There are sharply observed pleasures to be found in this black comedy of infidelity, revenge and intergenerational tension – but the plot is both implausible and predictable John Lanchester has distinguished between his nonfiction and his novels as the line between “things happening in the world” and “the things that won’t leave you alone”. Over the last decade and a half that gap appears to have narrowed. His 2012 bestseller, Capital, used the global economic crisis (explained with characteristic verve and lucidity in the nonfiction Whoops!) to lend a sharply moral edge to a sprawling Dickensian story about the London property bubble, told through the class cross-section of a newly affluent south London street. His 2019 follow-up, The Wall, was a dystopian near-future tale in which rising sea levels have exacted a catastrophic toll: a heavily guarded sea wall encircles a Britain determined to fortify its vanishing coastline and keep out the refugees desperately seeking asylum. In 2019, global sea levels reached a record high. Lanchester’s satirical chops are on full display in his latest, Look What You Made Me Do, but this time his focus is more personal than political. Set in a recognisably professional – for which read excruciatingly smug – north London peopled by architects and agents, Lanchester’s sixth novel is billed by its publishers as a black comedy. Continue reading...

It is estimated that every year more than one million bald people fly to Istanbul. They go for two reasons – hair transplant quality and competitive costs “I used to look at my father and understand that I was destined to go bald,” says James McElroy. He smiles when he thinks back to his trip to Istanbul a year ago. “I had a few doubts at the beginning, but today I’m happy and satisfied. Yes, I had a hair transplant, I don’t hide it and I’m not ashamed of it. It was a somewhat intense experience, but I’d do it again – especially now that I’m single. I’m happy to talk about it and I’m happy to receive compliments. That wasn’t the goal, but I appreciate them.” A patient is reading the terms and conditions of his contract before the transplant begins at Sule Hair Clinic. Continue reading...

A Guardian investigation with DeSmog reveals thousands of tonnes of fish are illegally turned into fishmeal and oil off the coast of Guinea-Bissau The only ice factory on Bubaque, an island in west Africa’s Guinea-Bissau, is out of service. Local fishers, such as Pedro Luis Pereira, are forced to source ice from factories on the mainland, about 70km away – a six-hour round trip by boat. “The machines have been broken for months,” Pereira says, as he pulls in his nets on the shore of the island inside the protected Bijagós archipelago. “We’ve alerted the ministry of fisheries, but so far, no one has come to fix them.” Foreign industrial vessels anchored near the port of Bissau. Photograph: Davide Mancini Continue reading...

Maisie Adam and Scott Bryan talk comically and sensitively to people who found sudden tabloid and early internet fame in the 00s. Plus, Norse myths and history with Iain Glen from Game of Thrones It’s all too easy to sneer at pop culture’s also-rans. This series from comic Maisie Adam and journalist Scott Bryan does the opposite, embracing people who found sudden fame – mostly in the 90s and 00s – and telling their stories with humour and care. Guests include Liberty X’s Kelli Young, who thinks she and her bandmates were seen as “too R&B” to win ITV’s Popstars – and is surprisingly grateful to the funk band who sued them. Hannah J Davies Widely available, episodes weekly Continue reading...

They were far from home but it refused to let them stay without specific ID to prove they were over 18 My disabled 22-year-old daughter and her 20-year-old sister were turned away late at night by Travelodge Cambridge Orchard Park because staff would not accept that they were over 18. Their rail and student cards showing their dates of birth were not accepted. I called the hotel and offered to scan their passports but this was refused as well. The customer service helpline was similarly unhelpful. By then it was nearly 10pm and they had nowhere else to go. The 22-year-old is autistic and when she goes anywhere we always have to have her itinerary pre-planned and someone to be with her. Continue reading...

Documentary reflects on how Victorian botanists began to remodel a barren ocean outpost, but omits some crucial environmental and social questions From the dark belly of the ocean rises Ascension Island, a rocky outpost in the Atlantic Ocean born from volcanic eruptions and sediments accumulated over millions of years. While its formation feels like an act of cosmic creation, much of its landscape is human-made. During the Victorian era, British botanists brought plants to be cultivated locally, transforming a once barren land into a green oasis. Using this example as a starting point, Kevin Brennan and Laurence Durkin’s unhurried documentary contemplates the evolution of “terraforming,” a much-theorised ecological process in which humans alter a hostile environment to their needs. Visually, this film unfolds in a series of static vignettes, which largely capture the natural topography of Ascension. Cracked lava fields and golden sands give way to lush forests, conjuring a striking colour palette of black, yellow, and green. The images are poetic, showcasing a stunning variety of flora and fauna; people are rarely seen on screen, their absence adding a touch of eeriness to the atmosphere. Continue reading...

