French Open 2026: Swiatek, Boulter, De Minaur and Jodar in action on day two – live

Updates from the second day’s play at Roland Garros
Raducanu slumps to defeat in first round | Mail Yara

Iga Swiatek kicks off her bid for a fifth French Open title on Court Philippe-Chatrier against the Australian teenager Emerson Jones. Jones has never played on clay at the WTA level – what a challenge this is going to be.

Jasmine Paolini takes the first set against Dayana Yastremska. The Italian holds to love with four clean points to make it 6-5 with Yastremska’s returns kept finding the net or sailing long. In the final game the two traded breaks throughout, but a crucial 0-40 break in the final game sealed it for the 13th seed.

No Winter Holidays review – haunting portrait of female companionship in Nepal’s frozen highlands

Two widows of the same man remain behind in an abandoned mountain village in Rajan Kathet and Sunir Pandey’s visually arresting documentary

In the valley of Dhorpatan in western Nepal, winter arrives with unforgiving intensity. Clouds of freezing mist gradually descend, making the rocky terrain look starkly barren, a lonesome void amid vertiginous mountain ranges. At this time of the year, most of the inhabitants migrate south to warmer regions – except for two. Unfolding at a languid pace, Rajan Kathet and Sunir Pandey’s feature-length documentary debut casts its gaze on Ratima and Kalima, elderly caretakers tasked with watching over the abandoned village. Widows to the same man, they make for an unusual yet beguiling pair whose dynamic wavers between warmth and discord.

The two women’s different temperaments make for an engaging contrast. The older, jaded Ratima spends her days in a haze of alcohol and regrets. Meanwhile, younger Kalima has a sunnier attitude, which she extends to creatures big and small; she even has pet names for the livestock. Once the second wife and hence a romantic rival, Kalima now takes care of the ailing Ratima with sisterly tenderness. Their daily routines – simple meals by the fire, reminiscences about their departed husband – are juxtaposed with expansive wide shots of the desolate landscape.

Could this Japanese human washing machine save me from the tedium of cleaning myself? | Emma Beddington

The capsule, which costs £280,000, is ideal for those who find daily grooming exhausting. Imagine if it brushed your teeth for you, too ...

Still trying and failing to plan a trip to Japan, I have at least found one absolute must: a pilgrimage to see the Future Human Washing Machine. Following its unveiling last year, this JPY 60m (£280,000) capsule, in which a person is washed, thanks to the magic of microbubbles, and returned to the world in 15 minutes without moving a muscle is now on show in electronics shops in Tokyo.

It’s essentially a hi-tech car wash, but for humans: the dream. As my best friend says, “I have never needed anything more.” The two of us bond, frequently, over how unnecessarily exhausting getting clean is. She has long Covid; I’m just lazy and find getting clean such a drag I need a few minutes scrolling on the bathroom floor to recover (if this worries anyone, no, I’m not deficient in anything except moral fibre).

‘It’s showtime!’ Beetlejuice musical is a rave from the grave – in pictures

Tim Burton’s hit 1988 comedy horror is enjoying an all-singing, all-dancing afterlife on stage. After recent productions in the US and Australia, the musical opens in London this month. We braved rehearsals for a first look.

All photographs by Tristram Kenton

American Music Awards air tonight with star-studded performances

The American Music Awards celebrate fan favorites in the music world and feature performances from multiple artists.

For a group of Vietnam vets, standing up to Trump's D.C. arch is true loyalty

"I think it's just disrespectful to those that I served with who didn't come back," a veteran suing to stop construction of the arch told CBS News.

In Beirut, refugee girls and women learn more than self-defense in martial arts class

In the male-dominated world of Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, a martial arts teacher offers women a way to empowerment.

Middle East crisis live: Iran says progress made on many issues with US but warns deal not ‘imminent’

Potential deal reportedly includes a 60-day ceasefire extension, reopening the strait of Hormuz and a plan for further nuclear talks

• US and Iran inch closer to peace deal as Trump faces criticism from GOP hawks

Ebrahim Rezaei, the spokesperson of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission, has said that time is working against the US and warned that Iran does not respond well to threats.

In a post on X, he wrote:

During the military war, our tactic was an eye for an eye; in the diplomatic war, it is action against action. Do not believe the bluff of the failed president; time is against the Americans.

If they want an agreement, they should negotiate; if they want $6 gas, they should stand firm and bluff until the grass grows under their feet. Iran does not bow to force or threats.

Enhanced Games claim ‘we changed the world’ but only one record broken and three clean athletes win

• Gkolomeev’s 50m freestyle ‘record’ brings relief

• Glitzy night lacks excitement forecast by organisers

They promised multiple world records. To redefine what the human body is capable of with performance enhancing drugs. Even to change sport forever. But by the end of the inaugural Enhanced Games in Las Vegas organisers were left with one abiding emotion. Relief.

Only in the final event of the night, after more than five hours of competition, could they lay claim to having gone quicker than an official world record as Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev swam 20.81sec in the men’s 50m freestyle.

Misinformation about perimenopause on social media ‘putting women at risk’

Dangers include unintended pregnancies, taking unnecessary medication and missed diagnoses, say experts

Misinformation about perimenopause is putting women at risk of unintended pregnancies, unnecessary medication and missed diagnoses, experts have said.

Awareness of menopause and treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been raised by efforts including a prominent documentary by Davina McCall.

The one change that worked: I struggled to get any work done – until I bought a kitchen timer

After years of procrastination, even the most trivial task felt like climbing a mountain. Then I discovered the pomodoro technique – and how much I could achieve in just 25 minutes

Long before I knew what a 9 to 5 was, I struggled to get things done. When I was a child, I avoided showers for as long as possible and put off brushing my waist-length hair. My mum ended up cutting it into a bob to help me manage it.

During my degree, this tendency to procrastinate meant I was regularly pulling all-nighters in the library, writing 3,000-word essays in single evenings, fuelled by energy drinks and snacks. I told myself that I worked better under pressure – and in a way I did, since it always got done. But the relief of submitting work was always overshadowed by the same question – why had I put myself through that again?

‘A masterclass in lesbian eroticism’: why Bound is my feelgood movie

The latest in our ongoing series of writers celebrating their most rewatched comfort films is a pick for 1996’s revealing and relatable romantic thriller

I’m not necessarily inclined towards what might typically be dubbed “feelgood”. No, you won’t find me seduced by a happy ending, nor am I partial to the oeuvre of Disney (in fact, I find all the talking animals and poreless princesses a bit grotesque). The raw edges and friction of feelbad have tended to be much better suited to my tastes: the porno chic slasher Knife+Heart, the sartorial murder of In Fabric and the snuff film-obsessed Thesis. Sex and gore, basically. For a long time, my favourite film was Crimes of the Future: a stomach-churning body horror about sexual-surgical experiments.

