ATP Finals tennis: Carlos Alcaraz v Jannik Sinner in the final – live

ATP Finals up date from 5pm GMT in Turin
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Time for the Italian anthem. Tuuuuuune!

An exciting variable tonight: Sinner is playing at home. The Turin crowd will be partial in the extreme, the atmosphere steaming, and much as I’m sure Alcaraz can handle it, he’s not used to it.

Albania v England: World Cup 2026 qualifying – live

⚽️ World Cup qualifying news from the 5pm GMT kick-off
⚽️ Live scoreboard | Subscribe to Football Daily | Mail Billy

Declan Rice sends it back to Dean Henderson to pump upfield and we’re under way.

A duet of well-dressed blokes with microphones lead us (well, not me) in renditions of both anthems. Classy.

11/16: Sunday Morning

Hosted by Jane Pauley. Featured: The boom in online prediction markets; Barstool Sports president Dave Portnoy; William Shatner and Neil deGrasse Tyson; when workers are pushed into homelessness; "Wicked" composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz; and Walter Isaacson on the Declaration of Independence.

This week on "Sunday Morning" (Nov. 16)

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

The US has drafted a coin featuring Trump. Here’s a better way to immortalize him | Robert Reich

It is our solemn duty to ensure he is remembered for all he has done and may still do to destroy US democracy

The US treasury has drafted a design for a $1 coin featuring Donald Trump on both sides, for the purpose of “honoring America’s 250th Birthday and @POTUS”, according to treasury officials.

Meanwhile, Trump reportedly wants the Washington Commanders to name their planned $3.7bn stadium after him. A senior White House source told ESPN: “It’s what the president wants, and it will probably happen.”

Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is a professor of public policy emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Guardian US columnist and his newsletter is at robertreich.substack.com. His new book, Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America, is out now

Iran says it could rejoin US nuclear talks if treated with ‘dignity and respect’

Iran’s foreign minister says it has had requests to reopen negotiations, which collapsed after nuclear site bombings

Tehran is willing to restart nuclear talks with Washington as long as it is treated with “dignity and respect”, Iran’s foreign minister has told the Guardian.

Abbas Araghchi said only diplomacy worked, and disclosed fresh requests had come from intermediaries to reopen negotiations with the Trump administration. He said Iran did not have any undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran could not yet allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.

Five people killed and three injured in car crash in County Louth, Ireland

Gardaí appeal for witnesses and Simon Harris pays tribute to first responders after two-vehicle collision on Saturday

Ireland is in mourning after a road crash killed five people in their early 20s and left three other people injured.

The two-vehicle collision happened at about 9pm on Saturday on a road near Dundalk in County Louth.

11/15: Saturday Morning

The U.S. military struck its 20th alleged drug-smuggling boat, a Pentagon official confirmed for CBS News. Meanwhile, Southern California battles severe storms and possible floods.

UK weather: Arctic air sweeps in as Storm Claudia clean-up continues

Flood warnings still in place in England and Wales, with plunging temperatures leading to possible snow and ice

Cold Arctic air has begun to sweep across the UK, bringing freezing temperatures as emergency services continue to deal with severe flooding caused by Storm Claudia.

On Saturday, a major incident was declared in Monmouth, south-east Wales, where people were rescued or evacuated from homes that were flooded during torrential rain on Friday. It was rescinded on Sunday afternoon, the fire service said.

Parrott hat-trick sickens Hungary as Ireland grab World Cup playoff spot in wild win

An injury-time goal by Troy Parrott to complete his hat-trick booked Republic of Ireland a spot in the playoffs for next year’s World Cup with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over their nearest Group F rivals Hungary in a must-win game in Budapest.

Higher-ranked Hungary just needed a draw to secure second place and led 2-1 at half-time thanks to goals from Daniel Lukacs and Barnabas Varga, but Parrott’s second goal of the night on 80 minutes and last-gasp winner broke the home side’s hearts.

Zelenskyy pledges to clean up Ukraine’s energy sector amid corruption scandal

President to overhaul state energy firms after $100m kickback scheme alleged by anti-corruption investigators

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced a plan to clean up Ukraine’s energy sector after an $100m (£76bn) kickback scheme was alleged by anti-corruption investigators, in the worst scandal of his presidency.

Over the weekend, the Ukrainian president announced an overhaul of key state energy companies including a complete change of management at Energoatom, the nuclear power operator at the centre of the alleged criminal scheme.

Cassidy says he's "very concerned" about possible hepatitis B vaccine schedule change

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician whose medical practice focused on hepatitis B, said he's "very concerned" about a potential change to the hepatitis B vaccine schedule for infants.

Book excerpt: "There Is No Place For Us" by Brian Goldstone

For his new book, the journalist examines why so many people who work full-time jobs with low wages are homeless in America.

Marjorie Taylor Greene says Trump’s remarks hurtful but hopes they can make up

Congresswoman, a longtime Trump ally, pushes back on president’s remarks labeling her a traitor and a lunatic

Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene on Sunday called Donald Trump’s remarks labeling her a traitor and a lunatic “hurtful” but said she hopes she and the US president can “make up”, despite stark differences over policy and the release of documents about Jeffrey Epstein.

Greene, a longtime ally and fierce defender of Trump and the Make America Great Again (Maga) base, pushed back against his name-calling, in her first interview since Trump withdrew his support for her on Friday.

Benn battles demons and doubters to emerge triumphant against Eubank Jr

Victory was driven by resentment after defeat in their first bout and towards his doubters after failed drug tests in 2022

“I feel like I’m going to go home and cry,” Conor Benn said quietly in the early hours of Sunday morning at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. “I think I’m going to cry here. Oh man, it’s been hard.”

Despite the surprising ease with which he had beaten his nemesis Chris Eubank Jr over 12 one-sided rounds on Saturday night, Benn’s face was bruised. But his mouth almost crumpled because of a different struggle locked deep with himself. In 2022, Benn tested positive for clomifene twice in separate tests held months apart from each other.

Gabriel a doubt for north London derby after Brazil confirm thigh injury

• Defender forced off in second half of Senegal friendly

• Brazil confirm he has returned to Arsenal for treatment

Gabriel Magalhães is a major doubt for next Sunday’s north London derby after scans revealed he suffered a thigh injury on international duty, with Arsenal concerned that their influential defender could be absent for a significant spell.

