This week on "Sunday Morning" (May 10)
A look at the features for this week's broadcast of the Emmy-winning program, hosted by Jane Pauley.
8th May 2026 15:53
The Guardian
Slot expects another Liverpool transition, Bournemouth drop Jiménez amid investigation – football live
⚽ All the latest news and previews going into a big weekend
⚽ Premier League preview | Fixtures | Tables | Mail Niall
Premier League: The press conferences from the Premier League managers are coming thick and fast. Before we get to those, here is what can be decided this weekend.
European qualification: With Manchester United joining Arsenal and Manchester City in securing Champions League football next season after beating Liverpool last weekend, there are just two guaranteed spots left in Europe’s top-tier club competition. Liverpool and Aston Villa currently sit fourth and fifth respectively, with the Arne Slot’s side hosting Chelsea on Saturday and Villa travelling to Burnley on Sunday. Both sides will confirm Champions League qualification if they win and sixth-placed Bournemouth drop points away to Fulham on Saturday. A draw will also be enough for Liverpool and Villa if Bournemouth lose. However, sixth place could yet earn Champions League qualification. That will be the case if Villa finish fifth in the Premier League and go on to win the Europa League.
Relegation: Leeds and Forest both moved a step closer to securing their Premier League status thanks to 3-1 wins last week, beating Burnley at home and Chelsea away respectively. Victory for Leeds at Tottenham on Monday will guarantee their top-flight status for next season regardless of results elsewhere – though they will be safe before a ball has been kicked in north London if West Ham lose at home to Arsenal on Sunday. If West Ham draw with Arsenal, Leeds will be safe with a draw against Spurs. Forest will also be safe if they win at home against Newcastle on Sunday and West Ham fail to do so later in the day against Arsenal. A draw will be enough for Forest if Arsenal go on to beat West Ham.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:46
The Guardian
Elections 2026 live: ‘I’m not going to walk away,’ says Starmer; Reform makes gains and Labour faces defeat in Wales and Scotland
Farage says Labour being ‘wiped out by Reform in many of their traditional areas’; Greens win first mayoralty in Hackney
We’re getting statements from some of the political parties now as we wait for results.
For the Conservatives, party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said:
We have run an energetic and positive campaign, showcasing that we have a clear plan to get Britain working again and that we have the team to deliver it... We know that so soon after a historic general election defeat and contesting wards won during the Party’s polling highs, that this will be a difficult set of elections for us. But we will continue to rebuild and to show the public that we have changed, to demonstrate that only this new Conservative party is a credible alternative.
People are deeply disappointed with a Labour government that has been too timid to fix the country, but they are also appalled by the rise of Reform and Nigel Farage’s Trump-style politics. While those on the extremes of the right and the left want to burn everything down, Liberal Democrats want to fix what’s broken. Every Liberal Democrat local champion elected today will fight tirelessly for the communities they serve.
I’ve travelled across England and Wales and I’m hearing the same everywhere I go – confidence that we will win more councillors than ever before. The news from the doorstep is that we will be taking seats from not just Labour but the Tories and Lib Dems too, from all across the country. Voters are responding to the fact that Greens are the only party taking the cost-of-living crisis seriously, with real plans to cut bills, reduce rents and provide genuinely affordable homes, as well as tackling the climate and nature crisis.
Throughout this election, we have heard a clear appetite for change. People want a government that will stand up for Wales and focus relentlessly on the key issues affecting their lives. People have told us they have been inspired by Rhun ap Iorwerth’s leadership and driven by a desire for a positive alternative to Reform UK’s chaos and division.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:46
NPR Topics: News
Contact tracing could be key in halting the spread of hantavirus. Here's how it works
More than two dozen passengers left the cruise ship before the outbreak was identified. The race is on to connect with them to monitor their health — and the health of those they've interacted with.
8th May 2026 15:46Employers added 115,000 jobs in April, blowing past forecasts
Hiring once again exceeded forecasts, with employers adding far more than the projected gains of 65,000.
8th May 2026 15:44Pentagon begins releasing UFO files: "It's time the American people see"
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement that the documents "have long fueled justified speculation — and it's time the American people see it for themselves."
8th May 2026 15:44
The Guardian
Nato refusing US permission to use bases is ‘a problem’, says Rubio after Meloni meeting – Europe live
US secretary of state has been meeting Italian leader amid strained tensions over Iran
The European Commission also insisted that airlines must not charge customers extra fuel fees after they have already bought tickets, as the aviation sector feels the pain from high energy prices because of the Middle East war, AFP reported.
“Airlines may adapt their published fares to the situation, but adding a fuel surcharge to a ticket after it has been bought cannot be justified,” EU spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told reporters in Brussels.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:44
The Guardian
Canadian high school where deadly mass shooting occurred to be torn down
Tumbler Ridge secondary school was site of February mass shooting in which nine were killed and dozens were injured
The school which was the site of one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings will be torn down, officials have announced.
The decision to demolish the Tumbler Ridge secondary school came after meetings between the school board and survivors, family and community members, said British Columbia premier David Eby.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:40Canvas back online after cyberattack hit learning platform for U.S. schools
A system that thousands of schools and universities use was offline due to a cyberattack.
8th May 2026 15:36U.S. payrolls jump more than expected, but the report had several red flags for the economy
Nonfarm payrolls were expected to increase by 55,000 in April, according to the Dow Jones consensus.
8th May 2026 15:35
The Guardian
Middle East crisis live: US fires on two Iranian-flagged oil tankers it claims were trying to violate blockade
Centcom says it has struck two tankers heading for Iran after Tehran warned Washington was violating fragile ceasefire
The ship monitor Tanker Trackers has posted the following on X about the Ocean Koi oil tanker:
Her new name is actually JIN LI (9255933), and has been so since 2025-11-30. Examining our data, we can see that she’s transported various Iranian hydrocarbons on at least 16 occasions since 2021; and with full knowledge of Iran because half of her loadings were conducted directly at port in Iran while the other half were conducted via Ship-to-Ship transfer further out.
JIN LI’s ownership is based in Shanghai, China. The vessel was slapped with sanctions by US OFAC on 2026-02-25.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:30
The Guardian
Virginia supreme court blocks state’s new congressional map in blow to Democrats ahead of midterms – live
High court strikes down a redistricting referendum that recently passed which would’ve given Democrats four more House seats
A reminder that my colleagues are covering the latest on the conflict in the Middle East. Including secretary of state Marco Rubio’s visit to Rome, to mend strained relations with Italian leaders and the Vatican after Donald Trump chided Pope Leo XIV for his stance on the war in Iran.
Rubio told reporters in Rome that the US should get a response on Friday from Iran to its proposal to end the war.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:30Virginia Supreme Court tosses out congressional map that favored Democrats
The congressional redistricting referendum was passed by Virginia voters last month and would have given Democrats a more favorable map.
