News Update Today, Breaking News | Read Now

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Watching a man labouring to strike up conversations in the smoking area of a nightclub proves not just funny but also touching and uplifting Ever pretended to use your phone to avoid the shame of being Norman No-Mates at a party? Freddie Meredith’s new show is a 60-minute channelling of that experience, an hour-long cringe at a man labouring to strike up conversations in the smoking area of a nightclub. Meredith, a familiar face to viewers of Big Boys, Such Brave Girls and other TV series, has alighted on a familiar social type here, albeit one rarely so brilliantly depicted. His alter ego is a shy and insecure beta male desperately trying to look – well, alpha is out of his reach, but even basic social functioning would be an upgrade. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tzH2mZM

Summerhall, Edinburgh Gabe Winsor’s inventively staged tale is charming and sweetly lo-fi, but the emotion never quite clicks Deep sea diving and plumbing the depths of family history make a decent parallel in this nimble multimedia production by Buzzcut , which has a sweetly eccentric air yet leaves a little too much beneath the surface. The premise is familiar, as Eddie (Morgan Beale) returns to the seaside town where his sister, Ira (Camilla Anvar), still lives in her childhood bedroom and runs the family pub now that their parents are gone. Guilt, resentment and jealousy bubble up as they squabble over which of them was their parents’ favourite and what to do with the business, while Ira shares her doubts about Eddie’s new husband. At Summerhall, Edinburgh , until 31 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2qFSGlP

Unannounced trip reported by US media is said to be Ratcliffe’s first known visit to Russia as CIA chief The CIA director, John Ratcliffe, has made an unannounced visit to Moscow, US media reported, after flight data showed an American military aircraft flew to the Russian capital, where a US diplomatic motorcade was later spotted. CBS News quoted sources familiar with the situation as confirming Ratcliffe’s trip, saying it was his first known visit to Russia as CIA chief. Axios separately confirmed the visit, quoting a US official. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pZdOKJx

We would like to hear your tributes and memories of country music star, actor and philanthropist Dolly Parton – whether you met her, or appreciated her work The death of country music legend Dolly Parton was announced today. She was 80. The singer-songwriter known for hits such as I Will Always Love You, Jolene and 9 to 5 also invested millions in child literacy, Covid-19 vaccine development and other causes. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/KVQYmvU

Underbelly, Edinburgh Maddie and Marcus Rice relate with words and songs the lessons passed on from one woman to a younger one An unexpected theme on this year’s Edinburgh fringe is assisted dying. It is central to Morna Young’s After Party , about a matriarch who chooses to die after her 80th birthday, and Ben Harrison’s adaptation of Andrew O’Hagan’s Mayflies , in which a terminally ill man travels to Dignitas. It is hinted at in Eilidh Loan’s Cathy , about a woman adjusting to bereavement. And it is here again in this breezy storytelling show by sibling duo Maddie and Marcus Rice. The semi-fictional tale is about Maddie’s befriending of the 87-year-old Darcy O’Shea, an artist and piano teacher 50 years her senior, who is full of zest and vigour. As Maddie puts it, she is “unapologetically herself”, a woman living a life of happy self-reliance with limited tolerance for anyone else. A long-gone partner nicknamed her Dandelion because of her sticky-up hair, and it suits her personali...

Discussions surround £50m loan package Clubs rejected £35m NRL deal last week The Rugby Football League (RFL) is exploring radically different terms to the funding deal initially offered by Australia’s NRL with talks under way over seeking a £50m loan package to replace the guaranteed investment of £35m that was rejected last week. The Guardian has seen details of an alternative vision produced by Rugby League Commercial in a document entitled Project Magic, which the 14 Super League clubs owners will discuss at a meeting on Tuesday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CFXLmR0

Briton says team too slow to pit Charles Leclerc ‘It’s something that we need to discuss offline’ Lewis Hamilton has told his Ferrari team that they must up their game if he is to remain in the Formula One world championship fight after the British driver was angry with strategy calls at the Dutch Grand Prix , comparing them unfavourably with the decisive way his former team ­Mercedes had acted. The race was won by McLaren’s Lando Norris from Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Hamilton was fourth but believed he might have had a shot of a podium had Ferrari moved Charles Leclerc aside sooner when Hamilton, on a different tyre strategy, was quicker than his teammate. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tU1fMQv