Spirit Airlines tried to be the Dollar General of the skies. Then the big airlines beat it at its own game

Spirit Airlines helped pioneer ultra-cheap flying and soared. Then legacy airlines copied them, outmaneuvered them with loyalty programs, and the economy turned against their core customers.

Like soap operas, 75 feet up: How bald eagle nest cams hook online communities

Across the country, some 50 bald eagle nests fitted with cameras broadcast up-close views of raptor family life. Every spring, as eggs hatch and eaglets grow, these cameras rake in millions of views.

King Charles visits New York after Trump says UK monarch ‘agrees with me’ on Iran – US politics live

US president said UK monarch agreed Tehran should not be allowed nuclear weapons

Britain’s King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla arrive in New York on Wednesday to commemorate victims of the 11 September terror attacks on the city.

The king and queen’s scheduled arrival in New York follows a packed day in Washington on Tuesday, when Charles delivered a speech to Congress, held private meetings with president Donald Trump amid tensions between the US and UK over the Iran war and sat down with leaders of the US tech industry, Reuters reported.

Revealed: Nigel Farage was given undisclosed £5m by crypto billionaire in 2024

Reform leader changed his mind about standing as MP after gift from Thai-based crypto tycoon Christopher Harborne

Nigel Farage was given £5m by the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before announcing he would stand in the 2024 British general election, the Guardian can reveal.

Farage had already stated he did not intend to stand as a prospective MP but U-turned within weeks of receiving the personal gift from the Thai-based businessman.

Oil prices extend multi-day rally as Trump issues new threat to Iran; Brent tops $114 per barrel

The latest move higher comes amid reports that the U.S. will look to extend its blockade of Iranian ports.

Crewe religious group raided by police investigating allegations of serious sexual offences

About 500 officers deployed as part of operation at headquarters of Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light

Police have raided the headquarters of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light following an investigation into allegations of serious sexual offences, modern slavery and forced marriage.

About 500 officers drawn from across the north-west region were on the ground on Wednesday morning and made a number of arrests. The officers had warrants to enter the group’s headquarters, which is based out of a former orphanage as well as other properties in Crewe, Cheshire.

We detected Aids through a federal early warning system. Trump has decimated it | Robert B. Shpiner

On Friday, the presidential personnel office sent termination notices to members of the National Science Board. This will undermine our public health efforts

In June 1981, I was a young pulmonary fellow at one of the three Los Angeles hospitals where the first five cases of an unusual pneumonia in previously healthy young men were being identified. I read about them, as my colleagues did, in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) – the small, dense bulletin the Centers for Disease Control had been publishing every week since 1952.

None of us yet knew what we were seeing. What MMWR gave us was a signal early enough to act on, and a system trustworthy enough that we did. What became Aids would, over the next decade, reshape every assumption I held about clinical medicine. I have spent the 40 years since then practicing critical care at UCLA, and the federal scientific architecture that produced that signal in 1981 has been the bedrock of my work.

Power to the People: John & Yoko Live in NYC review – fascinating star-studded concert film

Footage from John Lennon’s only full-length performances after the Beatles – at Madison Square Garden, for charity, with the Plastic Ono Band – has been edited and restored

Last year we saw Kevin Macdonald’s One to One, an archive compilation documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s heady existence in New York in the early 1970s; it took its name from the two charity concerts that they mounted at Madison Square Garden to raise money for children who had been abused at New York’s notorious Willowbrook State School – a scandal to which Lennon had been alerted by watching Geraldo Rivera’s TV exposé. (We have to hope that the box office receipts fully made a difference, but the concert certainly helped change the law to underscore the civil rights of people in children’s homes.)

Now here is the live footage: an immersive split-screen film whose edit was overseen by Sean Ono Lennon. And although no amount of revisionist gallantry can conceal how terrible Yoko Ono’s vocals are, this has a historical fascination as they were Lennon’s only full-length concert performances after the Beatles’ split. And Ono’s performance of the bizarre Open Your Box is certainly arresting: “Open your box, open your box, open your trousers …” There is a heartfelt version of Imagine; a truly apocalyptic rendering of Cold Turkey; and among the old faves are Come Together (after which Lennon says he forgot some of the lyrics: “I’ll have to stop writing these daft words, man, I’m getting old”) and a raunchy Hound Dog (“Elvis I love ya!” he shouts – and perhaps Elvis was aware of this tribute, perhaps not).

‘Suicidal’ model of capitalism leading to war and fascism, climate summit told

Colombia president Gustavo Petro tells 57-country talks on a green energy transition that fossil fuel interests could destroy humanity

The world is threatened by a “suicidal” model of capitalism that is leading to war, fascism and the potential extinction of humanity, Colombia’s president has said, as he convened 57 governments to address the climate crisis.

Gustavo Petro blamed fossil fuel interests for taking ever more desperate measures to prevent a transition to green energy. “There is inertia in the power and the economy of this archaic form of energy – fossil fuels – that lead to death. Undoubtedly, that form of capital can commit suicide, taking with it humanity and [other] life,” he said. “The question that needs to be asked is whether capitalism can truly adapt to a non-fossil energy model.”

CEOs of US’s top energy firms received average pay raise of $12.3m, review finds

Utility bills are up as much as 40% in some regions, and companies shut off power to customers 13m times in 2025

The US’s top utilities’ CEOs enjoyed a 16% pay raise last year – to an average of $12.3m – even as consumers shoulder the pain from high bills spurred by continuing inflation, the Iran war and datacenter growth, a new review of industry financial documents shows.

Utility bills are up as much as 40% in some regions since 2021, and, nationwide, utilities shut off power to customers 13m times last year, federal data shows.

David Attenborough at 100: share your memories

As David Attenbourugh turns 100 years old, we would like to hear your memories over the years – including any encounters you’ve had with him in the wild

As David Attenborough turns 100 years old on 8 May, we would like to hear your memories of the great naturalist and broadcaster over the years – including any encounters you’ve had with him in the wild.

