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The Guardian — page 42

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A spoonful of sugar: how South Africa’s weigh-and-pay shops are tackling ‘poverty tax’ head on

Run by a social enterprise, the six shops operate from shipping containers across Johannesburg’s Alexandra township and sell food and household goods by weight in small, affordable amounts Every morning, on her way to the laundry shop she runs in Johannesburg’s Alexandra township, Tsholofelo Mphela stops at a bright yellow shipping container to buy a few spoonfuls of sugar. Inside, shelves are lined with large jars of beans, rice and maize meal, and clear boxes filled with breakfast cereal and loose teabags. A tap dispenses cooking oil by the millilitre. The cashier weighs Mphela’s purchase before ringing it up for a few rand. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Julie Bourdin14 Sept

‘Tidal wave’ of Pfas being launched to satisfy AI industry, campaigners warn

Big manufacturers planning to produce more of the forever chemicals to meet demand from datacentres Pfas companies are launching a “tidal wave” of forever chemicals production to meet demand from the AI industry, a campaign organisation has warned. Despite alarm over the chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, a survey of the 10 biggest manufacturers found most had plans to increase production. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Damien Gayle Environment correspondent14 Sept

Lenore review – incel’s obsession with online influencer turns into anatomy of dislocated digital-age mindset

Digital-age Australian psychodrama tracks the shut-in mania of dangerously disaffected male fan, but doesn’t get inside his mind If the parasocial phenomenon is a kind of hell, then Max Wren, protagonist of this Australian digital-age psychodrama, resides in the ninth circle. Self-barricading in a basement room surrounded by screens, working on a documentary about the object of his disaffection (an enigmatic influencer called Lenore), this obsessive shut-in makes Eminem’s Stan look like the Dalai Lama. Touching on subjects including the attention economy, the male gaze, and incel isolation and misogyny, director David Ward feels both Max and Lenore’s pain. But his ungainly debut film doesn’t fully transcend its stage origins to capture the splintered headspace of the terminally online. Like films about fictional pop stars that feature unconvincing music, it doesn’t help that the quickfire résumé of Lenore’s career only half-conveys her magnetism. A one-time beauty influencer called Veronica Brand, she later graduates to more extreme performance art-type stunts, such as livestreaming her miscarriage; a move that, spliced without her knowledge into a children’s TV broadcast, forced her into hiding. But this performative vulnerability, including hints of her abusive dad, apparently won her legions of OnlyFans-style acolytes. Not just Max, but also his colleague Sam (Sam Macdonald), a brash interloper outraged to find he was nothing special to Lenore and who turns up at Max’s door offering exclusive footage of her. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Phil Hoad14 Sept

A great time with Uncle Junior from the Sopranos: best podcasts of the week

Fans of the show will not want to miss this revealing new series with Dominic Chianese and his son. Plus, a political drama that’s as thrilling as a Bourne novel The Sopranos star Dominic Chianese (95) and his son Dominic Chianese Jr (62) helm this new series – a cosy father-son catchup , and all the better for it. Choice cuts include Chianese Sr’s admission that he thought the show was a spoof at first, playing his first scene as crime boss Junior for laughs. As for “Jimmy” Gandolfini, he was “in the same stratosphere as Al Pacino ... acting with him was so easy because he was so real and so believable”. Hannah J Davies Widely available, episodes weekly Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Hannah J Davies and Hollie Richardson14 Sept

End Times Fascism by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor review – the fightback starts here

A sharp analysis of the damage wrought by the reckless super-rich, and progressive toolkit for repairing it The more power the radical rightwing nationalists of our age accrue, the greater the risk that their destructive brand of politics becomes normalised. We should not, for instance, regard it as normal that the man in charge of the world’s largest nuclear arsenal casually promises “a whole civilisation will die tonight”. We should not accept that history’s first trillionaire is allowed to spread racist conspiracy theories to a hitherto unimaginable extent. We should be alarmed that, here in the UK, a party tipped to lead a potential future government is trying to cruise to power in the slipstream of this international movement. In fact, we shouldn’t just be alarmed by such developments: we should stop them and urgently repair the damage already done. But how? And what is the nature of that damage? This bold, clarifying intervention from Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor provides some of the answers. “End times fascism” is their term for a convergence of interests that can broadly be understood as a response to the climate crisis. Faced with a world coming under unprecedented strain from environmental shocks and an unequal, resource-hungry economic system, today’s reactionaries are effectively saying: bring it on. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Daniel Trilling14 Sept