However, there is one movie that reveals a slightly soft(er)core side to my viewing habits, which I frequently return to in order to feel the gushy feelings and butterflies of a school crush. That film is Bound. The 1996 directorial debut from the Wachowski sisters, the plot revolves around an opposites-attract scenario which is both familiar and high stakes: plumber Corky, and mafia moll Violet. When their eyes meet across an elevator, the tiny vestibule becomes thick with sexual tension: it is so on.

What's open and closed for Memorial Day 2026?

Most retail stores will be open for business on Memorial Day, while post offices will be closed. Here's what to know.

Diners are staying home, so this restaurant lets patrons pay what they want

Americans are increasingly passing up on dining out. So one restaurant is allowing diners to pay what they like for their food.

Spin to win: How this life insurance company turns healthy habits into a game

You've heard of lower car insurance rates for good drivers. Now, one life insurance company wants to incentivize longevity with lower rates and extra bonuses for people who adopt healthy habits.

Morning news brief

Trump touts breakthrough in negotiations to end Iran war, Middle Eastern countries react to news of a potential deal to end war, Africa races to contain a fast-spreading Ebola outbreak.

Weather tracker: flash floods in New York and a heat dome in Europe

Rain overwhelms sewer system in parts of US city, while temperatures in France break May record

New York City saw flash flooding on Wednesday, as large parts of Brooklyn and Queens received about 2in (50mm) of rainfall in as little as 20 minutes. Officials said the deluge caused water to flow into the sewer system at a rate of up to 6in an hour, quickly overwhelming an aged network that was designed to accommodate just 1.75in an hour.

Residents and commuters found themselves wading knee-deep through flood water that flowed with dangerous speed in places. One video showed a woman alighting from a bus losing her footing and being dragged along by the torrent of water. Several major roads were blocked, including the Long Island Expressway, and subway services were disrupted as water spilled into stations. Large amounts of mud and other debris was left behind; videos showed bags of rubbish being swept down streets along with loose litter.

Opposition divided: battle among Iranian regime’s opponents plays out on London streets

Supporters of Reza Pahlavi, exiled son of the late shah, are clashing with those who oppose a return of monarchy

Wearing a bucket hat, a blue Adidas hoodie and khaki shorts, Tony Mohraz, also known as 021kid, chest-bumps a friend in front of a memorial wall in Golders Green, in north London.

Photographs can be seen behind him of those who were killed protesting against the Iranian regime. As a large lion and sun flag used in Iran before the Islamic revolution is waved overhead, Mohraz starts to rap.

A Billion Years of Sex Differences by Steve Stewart-Williams review – what we get wrong about men and women

A psychologist wades into controversial territory in this counterintuitive study of nature, nurture and gender

According to the evolutionary psychologist Steve Stewart-Williams, almost everyone gets sex wrong. Traditionalists tend to exaggerate the natural differences between men and women. Progressives tend to minimise them, and to assume that nurture and socialisation play a decisive role. He wants to promote a more nuanced, scientifically rigorous public conversation about why and how men and women differ to guide better policymaking.

Some sex differences are relatively pronounced, he claims, such as whether you’re primarily attracted to men or women, upper body strength, height, the likelihood you’ll murder someone and occupational interests. Many, such as ability in maths, or conscientiousness, are much more modest. Such differences are best visualised as two overlapping bell curves. To illustrate this, consider height: the shortest humans are almost all women, the tallest are men, the average man is taller than the average woman, but there is considerable common ground. Knowing that someone is 5ft 8in won’t enable you to guess with any confidence whether they are a man or a woman, for instance.

Oil prices fall 5% after Trump says Iran talks proceeding in a 'constructive manner'

Trump had said an agreement with Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, among other issues, was largely negotiated and would be announced soon.

‘A bridge, not an obstacle’: is Armenia a new crossroads between east and west?

As former Soviet Republic goes to the polls, it finds itself in a strategic tug of war between Russia, the US, Turkey, Europe and Azerbaijan

To describe Yerevan, a charming city of liberal values encased in imposing Soviet architecture, as the centre of the world is a stretch, but Armenia’s claim that it can become the strategic crossroads of the landmass of Eurasia is becoming less and less fanciful. As the former Soviet Republic goes to the polls on 7 June for national elections, it finds itself in a five-way tug of war between Russia, the US, Turkey, Europe and Azerbaijan.

The interest has in part been sparked by the possibility of an end to Armenia’s conflict with its neighbour Azerbaijan – and the chance this represents for Armenia to end its physical isolation and become part of the middle corridor, a vital trade route linking western China and Europe, bypassing both Russia’s northern corridor and the Suez canal.

What to know about a leaking California chemical tank that may explode

The tank at GKN Aerospace is estimated to contain 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a volatile chemical used to produce plastics.

Muslims begin the annual Hajj against a backdrop of war concerns

More than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related regional tensions.

Premier League 2025-26 review: players of the season

Two deadly strikers, two creative forces and an all-but unbeatable goalkeeper make up our picks for the season

The adulation offers a fine indication of how good the Manchester United captain has been this season. At the start, he was dragging Ruben Amorim’s interpretation of a team through matches and spent the past five months leading Michael Carrick’s unified side. Awards and records keep coming his way; winning the Football Writers’ Association player of the season award was swiftly followed by picking up a record Premier League assist tally of 21 at Brighton on the final day of the season. Considering United were very open to selling Fernandes less than a year ago, one wonders what would have happened at Old Trafford without him. “At one point I was going to leave – I won’t say where – but I would have won many trophies that season. I decided to stay not only for family reasons but because I genuinely like the club,” Fernandes told Canal 11. “But from the club’s side, I felt a bit of: ‘If you go, it’s not really that bad for us.’ That hurts me a little. More than hurting, it makes me sad, because I’m a player they have nothing to criticise me for. I’m always available for every match, I always play, whether well or badly. I give my maximum.” Fernandes brings incredible intelligence and work rate on the pitch, supported by stunning technique that has put him above his United teammates, who all feed off him. It is hard to argue that any other Premier League captain is more influential than Fernandes and United have reaped the awards.

Listen to the stories of Gaza's women to fully grasp the horrors Israel is inflicting on us | Olfat al-Kurd

I survived months of bombardment before escaping. The systematic dismantling of our home has harmed every aspect of women’s lives

• Olfat al-Kurd is a field researcher for B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the occupied territories

Since Israel’s assault on Gaza began in October 2023, I have lost my father, my brother, his wife and their daughter. They are still buried under the rubble. My house, where we lived with my husband’s family, was destroyed by Israeli bombing. In 2024, after months of bombardments, flight and displacement, I managed to escape with my family to Egypt. I’ve been living here ever since, but the memories of life in Gaza are always with me. What happened to me reflects the reality that Palestinian women in Gaza continue to face during the genocide.