8th May 2026 15:20
The Guardian
‘I should have kicked him even harder. He deserved it’: Eric Cantona comes out fighting
A new documentary at Cannes film festival looks at the French footballer’s five turbulent and triumphant seasons in Manchester – and the love story between him and manager Alex Ferguson
It was 30 years ago this weekend that Eric Cantona struck an audacious volley from the edge of the penalty area to win the 1996 FA Cup final. For his team, Manchester United, it meant triumph over their fiercest rivals Liverpool and an unprecedented second league and cup double. But for Cantona himself, it capped one of the most remarkable comeback stories in the history of the Premier League – one that has now been turned into a feature film set to take Cannes by storm.
Cantona is directed by duo David Tryhorn and Ben Nicholas, the only British directors to be part of the prestigious film festival’s official selection this year. With cinematic flair, it paints a portrait of one of football’s most singular personalities through the lens of his five turbulent and triumphant seasons in Manchester. We are treated to his sublime goals and trademark philosophical quotes, as well as flashbacks to his tempestuous early career in France, in which he berated the national team manager as “incompetent”, faced suspension from his club Marseille and even quit the sport altogether for a time.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:18
The Guardian
British sprinter CJ Ujah among 10 suspects charged over alleged cryptocurrency fraud
World relay gold medallist bailed until 28 May court hearing
Police alleged suspects part of an organised crime group
The British sprinter CJ Ujah, who won 4x100m relay gold at the 2017 world championships, is one of 10 suspects charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of a police investigation into cryptocurrency fraud.
It is alleged that the suspects were part of an organised crime group linked to a scam involving phone calls to multiple victims, from people purporting to be police officers and cryptocurrency companies.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:10
NPR Topics: News
As federal government pulls back, Colorado charts independent course with vaccines
As state leaders change laws to make vaccines more accessible, a coalition of doctors, public health advocates and everyday Coloradans is trying to start a public conversation about their importance.
8th May 2026 15:07Akamai stock soars 20% on earnings, $1.8 billion AI infrastructure deal
Cybersecurity and cloud computing firm Akamai reported first-quarter earnings on Thursday and saw its cloud infrastructure business grow 40% year-on-year.
8th May 2026 15:05
The Guardian
Are Katseye transforming K-pop or making ‘skibidi toilet music’? Either way, fans will tearfully wait hours for a glimpse
Katseye blends US sensibilities with the hard-hitting choreography, branding and relentless perfectionism of Korean pop music – and ‘Eyekons’ can’t get enough
Ten-year-old Luna and 12-year-old Asha were among the first Eyekons – the noun for Katseye fans, à la Swifties and Beliebers – to arrive at Sydney’s Luna Park on Wednesday after their parents drove two hours from Wollongong.
While they hadn’t won tickets to the girl group’s first Australian appearance – a Q&A for fans at the park’s Big Top on Wednesday night – they came anyway, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite artists.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:00
The Guardian
Is ‘tax the rich’ really hate speech? Won’t someone think of the billionaires? | Fiona Katauskas
The top 1% have it hard, too
See more of Fiona Katauskas’s cartoons here
The Guardian
AI-powered surveillance company Palantir created a chore coat. Great, now I have no choice but to burn mine | Van Badham
The gentle French garment is now as cursed as the infamous megacorp, which has accumulated $80m in government contracts in Australia alone
It’s taken me years to find a chore coat with a cut that flatters my big tits but, now that I finally own one, I want to incinerate it.
Such is the power of brand contamination; infamous data surveillance megacorp Palantir, has decided to bang a logo on a chore coat to sell as corporate merch.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 15:00
The Guardian
Giro d’Italia: Paul Magnier wins stage one but finish marred by mass crash
French rider takes victory on opening day in Bulgaria
Jonas Vingegaard among those held up by late crash
Paul Magnier won the opening stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia on Friday in a bunch sprint, after a late crash left most of the peloton out of contention.
The Frenchman Magnier pipped Tobias Lund Andresen in a frantic finish after 147km of largely flat racing from Nessebar to Burgas, in the first of the three opening stages in Bulgaria.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 14:59Virginia Supreme Court strikes down redistricting push in blow to Democrats
In the ongoing redistricting wars, Virginia was seen as an opportunity for Democrats to pick up as many as four U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterm elections.
8th May 2026 14:56
The Guardian
Football Daily | Real Madrid and some truly toxic vibes. Next up … El Clásico
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This feels like a good day to distract ourselves from [gestures in general direction of outside world] … so let’s check in on the latest events at Real Madrid. Have they finally found dressing-room harmony? Ah. Eek. Oh boy. Two statements from the club on Thursday revealed an “incident in the first-team training session” involving midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni, with the former suffering “head trauma”. It’s now emerged that Valverde needed stitches after a second altercation in as many days with his teammate. After a full and frank exchange of views in Wednesday’s training session at Valdebebas, Valverde then accused Tchouaméni of leaking news of that exchange, resulting in an unseemly tussle where the Uruguayan fell and hit his head on a table. We can only imagine that poor Álvaro Arbeloa, who had just popped out for morale-boosting bocadillos, walked back in to find everything on fire, like Donald Glover in that Community episode.
If Arsenal fans find that they are getting ripped off by hotels in Budapest for the Bigger Cup final, they might try booking hotels in Vienna near the main train station. Vienna-Budapest is less than three hours by train; a pleasant trip along the Danube. Trains run every hour, cost about €53 one way, and the fastest train makes the trip in 2hr 20min. The hotel prices in Vienna should be back down to normal … the Eurovision Song Contest will be over on 16 May. Bratislava might also be a better place to stay and the beer is cheaper” – Eric Ries (“not a travel agent, nor a worker for the Austrian National Railway”).
On a similar vein to Declan Rice’s misquote (yesterday’s Football Daily letters), I remember sometime ago when Manchester United were having problems, Rio Ferdinand was being interviewed about how the players should react. He replied that ‘someone had to assume the mantelpiece’” – Peter Arnold.
This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 14:51
The Guardian
Sexual harassment more than twice as prevalent at England’s top universities, analysis finds
Harassment reported by 35% of students at ‘high tariff’ institutions compared with 17% at those with lowest entry grades
Students at England’s leading universities were more than twice as likely to experience sexual harassment than those at “lower tariff” institutions, according to analysis.
Data from a national survey of undergraduates shows that 35% of students at “high tariff” universities – those requiring the highest A-level grades for entry – reported experiencing sexual harassment, compared with just over 17% of those at universities requiring the lowest grades for entry and 26% of those at “medium tariff” institutions.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 14:39Marco Rubio says U.S. expects Iran response on peace deal 'today'
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the U.S. is expecting a response from Iran on Washington's proposal to end the war.
8th May 2026 14:36
NPR Topics: News
Court rejects Virginia redistricting in a blow to Democrats' counter to Trump, GOP
Virginia voters approved redistricting that could help Democrats pick up four House seats. Democrats said it was to counter the gains that Trump and the GOP have picked up in Republican-led states.
8th May 2026 14:36
NPR Topics: News
Rooted in nature, 'Silent Friend' will change the way you see the trees
A new art-house drama tells three stories that span the century — and connect to one tree. Silent Friend will open your eyes to the beauty of the natural world.