Burrata and beyond: a foodie tour of northern Puglia, Italy

It’s the birthplace of the popular cheese, but the Barletta-Andria-Trani province in southern Italy has an array of local delicacies – from olive oil and yellow tomatoes to goat prosciutto ‘I don’t eat mozzarella outside Puglia,” says our friend Savio. “It’s not the same.” Savio is a very opinionated foodie, so I take his words with a pinch of good Puglian sea salt (see below). He was adamant about the superiority of the stretched-curd cheese from his home turf. Puglia is also the birthplace of ingredient du jour burrata, which originated in Andria, a few miles from Savio’s home town of Barletta. Andria forms one part of the triangular Barletta-Andria-Trani (BAT) province, often passed over for better-known parts of Puglia, despite the cheese connection and Barletta having miles of palm-backed, sandy beaches. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Liz Boulter14 Sept

Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: the foldable with the best triple camera

Big screen folder with slick software and advanced AI is just like a regular Android when closed Google’s latest folding phone sticks with its tried and tested design of a traditional phone shape when closed and almost square when open, in the face of new competition from Apple’s squat iPhone fold . The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is Google’s fourth-generation folder and is still one of the only models with a full water and dust resistance rating similar to standard slab phones. It costs from £1,799 (€1,999/$1,899/A$2,799), which is £50 (€100/$100/A$100) more than last year as the pressure of RAMageddon continues to push up prices. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Samuel Gibbs Consumer technology editor14 Sept

UK credit scores: should you worry about a big shake-up?

Your rating is vital when taking on debt, but you could be in for a surprise as a big player changes its rules Your credit score is the magic number that helps lenders decide whether or not to approve a mortgage, loan or credit card application. Typically, the higher the number, the better your borrowing prospects. But a shake-up of the scoring system at TransUnion, one of the UK’s three main credit reference agencies, could mean a shock next time you log in. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Zoe Wood14 Sept

We Are Family: photography from Images Vevey 2026 – picture essay

We visited the idyllic Swiss lakeside town of Vevey for its 10th Biennale of photography. Global head of photography Fiona Shields picks out some of her favourite projects on display Discover the 50 artworks on display at the 10th edition of the Biennale Images Vevey , 5-27 September 2026 Every two years, on the shores of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Swiss Alps, the town of Vevey transforms its public spaces and buildings with 50 installations of artistic projects from 21 countries, which are free and open to the public. With such a breathtaking natural setting as its backdrop, the photography displayed at Images Vevey has to strike its own particular note of magnificence to hold the gaze. Rising six storeys high, Sian Davey’s portrait of the renowned photographer Martin Parr, who died at the end of last year, sets the tone for this year’s festival. Taken in a splendid garden that seems to have flourished straight from Eden, the monumental portrait overlooks the town. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Fiona Shields14 Sept

Monday briefing: What do Reform’s record-setting donations mean for the party – and our politics?

In today’s newsletter: As Labour MPs scramble to realign later today around a bill that could stop donations like this in their tracks, a look at new game-changing donations to a party engulfed in financial scandals Good morning. Nigel Farage has a confirmed talent for upending the laws of political gravity, and this weekend has been no exception, as he declared himself “humbled” by two donations of £36m each from cryptocurrency tycoons Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne. I’d shoehorn a joke about buses in here but, honestly, this feels too consequential for that. Economy | Former chancellor George Osborne said Britain’s economy had “fallen off a cliff” since Brexit – and that rejoining the European Union’s customs union would be the fastest route to recovery . Technology | Sam Altman and Elon Musk backed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s call to “slow the pace” of AI development. Amodei had cautioned that an AI swarm could otherwise become capable of “taking over the entire internet” within a year. Sweden | With most of the votes counted, Sweden’s national election remained too close to call on Sunday night , with left-wing parties holding a lead of just a single seat according to a partial tally by the election authority. Ukraine | A train carrying Boris Johnson and the former CIA chief David Petraeus may have been the target of a Russian drone strike that hit a train engine near the Poland-Ukraine border, according to Ukrainian Railways. Travel | The air traffic control outage that caused thousands of flights to be grounded across the UK earlier in the week was caused by a military aircraft entering “spurious” flight data into the system, according to a report . Monday | First ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will meet in Cardiff to discuss moves towards self-determination across the nations. Tuesday | The final report of the Thirwall Inquiry into events at the neonatal unit where Lucy Letby worked will be published. Letby was sentenced to 15 whole-life terms for murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others. Thursday | Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, will address the European parliament. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Libby Brooks14 Sept

Wallabies veterans miss out as Les Kiss selects new face for Springboks Test

James O’Connor and Bernard Foley told to focus on Super Rugby Harry McLaughlin-Phillips named for South Africa clash in Perth Wallabies coach Les Kiss has praised the potential impact of veteran flyhalves James O’Connor and Bernard Foley, but called for them to play Super Rugby games before they will be considered for selection after elevating 22-year-old five eighth Harry McLaughlin-Phillips for the clash against South Africa in Perth in two weeks. Ben Donaldson and Declan Meredith have retained their places in the squad following the series victory in Argentina, but the broken leg suffered by Carter Gordon created a place at No 10. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Jack Snape14 Sept

