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VAR controversy decides Manchester derby as City keep pace with Arsenal: Football Weekly – podcast

Max Rushden is joined by B arry Glendenning , Barney Ronay and John Brewin to discuss the weekend’s Premier League action On the podcast today: Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Barney Ronay, and John Brewin to round up the weekend’s Premier League action. Manchester City beat Manchester United at Old Trafford with a controversial Erling Haaland goal. Has the job of referees become too difficult for regular folk, and do we need Nasa scientists or data wonks instead at Pro Ref? Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Presented by Max Rushdenwith Barry Glendenning, Barney Ronay and John Brewin. Produced by Rory Symon and the executive producer is Tayo Popoola14 Sept

Arsenal demand meeting with Pro Ref over ‘unacceptable’ penalty at Sunderland

Club want explanation after spot-kick given against them They are likely to raise penalty not awarded at Aston Villa Arsenal are seeking an explanation from Pro Ref over the penalty awarded to Sunderland on Saturday that Mikel Arteta described as “ unacceptable at this level ”. It is understood the Premier League champions contacted Pro Ref on Monday to request a meeting after Ezri Konsa was penalised after an incident involving Dan Ballard at the Stadium of Light. David Raya made a brilliant save to deny Enzo Le Fée’s spot-kick before Arsenal went on to win 1-0 thanks to a goal from Bruno Guimarães. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Ed Aarons14 Sept

In an age of superhero fatigue, Marvel’s best shot is to think small, and outside the box

Sebastian Stan says he pitched Marvel a mid-budget thriller starring his Winter Soldier character. Perhaps the studio should give it – and other modestly scaled vehicles – the green light Blink a little and you might think we are back in 2019. The latest Spider-Man film, Brand New Day, has just passed $2.4bn at the global box office, to become the third-highest grossing film of all time behind Avatar and Avengers: Endgame. Meanwhile Avengers: Doomsday is reported to have already earned more than $50m in US ticket presales alone, despite the fact that it doesn’t come out until December. Clearly we are in the middle of a superhero renaissance. And yet it doesn’t really feel like it, largely because it is something of a turnaround for Marvel, after a pretty disappointing 2025 in which all three of the studio’s releases underperformed. Captain America: Brave New World took $415m worldwide, Thunderbolts* managed $382m and even the well-reviewed The Fantastic Four: First Steps stalled at $521m, against a reported $200m budget. These are hardly Madame Web numbers but they do suggest there is still a problem about what to do with all those superheroes who cannot sustain a $300m multiversal extravaganza. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Ben Child14 Sept

Top of the table, empty in the stands: inside the revolt against Lazio’s owner | Nicky Bandini

Despite an impressive start under Gennaro Gattuso, supporters are boycotting the Stadio Olimpico to wage war against Claudio Lotito Gennaro Gattuso has given some memorable post-game interviews down the years. Who could forget his “sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit” rant at OFI Crete, or the face of the beleaguered interpreter tasked with translating it? Last year, not long before taking charge of the Italian national team, Gattuso got into a finger-jabbing, language-swapping, almost-nose-to-nose shouting match with Josko Jelicic on Croatian television. And yet there was something more affecting about the soft way he spoke this Saturday, in Calabrian-accented Italian. Without anger, but with an air of melancholy. “For me, football without fans is shit,” he said. “What do you think? I’d say it’s better to stay home. Better to go for a walk with the dogs.” Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Nicky Bandini14 Sept

Africa’s richest man aiming to make $23bn from continent’s biggest-ever IPO

Public offering of Aliko Dangote’s Nigerian oil refinery business could swell his net wealth by two thirds The fortune of Africa’s richest person could swell by two thirds to nearly $60bn (£44bn) after his refinery in Nigeria listed publicly in the continent’s biggest-ever initial public offering. If Monday’s flotation of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals goes to plan, then Aliko Dangote will add another $23bn (£17bn) to his $35bn net worth. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Eromo Egbejule in Abidjan and agencies14 Sept

Gulf states postpone strait of Hormuz talks with Iran as Yemen conflict intensifies