Brazil confirmed on Sunday that the 27-year-old has withdrawn from their squad 24 hours after he limped off during their 2-0 win against Senegal in a friendly at the Emirates Stadium.

When the employed are pushed into homelessness

Despite working full-time, many families are locked out of the rental housing market, due to low wages, soaring rents and poor credit, and have been pushed into homelessness.

10/12: Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan

This week on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Vice President JD Vance joins as President Trump heads to the Middle East amid the critical moment in the Israel-Hamas peace deal and at home, as the ongoing government shutdown drags on. Plus. Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty joins.

Nature: Black Hills of South Dakota

We leave you this Sunday morning with an autumn stroll in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Videographer: Kevin Kjergaard.

Walter Isaacson on "The Greatest Sentence Ever Written"

As America approaches its 250th birthday, the bestselling biographer and historian reflects on the message of the Declaration of Independence, and how it is just as vital to us today as it was in 1776.

Walter Isaacson on "The Greatest Sentence Ever Written"

As America approaches its 250th birthday, bestselling biographer and historian Walter Isaacson reflects on the message of the Declaration of Independence, and how it is just as vital to us today as it was in 1776.

A lesson in civics, and civility

Last month, in Surry, Virginia, 19-year-old Cameran Drew ran for a seat on the board of supervisors, taking inspiration from his high school civics class. His opponent? His civics teacher, Kenneth Bell. Steve Hartman reports on an election that could be a teachable moment.

Brazilian skier makes history with country’s first World Cup win: ‘Difference is a superpower’

• Lucas Pinheiro Braathen wins season opener

• 25-year-old switched allegiance from Norway

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen made skiing history as he delivered Brazil’s first-ever World Cup victory in a thrilling season-opening race at Levi on Sunday.

Pinheiro Braathen, who switched allegiance from Norway to Brazil last year, held a commanding 0.41-seconds lead from the first run and weaved his way down through the gates again in an ice-cool second run to claim the landmark win.

McIlroy emotional after overtaking Ballesteros with seventh Race to Dubai title

• Fitzpatrick wins DP World Tour Championship in playoff

• McIlroy now one behind record for season-long crowns

An emotional Rory McIlroy hailed surpassing Seve Ballesteros by winning a seventh Race to Dubai title as more than he ever dreamed of. McIlroy lost in a playoff against Matt Fitzpatrick in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, having staged a dramatic late fightback with an eagle at the 72nd hole.

While his Ryder Cup teammate celebrated a third win in the event, the Northern Irishman clinched the season-long crown to eclipse the late Ballesteros’s tally of six and move one behind record-holder, Colin Montgomerie. McIlroy told Sky Sports: “It’s amazing, I had a conversation with Carmen [Ballesteros’s ex-wife] before I went out to play today and she told me how proud he would have been.

When the employed are pushed into homelessness

In America we are taught hard work is the key to success. But despite having full-time jobs, many families are locked out of the rental housing market, due to low wages, soaring rents and poor credit, and have been pushed into homelessness. In this two-part report, senior contributor Ted Koppel talks with Brian Goldstone, author of "There Is No Place For Us: Working and Homeless in America," about the big business of homelessness; and with families who have struggled to pay inflated rates at "extended-stay hotels" catering to the desperate.

Trump pardons Jan. 6 defendant who remained in prison on weapons charge

January 6 defendant Dan Wilson was pardoned by President Trump for a second time on unrelated gun charges.

Dave Portnoy: "I don't go out of my way looking for fights"

Dave Portnoy talks about his digital empire catering to a young, mostly-male audience that he calls "normal guys," and about blowback from some of his site's "locker-room"-style content.

Dave Portnoy: "I don't go out of my way looking for fights"

Dave Portnoy's Barstool Sports began in 2003 as a free weekly newspaper of gambling tips published out of his mother's basement; it's now a digital empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars, catering to a young, mostly-male audience that he calls "normal guys." The provocative Portnoy talks with Tony Dokoupil about blowback from some of his site's "locker-room"-style content; a rise in antisemitism; and how he can ignore criticism due to his "good moral compass."

Wanna bet? Online prediction markets wager that you will

Prediction markets, like Kalshi, which allow people to place wagers on everything from elections and sports to the anticipated bridesmaids at Taylor Swift's wedding, are booming. But this burgeoning business model is coming under scrutiny.

Wanna bet? Online prediction markets wager that you will

The people behind the prediction market Kalshi, where people can place wagers on everything from elections and sports contests to the anticipated bridesmaids at Taylor Swift's wedding, say its users trade a billion dollars every week. But as prediction markets are expanding, this burgeoning business model is coming under the scrutiny of some state regulators and attorneys general. Jo Ling Kent reports.

Climate crisis or a warning from God? Iranians desperate for answers as water dries up

As rainy season fails to bring relief, authorities try cloud seeding – while others across the country pray for a miracle

Water, and its absence, has become Iran’s national obsession. In the mosques of northern Tehran the imams have been praying for rain, while the meteorologists count down the hours until the weather is forecast to break and rain is finally due to fall from the sky.

Forecasts of “rain-producing clouds” are front-page news. More than 50 days have passed since the start of Iran’s rainy season and more than 20 provinces have not yet had a drop. The number of dams that have less than 5% of their reservoir capacity had increased from eight to 32, and the crisis has spread from the central plains right across the country.

Call for inquiry after families stripped of child benefit due to flawed travel data

Andrew Snowden MP says government ‘must immediate take action’ on failures of anti-fraud benefits crackdown

Calls are being made for an urgent independent inquiry after thousands of families were stripped of child benefit due to flawed Home Office travel data that claimed to show parents going on holidays and not returning.

Andrew Snowden, the Conservative MP for Fylde and the party’s assistant whip, said the government “must take immediate and transparent action” to address the failures of the anti-fraud benefits crackdown.

The kindness of strangers: a woman cleaned up my toddler’s vomit – and paid for the paper towel

I was sleep deprived and completely overwhelmed when she stepped in and took charge

• Read more in the kindness of strangers series

As a twin mum the work is constant. It is double the love and double the laughs, but also double the illness. Of course, my twins would never get sick at the same time. As one recovered, the other would start showing symptoms.

