We would like to hear from people who regret turning to AI chatbots for advice on their personal or social lives People are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for advice on their personal and social lives. But researchers and even some AI companies are beginning to worry that some users are becoming overly dependent on their chatbots. Have you taken the advice of an AI chatbot to make a significant decision - and regretted it? Continue reading...

Vibrating flowers uses huge amounts of energy, forcing bees to choose which plants to visit and affecting which ones are pollinated Bees use as much energy collecting pollen through “floral buzzing” as they do taking off in flight, a study shows. Scientists have found the vibrations bumblebees use to shake pollen loose from flowers are among the most exhausting behaviours they perform, forcing bees to “carefully choose” which flowers are worth visiting. Continue reading...

Cannes film festival: Clio Barnard’s absorbing tale depicts five friends who grew up together in Birmingham but now face divided destinies With warmth and heartfelt passion, and a quintet of outstanding performances from young actors shot in looming closeup for so much of the time, Clio Barnard has created an absorbing and moving social-realist picture. It’s a film whose mix of poignancy, defiance and contaminated euphoria stayed with me hours after the closing credits. It is about five young people from Birmingham who grew up together, reaching the end of their 20s, sensing a looming crisis and on the verge of a tragedy that is mysteriously growing from within their own increasing disparity. It is adapted by screenwriter Enda Walsh from the novel of the same name by Kieran Goddard, the statically rendered pentaptych of five consciousnesses in Goddard’s book being transformed into a fraught and dynamic home town drama with a sense memory of Fellini’s I Vitelloni. Continue reading...

The comedian Munya Chawawa on satire in the age of social media and what Donald Trump has in common with wrestlers Even if you don’t know Munya Chawawa’s name, you will almost certainly have seen one of his skits. He’s the guy on your feeds who’ll take a nostalgic chart-banger and turn it into a political parody. He first blew up in the Covid pandemic, when he mocked the health secretary for his affair, the prime minister for rule-breaking, and the sheer absurdity of living through lockdown. Since then he’s racked up more than a billion views, appeared on Celebrity Bake Off and Taskmaster and made documentaries on Kim Jong-un and Robert Mugabe, all the while putting a modern twist on the hoary tradition of political satire. But as the news moves faster and grows darker, he tells Nosheen Iqbal how he finds jokes in the growing political chaos. Continue reading...

MEPs had twice frozen ratification process in protest at Trump’s threat of higher tariffs and Greenland threats The EU has finally agreed to implement its trade deal with the US after five hours of talks between members of the European parliament and member states in the hope of averting more tariffs threatened by Donald Trump. It means the agreement struck last July at the US president’s Scottish golf course can now enter into force, removing import duties on most US goods entering the EU. Continue reading...

Incident comes just a day after Nato had to shoot down a suspected stray Ukrainian drone over Estonia The drone alert in Lithuania has just been lifted, with the country’s defence minister quoted by Reuters as saying that the drone flew by Lentvaris near the capital, Vilnius, before diverting in a different direction. We will no doubt get more details on this soon. Continue reading...

Lewis-Skelly takes aims at bottlers jibe after title win Eberechi Eze posts picture of Arsenal-branded bottle A jubilant Bukayo Saka hit back at Arsenal’s critics by saying “they’re not laughing at us any more” as the club celebrated their first Premier League title in 22 years. Arsenal players and staff gathered at their London Colney training base to watch Manchester City draw 1-1 with Bournemouth, guaranteeing the Gunners their first championship since 2004. Continue reading...

Wilson lends his drawl to a dog who gains superpowers after being abducted by aliens in this frenetic animation In an ever more threadbare release schedule, there’s little in the way of a backup plan for any youngsters and parents shut out of The Mandalorian and Grogu. The major studios’ animation departments have already delivered the blockbusting likes of Hoppers, Goat and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie to multiplexes this spring, setting distributors scrabbling around to dig up filler material for kids’ matinee shows. If a new, Chinese-produced Tom and Jerry caper doesn’t spark undue enthusiasm, the most immediate family alternative would be this very ordinary Canadian digimation, featuring the voice of Owen Wilson as a dog with superpowers. Co-writer and director Shea Wageman earns some points for weirdness. The titular pooch is one of a menagerie of household pets beamed up one night for alien experimentation. (This PG-rated entertainment comes perilously close to busting out the probes.) Returned home with the ability to fly and speak in a recognisably Wilsonian drawl, Charlie resolves to use his superpowers for good – becoming, if you will, Bark Kent. This indulges in more of the movies’ virulent anti-cat propaganda: neighbour’s puss Puddy (Ruairi MacDonald) breaks bad, pledging to punish his now-cowering owner, and indeed humanity entire, for failing to empty his litter tray. Continue reading...

