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Showing posts from October, 2026

Christa Pike’s IV team warned vein might be ‘blowing’ before failed execution

New account from Pike’s lawyer suggests team was racked by doubts even before pentobarbital began to flow The Tennessee execution team tasked with setting an intravenous line in the arms of the death row prisoner Christa Pike through which she could be injected with a lethal dose of pentobarbital repeatedly warned that her vein might be “blowing”, before they went ahead with the procedure, her lawyer has revealed. Members of the intravenous (IV) team used up to 10 needles as they sought to establish a line through which Pike could be killed with a massive dose of the sedative. About 20 minutes into the attempt, they began discussing among themselves whether the prisoner’s vein “might be blowing”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/f7PzuLD

Clayface review – flesh-stretching DC body horror is very gory but not very good

Liverpool makes for an unconvincing Gotham City in this effectively gross but otherwise middling attempt to milk money from a lesser-known Batman villain A sense of desperation is understandably in the air over at DC, the company, like Marvel, slowly realising that the mass superhero fever has finally broken. There’s still interest there of course (this summer’s Spider-Man is now the biggest film of all time in the US after all) but it’s no longer good enough to leave a high-speed conveyor belt unmanned, purpose and quality control be damned. 2019 saw a staggering 10 superhero films released in cinemas and the inevitable exhaustion that followed, also fueled by Covid, led to a gradual winding down, monster hits turning into minor ones and sure bets often becoming expensive flops. As Peter Parker winged his way to box office records this summer, DC’s Supergirl bombed so hard that experts believe it might have cost Warners upwards of $200m in losses. It was just the latest disappointment...

UK to deploy fighter jets to protect Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks

RAF Typhoon fighters to fly defensive missions over cities and infrastructure in extension of UK support for Riyadh RAF Typhoon fighters are to be used in efforts to protect Saudi Arabia from attack by Yemen’s Houthis, flying protective missions over the country’s cities and critical infrastructure as western allies increase their intervention in the escalating conflict. The operation – the most significant military mission signed off by Andy Burnham as prime minister – will involve RAF pilots attempting to shoot down Houthi missiles and drones, which attacked Saudi airports and oil facilities. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3wzlO29

Light and Magic: The Birth of Art Photography review – a rhapsodic show to stop you in your tracks

Tate Modern, London From a Singapore construction worker to a loincloth-wearing Sri Lankan, this awe-inspiring and truly global exhibition finds epic beauty in the everyday I don’t remember the last time I saw such a well-researched and truly globally representative exhibition that doesn’t patronise but quietly makes its case unapologetically, fearlessly and through sheer quality. Apart from being the first retelling of the international, pluralistic pictorialism movement, Tate’s new show allows for some refreshing encounters with unknown works for British audiences – around half of the works included here have never been shown in the UK. The effect is to radically deepen and widen our understanding not only of art history but the human impulses that drive us to make images in the first place. We move seamlessly from the sudden shock of colour in three-colour carbon prints of flowers in a London garden in the 1920s to works born of the photographic salons, circles and clubs of Sydney, ...

How Trump’s justice department is shattering practice of political neutrality as midterms loom

From the attorney general stumping for Republican candidates to federal agents raiding the home of a Democratic congresswoman up for re-election, the department is violating longstanding norms Donald Trump’s justice department has aggressively inserted itself into the midterm elections in the contest’s final weeks, shattering the department’s longstanding practice of political neutrality and leaving little doubt about the department’s willingness to help should the president attempt to subvert elections where his party is forecasted to lose seats and ultimately control of Congress. In the last few weeks, federal agents have raided the home of a Democratic congresswoman up for re-election. It has touted criminal charges and arrests of non-citizens charged with voter fraud. The attorney general has hit the campaign trail to stump for Republican candidates. And the department gave California election officials 48 hours to investigate the citizenship of 20,000 people, and then sued the s...