From packrafting in Luxembourg to cycling in Slovenia and eclipse-spotting in Spain, here are some great ways to get the kids into the wild Several companies offer affordable multi-activity trips for families in Greece, but if you’re looking for something less frenetic, and a bit more challenging for teenagers, how about Greek island-hopping by sea kayak? Running on regular dates through the summer months, Trekking Hellas’s three-day, two‑night odysseys in the Ionian Sea start in Nidri, on Lefkada, and paddle on past Skorpios to Meganisi, camping out at Lakka before continuing the next day to Mikros Gialos for a second night under the stars before turning for home. There are stops for swimming, resting and barbecues along the way, and some thrilling cave detours, but with about six hours of paddling a day, the minimum age is 14. From €352pp including kayaking and camping equipment, guiding and meals (trekking.gr) Continue reading...

In search of a new adventure, Craig Munns went back to school. Now, at 65, he spends his days examining long-vanished life forms Craig Munns has a large model of a T rex on his desk. He got it with a magazine subscription two decades ago. One day, a few years ago, he was sitting in his study, which was dense with books and yellow sticky notes and posters charting evolution from single cells upward, and he thought, “What am I going to do next in my life?” And his eyes lit upon the T rex. Munns had recently taken on a job at the public library in Canberra, but it had always rankled with him that he had not studied for a degree, starting instead as an electronics trainee after he left school in Sydney, Australia. So he decided to enrol as a part-time student. He graduated at 62, with honours in palaeontology from the University of New England in Armidale, NSW. Continue reading...

He plays a novelist dad who helps his professor daughter navigate a nasty divorce. Plus: sweet adoption comedy Trying returns. Here’s what to watch this evening 10pm, Sky One Steve Carell stars in this college campus comedy about a novelist father and his heartbroken professor daughter. Greg (Carell) visits the college when Katie (Charly Clive) is going through a divorce from her fellow academic husband, who cheated on her with a student. Its co-creator is Bill Lawrence, who worked on Ted Lasso and Shrinking, and look out for Scrubs star John C McGinley, who chews up every scene. Hollie Richardson Continue reading...

Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are finding their carefully projected image of stability has been blown away There is a tendency to think of the Gulf powers as static and unchanging. They are, after all, fortified by massive wealth and absolute monarchical rule, and secured with deep economic and military relationships with the US. The past week of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, and Iran’s retaliations, have brought into focus what these countries export (oil and gas) and what they import (tax avoiders and labour). But beyond thinking about energy-supply challenges to the global economy and engaging in the cheap and popular sport of smirking at influencers in war zones, we must remember that the current conflagration will have profound consequences for the entire region. This is not just about the US, Israel and Iran; it is about a complex, overlapping political order in the Middle East that is much more fragile than it looks. Amid all the ways the region has been changing over the past few years, the low-key evolution of three Gulf countries in particular has been the most significant. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have been rapidly making changes, the effects of which have been felt from Libya to Palestine. The 7 October attacks, which arguably set off the chain of events that led to this moment, were partly inspired by Hamas’s desire to stop the normalisation process that Saudi Arabia was undertaking with Israel; this was following the UAE and others signing the 2020 Abraham accords with Israel. The three countries have been pursuing in different ways, often at odds with each other, ambitious global and regional agendas. And they are also much more unsteady than their decades-long familial rule suggests. Continue reading...

Business group warns of harm to small firms and trade as it calls for phased end to ‘de minimis’ exemptions Removing the UK’s tariff exemption for low-value imports could push up prices and harm small companies and trade, a leading business group has said, as it called for a phased-in approach to ending the “de minimis” rules. The UK government plans to end the tax break on imports of goods worth less than £135, making them subject to customs duty, with the changes to take effect in March 2029 at the latest. The US removed its longstanding de minimis exemption on 29 August. Before that packages valued at less than $800 (£597) were allowed to be shipped into the US tariff-free. Continue reading...

