Deaths reported after chemical tank implodes at Washington mill
Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. and local law enforcement said the tank's rupture caused "multiple critical injuries" as well as fatalities.
26th May 2026 19:48BP ousts recently appointed chair over "conduct issues"
The board upheaval comes less than a year after BP appointed Albert Manifold to the role.
26th May 2026 19:48Meet the 2026 World Cup U.S. Men's National Team
The squad was announced during an event in New York City on Tuesday after U.S. Men's National Team manager Mauricio Pochettino spent months evaluating players to finalize the roster.
26th May 2026 19:48AutoZone stock on pace for worst trading day since March 2020, despite retailer beating Wall Street estimates
Concerns include international growth and margin compression as well as pressures from inflation, energy costs and potential supply chain disruptions.
26th May 2026 19:43
The Guardian
South Carolina Republicans defy Trump again to reject rapid redistricting drive
Bid to remake maps before midterms and reduce Democratic voters in Jim Clyburn’s district fails in state senate
Republican lawmakers in South Carolina have defied Donald Trump and rejected a breakneck bid to redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of November’s US midterm elections.
In a 26-18 vote, state senators rejected mid-decade redistricting in a special session of the legislature, ending hope in Washington to split up congressman Jim Clyburn’s district and add to the list of gerrymandered gains for Republicans.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 19:41
The Guardian
USMNT World Cup roster confirmed: Zendejas in as Luna, Tessmann and Morris miss out
Squad same as one revealed in Guardian exclusive
Spine of team from 2022 World Cup remains
US opener is 12 June in Inglewood, California
The United States’ 26-man squad for this summer’s World Cup has been made official, with the team’s head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, making the announcement in a live television event from Pier 17 in Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon.
The roster matches the one exclusively revealed by the Guardian on Saturday.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 19:39Kevin Warsh is now leading the Fed. His main challenge is a doozy.
Warsh is taking over as Fed chair as the U.S. faces the hottest inflation in years, impeding the interest rate cuts that President Trump has demanded.
26th May 2026 19:38
The Guardian
Alexia Putellas leaves Barcelona after 14 years amid link to London City Lionesses
Two-time Ballon d’Or winner leaves club after 14 years
London City one of many clubs interested in midfielder
Barcelona have announced the exit of their talismanic captain, Alèxia Putellas, after the expiration of the two-time Ballon d’Or winner’s contract at the end of the season.
The 32-year-old, who was born in Mollet del Vallès, just north of Barcelona, spent 14 years at the Catalan club making 507 appearances and scoring a record 233 goals after joining from Levante in 2012 aged 18.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 19:34
The Guardian
Colbert launches YouTube channel less than a week after late-night show ends
Channel quietly debuts over weekend with Only in Monroe video days after Thursday’s final Late Show episode
Stephen Colbert hasn’t even been off the air for a week, but is already causing some hubbub with the launch of a new YouTube channel that has garnered more than 120,000 subscribers.
The popular late-night host, who aired his final episode of The Late Show last Thursday, quietly debuted the channel over the weekend with a single video titled: “Only In Monroe --- May 22, 2026.”
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 19:34
NPR Topics: News
Gulf shrimpers want help from congress as fuel costs climb
The declining number of Gulf shrimpers who are still in business are now struggling as gas prices rise and competition with cheaper imports remains high.
26th May 2026 19:18Democratic attorneys general snub Vance's anti-fraud roundtable at White House after late invite
Vice President JD Vance is leading an initiative by the Trump administration to reduce fraud in federally funded programs that are administered by states.
26th May 2026 19:11
The Guardian
After attending the Enhanced Games, I told its founder it will fail by 2031. This is why | Sean Ingle
While the event’s movers and shakers are rich and smart, they don’t come across as caring deeply about sport
I woke up in Las Vegas on Monday to an avalanche of messages from people across elite sport asking about the Enhanced Games. Some wanted to know what it was really like. Most, though, wanted to dance on its grave.
So much for the organisers’ promises that we would witness multiple world records. So much for their ridiculous claim to be the “Super Bowl of athletics, swimming and weightlifting!” Hubris meet nemesis.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 19:00‘The market has spoken’: Ferrari shares fall after carmaker unveils first fully electric vehicle
Shares of luxury carmaker Ferrari fell sharply on Tuesday morning, shortly after the company launched its first fully electric vehicle.
26th May 2026 18:58
The Guardian
Woman shot dead outside Sheffield bar was innocent bystander, police say
Three people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after shooting outside One Four One in the city centre
A woman shot dead outside a bar in Sheffield was an innocent bystander, police say.
Officers were called to the scene outside the One Four One bar on West Street in in the city centre at 2.45am on Monday after reports of a shooting.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 18:57Judges block Alabama redistricting maps that would dilute Black vote in midterms
A three-judge panel found that the 2023 congressional district maps adopted by Alabama intentionally discriminated against Black voters.
26th May 2026 18:51
NPR Topics: News
Trump-backed redistricting plan is rejected in the South Carolina Legislature
Republican state senators don't face election this year. Trump's urging for them to redistrict to help flip the House seat held by prominent Democrat Jim Clyburn was met with opposition.
26th May 2026 18:46Cornyn and Paxton go head-to-head in Texas Republican Senate primary after Trump endorsement
President Donald Trump last week endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.
26th May 2026 18:42
The Guardian
Another day in Florida: RFK Jr posts video of him wrestling two snakes
US health secretary gets nip from one of two serpents he grabbed at home of fellow Trump official Dr Oz
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary, on Tuesday added to his lengthening catalog of bizarre wild animal encounters by posting to social media a video of himself in Florida wrestling with two snakes.
Kennedy, who has previously admitted dumping the carcass of a bear cub in New York’s Central Park, and is also alleged to have cut the penis of a road-kill raccoon, is seen grabbing the pair of serpents with his bare hands.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 18:38
NPR Topics: News
Trump DOJ mass-deletes info on Jan. 6 riot cases, including violent assaults on cops
The Trump Department of Justice purged government news releases with information about prosecutions of rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol and assaulted law enforcement on Jan. 6, 2021.
26th May 2026 18:34
NPR Topics: News
Which players will make the cut? The U.S. World Cup soccer roster is revealed today
Some veterans from the last World Cup — like forward Christian Pulisic and midfielders Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams — are certain to make the cut. The full roster will be announced at 3 p.m. ET.
