After Jennifer Sellitti lost her partner Joe Mazraani, she thought everything was over. Then she inherited his ship After Joe died, Jennifer Sellitti felt as though she were living underwater. Other people became murky, their words muffled. She slept constantly; unconsciousness was a blessing. On the worst days, memories bowled her over. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Amanda Joan McDougall15 Sept
Faye Carruthers and Suzanne Wrack are joined by Marva Kreel and Chris Paouros to discuss the weekend’s WSL action On the podcast today: Faye Carruthers and Suzanne Wrack are joined by Marva Kreel and Chris Paouros to discuss the weekend’s WSL action. Chelsea hit five goals past Manchester United with five different goalscorers. Crystal Palace show they are not here to just make up the numbers as they earn a point against Arsenal at the Emirates – but will draws prove costly for Reneé Slegers’ side once again in their quest for the title? Continue reading...
The Guardian•Presented by Faye Carruthers with Suzanne Wrack, Marva Kreel and Chris Paouros. Produced by Sophie Downey and Holly Fisher, and the executive producer is Tayo Popoola15 Sept
Companies are boosting datacenters and fossil fuels and together manage $7.3tn in investments The energy portfolios of 20 private equity firms produce 1.5bn tons of greenhouse gases a year, more than the annual emissions of any country except China, the US, India and Russia, according to a new report. Together, these firms manage $7.3tn in assets of all kinds, affording them the ability to shape the pace of the transition away from fossil fuels. However their energy investments include significant fossil fuel assets including natural gas and coal-fired power plants to provide electricity to datacenters. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Sara Sneath15 Sept
Exclusive: Screening if used alone risks leading people to believe they are inevitably going to develop dementia Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Researchers have warned that social media may be misleading healthy people into taking Alzheimer’s blood tests, causing severe anxiety over biological markers that may never actually cause dementia. Blood-based biomarker tests, including p-tau217 and p-tau181, detect biological signs of changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease, which is a progressive brain disorder and the leading cause of dementia. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Melissa Davey Medical editor15 Sept
The rise of AI-generated tributes and bots for ‘talking’ to the dead has experts concerned more people will grieve in isolation Tributes rolled in after the death of Dolly Parton last month. Jack White performed Jolene at a London gig. Kesha sang Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You), a single her mother wrote for the country music titan. Even Pitbull stopped his Madison Square Garden show to memorialize Parton and all the other “powerful women” in the crowd. But one of the strangest – and most viral – eulogies did not come from a celebrity. It did not even come from a person. Run Jolene, at just under five minutes, is an earworm of a country song, containing all the cliches of the genre: twangy singer, banjo licks, corny lyrics. Those lyrics concern Jolene, the fictional romantic rival made infamous by Parton. “Somebody better warn Jolene / Dolly’s coming through those gates,” the voice croons. “Run Jolene / Girl you better move your feet.” Continue reading...