David Weaver says proposed jury reforms and slow progress on equality risk eroding support in marginal seats Labour is in “deep trouble” with Black voters, a former government adviser has warned, saying the party is at risk of being seen as “accepting the normalisation of racism”. David Weaver, who is the chair of Operation Black Vote (OBV), said the government’s plans to restrict juries would “heighten, normalise and embed” racial disproportionality in the justice system and that Black voters were saying: “We don’t know what Labour stands for any more.” Continue reading...

A simple beetroot salad much like one you might be served in a Paris bistro, and a succulent fish fillet with a knockout, tangy dressing The trio of fennel, blood orange and potato is one of my all-time favourites. It’s clean and fresh, with all the ingredients working in harmony. I often serve it with a piece of fish, which is a beautiful combination. But, first, a simple beetroot salad that reminds me of the ones served in Paris bistros – it’s no fuss and very satisfying. Continue reading...

Lower Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne: Under boardwalks, in concrete, on window ledges, seeds borne by water and carried on feet survive The Ouseburn slides glassily, reflecting clouds, as it moves towards the Tyne. These lower reaches are tidal, once used for loading coal barges, here in the industrial heart of Newcastle. From glassworks, bottleworks, potteries and flax mills, the area is now transformed into waterside cafes, bars and housing. The burn flows through a variety of habitats: a wooded dene beneath a soaring viaduct, past stables, a farm and converted factories, exposed mud and ivied ruins, an evolving cityscape, its plants often overlooked. We study the ground while joggers and prams go past and progress is slow; there’s so much life here in the footpath margins. James Common has researched the city’s plants for six years and his book Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside is published on Monday. He found the Lower Ouseburn to be the fifth most diverse 1km square of the 188 he covered, the others being nature reserves and the Victorian park of Jesmond Dene. This vibrancy is the result of movement, of people and industry, animals and ships’ ballast, seeds borne by the river or carried on feet. Continue reading...

Appeasing the White House at all costs indulges little but a sentimental notion of a US-Australia relationship that no longer exists As the illegal American-Israeli air war on Iran spreads its treacherous dangers virus-like across the globe, Australia, despite its limp rhetoric of non-involvement, risks increasing ensnarement in a hyper-macho Trump folly with no apparent endgame. Call it US-Australia Alliance management. Call it an obsequious maintenance at all costs of the reckless Aukus submarine security pact. Or call it what it more closely resembles – appeasement of a belligerent US administration hell-bent on reiterating its global domination at any cost. Regardless, Australia’s passive refusal to challenge the US and Israel on everything from the illegality of the murderous bombing of Iran to the war’s opaque objectives, draws us closer to the danger daily. Continue reading...

zack mennell made a costume out of nappies and waded into filthy waterways saying: ‘I’m going to be the parasite.’ The performance artist’s project became more literal than originally intended On the Deptford foreshore, a ghoulish figure is sinking into the Thames. Performance artist zack mennell (who writes their name in lower case) wades to their belly button as a crowd watches on. DAs they dip down further, their mutant costume – sewn together from 24 adult nappies – swells with water … and waste. mennell’s work smears the personal and political across their body. The Thames performance is the finale of a project called (para)site, made in response to revelations of sewage discharge in our waterways and a reaction to the way benefit claimants are labelled a drain on society. “OK,” mennell thought, “I’m going to be the parasite.” Their taking on of pollution was more literal than they intended; they contracted Weil’s disease from rat urine in the water. Continue reading...

At least nine cities to pursue full bans as emergency decree gives decisive veto powers to mayors and local councils Romania’s government has overhauled gambling regulations through an emergency decree allowing municipalities to restrict or ban betting shops and slot machine halls in the biggest tightening of the industry the country has seen. Licensed operators must now obtain not only a national permit but also local authorisation to open a gambling venue, giving mayors and local councils a decisive veto power. Officials say more than 200 localities could pursue full bans. Continue reading...