26th May 2026 18:34South Carolina Senate rejects Trump's call to redraw congressional map
The South Carolina Senate has rejected President Trump's push to redraw the state's congressional districts in hopes Republicans could gain an extra seat.
26th May 2026 18:27Court blocks Alabama congressional map, saying state discriminated by race
The three-judge district court panel ordered Alabama to use a congressional map with two majority-Black districts in the upcoming midterm elections.
26th May 2026 18:18
NPR Topics: News
Why the French Open is named after Roland Garros, who didn't play tennis
Roland Garros, a WWI-era pilot, is credited with revolutionizing aerial combat. The major Paris tennis tournament was named after him in 1928, a decade after his death in combat.
26th May 2026 18:08
The Guardian
Bundesliga 2025-26 awards: our players, goal, coach and head loss of the season
Who was the best player, and why is it not Harry Kane? Which loanee is already a superstar? And who bottled it?
A hearty pat on the back to Hoffenheim, the unexpected and unfancied top-four gatecrashers who ultimately couldn’t quite hold on. This season has been all about Bayern, though, and not just in the normal they-always-win-it way. To call them the most beloved Bayern team in a generation would be overcooking it – the club will never be universally loved, and fair enough – but Vincent Kompany’s team were not just a behemoth but an absolute joy to watch, not only irresistible but endlessly entertaining, with Harry Kane and Michael Olise as ingenious as they were consistent. So much of the club’s change of image, as a team at least, is down to Kompany, a humble and emotionally intelligent coach who gives Bayern all the regal flow of their best teams down the years – but with added humility.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 18:00
The Guardian
‘Implosion’ at Washington state packaging plant kills unknown number of people
Tank containing white liquor, a chemical solution used in the paper industry, ruptured, according to fire department
Authorities in Washington state are responding to an “implosion” at a packaging plant early on Tuesday morning that killed an unknown number of people and left multiple others with chemical burns.
The Longview fire department said in a statement there was a hazardous materials incident at Nippon Dynawave Packaging that occurred when a tank containing white liquor, a chemical solution used in the paper industry, ruptured. According to the state, the plant has a kraft pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging facility, and employs roughly 1,000 employees.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 17:55Here's what to watch for in the Texas primary runoff election today
Sen. John Cornyn is facing off against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who received President Trump's endorsement.
26th May 2026 17:51
The Guardian
Woman fired from Indiana university over Charlie Kirk post wins $225,000 settlement
Lawsuit filed last year by the ACLU accused Ball State University of violating Suzanne Swierc’s free speech rights
A woman fired by an Indiana university over her Facebook post criticizing far-right commentator Charlie Kirk after he was killed will receive $225,000 to settle a lawsuit that accused her former employer of violating her free speech rights, the woman’s attorneys said on Tuesday.
The American Civil Liberties Union announced the settlement in a federal lawsuit it filed last year on behalf of Suzanne Swierc against the Ball State University president, Geoffrey Mearns.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 17:51Trump to host Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Wednesday as Iran talks continue
Trump and his top officials will make the rare trip to the woodsy Maryland retreat to discuss issues both foreign and domestic, a White House official said.
26th May 2026 17:49
NPR Topics: News
An exceptionally early heat wave shatters records and brings deaths in Europe
Temperature records are breaking and triggering government warnings, with London hitting 95 degrees the past two days. Experts say unpredictable and extreme weather is becoming more frequent.
26th May 2026 17:47Trump undergoes "6 month physical" at Walter Reed
President Trump on Tuesday underwent a "6 month physical" at Walter Reed National Military Hospital, he posted on social media.
26th May 2026 17:42
The Guardian
PFA calls out ‘crazy calendar’ as responsible for Cole Palmer and Phil Foden burnout
‘Not the version of Phil Foden we saw two years ago’
Chief executive says game being damaged by demands
Phil Foden and Cole Palmer missed out on this summer’s World Cup because they have been overworked, according to the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association.
Maheta Molango was speaking as new data showed that seven of the 10 players involved in the most games across Europe’s top leagues this season were at English clubs.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 17:41
The Guardian
Turkish police fire teargas to break up protest after opposition leader ousted
Water cannon also used at rally called by Özgür Özel days after court dismissed him as CHP leader
Riot police in Turkey have fired teargas and water cannon to break up a rally called by the ousted opposition leader Özgür Özel days after a court dismissed him from office.
On Sunday, riot police had battered their way into the main opposition CHP’s headquarters in the capital, Ankara, firing teargas and beating party members before throwing them out, Özel said.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 17:40
The Guardian
Seven heat-related deaths in France as May records set in several countries
Extreme early summer event across western Europe also brings highest temperatures for month in UK and Ireland
Seven people have died in France in an extreme early summer heat event that is affecting a swathe of western Europe, with record high temperatures for May recorded in several countries.
In France, which logged its hottest ever May day on Monday and again on Tuesday, the weather agency Météo France said the heatwave could last through the week and predicted temperatures could reach 39C in some areas.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 17:29
NPR Topics: News
How the Trump administration uses the Bible to justify military invasions and immigration raids
President Trump isn't much of a Bible-quoter, but some members of his administration are, and they have used Scripture to frame controversial policies as justified by the Good Book.
26th May 2026 17:28Threat of massive blast at California chemical tank "mitigated and resolved," officials say
Officials say the threat of a massive explosion at a California chemical tank has been eliminated and most evacuation orders have been lifted. However, there are still concerns of a smaller explosion. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.
26th May 2026 17:28Dropbox CEO Drew Houston to step down after 19 years at helm of cloud storage pioneer
Dropbox CEO Drew Houston, who started the cloud storage company when he was 24, plans to step down and assume the role of executive chairman.