A biography of the creative force behind Mrs Merton and The Royle Family focuses on the stories behind her work From the 1990s until her tragically early death in 2016, Caroline Aherne was a fixture of British primetime television. This new study of her work reminds us of the punk spirit behind it all. Aherne was the deceptively vicious chatshow host Mrs Merton. She was the voice of Gogglebox, an expression of love for the medium she adored. She was the creator and star of The Royle Family, one of the most profound, realistic and beautiful sitcoms ever written for the British screen. She was one of the greats. David Scott’s first book, Mancunians, offered a portrait of his city through its notable people, one of whom was Aherne. In it, Scott argued that her home city had not done nearly enough to celebrate her, and this, his second book, is an attempt to redress the balance. She is, Scott writes, his biggest influence (he is a poet and presenter) and his favourite Mancunian of all time. When the idea of writing a proper biography was put to him, he declined, repelled by the idea of “raking over someone’s private life”. This rakes over the work instead, representing a comprehensive record of her output from the perspective of a true devotee. Continue reading...

Following the successful reduction of ultra-processed foods in schools, scientists and politicians hope to improve patient health with locally grown and freshly prepared meals Every month a few dozen staff from some of São Paulo’s leading hospitals take time out of their busy schedules to visit food fairs where stallholders from more than 50 local farms display their produce. The aim is to strike deals that will supply the hospitals with organic vegetables, homemade bread and other locally made foods. Started in October 2023, the fairs are part of a revolutionary scheme in São Paulo state to phase out ultra-processed foods (UPFs) from hospital menus in favour of healthier alternatives. “It’s not only cooks, nutritionists, meal planners and hospital management who attend the fairs but also nurses and doctors,” says Weruska Davi Barrios, a specialist in hospital nutrition at the University of São Paulo, the institution that has initiated the project. Continue reading...

IRCG comments come after Trump says he could strike Iran while insisting that Tehran still wants to make a deal Trump threatens ‘a big hit’ if Tehran does not make deal soon Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to extend a renewed war beyond the Middle East if the US resumes attacks against Tehran. The warning came after Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran again if it did not accept a deal to end the conflict. Continue reading...

The former health secretary will give resignation speech after prime minister’s questions Good morning. PMQs is back, and there are at least two obvious issues for Kemi Badenoch to raise when she faces Keir Starmer. What Tories calls Starmer’s “Soviet-style” plan to curb supermarket prices This is more nuts than a squirrel convention! I warned Rachel Reeves prices would go up if she raised taxes and drowned employers in red tape. She didn’t listen and now she’s proposing Soviet style measures! After 18 months of “standing up to Putin” the Labour govt quietly issued a licence allowing imports of Russian oil refined in third countries. Yesterday Labour MPs voted AGAINST UK oil and gas licences. We are talking about our allies in Ukraine who have been fighting a war bravely against Russia for years and years with our support. They have looked to Britain as one of their most important allies, and they don’t understand, given that we promised that we would stop this loophole in October, and we still haven’t done it. In fact, it seems to have got worse. People feel very let down. There was a G7 announcement on the 19 May which said that they, the G7, had an unwavering commitment to put pressure on Russia including sanctions on the energy sector and actions against entities in third countries that materially support Russia’s war effort but we’re still saying that we’re going to take sanctioned oil but so long as it goes to Turkey first and then it’s refined, we will use it. Continue reading...

Decision to allow import of jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries is criticised by Tories as ‘insane’ The UK government has relaxed strict sanctions on Russian crude oil, allowing for the import of jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries amid surging costs. A trade licence that came into effect on Wednesday permits the imports indefinitely and will be reviewed periodically. It comes at a time of growing concerns over the supply of certain fuels due to the de facto blockade of the strait of Hormuz since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran. Continue reading...