The Guardian•Alaina Demopoulos15 Sept
Surely that’s the lesson the Reform polling furore should teach us. Politics should be about actually helping people, not mastering the line on a graph Solemn faces all round. We will listen. We will learn. We will hone and improve. Yes, it’s time for the latest bout of profound soul-searching in the UK polling industry following the allegations raised by the recent Channel 4 investigation that a polling firm reportedly failed to declare that three polls it published before the local elections in May were commissioned by Reform. By now these reckonings are becoming a regular occurrence in the wake of big elections: pollsters gather in a room, nibble biscuits, ritually self-flagellate, and pledge to learn all the right lessons from the electorate they’ve just catastrophically misread. Yet for all its very public ignominies, political polling is one of those rare and precious industries that somehow manages to keep failing upwards. You might think that after botching the 2015 and 2017 general elections , the 2016 Brexit vote and the 2021 London mayoral poll, we might have learned better than to trust in the mystical magic graph. In this parallel universe Keir Starmer is now sitting on a colossal 318-seat majority, as forecast by Survation in its final MRP poll on the eve of the 2024 general election, overstating the actual result by a mere 144 parliamentary seats. Jonathan Liew is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
The Guardian•Jonathan Liew15 Sept
‘I’ve never done anything for money,’ Bellamy says He was in intensive care last year after appendix rupture Craig Bellamy said he rejected the chance to take charge of Burnley in the summer after deciding the Wales job is “the right place for me”. The 47-year-old was among the managers targeted by the Championship club, who appointed Nicky Hayen. Bellamy is preparing to lead Wales in the Nations League, with next Thursday’s trip to Portugal the first of four matches across the extended international break. Bellamy spent two years on the staff at Burnley, working as an assistant to Vincent Kompany and taking caretaker charge after Kompany left for Bayern Munich. Burnley were granted permission to hold talks with him after a triggering release clause in his Wales contract. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Ben Fisher15 Sept
Analysts warn of an acceleration in high-risk arms race with Russia and China in Earth’s orbit The US has deployed weapons in space, the US military has confirmed, in an extraordinary public announcement that analysts warn will accelerate a high-risk arms race with Russia and China in Earth’s orbit. US secretary of the air force, Troy Meink, announced that Washington had active “on-orbit” weapons, meaning they had been deployed and were currently circling the globe. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Oliver Holmes15 Sept
Tobacco investments raise new concerns about Dr Nicole Saphier ahead of confirmation hearing Donald Trump’s nominee for US surgeon general reported more than $200,000 in business income from a company she owns that sells dietary supplements, a loosely regulated industry that health and consumer advocates say raises concerns about her record and which some critics allege are akin to “ snake oil ”. Dr Nicole Saphier, who specializes in breast cancer as a radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New Jersey and was formerly a Fox News contributor, is facing a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday. She filed a financial disclosure and ethics agreement last week. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Michelle R Smith15 Sept
The latest Exhibition on Screen documentary does a good job balancing the famous scandals with the subtle brilliance of his art Timed to coincide with Tate Britain’s impressive gallery show – which closes at the end of September, so you haven’t long if you’ve missed it so far – this latest from the Exhibition on Screen strand does a fine job in outlining the ins and outs, and ups and downs of this still somewhat divisive artist who, Whistler’s Mother notwithstanding, is still probably most famous for winning a farthing in damages in his “flinging a pot of paint” libel action against John Ruskin. The film assembles the customary lineup of notables including the Tate’s Carol Jacobi, critic Rachel Campbell-Johnston and art historian Stephen Calloway, the latter of whom’s dandyish attire and Colonel Sanders goatee suggests he has very much bought into the Whistler aesthetic. In fact, as all the interviewees are keen to point out, Whistler’s self-constructed persona, always with an eye to making a splash, is as significant an element of his artistic presence as the art itself – even if, as I can’t be alone in thinking, there’s something fundamentally irritating about his southern-genteel attudinising even at a century and a half’s distance. Be that as it may, the film gets to grips with Whistler’s instinctive brilliance as an artist, his natural flair for boundary-pushing and forward-thinking idealism. The big life episodes – his arrival in London, painting his mother, the brouhaha over the Peacock Room , the court case and subsequent bankruptcy – are recounted, but there is impressive detail on the actual art: from the dynamics behind his brooding Wapping picture to the temper tantrums (not his) that made Harmony in Grey and Green, his portrait of the eight-year-old Cicely Alexander so distinctive. And while Whistler’s dealings with the women in his life wouldn’t exactly pass modern-era scrutiny, his pictures of them are genuinely brilliant, with especial attention given to a wonderfully tender sketch of his wife Beatrix , terminally ill in a hotel bedroom. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Andrew Pulver15 Sept