26th May 2026 17:27
The Guardian
Magic, mastery and magisterial power: 10 of Sonny Rollins’ greatest recordings
After his death aged 95, we look back at a remarkable catalogue of work that stretches from vivacious mid-50s sets to his evocative performance after 9/11
• News: Sonny Rollins, colossus of jazz saxophone, dies aged 95
A 30-year-old Sonny Rollins had already made his unique mark with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk by the time this 1956 session was cut, just a year after bebop sax revolutionary Charlie Parker’s death – but hooking up with his contemporary and admirer John Coltrane happened by chance on the two-tenor blues chase of this album’s title. In a vivacious set with the Miles Davis rhythm section of the time (Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Philly Joe Jones on drums), the leader’s already unquenchable inventiveness is in full flow on Paul’s Pal, and The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 17:26Supreme Court rejects Florida suit against other states over immigrant truck drivers
Florida sought to sue Washington and California for allegedly issuing commercial driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.
26th May 2026 17:11
The Guardian
Iran remains in peace talks despite first US strikes since ceasefire
Tehran condemns ‘definitive violation’ but announces no specific reprisals as negotiations near decisive stage
A proposed peace agreement between Iran and the US seemed to still be on the table on Tuesday despite US bombings of Iranian targets – the first military action by Washington since the 8 April ceasefire.
The Iranian foreign ministry denounced the US attack – aimed at missile launchers and efforts to lay fresh mines in the strait of Hormuz – as “an act of bad faith” and “a definitive violation of the ceasefire” and said it would not leave aggression unanswered. But it conspicuously did not pull out of the talks that were continuing under the joint mediation of Pakistan and Qatar.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 17:06Infrared camera on sailboat may hold clues in Lynette Hooker investigation
CBS News has learned the sailboat used by Brian and Lynette Hooker before her disappearance in the Bahamas had an infrared camera capable of detecting heat radiation.
26th May 2026 17:01
The Guardian
Labour set to announce crackdown on social media for children within weeks
Age limits and changes to allegedly addictive design features could be in place by the end of the year
Labour is expected to announce a social media crackdown within weeks as the prime minister, Keir Starmer, on Tuesday said he would act “very, very quickly” despite splits between campaigners and child safety experts on what the new rules should be.
New limits on social media access for children could be presented before the Makerfield byelection next month after an avalanche of responses to a public consultation have been analysed with the help of an AI system called Consult and an expert panel led by an eminent paediatrician. The consultation closes on Tuesday.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 16:58
The Guardian
UK records highest ever May temperature for second day in a row
Temperature reaches 35.1C at Heathrow on Tuesday after 34.8C high at Kew Gardens in London on Monday
The UK has recorded its highest ever May temperature for the second consecutive day, as thermometers hit 35.1C at Heathrow and Kew Gardens in London, the Met Office has said.
The latest high was recorded the day after the country’s provisional hottest meteorological spring temperature, of 34.8C in Kew Gardens in south-west London. The previous May peak of 32.8C had stood since 1922.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 16:52Suspect arrested in North Carolina double murder nearly 2 decades later
The suspect in an infamous North Carolina double murder was arrested after nearly two decades, some 3,000 miles from the scene of the killings, police said.
26th May 2026 16:15
The Guardian
US strikes Iran as Trump faces backlash over ‘disastrous’ peace deal plan - The Latest
The US has launched fresh strikes on Iran despite suggestions that a peace deal could be within reach. Donald Trump faces growing criticism from Republicans over the proposed plan to end the war, which reportedly contained major concessions from Washington. But could an agreement still be imminent? Lucy Hough speaks to diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 16:11Stocks rise as investors shrug off renewed fighting in Iran
Oil prices were mixed after U.S. strikes on Iranian forces, underscoring the risks still hanging over markets and consumers.
26th May 2026 16:06
The Guardian
‘A sense of trusting one’s self’: how to start building confidence
A lack of confidence can prevent us from trying new things or going after what we want – but it’s never too late to change our beliefs
When I was in middle school, my father told me 80% of how people see you is how you see yourself. This was terrible news at the time, because I was deep in the depths of puberty, self-loathing and figuring out how to part my hair.
Though he pulled that number out of thin air, in the intervening years I’ve found he was on to something – projecting confidence can sometimes be the key to success, professionally and personally. But how does one actually cultivate confidence? And what if our understanding of what confidence is skewed?
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 16:00
The Guardian
‘I had loser stamped on my head’: how Porto’s Francesco Farioli bounced back
Italian’s reputation was bruised at Ajax but he has turned Porto back into title winners and is one of Europe’s most sought-after coaches again
After Francesco Farioli surrendered a nine-point lead in his final five matches at Ajax, he felt the word “loser” had been stamped across his forehead. Clubs that had pursued him quietly stepped back and his rise abruptly stalled. Now, after an impressive campaign at Porto, the 37-year-old is again one of Europe’s most sought-after coaches.
Porto’s title triumph, wrapped up with two games to spare, came 12 months after Ajax’s collapse enabled PSV to become Dutch champions. It is a sign of Farioli’s status that he was linked with Chelsea before they appointed Xabi Alonso, raising fears among Porto supporters of an early departure. They remember what happened 15 years ago when André Villas-Boas was prised away to Stamford Bridge after winning the league. Farioli, though, insists the club and fans have nothing to worry about.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 16:00
The Guardian
Jonas Vingegaard obliterates Giro d’Italia rivals with stage 16 win in Swiss Alps
Dane collects fourth stage victory of this year’s race
Gall comes in second, with Hindley in third place
Jonas Vingegaard underlined his dominance on uphill finishes at the Giro d’Italia, launching a solo attack on the climb to Carì to claim victory on stage 16. It was the Dane’s fourth stage win of the race and further tightened his hold on the leader’s jersey, with overall honours now looking increasingly assured.
On Monday’s rest day, Vingegaard declared his desire to win a stage while wearing the pink jersey, and quickly followed up that promise in Switzerland on the 113km ride from Bellinzona. His lead at the top is now more than four minutes.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 15:47
The Guardian
French teenager Moïse Kouamé underlines huge promise by beating Marin Cilic
Home hopeful is youngest man to win in Paris since 1991
Medvedev loses in five sets; Norrie out injured
The real surprise here was that it took so long to come. Moïse Kouamé had expertly handled his nerves and high expectations to begin his first French Open main draw match on the front foot, he had demonstrated his enormous promise by playing so well, and he had paired his form with total self-assurance. Finally, with the 17-year-old up two sets to love and on his way to a perfect start, his 5,000-strong audience responded with an impromptu rendition of La Marseillaise.