What is your standout memory of Attenborough? Have you ever met him? You can share your stories – and pictures – below.

‘I’ve given all I can’: Chelsea’s Millie Bright announces retirement with immediate effect

• Bright won eight Women’s Super League titles at Chelsea

• Defender retired from England duty in 2025 with 88 caps

Millie Bright has announced her immediate retirement, ending a trophy-laden career during which she won eight Women’s Super League titles and six Women’s FA Cups with Chelsea.

The defender, who retired from international football in 2025, also helped England win the 2022 European Championship on home soil, and in 2023 – in the absence of the injured captain Leah Williamson – led the side to the World Cup final. She won 88 caps.

Meta found in breach of EU law for failing to keep children off platforms

Commission says tech company does not have effective measures to keep under-13s off Facebook and Instagram

The tech company Meta has been found to be in breach of EU law for failing to prevent children under 13 from using its Facebook and Instagram platforms.

Issuing the preliminary findings of a nearly two-year investigation, the European Commission said on Wednesday that Meta did not have effective measures in place to stop under-13s accessing its services.

Meta told it's violating EU law by not doing enough to keep children off Facebook and Instagram

Children can create Instagram and Facebook accounts simply by inputting a false birth date, a preliminary EU investigation found.

Should I Marry a Murderer? review – the amazing woman who spied on her killer fiancé for police

Caroline Muirhead’s whirlwind romance with a Scottish farmer soon took a turn when she discovered his dark secret. This Netflix docuseries is a tale of her bravery, and the shocking stupidity and neglect it was rewarded with

There are some truly amazing women in the world. The fact that this thought most often crosses my mind when I am watching a true crime documentary and hearing about the female victims of men’s crimes and learning how much suffering they endured while raising children, holding down jobs, keeping friends and parents happy and safe from knowledge that would upset or endanger them is so bleak that I’m going to put it away lest rage overwhelm me for good.

Let us focus instead on another name to add to the list of extraordinary women, again brought to public attention by the terrible act of a man she knew. The three-part Netflix series Should I Marry a Murderer? tells the story of pathologist Caroline Muirhead who, at the age of 29, meets and falls in love with a Scottish farmer she meets on Tinder. His name is Sandy McKellar.

Indie music has been invaded by fake fans and cynical viral campaigns​. Here’s how deep it all goes

Companies such as Chaotic Good are confecting social media buzz to promote Geese, Oklou and other indie darlings. Industry insiders reveal how widespread the practice is – even if no-one is sure it actually works

Did you get more fomo than usual from last year’s Glastonbury? Did you see a video of Overmono or Lorde or Self Esteem that made you seethe with jealousy? That may have been because more of your friends genuinely did attend the festival last year – or it could be because those acts, and 25 others including Fatboy Slim, Charli xcx and Doechii, paid a digital marketing agency that sent influencers and content creators to watch their sets and upload organic-looking clips to social media.

Take a quick look at Your Culture’s Instagram page and you’ll find that the boutique UK agency had a hand in disseminating some of 2025’s most viral live music moments: the Last Dinner Party’s raucous “medieval sleaze” album launch party; Chappell Roan’s headline set at Reading festival. If you saw video from Calum Scott’s surprise set at St Pancras International last year, or Alex Warren’s outside Warren Street, it’s likely because of Your Culture. An Instagram post from January boasts that the brand “worked with 55% of the nominees” of the most recent Brit awards.

US supreme court to hear whether protected status of Haitians and Syrians can be revoked

Case looks at whether Trump administration has authority to strip hundreds of thousands of immigrants of TPS

The supreme court will hear oral arguments on Wednesday over whether the Trump administration can strip the temporary protected status (TPS) of hundreds of thousands of Syrians and Haitians, under a program that has protected them from deportation due to safety concerns in their home countries.

People with TPS are given the permission to live and work in the US because the government has deemed their home countries to be unsafe due to war, political instability or natural disasters. In the past year, the Trump administration has attempted to cut the program for various countries, opening the door to the removal of hundreds of thousands of protected immigrants in the US.

Tradwives, sugar babies and OnlyFans: Euphoria’s misogyny feels like the manosphere’s wet dream

Sam Levinson’s HBO show has always aimed to ruffle feathers. But its new season’s provocations ring hollow

• ‘A husband expects a yes’: how wife schools are shaping submissive Christian women

“You’re not a man!” screams Cassie Howard in the latest episode of Euphoria, HBO’s hedonistic, no-longer-high-school drama. “Men provide.” Cassie, who is brilliantly played by the human discourse magnet Sydney Sweeney, is furious with her new husband, Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi). She’s just found out that Nate, the all-grown-up high school jock, has been borrowing huge sums of money to fund their luxury lifestyle. In the middle of their wedding reception – a soiree she now realises has been paid for using illicit means – she is loudly berating him as their guests awkwardly pretend not to hear.

The wedding of Cassie and Nate was, somewhat unconventionally, revealed months ahead of Euphoria’s third season by Sam Levinson, the show’s equally unconventional writer and creator. As expected, it was a cinematic and expensive-looking spectacle that descended into disaster. Yet for much of Euphoria’s first three episodes, I’ve been wondering what the show – now picking up five years after the last season, with the cast navigating their early 20s – is trying to say. Episode three, like its predecessors, continued a portrayal of women that feels both old-fashioned and eerily prescient, projecting a shallow, manosphere-inflected fantasy of their motives. In a confusing jumble of plots, the only constant is an overarching disdain for the young women who made the show great.