8th May 2026 14:30Exclusive discounts from CBS Mornings Deals
On this edition of CBS Mornings Deals, we show you items that might just become essentials in your everyday life. Visit cbsdeals.com to take advantage of these exclusive deals today. CBS earns commissions on purchases made through cbsdeals.com.
8th May 2026 14:26
The Guardian
Colbert on McDonald’s supply chain concerns: ‘Perhaps this will finally show Trump the true cost of war’
Late-night hosts discussed Marco Rubio’s meeting with the pope, Trump bragging about his mental acuity and the ongoing ‘skirmish’ in Iran
Late-night hosts covered the ongoing war in Iran and how the Trump administration is refusing to focus on rising gas prices back in the US.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 14:24IREN inks AI infrastructure deal with Nvidia
Data center operator IREN announced a partnership with semiconductor giant Nvidia.
8th May 2026 14:22
The Guardian
White House calls Mark Hamill ‘sick’ for posting AI image of Trump in a grave
Star Wars actor later deleted post and apologized, saying president should live ‘long enough to be held accountable’
The White House has branded Star Wars actor Mark Hamill “a sick individual” after an AI-generated image showing Donald Trump in a shallow grave, with the words “If Only” as an overlay was posted to one of star’s social media accounts.
Hamill, who played the lead character of Luke Skywalker in six movies of the iconic science fiction franchise and is a longtime critic of the US president, apologized and removed the post from his Bluesky account on Thursday.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 14:04
The Guardian
MIA review – the creator of Ozark’s new drama is as subtle as being mauled by a 12ft alligator
This Florida-set revenge thriller swings between being boring and ludicrous. It’s riddled with awkward dialogue and convenient plotting
Miami, Florida is the US at its extreme. Ostentatious wealth is everywhere, some legal, some very illegal, most of it in a grey area between the two. All of it is propped up by the hard work and cherished dreams of immigrants, people whose fight for a better life is getting harder – those few who make it to the top having to decide if, now they are no longer being exploited, they are willing to exploit others.
All that provides the serious subtext for MIA, a new drama created by Bill Dubuque (Ozark). But any thoughtful treatment of the immigrant experience it might have to offer is overwhelmed by the sheer silliness of the main story, a revenge thriller starring Shannon Gisela as Etta Tiger Jonze, a woman in her early 20s whose entire family is slaughtered by a drug cartel. Raging with grief and with nothing to lose, Etta restarts from zero, lying low in Miami’s Haitian community while plotting to kill precisely 12 gangsters: the bad guys she witnessed murdering her loved ones.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 14:00
The Guardian
Product overload! Has your skincare routine gone too far?
Beauty products have never been more advanced. But as people layer them up, experts have seen a rise in perioral dermatitis. What is the too-much-skincare rash, and what can you do about it?
It often starts innocuously: a small cluster of spots around the mouth, easily dismissed as a hormonal breakout or a reaction to something you have eaten. But this is how perioral dermatitis shows up – quietly, persistently and seemingly more frequently.
“It’s quickly become one of the most common inflammatory conditions I treat,” says Dr Anjali Mahto, a consultant dermatologist and founder of the Self London clinic. Reddit threads on the subject run to thousands of posts, TikTok is awash with people documenting flare-ups, and actor Amanda Seyfried has spoken publicly about dealing with it. A recent report in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology confirmed the condition is on the rise. Meanwhile, the global market for perioral dermatitis treatments is growing.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 14:00Local leaders push to remove sheriff leading investigation into Nancy Guthrie disappearance
Officials say local leaders in Arizona are pushing to remove Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is leading the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, after accusing him of lying about his past record. The mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie has been missing for more than three months.
8th May 2026 13:57
The Guardian
Turning the page on Orbán’s rule: Magyar to be sworn in as Hungary PM
New leader urges Hungarians to help him end illiberalism as he faces calls to investigate years of corruption
Inside Hungary’s dazzling neo-Gothic parliament, the scenes will be solemn on Saturday as the new leader, Péter Magyar, is sworn in. Outside is where the party is expected to unfold, as people pour in from across the country to mark a pivotal moment: the formal end of Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power.
It comes weeks after Magyar and his opposition Tisza party won a landslide victory in a result that rattled the global far right, reset Hungary’s long-strained relationship with the EU and set off all-night celebrations along the banks of the Danube River.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 13:55
The Guardian
Sports quiz of the week: Champions League, Wu Yize, Giro and F1 winners
Have you been following the big stories in football, snooker, cycling, tennis, rugby and Formula One?
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 13:39Deputy who killed Black man at grandma's home convicted of homicide
Trial jurors said they couldn't agree on the more serious charge of murder, prompting the judge to declare a mistrial on that count.
8th May 2026 13:33
The Guardian
Charli xcx: Rock Music review – is she really pivoting from pop? Don’t be so sure …
(Atlantic)
The lyrics may argue the dancefloor is dead, but this funny, wilfully plasticky new single isn’t the total about-turn from Brat that fans expected
Last month, Charli xcx began the media campaign for her seventh studio album by giving an interview to Vogue magazine. The ensuing feature caused an impressive degree of online consternation, not because the 33-year-old star had said anything particularly controversial, but because she had suggested that the follow-up to 2024’s Brat would sound markedly different to its predecessor. “If I’d made another album that felt more dance-leaning, it would have felt really hard, really sad,” she said, not unreasonably declining to chase Brat’s vast success by attempting to replicate it. (Although, in fairness, you could have probably worked that out from House, the noisy, experimental collaboration with John Cale she released at the end of last year as the first single from her soundtrack to Wuthering Heights.)
She also played the interviewer a track that contained both “heavily processed guitars” and the lyrics “I think the dancefloor is dead, so now we’re making rock music”: Vogue duly ran with the idea, trumpeting Charli xcx’s “rock reinvention” in both the headline and on its cover and other news outlets picked up on the story – “CHARLI XCX CONFIRMS ROCK ALBUM”. What one journalist tactfully called “heated discourse online from some fans and artists within the music industry” followed, eventually prompting the singer to respond, posting “a video of me making a song called Rock Music that is not actually rock music which is funny because I never said I was making a rock album”.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 13:06
The Guardian
Steve Hilton: British strategist becomes unlikely frontrunner for California governor
Former David Cameron adviser says a vote for him will make California ‘Califordable’ – not everyone is convinced
He “knows how to wind people up like Trump”, according to friends, and made his name in the UK with zany policy ideas including making the country sunnier using state-owned cloud busters.
Now the controversial strategist Steve Hilton, named the “pint-sized Rasputin” of Conservative politics, has become an unlikely frontrunner in the primary race for California governor.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 13:04
The Guardian
‘She made Mondays something to look forward to’: readers pay tribute to Carol Rumens, Guardian’s Poem of the week columnist
Rumens, whose column ran for nearly 20 years and developed a loyal readership, died this week aged 81
Carol was an excellent commentator on poetry, shrewd and deep-thinking but able to express her thoughts in plain English rather than academic jargon. Her taste in poems was eclectic and very original; one didn’t always share it, but it was never predictable or dull. Sheenagh Pugh, Shetland
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 13:01
The Guardian
Telling the truth about Iran is more dangerous than ever
After months of protest, crackdown and war, on-the-ground reporting is more impossible than it has ever been. These challenges shape every aspect of how we report on what is happening in the country
Iran is among the world’s most repressive countries for press freedom. But in recent months, I have seen first-hand how the work of telling the truth has grown more fragile, more improvised, and more dangerous than ever.