One day, when my girls were three, one had a vomiting bug. She hadn’t thrown up for 24 hours so I took my chance to do a quick run to the chemist to stock up on supplies. My husband worked away during the week, so I had to manage on my own. I was exhausted, carrying the sick kid in my arms, while walking the healthy one along next to me as quickly as I could.

The banality of evil: how Epstein’s powerful friends normalised him

Long after his conviction for sexual abuse, people in royalty, academia, business, journalism and politics sought his ear

He got by with a little help from his friends. From British royalty to White House alumni, from a Silicon Valley investor to a leftwing academic, connections and influence were the ultimate currency for Jeffrey Epstein.

Yet none appeared to challenge Epstein over his horrific crimes. If silence is complicity, the casual disdain of the elite circles he moved in spoke volumes.

Ronni Ancona and Alistair McGowan look back: ‘We would have killed each other if we’d stayed as a couple. Instead, our friendship is eternal’

The comedians on their Bafta-winning sketch show, the reason they split up – and why she reminds him of Diane Keaton

Born in Louth, Lincolnshire in 1969, and raised in Troon, Ayrshire, Ronni Ancona is an actor, writer and impressionist. She studied at Edinburgh College of Art and trained as a teacher before turning to comedy. Born in Evesham, Worcestershire, in 1964, Alistair McGowan studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama before becoming an impressionist. The pair met on the London comedy circuit in the 1990s. They co-created the Bafta-winning Big Impression, which aired between 1999 and 2003 and became one of the BBC’s most popular sketch shows. Ancona’s new podcast with Hal Cruttenden – Hal & Ronni in Pieces – is available now.

Want to avoid anxiety, headaches and constipation? Try giving up on your goals | Emma Beddington

We’re taught from infancy that perseverance is a moral virtue and persistence pays. But what if quitters are happier and healthier?

Have you ever heard yourself saying “I’m going to do this if it kills me”? As the pensioners at my gym can attest, it’s what I hiss every time I’m there, attempting slowly and laboriously to get myself a millimetre closer to doing the splits.

But what if it actually is killing me? Not the groin strain, problematic as that is, but because I’ve just read in New Scientist that giving up is good for you, while grinding on isn’t. One study showed that people who “struggled to disengage from unfulfilling goals” had higher levels of cortisol and inflammatory molecules. “The result,” the article explained, “could be a heightened susceptibility to all kinds of conditions, including cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s.” In addition, “goal disengagement” – giving up – correlated with a lower risk of headaches, constipation and eczema; it may even protect against infection. Of 131 older adults, those who scored highly on a giving up scale (asking how easily they stopped fixating on unfulfilling goals and pivoted to others) got fewer colds.

Readers reply: Why do we feel nostalgia?

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

Why do we feel nostalgia? And why do some things trigger it more than others? Jules, Fife

Send new questions to [email protected].

I always used to dream of the past
But like they say yesterday never comes
Sometimes there’s a song in my brain
And I feel that my heart knows the refrain
I guess it’s just the music that brings on nostalgia for an age yet to come
Ah nostalgia for an age yet to come
Nostalgia for an age yet to come
About the future I only can reminisce
For what I’ve had is what I’ll never get
And although this may sound strange
My future and my past are presently disarranged
And I’m surfing on a wave of nostalgia for an age yet to come

At least 120 hurt in gen Z protests over corruption and drug violence in Mexico

Clashes erupt between protesters and riot police in the capital as rallies take place in cities across the country

At least 120 people were injured as thousands of gen Z protesters took to the streets of Mexico City and across the country to voice their anger at corruption and the drug violence that claims tens of thousands of Mexican lives each year.

​Saturday’s rallies, which took place in dozens of cities from Tijuana in the north to Oaxaca in the south drew large crowds, with some demonstrators carrying the One Piece pirate flag that has become a global symbol of the youth movement.

South Pacific nation of Tuvalu rebukes Trump’s ‘shameful disregard’ at Cop30

Minister from islands facing extinction is one of few delegates directly calling out Trump’s climate policies

Of all the representatives from 193 countries present at the crucial UN climate talks in Belém, Brazil, only one has summoned the courage to take the stage and publicly denounce the absent and hostile Trump administration: the climate minister of tiny Tuvalu.

On Monday, Maina Vakafua Talia told leaders and diplomats at the Cop30 summit that Donald Trump had shown a “shameful disregard for the rest of the world” by withdrawing the US from the Paris climate agreement.

How Google’s DeepMind tool is ‘more quickly’ forecasting hurricane behavior

‘Less expensive and time consuming’ model helps with fast and accurate predictions, possibly saving lives and property

When then Tropical Storm Melissa was churning south of Haiti, Philippe Papin, a National Hurricane Center (NHC) meteorologist, had confidence it was about to grow into a monster hurricane.

As the lead forecaster on duty, he predicted that in just 24 hours the storm would become a category 4 hurricane and begin a turn towards the coast of Jamaica. No NHC forecaster had ever issued such a bold forecast for rapid strengthening.

How to make risotto alla milanese – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

Just like Italy’s fashion capital, this saffron-hued dish is elegantly simple and very rich

Risotto alla milanese is, like the city it calls home, elegantly simple, but very rich. The saffron that gives the dish its striking colour is rightly expensive (it takes about 150 flowers to produce a mere gram), but you don’t need much and, though it’s often served alongside osso buco, I think it makes a fine meal on its own with a bitter-leaf salad.

Prep 5 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4

A Santa parade, the Clooneys and frontline pets: photos of the weekend

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world

Dermatologists criticise ‘dystopian’ skincare products aimed at children

Marketing or celebrity-led treatments for toddlers and upwards described as ‘ridiculous’ and lacking in skin benefit

Dermatologists have criticised an actor’s new skincare brand, calling it “dystopian” for creating face masks for four-year-olds, warning that the beauty industry is now expanding its reach from teenagers to toddlers.

It comes as a growing number of brands are moving into the children’s, teenage and young adult skincare market. In October, the first skincare brand developed for under-14s, Ever-eden, launched in the US. Superdrug has just created a range for those aged between 13 and 28.

