Latest on Iran war as Trump announces Strait of Hormuz blockade

A marathon round of talks between the U.S. and Iran over the weekend failed to produce a peace agreement, leading President Trump to announce a bloackade of the Strait of Hormuz. Imtiaz Tyab and Taurean Small have more.

Trump blasts Pope Leo for criticism of U.S. foreign policy

Leo, the first U.S.-born pope who hails from Chicago, has condemned Trump's war effort with Iran.

Recapping the historic Artemis II mission around the moon

Artemis II's crew has returned home to Houston after covering nearly 700,000 miles on their voyage around the moon. Mark Strassmann has more.

Euphoria season three review – grubby, desperate and absolutely not worth the wait

What a relief that this is the end for Sam Levison’s grim drama. A show which was once blackly funny is now humourless torture porn

To say that season three of Euphoria is long-awaited would be something of an understatement. HBO’s high school drama debuted in 2019, when it garnered a fanfare of attention with its heady mix of grinding trauma, heavenly eyeshadows and cheap/daring (delete as appropriate) feats, including a locker room scene starring 30 penises. In the years since, it cemented itself as a show with much to say about gen Z’s relationship to sex, drugs and mental health, and pushed Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney and former Disney teenybopper Zendaya to the A-list. It has also released a mere 18 episodes in that time, a victim of everything from the Covid pandemic to the Los Angeles fires. Like a new Rihanna album, Euphoria season three has – in time – become shorthand for a pop culture mirage that would maybe, possibly arrive sometime before 2030. At least, we hoped, before most of the cast were in their 30s.

Excitement, too, has waned over time. Rumours of rifts between the cast and creator Sam Levinson have only grown since its return was confirmed last autumn, and the press tour that followed has had a distinct flavour of “contractual obligation” about it (social media posts from the cast were few and far between, while Zendaya, in an interview with Variety, ambiguously described filming as a “whirlwind”). It brings me no pleasure, then, to report that, based on the three episodes released for review, Euphoria’s third (and probably final) run was absolutely not worth the wait. It’s a grubby, humourless work of torture porn that’s obsessed with and repulsed by sex work.

Titaníque review – delightfully campy Céline Dion musical shows bigger isn’t always better

St James Theatre, New York
The hilariously deranged riff on Titanic loses some scrappy charm in its Broadway transfer

According to its creators, the idea for Titaníque, the extremely campy Céline Dion jukebox musical now open on Broadway, originated as a drunken riff between friends – what if the Québécois Queen of Feelings not only sang the theme song of the movie Titanic, but sincerely believed she survived the disaster? A Céline-ified Titanic is an appropriately silly concept – possibly no one has provided the world as much camp sincerity as the 90s power ballad pioneer, and the beloved movie could use some unserious updates. Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue, the co-authors, made the show extra zany, extra gay, extra “kooky crazy” (to quote the truly inimitable Dion) and set sail in the theatrical equivalent of a rowboat; the first staging of Titaníque took place in the basement of a shuttered Manhattan grocery store. Adaptable and very meta, the show upgraded to a series of ever-larger craft: a buzzy, post-pandemic Off-Broadway run, a world tour, then an acclaimed West End stint.

Though, to my deep regret, I missed out on the original Off-Broadway run, I found myself nostalgic for those humble beginnings while attending the new-and-improved Titaníque at the too-cavernous St James Theater, where the jazzed-up show now has the budget and scale befitting an ocean liner. Or, more accurately, a corporate reality TV show; the tiered risers, on-stage band (who, it should be noted, sound great) and, most evocatively, neon-red stage lights look less like Titanic, even a very loosely interpreted one, and more like The X Factor, as Mindelle joked in one of her many asides as the singer. Why? Who’s to say. Self-awareness counts for a lot in the very funny Titaníque, though not an explanation.

Middle East crisis live: Iranian negotiator says ‘we will not bow to any threats’ as Trump says US navy will blockade strait of Hormuz

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says ‘if you fight, we will fight’, reports state media, as US president also threatens to bomb Iran’s water treatment facilities

• JD Vance and US delegation leave Pakistan after failing to reach deal with Iran

• Planeloads of negotiators and too little time: US and Iran’s 21 hours of talks

A post about an hour ago on the Israel Defense Forces Telegram channel claimed that overnight, the IDF “identified a rocket launcher positioned and ready to launch toward the State of Israel in the area of Jouaiyya in southern Lebanon”.

Shortly after the identification, the launcher was struck and dismantled in a rapid closure cycle, thwarting the launch before it could be carried out.

Trump says U.S. will blockade Strait of Hormuz, intercept ships that paid Iran

President Trump said the U.S. Navy will begin blockading ships from entering or exiting the Strait of Hormuz and intercept vessels that have paid tolls to Iran.

Eric Swalwell suspends campaign for California governor amid sexual misconduct allegations

Multiple women have reportedly accused Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of sexual misconduct, among them a former staffer who alleges he sexually assaulted her.

Rory McIlroy claims second straight Masters title

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland won the 2026 Masters Tournament at Georgia's Augusta National, claiming his second straight green jacket.

Massive Attack frontman Robert Del Naja among 500 arrested at Palestine Action protest

Musician says he wanted to attend the protest despite the consequences a potential arrest could have on his music career

Massive Attack frontman Robert Del Naja has been arrested on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation after attending a mass protest against the ban on Palestine Action in central London on Saturday.

Del Naja, also known as 3D, was among hundreds of fellow demonstrators in Trafalgar Square on Saturday afternoon, holding a sign that read “I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action”.

Rory McIlroy wins second straight Masters Tournament

Rory McIlroy has won his second straight green jacket after beating Scottie Scheffler by one stroke in the Masters Tournament. Jim Axelrod has more.

Brian Hooker sent friends maps that he says show where his wife went missing in Bahamas

Brian Hooker sent images of maps to his friends and other boaters, telling them the drawings purportedly showed where his wife, Lynette, went missing in the Bahamas last week. The friends gave the images to CBS News.