We have been cut off from our sources. After the authorities imposed a nationwide communications blackout, the already fragile infrastructure of reporting has all but collapsed. Even when we can make contact, we are careful; a phone search at a checkpoint could put them in danger. We cannot cross-check events through local coverage or rely on familiar verification channels. Instead, we wait for the rare, precious moments when a reliable contact inside Iran manages to get online, navigating VPNs or risking Starlink, which the authorities have criminalised.
The Guardian is committed to helping journalists inside repressive regimes across the world to share their stories. As part of our annual support campaign promoting the defence of the free press please consider backing our work today – or consider backing another independent outlet whose work you value. We’re hoping to get 60,000 new supporters, or acts of support by 21 May.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 13:00
The Guardian
Nigel Farage dodges questions on £5m gift from crypto billionaire
Reform leader irritated when asked about money from Christopher Harborne on day of party’s election gains
Nigel Farage has repeatedly refused to answer questions about a personal gift of £5m he received from the billionaire Christopher Harborne, as the Reform UK leader sought on Friday to focus attention on the party’s election gains.
Farage was clearly irritated when asked on a number of occasions on Friday about the money, which the Guardian revealed he had received shortly before announcing he would stand in the 2024 general election and which was not declared.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 12:57Here's how AI can help with retirement planning, and where it struggles
As more people turn to chatbots for financial advice, experts say AI offers both pros and cons for retirement planning. Here's what to know.
8th May 2026 12:55
The Guardian
Soft armour, pert nipples: how London design team made Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala breastplate
Whitaker Malem worked with pop art sculptor Allen Jones, visual artist Nadia Lee Cohen and a car bodyshop in Kent
At Monday’s Met Gala, it inevitably fell to Kim Kardashian to deliver the evening’s biggest jolt. One of the few celebrities to straightforwardly interpret the “fashion is art” dress code – which focused on how the dressed and undressed human body is the through-line in most works of art – she decided to forgo her usual role as a walking billboard for a major fashion house and instead arrived in an orange fibreglass breastplate created by a small east London art duo and a car bodyshop in Kent.
“Good art should start conversation, and Kim did exactly that,” says 61-year-old Patrick Whitaker, half of the design practice Whitaker Malem, who made the breastplate just weeks before the gala. “She was very clear on wanting a breastplate, very clear on the car body finish. And I think she was nervous really. She understands the competition.”
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 12:38
The Guardian
Star Wars has to deliver a proper movie with The Mandalorian and Grogu – otherwise the franchise is dead
The long-suffering saga has been kept alive this decade by TV alone – but even that will perish if the new movie fails to extend its universe
Star Wars has always been big on prophecy. Yoda peers into the future like Nostradamus with messed-up syntax, the Emperor cackles that everything is proceeding exactly as he has foreseen, Darth Vader breathes doom through the front grille of his shiny death helmet. And yet not even the most omniscient of Jedi could have predicted that the franchise responsible for practically inventing the modern Hollywood blockbuster would end up as a TV-centric operation with only occasional forays on to the big screen. Which is why it comes as a genuine shock to realise that, ahead of the release of new movie The Mandalorian and Grogu later this month, it has been more than six years since Star Wars last hit the multiplex.
Then again, perhaps the real humdinger is that it hasn’t been longer. The most recent Disney Star Wars film, JJ Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker, did not so much conclude the long-running space saga as destroy several decades of perfectly serviceable mythology and ruin all sense of congruence with previous films. It was frantic, weirdly apologetic (about previous instalment The Last Jedi) and overstuffed with dodgy fan service. It was essentially a $590m act of narrative panic.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 12:37
The Guardian
Elections, a big diamond and BTS fans: photos of the day – Friday
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 12:36
The Guardian
Revealed: The Trump administration arrested the parents of at least 27,000 kids in seven months
The Guardian analyzed ICE records from January-August 2025, as advocates say the family-separation crisis will lead to generational trauma
After three months in immigration detention, 1,500 miles (2,400km) away from her 13-month-old daughter, LT was running out of options.
Her baby, who was allergic to formula and had other food sensitivities, had been vomiting constantly and needed breastmilk. But the government refused to release LT – an asylum seeker from Haiti – on bond. So, the family’s pediatrician petitioned the government to allow her to pump and mail her breastmilk from the Dilley detention center in Texas to her baby in Florida. That request was denied.
During the first seven months of 2025, the administration arrested 18,400 parents – including 15,000 fathers and 3,000 mothers. They are the parents of 27,000 to 32,000 children.
The administration arrested the parents of at least 12,000 US citizen children.
Nearly 7,500 fathers and 1,000 mothers who were arrested had a different nationality than at least one of their children. In about half of these families, siblings had different citizenships from each other.
On average, the Trump administration has been arresting about 2,300 parents each month and deporting 1,400 parents every month. The Biden administration, in comparison, deported about 700 per month in 2024.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 12:20Snack mixes recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination
Mexican street corn-inspired trail mix made by Illinois food company was sold at Target and other retailers, as well as online.
8th May 2026 12:16
The Guardian
Meet the Americans who choose to live without a car in the US: ‘It takes some doing’
Guardian readers in the US share how they get around their cities without driving in such a car-dominated country
We asked Guardian readers in the US how they get around if they don’t have a car in such a car-dominated country. Several of those who responded described the benefits and many challenges of going by foot, bike or public transit.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 12:00
The Guardian
How dangerous is Anthropic’s Mythos AI? | Bruce Schneier
The system’s power is comparable to others – but it still has frightening implications for the future of hacking
Last month, Anthropic made a remarkable announcement about its new model, Claude Mythos Preview: it was so good at finding security vulnerabilities in software that the company would not release it to the general public. Instead, it would only be available to a select group of companies to scan and fix their own software.
The announcement requires context – but it contained an essential truth.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 12:00
The Guardian
Bournemouth drop Álex Jiménez amid investigation into alleged messages to 15-year-old
Player stood down from Saturday’s game at Fulham
Club ‘aware of posts circulating on social media’
Bournemouth have confirmed Álex Jiménez has been omitted from their squad for Saturday’s game at Fulham after they opened an investigation relating to social media posts.
It follows alleged exchanges on social media between Jiménez and an individual who appears to state that they are a 15-year-old girl.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 11:56It’s not just Big Oil. Wind giants welcome profit beats as Iran war spurs energy pivot
Norway's Equinor told CNBC that the company expects the Iran war to deliver a boost to its transition industries.
8th May 2026 11:47Principal who tackled gunman: "God's hand was on all of us"
Kirk Moore, the Oklahoma principal who tackled a gunman, sits down with CBS News for a network exclusive interview airing Monday on "CBS Mornings."