Since the start of the war, many women in Gaza have become sole providers. Countless numbers have been left with no protection or home, and many have lost children or their entire families. A recent UN report showed that Israel has killed more than 38,000 women and girls in Gaza during this war. A further 11,000 have sustained injuries causing lifelong disabilities.

Olfat al-Kurd is a field researcher for B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the occupied territories

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.

Blame for West Ham’s inexorable slide to relegation sits at the feet of David Sullivan | Jacob Steinberg

The club’s largest shareholder has ignored warning signs since 2022 and need only look at the fate of Leicester to see what what may be in store

West Ham jumped on the relegation train in 2022. Bereft of vision at the top of the club, they failed to realise where they were heading. One internal figure was worried but his voice did not carry enough weight. There were three consecutive years of European football and there was no impending sense of doom when West Ham beat Fiorentina in the Conference League final in June 2023.

Yet that glorious night in Prague is a distant memory. The Championship now awaits and, much like when the West Ham went down in 2003, this is a failure that could have been avoided with better planning.

Written under collapsing ceilings, typed on phones: the poetry bringing Palestine to the world

Two new poetry collections tackle themes of trauma, exile, resistance and love amid conflict in Gaza

Poetry may not be the best response to aerial bombardment, but for many Palestinians it has become a line of defence amid the rubble and ongoing killings in Gaza.

“Poetry keeps hope alive. Even in the darkest moments, Palestinian poetry continues to imagine a future,” Nazmi al-Masri, professor of languages at the Islamic University of Gaza, says at an online poetry event held by his students.

About 20 people injured after man sprays unknown substance near ATM in Tokyo mall

A road in the shopping district of Ginza was blocked off and people were taken away in stretchers

About 20 people were injured at a luxury shopping complex in central Tokyo on Monday after a man sprayed a substance inside the building, officials in Japan said.

A Tokyo police spokesperson said a man sprayed a substance at an ATM on the ground floor, while a local fire department official said “around 20 people were injured” after a report of a “smell”.

Venezuela inmates occupy prison roof and set fire to mattresses to protest alleged abuses

Inmates at Barinas prison allege they were peacefully protesting when prison staff opened fire, leaving some wounded

Inmates at Venezuela’s western Barinas prison staged a protest on its roof on Sunday, piling flaming mattresses and calling for the removal of the facility’s director, who they accused of overseeing guards as they shot unarmed prisoners.

“We want justice. They are shooting us, the guards and the wardens,” a prisoner said in a video shared by the Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons, a local NGO, on X, in which a man is seen with a bullet wound in his chest.

Can you solve it? Are you on board with these quirky chess puzzles?

Check it out

Today’s four puzzles are inspired by chess. (If you haven’t yet watched the recent documentaries on Judit Polgár and Hans Niemann, I recommend them.)

1. Oddities

Anita Rani celebrates awesome women: best podcasts of the week

The presenter meets remarkable public figures, starting with a lovely talk with writer-actor Meera Syal. Plus, a vital deep dive into US supreme court justice Neil Gorsuch

Whistler by Ann Patchett review – a saccharine story of reunion

A woman’s encounter with the stepfather she hasn’t seen for decades leads to a revived bond – but is it all too perfect?

I blame Meryl Streep. Once she’s in your head, it’s hard to kick her out. Streep narrated the audiobook of Tom Lake, Ann Patchett’s last novel, and I’ve played it so many times I listen for the rhythm now, not the story. Or perhaps the rhythm is the story. Nothing much happens in Tom Lake, which is to say that everything happens – life happens – but ever so gently. On a cherry farm in Michigan, a mother tells her restless, world-hungry daughters the tale of a long-ago summer romance, piece by piece, as they work the harvest together. It’s Scheherazade with pie.

Tom Lake is a lovely book, indulgently so. A pandemic novel that imagines the crisis as Edenic: a family thrown together with little to do but talk and remember and cherish one another. Sun-ripe fruit, rescue dogs, the future paused for one last impossible season. Some ingenue glitz; a whiff of tradwifery. A lesson – quite literally – in cherrypicking.

Kraken review – fjord-based rampage is monster movie with environmental message

Underwater beastie shows discerning moral judgment when picking off victims in this fun Norwegian action film

As Greta Thunberg demonstrates, an eco-chastising feels somehow cleansing when it comes out of Scandinavia. Maybe it’s because of the idea that people there live in greater harmony with nature. It is splendidly showcased in the shape of Norway’s Sognefjord, the country’s largest fjord, in this didactic but still-enjoyable action film. Kraken could almost serve as an extended tourist promo – other than the titular beastie that is, slewing off giant crab-like lice, and emerging from the depths to administer a stern 90-minute ticking-off about tampering with nature.

Marine researcher Johanne (Sara Khorami, cementing her Norwegian creature-feature credentials after Troll 2) is summoned to the Sognefjord after reports of mass salmon strandings. Her first port of call is the local fish farm run by Erik (Mikkel Bratt Silset), an old flame with whom she developed sonic delousing pods now used to keep the pens clean. But in a bid to impress Japanese investors, owner Avaldsnes (Øyvind Brandtzæg) has cranked the tech up to the max, harshing the vibe not just for the wild salmon but the fjord’s deep denizen too.

Guzman y Gomez faces class action from US workers over closed stores

Mexican-themed Australian fast food chain accused of terminating staff without adequate pay or notice as it pulls out of the US

American workers at Guzman y Gomez’s shuttered US stores have launched a class action lawsuit against the Mexican-themed Australian fast food chain over allegations staff were terminated without adequate pay or notice.

The legal claim, filed in a US federal trial court in Illinois, was sparked by GyG’s decision last week to immediately close its string of Chicago stores after giving up on its highly vaunted plans to expand in the US.

China launches Shenzhou 23 spacecraft with 1 of 3 astronauts set for yearlong stay

China launched the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft with 3 astronauts heading to its space station. One astronaut is set to stay in space for a year to explore human adaptability in long-duration spaceflights.

‘Massive’ child abuse scandal in France as school staff investigated for violence and sexual assault

Paris police looking into more than 100 allegations of mistreatment by ‘monitors’ after parents’ groups said they had fought for years to be taken seriously

France is facing a child abuse scandal as ‘monitors’ at dozens of state nursery and primary schools are investigated for violence, sexual assault and rape.