Ukraine war briefing: Easter truce expires as both sides accuse the other of violations

Ukraine records more than 2,000 violations, Russia claims 1,900. Zelenskyy congratulates Hungary’s Péter Magyar. What we know on day 1,510

A ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine to mark the Orthodox Easter formally expired on Monday, with both sides having accused each other of thousands of violations, despite a lull in Russian air raids. The truce lasted 32 hours, from 4pm (1300 GMT) on Saturday until the end of the day on Sunday. Both sides had agreed to observe the ceasefire, which the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, ordered on Thursday and which his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, proposed more than a week earlier. But as with a similar agreement last year, only relative calm reigned along the 1,200km (745-mile) frontline.

The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said on Sunday it had recorded 2,299 ceasefire violations by 7am, including assaults, shelling and small drone launches. It said in the statement that the use of long-range drones, missiles or guided bombs had not been reported. A Ukrainian military officer told the Associated Press on Saturday that Russian forces had continued to attack their positions.

Russia’s defence ministry said on Sunday it had recorded 1,971 ceasefire violations by Ukrainian forces, including drone strikes. The head of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said rescuers had uncovered the bodies of two civilians who were killed in a Ukrainian attack on Saturday afternoon.

Zelenskyy congratulated Hungary’s Péter Magyar on his “resounding victory” in parliamentary elections on Sunday, pledging to work with the country’s new leadership “for the benefit of both nations”. “Congratulations to [Péter Magyar] and the TISZA party on their resounding victory … We are ready for meetings and joint constructive work for the benefit of both nations, as well as peace, security, and stability in Europe,” the Ukrainian president said on X.

The EU will be waiting to see how Magyar changes Hungary’s approach to Ukraine. Orbán repeatedly frustrated EU efforts to support the neighbouring country in its war against Russia’s full-scale invasion, while cultivating close ties to Putin and refusing to end Hungary’s dependence on Russian energy imports.

The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said on Sunday that Russian troops still needed to take control of 17-18% of Ukraine’s disputed Donetsk region, the state news agency Tass reported. Russian forces would continue fighting in Ukraine after the Orthodox Easter truce ended, he said.

Pjotr Sauer travelled to Bucha to report on the Ukrainians drawn in online by Russian intelligence services, promised money or coerced into carrying out sabotage attacks against their own country.

N.Y. prosecutors investigating sexual assault allegations against Eric Swalwell

A former staffer of Rep. Eric Swalwell said he allegedly forced himself on her after they met for drinks in New York in 2024.

Iran's parliament speaker says U.S. will be "nostalgic" for $4 gas as oil prices fuel inflation

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Americans would soon be "nostalgic for $4-$5 gas" after President Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. Taurean Small reports on the pain at the pump currently being felt across the United States.

Bernie Sanders warns ‘worst is yet to come’ in rallying cry against billionaires

US senator appears at Manhattan rally alongside New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, who cautioned that AI is ‘coming for human jobs’

Bernie Sanders has sounded an alarm over the US economy, warning “the worst is yet to come” unless workers overcome a “ruling class” of billionaires.

The US senator spoke at a rally in Manhattan on Sunday alongside Zohran Mamdani, the New York City mayor, who cautioned that artificial intelligence was “coming for human jobs” amid mounting concern over the technology’s rapid development.

Swalwell ends bid for California governor amid sexual assault allegations

Swalwell faced pressure from his own party to drop out of the race after a former staffer accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was too drunk to consent.

Trump says U.S. will blockade Strait of Hormuz after Iran peace talks collapse

President Trump says the United States will blockade the Strait of Hormuz, stepping up pressure on Iran after peace talks in Pakistan ended without a breakthrough. Imtiaz Tyab has more.

Eric Swalwell quits California governor race after sexual assault allegations

Democratic congressman, running to replace Gavin Newsom, has faced multiple accusations

Representative Eric Swalwell, the Democratic frontrunner in the fiercely contested race to be governor of California, has suspended his campaign amid a series of sexual assault and misconduct allegations by a former staff member and at least three other women.

The woman who worked for Swalwell said the California congressman had sexually assaulted her twice when she was too inebriated to consent, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle, which was published on Friday.

DHS probing allegations Swalwell hired nanny not authorized to work in U.S.

The probe comes as Swalwell is also being accused of assaulting a former staffer in an unrelated case.

Fighting assault allegations, Eric Swalwell suspends his bid for California governor

The San Francisco Chronicle and CNN reported multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. Swalwell calls them false but apologized to his supporters and family.

Rory McIlroy targets even loftier goals after winning back-to-back Masters titles

• Northern Irishman vows not to rest on laurels after his sixth major win

• Player ‘not as emotional’ as last year but revels in ‘amazing’ win

Rory McIlroy has warned the rest of elite golf he will set further, lofty goals in his sport after a successful defence of the Masters.

McIlroy prevailed at Augusta National by a shot over Scottie Scheffler, meaning the Northern Irishman becomes just the fourth golfer in history to win the tournament back-to-back. While McIlroy will cherish his win, he has no plans to rest on his laurels.

Fallout from Swalwell scandal grows as lawmakers eye House expulsion votes

The political crisis surrounding Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell is rapidly escalating into a broader bipartisan showdown that could reshape the makeup of the House.

Pauline Hanson says convicted rapist employed by One Nation has been sacked

James Paterson had called decision by Pauline Hanson’s party to rehire Sean Black ‘absolutely extraordinary’

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Pauline Hanson says she has sacked the convicted rapist who worked as One Nation’s campaign manager, but accused Coalition MPs of playing “gutter politics” by criticising her decision to rehire him.

Sean Black, who in 2018 was jailed for rape and subsequently lost his appeal against the conviction, was initially rehired by One Nation in 2020 as a campaign director after serving his time. He remained employed by the party until Sunday, Hanson said.

Rory McIlroy holds nerve to be the Master again as rivals succumb to tension

• 2025 winner joins Nicklaus, Faldo and Woods in retaining title

• He triumphs on 12 under by one shot from Scottie Scheffler

You are left wondering how on earth Augusta National managed to inflict such psychological torture on Rory McIlroy for all those years. Or maybe that is precisely the point, that ­McIlroy’s ending of his Masters hoodoo in 2025 placed him into a fresh head space where failure is not an option. It turns out Green Jackets are like London buses. Back in Augusta, where he became only the sixth man in history to complete a career grand slam, McIlroy entered the record books once more. He is now the fourth golfer to successfully defend the Masters, after Jack ­Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods. As a six-time major winner, he has surpassed Seve Ballesteros.