Luka Dončić and the manosphere: why the scrutiny of his body never ends

The Lakers star can dominate a game, but still be judged for what his physique supposedly reveals about him

In Louis Theroux’s Netflix documentary Inside the Manosphere, he interviews podcasters, streamers and influencers from across the Red Pill ecosystem. But the most profound moments are when he speaks with their followers. Regular, everyday American men who struggle to make a living, find love, get laid and start a family.

One of them is a Latino man in his 20s living in Miami. He explains that Andrew Tate’s message helped pull him out of homelessness. What stuck with him wasn’t Tate’s aggressive bravado or rampant misogyny, but a simple idea: as a man, you start with no inherent value – you have to build it. On its face, it sounds like basic self-help. Beneath it is something harsher: a belief among those in the manosphere that worth is conditional, something that must be earned through performance, discipline and visible results. Under their logic, a “successful” man has a harem of women, luxury cars and a body bulging with muscles.

How a company likened to a sex cult is lobbying Trump for pardons

OneTaste, a company in San Francisco that prosecutors likened to a sex cult, has embarked on a campaign to court allies of President Trump as it seeks pardons for its two convicted leaders, CBS News has learned.

How a Supreme Court fight over fish oil could raise your prescription drug costs

The justices are set to hear Hikma v. Amarin, a battle over drug patents that could raise costs for patients and change the way generic companies do business.

RFK Jr. wants to treat addiction by creating wellness farms. Does it work?

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says a farm community in Italy for people with addiction is a model for wellness camps designed to ease the U.S. overdose crisis. Critics say the idea is dangerous.

Rebel Wilson rejects ‘absolutely outrageous’ phone-dumping accusation as defamation trial continues

The Pitch Perfect actor is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actor of Wilson’s directorial debut, The Deb

Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has rejected an “absolutely outrageous” accusation that she dumped her phone to avoid handing over key communications in a defamation case.

The Pitch Perfect star is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the 27-year-old lead actor of the musical comedy The Deb.

EU says Meta is failing to keep underage users off Facebook and Instagram

The European Union accused Meta on Wednesday of failing to stop underage users from accessing Facebook and Instagram, in violation of the bloc's digital rules that require sites to protect minors.

Trump in tough spot as he tries to avoid deal that highlights US failures in Iran

Washington facing long economic war or risky military action to reopen strait of Hormuz – which may now be more valuable to Iran than a nuclear weapon

Donald Trump is learning first-hand about the perils of mission creep.

The US-Israel war in Iran has just passed its eighth week – twice as long as the president predicted it would take when US warplanes launched their joint attack with Israeli forces to decapitate the Iranian leadership and paralyse its military. The military attacks were successful. The predictions about the political cause-and-effect to follow were not.

King Charles argues for stronger cooperation in speech to a joint meeting of Congress

In an address before a joint meeting of Congress on Tuesday, King Charles III sought to highlight the importance of the transatlantic relationship between the United States and Great Britain.

Australia’s Jackson Irvine says Trump’s Fifa peace prize makes ‘mockery’ of football

• St Pauli captain says decision undermines the sport as force for good

• Socceroos veteran is on track for third World Cup appearance

World Cup-bound Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine has taken aim at Fifa and the US over the governing body’s awarding of a peace prize to President Donald Trump, heightening tensions ahead of a tournament already weighed down by geopolitical pressures and controversial pricing.

Irvine has previously captained Australia and is on track to appear at his third World Cup after recovering from a foot injury. As a member of the global players’ union Fifpro, Irvine holds a senior advocacy role.

A non-controversial public health policy? The UK's gradual ban on smoking has been a PR success | Devi Sridhar

The world will be watching to see how the ban for anyone born after 2009 works out. So far it’s been a win with smokers and non-smokers alike

Last week saw the passage of the tobacco and vapes bill, which has a very ambitous aim: to create a “smoke-free generation” and eventually end smoking for ever in the UK. Quite simply, anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be legally able to buy tobacco products. From 2027, the minimum legal age for the sale of tobacco will increase by one year (from the current age of 18) every year. There will be a permanent generational line: everyone above it will still be allowed to buy cigarettes and vapes; everyone below it won’t. But over time the proportion of people allowed to smoke will become smaller and smaller as older citizens die – until one day no one in the UK will be able to legally buy cigarettes.

It’s quite a clever piece of legislation: rather than an outright ban that will result in conflict over rights with smokers now, it gradually reduces the number of those able to purchase tobacco products legally year by year, hopefully leading to further declines in smoking that happens invisibly. Public health researchers will be studying the impact of this legislation (a policy experiment and one of the first of its kind), and whether it could be a model to introduce in other countries and areas.

Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, and the author of How Not to Die (Too Soon)

Obesity a key factor for rising cancer rates in young people in England, study finds

While the research identifies obesity as a major cause, scientists say it does not account for the extent to which cancer rates are increasing

Obesity is a key factor for the rising rates of cancer among younger people in England, according to a study.

There are 11 types of cancer, including bowel and ovarian cancer, that are increasing among people aged 20 to 49 between 2001 and 2019, according to analysis by researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research and Imperial College London.

Keira Knightley returns to West End in adaptation of Oscar winner The Lives of Others

Stephen Dillane and Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson set to co-star in Robert Icke’s production based on the German film this autumn

Keira Knightley will return to the West End stage for the first time in 15 years in an adaptation of the Oscar-winning German film The Lives of Others.

The play, adapted and directed by Robert Icke and with music by Max Richter, will open at the Adelphi theatre in London this autumn. Knightley will portray an actor in East Germany in 1984 who is placed under state surveillance along with her novelist partner, played by Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson. Stephen Dillane has been cast as the Stasi captain who spies on their relationship.

Major data center company pauses investment decisions in Middle East amid Iran war, CEO tells CNBC

Regional uncertainty hangs over the previously booming AI infrastructure and data center sector in the region.