Paris police are examining more than 100 allegations of mistreatment, physical violence and rape of children as young as three by school monitors during lunch breaks, nap times and after-school activities, prosecutors have confirmed.

Sweden’s PM puts IVF at centre of re-election bid amid record low birthrate

Ulf Kristersson aims to expand state-funded IVF as Sweden grapples with lowest fertility rate since records began

Sweden’s prime minister has promised to put IVF at the heart of his re-election campaign as he tries to win over female voters amid the country’s record low birthrate.

Ulf Kristersson’s government recently increased the number of state-funded IVF attempts granted to aspiring first-time parents from three to six.

The real danger of Islamophobia? It rarely announces itself as hatred yet shapes how millions think | Kenneth Mohammed

The difference in framing around antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred distorts public understanding, inflames tensions and makes both Jewish and Muslim communities less safe

The horrific terrorist attack on the Islamic Centre of San Diego in California has been reported by many news outlets over the past few days. Yet as the story travelled across screens and news feeds, something more subtle unfolded: the language of reporting. Some outlets spoke of “teen suspects” and “three deceased” rather than murdered worshippers or a terrorist attack on a mosque. Words matter. They shape sympathy, urgency, and influence how violence is understood. Too often, the vocabulary of terror and extremism appears unevenly distributed; sharpened for some perpetrators but softened for others.

There is a growing sense that the world is slipping backwards – not through dramatic rupture, but through the steady normalisation of hate, the coarsening of public discourse and politicians increasingly fuelling division and racism.

‘My first drag turn? As Karen Carpenter in hotpants!’ La Voix on swinger cruises, Strictly – and blazing into musicals

From Drag Race to Eurovision to Strictly, La Voix is going stratospheric. And Chris Dennis, the man behind the crimson coiffure, is thrilled. He talks about his cruise ship highs, doing panto with Cilla – and starring in Annie

‘I’ve done more cruises than Jane McDonald,” says Chris Dennis with a hoot. About 130 in all, he reckons, which his agent said surpassed McDonald, the most famous cruise ship singer there is. You won’t find Dennis’s name on any billing, though, and most of the thousands of people who have seen him perform won’t know it either. But they will know his alter ego, La Voix, a “northern powerhouse” of show tunes, sharp quips and bright crimson coiffure. Perhaps you’ve seen her slaying the runway on RuPaul’s Drag Race, dancing a pasodoble to Beethoven’s Fifth on Strictly, or appearing as a “spokesqueen” on the recent Eurovision. And now she’s about to sashay into her first role in a musical – as Miss Hannigan in Annie.

La Voix is an amalgam of the women Dennis knew growing up in Stockton-on-Tees: quick wit, warm heart, belter of a voice, and always in possession of a sparkly top for a night out. After 17 years of Drag Race on TV, we’ve seen the vast range of what drag can be, from high fashion to political to performance art. But La Voix is classic old school light entertainment. Who, I ask Dennis, are your comic influences? “Ken Dodd,” he says without a beat. “The terrible jokes that just make you laugh. Bang, bang, bang, joke, joke, joke.” Barry Humphries’ Dame Edna and Paul O’Grady’s Lily Savage are big influences, too. And when TV’s Loose Women asked La Voix about dancing with Strictly partner Aljaž Škorjanec, her reply – “To be flung round the room by a muscular Slovenian, you’re not going to say no, are you?” – was pure Victoria Wood.

‘The knickers that get thrown are bigger now!’: Barry Manilow on fans, love, coming out - and turning 82

The great showman has spent the last 50 years on stage, followed by his adoring “fanilows” - but he’s not slowing down yet. Here, he talks about cancer, ridicule and roaring success

His name is Barry, he is a showman – as we all know. But late last year, after more than 50 years of constant performing, it began to look like the Manilow show was coming to an end. In December, the 82-year-old singer announced he was about to undergo surgery for lung cancer, and postponed his planned live shows. Thankfully, the cancer had not spread and the treatment was successful. But around the same time he released a new single, ominously titled Once Before I Go. The accompanying video showed him saying goodbye to his palatial quarters at the Las Vegas Westgate resort, where he has had a residency for the past eight years, and wistfully reminiscing over old costumes, intercut with footage of him in his 80s prime. It sure looked as if he was shutting up shop.

But no: “That was just an accident,” says Manilow of the video. Really? “Yeah, we didn’t do that on purpose.” The song was actually written in the early 80s by veteran songwriter Peter Allen, he explains, but he felt he was too young to sing it when he first heard it. “It’s a beautiful song and it’s got nothing to do with me. It’s saying goodbye to a romance, you know. But it just so happened that it sounds like I’m talking about myself.” Far from going anywhere, Manilow’s got a new album out next week, and a string of new tour dates lined up.

‘She does not back down’: the couple seeking to legalise same-sex marriage in Botswana

Bonolo Selelo and Tsholofelo Kumile are going to court for right to wed but face fierce opposition from church groups

Bonolo Selelo was at Botswana’s national museum for a Gaborone Pride event when she spotted Tsholofelo Kumile and was struck by her good looks. The two initiated a conversation and when Kumile expressed anxiety about what a tarot reading at the event might hold, Selelo thought nothing of offering her a hug. The reading turned out positive but Kumile claimed her hug anyway and they talked for hours.

That was 1 October 2023. Two months later, they moved in together. Then, on a hike during the Easter holidays in 2024, Selelo proposed to Kumile. A year later, they visited a local government office to register their intent to marry and were told it wasn’t legal.

The Mandalorian and Grogu has lowest box office opening for a Star Wars film in Disney era

Film starring Pedro Pascal next to ‘Baby Yoda’ took $165m globally on opening weekend, failing to surpass the opening of 2018 flop Solo

The Mandalorian and Grogu may have blasted into first place at the box office – but its launch was far, far away from impressive, having the lowest opening weekend for a Star Wars film since Disney took over the franchise.

The film, which stars Pedro Pascal as the titular helmeted warrior who travels the galaxy with a tiny companion better known as “Baby Yoda”, made $102m at the domestic box office (US and Canada) over the US’s four-day Memorial day weekend, contributing to a total $165m global box office.

5/24/2026: Booms, Busts and Bubbles; Sculpting Evolution; The Payam Method

First, examining lessons from the Wall Street crash of 1929. Then, a report on mouse DNA and the fight against Lyme disease. And, inside the "Payam Method" for learning piano.

5/24: CBS Weekend News

Crack in California chemical tank a positive sign, but explosion fears remain; details emerging on potential U.S.-Iran peace deal.