Their crooning provided the soundtrack for one of the statement wins of the tournament as Kouamé, the latest young star to command France’s attention, underlined his massive promise by spectacularly closing out his first grand slam match with a 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-1 win over the former US Open champion Marin Cilic. Kouamé is the youngest player to win a men’s singles grand slam match since 2009 and the youngest at Roland Garros since 1991.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 15:43Eli Lilly stock edges higher as company plans nearly $4 billion in vaccine deals
The deals are part of Eli Lilly’s effort to expand into infectious disease research and development.
26th May 2026 15:38
The Guardian
Italy’s top court rules against tourist refused tap water in Dolomites hotel
Woman argued water was a universal human right but court ruled no law obliged hoteliers to serve it from taps
A tourist’s simple request for a glass of tap water at a hotel restaurant in the Italian Dolomites has culminated in Italy’s top court ruling that being served water from the tap is not a consumer right, after a lengthy and costly legal saga.
The case dates back to 2019 when the woman spent a week at the five-star hotel in the ski resort of Corvara, in Badia, over Christmas and new year. She was on a half-board deal with the evening meal included, except for drinks.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 15:36
The Guardian
‘The avalanche of slime has been unbelievable’: E Jean Carroll shares life post-Trump in new film
In the documentary Ask E Jean, the journalist and author provides an unflinching account of her life, career and groundbreaking legal victories
“If you were concerned about being dragged through the mud,” asks lawyer Alina Habba, “Why would you choose to sue Donald Trump?”
Calm and composed, E Jean Carroll removes her glasses and replies firmly: “Because he called me a liar. He called me a liar. And I couldn’t let it stand.”
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 15:27DHS memo directs ICE to ramp up asylum-related fraud cases
A top DHS official directed ICE attorneys to aggressively pursue administrative fraud cases against immigration lawyers accused of filing false asylum claims.
26th May 2026 15:25'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.
26th May 2026 15:15Planning to start your own business? Consider these key tips.
Launching a business can be thrilling, but it pays to plan ahead to maximize your chances of success. Here's what to consider (sponsored by AT&T).
26th May 2026 15:15American Airlines picks SpaceX's Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi on more than 500 planes
American Airlines said it will install SpaceX's Starlink for inflight Wi-Fi on more than 500 of its airplanes.
26th May 2026 15:03
The Guardian
Red light therapy claims to heal wounds, improve pain and reduce wrinkles. But the evidence for it working is dim | Antiviral
Without strong evidence, or at least one decent trial, we cannot know whether shining red lights on to your skin does anything
Read more in the Antiviral series
The world of wellness is constantly expanding. There are new fads coming out almost every week, from the weird new mushroom powders that are suddenly essential for everyone’s health to the newest diet that is supposed to shave kilograms off your figure. It’s a quagmire of unproven, disproven and almost certainly ineffective things that grows every day.
But one mainstay is red light therapy. While red lights are seeing a massive renewed surge in popularity – it’s hard to go on TikTok or Instagram without being assaulted by at least one very confusing video of a person wearing what appears to be a horror mask shining red light on their face – they’ve been around for quite some time. You can find people discussing red light and its possible benefits all the way back to the 1990s.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 15:00
The Guardian
Funny, absurd and sentimental: Mr Deeds is one of Adam Sandler’s most underrated films
This Razzie-nominated romcom contains genuine movie magic, with Sandler delivering a restrained performance as an affable man who inherits $40bn
Adam Sandler has long been the Razzies’ punching bag. In 2012 he famously swept every category at the 32nd Golden Raspberry awards for Jack and Jill, in which Sandler plays both eponymous characters. Almost a decade earlier, at the 2003 ceremony, director Steven Brill’s Mr Deeds – starring Sandler – was nominated for worst remake or sequel. Though it ultimately lost to Guy Ritchie’s Swept Away, the nomination suggested a dim view on the film’s attempts to renovate the original – the 1936 Mr Deeds Goes to Town, directed by the indomitable, six-time Oscar-winning Frank Capra – as well as Sandler’s performance in it.
Though Mr Deeds isn’t Sandler’s most popular or critically acclaimed film, it is an endearing watch, and not so far removed from the hallowed image of Capra’s original.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 15:00
The Guardian
Czech police release Russian bishop after ‘white powder’ found in his car
Russia says arrest of Bishop Hilarion, who heads Orthodox congregation in Karlovy Vary, was politically motivated ‘setup’
Czech police have released a Russian Orthodox bishop who was detained on suspicion of drug possession, after Moscow condemned the arrest as a politically motivated setup.
Bishop Hilarion, also known by his secular name, Grigory Alfeyev, was stopped by police on Sunday in Karlovy Vary, a spa town in western Czechia popular with Russian tourists, after officers discovered containers of a white substance in the boot of his car.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 14:58
The Guardian
Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner head to Leipzig with fairytale ending in sight
In game No 60 of an unrelenting season the manager can sign off in style if he adds the Conference League trophy to last year’s FA Cup
Oliver Glasner couldn’t resist the temptation. As he addressed the crowd after his last match at Selhurst Park on Sunday, the Austrian who will go down as Crystal Palace’s greatest manager showed he retains his sense of humour. “Now I’m leaving, I don’t have to agree with the chairman,” he said with a smile. “He said the best day was the FA Cup final but I don’t agree. The best day is still to come in Leipzig.”
Should Palace beat Rayo Vallecano in Wednesday night’s Conference League final to win a third trophy in 12 months, Glasner’s stay will have a fairytale ending that barely seemed possible in the dark days of January. After the holders were stunned by Macclesfield in one of the biggest FA Cup shocks recorded, he accused the chair, Steve Parish, of abandoning him by then selling the captain Marc Guéhi to Manchester City and told supporters who had chanted his name on three successful trips to Wembley last year to “stay humble”.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 14:55
The Guardian
Stripteases, ecstatic embraces and a dog in a dress: the full-on photos celebrating queer dancefloors worldwide
A thrillingly unsanitised new photo book captures the liberating power of queer clubs in all their sexy, messy, kinky, cacophonous glory. ‘I wanted it to feel like a night out,’ says the woman behind it
These days, waking up after a big night out, no evidence can be good evidence. Perhaps the bar lights were too dim and the music so great that smartphones (and the outside world) were forgotten for a few blissful hours. Camera rolls: empty.