8th May 2026 11:47Heroic principal says tackling gunman was "just instinct": "God's hand was on all of us"
Kirk Moore, the principal at Pauls Valley High School in Oklahoma, speaks to Matt Gutman about tackling a gunman who entered the school. Moore said his response was "just instinct."
8th May 2026 11:43
The Guardian
Tell us: has your flight been cancelled?
How has this affected you? Have you been able to make alternative plans?
People could see their travel plans upended as airlines cancel or consolidate flights to conserve jet fuel as the war in the Middle East disrupts supplies.
Airlines are reviewing their timetables to see which flights can be cancelled in advance and cause the least delays.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 11:42
The Guardian
Spanish authorities prepare for arrival of hantavirus-stricken cruise ship
‘Unprecedented operation’ under way to receive MV Hondius off Tenerife to assess and repatriate those onboard
The Spanish authorities are finalising preparations for the arrival of the MV Hondius this weekend, saying an “unprecedented operation” is under way to receive, assess and repatriate the 149 passengers and crew members onboard the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship.
The Dutch-flagged vessel, which was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, is due to arrive off Tenerife in the Canary Islands at around midday on Sunday.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 11:34
The Guardian
Paul Simon review – at 84, back on stage after hearing loss, his resolute artistry is inspiring
M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
What Simon has lost in vocal power he has added in intimacy and authority – and this hushed performance makes for an arena concert like no other
In 2018, Paul Simon’s triumphant Homeward Bound: The Farewell Tour was intended as his goodbye to decades of full-scale touring. However, even chronic hearing loss hasn’t dimmed his desire to perform again. Here, assisted by partial recovery, specialised sound monitoring and sheer power of will, A Quiet Celebration is different from anything he – or perhaps anybody – has done before, certainly in arenas. Requiring silence and understanding, it’s a hushed and introspective reinvention rather than a euphoric victory lap. Drums are mostly stroked with brushes. The 84-year-old singer-songwriting legend’s voice has lost power and range, but frailty and vulnerability have brought intimacy and authority. Smiling as he addresses a cheering Merseyside audience for likely the last time, he calls it a “humbling experience”.
The evening begins with a complete performance of Seven Psalms, the 2023 song cycle which came to him in dreams. It’s a series of quietly haunting musings on life, love, God and death, laden with calm insights and occasional truth bombs, such as Trail of Volcanoes’ comment on the refugee crisis: “It seems to me we’re all walking down the same road, to wherever it ends.”
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 11:29
NPR Topics: News
U.S. intercepts Iranian attacks on 3 ships. And, what to know about hantavirus
The U.S. says it intercepted Iranian attacks yesterday targeting three Navy ships. And, what to know about the hantavirus outbreak that started on a cruise ship.
8th May 2026 11:26Apparent bear attack kills missing hiker in Montana's Glacier National Park
The body of a missing hiker killed in an apparent bear attack has been found in Glacier National Park in Montana, park officials say.
8th May 2026 11:19
The Guardian
Digested week: It’s Met Gala in New York – and I’m thinking about who didn’t attend | Emma Brockes
Prominent holdouts of this year’s ball sponsored by Jeff Bezos included Zohran Mamdani, Zendaya and Taraji P Henson
It’s the Met Gala in New York on Monday and as photos stream out from the red carpet, the people I find myself thinking about most are three prominent holdouts. The annual ball, which raises money for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum, has always summoned a strong turnout from the have-your-cake-and-eat-it community, notably Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a few years ago in her “tax-the-rich” dress. This year, that role was assumed by the actor Sarah Paulson, who wore a dollar bill covering her eyes in apparent reference to the “blindness” of the 1%, a protest she undertook while nobly taking one for the team by refusing to sit out the $100,000-a-head event.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 11:07
The Guardian
Brentford’s Michael Kayode: ‘I don’t play just because I have a long throw – you have to watch me’
Right-back has unique skill but there is more to his game as he targets European football and an Italy call-up
There is only one place to start with Brentford’s Michael Kayode: his unique baby gender reveal at an empty Gtech Community Stadium in February. The 21-year-old walked towards the West Stand, the frame of the goal covered in balloons, and after wiping the ball with a towel, it was time for his trademark long throw, though on this occasion only from the edge of the D. After the ball rippled the net, pink smoke confirmed his partner, Eleonora, is expecting a girl.
Given Kayode launched the ball 65.4 metres last September – further than any other player in the Premier League since Opta began recording such data in 2019-20 – it is hard not to think he was underselling himself. “I didn’t want to miss,” he says, breaking into laughter, “so I just kept it easy.” Family, friends, a videographer and photographer, plus the couple’s pomeranian, Kiri, were the only ones present. “It was a really special moment and celebrating like this was unbelievable … I just have to say thanks to Brentford for giving me use of the stadium.”
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 11:05
The Guardian
‘This is not democracy’: voting rights activists shocked by speed of US states moving to stifle Black voters
Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and other southern states stun residents with all-out charge to redraw congressional maps to favor white voters after supreme court ruling
The reaction speed of southern states to the US supreme court’s decision last week in Louisiana v Callais has been breathtaking for voting rights activists.
One week after Callais, Louisiana’s governor has ordered the state’s ongoing congressional election to be set aside while state lawmakers redraw maps to eliminate a Democratic-majority – that is, a Black-majority – seat covering Baton Rouge.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 11:00
The Guardian
Add to playlist: the magnetic, uncanny songwriting of Frances Chang and the week’s best new tracks
The Brooklyn-based artist’s songs seem to follow private trains of thought, which shift their subtle musical colours in a way that will slink in to your head, too
From Brooklyn, New York
Recommended if you like Cate Le Bon, Astrid Sonne, Julia Holter
Up next New single No Avatar out now
“No, I won’t take a photo / Just walking around with no avatar,” Frances Chang sings on No Avatar, conversational and serene against little whorls of piano, skittish drum fizz and softly flaring synths. Like Astrid Sonne’s fragmented songwriting, the Brooklyn-based musician’s songs are hard to pin down, mirroring the single’s desire to avoid outward definition. Her songs work to an internal logic, evoking a sort of uncanny domesticity: casual piano refrains, rainy percussion; the melty haze of a horizon at dusk; grooves slinking in at the end of a song like next door’s cat making itself at home. It’s a sound that shares a lot with the modern Copenhagen scene of which Sonne is a key fixture, but with more welcoming softness and warmth: Chang’s January single I Can Feel the Waves is a six-minute suite that starts out a little edgy, then yields with gorgeous warped piano and disarmingly intimate focus.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 11:00
The Guardian
‘Everything went black. Then fire poured down’: one man’s terror onboard a ship hit in the Iran war
In an exclusive interview, a seafarer describes the strike on the MKD Vyom in the Gulf of Oman that killed his friend and crewmate, Dixit Solanki
The blast tore through the engine room of the tanker MKD Vyom without warning on the morning of 1 March. “There were immense shock waves and a fireball,” says Basis*, a seafarer on one of the first ships to suffer a fatal attack in the Gulf of Oman during the US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran.
