Guardian readers respond to an article by Zoe Williams which argued that cutting the welfare bill should start with pensions Zoe Williams seeks to stimulate a debate about pensions and intergenerational inequality, but seems to have overlooked the issues surrounding the funding of public-sector defined-benefit (DB) pension schemes (All this talk about ‘difficult’ cuts, yet the largest part of Britain’s welfare bill is never mentioned. Why?, 21 May). Such schemes place enormous pressure on public finances; they typically require a more significant employer contribution – often more than 25% – compared with private-sector defined-contribution (DC) schemes, where employer contributions of around 3%-8% are typical. Continue reading...

Our life expectancy is not simply our personal responsibility, writes Jennie Popay Having spent several decades as a researcher in the health equity field, I was irritated to see that well-worn, misleading trope about personal responsibility for poor health being given the oxygen of publicity by the Guardian (At least 80% responsibility for ill health in old age down to individual, study says, 20 May). The Oxford Longevity Project’s study gave the impression that the main cause of poor health and its unequal distribution is an open question. That is not the case. The weight of evidence accumulated over decades is clear: the primary causes of inequalities in health, driving poorer health for poorer groups, are the material conditions in which people are born, live, work and grow old. It is growing inequalities in access to material resources, power and privilege, not irresponsible behaviours, which have created a 20-year gap in healthy life expectancy between the most and least advantaged groups in the UK. Continue reading...

Jeremy Morgan KC describes an encounter between a drug pusher and the late Anthony Clarke I was sad to read of the death of the senior judge Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony (Obituary, 27 April) and even sadder to learn that he had suffered from Alzheimer’s. Your readers might be interested in an incident that shows the essential humanity of the man. When he was master of the rolls, he was invited to a dinner by the Manchester Law Society. On his way back to the hotel after the dinner, he was accosted by a man who emerged from the shadows and asked: “Would you like some speed, or some coke?” Continue reading...

Daunted by Proust or Joyce? Letters from Ian Arnott, Mike Bromberg and Andrew Keeley on giving up on a long read Dave Patten says Proust’s In Search of Lost Time was unreadable (Letters 22 May). When I was a student of French in the 1970s I attempted to read it in French, but gave up after volume one. The only person I knew who had read it all in the original French was one of our lecturers who told us he had done it to pass the time one long summer vacation when he was laid up with gout. À chacun son gout, I suppose. Ian Arnott Peterborough • I got no further than the first volume of In Search of Lost Time. It is surely no coincidence that the widely quoted incident with the madeleines occurs in that volume. Does anything of note happen later? Mike Bromberg Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire Continue reading...

Age limits and changes to allegedly addictive design features could be in place by the end of the year Labour is expected to announce a social media crackdown within weeks as the prime minister, Keir Starmer, on Tuesday said he would act “very, very quickly” despite splits between campaigners and child safety experts on what the new rules should be. New limits on social media access for children could be presented before the Makerfield byelection next month after an avalanche of responses to a public consultation have been analysed with the help of an AI system called Consult and an expert panel led by an eminent paediatrician. The consultation closes on Tuesday. Continue reading...

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US attorney and a key figure in the investigations into the assassinations of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King G Robert Blakey, who has died aged 90, was one of America’s leading legal scholars, and his speciality was organised crime. He is best remembered for writing the part of the 1970 Organized Crime Control Act aimed at “racketeer influenced criminal organisations”. Its provisions became popularly known as the Rico statutes, recalling the Edward G Robinson character Rico, an Italian mobster in the 1931 gangster film Little Caesar. Blakey had previously drafted the wiretapping section of the 1968 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, and he became the primary resource for state and local governments when they moved to legislate in those areas. Blakey’s son John, an attorney and then district judge in Chicago, said his father’s determination came from a conversation outside the courtroom with a defendant he was once prosecuting, who told him: “You’re doing a great job, but don’t worry, you’re not going to win. The rules won’t let you.” Continue reading...

Dana Weinger was dining outside Driftwood Grill in Summerton, South Carolina, when she was hit Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email A woman in South Carolina died in a freak accident after she was struck in the neck by a restaurant table umbrella that had been picked up by a strong gust of wind. Local NBC TV news station WYFF4 reported that the incident happened at the Driftwood Grill in Summerton when the woman was dining outside on the restaurant patio with her husband on Saturday night. Continue reading...

One of the great American jazz saxophonists regarded as an improvising genius by fans all over the world The flyers for his shows often called the saxophonist Sonny Rollins “the greatest living improviser”. On the face of it, that statement appeared to collide with the evidence, because many of the elements of a Rollins gig were repeated from one show to another. But you had to listen beyond the themes of favourite Rollins vehicles such as St Thomas, Don’t Stop the Carnival and A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square to hear why he was an improvising genius whose work was revered all the way from the 1950s dives of Manhattan’s 52nd Street to the White House. Continue reading...

