HeraldLoop
The Guardian

The Guardian — page 38

2136 articlestheguardian.com ↗

Coverage, page 38

page 38 of 107

Westminster’s time is coming to an end, say first ministers of UK’s Celtic nations

Leaders in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland discuss independence and call for constitutional change at summit Westminster’s time is coming to an end, the first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have said at a landmark summit aimed at putting the UK’s Celtic nations on the path to independence referendums. The Plaid Cymru leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth; the Scottish National party leader, John Swinney; Sinn Féin’s vice-president, Michelle O’Neill, and the president and leader of the opposition in Ireland, Mary Lou McDonald, met in Cardiff on Monday to sign a memorandum of understanding recognising that “the political landscape across these islands is changing”. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Bethan McKernan Wales correspondent14 Sept

The drought abides: US men still without a major since 2003 despite Shelton’s heroics

Alexander Zverev was simply too good for the home hope at the US Open on Sunday. Andy Roddick’s record may stand for some time to come On a Sunday afternoon set up for Ben Shelton to play national hero, the US Open final debutant suffered a four-set defeat to Alexander Zverev, a result that deflated the partisans at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match compounded Shelton’s miserable head-to-head record against the German, who claimed a second career grand slam title without having to face final bosses Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz. The defeat also extended a long drought – the last win by an American man at a grand slam was Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open, when Shelton was still a month off his first birthday. After the final, Shelton wore a hangdog expression as he thanked his team and the capacity crowd in New York, tucking the silver runner-up tray under his arm as if shunted off to high school detention. “Disappointed with how today went,” he said in his press conference afterward. “Excited with the progress that I feel that I’ve made. But, yeah, this one stings 100%.” Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Andrew Lawrence at Flushing Meadows14 Sept

Polanski the first managerial victim of Bundesliga season as Gladbach fail again | Andy Brassell

Departure of head coach after defeat at Freiburg sums up club that could join other fallen giants in second tier It could not go on. Even at this early stage the sinking feeling was familiar and impossible to shake, and something had to give at Borussia Mönchengladbach. The first Bundesliga coaching change of the season is upon us just three games in, and it is not a major surprise that it is Eugen Polanski departing. Neither is it a shock that Gladbach are involved; after all, it was at exactly this point last season – three games in – that they parted ways with Gerardo Seoane. A club with more prospects and direction would have chosen to move on from Polanski in the summer, but the reality is that Gladbach have few of either. Saturday afternoon’s humiliation at Freiburg – a club enjoying a 100% record, guided by poise and purpose, having spent the Johan Manzambi money wisely – was no bad day at the office but a season in microcosm. The home side cruised into a 2-0 lead inside the first half-hour before the Gladbach captain, Tim Kleindienst, was sent off for a second yellow card (after an utterly avoidable first one). One former Gladbach player, Yannik Engelhardt, scored twice while another, Matthias Ginter, made two assists. It finished 5-0 and could have been way worse. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Andy Brassell14 Sept

The London hospital funded by donors who invested in the slave trade

St Barts is one of many UK institutions whose benefactors were involved in the trafficking of enslaved Africans Inside the Great Hall of St Bartholomew’s North Wing, alongside stately portraits of the apostle from whom London’s oldest hospital takes its name and King Henry VIII, extravagant commemorative boards adorn the walls. The Great Hall was a grand, formal space where governors weighed their philanthropic donations and drafted their wills, many while investing in the stock of companies built on the trafficking of enslaved Africans. Today, many of those donors are commemorated in acrylic gold paint on the boards. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Written by Morgan Ofori and David Conn; Animation by Alexander Purcell; Photography by Wayne Crichlow14 Sept

Beck: Ride Lonesome review – stunning end to the heartache trilogy of Sea Change and Morning Phase

(Iliad/Capitol) On his first album in seven years, Beck keeps the quality control extremely high as he surveys mid-50s malaise in the wake of divorce The last time Beck released an album it was 2019 and the singer-songwriter found himself in a strange and unenviable position. In some quarters, the arrival of Hyperspace was eagerly anticipated precisely because his personal life was in turmoil. Nine months before its release, his 15-year marriage to actor Marissa Ribisi had ended in divorce, an experience he understandably described as heartbreaking. Unfortunately for him, there exists a pervasive argument that Beck’s greatest work is born out of misery. His beloved 2002 album Sea Change featured a set of disconsolate acoustic songs written in the wake of a break-up with his long-term girlfriend Leigh Limon that Beck had initially thought were too personal for public consumption. They were certainly very different from the knowing, postmodern approach with which he’d made his name, but no matter: Sea Change went on to become a huge critical and commercial success. It wasn’t entirely clear what prompted the gloomy mood of 2014’s Morning Phase, but it very much seemed to be cut from similar musical and lyrical cloth. Some critics suggested it was the best album of his career; it subsequently won three Grammys, including album of the year. Given the circumstances, there was much pre-release speculation that Hyperspace would be a companion piece. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Alexis Petridis14 Sept

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

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

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

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