Daniel Dubois v Fabio Wardley II: WBO heavyweight title fight – live

Updates from rematch at the O2 Arena in London Preview: Wardley predicts ‘crazy night’ | Email Alex Tyson Fury versus Anthony who? Yes, Britain’s biggest-name heavyweights belatedly do battle in December – but if you want a better bet for an all-action fight, it’s tonight’s rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley for the WBO title. The first contest was an astonishing slugfest in which Dubois was knocked down after 10 seconds, got dropped again in round three, but eventually bludgeoned a somehow-still-standing Wardley to defeat in the 11th. It was “like a Rocky film”, marvelled Frank Warren, a boxing promoter with no need to resort to embellishment. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pNSUbVP

‘Well-known individual’ tries to secure permanent injunction against Guardian and ITN

Lawyers tell high court that client could harm himself if serious allegations against him are made public A “well-known individual” is trying to secure a permanent injunction against the Guardian and ITN to prevent them from publishing details of serious allegations made against him. At a high court hearing on Friday, the claimant’s legal team said there was a serious risk that he could harm himself should the allegations be made public. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org , or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vtI8RTg

The water torture goes on at Thames. Sector-wide reform isn’t moving much faster | Nils Pratley

If ‘public control’ bit is delaying overhaul, that needs to be nailed down sharpish or continued uncertainty could be costly It is strange now to recall that Thames Water had a prominent slot on what was known as “Sue’s shit list” – the internal Labour dossier, compiled by Keir Starmer’s first chief of staff, Sue Gray, of potential crises that could erupt at short notice and force the incoming administration to make some big decisions quickly. That was July 2024. Here we are – more than two years later – and the Thames script has barely advanced. We’re still waiting to see if the financial crisis at the over-indebted, under-performing water company will be resolved by a creditor-led recapitalisation, special administration or something else. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5JZRAaQ

SpaceX rocket launch causes stunning ‘jellyfish cloud’ visible off US east coast

Expanding plume of fuel exhaust crystalized in the sky and reflected sunlight off frozen particles after Florida launch A SpaceX rocket provided a stunning pre-dawn display over Florida as a massive, luminescent “jellyfish cloud” spread for miles, caused by an expanding plume of fuel exhaust crystalizing in the sky and reflecting sunlight off the frozen particles. The phenomenon occurred shortly after Tuesday’s 6.33am ET launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying cargo to the International Space Station. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ByUIeEj

Netflix unveils first trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew

The fantasy epic based on CS Lewis’s classic stars Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep The first look at Greta Gerwig ’s vision for Narnia has been revealed. Today, Netflix is giving a first look at her vision for CS Lewis ’s magical world in the trailer for The Magician’s Nephew, the first chronological book in the beloved series. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/fIvcqgV

Cornell suspends fraternity parties amid backlash over alleged sexual assault

University bans parties at frat houses for rest of academic year to conduct ‘thorough review’ of campus Greek life Cornell University has announced that it is suspending parties and other social gatherings at fraternity houses for the rest of the academic year amid intensifying backlash over its handling of allegations that a female student was sexually assaulted at a fraternity house in 2024. The university has also said that Cornell will involve New York state police in investigating sex crimes on campus. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vW05Sjq

Hackers force French supermarket fridges to heat up to 50C in ‘unprecedented’ cyber-attack

Hundreds of Intermarché shops and Coopérative U outlets in France hit, with fears Dutch chains also affected Hackers have forced the temperature of many French supermarket fridges up to 50C overnight, in an “unprecedented” cyber-attack affecting several hundred stores across the country, with fires and food losses reported. The Paris prosecutor’s office said on Monday ⁠the large-scale attack was “affecting connected refrigerators ⁠in several ​major food retailers across France”. Reported damage included “food losses and fires”, it added. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/IQhiv4t

Nina review – a riveting series of horribly invasive auditions for The Seagull

Battersea Arts Centre, London Women up for a role as Chekhov’s aspiring actor navigate their meetings with a needling director in a tense show Smile. Introduce yourself. Say you’re such a big fan. Now do whatever he tells you. These are the unspoken rules the women follow as they take turns auditioning in Caroline Williams’ discomforting, rage-fuelled production about men and power and rotting winged roadkill. The women are auditioning for the role of Nina, the aspiring actor in Chekhov’s The Seagull, in an experimental production directed by sombrely pretentious wunderkind Goran (a brooding Rowan Polonski). Using live-feed cameras in his show, he is the type of director to dismiss the need for an intimacy coordinator while claiming credit for having one in the room. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6AuxW0n

Trump and Rubio weigh firing Kimberly Guilfoyle after reports of improper conduct