“For one or two seconds, I was knocked out,” he says. “Everything went black. The power was gone. I looked up – fire and thick black smoke was pouring down.”
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 11:00
The Guardian
Future of UK lies in the EU after Brexit ‘failure’, say European Greens
Exclusive: Co-chair Vula Tsetsi says it is time to trigger debate, as statement is agreed at annual leadership meeting in Brussels
The European Green party has urged the UK to consider rejoining the EU and draw a line under the “political and economic failure” of Brexit.
A text declaring that “the United Kingdom’s future lies in the European Union” was adopted by a large majority of European green parties at the movement’s annual leadership meeting on Friday, the day before Europe Day.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 10:46
NPR Topics: News
The U.S. fires on 2 Iranian tankers trying to evade its blockade in Gulf of Oman
The U.S. military said its forces had fired upon and disabled two more Iranian tankers that were trying to breach an American blockade of Iran's ports, in the latest blows to a shaky ceasefire.
8th May 2026 10:44
The Guardian
From cramped coach house to family home – how clever design transformed this tiny space
Bold interior choices allowed these first-time buyers to utilise every square inch of this 19th-century building to create something special
Eleanor and Dominic Charles’s wishlist was typical of most city dwellers looking to get a foot on the property ladder: a bit of outdoor space, ideally a house rather than a flat, and somewhere with character. But they ended up being bolder than most first-timers, taking a punt on a run-down, pint-sized 19th-century coach house in Camberwell, south London.
“We’d viewed other properties, but often they’d been flipped and had uninspiring interiors we’d want to rip out, which just felt wasteful,” says Eleanor.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 10:30
NPR Topics: News
Military drills on the edge: U.S. and allies test capabilities near Asia's flash points
From drone boats to long-range missiles, the U.S. and its allies tested new military tactics in the Philippines, sharpening deterrence as tensions with China intensify.
8th May 2026 10:30
The Guardian
Three hikers dead after Indonesia’s Mount Dukono volcano erupts
Two Singaporeans and a local person were in no-go zone when they were killed, say officials
Three hikers – two Singaporeans and an Indonesian – have died in an eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Dukono volcano, where they found themselves in a no-go zone, officials said.
The eruption, on Halmahera island, sent an ash cloud about 6 miles (10km) into the air, with no towns or villages near enough to face any immediate threat.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 10:12
The Guardian
Trump’s looming defeat in Iran is a personal and political crisis | Robert Reich
Trump’s ego cannot accept a humiliating loss, and we are already seeing the effects of his failure playing out
We are witnessing what happens to a person who is consumed with the need to dominate, but cannot.
Iran is unlikely to give in. It can withstand the economic pressure of a blockade better than Donald Trump can withstand the political pressure that comes with rising gas prices (now nearly $4.50 a gallon, on average), soon followed by rising food prices.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 10:00
The Guardian
‘The worst time for wheat’: US farmers face losses to extreme heat and drought
Temperature swings have left crops across the Plains in terrible conditions, with some farmers opting not to harvest
Merrill Nielsen’s wheat crop looked healthy after he planted it in the fall on his 2,500-acre farm in north-central Kansas, about 50 miles west of Salina, the plants benefiting from higher-than-normal November rainfall.
But an abnormally warm and dry winter, followed by extreme temperature variability, stressed the developing wheat. In the winter-to-spring transition, temperatures fluctuated from 70 to 80F on some days and lows in the teens or low 20s on other days.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 10:00
The Guardian
When women choose non-monogamy: ‘It’s an opportunity for more integration’
Though open marriage is often imagined as something men want, women also choose this relationship structure – with all its rewards and challenges
It’s late afternoon, and Lucy texts her husband’s girlfriend. The sound of cartoons plays somewhere in the living room, and she absentmindedly wipes a smear of jam off the countertop.
A few minutes earlier, Lucy’s phone buzzes with a school email: a parent-teacher event for Thursday evening. She’s been attending these events alone, but pauses this time. She wants her husband, Oliver, there.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 10:00
NPR Topics: News
Prices are up, but Mother's Day still means brunch
It's the biggest day for America's restaurants, and one of the biggest for flower sales. Despite anxieties over rising gas prices, people are ready to splurge to celebrate.
8th May 2026 09:30
NPR Topics: News
Spain readies for evacuations as a hantavirus-hit cruise ship heads for Canary Islands
Spanish authorities are preparing to receive more than 140 passengers and crew members on board a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship headed for the Canary Islands.
8th May 2026 09:29
The Guardian
Inequality causing 100,000 extra deaths a year from heat and cold in Europe
Findings come after third-hottest April on record globally and amid fears of more brutal European summer weather
Economic inequality adds more than 100,000 deaths to the vast toll from heat and cold in Europe each year, research has found.
Cutting levels inequality to match that of Europe’s most equal region, Slovenia, as measured by the Gini index, would reduce temperature-related mortality by as much as 30%, equating to 109,866 people, the study found.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 09:29
The Guardian
The seven games that will decide whether Arsenal or City win the title
Arsenal have the advantage in the Premier League title race but will they hold off Manchester City’s challenge?
By WhoScored
Seven games remain: three for Arsenal, four for Manchester City. Seven opportunities for more twists and turns in the title race. Just as City appeared to be building their trademark relentless charge at the end of the season, they self-destructed in the space of 13 minutes at Everton. Jérémy Doku’s extraordinary late equaliser has given them a lifeline, but that 3-3 draw has handed the initiative back to Arsenal. Five points separate the sides and the equation is now brutally simple: if Arsenal win their last three games they will be crowned champions for the first time in 22 years, whereas City must be flawless and hope their rivals stumble.
Premier League titles turn on moments: Sergio Agüero’s 94th-minute winner in 2012, Steven Gerrard’s slip in 2014, Vincent Kompany’s thunderbolt in 2019, or City’s final-day comeback in 2022. The question now is whether the 2025-26 season has already had its defining moment in that Everton game or whether, with seven games to play, this campaign is yet to deliver the scene for which it will be remembered.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 09:24CoreWeave stock sinks 10% on weak revenue guidance, increased spending forecast
CoreWeave has been raising debt to finance its data center buildout, and S&P has boosted the company's credit rating.
8th May 2026 09:15
NPR Topics: News
What video got Kash Patel in the headlines this week? The quiz knows
Plus: The Met Gala, GameStop, Canada and Banksy (again!).
8th May 2026 09:01
The Guardian
‘A share in the delight’: the people investing in the UK’s first community-owned solar battery
Oxfordshire’s Ray Valley Solar already generates clean energy for 7,000 homes, and is now crowdfunding storage to marry daylight with evening demand
Tucked away among hedgerows on a large field between a motorway and the River Ray, one of the UK’s largest community-owned solar parks is hard to spot from the surrounding country lanes.
