Alice Oseman’s hit series starring Kit Connor and Joe Locke will end with a story based on the as-yet-unpublished sixth book, with the pair facing a long-distance relationship Heartstopper, the much-loved Netflix adaptation of Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series, is to conclude with a feature film directed by Wash Westmoreland, whose previous credits include Still Alice and Colette. Following three series of the adventures of Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) and their assorted schoolfriends, a film will wrap up their story, based on Oseman’s as-yet-unpublished sixth book. Continue reading...

As if they weren’t perfect enough, Amal and George Clooney have revealed they never, ever argue. Luckily, we’re not bitter Name: The zero-argument marriage. Age: Potentially ancient. Continue reading...

Both clubs threw away convincing leads in England last week. They need to get their seasons back on track quickly By Get French Football News Hubris cost Lyon last week and it almost cost PSG too. “We thought we were too good,” admitted Ousmane Dembélé after PSG conceded three goals at Villa Park and were nearly knocked out of the Champions League. “We eased off a bit. We thought it was over but big matches are like that,” said Malick Fofana after Lyon’s spectacular three-goal collapse against Manchester United did cost them a place in the Europa League semi-finals. “It is a match I won’t forget,” added Fofana, who knows that Lyon – like PSG – will have to re-engage if their season is to end well. With a derby at Saint-Étienne on Sunday, Lyon had no time for a postmortem. But for Paulo Fonseca, one thing was clear. “We led 4-2 with one less player on the pitch but we celebrated the 4-2 too much when the match was not finished,” said the Lyon manager after his team’s 5-4 defeat at Old Trafford. “We should have thought about continuing to manage the match. We lacked experience at this moment,” he added. Continue reading...

There’s little chance of rehabilitation in the UK’s dangerously depleted prison system. These weapons might at least keep staff and inmates safe Alex South is a former prison officer It was a hot day in Texas when I visited in 2018. Hotter still inside the walls of the Eastham Unit, the men’s prison near Huntsville where I spent a few hours. My hands were sweaty enough as it was, as I focused my attention on the target board in front of me and practised firing rounds from a small silver pistol. The men and women with me were wardens at the Eastham Unit. “I wouldn’t do this job without a gun for no amount of money,” said one. These were experienced correctional officers who knew the Texas prison system well. And they were baffled that, as an English prison officer, I didn’t carry a gun. But I felt differently. There were plenty of things that I would have changed about our prison system, but introducing weapons wasn’t one of them. Alex South is a former prison officer and the author of the memoir Behind These Doors Continue reading...

Fancy getting poetry performances and DJ sets all in one place? A growing number of event organisers across the UK are putting their own spins on literature readings – and there are queues out the door On a Saturday evening in London’s Notting Hill, a large crowd of moderately tipsy young people are spilling into a tailor’s shop on Portobello Road. A passerby could easily assume they were walking past a fashion pop-up attracting a stylish herd of fanatics. But they’d be wrong. The buzzing crowd is here for a live reading event, and they’re eager with energy and anticipation. Soho Reading Series began in the summer of 2023 and was founded by Tom Willis, a writer and PhD student. He wanted to make a “scene where anyone could turn up, party, and have a killer time with literature as the centre,” he tells me over an extra-dry martini a couple of hours before one of the events. Continue reading...

Moscow turns down proposal to extend Easter ceasefire as Ukraine officials head to London to discuss US peace plan Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updates The Kremlin says it is open to direct talks with Ukraine but has declined to back Kyiv’s proposal to extend the Easter ceasefire. Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson told reporters in Moscow on Tuesday that there were no concrete plans for negotiations on halting strikes against civilian targets, but that the Russian president was willing to discuss this directly with Ukraine if Kyiv was removed “certain obstacles”. Continue reading...

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

An inventive debut by Michiel Blanchart, this tightly wound thriller owes a debt to Michael Mann’s Collateral, but has a confidence all of its own Picturesque, bureaucracy-dominated Brussels is probably not on the top of many lists of cities likely to serve as a setting for an exciting crime film. But this Francophone drama just goes to prove that, given enough moody lamplit street scenes, well-designed stunts and chase sequences and a bit of imagination, any city will work. It’s even more impressive a feat in that it is co-writer-director Michiel Blanchart’s first feature, and yet it feels confident, inventive and as grippy as duct tape throughout. The protagonist is Mady Bala (Jonathan Feltre, displaying impressive subtlety and physical prowess), a young, independent locksmith who stays up all night on call in case he’s summoned to help a customer break into their own home. In order to ensure he’s not being used to commit a crime, Mady usually asks to see a callout client’s ID, or at least get paid 250 euros in advance. On the night this all takes place, he lets these precautions slide for Claire (Natacha Krief), a pretty girl who shares his taste for an old chanson he hums while working, who says her money and her wallet are inside the flat. Of course, that’s a big mistake and soon Mady is ensnared by a gang hunting down a stolen fortune, one led by icily efficient boss Yannick (Romain Duris), assisted by thugs Remy (Thomas Mustin) and Theo (Jonas Bloquet). The latter turns out to have just a smidge more humanity, or at least a weak spot, that gives Mady a chance to survive. Continue reading...