‘I will love it. Love it’: 30 years on from Kevin Keegan’s infamous rant

The then Newcastle manager’s on-air blast at Sir Alex Ferguson remains a classic Premier League moment

Premier League history is littered with red letter days and Monday 29 April 1996 will for ever rank among the most memorable. Thirty years on, recollections of the aftermath of Newcastle’s 1-0 victory at Leeds remain vivid. Keith Gillespie’s goal saw Kevin Keegan’s team move three points behind the leaders, Manchester United, with two fixtures remaining.

Before Newcastle’s visit to Elland Road, Sir Alex Ferguson craftily suggested that Leeds and Nottingham Forest – the team Keegan’s players would visit three days later – would not try as hard as they had against his own side. Ferguson also pointedly reminded everyone Newcastle had agreed to provide the opposition for Stuart Pearce’s testimonial by the Trent later in the year. This backdrop dictated that Keegan used a live post-match television interview with Richard Keys and Andy Gray of Sky Sports to claim the moral high ground while also walking straight into Ferguson’s psychological trap.

Indian billionaire’s son offers to house Pablo Escobar’s hippos at his private zoo

Anant Ambani revives offer to transport 80 animals, all descendants of Colombian drug kingpin’s pets, to India

It remains one of the strangest conundrums in modern zoological history – what to do with the descendants of Pablo Escobar’s hippos?

The animals – herbivores native to sub-Saharan Africa – were originally imported into Colombia by the drug kingpin for his own entertainment. But the beasts and their offspring were left to roam free after his death in 1993.

Michael Thomas, Sergio Agüero, Josh Stones: football’s latest title-winning goals | The Knowledge

Plus: dramatic late drops into the relegation zone, the Italia 90 XI and teams wearing away kits in finals

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“York City won the National League, and achieved promotion to the EFL, thanks to a goal from Josh Stones in the 103rd minute of their final game,” writes Eddie Giles. “Which players have scored the latest title-winning goals?”

In case you’ve been at a digital detox retreat for the past few days, York’s Josh Stones scored a 103rd-minute equaliser at Rochdale on Saturday to win the title and secure promotion to League Two. Had Stones not scored, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe’s 95th-minute strike would have won the title for Rochdale.

Palantir has released its terrifyingly honest (and pompous) plans for world domination | First Dog on the Moon

It’s all a bit too antichristy for my liking

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Devotions by Lucy Caldwell review – short stories that are frightening, passionate and comforting too

The Northern Irish writer explores music and family, memory and duty in this stunning collection of sharply observed tales

The stories in Northern Irish writer Lucy Caldwell’s fourth collection are often devoted to family life, or a professional life in the arts: or both. They’re almost always about memory and how to manage it. They offer a certain continuity with her earlier collections, Multitudes, Intimacies and Openings, though it’s subtle and organic rather than directly narrative.

In All Grown Up, Luke returns to his childhood home, only to be steadily reabsorbed by it. He applies himself to clearing the house, putting it on the market; he thinks about all the possibilities he’ll have once he’s sold up. But the longer he stays the less impulse there is to leave, and the more he remembers, not just about his life here, but his life generally. Meanwhile he’s a 40-year-old divorcee with a bad back, incipient alcoholism and a child at boarding school, attempting to come to terms with divorce, the death of his mother and his sense of entrapment. A one-night stand with his ex-wife’s sister doesn’t help. As you read, that title cycles between bleak irony and an equally bleak optimism.

‘Wheeling through vineyards and chateaux country’: an ebike tour of France’s Loire valley

Gentle cycling is the perfect pace to enjoy the region’s sunflower fields and medieval towns – with gourmet food and fine wine along the way

As I cycle in golden light through the Loire’s vineyards, I have the sudden wish to wear a flowing floral dress, tuck a sunflower behind my ear and answer only to the name Delphine. Opulent chateaux, honeyed stone villages, blazing fields of sunflowers … the Loire is so ridiculously and relentlessly beautiful it’s no wonder artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Émile Vernon made it their home.

A short zip across to Paris on the Eurostar and then an hour south on the TGV to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps and it feels as if we’ve stepped into a live JMW Turner landscape (he toured the region in 1826).

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea review – hectic anime lives again

There is less daffy humour in this sequel than in the 2023 original, but some sublime animation

By the demented standards of fantasy anime, this is fairly straight; the weirdest thing on show here is probably a unicorn-wolf who scoffs pink frosted doughnuts. And in case you’re having trouble distinguishing the interchangeable faerie folk who populate the cast, this second theatrical outing for the series has (unusually for feature-length anime) a handy explainer at the start: namely that the protagonist is a murdered salaryman reborn as Rimuru (voiced by Miho Okasaki), an amoeba-like blob who rises to become demon lord of the realm of Tempest.

In fact, Rimuru features minimally in this sequel. He and his retinue are invited by the Celestial Emperor to holiday at a luxury island resort; the only thing spoiling their sightseeing, fishing and carousing are the laser-like bursts of “nuclear magic” periodically blasting over their heads. But they are told they are in no danger: the target is the nearby undersea kingdom of Kaien. Rimuru and co resume their vacay – but bodyguard Gobta (Asuna Tomari) realises the group are being trailed by Yura (Saori Onishi), a Kaien priestess who has absconded with an ancestral flute at the centre of a power struggle.

Stress from racism may help explain why black women more likely to die in childbirth, study finds

Exclusive: Cambridge research finds socioenvironmental stressors may influence body’s ability to function healthily in pregnancy

Stress from racism and deprivation could explain why black women are more likely to die during childbirth, a study has found.

Researchers reviewed 44 existing studies that examined three physiological pathways associated with worse pregnancy outcomes: oxidative stress, inflammation, and uteroplacental vascular resistance, and found black women had higher levels of the three metrics.