South East Water says demand has jumped owing to extreme heat but stops short of compulsory measures Members of the public have been asked to use water only for essential purposes by South East Water after demand surged on Monday to 100m litres more than average. The company has overseen water outages for hundreds of homes across Kent and Sussex over the last three days during record temperatures, and asked its customers to use their water only for drinking, washing and cooking. Continue reading...

The US has launched fresh strikes on Iran despite suggestions that a peace deal could be within reach. Donald Trump faces growing criticism from Republicans over the proposed plan to end the war, which reportedly contained major concessions from Washington. But could an agreement still be imminent? Lucy Hough speaks to diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour Continue reading...

Finance podcaster Jannese Torres says even finding an extra $50 to $100 a month can put kids on a path to future financial stability A finance coach unpacks how she retired at 40 – and the money advice she finds ‘irresponsible’ Growing up, Jannese Torres only saw the men in her family making financial decisions. “The women managed the day-to-day budget and made sure all the bills got paid, but the men were the ones who had the ‘grown-up’ conversations,” she said. Financial products were something to be feared – her parents had gone into credit card in their 20s, forcing them to file for bankruptcy. Continue reading...

A lack of confidence can prevent us from trying new things or going after what we want – but it’s never too late to change our beliefs When I was in middle school, my father told me 80% of how people see you is how you see yourself. This was terrible news at the time, because I was deep in the depths of puberty, self-loathing and figuring out how to part my hair. Though he pulled that number out of thin air, in the intervening years I’ve found he was onto something – projecting confidence can sometimes be the key to success, professionally and personally. But how does one actually cultivate confidence? And what if our understanding of what confidence is is skewed? Continue reading...

Italian’s reputation was bruised at Ajax but he has turned Porto back into title winners and is one of Europe’s most sought-after coaches again After Francesco Farioli surrendered a nine-point lead in his final five matches at Ajax, he felt the word “loser” had been stamped across his forehead. Clubs that had pursued him quietly stepped back and his rise abruptly stalled. Now, after an impressive campaign at Porto, the 37-year-old is again one of Europe’s most sought-after coaches. Porto’s title triumph, wrapped up with two games to spare, came 12 months after Ajax’s collapse enabled PSV to become Dutch champions. It is a sign of Farioli’s status that he was linked with Chelsea before they appointed Xabi Alonso, raising fears among Porto supporters of an early departure. They remember what happened 15 years ago when André Villas-Boas was prised away to Stamford Bridge after winning the league. Farioli, though, insists the club and fans have nothing to worry about. Continue reading...

We picked Liverpool as champions, Chelsea as challengers and tipped Brentford and Sunderland to go down. Oh dear What we predicted: Mikel Arteta vowed this would be a “big summer” after finishing as runners-up in the Premier League for a third season in succession and the new sporting director, Andrea Berta, has delivered on a number of signings in his first transfer window. The question now for Arsenal supporters is whether Martín Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres, Cristhian Mosquera and Kepa Arrizabalaga can help them take that elusive final step to becoming champions for the first time since the Invincibles in 2004. Continue reading...

Scottish National party’s attempt to focus on call for independence referendum overshadowed by embezzlement scandal The Scottish National party was accused of “embezzling” voters after opposition leaders highlighted the crisis over Peter Murrell’s misuse of £400,000 from party funds. The scandal over Murrell’s guilty plea on Monday to embezzling £400,310.65 while he was the SNP’s chief executive overshadowed a Holyrood motion tabled by John Swinney to call for a second independence referendum. Continue reading...

Dane collects fourth stage victory of this year’s race Gall comes in second, with Hindley in third place Jonas Vingegaard underlined his dominance on uphill finishes at the Giro d’Italia, launching a solo attack on the climb to Carì to claim victory on stage 16. It was the Dane’s fourth stage win of the race and further tightened his hold on the leader’s jersey, with overall honours now looking increasingly assured. On Monday’s rest day, Vingegaard declared his desire to win a stage while wearing the pink jersey, and quickly followed up that promise in Switzerland on the 113km ride from Bellinzona. His lead at the top is now more than four minutes. Continue reading...

Home hopeful is youngest man to win in Paris since 1991 Medvedev loses in five sets; Norrie out injured The real surprise here was that it took so long to come. Moïse Kouamé had expertly handled his nerves and high expectations to begin his first French Open main draw match on the front foot, he had demonstrated his enormous promise by playing so well, and he had paired his form with total self-assurance. Finally, with the 17-year-old up two sets to love and on his way to a perfect start, his 5,000-strong audience responded with an impromptu rendition of La Marseillaise. Their crooning provided the soundtrack for one of the statement wins of the tournament as Kouamé, the latest young star to command France’s attention, underlined his massive promise by spectacularly closing out his first grand slam match with a 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-1 win over the former US Open champion Marin Cilic. Kouamé is the youngest player to win a men’s singles grand slam match since 2009 and the youngest at Roland Garros since 1991. Continue reading...