As temperatures rise and countries back off their decarbonization efforts, we must confront a reality central banks can’t correct Inflation is, at base, a tax on consumption – and it hits the poor the hardest, since they consume more of their incomes and the rich consume less. That’s one reason for concern over Donald Trump’s tariffs, which will disproportionately affect the poor. When the 90-day pause on the tariffs expires, it is reasonable to expect prices to rise, and by a lot. Mark Blyth is a political economist and professor at Brown University. Nicolò Fraccaroli is a visiting scholar at Brown University Continue reading...

The Premier League-bound Clarets and their manager have no shortage of motivation heading into next season If the opening night was anything to go by, it looked as if Burnley’s return to the Premier League at the first time of asking was inevitable. It was Scott Parker’s first game in charge, a tricky trip to Luton, who had dropped down with the Clarets. One team had enjoyed a summer of continuity whereas everything had changed at Turf Moor but it was Burnley who left with a dominant 4-1 victory. That warm night at Kenilworth Road was not indicative of what was to come. By the end of the month, three of the goalscorers had left – 12 first-team players departed in total in August – forcing Parker to almost reset after the campaign had started, but it helped mould his squad into his vision for a promotion push. It would not be done with the flair and style with which Vincent Kompany et al accrued 101 points and 87 goals to win the title two years ago but, with the potential to reach a century, the result could be the same. Continue reading...

The co-founder of the family-run frozen food maker says ethical practices pay dividends on top of financial returns for her business Rosie Brown, the boss of Cook, never planned to be a chief executive. First, she trained as a nurse, then tried her hand at politics; then banking. But having struggled at first to find her niche, Brown now leads a ready-meal business ranked as the country’s best place to work in food and drink, and is looking to help others find their way in the world of work. Last year, the co-CEO of the ethical frozen food business took over from shoe-mending-chain boss James Timpson as chair of the Employment Advisory Board network, a government-backed programme started by Timpson which works with more than 90 prisons. Continue reading...

Conservatives face tough fight in mayoral and council elections as Farage’s anti-net zero message cuts through On the gravel pathway of Aggie Chapman’s home in the village of West Deeping, a conversation about Lincolnshire’s upcoming elections suddenly shifted from opposition to a local quarry to worries about nuclear Armageddon. “World politics is so frightening right now that it’s all very well worrying about what’s happening in our back garden – and yes we don’t want the quarry here – but it’s kind of insignificant if we end up going into world war three,” she told Conservative canvassers including the local MP, John Hayes. She mentioned the experience of her daughter, a nurse, during the pandemic as an example of global instability. Continue reading...

Research into 700 people shows the many roles canines play in our lives, from ‘fur babies’ to flatmates to best friends Dogs are not simply “fur babies” or “man’s best friend” but a blend of both, researchers have found in a study they say highlights the special status of pets. The study suggests owners rate their relationship with their dogs as being as satisfying or more satisfying than their closest human relationships. However, the researchers did not find the owner-dog bond was stronger in people with weaker human relationships. Continue reading...

Issue threatened to derail Francis’s papacy and dominated his trips abroad Pope Francis: cardinals to meet in Rome to set date for funeral – live In 2002, the Boston Globe published a series of articles exposing the scale of child sexual abuse in the local Catholic church. It shone a spotlight – the title of a later movie based on the investigation – on the church’s dark shameful secrets. Eleven years later, Francis became pope. Wave after wave of abuse revelations continued to crash at the Vatican’s doors amid mounting anger and revulsion among the faithful and beyond. The issue threatened to derail Francis’s papacy and dominate his trips abroad. He was slow to grasp the scale and systemic nature of the issue and apparently reluctant to take firm action to deal with abusers and those who covered up abuse. Continue reading...

The announcement that members must watch all films nominated in a category in order to vote for the winner, is met with disbelief that it wasn’t already the case A new rule introduced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to ensure voters have seen all the films in a category before they cast their ballots has provoked disquiet online, with many expressing surprise it wasn’t already a requirement. A raft of measures were announced by the Oscars governing body on Monday, including the stipulation that “Academy members must now watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to vote in the final round for the Oscars”. Continue reading...

Chanel Williams says she wonders if attitudes stopped drag artist, who died after taking ketamine, from seeking help The sister of The Vivienne has questioned whether the “stigma” around drug use stopped the drag queen from seeking help. James Lee Williams, 32, who won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, died at home in Chorlton-by-Backford, Cheshire on 5 January after taking ketamine. Continue reading...