A moment that changed me: I cried about my cleft lip for the first time in my 60s

When I saw a woman with a facial difference like mine at a party, I crossed the room to speak to her. It led to one of the most joyous, exciting and transformative discussions, in which I connected with feelings I’d always ignored

At a fundraising event, I looked across the crowded room and saw a woman with a cleft – a gap in the lip (and sometimes the palate) where a baby’s face doesn’t fuse properly during pregnancy. She was standing on her own, and I beckoned her over to join the small group I was with. She politely declined and before I quite realised what I was doing, I was crossing the room to speak to her.

I too had been born with a cleft. I’d talked to doctors, my parents, my wife and other friends about it to varying degrees over the years, but as I walked towards her, I knew this was going to be the first time – in more than 60 years – that I was going to have a conversation about living with a cleft with someone who also has one. I was terrified I might offend her, but I said something like: “Isn’t it scary walking into a crowded room? Because it feels as if everyone is looking at us.”

Classic Football Shirts: inside the vault home to their most valuable vintage gear – video

Classic Football Shirts have been in business for 20 years, selling over one million shirts (so far) and keeping the most iconic match-worn pieces in their temperature-controlled vault. Michael Butler travelled to Manchester to meet the CFS founders

Babies exposed to air pollution during pregnancy take longer to learn to speak, research finds

A KCL study has found that exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy delayed speech development

Babies exposed to higher levels of air pollution in the early stages of pregnancy take longer to learn to speak than those exposed to lower levels in the womb, new research suggests.

A study by researchers from King’s College London found exposure to nitrogen dioxide and fine and ultra-fine particulate matter during the first trimester of pregnancy delayed speech development at 18 months.

Tagine pasta and spicy, slow-cooked lamb: Nargisse Benkabbou’s recipes for a Moroccan feast

Artichokes and peas seasoned with garlic, ground ginger and turmeric make a sensational and surprising sauce for pasta, and a showstopping Moroccan-spiced lamb shoulder with a fruity salsa

I was lucky enough to grow up in a home where we had lots of family and friends around, which meant lots of people to feed. On those occasions, if my mum wanted to make something special that required minimal effort, she served a roast lamb shoulder. After all, roasts actually follow a concept similar to traybakes: the main ingredients are combined in a roasting tin and the oven does most of the work. In Morocco, méchoui can refer to either grilled or roast dishes, but for a lamb shoulder it typically means that it’s roasted. But, first, my take on a traditional artichoke and pea tagine, a popular dish typically enjoyed in spring. In Moroccan homes, tagines are served simply with bread, without sides, but I have found that some make excellent sauces for pasta.

Urban areas host 80% of England’s homes at high risk of flooding, study finds

Exclusive: 839,000 homes in urban areas face threat of surface-water flooding, with social housing tenants most vulnerable to costs

Eight in 10 of the homes that are at high risk of flooding in England are now in towns and cities, according to analysis by the National Housing Federation (NHF), which said social housing tenants are disproportionately vulnerable to the financial cost.

Research found that 839,000 homes in urban areas are now classed as being at high risk of surface water flooding, a threefold increase since 2018.

New Zealand officials reject ‘comfort women’ statue after objections from Japan

Statue recognising Japan’s sexual slavery of up to 200,000 women in second world war will no longer be erected in Auckland

New Zealand officials rejected on Wednesday an application to install a statue commemorating so-called “comfort women” enslaved by Japan before and during the second world war after Tokyo suggested it could harm diplomatic relations.

Japan forced up to 200,000 women from Korea, China and south-east Asia into sexual slavery from 1932 until 1945 and the issue remains a sore point in Tokyo’s relations with its neighbours.

Avalanche deaths have surged in the Alps this season. Here’s why | Johan Gaume

As an ex-pro snowboarder, I know the temptations of fresh snowfall. And as an avalanche researcher, I know how easily people can get into trouble

Many avalanche accidents occur just after a storm, when blue-sky conditions return and people head to the backcountry to enjoy fresh powder. These kinds of accidents happen every year, despite warnings to those heading out into the snow. It is easy to dismiss some behaviour as reckless, and sometimes it is – but it is also human behaviour, and it is nothing new.

I have been there too; I have made mistakes and got lucky. When I was about 18, while freeriding with my brother, we suddenly changed direction towards a beautiful and untracked powder field. It felt magical, until we realised we were heading straight for a 100-metre cliff. We turned back just in time, and moments later, a huge avalanche released exactly where we had been, and went over the edge.

Johan Gaume is an ex-pro snowboarder and a professor of alpine mass movements at ETH Zürich and SLF Davos

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All the right moves! 17 personal trainers on the exercise they always recommend – from planks to face pulls

Whether you are starting from scratch, or have a well-honed routine, moving can help us feel happier and healthier. Experts share their one essential exercise and how to get the most out of it

Many of us, regardless of our age or fitness levels, know that we should be doing more exercise but are unsure where to start. So what is the ultimate exercise for improving health, longevity and general wellbeing? Here, personal trainers share the best moves, whatever your individual needs or abilities.

Lost copy of seventh-century poem in Old English discovered at Rome library

Dublin scholars find 1,200-year-old manuscript of Caedmon’s Hymn composed by Northumbrian cattle herder

A lost copy of a poem composed in the seventh century by a Northumbrian cattle herder – the earliest surviving poem in the English language – has been discovered in Rome.

Scholars from Trinity College Dublin (TCD) uncovered the manuscript that contains Caedmon’s Hymn at the National Central Library of Rome.

Judge tosses Trump admin. lawsuit seeking access to Arizona voter data

A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit from the Justice Department seeking information on Arizona voters, another defeat in the Trump administration's nationwide push for voter data.

The Australians dressing pop’s biggest stars – from Taylor Swift to Beyoncé to Shakira

While the reach from costuming a superstar can be ‘astronomical’, the designers who have done so say material rewards can be harder to predict

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A bikini made from tangled strands of diamantes drapes down the torso of Colombian superstar Shakira. She is singing from a floating pink bubble in the sky. It is the opening frame of the film clip for her 2024 single Puntería, which has amassed more than 78m views on YouTube.