Senior official says president and US secretary of state are ‘extremely pissed off’ by conduct of US envoy to Greece Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, are considering firing US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after a series of reports alleging she has engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens. A senior US official said Sunday that Trump and Rubio are “extremely pissed off” by Guilfoyle’s reported conduct and would likely decide on what action to take this week after Monday’s federal holiday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2v1gpqa

Wallabies mugged at their own game to leave Kiss mulling hard lessons | Angus Fontaine

Old habits resurface as Australia fritter away advantage and allow All Blacks to mount aerial assault at Eden Park Les Kiss stood forlornly in the middle of Eden Park wearing a thousand-yard stare. The past 10 Wallabies coaches had all been where he was now, shaking their heads and cursing after a failed attempt to storm the fortress of New Zealand rugby. This was Kiss’s first loss as Australia coach and the little bloke was nursing a big hurt. His side had arrived on a six-game unbeaten streak, fresh from stomping the world champions South Africa a fortnight before . Conversely, their old enemy were facing a fourth consecutive defeat after falling three times to that same Springboks side. After 25 years of Trans-Tasman pain, the Bledisloe Cup finally looked within reach. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xSQaphq

US imposes new sanctions on international criminal court

Trump administration says US ‘doesn’t need’ ICC after accusing court of unfairly targeting Americans for war crime charges The United States was accused of launching “an assault” on the world’s legal order after imposing more sanctions on the international criminal court (ICC) . Unveiling the Trump administration’s latest escalation against the court, which it has accused of politicization and unfairly targeting Americans for war crime charges, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, declared: “Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/8Ig4Zxf

An AI boom is sending San Francisco rents through the roof: ‘nowhere left for people to go’

According to city’s rent board, eviction notices are up 44% and tenants are on edge over landlords swooping in over their homes To say that Maria Zamudio and her team have been busy lately would be a gross understatement. Every Monday at 9am, the phone lines at the downtown clinic of San Francisco’s Housing Rights Committee start ringing, and they keep ringing until closing at 5 pm. In-person counseling appointments for renters facing eviction or landlord misconduct fill days in advance. After every weekend, the staff of seven sits in their office and sifts through more than 150 voicemails. The rental assistance hotline averages 200 calls a week. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mpkGDWO

EU drops sponsorship of disinformation conference at Trump officials’ request

Lithuania and Canada were also pressured to withdraw, and days before #Disinfo2026, logos were wiped off website The Trump administration pressured multiple countries to withdraw their sponsorship of a leading European conference on disinformation, with Canada, Lithuania and the EU’s diplomatic service subsequently agreeing to do so, the Guardian understands. The conference, #Disinfo2026, taking place Wednesday and Thursday, is the annual meetup of Europe’s counter-disinformation community and has drawn hundreds of researchers, journalists, technologists and policymakers to a hotel in Vilnius, Lithuania. It is run by an independent Brussels non-profit, EU Disinfo Lab. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ZbeGp5C

French police suspend use of stun grenades at school protests as minister rejects accusations of brutality

Minister says use of grenades has been stopped after a student lost a hand as protests across France continue How dilapidated are French schools and how bad is inequality in the education system? France’s interior minister has suspended the use of stun grenades by police at high school demonstrations but rejected mounting accusations of police brutality during a fortnight of protests marred by often violent clashes that have injured hundreds. Laurent Nuñez told RTL radio on Wednesday that he had ordered a temporary halt to the use of the grenades “in the context of the high school students’ movement” after a 15-year-old lost a hand during a protest in Lens, northern France, on Monday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/LSY71MG

California couple charged with child abuse in surrogacy scheme involving at least 21 children

Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan had 15 children, aged between two months to 13 years, removed from their home A California couple has been arrested on child abuse charges following an investigation into a surrogacy scheme involving at least 21 kids, police said on Tuesday. Silvia Zhang and her husband, Guojun Xuan are expected to face conspiracy to commit child abuse charges, according to the Los Angeles county sheriff’s department. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ywTFVKm