It's getting harder and harder to guess whether a face is AI. The University of New South Wales recently launched an AI faces test, which challenges users ability to distinguish between real and fake faces. Guardian Australia's Carly Earl and Matilda Boseley take the test to see if it's a science or just vibes Continue reading...

Campaigners warn against blanket restrictions and say focus should be on blocking teenagers from platforms with ‘risky’ features Online safety campaigners have urged Keir Starmer to block under-16s from accessing social media apps that do not meet strict safety standards, instead of implementing a broader Australia-style ban. The NSPCC, Molly Rose Foundation and Smartphone Free Childhood said tech platforms should not be allowed to offer “risky” features to teenagers such as infinite scrolling, disappearing messages and push notifications. Continue reading...

You’d expect the public face of Brexit to be punished by voters. But history shows that leaders often profit from the chaos they sow The biggest Brexit donor was the stockbroker Peter Hargreaves. He gave £3.2m to the leave campaign. He justified his enthusiasm as follows: “We will get out there and we will become incredibly successful because we will be insecure again. And insecurity is fantastic.” If you are wondering, “Fantastic for whom?”, the current television ad for the company he co-founded, Hargreaves Lansdown, could supply an answer. It presents itself as a safe haven in times of disruptive change. Among the examples it provides? Brexit. Perhaps our most poignant political folk tale is the notion of accountability. Those who hurt and undermine us will be punished, while those who help us will be rewarded. In reality, little in either business or politics could be further from the truth. A more reliable rule is that those who generate insecurity profit from it. George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Club are battling relegation from the second tier in a city under attack by Russian forces but are one upset away from the Europa League A minivan with darkened windows pulls up at a gym in central Chernihiv and, once the doors have slid open, a stream of youths emerges into the daylight. Inside, Artem Rakitin sits everyone down on the rubber mat for one last pep talk. He has known most of the young men for several years, working with them here twice a week and in effect acting as a mentor. It is a kind of physical and mental training, he explains: self-discipline; resisting vices; preparing oneself, if the moment comes, to defend his country. “One of the main targets is for them not to become alcoholics, drug addicts or anything like that,” he says. “It’s to put their energy in the right places, and to support the right team.” That team is FC Chernihiv and, on Wednesday evening, they will face Dynamo Kyiv in a Ukrainian cup final nobody could have predicted when the season began. FC Chernihiv are battling relegation from the second tier but, to delirious scenes, won their semi-final against Metalist 1925 Kharkiv on penalties despite being reduced to 10 men in the fifth minute. They are one more upset from an improbable Europa League spot; it is a remarkable moment for a city, tucked in Ukraine’s north towards the Russian and Belarusian borders, that has suffered devastating losses since February 2022. Continue reading...

Departures of club legend and star players have not stopped modest German side reaching showpiece with Aston Villa It’s about the journey, perhaps even more than the destination. That is the feeling of SC Freiburg before the biggest match in their history. Regardless of the result in Wednesday’s Europa League final against Aston Villa in Istanbul, the club will be present at a reception in the city on their Thursday return to acknowledge the moment and the compelling season that has taken them there. There are many extraordinary elements to a club that have never won a major trophy – the closest they came was losing on penalties to RB Leipzig in the 2022 DFB Pokal final – arriving at such a showpiece, but for most in Germany the true wonder is that they have managed it without Christian Streich. The longest-serving coach in the Bundesliga stood down in 2024 having served Freiburg continuously in several roles for almost three decades, including as the first team’s head coach for the final 12 and a half. Continue reading...

International correspondent Lorenzo Tondo and photographer Alessio Mamo awarded Ryszard Kapuściński prize, named after Polish war correspondent All photographs by Alessio Mamo The Guardian international correspondent Lorenzo Tondo and Guardian photographer Alessio Mamo have been awarded the Ryszard Kapuściński prize, named after the legendary Polish war correspondent and author. The annual award honours journalists and photographers who have distinguished themselves through their reporting from war zones and humanitarian crises. It is organised by the Italian Geographical Society in collaboration with Kapuściński’s family. Continue reading...