Living with coyotes

Once found only in parts of the West and Southwest, coyotes have dramatically expanded their range, and are now found in every state except Hawaii. Conor Knighton looks at how these animals have become part of the urban landscape in places like Chicago, and what roles they play — in history, in Native American stories, in art and in today's urban and suburban ecosystems.

Grizz Chapman, actor who played Grizz in 30 Rock, dies aged 52

The actor, who played Tracy Jordan’s gentle bodyguard in 80 episodes of the beloved comedy, died in his sleep after years of health problems

Grizz Chapman, best known for his role as Grizz on the hit comedy 30 Rock, has died aged 52.

His cousin, the Harlem Globetrotter Donte Harrison, confirmed Chapman’s death on social media on Saturday.

Alleged gunman outside White House had run-ins with Secret Service, sources say

Sources identified the 21-year-old suspect as Nasire Best of Dundalk, Maryland, and documents obtained by CBS News show Best previously blocked a White House entry lane in June 2025.

The Trail of the Fallen in New York's Hudson Valley

Charlie D'Agata reports on the trail just south of West Point Military Academy that honors America's fallen patriots.

Summer kicks off with gas and grocery prices both up

Americans are now paying 20% more for food than four years ago. Inflation rose nearly 1% this month, mainly due to higher gas prices. Shanelle Kaul reports.

New details on Saturday's White House shooting

The alleged gunman in Saturday's shooting at the White House had tried to gain access to the White House last year. Natalie Brand reports.

Details emerging on potential U.S.-Iran peace deal

Although U.S. and Iranian negotiators have agreed to broad principles of a deal, including on several of the thorniest of issues that divide the bitter rivals, President Trump cautions the White House will not be rushing into signing any agreement. Imtiaz Tyab reports.

Crack in California chemical tank a positive sign, but explosion fears remain

Officials say an industrial tank in Southern California containing about 7,000 gallons of highly flammable and toxic chemicals appears to have cracked. Experts say that could mean a rupture or catastrophic explosion may be averted. Thousands have been evacuated from several communities in Orange County. Lana Zak reports.

K-pop androids and automated artists: welcome to South Korea’s strange and ambitious robot theme park

Galaxy Robot Park in South Korea hopes to attract tourists to concerts and fashion shows, but can robots ever replicate K-pop’s connection with fans?

Four child-sized humanoid robots take the stage at an arena in eastern Seoul, and as the opening beats of a song by K-pop star G-Dragon begin, they start to dance.

Arms swinging, legs stepping in sync, heads bobbing, wigs and baggy clothes swishing, until – mid-performance – one of them seemingly malfunctions and has to be removed from the stage.

Hamilton elated after beating Verstappen to second ‘in good day of racing’ at Canadian GP

• British driver enjoys best finish at Ferrari

• ‘I am much, much happier in the car’

Lewis Hamilton was thrilled with his second place at the Canadian Grand Prix in what he called “the greatest job in the world” after a great fight with his old adversary Max Verstappen and expressed how excited he was to be back in a wheel to wheel contest, enthused with his and his Ferrari team’s performance.

“I love this job it’s the greatest job in the world, I never take that for granted,” he said. “To have a good battle with Max finally, I’m really, really grateful. I am so, so happy. It’s good day of racing, overall, a solid weekend. I felt the whole team have done an amazing job.”

Paul McCartney: The Boys of Dungeon Lane review – at 83, his gift for melody still astounds

(MPL/Capitol)
From nostalgic returns to his Liverpool childhood to a crazed Glastonbury fantasia, these are songs written with real purpose and a master’s finesse

The rock legend in the autumn of their years who chooses to release a new album is well advised to get themselves an angle. If the music that made you legendary was written and recorded long ago – and is highly unlikely to be displaced in the public’s affections by anything you do now – it’s good to have something that suggests a sense of purpose, beyond just adding to an already vast back catalogue for the sake of it.

We’ve recently seen it with Bob Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways, rooted in its jawdropping 17-minute survey of American political history, Murder Most Foul; and with Bruce Springsteen’s Only the Strong Survive, with its canny covers of soul and R&B classics. And an angle is clearly something that has occurred to Paul McCartney, too. From its title referencing a road in the suburb of Liverpool where McCartney spent his early childhood, to the circumstances of its launch – the first single Days We Left Behind was premiered not on YouTube or Spotify but BBC Radio Merseyside – his 27th studio album has been presented as a nostalgic look back at what you might call his pre-Fab years.

Films more likely to star an actor called Chris or a talking animal than a woman over 60, study finds

Emma Thompson among voices supporting anti-ageism campaign, which has uncovered striking findings in top-grossing UK films over past three years

Box office hit films are four times more likely to star a talking animal than a woman over 60, according to a new survey by Age Without Limits.

The anti-ageism campaign studied the 100 highest performing films released in the UK in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and found that while five starred an older woman, about 20 featured creatures who chat.

California chemical tank has cracked, causing state of emergency, thousands to evacuate

One California town is in a state of emergency and 50,000 people are under an evacuation order as a malfunctioning chemical tank at an aerospace plant is overheating and could leak or explode.

This week on "Sunday Morning" (May 24)

A look at the features for this week's broadcast of the Emmy-winning program, hosted by Lee Cowan.

Conte calls time on Napoli amid ‘too much poison’; Como into Champions League

• Juventus and Milan miss out on top four Serie A spots

• Turin derby at Torino delayed after pre-match clash

Antonio Conte announced his departure as Napoli head coach on Sunday after guiding the team to a 1-0 home victory over Udinese in their final match of the Serie A season.

The 56-year-old confirmed the decision at a press conference alongside the Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, after the match. Having joined the club in July 2024, he won the league title in his debut campaign. Conte’s final match was settled by a 23rd-minute goal from striker Rasmus Højlund, securing a second-place finish in the league table for the hosts behind Inter.

Space rockets, satellites, data centers and Grok: What's the right S&P sector index for SpaceX?

What S&P Sector is SpaceX likely to be in once it launches on the public markets.

Trump not rushing Iran deal, whacks critics as 'losers'

The president said the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in effect until "an agreement is reached, certified, and signed."

Roberto De Zerbi breaks Tottenham out of a jail they should never have been in | Jonathan Wilson

De Zerbi did the job he was brought in to do – now he has helped Tottenham avoid an unfathomable relegation, his task for next season is not so clear

Almost half a century ago, Matthew Engel had a line in this newspaper about Sheffield United going top of the Fourth Division being like hearing a friend had been made head of the prison library: you wanted to congratulate them but really you were wondering what on earth they were doing there in the first place. It was a similar story at Spurs today: for all the understandable glee and relief, even to be in danger of relegation is evidence of things having gone badly wrong.