What next, Rory? He could walk on Rae’s Creek. McIlroy’s latest Masters triumph arrived with the 36-year-old considerably short of his best for much of the tournament. That only emphasises his excellence.

Will Orbán's defeat change Hungary's relationship to the EU?

Historic voter turnout in Hungary ousted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán from power. This shift may dramatically change Hungary's relationship with the European Union, which Orbán criticized regularly.

Viktor Orbán concedes defeat in historic Hungary election

Hungarians turned out in historic numbers to vote against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's and his Fidesz party. NPR's Rob Schmitz discusses with reporter Esme Nicholson and political scientist Abel Bojar.

The consequences of Hungary's election, for Viktor Orban and the world

NPR's Rob Schmitz speaks with political scientist Abel Bojar about the results of Hungary's election, the far-reaching consequences of the vote and the future for Viktor Orban.

Kobbie Mainoo close to signing new Manchester United contract, says Michael Carrick

• Midfielder expected to earn £120,000 a week

• New deal marks turnaround for Mainoo under Carrick

Michael Carrick has indicated Kobbie Mainoo is moving closer to signing a new contract with Manchester United, saying negotiations are “in a good place”. The 20-year-old, whose deal expires in the summer of 2027, is expected to earn about £120,000 a week, a marked increase on his current terms, which are in the region of £25,000 a week.

“It’s getting closer, so we’re positive about that,” said Carrick. “We’re calm with it, but we’re positive with it and time will tell how it goes. But at the moment, we are in a good place.”

European football: Inter close in on title after beating Como in seven-goal thriller

• Inter move nine points clear of Napoli after late 4-3 win

• Union Berlin make Eta Bundesliga’s first female manager

Inter put one hand on the Serie A title on Sunday after coming back from two goals down to win 4-3 in a thrilling match at Como and move nine points clear of Napoli, who could only draw 1-1 at Parma.

Two goals down in the dying moments of the first half due to goals from Álex Valle and Nico Paz, Inter looked set to give champions Napoli hope that their Scudetto defence might still be alive.

Welcome to Pep in April – the serial title avenger with Arsenal in his sights | Barney Ronay

Manchester City’s unbeaten April record in the past four years bodes well for their end-of-season pursuit for glory

“I have a particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. I may stumble a little in the autumn. I may get a little caustic with a TV camera crew or sarcastically applaud a referee. But I will pursue you. I will hunt you down. I will, in all likelihood, narrowly pip you to the line in an agonising title chase.”

Welcome to Pep in April, the franchise. In which a furiously intense, bald, skinny man becomes a serial springtime league title avenger. At the finish of what was by the end a celebratory, one-hand-on-the-wheel 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge, Manchester City’s record in April in the past four years reads: played 23, won 19, drawn four across all competitions.

Hungary's Viktor Orbán concedes defeat, ending 16 years in power

Hungarian voters turned out in the greatest numbers since the 1990s to turn away from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's right-wing populist Fidesz party.

Hungarian opposition ousts Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power

Péter Magyar’s Tisza party wins election as prime minister concedes defeat, in result likely to reshape ties with EU

• Hungary election live

Hungary’s opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, has won the election, bringing an end to Viktor Orbán’s 16-year grip on power, in a result that is likely to rattle the White House and reshape the country’s relationship with the EU.

Less than three hours after polls closed on Sunday, Orbán conceded defeat after what he described as a “painful but unambiguous” election result.

‘This is not serious leadership’: Donald Trump and Marco Rubio watch UFC in Miami as Iran talks fail

• President has long been a fan of mixed martial arts

• Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr also at event

Donald Trump and US secretary of state Marco Rubio attended a UFC event in Miami night on Saturday night as peace talks with Iran failed on the other side of the world.

Trump entered the Kaseya Center shortly after 9pm alongside several members of his family and UFC chief Dana White, who has been a supporter of the president since his first term. Seated nearby was Rubio as well as the US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, the rapper Vanilla Ice and former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino.

One dead and six wounded after mass shooting at Chick-fil-A in New Jersey

Officials say ‘no arrests made at this time’ and that shooting ‘does not appear to be a random act of violence’

Seven people were shot, including one fatally, at a fast-food chain restaurant in Union Township, New Jersey, on Saturday night, according to authorities.

The Gun Violence Archive, a nonpartisan reference resource, listed the reported shooting at the Chick-fil-A restaurant in the 2300 block of Route 22 as the 100th mass shooting documented in the US this year, as of Sunday. The archive defines mass shootings as cases in which four or more victims are wounded or killed.

Wout van Aert outduels Tadej Pogacar to win his first Paris-Roubaix title

• Belgian ends decade-old run of bad luck in event

• Franziska Koch beats Marianne Vos in women’s race

Wout van Aert shattered a decade-old jinx to win Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, outduelling the world champion, Tadej Pogacar, in a brutal classic race across the cobbles, while Franziska Koch edged out Marianne Vos in the women’s race.

The 31-year-old sustained a puncture as did Pogacar and their great rival Mathieu van der Poel, who had two mechanical problems and could not contest the final sprint, which went in Van Aert’s favour for his second title in one of the five Monument classics after his Milan-Sanremo victory in 2020.

Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," April 12, 2026

On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia join Margaret Brennan.

UK will not join any Trump blockade of strait of Hormuz

UK’s willingness to consider role in removing mines from strait is seen as distinct from Trump’s blockade proposal

• Middle East crisis – live updates

The UK will not be involved in any blockade of the strait of Hormuz, the Guardian understands, after claims by Donald Trump on Sunday that the US would be blockading the waterway with the assistance of Nato allies.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said “it won’t take long to clean out the strait” and claimed “numerous countries are going to be helping us”, adding that the UK and other nations were sending minesweepers.

Artemis II crew on their moon flyby: ‘Earth was this lifeboat hanging in the universe’

Astronauts make first remarks at jubilant welcome home event in Houston after their record-breaking mission

Still marveling over their moon mission, the Artemis II astronauts received a thunderous welcome home on Saturday from the hundreds of colleagues who took part in setting a record for deep space travel during the US space agency Nasa’s lunar comeback.

The crew of four arrived at Ellington Field near Nasa’s Johnson Space Center and Mission Control in Houston, flying in from San Diego, where they had splashed down just offshore the evening before.