It’s probably not a good idea to freeze cooked risotto rice, but if you must , we have three experts who can tell you how to minimise the mush I have tried various ways to reheat risotto after freezing, but it always turns into a gloopy, starchy, unappetising mess. What am I doing wrong? Jill, by email “Freezing risotto will be a bit of a disaster,” says Theo Randall, chef/patron at Theo Randall Cucina Italiana at the Intercontinental in London, “and it doesn’t really work.” The reason for this is that the cooked rice absorbs all the moisture while it’s defrosting, resulting in, well, Jill’s gloopy mess. It’s also possible her risotto was overcooked to begin with, says Sue Quinn, author of Cheese Please . “Softer grains mean more leached starch, which leaves less leeway for further cooking without it going sticky and pasty.” Then there’s the question of reheating that defrosted rice for too long: “That can over-soften the already-cooked rice,” adds Quinn, so you have to do it “quickly and only until it’s piping hot”. The reality, however, is that “freezing, thawing and reheating rice will make it squishier whatever you do”, Quinn says, but “if that’s the way Jill rolls”, her best bet is to get that defrosted risotto in the microwave, sprinkle it with a little water or stock, cover loosely, then reheat on high in one-minute intervals, stirring in between, until it’s hot all the way through. “To do this on the hob, put the defrosted risotto in a pan with a splash of hot stock or water, and stir gently over a medium heat for just long enough to distribute the heat.” Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@theguardian.com Continue reading...
The Guardian•Anna Berrill15 Sept
With an incredible array of talent on show we select half a dozen players who could make the step up to the senior World Cup next year The 2026 Under-20 Women’s World Cup is entering the knockout stage in Poland and, after an intriguing group stage, we pick some of the young stars who have stood out. Celia Segura (Spain and Barcelona) Segura is no stranger to knockout football having helped Spain to silver at the Under-17 World Cup two years ago and finishing with the Bronze Ball and Bronze Boot. She has picked up the mantleagain as La Roja eased through their group. Her four goals against New Caledonia were an illustration of her pure scoring instinct and she has also played a key role with her high technical skills and instinctive ability to both make space for and find her teammates. Her back-heel assist to set up Pau Comendador against China was a memorable one. A product of the Barcelona academy, the 19-year-old forward made her debut for the senior side back in February and will return to Atlético Madrid for a season-long loan at the conclusion of this tournament. This is an extract from our free email about women’s football, Moving the Goalposts. To get the full edition, visit this page and follow the instructions . Moving the Goalposts is delivered to your inboxes every Tuesday and Thursday . Continue reading...
The Guardian•Sophie Downey15 Sept
More than 130 counsels and KCs sign letter to PM saying international law requires further measures to stop illegal settlements More than 130 legal experts, including 18 king’s counsel (KCs), have written to Andy Burnham saying that sanctions on Israeli settlements “fall far short” of Britain’s obligations under the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ’s) finding that the occupation is unlawful. The foreign secretary, Ed Miliband last week announced an import ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine and other measures. Signatories to the letter to the prime minister, including the leading lawyers, Michael Mansfield KC and Imran Khan KC, and the former lord justice of appeal, Alan Moses, say it is not enough. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent15 Sept
Toronto film festival: riotous lead performance holds together third movie from actor turned film-maker, about a housewife who joins a local musical Jesse Eisenberg’s last two directorial efforts – the prickly comedy When You Finish Saving the World and the slightly softer A Real Pain – are small films rooted in the real world. They have their little idiosyncrasies, their bits of cinematic flair, but they keep their feet grounded in the here and now. For his third film, Eisenberg has said goodbye to all that (or most of that) and run headlong at the surreal and the absurd, borrowing from Charlie Kaufman and other oddballs to tell a small story in a big way. The Debut is about a repressed housewife, Mona (Julianne Moore), who decides to audition for a role in a community theater production of a musical called Nosy Neighbors, one of those gassy Manhattan trifles that were so ubiquitous on Broadway a half century ago. Mona’s kids are about to fly the nest, and her husband barely seems to notice her when she’s standing right next to him. So why not have a little creative adventure? Continue reading...