Detective says cruelty of woman's murder will "stay with me forever"

Lt. Dakota Black of the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office in Shawnee, Oklahoma, says the case of Makayla Meave, a missing teacher's aide, was one of the most heart-wrenching cases of her career.

Jamie George admits he was brains behind England’s provocative response to haka

• George gave Pollock starring role in reaction to All Blacks

• England moved into V-shape during traditional dance

Henry Pollock’s starring role in England’s response to the haka was designed by Jamie George, who revealed he took inspiration from the 2019 World Cup semi-final win and admitted they risked poking the bear before clinching a first home win against the All Blacks in 13 years.

George admitted he was the brains behind England’s decision to ­initially line up as usual while the All Blacks performed their traditional war dance before breaking out into a V‑shape. As the eldest player in the squad, George was intentionally on one end with Pollock, the youngest, on the other. The captain, Maro Itoje, stood at the point of the V, which, in truth, looked more like a C-shaped formation.

Inside Trump’s scramble to reduce US dependence on Chinese rare-earth metals

The White House has made it a top priority to return the rare-earth industry to US shores. But is it really feasible?

Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, returned from South Carolina last week brandishing a small piece of metal, proclaiming that it was the first rare-earth magnet made in the US in a quarter of a century.

It was, he indicated to Fox Business, proof that the US is ending “China’s chokehold on our supply chain”. Thanks to the South Carolina company eVAC’s new rare-earth mineral processing center, Bessent added: “We’re finally becoming independent again.”

His research on autism was compassionate – how could Hans Asperger have collaborated with the Nazis?

The Vienna-based ‘father of neurodiversity’ was ahead of his time in his work but was also implicated in the Third Reich’s crimes. My novel set out to explore these contradictions

In 2015, I decided to write a novel about Dr Hans Asperger, who worked at the University Children’s Hospital in Vienna during the second world war. My interest was sparked by two nonfiction books: NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter About People Who Think Differently by Steve Silberman and In a Different Key: The Story of Autism by John Donvan and Caren Zucker.

Reading these stories told about Asperger, you would have thought they were talking about two different people. To Silberman, Asperger was a compassionate and original thinker, whereas Donvan and Zucker depict him as an enthusiastic supporter of Hitler. For a historical novelist, widely differing accounts of the same person are gold dust, and I began to dig deeper.

Dining across the divide: ‘We both came out thinking Zack Polanski is a breath of fresh air’

They both liked the Greens’ Zack Polanski and disliked the tech oligarchs. But could they find common cause over the power of the unions?

Andrew, 70, near Nottingham

Occupation Retired acupuncturist and herbalist

Everything I wish I’d known before I decided to freeze my eggs at 36

More and more people are turning to egg freezing to increase their chances of becoming a parent. Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering it – from the hidden costs to the chances of success

When I first told my mother I was freezing my eggs, she asked: “So my grandchildren are going to be stored next to some Häagen-Dazs?” (Very funny, Mum.) I’m one of an increasing number of women in the UK who have chosen to put their eggs on ice in order to preserve their fertility, although this does – as discussed later – have clear limitations.

According to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the UK’s regulator for the fertility industry, there was a 170% increase in the number of egg freezing cycles between 2019 and 2023. The technology has been around since the 80s, but became more accessible in the 00s with vitrification, a flash-freezing technique. Now, celebrities such as Florence Pugh and Michaela Coel openly discuss their experiences of it, and companies such as Meta, Spotify and Goldman Sachs subsidise the procedure for employees.

Is there a dark side to gratitude?

Feeling thankful is increasingly touted as a cure-all, but sometimes there are reasons not to be grateful

The word “gratitude” is everywhere these days. On mental health leaflets and in magazine columns, emblazoned on mugs and motivational posters. All this is the result of more than two decades’ research in positive psychology which has found that having a “gratitude practice” (usually jotting down three to five things you are thankful for most days) brings a host of psychological and physical benefits.

I don’t want to seem, well, ungrateful. I’m a sceptical historian, but even I was persuaded to take up the gratitude habit, and when I remember to do it, I feel better: more cheerful and connected, inclined to see the good already in my life. Counting your blessings, whether that’s noticing a beautiful sunset or remembering how your neighbour went out of their way to help you earlier, is free and attractively simple. But there’s the problem. In our eagerness to embrace gratitude as a cure-all, have we lost sight of its complexity and its edge?

Chile votes for next president in contest dominated by crime and migration fears

Voters face seemingly extreme choice between communist and rightwing frontrunners, who both promise to fight foreign gangs

Chileans began voting for a new president and parliament on Sunday, in a contest expected to favour the hard right as candidates play on popular fears over organised crime and immigration.

It is the first of an expected two rounds of presidential elections, as polls show none of the candidates clearing the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff scheduled for 14 December.

Flooded and forgotten: the UK’s waters are rising and we’re being kept in the dark | John Harris

Rescue operations in Wales, submerged railway lines in Cornwall – these events are ever more common. So why have we utterly failed to prepare?

As autumn blurs into winter, the news is once again filling up with a familiar story: overflowing rivers, inundated streets and overwhelmed infrastructure. Since Friday, England, Wales and Ireland have been hit by the storm the Spanish meteorological agency has elegantly named Claudia, with grim results. One place in particular massively bore the brunt of it all: the Welsh border town of Monmouth, where the raging River Monnow spilled into the streets, people had to be rescued from their homes and drones captured aerial views of the scene, showing fragile-looking buildings suddenly surrounded by a huge clay-brown swamp.

Claudia and her effects made it into the national headlines – but mostly, local and regional floods now seem too mundane to attract that kind of attention. Eleven days ago, Cumbria saw submerged roads, blocked drains and over 250 flood-related problems reported to the relevant councils. Railway lines in Cornwall were submerged; in Carmarthen, in west Wales, there were reports of the worst floods in living memory. But beyond the areas affected, who heard about these stories? Such comparatively small events, it seems, are now only to be expected.

John Harris is a Guardian columnist

Asylum system in UK ‘out of control’ and dividing country, home secretary says

Shabana Mahmood to unveil new proposals modelled on Denmark’s controversial system

Refugees who have established lives with homes and families in the UK – including Ukrainians – will still face having to return if their home countries become safe, the home secretary has said.