Britain could adopt single market rules without MPs’ vote as part of UK-EU reset

Exclusive: Ministers planning new legislation for alignment without full parliamentary scrutiny if in national interest

Ministers are planning to fundamentally reshape Britain’s relationship with the European Union, with new legislation that could result in the UK signing up to EU single market rules without a normal parliamentary vote.

In a major development in the prime minister’s push for closer ties with the continent after the Iran war, the Guardian understands ministers are bracing to face down opposition to “dynamic alignment” with the EU from those who “scream treason” over the powers in a new EU-UK reset bill.

Warner says he'll "take a look" at Trump funding request for Iran war

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner said "I'll take a look at anything" when asked whether he would oppose additional funding for the war with Iran.

A country-by-country glance at Pope Leo XIV's trip to Africa

Pope Leo XIV's four-nation, 11-day trip to Africa is so dizzying in its complexity it recalls some of the globetrotting odysseys of St. John Paul II in his early years.

Nigerian airstrike targeting jihadists reportedly kills at least 100 civilians

Officials confirm misfire as Amnesty gives death toll after speaking to survivors of strike on market in Yobe state

A Nigerian air force strike targeting jihadist rebels hit a market in north-east Nigeria, killing more than 100 people and injuring many others, Amnesty International and local media have said.

Officials confirmed a misfire had occurred but did not provide details.

4/12: Face The Nation

This week on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sen. Mark Warner, Rep. Mike Turner and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter join. Plus, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and CBS News' Anthony Salvanto.

The Guardian view on US-Iran talks: Trump’s diplomacy falters as risk of war grows | Editorial

An American blockade in the strait of Hormuz raises energy-market dangers after failed negotiations – pushing a fragile ceasefire closer to collapse

As the US vice-president, JD Vance, took to a podium in Pakistan after 21 hours of diplomacy and said no deal had been reached to end the war with Iran, his boss Donald Trump was in Miami watching a mixed martial arts fight. The contrast was stark. Just when the outcome of a war and the stability of global markets hung in the balance, the president chose spectacle over engagement. Mr Trump may intend to project strength. But the impression he creates – in Tehran and among America’s allies – is of a president less interested in the substance of diplomacy than in the politics surrounding it.

The talks in Islamabad didn’t fail accidentally; the US and Iran were talking past each other. Washington’s position is that Iran must abandon its capacity to develop a nuclear weapon, while Tehran insists it is not seeking one and has the right to a civilian nuclear programme. The US vice-president’s “final and best offer” would have required Iran to give up that capacity altogether – terms that looked less like the basis of a negotiation than an attempt to impose the conditions of victory.

The Guardian view on AI politics: US datacentre protests are a warning to big tech | Editorial

In both Republican and Democratic states, scepticism and hostility towards an unregulated construction boom is growing

When blue-collar Trump voters and Maga-friendly midwest states join the same cause as Bernie Sanders and liberal California teachers, something novel is afoot. Last month it was the turn of the Republican party in Texas to express forthright opposition to the construction of datacentres for artificial intelligence, pending adequate environmental safeguards for local communities. Across the United States, similar campaigns are being waged, as voters from across the political spectrum rail against the outsize influence and power of big tech.

For the White House, which has made the rapid rollout of datacentres a priority in its AI action plan, the scale of the protests is an unwelcome surprise. One of Donald Trump’s first acts on returning to office was to authorise the deregulated “build, baby, build” approach demanded by the Silicon Valley backers who helped to fund his campaign. Industry giants such Amazon and Microsoft are driving an estimated $710bn worth of investment in datacentres this year, as they stake their future on staying ahead in the AI race.

Mauritius vows to ‘decolonise’ Chagos Islands after Starmer shelves handover

Mauritian foreign minister pledges to ‘spare no effort’ to regain control of islands, as US fails to give approval of deal

A senior official in Mauritius’ government has vowed that the Chagos Islands will be “decolonised” after Keir Starmer was forced to shelve legislation to hand the islands back to Mauritius.

On Friday, UK government officials acknowledged that they had run out of time to pass legislation within the current parliamentary session, which ends in the coming weeks, after a lack of support from Donald Trump.

This week on "Sunday Morning": The Money Issue (April 12)

This week Jane Pauley hosts "The Money Issue," our annual special broadcast dedicated to the many ways in which money underscores the way we live.

Justin Bieber at Coachella review – pop’s troubled prince mostly hits right notes in low-energy set

Empire Polo Club, Indio, California
For a reportedly record-breaking amount of money, the increasingly reclusive star proves his voice is still golden in a headliner performance light on enthusiasm

Throughout the Strokes’ main stage set on Saturday evening, you could see them: fans, many of them women, unaffected by the New York indie rockers as they pushed forward through the crowd to stake out spots hours in advance for the night’s closer, Justin Bieber. “I know why you’re here … JUSTIN BIEBER!” the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas joked, sort of, between songs. “We’re happy to lube you up for him.”

Perhaps Casablancas picked up on an anxious energy from the crowd: the chance to see Bieber in a Coachella primetime slot seemed at once inevitable and improbable. Save a stripped-down Grammys performance and two very selective LA warm-up shows, the 32-year-old pop star had not performed publicly in over four years, since cancelling his 2022 Justice World Tour amid a host of health issues. Maybe it’s because vulnerability is an established element of a performer who, for years, appeared dead behind the eyes in public, or the fact that Bieber recently ditched the managerial framework that guided his rocky career, or the lingering sting of Frank Ocean’s disastrous headliner set in 2023, when a generationally beloved artist with little recent performance experience cracked under the pressure: few Coachella headliner sets have generated this much buzz – Saturday broke Coachella’s single-day ticket record – and perhaps this much parasocial concern.

4/12: Sunday Morning - The Money Issue

Jane Pauley hosts our annual "Money Issue." Featured: Obstacles to home ownership; fighting health insurance denials; Chinese EVs; opposition to AI data centers; American Girl dolls; skin care mogul Scarlett Johansson; roller coasters; the popularity of bingo!; and is your phone eavesdropping on you?

