and Emma Lively, won a new play award in the US in 2019 and had its world premiere in Seattle the year after. A handful of its songs were released in 2022. Now developed into what is billed as “the biggest new musical of the Edinburgh fringe”, it has a cast of 17 which exceeds regular fringe proportions – as does the running time (80 minutes rather than the standard hour).

Donnacha Dennehy: Limina album review – joyously unfettered music is a thrill in motion

McCarthy/Waarts/National Symphony Orchestra Ireland/McAdams
(Nonesuch)
Dennehy’s Limina, based on areas of the body, is firmly grounded in the harmonic series, and sparklingly executed here, while Stephen Waarts gives a bravura performance of the Violin Concerto

These two concertos, beautifully paired, again find Donnacha Dennehy writing music that is both firmly grounded – both rhythmically and in his fascination with the harmonic series – and, to the ear at least, joyously unfettered. Limina was written in 2023 for the pianist Eliza McCarthy, who is a powerhouse soloist here with the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland and conductor Ryan McAdams. It’s a serious piece born of a slightly playful idea. Its three movements are each named for a part of the body, staking out one area before moving to the threshold, or limina, of the next. Head starts with synapses firing high up the keyboard in sparks and glitter; it travels downwards, frenetic energy dissipating, towards Chest, which evokes breathing – not with regular rhythms but with gentle palindromic phrases that swell in and out and sigh back towards the same bass pitch. Nervous System begins deep in the gut, with coarser sounds – low piano vamping, and slapped bowing from the strings – but eventually escapes its tether and disperses around the keyboard.

The Violin Concerto, written in 2020, is just as propulsive, and the outer movements especially are a workout for Stephen Waarts, who gives a bravura performance. In the middle movement his violin soars, pushing off from the orchestral support to trace slow, weightless somersaults in the air. The finale has a thrilling sense of motion creating its own gravity: as with so much of Dennehy’s writing, it’s as if the music is held together by centrifugal force.

The Secret Woman review – Claes Bang is dastardly gaslighter in Danish amnesia thriller

In spite of capable performances and deployment of hygge, gothic and Nordic noir elements, you’ll search for a feasible plot or a character insight in vain

Adapted from the 2017 novel by Anna Ekberg (actually a male writing duo), this thriller from Denmark chucks in a bit of everything into the mix: hygge lakeside melodrama, manor-house gothic, and Nordic-noir corruption. But this franticness can’t disguise that it’s a dopey and facile thriller that, despite capable performances, plumbs neither its characters’ depths nor hits thematic pay dirt. It also merits a stiff investigation from the plotting police.

Despite amnesia that leaves her unable to remember her life prior to running an idyllic Norwegian rural cafe, Louise (Natalie Wolfsberg Madueño) is gearing up to get hitched to crime writer Joachim (Pål Sverre Hagen). When a tourist approaches and calls her by another name, she is sufficiently shaken to take a DNA test; it confirms she is actually Helene Söderberg, a Danish shipping heiress presumed dead, with a husband and son back home. Originally found stowed away on a cargo ship, she handed over an ID card – for Louise Anderson – which the authorities accepted. Now wanting to reclaim her identity, she pitches up on the capacious doorstep of company executive Edmund (Claes Bang), her former partner.