Plus: greatest distance between two teams in a derby (part two) and origins of why Celtic Park is nicknamed ‘Paradise’ Mail us with your all of your questions and answers “Which player has won the most league championships without winning an international cap?” asks Nick Williamson. “Steve Bruce won three Premier League titles with Manchester United – surely there are other non-capped players with more title honours?” There surely are a number of players that can match and beat Steve Bruce’s tally of three league titles without earning an international cap. Continue reading...

Tatiana Maslany and Murray Bartlett are brilliant in this twisty drama about a woman being blackmailed by a camboy. It’s moreish, inventive – and there’s not a single weak link in the cast Beware the beautiful camboy. And never trust Murray Bartlett. These seem to be the main life lessons to take from Apple TV’s new 10-part series Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed and, the deeper we go into the tense and twisty mass of plot shot through with black comedy, the greater the wisdom becomes. The beautiful camboy is called Trevor (Brandon Flynn), which I guess explains why he is trying to make it on looks alone. He is the therapist-with-benefits, used by newly divorced mother-of-one Paula (Tatiana Maslany) when she is alone in her apartment because her husband has main custody of their daughter, Hazel (Nola Wallace). There are suggestions of previous instability and erratic behaviour. These are not about to serve Paula well. Continue reading...

John Krasinski continues his unconvincing run as the CIA analyst in a mostly unexciting and rather low-rent feature-length adventure For years, author Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan character was a fixture of the multiplex, with movies providing reluctant-leading-man-of-action opportunities for Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and Chris Pine. Most of them were hits. (Sorry, Chris!) In that context, it might seem a little low-rent that the newest character’s newest adventure, Jack Ryan: Ghost War, is actually a made-for-streaming continuation of an Amazon TV series, where John Krasinski takes over the CIA analyst role. But there are potential advantages to this approach, too: four seasons of the show can establish the character and his world, relieving the movie version of the full reboot burden. (No small thing for a familiar character who’s nonetheless been played by five different guys.) In particular, the existence of the hit show eliminates the standard waffling over what stage of Ryan’s career he should start in. Let the TV show handle the salad-days stuff, and the movie can join him mid-career without requiring several box office successes to get there. And to its credit, Jack Ryan: Ghost War manages to stand alone quite well despite the preceding 30 episodes of set-up. (I certainly don’t remember them all with crystal clarity, and I was never lost on a plot level.) Less fortuitously, it’s more coherent than competent, especially compared with the previous movie versions. That might not seem like a fair fight, but Ghost War does position itself as some kind of movie after four seasons of serialized television; there must be some reason for this new framework, whether it’s a bigger budget, a more pulse-pounding story or a chance to put Krasinski alongside his predecessors. (He’s already played Ryan for more hours than any of them.) By the end of its 105 minutes, though, the movie seems to eliminate the most obvious possibilities, and its reason for being hangs in the air. Continue reading...

Lower-than-expected April annual rate a lift for Rachel Reeves, who moved some renewables costs away from household bills UK inflation slowed to 2.8% in April, according to official figures, as a reduction in the household energy price cap helped soften the sharp rise in fuel costs since the start of the Iran war. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the consumer prices index measure of inflation eased from March’s reading of 3.3%, suggesting the impact of the Iran war has not yet hit UK households as much as feared. Continue reading...

Nurses’ union criticises ‘catastrophic system-wide failure’ in NHS as more under-18s getting stuck in emergency wards Children and young people in England having a mental health crisis are spending up to three days in an A&E unit before they get a bed in a specialist unit, NHS figures reveal. One children’s nurse who works in an emergency department said such long waits for under-18s who were in acute distress were “frankly barbaric” but “becoming far more normal”. Continue reading...

Centre for London report finds levy on property wealth would free up homes, fund social housing and help renters save for deposits Stamp duty should be scrapped and replaced with a new property wealth tax to fix London’s housing crisis, a leading thinktank has proposed. A report on the capital’s property market suggests an annual tax to replace the levy paid when buying a property and council tax would encourage downsizing and raise funds for social housing. It would also help renters to save a house deposit. Continue reading...