Nicola Jennings on Trump and the strait of Hormuz – cartoon

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Interest in EVs surges in Europe as fuel prices jump after Iran war

Demand at online marketplaces could settle at a new, higher normal, with the crisis leaving consumers ‘scarred’

Car buyers’ interest in electric cars has surged across Europe since the start of the war in Iran, as the rising cost of petrol highlights the cheaper power available from a plug.

Online marketplaces in the UK, Germany, France and Spain reported huge increases in inquiries about electric vehicles since the start of the conflict in February.

Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz at Monte Carlo Masters to reclaim world No 1 spot

• Italian wins 7-6 (5), 6-3 against Spanish rival

• Sinner adds to his victories after Indian Wells and Miami

Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time on Sunday and reclaim the world No 1 ranking from his Spanish rival.

Sinner downed Alcaraz 7-6 (5), 6-3 to capture his third ATP 1000 title of the year after completing the “Sunshine Double” last month with victories in Indian Wells and Miami.

Tottenham and De Zerbi sink deeper into mire after Sunderland’s stroke of luck

Thirty minutes before kick-off Roberto De Zerbi wandered on to the pitch with his gilet zipped high to the neck in the face of a chill Wearside wind. By the final whistle that stiff breeze had dropped a little but so, too, had the morale of Tottenham and their new manager.

In cementing the visitors’ position in the bottom three Nordi Mukiele’s second-half deflected winner ensured Régis Le Bris’s Sunderland rose to 10th and De Zerbi’s uncharacteristically subdued body language suggested he was shivering inside.

Man charged with murder of Finbar Sullivan in Primrose Hill

Oliuwadamilola Ogunyankinnu due to appear in court on Monday over fatal stabbing in north London

A man has been charged with murder after the death of 21-year-old Finbar Sullivan, who was stabbed to death in Primrose Hill.

The Metropolitan police said Oliuwadamilola Ogunyankinnu, 27, of Southbury Road in Enfield, had been charged with murder on Sunday and was due to appear at Stratford magistrates court on Monday.

GSK reports promising early results in ovarian and womb cancer drug trial

Mo-Rez reduced or eliminated tumours in over 60% of patients and is expected to be a blockbuster drug

GSK has revealed positive results for a treatment for gynaecological cancers as its chief executive, Luke Miels, seeks to speed up drug development at the group.

The company said that in an early-stage trial Mocertatug Rezetecan, known as Mo-Rez, shrank or eliminated tumours in 62% of patients with ovarian cancer where chemotherapy had failed, and in 67% of those with endometrial cancer.

The kindness of strangers: The Ashes heat was unbearable. Then a Barmy Army member offered his seats in the shade

I’m clearly Australian – I had my Adelaide cricket cap on – but that Pommy bloke still lent a hand to someone from the opposition

• Read more in the kindness of strangers series

We’re great enemies in cricket, England and Australia. So when the Ashes returned this past summer, my son and I travelled from Ballarat to Adelaide to see the showdown in the third Test. It’s a long drive but we made it a boys’ trip, stopping in at pubs and all that nonsense on the way.

It was a great start to the essential cricket pilgrimage. The problem was when we got to the Adelaide Oval, the temperature was a gruelling 40C. Worse still, by the middle of the day, the sun was beaming directly on to our seats. There was no shade and no reprieve.

Tom Gauld on the manosphere – cartoon

Nature: Oak trees in California

We leave you this Sunday morning seeing green – new oak leaves sprouting in the woodlands near Petaluma, California. Videographer: Lee McEachern.

Ex-CIA director calls for ousting Trump: ‘25th amendment was written with him in mind’

John Brennan says president who made volatile remarks about destroying Iranian civilization ‘is clearly unhinged’

The former Central Intelligence Agency director John Brennan has added his name to growing calls for the president to be ousted on grounds that he is unfit for the job, arguing that the US constitution’s 25th amendment addressing involuntary removal from office was “written with Donald Trump in mind”.

Brennan, who served as head of the spy agency during Barack Obama’s presidency, told MS Now on Saturday that Trump’s recent volatile remarks about destroying Iranian civilization and the danger he posed to so many lives merited his removal from the Oval Office.

On the hunt for sand dollars

In Florida, correspondent Martha Teichner goes searching for sand dollars – cousins of sea urchins and sea stars – with naturalist Kristen Williams (a.k.a. The Seashell Mermaid). She also goes to the California Academy of Sciences' Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco to learn what makes these sea creatures so special.

Nationwide boom in AI data centers stirs resistance

To fuel their artificial intelligence initiatives, tech companies are building massive numbers of AI data centers, with more than 4,000 in operation across the country. But some communities, wary of the environmental and financial implications, are fighting back.

Extended interview: Sen. Dave McCormick on AI

In this web exclusive, Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) talks with Robert Costa about how energy and the rise in artificial intelligence go hand-in-hand; America's rivalry with China over AI; and nuclear power.

Handmade rockets and a golden frog: photos of the weekend

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

Nationwide boom in AI data centers stirs resistance

To fuel their artificial intelligence initiatives, tech companies are building massive numbers of AI data centers, with more than 4,000 in operation across the country. But some communities, wary of the environmental and financial implications of such facilities in their backyards, are fighting back. "Sunday Morning" national correspondent Robert Costa examines the drive to construct AI data centers, and the debate between opponents and AI advocates.

Fury only wants Joshua but after 10 years of wrangling will superfight ever happen?

‘It’s either him or I’m out,’ Fury said of his British heavyweight rival after outclassing Arslanbek Makhmudov

Just before midnight on Saturday, an hour after the first victory of his latest comeback, Tyson Fury paused in the midst of a familiar monologue about a predictable subject. He had just outclassed Arslanbek Makhmudov, the tough but limited Russian heavyweight, over 12 one‑sided rounds. But Fury wanted to talk only about Anthony Joshua and whether or not he and his old British rival would ever fight each other.

In the lavish depths of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Fury sounded perplexed: “Ten years in the making and still, after all this time, there’s uncertainty if this fight’s gonna happen next. I’ve no idea. I hope so but you can’t force someone to do something.”

Planeloads of negotiators and too little time: US and Iran’s 21 hours of talks

The two sides turned up to test one another’s resolve. It was probably unrealistic to expect a dispute that has taken up years of discussion to be settled in one marathon session

• Middle East crisis – live updates

It was as if the two delegations in the Iran-US peace talks in Islamabad hoped that the sheer number of negotiators flown into Pakistan could overcome the handicap of having only a finite number of hours in which to settle a 20-year dispute over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, now overlaid by complex new issues such as future control of the strait of Hormuz and US compensation for its attack on Iran.