Impasse comes amid growing Saudi anger with Tehran over Houthi advances and strikes on airbase and pipeline Oil prices rise after drone attacks shut down Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline Gulf states have postponed a critical meeting with Iran on the future of the strait of Hormuz owing to a lack of Arab consensus and growing Saudi Arabian anger with Tehran for helping the Houthis loosen Riyadh’s grip in Yemen. The stalemate over the vital waterway came as Houthi rebels launched a fresh barrage of missile and drone attacks on Saudi military targets. A Houthi military spokesperson claimed its forces had attacked the King Khalid airbase in Khamis Mushait, hitting fighter-jet hangars, radar systems, runways and landing strips, ammunition depots and additional targets. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor14 Sept

The far right’s march to power in Sweden has been halted, but its influence remains

The Sweden Democrats slipped to third after decades of growth, but their hardline positions have already reshaped the political mainstream Swedish centre-left opposition widens lead to three seats with 95% of votes counted – live Since the party was founded in 1988, the story of the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) has been one of such continuous growth that a triumph in Sunday’s general election seemed inevitable. In 2022, they capitalised on electoral gains – and the desperation of right-leaning parties to form a minority administration – and almost made their way into government . A supporting role in prime minister Ulf Kristersson’s Tidö coalition earned the party, which has neo-Nazi roots, huge influence and mainstream acceptance by the political establishment. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Miranda Bryant Nordic correspondent14 Sept

UK unions split over donations cap as TUC chief says ‘super-rich’ corrupting politics

Sources say there are ‘significant differences’ in opinion as debate inflamed by crypto billionaires’ £72m donations to Reform UK politics live – latest updates The head of Britain’s trade union movement, Paul Nowak, has said the government must act to “stop the super-rich corrupting our politics”, as union leaders met on Monday to discuss possible support for a domestic cap on donations. Union leaders are split on the prospect of limiting domestic donations to political parties , with many including the GMB fearing it would lead a future rightwing government to curb union donations. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Jessica Elgot and Peter Walker14 Sept

I worked at Google DeepMind. You should listen to the warnings about AI | Alex Turner

We must stop companies from allowing AI to self-improve into an uncontrollable level of intelligence Major AI lab CEOs advocated for slowing the pace of AI development this weekend. They are right to be concerned: the field runs an extremely dangerous race towards superintelligent AI. We can and should be demanding that our governments protect us from the catastrophe of out-of-control AI. This July, OpenAI’s AI swarm of 700 agents broke containment to hack Hugging Face, a multi-billion dollar company . OpenAI didn’t tell the AIs to hack that company, but the AIs had different priorities: cheating on the unrelated challenge OpenAI gave them. AI researchers call this a “misalignment” between what OpenAI wanted and what the AI actually prioritized. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Alex Turner14 Sept

Rosie Mackean’s quick and easy recipe for lamb chops with courgettes, walnuts and yoghurt | Quick and easy

Intimidated by the thought of midweek entertaining? Three simple rules make it simple… Entertaining midweek can feel daunting, but if you employ a couple of tricks, things can very quickly go from mayhem to magic. First, choose a dish that goes perfectly with good bread, so your carb is covered. Second, choose a protein that is quick to cook and great for sharing – little lamb chops are perfect for this, while also being a treat. And, finally, use other ingredients that don’t need much help. Here, the walnuts just get cooked in butter and the lamb juices, the courgettes are simply boiled and dressed, and the yoghurt is, well, yoghurt. Suddenly you’ve conjured up a masterpiece ready for many hands to dig in. Good Time Cooking: Show-Stopping Menus for Easy Entertaining, by Rosie Mackean, is published by Pavilion Books at £26. To order a copy for £23.40, visit guardianbookshop.com Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Rosie Mackean14 Sept

Touring can take musicians to isolating, anxious extremes. Access to therapy on the road is a vital support