It may be that the future has this as the first day in the new history of Tottenham. Roberto De Zerbi is clearly a manager of great promise – 11 points in seven games may not be earth-shattering, but it is a lot, lot better than what came before – and the injury crisis surely can’t be this bad for a third straight season. Perhaps coming so close to the brink will startle them into decisive action in a way that last season’s fourth-bottom finish, mitigated as it was by the Europa League success, did not. Perhaps there really will come a bracing clarity of vision and they will rise again. The world can change very quickly. It’s only four years ago that Spurs were, for the sixth season in succession, finishing above Arsenal. A season out of Europe, while it will have a negative impact on revenues, can have a remarkable rejuvenating effect.

Number of suspected Ebola cases in DR Congo passes 900 as health workers face attacks and shortages

World Health Organization says outbreak poses ‘very high’ risk for Congo, but risk of disease spreading globally remains low

Congolese authorities say that suspected Ebola cases have now passed 900 in the ongoing outbreak in the east of the country.

The Congolese ministry of communication, in a post on X on Sunday, said there were 904 suspected cases and 119 suspected deaths.

Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," May 24, 2026

On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, Kevin Hassett, White House National Economic Council director, and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, join Nancy Cordes.

5/24: Sunday Morning

Hosted by Lee Cowan. Featured: Concours d'LeMons, Iranian propaganda, Patti LaBelle.

Riz Ahmed says UK spies tried to recruit him on three occasions

Actor recounts three alleged approaches by intelligence services, including through senior BBC executive

Riz Ahmed, the Oscar-winning actor, has claimed that Britain’s intelligence services tried three times to recruit him, including one occasion involving a senior BBC executive.

Ahmed, 43, said: “Well, it’s happened three different times and they’re all slightly ridiculous, and this is what I mean by it, it’s just like inherently comedic.

'I never heard of the Strait of Hormuz before this': How one medical supply CEO is navigating the oil price shock

Medical supply company Gentell sources raw materials from around the world, and the crisis at the Strait of Hormuz is causing volatility for its business.

Arsenal celebrate Premier League in style with relaxed win at Crystal Palace

This was an occasion for Mikel Arteta to savour. With the owner, Stan Kroenke, watching from the stands on a rare visit to see his team, Arsenal celebrated being champions for the first time since 2004 by recording a comfortable victory over a Crystal Palace side who also have a European final on their minds.

Max Dowman became the youngest player to start a Premier League game at 16 years and 144 days old and played his part as goals from Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke rounded off a memorable campaign for Arteta and his side. Arsenal were presented with the Premier League trophy at a sultry Selhurst Park – after Oliver Glasner completed a lap of honour on his last home match in charge of Palace – and their attention will switch quickly to the daunting prospect of facing Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s Champions League final.

5/24: Face The Nation

This week on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," as President Trump says a peace deal with Iran has been "largely negotiated," Imtiaz Tyab reports from Tel Aviv and Sen. Chris Van Hollen discusses the possible deal. Plus, on this Memorial Day weekend, Medal of Honor recipients retired Lt. Col. William Swenson and retired Command Sergeant Major Matthew Williams join.

Gunman who opened fire near White House was known to Secret Service

Suspect who died after exchanging fire with agents had tried to enter the complex last summer, records show

A gunman who opened fire outside the White House on Saturday before he was shot by federal agents was already known to the US Secret Service, court records show.

The man, 21, was taken to a nearby hospital, before he was later pronounced dead. He had previously tried to enter the complex, according to an affidavit filed in DC superior court in 2025, following an arrest nearby.

Video shows infant being rescued from car trapped in Texas floodwaters

First responders rescued an infant from a car that became trapped in floodwaters in southern Texas on Saturday, video shows.

The Guardian view on Erdoğan’s tightening grip on Turkey: the next election is already being decided | Editorial

The removal of an opposition party leader and closure of a liberal university show an authoritarian democracy moving closer to one-man rule

Turkey’s next presidential election is scheduled for 2028. Many think it will come sooner. But by the time ballots are actually cast, the outcome may already have been decided – especially after the last few days.

On Thursday, an appeals court removed the head of the opposition Republican People’s party (CHP), Özgür Özel, by annulling its 2023 leadership contest. The 51-year-old was credited with reviving the CHP, which trounced the ruling Justice and Development party in 2024’s local elections. He was also one of the few senior figures not caught in a sweeping crackdown that has led to hundreds of CHP officials and politicians being arrested. Human Rights Watch says that the justice system has been weaponised against the opposition. A mass corruption trial opened in March, with defendants including the Istanbul mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested last year on the day that he was chosen as the CHP’s presidential candidate. He could face a sentence of more than 1,900 years if convicted on all counts.

The Guardian view on 100 years after Miles Davis’s birth: why he still shapes modern music | Editorial

The trumpeter, composer and band leader still towers over jazz because he treated reinvention not as a betrayal, but as necessary for its survival

The space reserved for Miles Davis in the pantheon of 20th-century music is not simply because he mastered jazz, but because he refused to let it stand still. As musicians and fans mark the centenary of his birth , Davis’s work still feels limitless. “I always thought that music had no boundaries,” he wrote in his 1989 autobiography, “no limits to where it could grow and go, no restrictions on creativity.” Davis repeatedly dismantled the sound he had helped invent – embracing the electric age in 1968, much as Bob Dylan had in folk.

Davis moved to New York as an 18-year-old after hearing Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. While bebop prized speed, Davis preferred restraint and precision – spearheading cool jazz. By 1988, now the grand old man of jazz, he was playing trumpet with Prince, whom he remarked could be the “new Duke Ellington of our time if he just keeps at it”. Such was his refusal to be pigeonholed, he hated the word “jazz”. Whatever it was, Davis reasoned, had to evolve: absorbing funk, rock, African rhythms and electronica to emerge altered again.

John McWhorter on controversy and reconstructing Fats Waller's "Early to Bed"

New York Times columnist, bestselling author, linguist and Columbia University professor John McWhorter doesn't shy away from controversy. He talks with Mo Rocca about his book, "Losing the Race: Self-Sabatoge in Black America," published in 2000, along with one of his latest projects, reconstructing the long-forgotten 1940s hit Broadway musical "Early to Bed" with music by jazz legend Fats Waller, and why he feels good about how people perceive him now.

'The Mandalorian and Grogu' is Disney's lowest-ever Star Wars film opening

Disney's "The Mandalorian and Grogu" tallied and estimated $82 million in domestic ticket sales through its first three days in theaters.

Russia hits Kyiv with hypersonic ballistic missile in ‘deranged’ attack

Assault hits water facility, market, residential buildings and schools, killing at least four and injuring dozens

Russia used its powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile for a third time in Ukraine as part of a massive attack on Kyiv and its surrounding region that killed at least four people and injured about 100.