Iran sent two planeloads of negotiators. They included many members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), present to ensure that no gains made in the field were relinquished at the diplomatic table. Diplomats fanned out across political, legal, security, economic and military files. One Iranian-drafted technical explanation on nuclear facility safety ran to more than 100 pages.

Fighting for health care claim approvals

Seventy-three percent of Americans say delays and denials of medical treatment by healthcare insurers are a major problem. Now, a company called Sheer Health says they will fight insurance battles on behalf of their clients.

Fighting for health care claim approvals

With health insurance companies frequently denying coverage for medically-requested procedures, 73 percent of Americans surveyed say healthcare delays and denials are a major problem. Now, a company called Sheer Health says they will fight insurance battles on behalf of their clients. Correspondent Susan Spencer looks at how a form of insurance against health care denials may benefit consumers.

That's a bingo!

From American Legion halls to church basements, the simplicity of Bingo and its ability to let large groups play at once is why the game raises billions of dollars for charities and non-profits. Correspondent Luke Burbank looks at the history of this popular numbers game, and checks out some of the new spins on this old favorite.

Saturday Night Live: Colman Domingo makes for season’s best host to date

The two-time Oscar nominee, who will next be seen in the controversial Michael Jackson biopic, helps to usher in an unusually strong episode

Saturday Night Live opens in the Oval Office, where president Trump (James Austin Johnson) dictates an insane, Islamophobic Truth Social post to press secretary Karoline Leavitt (Ashley Padilla). She voices her concern over the backlash she will have to field, but Trump assuages her: “Like I said to Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem right before I fired them, you’re doing a terrific job.” As she takes her leave, Trump gets a huge laugh by breaking the fourth wall to note, “All three of those were played by Ashley, it’s an interesting detail.”

Moving on to more pressing business, Trump rings up Tiger Woods (Kenan Thompson), currently in rehab in Switzerland after flipping his car and getting a DUI but hangs up on him when informed there’s no golf course on site. He then answers a call from wife Melania (Chloe Fineman), who informs him that she has decided “to do a big, random speech completely out of nowhere and say, ‘I am not Epstein victim’.” For once, it’s Trump who’s acting sane by comparison.

Chasing the American Dream

A growing number of young people see themselves as "forever renters" because they can't afford to buy a home, due to short supply, higher mortgage rates, and incomes that haven't kept up with rising home prices.

Chasing the American Dream

A growing number of young people see themselves as ""forever renters"" because they can't afford to buy a home, due to short supply, higher mortgage rates, and incomes that haven't kept up with rising home prices. Correspondent Jo Ling Kent examines the difficulties of today's housing market, and checks out one Midwestern city's program aimed at attracting homebuyers from out-of-state.

Collapse of US-Iran talks heightens fears of prolonged energy shock

Oil prices and borrowing costs are expected to rise this week as tankers remain stranded in the Gulf

• Middle East crisis live – latest updates

The failure of the US and Iran to reach a peace deal after marathon negotiations has put markets on alert for further oil and gas price rises.

With large numbers of oil tankers remaining stuck in the Gulf, the US vice-president, JD Vance, blamed the collapse of the talks on Tehran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, while Iranian sources hit back at “excessive” demands from Washington.

‘Part of our souls’: the fight to stop the New Forest being split in two

As government reorganisation ties part of the forest to Southampton, local people are angry

Della Keable could not hold back the tears as she explained how her family had lived in the forest for centuries, making a living among the trees, loving the tight-knit feel of the place. “I’m sorry,” she said as the emotion got too much. “But the forest is part of our souls.”

Keable is among thousands of people protesting against the UK government’s decision to split up the administration of the New Forest as part of local government reorganisation.

‘It feels as if I’ve made a new best friend’: my experiment with AI journalling

What’s it like to have a diary that talks back to you, offering comments and advice on your hopes, fears and lunch plans? I spent two months finding out

Ever since I was a teenager, I have kept some form of diary. These days I favour a paper one for creative brainstorming, and the Journal app on my iPad where I do a speedily typed brain dump every morning. I have always found it a great way to impose some sort of order on my random thoughts, a form of meditation.

But I had never even heard of AI journalling until a Google search led me down a rabbit hole where I encountered people enthusing about two apps, Rosebud and Mindsera. It sounded as if Mindsera’s minimalist design was the best for writers. Out of curiosity, never intending to stick with it, I downloaded a free trial.

How to make Southern fried chicken – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

Your guilty-pleasure, late-night snack, minus the guilt, in nine easy steps.

Let’s be honest, fried chicken is one of those things that’s almost always good, but making it yourself has the benefit of allowing you to be sure of the provenance of the meat. Where fast-food restaurants tend to rely on pressure fryers for a juicy result, at home I brine the meat first using buttermilk – its slight acidity will also have a tenderising effect. Double win.

Prep 5 min
Marinate 4 hr+
Cook 40 min
Serves 2-3

‘We waited 12 years’: escapees from Syria’s camps face an uncertain future

A young Albanian woman’s escape from al-Hawl offers rare hope – but as the camp empties many are left stranded, prompting urgent calls for repatriation

For weeks he hovered near Turkey’s border with Syria hoping for good news. In early February, Xhetan Ndregjoni got word of what he was waiting for – his niece Eva was on her way after escaping the squalid desert camp in Syria where she had been held without charge since she was a child.

“I don’t have the words to describe that moment,” Ndregjoni said of their reunion.

‘Never been closer’: UFO watchers buoyed by Trump and Vance’s alien ‘obsession’

From Vance’s interest to Trump’s commitment to disclosure, administration’s fascination with UFOs has experts feeling close to evidence of aliens

Like most politicians, Donald Trump did not campaign on the issue of space aliens. But 15 months into his second term, UFO enthusiasts have been buoyed by the Trump administration’s apparent fascination with extraterrestrials, with one expert claiming the human race has “never been closer” to being presented with hard evidence of aliens.

After a largely alien-free first 12 months, the president has committed himself to UFO disclosure in 2026. In February, Trump directed various departments to release “government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life”, and the White House took the unusual step of registering domain “aliens.gov” in March, setting pulses racing among believers online.