Given the renown of the queen of Latin music, the scene’s Australian links are not immediately apparent. But the ornate bodysuit was a custom design by University of Technology Sydney graduate Caroline Reznik and handmade in her inner Sydney studio.

A costume designed by Caroline Reznik for Doja Cat’s music video for Streets

Siri, where does Apple go next? – podcast

Guardian US tech editor Blake Montgomery talks about the future of Apple after the resignation of its longtime CEO Tim Cook

Where does Apple – perhaps the most iconic tech company on Earth – go next?

Last week its CEO, Tim Cook, stood down after 15 years. As US Guardian tech editor Blake Montgomery explains, when Cook took over after the death of the charismatic Steve Jobs, there were doubts he could build on his predecessor’s success. In fact, he has overseen extraordinary growth. After a decade of building global supply chains – and charming presidents from Xi Jinping to Donald Trump – he now presides over a company worth $4tn.

4/28: The Takeout with Major Garrett

Former FBI Director James Comey says he's innocent after second indictment; King Charles visits the White House and addresses Congress.

A whole new world: Disneyland adds facial recognition to some entrance lanes

Walt Disney Company says technology at California theme park will prevent fraud and streamline re-entry

Disneyland, the beloved California adventure park, has outfitted some entrance lanes with facial recognition technology, a move its parent company says will prevent fraud and streamline re-entry.

At certain entrance lanes, a camera will capture images of visitors, which can be converted via biometric technology into unique numerical values, according to the Walt Disney Company’s website.

France launches probe into website that enabled mass rape of Gisèle Pelicot

Authorities say the French-language platform Coco has been linked to crimes, including the sexual abuse of children, rape and murder

France has launched a probe into the reappearance of a website that enabled Dominique Pelicot to recruit dozens of strangers to rape his heavily sedated wife, Gisèle, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Authorities say the French-language platform Coco has been linked to crimes, including the sexual abuse of children, rape and murder. The website, which was registered abroad, was shut down in June 2024.

Woman dies after falling from balcony on Carnival cruise ship

Federal officials are investigating the death of a woman who fell from the balcony of her state room on a Carnival Cruise Line ship. Kris Van Cleave reports.

FCC orders Disney to file for early license renewal after Kimmel clash

The regulatory agency issued the order after President Trump and first lady Melania Trump urged ABC to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Camp Mystic director tells parents of flood victims he failed them as Texas weighs reopening

In front of a state committee investigating last year's deadly Texas flash floods, Camp Mystic director Edward Eastland on Tuesday told parents of the victims he had failed them. Jason Allen reports.

Kimmel-Trump clash continues as FCC launches early review of ABC's broadcast licenses

A day after President Trump and the first lady called on ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel, the FCC is launching an early review of the network's broadcast licenses. Carter Evans has more.

NCAA March Madness tournaments could expand to 76 teams in 2027

The new format would add eight more at-large teams, and take eight more teams out of the main bracket for play-in games.

Forensic probe underway into correspondents' dinner suspect's electronic devices

The man accused of trying to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner over the weekend is set to be back in court on Thursday. Nicole Sganga reports.

Millions in central U.S. facing another night of severe weather

For the sixth straight day, violent weather is threatening millions in the central U.S. Rob Marciano reports.

Comey indicted again on charges stemming from Instagram post

Former FBI Director James Comey is again facing federal charges after the government's previous case against him was dismissed.

Comey says he's innocent after new indictment on charges of threatening to kill president

Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted for a second time Tuesday over an Instagram post that the government alleges was a threat against President Trump. Ed O'Keefe reports.

King Charles addresses Congress after British ambassador's comments about U.S. and Israel leak

King Charles addressed Congress Tuesday amid tension in the so-called special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. Earlier in the day, private comments by the British Ambassador to the U.S., Sir Christian Turner, leaked to the Financial Times. Turner said that to him it seemed the "only country" to have a "special relationship" with the United States was "probably Israel." Ed O'Keefe has more.

US ambassador to Ukraine appointed by Trump steps down after less than a year in the job

Julie Davis will retire amid reports she had grown frustrated with Donald Trump, a claim denied by the state department

The acting US ambassador to Ukraine will step down from her post after less than a year in the job, the state department has said, amid a lull in US-brokered efforts to achieve a ceasefire and end Russia’s invasion.

Julie Davis had grown frustrated with president Donald Trump over his lack of support for Ukraine, the Financial Times reported, quoting unnamed sources. The state department denied any such disagreements took place and said she was retiring.

Gunshot at dinner may have struck officer's phone in pocket of bulletproof vest

Officials investigating the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner said they estimated the suspect was running at about 9 miles per hour when he sprinted through a checkpoint and discharged his shotgun.

Afghanistan women’s refugee players allowed to compete as official national team

• Fifa will not require squad to get approval of Taliban

• Afghan Women United was formed after 2021 takeover

Fifa has given permission for Afghan Women United, a squad composed of refugees scattered around the world in Australia, the Middle East and Europe, to represent Afghanistan in official competitions without requiring the approval of the Taliban.

In a significant regulation change to be approved by the Fifa Council today, Afghan Women will be permitted to compete as the official Afghanistan national team for the first time, against the wishes of the country’s government.

‘The best match I have coached’: Luis Enrique thrilled by PSG’s 5-4 win over Bayern Munich

• A record nine goals in semi-final first leg

• ‘We fought and we’re back in the tie,’ says Harry Kane

Luis Enrique called it “the best match I have ever coached”. Vincent Kompany called it “unbelievable”. Marquinhos said it was “crazy”. Harry Kane took a different tack, choosing instead to praise the defending on show after Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-4 defeat of Bayern Munich, the most goal-laden Champions League semi-final first leg ever staged, and perhaps also the most relentlessly exciting.