Shabana Mahmood said the asylum system was “out of control and putting huge pressure on communities” as she announced plans to end the permanent status of refugees, who would need to reapply to remain in Britain every two and a half years.

Ollie Pope believes pressure on England place will push him to deliver in Ashes

• Batter scored 100 and 90 against Lions in warmup

• Was dropped after averaging 11.17 in 2021-22 tour

Ollie Pope believes the pressure of defending his spot in the England team amid constant speculation about his future and the rising challenge presented by Jacob Bethell has given him greater clarity and quality, leaving him well-placed to improve a poor record against Australia when the Ashes start on Friday.

In 10 Test innings against ­Australia, Pope has never scored more than 42, averaging 11.17 in the three games he played last time England toured here in 2021-22, and 22.50 in two matches when the Ashes were last contested in 2023. The 27-year-old looked in fine form when scoring 100 and 90 in the warm-up fixture against the Lions at Lilac Hill and will head to the Optus Stadium with confidence high.

‘I was just going to school’: legacy of New Orleans’ other desegregation pioneers

Gail Etienne has built a center at the former school she and her two six-year-old friends braved angry crowds to attend – the same day as Ruby Bridges’ better-known experience

Gail Etienne still remembers her first day at McDonogh 19 elementary school in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward. As her family pulled up to the school in the car with the federal marshals, they saw crowds of angry people screaming. Some carried garbage cans and sticks. Others were holding picket signs against school integration.

“I’ll never forget it,” Etienne said. “I saw this one lady was pregnant and had a garbage can top in her hand. I’m wondering, at six years old, what could I have done at six years old to these people to make them act the way they were acting? I really thought that if they could get to me, they’d want to kill me. I didn’t know why. What had I done? I was just going to school.”

This is how we do it: ‘I do get jealous and question whether I’m cut out for non-monogamy’

Maya worried about entering into an open relationship with Ollie, but being honest with each other has deepened their relationship

• How do you do it? Share the story of your sex life, anonymously

If I know that Ollie’s on a date, I find it difficult sitting around, not knowing what to do with myself

Inside Ford's new world headquarters: Scratch kitchens, rotisserie chickens and design secrets

Ford's new 2.1-million-square-foot headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, is ceremoniously opening Sunday, although construction is expected to continue into 2027.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste: ‘I’d work for Mike Leigh again in a heartbeat – in fact, I’ll pay him!’

The actor moved to LA 22 years ago. Now she’s back in the UK to star alongside Bryan Cranston in All My Sons. She talks about the frightening rehearsal schedule, how she’d work again with Mike Leigh in a heartbeat, and why she’s taking up boot-making

Marianne Jean-Baptiste arrives at the rehearsal space in  Southwark, south London, and immediately announces that she’s exhausted. It wouldn’t be surprising if nerves were getting the better of her; she’s seven days into a three-week rehearsal period for a new production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, which is brutally short by anyone’s standards. Peeling off unnecessary layers of clothes – it’s not a cold morning – she says jet lag has been messing with her circadian rhythms since she flew in from Los Angeles 10 days ago. “I woke up at 3.17am and was like: fucking hell, it’s early. I lay there for a while, running lines from the play in my head. Then I thought: ‘Just get up and marinate the chicken.’ I made some ginger and lemon tea and finally went back to bed at 5.30am – better to rest and meditate even if I couldn’t sleep.” She was just dropping off when the alarm went off at 7am.

These days it takes a lot to lure Jean-Baptiste away from her home in Los Angeles, where she has lived with her husband and two daughters full-time since 2003. She loves coming back to her native London to see family and friends, but LA has a slower pace, optimism, a vast ocean – and, for a long time, it offered better opportunities to work. Her breakthrough role as the optometrist in search of her birth mother in the 1996 Mike Leigh film Secrets & Lies brought a Golden Globe nomination and she became the first Black British woman to be nominated for an Academy Award. She memorably played Doreen Lawrence in the 1999 TV movie The Murder of Stephen Lawrence, but then – nothing much. Most offers of work came from the US.

When reality bites: the rapid rise and chaotic fall of Reform UK in Cornwall

Resignations, suspensions and infighting lead to party losing crown of highest number of seats in the county

“I know whenever I come back here next,” Nigel Farage told a jubilant crowd of hundreds in a leisure centre in Redruth, “Reform UK will become a dominant force, not just in Cornwall politics, but in British politics.”

That was in February and when the local elections arrived three months later it appeared Farage’s prophecy was in part coming true – Reform took 28 seats on Cornwall council, the highest number of any party.

‘I once said there’s no way I’ll still be playing Baggy Trousers at 30’: Suggs’s honest playlist

Prince Buster’s Al Capone changed the Madness singer’s life and Aretha Franklin is his go-to at karaoke, but what song makes him cry?

The first song I fell in love with
Judy Teen by Cockney Rebel. I’d seen Steve Harley on Top of the Pops and liked his look, with the mascara and bowler hat, like Alex from A Clockwork Orange. One day, me and my mates decided to cycle to Salisbury Plain. I had a transistor radio tied to the handlebars and Judy Teen came on. Unfortunately, the batteries ran out when we got to Swiss Cottage [in north London] … and my legs ran out at the same time!

The first single I bought
The Wall Street Shuffle by 10cc, from Woolworths in Camden Town. Later on, we used to pinch records, but I paid my dues for a while.

Caribbean reparations leaders in ‘historic’ first UK visit to press for justice

CRC mission will seek to deepen public understanding of Britain’s colonial legacy and its lasting impact

A delegation from the body leading the Caribbean’s slavery reparations movement will be in the UK next week for a “historic” first official visit to advocate for former British colonies.

The Caricom Reparations Commission (CRC) will be meeting with UK parliamentarians, Caribbean diplomats, academics and civil society groups from 17 to 20 November.

Celebrity crib sheet: Sydney Sweeney is everywhere – here are nine things you need to know about her

A jeans ad made her notorious. Then she got cosy with Taylor Swift’s arch-nemesis. Time to get up to speed before the actor/model next hits the headlines …

Spare a thought for Sydney Sweeney! Yes, she is young, beautiful, rich and talented, but she has also been getting it from all sides this week. Her passion project has bombed at the box office; she is still paying for a jeans advertisement she did four months ago, and being called on to address charges of having joked about eugenics; and fellow members of the Hollywood elite are breaking ranks to express their disdain (in one case, with a vomiting emoji). And, as she found out this week, she can’t even enjoy a kiss with her controversial new boyfriend without being snapped by the callous paparazzi!