At least 30 killed in crush at historic fortress in Haiti

Officials said many killed at popular tourist site were young, with more people reported injured or missing

At least 30 people, many of them young, have died and dozens more are reported to have been injured after a crush at a mountaintop fortress in northern Haiti that is a popular tourist spot.

Jean Henri Petit, the head of civil protection for the country’s Nord department, said the incident took place on Saturday at Citadelle Henry, also known as Citadelle Laferrière, a large 19th-century fortress built shortly after the Caribbean country’s independence from France.

Too hot to handle? Why it’s time for straight male authors to rediscover sex

It’s a high-wire act and the risk of an embarrassing failure can weigh heavily – but that’s no reason to avoid writing about sex, argues Black Bag author Luke Kennard

Are straight male writers scared of writing about sex? If you read modern fiction it’s hard to conclude otherwise. Maybe we’re worried that the very presence of a sex scene in our book would feel somehow exploitative or gratuitous. Or maybe we feel our gender has simply said enough on the subject so we should shut up.

Women writing about straight relationships don’t seem as nervous. In fact, sex is often a central element of narrative, and of nuanced portrayals of masculinity; from the slow-burn tenderness and awkwardness of intimacy in Sally Rooney’s work, to the surreal celebrations of and lamentations for the erotic in Diane Williams’s extraordinary short stories.

From Andrew Tate to Mountbatten-Windsor, my first name has been dragged through the mud. Can a global community of ‘Drews’ help change that?

The ‘Council of Andrews’ started as a bit of fun – but has led to friendships, financial help and even fiances…

It’s a rough time to be called Andrew. In recent years, notorious figures such as Andrew Tate and the former prince have dominated the headlines, giving us a bad name. Even the CEO caught up in that Coldplay scandal was an Andy. It’s been a bad run. As an Andrew myself, I wanted to unearth some better representatives, so I recently set out on a mission: to find some fellow Andrews doing good in the world.

That’s how I stumbled upon thousands of Andrews at once.

The anti-ICE resistance is working | Judith Levine

A mass movement defending immigrants has slowed the Trump administration’s abuses

Resistance, in physics, is the force that hinders the flow of charged electrons as they zigzag from point to point. Resistance doesn’t stop the flow of electricity. Instead, it causes heat.

Popular resistance works the same way. It obstructs and slows the government’s business, creating political heat and slowing it further.

Dining across the divide: ‘We both agreed Brexit was a disaster - but disagreed about who was responsible for that’

A university researcher and a property manager may have found (some) common ground on leaving the EU – but what about affordable homes?

• Want to meet someone from across the divide? Click here to find out how

Graham, 76, Pangbourne

Occupation Property manager

Task for the week: limit the fallout from biggest oil shock in decades | Richard Partington

As World Bank and IMF chiefs gather in Washington, the Iran war is driving up energy prices, fuelling inflation and testing voters’ patience

The world’s finance ministers and central bank governors gather in Washington this week for the half-yearly meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, with the global economy in a perilous spot.

Not since the foundation of the Bretton Woods institutions late in the second world war have global conflicts triggered this much economic turbulence. The volatile 1970s come close. But the US-Israeli war on Iran, coming so soon after the Covid pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, take the prize.

Protocol be damned: here’s what King Charles should say on his visit to the US | Simon Tisdall

The king has the chance to offer some tough love. Perhaps he could start with a speech to Congress about the Trump administration’s reckless trajectory

It will be a definitive moment for King Charles III and the British monarchy. And for better or worse, it could help salvage UK-US relations after Donald Trump insulted Keir Starmer. In the public high point of his state visit, the king will mount the rostrum in the US House of Representatives on 28 April to address a joint session of Congress. Of all the British monarchs in the 250 years since US independence, only his late mother, Elizabeth II, was afforded this rare honour – and her accomplished 1991 performance brought the house down. This time could be more tricky.

Times have changed, as has the land of the free, and the biggest change is Trump. He will not be present on Capitol Hill when the king speaks, but his dark shadow lurks everywhere. Trump will undoubtedly portray Charles’s attendance at a separate White House state banquet as a royal endorsement of his person and policies. And it is precisely this galling prospect of a presidential propaganda coup that has led most people in Britain to oppose the visit. Starmer, in contrast, hopes it will set the badly soiled “special relationship” back on track.

Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator

A Hezbollah commander describes battling Israel in Lebanon

In a rare interview, a wounded Hezbollah commander tells NPR about his secretive Shia Muslim militia's new command structure and how it has managed to keep firing rockets into northern Israel.

This is how we do it: ‘I love the idea of only knowing one person intimately for the rest of my life’

Studying on different continents is a challenge for Veronika and Fabio … Can their young love go the distance?

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

There have been days when we’ve been on the phone for 10 hours at a stretch

When I’ve flown back to see her, we’ve tried to make up for lost time

The United States is destroying itself | Rebecca Solnit

The daily news can’t adequately convey the administration’s sabotaging of our government, economy, alliances and environment

The United States is being murdered, and it’s an inside job. Every department, every branch, every bureau and function of the federal government is being fatally corrupted or altogether dismantled or disabled. All this is common knowledge, but because it dribbles out in news stories about this specific incident or department, the reports never adequately describe an administration sabotaging the functioning of the federal government and also trashing the global economy, international alliances and relationships, and the national and global environment in ways that will have downstream consequences for decades and perhaps, especially when it comes to climate, centuries.

Across the branches of government, the services that are supposed to protect us – nuclear stockpile monitoring, cybersecurity, counter-terrorism – are being undermined, understaffed or trashed. A different kind of protection that consists of public health, vaccination programs, food safety, clean air and water, social services, civil rights and the rule of law is also under attack. The federal government that serves us is being starved while the federal government that serves the Trump agenda and the oligarchy is glutting itself on taxpayer money, including the grotesque sums dumped on the Department of Homeland Security and the US military now being warped into Pete Hegseth’s twisted vision of a ruthless mercenary force. Hegseth has reportedly stood in the way of promotions for more than a dozen Black and female officers.

Rebecca Solnit is a Guardian US columnist. Her newest book is The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change

The U.S. military says it will blockade Iranian ports as Iran peace talks collapse

After talks between the U.S. and Iran collapsed, President Trump said the U.S. will "blockade" the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military said it would blockade ships entering or exiting Iranian ports.