Lucia Osborne-Crowley has endured threats and sexual harassment to report on Jeffrey Epstein’s chief enabler. Maxwell’s conviction was only the start of the quest for justice, she says On 9 September 2022, Lucia Osborne-Crowley flew from London to Miami and caught a Greyhound bus north to West Palm Beach. The writer and journalist had arranged to meet Carolyn Andriano, who was abused by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell from the age of 14 until she was 17, starting in 2001. Andriano had been a crucial witness in the trial against Maxwell in 2021. When the two women met, Andriano said she had just been visited by a private investigator – a man in his 60s, who had heard she was talking to someone about a book. In a restaurant that afternoon, Osborne-Crowley was approached by a man in his 60s. What was she writing, he wanted to know. He offered her drugs, cash and a meeting with one of Epstein’s pilots, then put his hands under her skirt. When the manager asked him to leave, he waited in the car park; Osborne-Crowley had to escape through a staff exit. Continue reading...

There are mounting calls for Australia to take action before the team return to Iran but with no word from the players themselves the situation is fraught and uncertain Their forward was once suspended when her head scarf slipped off during a goal celebration. Their youngest player is just 18. Another once worked as a personal trainer overseas. These are the women of the Iran football team, who are at the centre of an international diplomatic incident, even as the US and Israel rain missiles down on their family back home. The team remains in a hotel on the Gold Coast, where they played their third and final match of the Women’s Asian Cup on Sunday. Their departure from Australia is imminent, even if it’s not clear whether they want to go. Continue reading...

Local news outlets report the pop star is unharmed after ‘approximately 10 shots’ were fired from a vehicle across the street A woman allegedly fired numerous shots into the Beverly ​Hills home of Rihanna on Sunday, and a round went through a wall ​of the house, local news ​outlets reported. The Los Angeles Times ⁠and NBC4, citing a ​Los Angeles police spokesperson, reported ​that authorities responded to the shooting at 1.21pm on Sunday and detained ​a 30-year-old female suspect. Continue reading...

Sunday’s attack brought death toll to at least 157 people since the Trump administration began targeting alleged ‘narcoterrorists’ The US military said it killed six men on Sunday in a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean as part of the Trump administration’s campaign against alleged traffickers. Sunday’s attack brought the death toll to at least 157 people since the administration began targeting so-called “narcoterrorists” in small vessels in September. Continue reading...

Proton VPN moves from 174th to 19th place as NordVPN goes from 189th to 13th, as porn websites in Australia start requiring age verification for users Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Virtual private network apps have skyrocketed up the app charts in Australia after a number of adult sites began blocking Australian users in compliance with new online safety codes in effect from Monday. VPN Super Unlimited Proxy moved from 40th in free iPhone apps in Australia on 2 March to 7th place as of Sunday, according to the most recent data from Sensor Tower. Proton VPN moved from 174th to 19th, and NordVPN went from 189th to 13th. Continue reading...

British driver fourth in Melbourne behind teammate Charles Leclerc Toto Wolff acknowledges Ferrari pose threat after Australian GP Lewis Hamilton has declared he is fired-up and optimistic in his belief that Ferrari will be in the world championship fight with Mercedes after the new Formula One season opened in Australia on Sunday. The race in Melbourne was won by Mercedes’ George Russell, with his teammate Kimi Antonelli in second but Ferrari claimed third and fourth for Charles Leclerc and Hamilton. Both drivers executed superb starts to make up places to first and third respectively and for the opening 12 laps were very much in the fight with Russell at the front of the field. Continue reading...

American wins 6-1, 6-1 Aryna Sabalenka sets up Naomi Osaka meeting Emma Raducanu suffered a heavy defeat in just 52 minutes to Amanda Anisimova in the third round at Indian Wells. The British No 1 was well below par in a 6-1 6-1 loss to the American world No 6. Raducanu, seeded 25, may have been struggling with a fitness issue as she repeatedly refused to chase down drop shots. The 23-year-old’s first serve misfired badly and she hit just two winners to her opponent’s 21. Continue reading...

Kasasa island, in the Seto Inland Sea, has only seven residents but its fate is strongly intertwined with relations between Tokyo and Beijing His island home is shrouded in mist, but his union jack woolly hat makes Hideya Yagi easy to spot as he greets the approaching boat. The 80-year-old, a former president of a construction company, is pleased to see the small group of passengers disembark, mainly because he is one of only seven registered residents at their destination, Kasasa island. Kasasa is known as the “Hawaii” of Japan’s inland sea because of its warm climate and beautiful coastline. Yagi and his wife, Mihoko, eke out a quiet life alongside just one other couple and an elderly woman. The other two residents are almost always absent. Continue reading...