Russia hit the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region with the missile, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said. He described a heavy Russian assault that also hit a water supply facility, burned down a market and damaged dozens of residential buildings and several schools.

Recipe: Lavender and lemon poppy seed cake from "Cake Picnic"

Elisa Sunga shares how to make lavender and lemon poppy seed cake in her cookbook, "Cake Picnic: Recipes for the Love of Cake & Friends."

Farage under mounting pressure to prove Russian hack claim

Reform UK leader claims ‘counter-espionage experts’ suggest state-sponsored hackers are behind disclosure of £5m gift

Nigel Farage is under mounting pressure to provide evidence for his claim that a state-sponsored Russian hack was behind the disclosure of the £5m gift he received from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.

Reform UK claimed over the weekend that analysis of Farage’s phone by “counter-espionage experts” suggested that “Farage’s phone, email and bank accounts were compromised by hostile actors, almost certainly linked to Moscow, using spear phishing tactics”, before the Guardian revealed details of his undeclared gift last month.

Reefline: Bringing art to Miami's coastline

Argentinian-born art curator Ximena Caminos is the mastermind behind Miami's newest art installation, Reefline, an underwater sculpture park that doubles as an artificial coral reef about 300 yards from the Florida coast and 20 feet below the surface. Luke Burbank reports.

China launches three-crew spaceflight as part of lunar ambitions

Mission will put first astronaut in orbit for a year, a key step in Beijing’s plan to put people on the moon by 2030

China has launched its Shenzhou-23 mission in which an astronaut will spend a full year in orbit for the first time, a crucial step in Beijing’s ambition to send humans to the moon by 2030.

The Long March 2-F rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan launch centre in north-western China on Sunday, carrying three astronauts to the Tiangong space station.

‘Sad, mad and disheartened’: for the diaspora, the bombardment in Lebanon is a special kind of loss

The destruction of homes and villages in southern Lebanon leaves a mark not just on those living there, but families watching on across the globe

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For the last two years, much of the Lebanese diaspora – estimated to be about 15 million people spread across Australia, Europe, North and South America and more – has held its breath. Much of it watched from afar, helpless, during the latest extended conflict between Hezbollah and Israel as Israeli attacks on their motherland, and particularly its southern villages, resulted in widespread destruction. To date, more than 1.2 million people have been displaced, thousands killed, and roughly 14.3% of Lebanese territory ordered to be vacated. But while those within the country endure their own suffering, those in the diaspora face a different, emotional struggle: the loss of familial homes they may not be able to return to, and a severing of connection to a place that is a fundamental part of who they are.

These are their stories.

Why it seems like everyone in Australia is travelling to Vietnam

The number of Australians taking short trips to Vietnam has more than doubled since 2016 as holidaymakers seek affordable experiences close to home

Georgia Quinn is adamant that Vietnam has been slept on as a holiday destination. The lifestyle-based content creator says she has loved the country since she first visited as a backpacker 15 years ago. “It wasn’t off the beaten path but it definitely wasn’t as popular as, say, Thailand or Bali,” she says.

That’s changing.

‘Pompeii, but in the middle of a massive city’: the ice age fossil site hidden in Los Angeles

La Brea Tar Pits – the only urban, active ice age excavation site in world – gets a mammoth face lift for the first time in nearly 50 years

Los Angeles is known for famous museums such as the Getty and the Lacma, but perhaps fewer people are aware that – in the heart of the city – lies a museum that contains one of the world’s most remarkable fossil sites.

The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is home to the remains of more than 2 million ice age flora and fauna, including mastodons and saber-toothed cats, that became trapped in oily pools that still bubble up today.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor faces police investigation into ‘alleged inappropriate behaviour at Royal Ascot’

Incident said to have happened at racing event in 2002, year of queen’s Golden Jubilee, according to Sunday Times

Police investigating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are looking into an allegation that he behaved inappropriately towards a woman at Royal Ascot, according to a report.

The alleged incident is said to have happened at the annual five-day racing event in Berkshire in 2002, according to the Sunday Times.

Celebrating most prestigious, and junkers, of automobile world

In California, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is widely considered the most prestigious car show in the world. But just a few miles away, the Concours d'Lemons celebrates the junkers of the automotive world.

Celebrating the most prestigious and the ugliest of the automotive world

In California, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is an invite-only event celebrating the most valuable collector cars in the world. And just a few miles away, Concours d'LeMons is a once-a-year celebration of the less desirable, less loved and less expensive automobiles. Lee Cowan heads to both events — one that celebrates the best in show, and the other only a worst in show.

Ukraine’s Kostyuk keeps focus on French Open after missile strike near parents’ home

• No 15 seed beats Russian-born Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3

• Gea loses to Khachanov after desperate bathroom plea

An emotional Marta Kostyuk described her first-round win at the French Open as one of the most difficult matches of her life as she revealed that she had taken to the court hours after a Russian missile landed close to her parents’ house in Ukraine.

Kostyuk, the 15th seed in Paris, became one of the first players to win a match at the tournament this year as the 23-year-old registered a 6-2, 6-3 win over Oksana Selekhmeteva. Kostyuk hails from Kyiv, where she periodically returns to train between tournaments.

Douglas McCain, the eldest son of Sen. John McCain, dies at 66

Douglas McCain, the eldest son of the late Sen. John McCain, has died, his family announced. He was 66.

These United States: The Marshall Plan

In 1947, two years after the end of World War II, President Truman's secretary of state, George C. Marshall, delivered a commencement speech arguing the U.S. should help its European allies and enemies rebuild in the post-war world. This was the foundation of an economic aid program that came to be known as the Marshall Plan. Seth Doane looks at its monumental impact.

Echoes of Brexit as Alberta blunders towards vote on separation from Canada

Like David Cameron in 2016, premier Danielle Smith is facing a mutinous party and has called a referendum about a referendum while vowing a ‘no’ vote

An embattled leader forced to call a referendum on separation to ward off mutiny – and then pledging to campaign against it. Allegations that prosperity had been stolen by distant elites and could be remedied with a vote to leave. Mutterings of foreign interference.

The shadow of Brexit has loomed over the prairie province of Alberta as a minority push for a vote on secedeing from Canada. And it was there again on Thursday evening when Alberta’s premier, Danielle Smith, unveiled her government’s tangled referendum question on the western province’s future – both in the gravity of the potential outcome, and in the chaotic nature of its expression:

Andy Burnham seeks advice from Sue Gray on forming future Labour government

Discussions highlight how seriously senior Labour figures are treating Burnham’s path back to Westminster

Andy Burnham has sought advice from Sue Gray, Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff, on how to manage a potential transition into Downing Street if he returns to Westminster and succeeds the prime minister.