Here’s what you need to know when Sweeney’s name next crops up – which, if current trends continue, will be soon.

The US is now a rogue state - look at its extrajudicial killings off Venezuela’s coast | Simon Tisdall

These widely condemned strikes are just the latest sign of Trump’s imperialist revival – and the collapsing of the rules-based world order

The UK’s reported decision to restrict intelligence-sharing with the Pentagon on suspected drug-traffickers’ boats in the Caribbean is a modest yet symbolic act of resistance to Donald Trump’s imperialist revival. Britain is said to have objected to repeated, lethal US airstrikes on alleged smugglers off Venezuela’s coast – which have been widely condemned as illegal extrajudicial killings amounting to murder.

The strikes appear to foreshadow direct US attacks on Venezuela itself. Trump makes no secret of his wish to topple Nicolás Maduro’s authoritarian, ostensibly leftist regime. Most Venezuelans support this aim, but not the means. Regime change forcibly imposed by a foreign power contravenes international law, unless it is authorised by the UN or undertaken in self-defence as a last resort. Legal or not, it never ends well.

China sends coast guard to Senkaku islands amid row with Japan

Activity around Japanese-held islands, also claimed by China, comes after PM Sanae Takaichi said Japan might respond militarily to an invasion of Taiwan

China has sent its coast guard through the waters of the Senkaku islands and military drones past outlying Japanese territory as Beijing ramps up tensions over the Japanese prime minister’s remarks on Taiwan.

On Sunday the Chinese coastguard said its ships made a “rights enforcement patrol” through the waters of the Senkaku, which are administered by Japan but also claimed by China as the Diaoyu islands.

10 places to stay in the UK and Europe where you can travel back in time

From a Tudor manor in Wales to a swinging 60s hotel in Prague, these hotels and guesthouses are steeped in history

‘I try not to get him started on politics!’: power couples on rows, rules and who really does the housework

As fewer people tie the knot, four well-known married couples share their secrets, from film director Bruce Robinson and artist Sophie Windham to writers Roxane Gay and Debbie Millman

Bruce Robinson – best known as the writer and director of Withnail and I – met artist Sophie Windham at an Italian restaurant in London in 1982. He proposed three days later. They have been married for 42 years and still live and work side by side in the Welsh borders. They have two grownup children, Lily and Willoughby.

My friend only ever wants to talk about herself. Should I cut her off? | Ask Annalisa Barbieri

A face-to-face conversation telling her how her behaviour affects you would give you peace, even if she ignores you

I have been friends with a woman for more than 20 years, who has overcome many challenges, which I admire. However, she’s constantly blindsided by people. Her husband left her, and it was a huge shock. A lot of her friends disappeared at that point as they were only interested in her husband. This surprised her. She made more effort to be my friend, and must have realised more clearly what friendship was.

Over the years since, quite a few of her friends have disappeared and she isn’t sure why. Her last employer turned on her, even though she was an excellent employee, and she left without knowing what had changed.

How Britain replaced the US as Russia’s villain of choice

London and Moscow’s rivalry stretches back to the imperial era, but the Ukraine war has brought relations to a new low

In recent years, Britain has become the villain of choice in Moscow’s eyes. It has been accused of plotting drone strikes on Russian airfields, blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline, directing “terrorist” raids inside Russia, and even abetting last year’s gruesome Islamic State concert attack in Moscow.

This week, a new charge was added to the pile: Russian authorities claimed that British intelligence had tried and failed to lure Russian pilots into defecting to the west.

Hundreds of National Guard members to leave Portland, Chicago, source says

Last month, about 200 federalized California National Guard soldiers were sent to Portland, and another 200 federalized Texas National Guard soldiers were sent to Chicago.

We have lift-off! Melbourne’s skyscraper peregrine chicks take to the sky

Falcon fledglings’ inaugural flight watched by dedicated fans includes dramatic crash-landing

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A trio of young falcons born atop a 35-storey building in Melbourne’s CBD have taken flight for the first time, with the take-off captured on a livestream for the world to see.

The three peregrine falcons – two females and one male – fledged late last week, with the footage of their first flight posted on Instagram by non-profit organisation Bird Life Australia. The last falcon took flight shortly after 9am on Saturday for the second time – after returning to the ledge in a crash landing the day before.

Marjorie Taylor Greene says she is receiving threats amid rift with Trump

President Trump on Friday wrote that he was "withdrawing" his "support and Endorsement" of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, indicating that he might even back an effort to primary his former longtime ally.

Biologists race to rescue bat populations from deadly white-nose syndrome

North Carolina's tricolored bats are unstable, among several species of bats quickly dying off in the dark. The bats eat the same bugs that kill crops, meaning they play a critical role in the ecosystem.

Couple walking through every U.S. state aims to find common ground among Americans

A couple walked 12,000 miles through all 50 states. What started as a simple adventure to see America's beauty turned into a mission to connect a divided country. Brady Halbleib has the story.

"White nose syndrome" killing millions of bats in North America

A deadly fungal disease called "white nose syndrome" is sweeping across North America, wiping out millions of bats. Dave Malkoff goes underground in North Carolina as scientists race to save these vital creatures.

Why is Trump threatening to sue the BBC?

President Trump has threatened legal action against the British broadcaster BBC. Haley Ott has the details.

Americans still struggling after weeks without federal food aid: "It's either food or lights"

Economic promises helped Donald Trump get re-elected. Now, he has an affordability problem, and his administration is facing backlash from consumers over the cost of living. Ali Bauman has more on efforts to bring relief.

Trump says he's "sort of made up my mind" on Venezuela military action

President Trump says he has "sort of made up my mind" on whether to take military action in Venezuela. The comments come as America's largest aircraft carrier, the Ford, and other U.S. forces move within striking distance of the country. Charlie D'Agata has new details.

Trump drops support for Marjorie Taylor Greene amid Epstein fallout

President Trump says he will no longer support onetime close ally and Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene amid the ongoing fallout over the Epstein files. Willie James Inman reports.