However, a new photo book called Sex, Clubs, Dissent: Visualising Queer Nightlife offers a striking defence of the culture-shaping role of cheeky snapshots taken inside and after the club. The anthology, edited by writer and London dancefloor regular Amelia Abraham, takes an expansive view of nightlife photography from the 1960s until today, embracing the tensions of documenting some of the most sexy, messy and politically charged moments of queer life. Contributions from artists such as Wolfgang Tillmans, Sunil Gupta and Kia LaBeija reinforce how the genre is not only a tool of community reportage and remembrance but also an art form in its own right.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 14:51
The Guardian
Beach shades: where do you draw a line in the sand?
From South Carolina to Dorset, Australia to the Costa del Sol, beachgoers are complaining that oversized canopies, parasols and gazebos are spoiling their day out. And they’re not going to take it lying down
Name: Shade wars.
Age: In this instance, quite new.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 14:46
The Guardian
‘Our nightly sanity check’: readers on their memories of Stephen Colbert and The Late Show
After the long-running late-night institution ended last week, Guardian readers have been sharing their fondest memories of the show and its much-loved host
Stephen doesn’t know that he was my Covid buddy. I’d sent my daughter to her dad’s house in rural Scotland so he was my evening companion and kept me sane. I know he was speaking to me directly but it felt like there was another person muddling through with me. I loved his wit, charm and an American perspective. I stayed with him ever since (on YouTube). A reminder that not all Americans are represented by Maga and that there is still an intelligent and witty America out there, a candle of light in the darkening chaos. He’s charmed me, made me think and I’ll miss him more than a stranger reasonably should. Alice, London
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 14:17Supreme Court rejects NFL's bid to step into coach's racial discrimination suit
The Supreme Court turned away an appeal by the NFL stemming from coach Brian Flores' racial discrimination suit, allowing his case to proceed in federal court.
26th May 2026 13:53
The Guardian
Spain blocks access to Polymarket and Kalshi as it launches gambling licence investigation
Prediction sites, which allow bets on all topics from weather to politics, may be in breach of country’s rules
Spain’s ministry of consumer rights has blocked access to Polymarket and Kalshi while it investigates whether the leading prediction market sites are violating Spanish law by operating without a gambling licence.
On Tuesday the ministry said it had launched disciplinary proceedings against the two platforms, which allow users to bet on everything from the weather to political events, amid allegations that they lacked the “necessary administrative authorisation” to operate in Spain.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 13:46
The Guardian
‘Shocking? It’s only what you see in ancient temples’: painter T Venkanna on his joyous carnivals of copulation
Penises, vaginas and breasts abound in the Indian painter’s work. As the son of a Hindu priest, he says his orgasmic scenes give us a way to consider religion
T Venkanna’s paintings land like a sucker-punch. At the centre of his first institutional solo show is an overbearing altarpiece, modified by two squat side panels to take the overall shape of a juvenile dick drawing. Perched at the bottom, on either side, are Adam and Eve. Their backs are turned as they look out on an orgasmic thicket of desire. A female figure is pleasured by another’s nose, someone copulates with the hindquarters of an animal and others fondle in a kaleidoscopic blur of colours and styles that make Hieronymus Bosch look restrained.
But carnal enjoyment is merely the footnote. “It is a way to consider many things, including the myth of religions,” says Venkanna. Scattered within this longing landscape are stony figures redolent of India’s pantheon of gods and goddesses. Women worship a topiary lingam – the aniconic depiction of Shiva – and a man caresses a statuesque woman’s breast (while drinking from her vagina). Graphic? “That is what you see in ancient temples,” says Venkanna. “People touch the breasts of sculptures so that over time they become very smooth and shiny.”
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 13:46
The Guardian
Dog shoots woman with shotgun at Nebraska convenience store
Police responded to reports of gunfire at store in town of Scottsbluff, and found the culprit to be a dog
Police responding to reports of a shotgun blast at a convenience store sounds like the opening of countless American crime movies, but when cops in Nebraska responded to a recent such call they found an unusual culprit: a dog.
Local TV station KNOP News 2 reported that police in the town of Scottsbluff were called out to a local store recently after reports of a blast involving a shotgun.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 13:41
The Guardian
Spotify boss defends move to AI music, saying it is better than ‘slop’
Streaming platform says remix tool agreed with Universal Music Group will protect artists from piracy
Spotify’s chief executive has defended the company’s move into AI-generated music, claiming it offers users and creators a better alternative to piracy and unregulated AI slop.
Last week, the platform announced a new feature in which premium users will be allowed to create their own, AI-generated remixes and song covers using music from participating artists.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 13:40
NPR Topics: News
Prospects fade for imminent end to Iran war as attacks restart
Israel says it will intensify attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon and U.S. military struck Iranian boats and missile launch sites as envoys continued negotiations for a deal that would end the three-month war.
26th May 2026 13:32Here's what the draft memo for a proposed deal with Iran includes
A draft memorandum includes a 60-day ceasefire extension and the halt of fighting on all fronts, sources say.
26th May 2026 13:23
The Guardian
Have you looked inside your water bottle? I was shocked and disgusted by what I found in mine | Arwa Mahdawi
I stared into the abyss, and the abyss stared back – mouldily. This is what happens when you forget basic hygiene
In my 20s, I cohabited with a man who thought you didn’t need to wash towels because you used them when you were clean. This was someone, I should add, who graduated from both Oxford and Cambridge and now has a very high-powered job. (Not that any of that means you have an ounce of common sense, of course.) Anyway, I obviously teased him mercilessly about this. What a nitwit, I thought.
But now I have a terrible confession to make. I too am a nitwit. You see, about a year ago, I replaced my trusty clear plastic water bottle, which was super easy to clean, with one of the trendy brands made of stainless steel and silicone that everyone in my gym has. What with the gasket and the straw and the various bits you couldn’t stick in a dishwasher, it was a faff to wash. So I wasn’t very diligent about cleaning it. After all, it was just water inside, right? And water’s clean, right? I had put flavoured electrolytes in it a couple of times, but I didn’t think much about the fact that they are a tasty meal for bacteria.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 13:20Skydiver killed, another injured after midair collision in Washington state
A skydiver was killed and another suffered injuries after they collided during a scheduled "group jump" in Washington state, authorities said.