“It was amazing,” Luis Enrique said. “It had amazing rhythm, trying to play offensive football, trying to show their quality. I think everybody had fun watching the match. I’m happy because we won.”

Zurbarán review – ecstatic visions, primitive surrealism … and the finest loincloths ever painted

National Gallery, London
The 17th-century Spanish master painted with a supernatural intensity that will hit you just as hard as it did his original viewers

The word “visionary” is done to death but the 17th-century Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán demands it: he paints supernatural things naturally and natural things supernaturally. Space becomes different in his world, melting distance and erasing the barrier between you and the picture. The very first painting in this dreamlike ecstasy of a show dissolves logic. A monk robed in white kneels before a living man hanging upside down, his hands and feet nailed to an inverted cross: it’s a vision as real and close to us as it is to the awestruck monk, held in a penumbra of bronze fire, a stream of smoky light from heaven.

The Apparition of Saint Peter to Saint Peter Nolasco from 1629 has been lent by the Prado and depicts Nolasco receiving a vision of the original St Peter who asked to be crucified upside down so he would not imitate Christ. Nolasco couldn’t make the pilgrimage to Saint Peter’s shrine in Rome, so the church founder mystically appeared to him at home in Spain. You might think this is sentimental folk art, the stuff of prayer cards. But one thing’s for sure: Zurbarán believed it and paints it with such incandescent conviction it becomes sublimely real. You can see why Salvador Dalí loved this artist and imitated his still lifes and crucifixions: for Zurbarán is a primitive surrealist. Several newly attributed paintings in this show include a wall-filling mask of a giant, possibly painted for a stage set: it makes a mockery of proportion yet is beautifully detailed, full of character, weirdly alive.

Dogs’ brains began to shrink at least 5,000 years ago, study finds

Research offers insights into domestication of dogs but it remains unclear why they ended up with smaller brains than wolves

It has long been known that dogs have less between their ears than wolves, but now research has suggested their brains started to get smaller at least 5,000 years ago.

Experts say the results offer fresh insights into the domestication of our canine companions. However, the findings are unlikely to explain why your spaniel will only drink from a muddy puddle: the researchers say a reduction in brain size does not mean dogs are dafter than their wolf-like ancestors.

DHS shutdown: Congressional dysfunction imperils pay for TSA, Secret Service

The Department of Homeland Security has been shut down since February, as Congress continues to look for a compromise to fund the agency.

Starmer sees off major Labour rebellion over call for Mandelson inquiry

No 10 deploys full weight to block parliamentary inquiry bid as MPs warn PM running out of political capital

Keir Starmer has seen off a major Labour rebellion over a bid to force a parliamentary investigation into his appointment of Peter Mandelson, but many of his own MPs warned he was running out of political capital.

After Downing Street deployed its full weight to force Labour MPs to block a referral to the privileges committee over the scandal, some angrily accused Starmer of leaving them facing accusations of a “cover-up”.

4/28: CBS Evening News

King Charles III makes rare address to joint meeting of Congress; former FBI Director James Comey says he's innocent after new indictment.

Analysis: Dinner shooting brings reminders of past era of political violence

For historians, the 1960s and 1970s provide particularly eerie parallels to the present. Both eras were marked by bitter political divides and the unsettling feeling that America's social fabric was being ripped apart.

Trump ballroom unlikely to get White House Correspondents' dinners or end president's off-site events, critics say

Critics say a White House ballroom would be a "vanity" project for President Donald Trump. He and the Department of Justice say it's needed for security.

Feds have rejected 15% of businesses' tariff refund claims

But after some early hiccups, the U.S. government's hub for businesses seeking tariff refunds is running smoothly, an expert says.

Ex-NBA player Damon Jones first to plead guilty in pair of gambling cases

Federal prosecutors charged 34 defendants across two indictments, alleging sports betting and mafia-linked rigged poker games.

Jimi Hendrix bandmates’ estates lose court case against record label

The estates of Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, who both died in the 2000s, disputed the copyright of studio recordings from the 1960s

The estates of two of Jimi Hendrix’s former bandmates have lost a high court case against a major record label.

Owners of the estates of bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell took legal action against Sony Music Entertainment UK (SMEUK), claiming they were entitled to copyright and performers’ rights.

Trump administration blocks US wind energy projects in switch to oil and gas

US representatives Jared Huffman and Jamie Raskin earlier this month called agreements outrageous and unlawful

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The Trump administration blocked two permitted US wind energy projects from development this week, with an agreement to pay millions of dollars in refunds to the companies behind them if those funds are reinvested in oil and gas.

US Department of the Interior officials framed the canceled agreements as a way to “promote US energy security and affordability” by funneling funds “away from intermittent, higher-cost energy sources toward proven conventional solutions”, in an announcement issued on Monday.

Starbucks raises full-year outlook as turnaround takes hold — despite higher gas prices

Starbucks' global same-store sales, which only includes cafes open at least a year, increased 6.2%, fueled by more visits to its locations.

Mission accomplished as king’s speech to Congress goes down a storm

Charles quoted Wilde and Dickens in measured masterclass – and no tirade as yet from mad monarch in White House

A flick of Oscar Wilde here, a nod to Henry Kissinger there, a sprinkling of Charles Dickens here, a dollop of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt there. Job done!

The British monarch mobilised an elite squad of dead white men, leavened with humour and subliminal politicking, on Tuesday in a charm offensive aimed over Donald Trump’s head and squarely at the US Congress. Judging by the cheers and minute-long applause he received at the end, the soft power flex worked a treat and the special relationship lives to fight another day.

U.S. airlines are hiking fares — and travelers keep booking

Executives say travelers keep booking despite big jumps in airfare as they seek to cover the cost of fuel.