I know from our early days how high-pressure road life can be. While big tours often hire therapists, grassroots acts can’t afford it. I’m pleased to back a new scheme that aims to change that When Radiohead started touring, it was hugely exciting, but we got signed when we had been going for five or six years and had only really played in Oxford. Suddenly you’re entering a new world: the first flush of fame, being compared to everyone else, the furnace-like experience when a band takes off and a whole new routine of late nights, bad food and everything else that goes on around live music. Everything is heightened and it can be very isolating. In 1992 we were playing small venues in a van and then suddenly in 1993 we were spending the second half of the year in the US. On our second long tour that year, everything caught up with me. I kind of withdrew into myself. Something about being in the US made me feel “impostor syndrome”. I really did feel a very long way from home. All that anxiety has to come out somewhere – for some it’s drink and drugs – but for me it came out in my playing. There was one particular show where we were opening for Tears for Fears and another band who had [Blondie’s] Clem Burke on drums. Clem was my absolute drummer hero but I just hit peak overwhelm, and my drumming went off a cliff. Every limb seemed to be going at its own speed. The kick drum became like trying to open a heavy door. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Philip Selway, Radiohead14 Sept

There’s a surprisingly simple reason for England’s high antidepressant use: lots of people need them | Dean Burnett

The idea that GPs are ignoring guidelines and ‘overprescribing’ doesn’t hold water. Instead, look to our social and economic crises Dean Burnett is a doctor of neuroscience A new NHS report has revealed the highest ever levels of antidepressant use recorded in England, with roughly one in seven people prescribed an antidepressant item in 2025-26. This has resulted in a swathe of media coverage expressing alarm over the increase, with questions about what could, or should, be done to reverse the trend. Such a high level of antidepressant use should, of course, prompt concern and reflection. But the popular claim that has taken hold is that antidepressant use is too high because of “ overprescribing ”, as Dr John Read, a professor of clinical psychology, says in the Daily Mail. This is the idea that patients are being prescribed antidepressants when they shouldn’t be, or when better, safer alternatives are available. Dean Burnett is a doctor of neuroscience and the author of The Idiot Brain and Emotional Ignorance Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Dean Burnett14 Sept

Barrio Triste review – raw and dynamic portrait of anarchic slum life in 1980s Medellín

Bad Bunny collaborator Stillz’s debut feature shot using Betacam focuses on vibes over plot Best known as the creative mind behind the music videos of Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny, Stillz has risen to the top of the industry as an in-demand director and photographer. Interestingly, for his feature-film debut, Stillz has turned away from the glitz and glamour of celebrity to fix his lens on the underdog. Shot on Betacam video and set in the crime-ridden neighbourhoods of 1980s Medellín, Barrio Triste opens with an unexpected act of rebellion: having snatched a camera from a television crew, a group of young men head out on an anarchic joyride and film their exploits in the process. Previously rendered invisible by the system, they have inserted themselves into a tool of mainstream media. There are moments of crisis here and there – the restless band of youths attempt a robbery and even kill a hostage – yet the primary focus seems to be on vibes rather than plot. The ever-roving camera not only channels the agitated psyche of the main characters but also drums up the chaotic pace of Medellín’s underbelly. One particularly memorable sequence moves from the peculiar sight of a punk duo practising on a rooftop to the garbage-strewn streets, during which seemingly benign interactions can quickly escalate into heated altercations. Echoing the handheld cinematography, life in the slums is unmoored and precarious, as if the ground might give way at any second. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Phuong Le14 Sept

Labor unions must unite against AI datacenters | Tyler Turner

Workers should start with a moratorium against building until our livelihoods and communities are protected For the surging number of Americans who now live alongside constantly humming computer-filled mega-warehouses, it is clear AI datacenters come with significant drawbacks. Opposition to datacenters grows on both sides of the political aisle as developers plan to invest $8tn to build them in the coming years. The bet is massive – roughly a quarter of our country’s entire GDP – but AI CEOs think it will pay off because they believe this technology will allow businesses across industries to rake in profits by cutting out their largest expense: labor. If all goes according to their plan, AI data centers will enable corporations to redistribute workers’ salaries to themselves. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Tyler Turner14 Sept

‘We are not scared,’ says top EU diplomat after Russian strike on passenger train