But the nearly 36,000 solar panels installed on the site are literally a shining example of what can be achieved when a renewable energy project is co-owned by local people.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 09:00
The Guardian
‘I told his family he was HIV positive’: Keith Haring’s best friend on life with the artist as unseen works go on show
For nearly four decades, the artist Kermit Oswald lived with some of the most intimate works Haring ever made. Now the pieces are going up for auction
The story of how Keith Haring came to paint a crib began on a quiet, ordinary afternoon in 1986. His best friend’s wife was pregnant, and the couple didn’t have the money to buy a new crib for their home in New York City’s Greenpoint neighborhood. “I called my parents to ask if my old crib was still in the attic,” says artist Kermit Oswald, Haring’s friend since childhood. “I got it and I painted it yellow, then Keith came over, we had a few beers and he painted the rest of it.”
Haring is famed as an enduring, globally recognized celebrant of Aids activism, nightlife and the New York Bohemian scene of the 1980s. But he honored his connection with his straight best friend even as he rubbed shoulders with Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 09:00
The Guardian
Olof Dreijer: Loud Bloom review – the Knife star’s debut solo album is a garden of earthly delights
(DH2)
On a floral-themed LP, squiggling melodies and quizzical distortion banish the winter gloom Dreijer brought to the Knife and his tracks with Fever Ray
Swedish producer Olof Dreijer is best known for projects with his sibling Karin: namely their duo the Knife, plus Karin’s solo act Fever Ray, with whom he created four brilliant tracks on 2023 album Radical Romantics. For all that his beats on these records often had African-Caribbean-Latin syncopation, they also had a Scandinavian winter gloom.
Conversely, his debut solo album seems to crane upwards towards sunlight like flowers – and each of the tracks has a floral name. Dance heads will already be familiar with some of them (having appeared on EPs stretching back to 2023) but together they show quite how distinctive Dreijer’s own musical accent is: you can tell it’s him sometimes from just half a second of music.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 08:30
The Guardian
‘Nurse, the joypad!’: the eight greatest medical video games
For anyone needing a break from binging The Pitt, you can always put in your own shifts as a hospital manager, surgeon, paramedic and of course as a demonic morgue assistant
Like the rest of the western world, our household is currently binging medical drama The Pitt, revelling in its visceral depiction of life in a modern emergency department. So far the series has yet to inspire a video game tie-in (though there has been an amusing parody), but fans wishing to try their hand at tense medical (mal)practice, should not despair. Here are eight of the best hospital games spanning more than 40 years of gruesome interactive surgery. Squirt some hand sanitiser and come this way.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 08:30
The Guardian
‘A true pinch-me moment’: memories of David Attenborough as he turns 100
Stories of chance encounters at home and abroad and the influence of his programmes around the world
With David Attenborough celebrating his 100th birthday on Friday, we asked people to share their memories of him. Some recalled chance encounters, while others spoke of the abiding influence his programmes have had on them. Here are some of the responses.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 08:00
The Guardian
Weather tracker: Colorado experiences rare spring snowstorm
State experiences largest May snowstorm in 23 years, and extreme rainfall hits Eastern Cape of South Africa
Colorado has experienced a late bout of winter weather this week as residents of Denver and the surrounding areas experienced their largest May snowstorm in 23 years. An outbreak of Arctic air brought freezing cold temperatures that allowed for rainfall to turn widely to snow on Tuesday afternoon, continuing into Wednesday for much of the centre and north of the state.
Denver was the hardest-hit metropolitan area with snow depths of 10-15cm (4-6in) across the city, and 15-20cm in some southern and western suburbs. Denver international airport recorded 15cm, causing hundreds of flight delays, and 35 cancellations.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 07:54Billion-dollar bets: Global investors chase Indian Premier League to ride booming cricket economy
India is the world’s fastest-growing consumer market, and with cricket commanding near-religious devotion, investors are rushing to own IPL franchises.
8th May 2026 07:39Trump threatens EU with ‘much higher’ tariffs if no trade deal signed by new deadline
President Donald Trump said he will give the European Union until July 4 to ratify its trade agreement with the U.S.
8th May 2026 07:32
The Guardian
Remarkably Bright Creatures review – Sally Field bonds with octopus in gentle Netflix charmer
Shelby Van Pelt’s best-selling book is adapted into an easily digestible, sweet-natured afternoon watch
Every now and then, a strange forgotten chapter of life during Covid will interrupt my thoughts. Remember when we used to fake happy hour merriment on the Houseparty app? Or when Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor made an unwatchably awful film about stealing diamonds from Harrods during lockdown? Or how about when people developed an unhealthy obsession with a Netflix documentary about a man with an unhealthy obsession with an octopus?
The unavoidability of My Octopus Teacher led to everything from a creepy spike in people googling “did octopus teacher sex with octopus” (time-saver: he didn’t) to an unforgivably undeserved Oscar win for best documentary (Collective, you were robbed) and then, while not a direct on-record inspiration, it at least paved the way for the success of Shelby Van Pelt’s best-selling novel Remarkably Bright Creatures in 2022. The book, which hinges on the bond between an elderly cleaner and a grumpy octopus, gave those still yearning for more octopus teaching a gentle summer read with no weird questions needing to be asked and now, inevitably, the adaptation lands on Netflix to be filed in the growing “inspiring octopus movie” section.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 07:01
The Guardian
I made my husband ill with a few words – nobody is immune to the power of the nocebo effect | Helen Pilcher
My prank demonstrated how our minds can adversely affect our health, and scientists are increasingly showing that negative thoughts can produce very real symptoms
For his last birthday, I gave my husband a monthly beer box subscription. While he saw it as a generous and delicious present, it spawned a mischievous idea on my part. One evening, as I watched him drain the last bottle, I opened my email. “We’ve just had a message from the beer people,” I said. “They’re issuing a recall on the last batch.”
“What’s the problem?” he answered. “Some sort of contamination issue,” I replied. My husband’s face fell. “Are you OK? You look a bit peaky,” I said.
Helen Pilcher is a science writer and the author of This Book May Cause Side Effects
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 07:00
The Guardian
Meeting ‘Madyar’: the Ukrainian drones boss raining on Putin’s parade
After Zelenskyy, Robert Brovdi is Moscow’s top assassination target owing to his long-range attacks deep within Russia
Vladimir Putin has told Russians that victory against Ukraine is inevitable. But on Saturday no tanks or missiles will rumble over the cobbles of Moscow’s Red Square. For the first time in almost 20 years the annual celebration of the allies’ victory over Nazi Germany will take place without military hardware. The reason: the Kremlin is afraid of a Ukrainian attack.
The man who has arguably done more to spook the Putin regime this weekend than anyone else is Robert Brovdi, the head of a Ukrainian military drone unit, Madyar’s Birds, named after his call sign. In recent months it has carried out a series of long-range strikes against targets deep within Russia, including ports, oil refineries and missile factories.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 07:00
The Guardian
Week in wildlife: a chonky sea lion, amorous toads and an adorable gosling
This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 07:00
The Guardian
How one man’s mission to clear dumped boats inspired Guardian readers
In this week’s newsletter: Readers have flooded the crowdfunder of Steve Green after his inspirational story of DIY environmental activism was told
• Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up here
For many people, owning a yacht is the ultimate dream. But recently I reported on what happens when that dream is abandoned, and one man’s uphill battle to clean up rotting boats left behind in Cornwall, England.