The Guardian•Richard Lawson in Toronto15 Sept
This idea has suddenly gained huge popularity online. But is it just a way to sell us more products – and could it potentially damage our skin? Gone are the days of the speedy shower; a quick lather with a squirt of shower gel will, apparently, no longer cut it. Double cleansing – once the remit of facial skincare and shampoo routines – has steadily trickled into body-care, too. But should you simply stock up on twice as much shower gel? Is it any more hygienic? And how clean do we really need to be? As always, TikTok – or rather, #ShowerTok – has a huge number of devotees to this new trend. “Double cleansing will change your life,” says self-care advocate Xara Beqele (@xarabeq) in a video that has almost 10,000 likes. “I think double cleansing is the most effective thing I have added for my shower. I just smell better, feel clean.” Likewise, digital creator Terree Ann (@terreetaughtme) calls double cleansing the body a “ hygiene must ”. “If you are only washing your body with a hydrating body wash, that’s like washing your body with lotion,” she says in a video that has been shared more than 6,000 times. “If you’re only going in with a scented body wash on top of unclean skin, that’s like spraying Febreze to try to mask the funk instead of properly removing it.” Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that recent research found gen Zs take longer showers than any other age group – despite being most anxious about the climate crisis. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Leah Harper15 Sept
The United States’ next World Cup cycle gets underway with this week’s squad selection – here’s who we think will make the cut Pablo: Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC), Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Diego Kochen (Lyngby) Continue reading...
The Guardian•Pablo Iglesias Maurer and Jeff Rueter15 Sept
Lady Justice Thirlwall condemns ‘complete failure’ to protect babies on neonatal unit at Countess of Chester hospital Lucy Letby public inquiry report published – latest updates Three babies may have survived and seven others could have been protected if hospital bosses and doctors had taken action over concerns about the nurse Lucy Letby, an official inquiry into the deaths has concluded. A public inquiry led by Lady Justice Thirlwall found a “complete failure” to protect babies on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester hospital in north-west England. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Josh Halliday North of England editor15 Sept
Two people appeared to take three-month-old Jabal the kitten in plain view of a surveillance camera Owners of a New York City bodega on Monday were holding out hope that they would be reunited with their store’s kitten after a couple passing by the store days earlier appeared to abduct the cat in plain view of a surveillance camera and ignited an intense grassroots search effort. The plight of three-month-old Jabal began on Thursday morning in Brooklyn, when he went just outside the Eighth Street Mini Market where he lives as it opened for the day. A man walking alongside a woman passed the Park Slope market then picked up Jabal, and the pair took off as the kitten visibly squirmed, according to store surveillance video which the bodega’s owner, Imad “Jimmy” Innab, reviewed after he noticed the cat had gone missing. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Ramon Antonio Vargas15 Sept
Kasim and Sulaiman Khan tell Guardian they believe ex-PM is being ‘slowly killed’ by harsh treatment, driven by Asim Munir The sons of Imran Khan have accused Pakistan’s powerful army chief of a “personal vendetta” against the incarcerated former prime minister and expressed fears their father is being “slowly killed” in jail, as international pressure mounts over his prison conditions. Kasim Khan, 27, and Sulaiman Khan, 29, have become strong advocates for the release of their father, who has been held in Adiala prison in Rawalpindi since his arrest in 2023, and is serving a 14-year sentence on corruption charges . Continue reading...
The Guardian•Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi and Shah Meer Baloch in Islamabad15 Sept
Bosses call union funding ‘cleanest money in politics’ as they stop short of backing cap after Reform UK given £72m UK politics live – latest updates Trade unions have stopped short of backing a cap on political donations but called for further action on big money in politics, in a joint emergency statement after Reform UK was given an unprecedented £72m from two donors . General secretaries have been split on a call for unions to back a specific cap on individual donors to political parties while protecting trade union donations, which the TUC said were the “cleanest money in politics” because it came from workers’ subscriptions. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor15 Sept