26th May 2026 13:19
The Guardian
US senator says he was pepper-sprayed by federal agents during protest at ICE facility
Democrat Andy Kim says he saw ‘chaos’ at the New Jersey ICE facility amid ‘standoff’ between protesters and agents
Andy Kim, a Democratic senator, said he was pepper sprayed by federal agents on Monday during a protest at a New Jersey detention facility.
Video posted on social media showed Kim receiving help from a volunteer who is seen pouring water in his eyes outside Delaney Hall in Newark, where detainees are reportedly staging a hunger strike against poor conditions and denial of medical care.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 13:12
The Guardian
‘What you see here is a wetland without water’: how the datacentre boom is exacerbating Chile’s mega-drought
The country is positioning itself as Latin America’s next technology hub, but communities are pushing back
The Andes mountains frame what was once a wetland – now a stretch of dry, yellowed grass. Rodrigo Vallejos, a final-year law student, noticed the change five years ago while observing the Quilicura wetland, on the northern outskirts of Santiago. One of Chile’s largest swamps, spanning 468.4 hectares (about 1,200 acres) and partially protected, was drying up right before his eyes.
“What you see here is a wetland without water,” says Vallejos, who has investigated the causes alongside activists from the group Resistencia Socioambiental de Quilicura. “I discovered that Quilicura is home to the largest concentration of datacentres in Latin America.”
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 13:00
The Guardian
Los Angeles Philharmonic announces Daniel Harding as next music director
The British-born maestro will replace Gustavo Dudamel as the orchestra’s chief conductor
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced that Daniel Harding is to be its next music director.
The UK-born Harding, 50, will begin his tenure in the 2027/28 season, with an initial contract for six years. Gustavo Dudamel, the orchestra’s music director since 2009, leaves the role in August 2026 – the Venezuelan conductor is heading east to become music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic, but he will retain close connections with the Los Angeles orchestra as its artistic and cultural laureate.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 13:00U.S. says it launched "self-defense strikes" in Iran amid peace talks
The U.S. says it has carried out "self-defense strikes" on targets in southern Iran, while Iran says it downed a U.S. drone. It comes amid ongoing peace talks between the countries. Imtiaz Tyab reports.
26th May 2026 12:51Severe storms and flooding impact Memorial Day for millions
Millions of Americans traveled for Memorial Day weekend, facing high fuel prices. Some also encountered severe weather. Skyler Henry reports.
26th May 2026 12:41
The Guardian
Four people killed in Belgium in train and school bus collision
Two children among dead after incident at level crossing near town of Buggenhout in Flanders
An investigation is under way after four people, including two children, were killed when a school minibus collided with a train in northern Belgium.
Five children were injured in the crash at a level crossing near the small town of Buggenhout in Flanders on Tuesday.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 12:39
The Guardian
Umbrella shade and an evacuation zone: photos of the day – Tuesday
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 12:33Wells Fargo to offer mortgage incentives on 3D printed homes with Icon
Wells Fargo will provide a 50 basis point lender credit to buyers of Icon homes using its mortgages.
26th May 2026 12:16
The Guardian
How did Jennifer Siebel Newsom become a target for conservative criticism?
Republicans may be seeking a new line of attack against Gavin Newsom, who has emerged as an early frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination
The next US presidential election is more than two years away but conservative media have wasted no time attacking expected Democratic contenders. In recent months, they have turned their attention to Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of California’s governor.
In early April, the progressive writer and researcher Kyle Tharp noted that conservative media and influencers were “aggressively resurfacing” old footage of Newsom, a 51-year-old documentary film-maker who has been married to Gavin Newsom for nearly 18 years. The clips, Tharp said, included “rambling, word-salad answers that seem tailor-made to provoke conservative outrage” and made their way from social media to television and radio, leading to a sudden surge in interest in Google search.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 12:00
The Guardian
Why Trump administration’s plan to attempt to destroy Pfas is ‘nonsensical’
The EPA said it was cutting Biden-era regulations on Pfas in drinking water, but advocates say the move will harm public health and benefit industry
A new Trump administration plan to ditch Pfas drinking water regulations and instead attempt to destroy “forever chemicals” on a wide scale tears a page from the fossil fuel industry’s carbon capture playbook, and will benefit the industry while harming public health.
The US Environmental Protection Agency last week announced it is moving to kill strong Biden-era drinking water limits around four Pfas compounds, and delaying implementation for two more. It represented a blow to public health – advocates say strong limits and a dramatic cut in the production of the dangerous chemicals are imperative.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 12:00
The Guardian
007 First Light review – a triumphant James Bond game made by obsessive fans
PC, Xbox, PlayStation 5; IO Interactive
The stealth masters behind Hitman go loud for this game about Bond’s brilliant beginnings
Given that we’ve not had a great James Bond video game in decades – or any Bond film at all in five years – there’s a lot of pressure on 007 First Light to reinvigorate a British cinematic hero. But developer IO Interactive has been auditioning for this role for some time. It’s there in the globetrotting nature of its Hitman assassination games, starring a besuited hero who knows how to turn a soiree to his deadly purpose; then there’s the developer’s evident eye for corporate opulence and brutalist architecture. Even their in-house game engine, Glacier, sounds like a secret codename cooked up in a Bond villain’s lair. All it would take is a slight shift in Hitman’s moral compass – more old boys club, fewer old boys clubbed – to turn IO’s familiar series into a Bond game with minimal fuss.
007 First Light refuses that easy route. We join young Bond in his pre-00 days, as a petulant, belligerent rule-breaking trainee. Actor Patrick Gibson begins as a cookie-cutter insubordinate, but warms to the role once he’s bouncing off M (herself a green leader looking to make her mark), and an enjoyably urbane Q who drops the frustrated quartermaster routine and introduces Bond to the wonders of vinyl. A scene where he teaches our agent to tie a bow tie is a perfect bit of prequelcraft: arriving at an iconic look through a lovely character touch.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 12:00
The Guardian
BP removes chair Albert Manifold over ‘serious’ governance and conduct concerns
Oil company is FTSE’s biggest faller as chair departs immediately after only eight months in the role
BP has removed its chair, Albert Manifold, with the oil company’s board saying it had serious concerns about “important governance standards, oversight and conduct”.