We want to hear your tips for how to renew your sense of adventure – whether it’s making spontaneous decisions, trying new things, or actively broadening your horizons As we get older, many of us feel like we lose our sense of adventure. Busy lives can leave us lacking in energy, while increasing responsibilities can leave little room for more adventurous pursuits. But maintaining an adventurous perspective can help to keep life exciting. With this in mind, we want to hear your tips for how to renew your sense of adventure – whether it’s making spontaneous decisions, trying new things, or actively broadening your horizons. If you know a surefire way to reignite your adventurous side, tell us about it below. Continue reading...

White-faced darters transported to South Solway Mosses as hotter summers dry out its bog pool breeding sites With its chalk-white face and bright flame-coloured markings, the white-faced darter dragonfly is a distinctive sight as it flutters around England’s peat bogs. The rare dragonfly, which breeds in mossy pools, is at threat of local extinction, but now conservationists are trying to end its population crash by introducing it into a remote corner of Cumbria. Continue reading...

As the IMF recommends that fit and sharp older workers delay retirement to offset ageing population trends, we’d like to hear what people make of such proposals People from the baby boomer generation are being encouraged to stay in the workforce for longer and delay retirement as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said governments needed to make more use of fit, older workers to balance public finances amid fiscal pressures caused by an ageing global population. The financial agency declared that “the 70s are the new 50s”, and released data findings suggesting that a person aged 70 in 2022 had the same cognitive function as the average 53-year-old in 2000. Physical health had also significantly improved, the IMF found, as 70-year-olds displayed the same fitness as 56-year-olds did 25 years ago based on grip strength and lung functionality tests. Continue reading...

Digital media minister Clara Chappaz says TikTok videos promoting extreme thinness ‘revolting and unacceptable’ The French government is seeking to take action against a TikTok group promoting extreme thinness among young women and girls. France’s minister for digital media, Clara Chappaz, has reported #SkinnyTok to the country’s audiovisual and digital watchdog and the EU over concerns that the trend is body-shaming victims into anorexia and that algorithms are targeting the most vulnerable. Continue reading...

As she unveils The Trembling Forest with an ensemble of clay-covered performers, the great dance disruptor looks back on decades of radical and autobiographical shows Maybe it’s inevitable by the age of 75 that you’ve lived a number of lives. For Emilyn Claid, that’s meant the leap from ballet dancer in Toronto to the squats of grungy 1969 New York (via Martha Graham’s garden), to pioneering the New Dance scene in 1970s London, to artistic director, academic and psychotherapist (not to mention mother, grandmother), and then in her eighth decade, full circle to being a performer again. It was after realising “I was leaving three-quarters of myself out” that Claid made 2022’s comeback solo show Untitled, appearing strong, sensual, funny and provocative, dressed in leather vest and a fur cloak. She put the work in to get back on stage at 72 (“A lot of press-ups and sit-ups”) but at the same time, she says, it was absolutely natural, like coming home. “Not being at home like a comfortable sofa,” she clarifies. “The excitement of knowing a whole world that’s familiar to me and yet is always constantly changing.” Continue reading...

Canaries missed out on playoff spot in Championship A 3-1 defeat at Millwall marks Thorup’s final match Norwich City have sacked their head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup, with Jack Wilshere taking interim charge until the end of the season. More details soon … Continue reading...

One day, life as a finance consultant stopped making sense for Peter Hahn, so he took to organic winegrowing in the Loire instead One Friday night 24 years ago, Peter Hahn was sitting in the back of a cab to Heathrow, sleepless after yet another 48-hour work bender. “My computer’s on my lap,” the American-born organic winegrower from France recalls, the spring sun lighting up the deep pink walls of his study in his ancient manor house in the Loire Valley, his beloved vines outside, “and I’m doing a spreadsheet. Continue reading...

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, George Elek and Sanny Rudravajhala as Leeds and Burnley confirm their return to the Premier League over a busy Easter weekend in the EFL Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email. On the podcast today; the panel briefly summarise Nottingham Forest’s huge win over Spurs that propelled them back into the Champions League qualification spots before moving on to the Championship and Leeds and Burnley being promoted back into the Premier League. Continue reading...

Wolves forward is Amorim’s prime target at No 10 Sale of Rashford would allow United to finance deal Manchester United are pushing to sign the Wolves forward Matheus Cunha but may have to raise the money to trigger his £62.5m release clause by selling Marcus Rashford or other players. Ruben Amorim has identified the 25-year-old as his prime target for the No 10 berth, one of the head coach’s two priority positions, along with a centre-forward. Continue reading...