‘Death star’ chandeliers and disco dancefloors: making this year’s most dazzling theatre shows

On productions ranging from Les Liaisons Dangereuses to John Proctor Is the Villain, an army of technical wizards help ensure London’s stage productions are believable and spectacular

What does it take to create a giant chandelier on stage, decked out with more than 100 perfectly balanced, flickering candles? What about a disco floor that dazzles the audience in a play’s final moments but is hidden from view until then? On the eve of the 50th Olivier awards, we meet the artists, apprentices, engineers and designers behind some of London’s most memorable theatrical moments this year.

***

Aidan Turner, Lucia Chocarro and Monica Barbaro in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre, London

The real space science behind 'Project Hail Mary'

The science fiction blockbuster wowed audiences with its depiction of space travel and more. Here's what NASA staff and other scientists say about the basis for the amazing events of the film.

Can’t beet it! Humble mangelwurzel to star at Chelsea flower show

Formerly unloved vegetable casts off lowly roots to feature in Great Pavilion after online craze among young gardeners

They are an unloved root vegetable traditionally grown for cattle feed, and when pulled from the ground they look like an ingredient destined for a witch’s cauldron.

But the humble mangelwurzel will be in pride of place in the Great Pavilion at this year’s Chelsea flower show (19-23 May), after becoming the subject of an online craze among young gardeners.

Bunker busters and a Burger King: a visual guide to US military bases on British soil

War with Iran has brought 15 American sites across the UK countryside firmly into the spotlight

They are dotted across the UK countryside, often obscured from public view behind highly secured perimeter fences. Technically, they are on British soil, and misleadingly most have “Royal Air Force” in their name.

But in many respects, these military outposts are under the control of the US president and commander-in-chief.

Am I a happier person for having a child? It’s the wrong question to ask | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

A new study finds that having children leaves your emotional wellbeing unchanged – but the truth is so much more complicated than that

Does having children make you happier? Apparently not, according to a new study published in Evolutionary Psychology which, despite involving more than 5,000 participants in 10 countries, including Britain, could find no strong evidence that parenthood led to a measurable increase in positive emotions. The researchers, led by Menelaos Apostolou of the University of Nicosia, looked at both hedonic wellbeing (day-to-day emotional states such as joy, sadness and loneliness) and eudaimonic wellbeing (a feeling of purpose and meaning). With the exception of mothers in Greece, who felt a greater sense of the latter, there was no statistically significant difference between parents and non-parents, suggesting that becoming a parent leaves your emotional wellbeing largely unchanged.

This was seen as surprising, but is it, truly? I love my son and being his mother has given my life great joy and meaning, but that is not to say that my life has more joy and meaning than that of someone without children. To an extent, comparing my life as a mother with the life of a stranger without children is meaningless: children are not appendages whose presence or absence reveal a static emotional state. The only way you could truly get the data would be by having access to the two timelines. In one, you had children, in the other, you didn’t. The parallel selves would each complete a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) questionnaire which could then be compared.

Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett is a Guardian columnist

A festival of young European photography

The Circulation(s) photo festival has returned to Paris for its 16th edition. On show are works by 26 young European photographers. The projects capture the pulse of young European photography, its intuitions, challenges and commitments

Circulation(s) will take place at the Centquatre-Paris from 21 March to 17 May 2026

Time-travelling in Cantabria: from the stone age to Sartre via the ‘prettiest town in Spain’

On the north coast of Spain you can see some of the world’s oldest art, explore a stunning medieval village, then watch surfers ride Atlantic swells

Exploring the area west of Santander feels like being in a time machine. Within a half-hour drive of the Cantabrian capital on Spain’s green northern coast, you can stumble upon prehistoric cave art, a perfectly preserved medieval town and a laid-back beach resort.

When I began my weekend trip, it was raining, so my journey started in the Upper Paleolithic period, at the Cave of Altamira, a Unesco world heritage site, staring up at some of the oldest art on Earth. Well, almost. The original cave was largely closed to the public decades ago to protect the fragile paintings, so we were inside the Neocueva, a painstakingly reconstructed replica built beside it that costs just €3 to enter.

I’ve spent 20 years treading water and fear that I’ve wasted so much time. Am I depressed? | Ask Annalisa Barbieri

Turn your attention to your internal landscape rather than the next building project. Make your next project yourself

My wife and I are in our late 60s. The past 20 years have felt like treading water, as all my funds are tied up in a property that, for complex reasons, I am unable to sell. We are both creative. Over the past year or so I’ve made some improvements to our house, things that make people say wow. I enjoy seeing their pleasure, but their praise isn’t hugely important to me. In fact, I am somewhat reclusive. I do not enjoy being part of a wider community and I’m content with a handful of close friends.

Last year my father died, and after a period of despair, during which I found myself contemplating suicide (I did not share this with my wife), I turned first to Samaritans, then a therapist.

Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, London WC2: ‘A rollicking list of cosy British joys’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

The British may not have the most sophisticated palates, but we are adorable in our culinary urges

As we sit awaiting the beef rib trolley in the Grand Divan dining room at the whoppingly sized Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, we fizz with ideas of how to describe its wildly unfettered quaintness. “It’s all a bit Hogwarts, isn’t it?” I say to my friend Hugh.

He’s been four times already, but then, Simpson’s is that kind of place: a handy-as-heck, posh canteen a short stroll from Covent Garden. There’s a twinkly, ye olde cocktail bar upstairs as well as Romano’s with its more European-style menu. But, for now, let’s concentrate on the Grand Divan. “It’s all very Samuel Pepys’ London,” Hugh says.

Money to burn? The humble matchbox gets a £235 makeover

Described as the ‘must-have’ home accessory of 2026, sales of ‘posh’ matchboxes are up 121% at Selfridges

Goodbye Swan Vesta, hello Cartier. Matchboxes are the latest home accessory to get a luxury makeover – and some of the price tags are striking.

At the upmarket department store chain Selfridges, sales of posh matchboxes are up 121% year-on-year and it said they were “the must-have home accessory for 2026”. The store has more than doubled its range to meet demand, selling over 100 styles at prices ranging from £5 to more than £230.