The FTSE 100 company announced Manifold’s departure with immediate effect on Tuesday, without giving further details. He had lasted only eight months in the role.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 11:58
The Guardian
Huge rise in factory-style dairy farming of ‘battery cows’ in UK as costs rise
Investigation finds number of dairy farms where cows cannot go outside has more than doubled since 2015
There has been a huge rise in factory-style dairy farming of “battery cows” in the UK as farmers struggle with increasing costs and face selling milk at a loss.
The number of intensive dairy farms that permanently confine some of their cattle indoors has more than doubled in the past 10 years, an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) has found. Data suggests there are now at least 180 dairy farms where cows have no access to the outdoors, up from about 70 in 2015.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 11:56
The Guardian
Ferrari shares fall after launch of first EV as Jony Ive design proves divisive
Some analysts question whether design of Luce, starting at $640,000, lives up to sportscar brand’s heritage
Ferrari’s share price has dropped after it revealed a long-awaited first electric vehicle, with a minimalist look created by the former Apple design chief Jony Ive that departs from the Italian manufacturer’s petrol sportscars.
The Luce, starting at $640,000 (£545,000), has a range of 329 miles (530km) thanks to its battery capacity of 122 kilowatt hours, the company said, with four motors that can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 2.5 seconds, with a top speed of more than 310km/h (193mph).
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 11:36
NPR Topics: News
U.S. strikes Iran. And, immigration courts use new tactic to speed up deportations
The U.S. military has launched new attacks on Iran while talks to end the conflict are ongoing. And, the Department of Justice is using a new tactic in immigration courts to accelerate deportations.
26th May 2026 11:20
The Guardian
‘If you try to fix Holmes, you’ll get your arse handed to you’: do we really need another Sherlock remake?
Rafe Spall will play Conan Doyle’s super sleuth in a huge new drama next year. While some fans fear ‘Sherlock fatigue’, others – including Stephen Moffat – insist he will always make great telly
In 1893, in The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter, Arthur Conan Doyle introduced Sherlock Holmes’s older brother, Mycroft. Meeting Dr Watson for the first time, Mycroft shakes his hand and sighs: “I hear of Sherlock everywhere since you became his chronicler.”
Spare a thought for the rest of us, Mycroft. More than a century later, Sherlock Holmes has achieved a level of near-ubiquity that would alarm even the great detective himself – spawning ever more elaborate spin-offs that stretch his life backwards, forwards and sideways.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 11:00
The Guardian
‘Hello ladies and sons of ladies’: women are using ‘microfeminisms’ to flip the gender script
The practice is not entirely serious – but it raises awareness of the many sexist tropes built into everyday life
When Tori Dunlap writes a letter or email to a heterosexual couple, she puts the woman’s name first in the greeting. When her good friend got married, Dunlap waited until the name-change documents were officially signed to update her surname in her phone contact. These tiny rebellions are not activism. They are “microfeminisms”, or what Dunlap, 31, describes as “little actions for women’s equality, as opposed to going to a protest or donating to a cause you believe in”.
Dunlap, a Seattle-based author and podcast host who focuses on promoting women’s financial literacy, posted on TikTok last year asking her 2.4 million followers: “Tell me your most unhinged way that you practice microfeminism.” The comments section filled with niche – and not entirely serious – answers, such as starting every work presentation by saying “hello ladies and sons of ladies” and “immediately assuming men are talking about women’s sports instead of men’s”.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 11:00
The Guardian
‘We can stitch together our past’: the AI-generated time-travellers vlogging from history
The content creators behind channels like Chloe VS History are using AI tools to ‘bring history to life in a really visceral way’
“I have just arrived in Tudor London, 1536,” a young woman in a green puffer jacket tells the camera. “I’m going to check in at my room in the inn, get into the market. Then, later I am meeting the actual king – yep, Henry VIII – in person.”
On YouTube and other social platforms, users are flocking to watch AI-generated “history influencers”, characters that vlog their travels to historical settings.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 10:00
The Guardian
Leonora in the Morning Light review – pioneering British artist who fled convention for the surrealists
From Paris to Mexico, Leonora Carrington’s extraordinary life is retold with intelligence and restraint, though not quite enough imagination
At the age of 20, debutante Leonora Carrington ran away from London to be an artist in Paris, living with the surrealist Max Ernst, who was married and more than twice her age. But you won’t notice the uncomfortable age gap in this biopic, in which Carrington is played by Olivia Vinall, who is in her late 30s and portrays the artist for a decade or so, from Paris until Carrington settled in Mexico in the 1940s. Vinall’s performance is pleasingly spiky, fierce and uncompromising, fit for a woman who did not seek anyone’s approval – and does some heavy lifting in this otherwise tepid film.
It’s adapted from a biographical novel by Elena Poniatowska. We meet Carrington arriving in Paris, where she discovers that the surrealists’ circle is another male-dominated world, with its own objectionable attitudes to women. Carrington, though, gives short shrift to men such as André Breton and Salvador Dalí, drivelling on about woman as the divine muse to be worshipped. The dialogue clunks along unconvincingly, such as one line spoken to Ernst (Alexander Scheer): “I don’t want to be your wife. I want to be your lover.” The pair move to southern France, where they seem to work productively – portrayed in slightly dull scenes – until the outbreak of the second world war in 1939, when Ernst, a German citizen, is imprisoned.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 10:00
The Guardian
America’s ugliest primary? Texas Republican infighting could hand Senate seat to Democrat
Scandal-plagued Ken Paxton has won Trump’s backing over John Cornyn – but he might lose against James Talarico, a Democrat with a groundswell of popularity
Ken Paxton, the state attorney general, takes on four-term incumbent John Cornyn on Tuesday in the ugliest primary election of the year. The winner of the Republican Senate runoff in Texas will contest November’s general election against Democrat James Talarico.
Paxton and Cornyn have spent months coveting the most valuable endorsement in Republican politics: Donald Trump. Last week, scandal-plagued Paxton got it, with the US president describing him as “a true Maga warrior”.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 10:00
The Guardian
War, what is it good for? Well, it’s a great way for Donald Trump to duck out of his son’s wedding | Marina Hyde
Some say project Iran is a disaster, but as a get-out-of-jail-free card it’s a winner. He did say he was smart, didn’t he?