Lady Gray is understood to have advised Burnham on how a future government could be formed as Labour’s internal succession chatter intensifies before the Makerfield byelection.

Readers reply: you’re supposed to be quiet in the cinema. So why are the snacks so loud?

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts

• Next week’s question: if an alien landed and asked you, ‘What is this thing you call music,’ what would you play for them? And why?

You’re supposed to be quiet in the cinema. So why are the snacks so loud? Michael Rivera, London

Send new questions to [email protected].

Victoria Pendleton: ‘At school I discovered the traits that make an Olympic champion do not make for a popular teenage girl’

The athlete on the joy of receiving her first bike, her lonely teenage years, and a life-changing phone call

Born in Bedfordshire in 1980, cyclist Victoria Pendleton is one of Britain’s most decorated athletes. As well as winning nine world championship golds, she won the gold medal in the sprint at the 2008 Olympics and the gold medal in the keirin (a sprint following a speed-controlled start), as well as a silver medal in the sprint in the 2012 Olympics. She retired from cycling in 2012 and is now a jockey. Her new book, The Fear Opportunity, is published on 21 May.

This was taken when cycling was a hobby and nothing more. My family were on holiday in the south of France, not far from Saint-Tropez. That was my first solo racing bike – it was secondhand and Dad got it custom sprayed. My twin, Alex, had one, too. We were very proud of them.

The Democrats’ 2024 autopsy fails to confront the truth | Norman Solomon

The document is full of disclaimers and does not address fundamental issues, including Gaza and the Biden-to-Harris transition

When the Democratic National Committee finally released its autopsy on the 2024 election disaster, not even the DNC chair could defend it. “I don’t endorse what’s in this report,” Ken Martin conceded as the autopsy went public on Thursday. After several months of withholding the autopsy on the grounds of not wanting it to be a distraction, Martin fessed up at last: “When I received the report late last year, it wasn’t ready for primetime. Not even close. And because no source material was provided, fixing it would have meant starting over, from the beginning.”

In response, a former Obama speechwriter, Jon Favreau, summed up eight stages of Martin’s tortuous process that has spanned more than a year: “Promise to release autopsy; put incompetent friend in charge; incompetent friend produces incoherent product; announce you’re not releasing the autopsy; lie about why; gaslight people who ask, saying they’re the problem; face internal revolt; release autopsy.”

Norman Solomon is the director of RootsAction and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy. His latest book is The Blue Road to Trump Hell: How Corporate Democrats Paved the Way for Autocracy

The devil owns Amazon: big tech has infiltrated the fashion world – will we see a revolt?

Anna Wintour has welcomed the Bezoses – and their patronage – with open arms. But after a controversial Met Gala, industry insiders are less enthusiastic

The press conference for the Met Costume Institute’s spring exhibition is always a stately affair, but this year it was giving “feudal lady addresses her serfs” or perhaps “Marie Antoinette during the last days of Versailles”. Here, among the spectacular marble sculptures of the art museum’s American wing, was a beaming Lauren Sánchez Bezos, who Anna Wintour introduced as a “force for joy”, before adding that “she and her husband, Jeff, have shown with this event that they genuinely, genuinely care about giving back”. Meanwhile, in the outside world, protests against the Bezoses’ involvement had been raging for days. The discrepancy between the word on the street and the deference within the glass-ceilinged room was head-spinning.

The Met Gala has recently become a magnet for anti-excess protests, but this was its most controversial yet, owing to the $10m patronage of its honorary co-chairs, centibillionaires Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos. It was not the first time Jeff Bezos bankrolled the gala – Amazon was its lead sponsor in 2012. But this year’s event came at a moment of soaring inequality, as Bezos’s personal wealth has mushroomed and his Donald Trump-appeasing decisions have made him less popular than ever with New York City’s left-leaning fashion and arts crowd.

How to make Provençal fish stew – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

Fish stew in the south of France doesn’t have to mean a complicated bouillabaise: bourride is a simpler and equally perfect match for a summer’s evening

Much as I love bouillabaisse, I’ve never come across rascasse, the spiny Mediterranean rockfish that’s the backbone of Marseille’s signature dish, outside its homeland. Bourride, another southern French fish stew, is a simpler affair that’s much easier to recreate here. Enriched with garlicky aïoli, it’s a lovely thing for a summer’s evening, and can be prepared ahead up to the end of step 7.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 10 min
Serves 2, generously

Move over, seltzer. Non-carbonated drinks are taking the spotlight

Non-carbonated alcoholic drinks like Surfside and BeatBox are stealing "share of throat" from hard seltzers, particularly among Gen Z.

With oil markets nearing the danger zone, a US-Iran deal can’t come soon enough | Heather Stewart

Global prices are approaching a tipping point that could trigger inflation, shortages and, over time, recession

If a US-Iran deal is about to be reached, three months on from the launch of Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury, it will not be a day too soon for oil markets, which are approaching a dangerous tipping point.

The cost of a barrel of crude on the spot market – for immediate purchase, effectively – has bounced about $100 since Iran predictably responded to the onslaught from the US and Israel by closing the strait of Hormuz.

UK judge’s decision not to jail boys for rape like a ‘rock in my face’, says victim, 16

Boys, aged 15, given youth rehabilitation orders for two separate attacks against two girls in Hampshire

A judge’s decision not to jail the teenage boys who raped two girls has been described as a “rock straight in my face” by one of their victims.

Southampton crown court heard the two boys, both aged 15 at the time, raped the teenage girls in two separate attacks that occurred on 26 November 2024 and 17 January 2025 in Fordingbridge, Hampshire.

From Gilead to Ladyland: how the rebellious women of literature offer hope in dark times

After visiting an island brothel in Bangladesh, the novelist was inspired to write an imagined uprising. She explores the radical fictional worlds where women have the power

In the spring of 2024, I am finally able to visit Banishanta, the island in southern Bangladesh that has been haunting my dreams. When I arrive I find it is little more than a long patch of grey mud, with a string of flimsy huts lining a craggy shore. Thirteen years earlier, I was on a boat on my way to the Sundarban mangrove forest when a guide casually pointed out the island and told me it was a state-licensed brothel that had been there since the time of the British.

When I went home, I didn’t want to think about Banishanta, because if I did, I would have to imagine the terrible things the women there were enduring while I lived a life of casual entitlements many thousands of miles away. Yet the women squatted in my imagination, refusing to leave. I resolved to never write about them, because it would say things about the world I didn’t want to know. It was only when I decided I could write a novel, set on a fictional island, about a rebellion of women, that I allowed them in.