In this week’s newsletter, it’s my pleasure to revisit Cornish boat engineer Steve Green, who says he “nearly fainted” when hundreds of Guardian readers flooded his crowdfunder with donations and notes of thanks after we told his story.
The man who blew up a nuclear power station and disappeared
How car-loving American cities fell so far behind their global peers on public transit
As household bills soar, is it time for a working-class climate agenda?
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 06:00
The Guardian
Why is Silicon Valley suddenly obsessed with being tasteful?
Whether it’s Palantir selling a $239 chore coat, Anthropic taking over a coffee shop or executives walking the red carpet at the Met Gala, tech’s biggest players are pivoting to fashion to sell their brands – and attempt to appear cooler in the process
Last week, the US spy tech and data firm Palantir launched its latest “merch drop”, including a denim chore coat. “Rugged utility, enduring style” reads the website’s description of the $239 (£175) jacket, which is branded with the company’s logo on the chest pocket and comes in blue or black.
Eliano Younes, the head of strategic engagement at Palantir, told the New York Times that it was part of the company’s commitment to “re-industrializing America” – the jacket is made in Montana and recalls workwear of a previous era. “It’s not political,” he added. “It’s about people who love Palantir and are aligned with our mission.”
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 06:00
The Guardian
Wrestling With Trump: a fascinating look at how Trump’s political style is inspired by WWE wrestling
Comedian Munya Chawawa’s documentary is a compelling dive into the world of wrestling and its many links with the 45th and 47th US president
A small handful of psychological concepts transformed our understanding of the world, and each other. Firstly, Sigmund Freud’s discovery of the unconscious. Alongside that, Carl Jung’s hypothesis of the collective unconscious. Comedian Munya Chawawa’s fantastic documentary Wrestling With Trump (Channel 4, Tuesday, 10pm) offers a startling new idea: that the American president’s bullish political style has been cribbed entirely from WWE SmackDown. Let’s call it the theory of knocking everyone unconscious.
We meet the aide who advised Trump on how a crowd-rousing pantomime of good v evil could be politicised. We cringe at WrestleMania 23 footage, in which Trump appears, pushing promoter Vince McMahon and punching him in the head, the so-called Battle of the Billionaires. We’re reminded how many wrestlers, including the Undertaker and Kane, now stump for Trump; that Hulk Hogan ripped his shirt open at the Republican National Convention in 2024, shouting “Let Trump-a-mania rule again!” It’s all very funny, though of course it isn’t. Former wrestling executive Linda McMahon is currently the US secretary of education. Is that a punchline?
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 06:00
The Guardian
‘No reservations, no waiter, just great sea views, food and drink’: readers’ favourite beach bars in Europe
You share your favourite spots for sand, seafood and sundowners from the Kent coast to the Greek islands
• Tell us about your favourite railway trip in Europe – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher
Dungeness is a place of wild beauty, a stretch of coast that knows fierce winds. Artist and gardener Derek Jarman’s cottage roof blew off at least once and the wind regularly wreaked havoc with his planting. Stubborn plants survive on this vast shingle beach and just as stubborn is the Snack Shack, with its opening times dependent on the weather, as its website says. On fair weather days it’s an ideal place to have lunch as you explore the peninsula. If you’re in luck they will not have run out of lobster rolls among other freshly caught seafood delights. Paying homage to Jarman and eating outdoors here replenishes the soul.
Charlotte
The Guardian
I, robe-ot: the android monk working to reboot the faith of South Korea’s Buddhists
Jogyesa temple in South Korea initiated Gabi, a humanoid robot into its order this week, as it combats falling participation and interest
Amid rows of colourful lanterns strung across the courtyard of Jogyesa temple in Seoul, an unusual ceremony unfolded this week: monks held a Buddhist initiation for a humanoid robot draped in saffron robe.
They placed a string of 108 prayer beads around the robot’s neck and affixed a lantern festival sticker to its mechanical arm in place of the traditional yeonbi ritual, in which burning incense is lightly pressed against the skin.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 05:48
The Guardian
Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for Mexican-style vanilla bean flan | The sweet spot
An unadulterated, wobbly, joyous flan made the way it should be
I started the year in one of my favourite places: Mexico City. I’ve since become one of those annoying people who finds a way to bring it up in nearly every conversation, so please indulge me just this once! Each time I’ve been to Mexico, I develop a new fixation, and this year I ate a considerable amount of flan. It’s seen as a bit of a retro dish here in the UK, and perhaps a little divisive, but I love it.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 05:00
The Guardian
Living on the edge: what to wear with a lace-trimmed skirt
In-between weather calls for an in-between wardrobe. Knee-length skirts with a fun trim feel grown-up, chic and a little bit summery
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 05:00USPS proposal would allow handguns to be sent through the mail
The Justice Department argues the patchwork of state laws around guns makes it difficult to take them across state lines for lawful purposes like target shooting, hunting and self-defense.
8th May 2026 04:01
The Guardian
‘We’re not Lady Gaga and Elton John’: unmasking Angine de Poitrine, the year’s buzziest, dottiest band
Their microtonal rock has been a huge viral hit – but are they really 333-year-old aliens inspired by Borneo monkeys? The Quebecois duo tell all
Recently, Angine de Poitrine had to get new heads. The alien-looking rock duo were not in fact born with the monochrome polka-dotted complexions and extruded faces that millions of listeners have obsessed over since they went viral this spring. Guitarist Khn has a long, twangable nose and double-necked guitar/bass; drummer Klek’s dangly proboscis bounces along to his stone-cold playing. Both are apparently 333-year-old time travellers primarily inspired by a solemn musical quartet of monkeys from Borneo. Over months of hard gigging, their handmade papier-mache masks had gone soggy from the musicians’ laboured breathing. “When I looked at mine, I was like: Jesus Christ, did I really play that much with this?” says Klek. “It was falling apart. It was like putting a Christmas box outside when it’s raining.”
But when the masks disintegrated, it was important that their more robust replacements still looked lived-in. “People have fallen in love with the band as it’s always been,” says Khn. “So we’re not gonna change everything [because] we have a bigger budget now. We’re emotionally attached to our old beaten-up costumes that have been in car accidents and are full of snot. We think people love the fact that you can feel they have lived.”
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 04:00
The Guardian
Experience: I am the best lightsaber fighter in Europe
Some people wear elaborate clothes and spin their sabers like in the movies, but if you fight theatrically you’ll lose
I grew up in the suburbs around Paris and started fencing when I was five. I kept it up until I was about 22, but then began looking for something else. I started running marathons instead. The good thing about running is that you can go whenever you want – but that also means you can put it off all the time. I wanted a sport that had more structure.
I considered options like the canne de combat, a martial art in which people fight each other with a wooden cane. But then I listened to a podcast that mentioned plans to create a fighting sport using lightsabers. I thought: I’m a geek. I like Star Wars. I’ve done fencing. Let’s try it.
Continue reading... 8th May 2026 04:00