Response to New York crowd behavior was criticized Rea: abuse was no worse than at ‘youth soccer game’ Don Rea Jr, who was cricitized for his response to verbal abuse directed at European players during last year’s Ryder Cup, is out as president of the PGA of America, effective immediately. Tuesday’s news came on the heels of the PGA of America’s board of directors suspending Rea for the remainder of his two-year term, which ends in November. PGA of America vice-president Nathan Charnes was named acting president. Continue reading...

Woman argued water was a universal human right but court ruled no law obliged hoteliers to serve it from taps A tourist’s simple request for a glass of tap water at a hotel restaurant in the Italian Dolomites has culminated in Italy’s top court ruling that being served water from the tap is not a consumer right, after a lengthy and costly legal saga. The case dates back to 2019 when the woman spent a week at the five-star hotel in the ski resort of Corvara, in Badia, over Christmas and new year. She was on a half-board deal with the evening meal included, except for drinks. Continue reading...

In the documentary Ask E. Jean, the journalist and author provides an unflinching account of her life, career and groundbreaking legal victories “If you were concerned about being dragged through the mud,” asks lawyer Alina Habba, “Why would you choose to sue Donald Trump?” Calm and composed, E Jean Carroll removes her glasses and replies firmly: “Because he called me a liar. He called me a liar. And I couldn’t let it stand.” Continue reading...

In a chaotic London childhood, Tyrone Paul got drawn into drug dealing and worse before hauling himself into the charts. He opens up about his psychological scars and trust issues In one of Pozer’s earliest memories, nearly two decades before he became one of the most talented rappers in the UK, he is six years old, running from his mum’s landlord. “He come knock the door, my mum’s acting like we’re not here, we skid out, go shop. When we’re walking back he’s clocked us, so me and her start running, we hop a gate and we’re now in the communal gardens of an estate. That guy booted open the ting. Me and my mum are pretend-playing with a ball. He picks it up – but all the little hoodlums in the area circle him: ‘What you doing?’” The way he recounts his life – both in his music and in our conversation, which takes place at a west London recording studio – it seems as if he was always on the move like this, on alert. Born Tyrone Paul and now 23 years old, he moved as a child around south London with his single mother, sometimes with his father when he was out of prison, or a family friend when his father was back on the run. In his teens, “I used to smoke weed with a couple of girls, and I’d say to them: ‘Every day I wake up, it feels like I’m actively tensing my muscles, and I’m not.’ You wish someone could tell you what’s going on.” Continue reading...

Classic starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing will include footage censors decided was too gruesome Hammer Films’ horror masterpiece Dracula is to be re-released in UK cinemas in October, including footage believed to have been lost for more than six decades after it was deemed too gruesome for audiences. The 1958 movie starring Christopher Lee as Count Dracula and Peter Cushing as Doctor Van Helsing has been fully restored in 4K. Continue reading...

Without strong evidence, or at least one decent trial, we cannot know whether shining red lights on to your skin does anything Read more in the Antiviral series The world of wellness is constantly expanding. There are new fads coming out almost every week, from the weird new mushroom powders that are suddenly essential for everyone’s health to the newest diet that is supposed to shave kilograms off your figure. It’s a quagmire of unproven, disproven and almost certainly ineffective things that grows every day. But one mainstay is red light therapy. While red lights are seeing a massive renewed surge in popularity – it’s hard to go on TikTok or Instagram without being assaulted by at least one very confusing video of a person wearing what appears to be a horror mask shining red light on their face – they’ve been around for quite some time. You can find people discussing red light and its possible benefits all the way back to the 1990s. Continue reading...

This Razzie-nominated romcom contains genuine movie magic, with Sandler delivering a restrained performance as an affable man who inherits $40bn Adam Sandler has long been the Razzies’ punching bag. In 2012 he famously swept every category at the 32nd Golden Raspberry awards for Jack and Jill, in which Sandler plays both eponymous characters. Almost a decade earlier, at the 2003 ceremony, director Steven Brill’s Mr Deeds – starring Sandler – was nominated for worst remake or sequel. Though it ultimately lost to Guy Ritchie’s Swept Away, the nomination suggested a dim view on the film’s attempts to renovate the original – the 1936 Mr Deeds Goes to Town, directed by the indomitable, six-time Oscar-winning Frank Capra – as well as Sandler’s performance in it. Though Mr Deeds isn’t Sandler’s most popular or critically acclaimed film, it is an endearing watch, and not so far removed from the hallowed image of Capra’s original. Continue reading...