Kaja Kallas calls drone attack that narrowly missed Boris Johnson and David Petraeus ‘a message to the western world’ Europe live – latest updates Europe needs to show it will not be “scared off” in supporting Ukraine, the EU’s chief diplomat said, after a Russian drone hit a passenger train on the country’s border with Poland shortly after a convoy of high-level diplomats and former leaders had passed through. The earlier train, which was carrying the former UK prime minister Boris Johnson and the former CIA chief David Petraeus and running ahead of schedule, may have been the target of the Russian drone strike , Ukrainian Railways has said. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Jennifer Rankin in Brussels and Charlotte Higgins and Amy Hawkins in Kyiv14 Sept

PSG have finally won a game in Ligue 1 – but they were far from convincing

Ferran Torres has been brilliant for his new club but most of his teammates still seem to be on the beach By Get French Football News It was just a flicker. Ferran Torres picks the ball up and passes it to João Neves. The Portuguese midfielder plays it into Ousmane Dembélé, who has lured in Raphaël Le Guen and eliminates him with a mesmeric first-time back-heel into the path of Torres. The Brest defence are just cones in a training drill, mere extras in this work of art as the Spaniard glides back into the scene to pass the ball into Egil Selvik’s bottom corner from 25 yards; it happened in slow motion but was too quick for the Norwegian goalkeeper to react. It is a move that had the slick and elegant fluidity of what we have come to expect from Paris Saint-Germain. Just four minutes in, the champions were ahead, and the Stade Francis Le-Blé anticipated a show of force, a statement from their visitors. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Luke Entwistle14 Sept

Scientists find nine new sponge species in glimpse of Alaska’s deep-sea diversity

But their habitat is threatened by bottom trawling in the region and Trump’s plan to expand seafloor mining Scientists have discovered nine new deep-sea sponge species off Alaska, offering new insights into the region’s largely unexplored marine biodiversity. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) announced the discovery on Thursday, saying the species were found in the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. The findings bring the total number of known sponge species in Alaska to 232. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Maya Yang14 Sept

First Thing: Oil prices surge as attacks on Saudi Arabia stoke supply fears

Strike on kingdom’s east-west pipeline could affect 4% of global oil supply. Plus, report reveals British monarchy’s role in financing slave trade Good morning. Oil prices have climbed above $108 a barrel after a series of drone attacks from Iraq’s territory forced Saudi Arabia to close its east-west crude pipeline. Saudi traders said the kingdom would run out of oil stocks for export if it did not reopen within days. Gas prices also climbed higher. Energy prices have surged this year, as the US-Israel war with Iran has disrupted oil and gas supply across the Middle East. The spike came as the Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen launched several attacks against Saudi Arabia and captured the strategic island of Perim in the Bab al-Mandab strait on Sunday, expanding their control of the waterway. Where did the attack on Saudi Arabia come from? Iraq’s government confirmed the attacks were launched from its territory and ordered an investigation. Baghdad is under mounting pressure to stop militant groups – including those backed by Saudi Arabia’s regional rival Iran – launching attacks on Gulf countries from Iraqi soil. The US president, Donald Trump, said he believed Tehran was responsible. Why has Saudi Arabia been relying on its east-west pipeline? Riyadh has increased the use of the 745-mile pipeline since the start of the war on Iran in order to bypass the strait of Hormuz’s closure. The world’s biggest exporter has used the pipeline to reroute about 4m barrels a day – about 4% of global supply – but with the ‌pipeline out of service, the Red Sea port of Yanbu now has stocks to maintain exports for just five to seven days. What is the Anthropic CEO proposing? Robert Booth explains Amodei’s suggestion: first, each US AI company grants access to third-party evaluators; second, all companies in democratic countries establish common safety standards; and third, the world’s democratic AI powers coordinate with autocracies – notably China – to control the race. How has Barack Obama intervened over AI? The former US president made a direct appeal to Democrats to coalesce around a unified AI safety policy, arguing that waiting for voluntary compliance from tech firms was a recipe for governance failure. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Martin Belam14 Sept