Rainstorm pummels California, triggering flash flood warnings, evacuation orders

Flash flood warnings expanded on Saturday as rain hit wide swaths of California amid fears that the atmospheric river will intensify. Andres Gutierrez has the latest details.

One Shot With Ed Sheeran review – well-planned spontaneity from all-smiling singer

Philip Barantini’s single-take special follows the star mooching around Manhattan, guitar ever ready for ad hoc turns, ahead of his evening show

Ed Sheeran floats through New York on a cloud of his own sunny high spirits in this hour-long Netflix special. He is the Candide of the music business, smiling benignly, strumming and singing, seamlessly pausing for selfies and fist-bumps and high-fives; he almost visibly absorbs energy from the saucer-eyed fan-worship shown by gobsmacked passersby and radiates it back at them.

Maybe you have to be a Sheeran fan to really appreciate it, but this is another single-take bravura special from film-maker Philip Barantini (who directed Netflix’s searing single-take drama Adolescence) and his director of photography Nyk Allen. With no cuts (though there’s an allowable fast-forward bit, and the audio might have been tweaked in post-production) they follow the unselfconscious Ed as he completes a late-afternoon soundcheck at the New York theatre where he’s playing a concert later on, and then for the next hour, and with fans pretty much always swarming around him, he wanders through the city with his guitar for various encounters, some planned, some (supposedly) not.

Teenager charged with murder after death of girl, 17, in South Wales

Gwent police name victim as Lainie Williams and have charged Cameron Cheng, 18, a British national

A teenager has been charged with murder after a 17-year-old girl was killed in South Wales.

The girl, named as Lainie Williams, was pronounced dead at the scene, Gwent police said.

Wild Cherry review – this fun, trashy thriller seems to have spent most of its budget on clothes

There are shades of Gossip Girl, Desperate Housewives and everything Nicole Kidman has appeared in for the last five years. Put your brain aside, and enjoy

That its ultra-wealthy characters live in a place called Richford Lake tells you almost everything you need to know about the glossy new thriller Wild Cherry. Yes, it’s another entry in the increasingly popular eat-the-rich genre. Yes, it has shades of The White Lotus and everything starring Nicole Kidman for the past five years. Yes, most of the budget has gone to wardrobe, with any woman over the age of 30 apparently allergic to synthetic fibres and every actor seemingly cast primarily for her ability to carry off swagged silk and cashmere in warm beige tones. Yes, you should have bought shares in the colour camel years ago but it’s too late now. Yes, the insular community and soapy vibe suggests an ancestry that includes Desperate Housewives and Gossip Girl. Yes, in short, it’s trash with pretensions. But trash with pretensions is as fun a way to spend the long winter evenings as any, so why not set your brain aside and enjoy it?

We begin with the obligatory the-future-as-prelude scene, which here involves four women – two older, two younger – standing in a well-appointed bathroom in their underwear scrubbing blood off their hands. We then flashback to begin the six-part journey to finding out what the jolly heck is going on.

Ethiopia confirms outbreak of deadly Marburg virus

Africa CDC says at least nine cases have been detected of Ebola-like illness, which kills up to 80% of those infected

Ethiopia has confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in the south of the country, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said.

The Marburg virus is one of the deadliest known pathogens. Like Ebola, it causes severe bleeding, fever, vomiting and diarrhoea and has a 21-day incubation period.

The moment I knew: I felt a pang of fear – but I knew we were an unbeatable duo

After spying Tom Box at a punk gig, Kate Logan made a Dalek poster to capture his attention

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Long before we’d met, I had heard a lot about a guy called Tom Box. I knew he was an Australian living in the South Island of New Zealand. I was in Wellington, and there’d been a few occasions when I’d travelled to the South Island for raves or anarchist conferences where some of the folks had gone to Tom’s place – but I splintered off somewhere else.

Then one day, in 2007, I was at a punk gig when a mutual friend said, “Oh, do you know Tom Box? He’s over there. He’s just moved up to Wellington.” There in a sea of black-clad punks, jumping up and down at the front of the mosh pit, was this guy in a pale blue Star Trek uniform. To me, as a person unfamiliar with Star Trek, he looked like he was wearing pyjamas. This was my first vision of him, but we didn’t talk at all that night.

Bill Bryson: ‘Ever since I was a little boy, I have pretended to be able to vaporise people I don’t like’

The American British author on pet peeves, the perils of fantasy dinner parties, and revisiting The Short History of Everything two decades later

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You did a whole book on Australia, and have travelled here a bit since – what’s the number one tip or recommendation you’d give someone coming for the first time?

Get out and walk! I mean, maybe not through the outback, but if you’re in any of the cities, walk. I do that wherever I go. And I love to just go off and explore without knowing where I’m going, without a map or any preconceived ideas. I think it’s the best way to discover a place, and it has the great virtue that if you turn a corner – say in Sydney – and there’s suddenly the Harbour Bridge, you feel as if you’ve discovered it. There’s a real feeling of exhilaration, I think, in that. But also, you discover little cafes and hidden corners and odds and ends.

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A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 by Bill Bryson is out now through Penguin. The author is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2026 with the live show The Best of Bill Bryson

Todd Snider, alt-country singer-songwriter of Alright Guy, dies aged 59

Influential musician who created Americana hits had recently been hospitalized with pneumonia

Todd Snider, the influential alt-country singer-songwriter who created Americana hits such as Alright Guy, has died at 59.

His passing was shared through announcements on his official social media accounts. Although no cause of death was provided, his family shared on Friday that he had recently been hospitalized with pneumonia.

Former Fed Gov. Adriana Kugler violated trading rules while at central bank: ethics report

The Federal Reserve's internal watchdog was notified earlier this year about stock trades from 2024 disclosed by then-Gov Adriana Kugler.

Trump pressures Thailand to recommit to Cambodia ceasefire with ‘threat of tariffs’

Bangkok had earlier said it was suspending ceasefire, accusing Cambodia of laying landmines along the border

The US has put pressure on Thailand to recommit to a ceasefire with Cambodia, warning trade talks could be halted as Washington seeks to keep a Donald Trump-brokered truce agreement from falling apart.