Here's everything to expect when the Fed issues its latest interest rate decision Wednesday

In what could be Jerome Powell's final meeting as Fed chair, he and his fellow policymakers are likely to continue their cautious approach.

GM raises 2026 guidance amid $500 million tariff refund, topping Wall Street's earnings expectations

Aside from earnings and any change to GM's 2026 guidance, investors are monitoring impact from the Iran war, tariffs and EV write-downs.

Meta's new AI model shows early promise, but investors want to see Zuckerberg's strategy

Meta introduced its new AI model at the beginning of the second quarter, so Mark Zuckerberg's commentary about the future will be key during earnings.

American Airlines tightens rules for portable chargers amid fire concerns

American Airlines is imposing new rules on portable chargers that passengers can bring on flights. Here's what to know.

Appeals court rejects Trump's mandatory ICE detention policy

A federal appeals court rejected the Trump administration's policy of making immigrants subject to mandatory ICE detention without bond, including those who have lived in the U.S. for years.

U.S. soldier pleads not guilty to charges of gambling on Maduro raid

A U.S. soldier pleaded not guilty to charges that he used classified information about the mission to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to win more than $400,000.

Over half of Americans say their finances are worsening, Gallup finds

The impact of higher energy prices and fears about covering monthly bill is taking a toll on public sentiment, a new Gallup poll finds.

Justice department indicts ex-FBI director James Comey over Instagram post showing seashells

Case centers on a photo prosecutors allege was a threat to Donald Trump, while Comey says he is ‘still innocent’

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The justice department filed new criminal charges against James Comey, the former FBI director, on Tuesday.

Comey was charged in federal court in the eastern district of North Carolina over a picture he posted on Instagram while on vacation last year in which sea shells were arranged to say “86 47”. The post was taken as a threat to Donald Trump. The number 86 can be used as shorthand for getting rid of something, and Trump is the 47th president. Comey subsequently deleted the post and apologized, saying he didn’t realize the numbers were associated with violence. “It never occurred to me, but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down,” he wrote on Instagram.

GM: Iran war causing cost increases, but pricey vehicles continue to sell

GM CEO Mary Barra said the Detroit automaker continues to monitor any change in customer spending, but so far, the company's vehicle mix has remained healthy.

Ex-senior adviser at NIAID indicted over COVID-19 records

Dr. David Morens worked as a senior adviser to NIAID's Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022.

The Guardian view on Starmer and Mandelson: questions that won’t go away | Editorial

The prime minister’s account is not false, but it seems partial. The omissions raise serious questions about his judgment and parliamentary accountability

Whether a prime minister misled parliament is a serious matter. The pattern of statements made by Sir Keir Starmer about appointing Lord Mandelson as US ambassador may justify a parliamentary sleaze inquiry. Opposition parties claim that the prime minister misled MPs over the process that led to the peer taking the Washington job. But they would say that, wouldn’t they? More troubling is that in Tuesday’s Commons debate some Labour MPs either abstained or defied the whip and voted to refer the matter to parliament’s privileges committee ahead of next week’s elections. Such rebellion speaks to disillusionment with Sir Keir’s leadership.

The prime minister has confessed to making a “mistake” in appointing Lord Mandelson despite knowing that he maintained a friendship with Jeffrey Epstein after the financier’s conviction for child sexual abuse offences. But it was Morgan McSweeney, who backed Lord Mandelson for the job, and Sir Olly Robbins, the head of the Foreign Office, who did not draw vetting concerns to Sir Keir’s attention, who both lost their jobs. Voters plainly think it wrong that others have paid for Sir Keir’s blunder.

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

The Guardian view on the politics of central Europe: in search of a new left | Editorial

Social democratic parties are suffering an almost total wipeout, as rightwing nationalism flourishes on the EU’s eastern flank

Péter Magyar’s historic defeat of Viktor Orbán in Hungary’s recent election was rightly celebrated in progressive circles and beyond. For the global far right, which has been steadily gaining power and influence for over a decade, this was a significant reverse. But it was no victory for the left. A former member of Mr Orbán’s Fidesz party, Mr Magyar will lead a centre‑right conservative government in a parliament where the only opposition will come from Fidesz and a small party with neo-Nazi roots.

Across the rest of central Europe, it is much the same story. Bulgaria last week elected a nationalist, Moscow‑friendly prime minister, Rumen Radev, who will take a draconian line on migration and is a fierce critic of the European Union’s green deal. The country’s Socialist party, a presence in parliament since 1989, failed to win a single seat.

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

OpenAI brings its models to Amazon's cloud after ending exclusivity with Microsoft

OpenAI's generative AI models are becoming available on Amazon's cloud a day after the AI company revamped its relationship with longtime partner Microsoft.

JetBlue is full steam ahead on Fort Lauderdale, regardless of Spirit's fate

JetBlue, United, Frontier and others added service to airports Spirit services after the carrier filed for bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year.

Stranded whale Timmy swims on to barge in German rescue attempt

Rescuers hope to move young male humpback from Baltic to North Sea after being stranded for a month near Lübeck

Rescuers trying to save a stranded humpback whale off Germany’s Baltic coast have coaxed the mammal on to a barge in the hope the vessel can take it to safety in deeper waters.

Amid intense media attention, the high-stakes rescue mission, funded by two multi-millionaires, is being watched by hundreds of onlookers, many of whom are camped nearby to monitor the spectacle.

Witness says D.C. shooting suspect "fell right at my feet"

A witness says the doors to the ballroom where the White House Correspondents' Dinner was held were "wide open" when a gunman rushed toward the event.

Federal agents return to Minneapolis to target daycares for suspected fraud

About 20 sites in the Minneapolis area were were targeted as prosecutors refocus attention on a billion-dollar social services scandal.

DOJ's handling of Epstein files to get congressional watchdog scrutiny

The Government Accountability Office, at the best of Congress, will investigate the Department of Justice's handling of the Epstein files.