TV tonight: inside the Bayeux Tapestry’s ‘treacherous’ journey to London

Michael Palin tells the story of the artwork that has caused such a stir – and nightmares! Plus, a juicy drama based on Graham Norton’s novel. Here’s what to watch this evening 9pm, BBC Two State guests can only dream of the sort of welcome the Bayeux Tapestry has received in London. No wonder one of the French conservators in this documentary was having nightmares about its “treacherous journey beneath the channel”. Michael Palin narrates the events of its move to the British Museum, while historians such as David Olusoga and Janina Ramirez help tell the story behind the stitches, with Rory Stewart also explaining why some call it a “dodgy dossier”. Hollie Richardson Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Hollie Richardson, Phil Harrison, Graeme Virtue, Hannah J Davies and Ellen E Jones14 Sept

Sydney mayor allegedly threatened and children secretly recorded after he refused to step down, Icac hears

Corruption inquiry turns its investigation to allegations Strathfield councillors may have engaged in blackmail or illegal surveillance Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our new political email , free app or daily news podcast A Sydney mayor was allegedly threatened, followed and his children were secretly recorded after he refused to honour an agreement to step down, the NSW corruption watchdog has heard. Former independent Strathfield council mayor Matthew Blackmore has fronted the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) inquiry, codenamed Operation Rosny. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Kat Wong14 Sept

Rail passengers get automatic right to switch operators for free when trains are cancelled

‘Commonsense change’ looks to end current confusion and put ‘passengers first, not shareholders’ when services are disrupted Rail passengers whose trains are cancelled will have the immediate right to travel on other operators’ services to finish their journey without further charge, ministers have announced. The “commonsense change” will take effect from Sunday 20 September, ending the confusion in Britain where many pre-booked tickets are not valid on other firms’ trains. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent14 Sept

Jack Thorne warns some fellow scriptwriters are using AI ‘to cheat’

Adolescence co-writer criticises government inaction and calls for laws banning secret use of AI to generate scripts Jack Thorne, one of Britain’s most successful screen and stage writers, has warned that some people in his profession are using AI “to cheat”, as he called for laws banning the secret use of the technology to generate scripts. Thorne, who co-wrote the hit Netflix drama Adolescence and wrote the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, said that “writers need to be squeaky clean” in the face of AI models that “steal” the creative industry’s work. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Michael Savage Media editor14 Sept

Can you futureproof your career by choosing an AI-resistant degree?

Humans will have to compete with AI-powered virtual employees in the near future. Here are our tips for the last human holdouts Futureproofing your career with an AI-resistant degree is a tough ask, says Charlie Ball, an expert on graduate employment for Jisc, the UK’s higher education digital, data and technology agency. “What you’re trying to do is futureproof a 45-year career in a time of rapid technological change – and that’s really quite hard to do. What’s likely is that jobs that hinge a lot on human, face-to-face interaction are unlikely to be replaced.” Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Sally Weale14 Sept

AI CEOs say they need to slow the pace of development. But will they?

After apocalyptic warnings about the threats posed by AI, leaders like Sam Altman and Elon Musk backed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s calls to ‘slow the pace’ Facing a public uproar over Anthropic researchers’ repeated warnings that artificial intelligence could kill all of humanity by 2030, the AI company’s CEO Dario Amodei issued a proposal at the weekend to slow down the technology’s advancement to ensure public safety. In a rare display of unity , the heads of the largest US artificial intelligence companies all agreed immediately. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Nick Robins-Early14 Sept

Somerset ‘festival of ideas’ to measure whether its talks change people’s outlook

Attenders will be asked to take part in tests to see if they have become more open to views they do not agree with Festivalgoers sometimes report feeling they have a fresh perspective of the world when they make their weary way home after a stimulating cultural gathering. A new “festival of ideas” in Somerset is aiming to measure whether the beliefs and ideas of attenders and speakers really are changed by their event. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Steven Morris14 Sept

Hot and sour, vegetarian mapo and in spicy sauce: Fuchsia Dunlop’s tofu recipes

Wobblesome, firm or silken, tofu is a star ingredient in Chinese cooking. These dishes show why In the west, tofu is often viewed as a substitute for meat, which may explain why firmer types that can be cut into chunks and fried or grilled like meat have become so ubiquitous. In China, however, where tofu has been eaten for at least 1,000 years, it isn’t a substitute for anything; it’s simply a protein-rich ingredient that forms part of most people’s diets, can be cooked with meat and fish, and comes in myriad forms, from the tender, wobbly tofu used to make Sichuanese mapo tofu to firm smoked tofu, sheets of tofu “skin” and the silken tofu that can be as soft as creme caramel. Many Chinese tofu recipes are so delicious that habitual meat-eaters will devour them as keenly as vegetarians. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Fuchsia Dunlop14 Sept