How far would you go for your son? For Donald Trump, the answer is simply: “The Bahamas? That is way too far! Why can’t you just get married on the golf course we buried your mother in? Or better still, the one I’m being carted to the second I get off the reinforced toilet I’m typing this on.” And so it was that the president cordially flaked on the latest marriage of his large adult son Don Jr, which took place somewhere in the Bahamas last weekend. If the world felt somehow different to you on Sunday morning, you were right. We now live in a post-troth society.
In other ways, though, the world would have felt quite samey. Those whose notional protest placard reads “IRAN DEAL WHEN?” remain fobbed off round the clock by a US administration that is always “close”, looking at a “pretty solid thing on the table” and debating “specific language in the initial document”. The Iranian government, meanwhile, is laying mines in the strait of Hormuz, expressing “resolute” support for Hezbollah and saying gnomically trolling things like how the two sides are both “very close and very far”. The president loves to imply that deals are always like this, once again confusing commercial Floridian real estate with the fanatical remnants of a dysfunctional regime in whose interest it is to play him.
Marina Hyde’s new book, What a Time to be Alive!, is out in September (Guardian Faber Publishing, £20). To support the Guardian, order your signed copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 09:42
The Guardian
Revealed: huge climate cost of harmful emissions from US immigration flights
Trump campaign accelerating climate crisis as officials move migrants to detention jails and deport them from US
US immigration enforcement flights are producing hundreds of thousands of metric tonnes of climate-damaging carbon emissions as officials shuttle unprecedented numbers of people to detention centers far from home and deport them to countries across the world.
Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign has spurred at least an 80% increase in such flights year over year, accelerating the climate crisis by emitting massive amounts of carbon dioxide, according to data analysis shared exclusively with the Guardian.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 09:00
The Guardian
I lost my beloved husband after 35 years, then my sister and my father. Here’s how I rebuilt my old happy self
I tried everything from gong baths to junk food and intermittent crying as I attempted to deal with my grief. Nothing helped – until I started tuning in to what my body was telling me
I didn’t think I could survive the death of my husband, Graham. We met at university when I was 18, and for 35 years we made a great team. We both worked full-time and, while I organised our many marathon and backpacking trips abroad, and pursued my ambition of becoming an author and hypnotherapist, he supported me by taking care of most of the domestic chores and DIY. When he was seconded to Bahrain for eight months in 2003, he left me a typed, two-page instruction manual explaining how to operate the dishwasher, washing machine and TV (in fairness, it wasn’t simply a matter of pressing “on”).
When, in 2017, Graham was diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer and given between 18 months and five years to live, the shock was profound. But, once the initial terror had subsided, we made a choice: to live in hope, not fear. We vowed to make the most of whatever time Graham had left, rather than mentally rehearse or fear his death. We both continued working, travelling, running half marathons and seeing friends as much as we could.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 09:00
NPR Topics: News
Therapists are using AI to take notes. Is it a useful tool or a breach of trust?
New companies are selling artificial intelligence assistance to mental health therapists. The AI tools can help with administration and recordkeeping, but some patients worry about their privacy.
26th May 2026 09:00
The Guardian
‘Everyone is equal in this space’: the cosmic world of neurodivergent-friendly club night Robyn’s Rocket
Trumpeter Robyn Steward thought clubs weren’t for her until she encountered Fabric’s accessible upgrade – the new home for her radically inclusive, space-themed night
Until May last year, trumpeter Robyn Steward had never been in a nightclub space, save for playing trumpet with Lancaster duo the Lovely Eggs at London’s Heaven, and a few nights in a university hall that doubled as a lunch room. Steward is autistic and has multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy. “Sometimes strobes can trigger migraines for me, or feel a bit overwhelming,” she says. “I feel like my body’s a bit lost.”
When she wanted to see a gig at Fabric nightclub in London, she asked a friend to go with her as a carer. “I was amazed at how accessible it was,” she says. Subtle touches integrate multiple access needs into the space. “The mezzanine level meant that I didn’t have the strobes in my face. There was a rail that I could hold on to, and there was seating opposite the balcony so I could sit and watch the gig.” She also noticed Fabric’s recently upgraded sensory dancefloor, which deliberately transforms sound into tactile vibrations to better cater for the hearing impaired. “I could see that the lights were strobing and everything, but I felt safe,” Steward says.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 08:33
The Guardian
The Vivisectors by Missouri Williams review – twisted love story from a cult writer
Williams follows her prize-winning debut with a gothically overstuffed tale of a cynical young woman in a crumbling university town
Missouri Williams’s darkly absurd and wilfully grotesque debut novel, The Doloriad, concerned itself with the aftermath of a world-shattering catastrophe. Her second takes place in what feels like the beginning of one. The Vivisectors is set in an ancient and unnamed university town – we could call it Oxford or Cambridge, but let’s not – which is rapidly being overwhelmed by vegetation: avenues lined with “orange columns of flamevine and purple bougainvillea”, arches “dripping with wisteria”, the inescapable “stink of a distant magnolia”. A fraternity of mysterious gardeners seek to keep the chaotic foliage in check, but they are hamstrung by a bitter dispute with university officials. Power games and proxy battles ensue. It is a hot summer and decay is rampant: revolution is in the air.
As in recent work by Sophie Mackintosh or Julia Armfield, this verdant backdrop casts an ominous glow over the action, though Williams writes with a singular brand of Ballardian ferocity – she revels in the wretched and the craven. The locus of the novel’s intensity is its narrator, Agathe, an alarmingly cynical young woman. She views everyone she meets as a tragic case, and knows that nothing lies between her and the same sad designation but her ability to see through the stories they’re telling themselves. She rejects self-expression and desire, refusing anything that might compromise her sense of separation and superiority. Her judgments are swift, conclusive and brutal.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 08:00
The Guardian
Millions of salmon deaths at Scottish farms disclosed after watchdog’s ruling
Animal and Plant Health Agency forced to release reports showing scale and cause of deaths on some fish farms
Millions of fish deaths caused by accidental poisoning and suffocation on Scottish salmon farms have been revealed after the inspection agency was forced to share its reports.
The UK government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) had refused to release inspection reports, claiming it would cause “significant detriment” to companies, including to their reputations.
Continue reading... 26th May 2026 07:00