Earlier this week, Thailand said that it was suspending the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodia of laying fresh landmines along the border, including one it said wounded a Thai soldier on patrol, who lost a foot in the explosion.

Viktor Orbán begins ‘anti-war roadshow’ as Hungary gears up for 2026 elections

PM makes opposition to support for Ukraine central to Fidesz campaign as it loses ground over cost of living crisis

Hungary’s prime minister has kicked off a weeks-long “anti-war roadshow”, turning criticism of European support for Ukraine into an early campaign message before next year’s elections.

Viktor Orbán’ is scheduled to stage an event in five cities before the end of the year, and started with an assembly on Saturday in the north-western city of Győr.

Plastic paradise: on the frontlines of the fight to clean up pollution in Bali – in pictures

In January the island’s beaches were inundated with waves of plastic pollution, a phenomenon that has been getting worse by the year. Photographer and film-maker Sean Gallagher travelled to Bali to document the increasing tide of rubbish washing up on beaches and riverbanks, and the people facing the monumental challenge of cleaning up. His portraits are on show as part of the 2025 Head On photo festival at Bondi Beach promenade until 30 November

$170,000 a minute: why Saudi Arabia is the biggest blocker of climate action

Desert kingdom depends on oil dollars but its people already face a climate ‘at the verge of livability’. What’s going on?

‘Are they going to eat me alive?’: trail runners become prey in newest form of hunting

Nervous reporter is chased across English countryside by baying bloodhounds, in what could soon be only legal way to hunt with dogs

Would you like to be chased by a pack of hounds? It’s a question often put to highlight the cruelty of hunting, because the answer would seem to be no. Or so you would think.

Yet increasing numbers of people are volunteering to be chased across the countryside by baying bloodhounds in what could soon be the only legal way to hunt with dogs in England and Wales, rather than pursuing animals or their scents.

The government shutdown is over. The air traffic controller shortage is not

Staffing shortages of air traffic controllers forced airlines to chop flights and delay thousands of others that disrupted travel plans of 5 million people.

Post your questions for Peaches

As she prepares to release No Lube So Rude, her first album in a decade, the Canadian dance-punk icon will answer your questions

Whether crowdsurfing inside a giant condom or singing alongside a vulva-headed dancer, Peaches has left us with some indelible on-stage images over the years – and there are set to be a few new ones as she goes on tour and releases her first album in a decade. As she does so, she’ll join us to answer your questions.

Peaches, AKA Merrill Nisker, emerged from Toronto’s underground scene in the late 1990s – her peers included Feist, her flatmate above a sex shop – but really came to fame in the early 00s after she moved to Berlin. Her debut EP, Lovertits, was a cherished item on the era’s electroclash scene but it was the a joyous, profane dance-punk track Fuck the Pain Away, from her debut album The Teaches of Peaches, that really took her into the mainstream.

Israel breaching international law by limiting Gaza aid, says Unrwa official

Natalie Boucly says supplies are ready but only about half of what is needed is getting into territory

Israel is breaching international law by continuing to impose restrictions on aid flows into Gaza, where the population remains critically short of food and life-saving goods as winter sets in, a senior official at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said.

In an interview during a recent visit to Brussels, Natalie Boucly, an Unrwa deputy commissioner general, said the whole world – including the EU and US – needed to increase the pressure on Israel’s government to ensure the unrestricted flow of aid into Gaza.

Don’t argue with strangers… and 11 more rules to survive the information crisis

Feeling overwhelmed by divisive opinions, endless rows and unreliable facts? Here’s how to weather the data storm

We all live in history. A lot of the problems that face us, and the opportunities that present themselves, are defined not by our own choices or even the specific place or government we’re living under, but by the particular epoch of human events that our lives happen to coincide with.

The Industrial Revolution, for example, presented opportunities for certain kinds of business success – it made some people very rich while others were exploited. If you’d known that was the name of your era, it would have given you a clue about what kinds of events to prepare for. So I’m suggesting a name for the era we’re living through: the Information Crisis.

Blast from confiscated explosives at police station in Indian-controlled Kashmir kills nine

The accidental explosion comes days after a deadly car blast in New Delhi which killed at least eight people near the city’s historic Red Fort

At least nine people were killed and 32 injured after a cache of confiscated explosives detonated inside a police station in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police have announced.

The blast occurred in the Nowgam area of Srinagar, the region’s main city, late on Friday while a team of forensic experts and police were examining the explosive material, said Nalin Prabhat, the region’s police director general. He ruled out any foul play, saying it was an accident.

My Cultural Awakening: I moved across the world after watching a Billy Connolly documentary

A chance viewing of the comic’s World Tour of Scotland made me swap Australia for the Highlands, although things didn’t quite go to plan …

I was 23 and thought I had found my path in life. I’d always wanted to work with animals, and I had just landed a job as a vet nurse in Melbourne. I was still learning the ropes, but I imagined I would stay there for years, building a life around the work. Then, five months in, the vet called me into his office and told me it wasn’t working out. “It’s not you,” he said, “I just really hate training people.” His previous nurse had been with him for decades; she knew his every move. I didn’t. And just like that, I was out of a job.

I drove home crying, feeling utterly adrift. I wasn’t sure whether to try again at another vet clinic or rip up the plan entirely and do something else. After spending a few days floating around aimlessly, trying to recalibrate my life, I turned on the TV, needing something to take my mind off things. And there he was: Billy Connolly, striding across a windswept Scottish landscape in his World Tour of Scotland documentary.

Blind date: ‘She friend-zoned me over text before the night was through’

Alex, 31, an academic, meets Rachel, 28, a university caseworker

What were you hoping for?
A good plotline, a fun evening and the chance of a connection.

‘Not for the faint-hearted’: is running the BBC an impossible job?

After Tim Davie’s resignation, the next director general will face internal strife, external noise and looming talks over the corporation’s existence and purpose

As BBC senior editors arrived at its New Broadcasting House headquarters in central London on Monday, the most pressing question was what had convinced Tim Davie, the corporation’s director general, to quit suddenly. Like any good BBC drama, it was a plot twist no one had seen coming.

As they assessed the brutal pressures that had finally proved too much for Davie, a second question soon arose. Was running the BBC now simply an impossible job?