Educating Rita review – Willy Russell’s classic still has plenty to teach us

Curve theatre, Leicester Director Cara Nolan keeps the play’s original 1980s setting but its message about how expectations are dictated by class and gender is anything but dated So much of the success of Willy Russell’s ivory-spired two-hander rests on the chemistry between its actors. The play traces a woman’s self-empowerment through education via her relationship with a world-weary Open University academic, but there is stiffness here between Rita (Alexandra Mardell) and Frank (Dominic Mafham) as they get acquainted. Frank learns of Rita’s desperate ambition for life beyond her job as a hairdresser and role as wife. Rita hears about his history as a published poet – and picks up on his inveterate drinking. In director Cara Nolan’s production, the dynamic between the pair does not pop in the early scenes, not through any lack of trying, especially on the part of Mardell. She makes a broad, vivacious scouser who has enrolled on to an English literature Open University course in hope ...

Raiders v Chiefs, Broncos v 49ers and more: NFL – live

Updates on the action kicking off after 9pm UK time Taylor lifts Colts to victory in London Share your thoughts with Graham via email (2-2) Indianapolis Colts 30-13 Washington Commanders (1-3) (0-4) Tennessee Titans 18-24 Baltimore Ravens (3-1) (2-2) New England Patriots 29-26 Buffalo Bills (3-1) (1-3) New York Jets 12-23 Chicago Bears (3-1) (3-1) Jacksonville Jaguars 22-17 Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) (2-2) Dallas Cowboys 34-30 Houston Texans (0-4) (1-3) Arizona Cardinals 24-36 New York Giants (3-1) (2-2) Los Angeles Rams 24-20 Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) (2-2) Green Bay Packers 17-14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4) A big upset in there! Did anyone have the Patriots beating the Bills? Buffalo lose their perfect record to their division rivals at home. Ouch. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/UlB83se

Jonathan Taylor’s double earns Colts win against Commanders in London

Indianapolis Colts 30-13 Washington Commanders Treylon Burks scores 47-yard TD for Washington “Welcome to the NFL’s home away from home,” was the rallying cry from former running back and current in-stadium hype man Ronde Barber before the league’s 19th year holidaying in the UK began. And welcome Washington’s injury bug which must have stowed away on the flight to London. The mighty Commanders defense that overwhelmed the Colts at times could not overcome having another quarterback knocked out of commission. Indianapolis capitalised on the misfortune with crafty running back Jonathan Taylor carrying them to a 30-13 victory. The Commanders were already missing starting quarterback Jayden Daniels with an elbow injury and their pesky interloper wasn’t satisfied that Washington had endured enough torment. The game-defining moment came early as a knee injury forced backup passer Marcus Mariota out of the contest after a strong start. Rookie third-stringer Athan Kaliakmanis replaced him and...

Whales on Australia’s ‘humpback highway’ are at growing risk of injury from boat and propellor strikes

Exclusive: Images show deep cuts and damage to tails and fins, as experts warn the migrating species often aren’t able to avoid a collision Gruesome images of adult and juvenile humpback whales along Australia’s east coast with slash and gouge injuries from boat and propeller strikes highlight what experts say is a growing problem, as the population booms 60 years after the ban on whaling. Missing tail parts, deep red lacerations and shocking injuries to the spine of a whale calf can be clearly seen on the images, gathered by WWF Australia and shared with the Guardian. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/8F7pXIu

49ers owner Jed York suspended, fined $500K after prostitution sting arrest

NFL announces violation of personal conduct policy York pleaded no contest after arrest at Ohio trailer park The NFL suspended San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York for six games Friday after his arrest earlier this year in a prostitution sting in Ohio. The league announced that York also was fined $500,000 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. York has not attended any games or league meetings so far this season and was credited with three games served. He is eligible to return on 20 October, following the team’s game the previous night against Washington. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5aDdGYU

Brazil attorney general says meddling ‘cannot be tolerated’ after Trump funding plans revealed

Jorge Messias calls Guardian report ‘an important alert for Brazilian sovereignty’ as nation prepares to go to polls Brazil’s attorney general has said foreign meddling in his country’s institutions and democracy “cannot be tolerated” after a Guardian report revealed how the Trump administration was pushing to direct funds to a campaign against the Brazilian supreme court. Writing on X, Jorge Messias called the report “an important alert for Brazilian sovereignty”. “The information is especially serious in light of Brazil’s electoral process and the recent episodes of external pressure on our institutions,” Messias added. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/hXlGKD6