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Why is the right trying to rehabilitate Richard Nixon?
The spirit of the late, disgraced President Richard Nixon is tanned, rested and ready for a four-fingered comeback. Nixonmaxxing conservatives are working to rehabilitate the 37th president’s fallen reputation — an effort that also attempts to shape narratives about President Donald Trump.
How can home sellers navigate high mortgage rates?
When mortgage rates are high, many buyers are less inclined to make a home purchase. This can end up being bad news for sellers.
Movies to watch in October, end of the world-style
The movies are getting serious in October. The Iraq War, the Covid-19 pandemic, the billionaire bubble and a social media audit are among the heady subjects tackled in cinemas this month.
Pneumonic plague: the suspected death and outbreak in Russia
Concerns are sweeping across Russia and the world after a laboratory technician reportedly died from pneumonic plague in Siberia. Many more people are now being quarantined. But health officials in the United States say there is no reason to worry about a global outbreak, at least for the time being.
Men are losing ground in the job market. But are women gaining?
The employee in the cubicle next to yours is probably a woman. Recent job gains under President Donald Trump have gone mostly to women, who now outnumber men in the workforce. It is unclear, though, what women are gaining in terms of pay and status.
Holding Lightning: new biography makes the case for Whitney Houston’s ‘genius’
Whitney Houston was a cultural icon who sold more than 200 million records. Yet her achievements “were, and remain, obscured by public interest in her private life: her sexuality, her relationships, her relationship with drugs”, which ultimately contributed to her untimely death in 2012 at the age of just 48, said Liam Kelly in The Telegraph. This, in part, is what makes her such a “compelling character” for Emily Lordi’s new biography, “Holding Lightning: the Life, Loves and Art of Whitney Houston”.
Is the UK safe from Iran?
A seventh man has been arrested in connection with a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, last month, which Andy Burnham has said was most likely linked to Iran.
A timeline of Grenfell
The criminal investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire has reached a “milestone moment”, according to a senior Metropolitan Police officer, almost a decade after the west London tragedy in which 72 people died.
Online sports betting leads to more emergency room visits for gambling disorders
Gambling is putting people in the hospital, according to a new study. The increase in online sports betting has worsened mental health problems in younger men, leading to more hospital visits as a result.
Okinawa murder renews scrutiny on US military presence
The killing of a woman in Okinawa has sparked an outcry across Japan and inflamed long-simmering tensions over the US military presence on the island.
Fall is for well-intentioned drinking at these great bars
Autumn is for drinking a mite more seriously. Not in a snobby way, rather by sipping your well-crafted drink rather than tanking endless low-alcohol beers or cheery rosés. These bars all serve admirable cocktails — without taking themselves or the drinks too seriously.
What is Zohran Mamdani’s new plan to fight antisemitism?
Although New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) has been accused of antisemitism by certain members of the Jewish community, he recently unveiled a massive new plan to counter Jewish hatred in the Big Apple. Some have lauded the mayor’s approach, while others have scoffed at it.
Why is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor suing the police?
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has launched a legal action against Thames Valley Police over search warrants issued for raids on his homes at the Sandringham Estate and Royal Lodge, Windsor, in February. He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, before being released without charge. The investigation remains ongoing, and Mountbatten-Windsor denies all wrongdoing.
‘Zionism is racism’: have the Greens been radicalised?
Conference vote a ‘threat to British Jews’ says Chief Rabbi, as former party leader calls it ‘divisive’
On the hunt for Chartreuse in France
More and more Parisians have been “reaching for a glass of Chartreuse” in recent years, said Morwenna Ferrier in The Guardian. But the “intensely green” herbal liqueur isn’t always easy to find.
AI anxiety has entered the therapy chat
With artificial intelligence permeating nearly every aspect of life, therapists are seeing more people expressing anxiety about the technology. The number is likely to rise exponentially in the coming years.
6 lavish homes in Mexico
Featuring a Spanish European–style estate in Mexico City and an eight-bedroom overlooking the Gulf of Tehuantepec
6 horror movies to watch this fall
Traveling mediums, zombie outbreaks and a Jessica Chastain doppelganger highlight the season’s scariest offerings
Muse: A do-it-all AI assistant at your fingertips
Meta’s Muse is “the most useful AI app I have ever used,” said Eli Tan in The New York Times. I’ve had it “perform dozens of day-to-day tasks,” from ordering my groceries to looking up recipes to “setting my fantasy football lineups.” The AI agent “called my dental insurer” on my behalf, gave “it my member ID, answered a security question, and waited on hold before transferring me to the representative— just as I had asked it to.” It’s like having a personal assistant.
What you need to fill out the FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, aka FAFSA, is the key to securing federal, state or school-based financial aid, from student loans to grants and work study funding. But when you are in the thick of admissions essays and applications, or just another semester’s worth of schoolwork, filling out a stack of paperwork may feel like the last thing you want to do.
The rise of the Christian left
“For decades, conservative evangelicals have controlled the image of the politically active Christian,” said Jia Lynn Yang in The New York Times. The religious right turned tens of millions of Christians who rejected America’s “rapidly liberalizing culture” into a durable voting bloc, enabling Donald Trump’s rise and achieving “once- unthinkable” goals, such as overturning the right to abortion.
Why is Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ welfare fraud ad splitting MAGA?
Conservatives are in “revolt” over a new welfare-discouraging commercial from Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said Fox News. The ad touts Huckabee Sanders’ proposal that “able-bodied adults without dependents” meet employment, volunteer and training standards in order to “continue receiving assistance.” But it has also enraged critics who claim casting a “young white man as the face of welfare abuse” does not “reflect reality.”
Kratom: a dangerous high
Is an addictive opioid-like drug getting preferential treatment from the Trump administration?
Alexander McCall Smith’s 6 favorite books
When you make a purchase using links on our site, The Week may earn a commission. All reviews are written independently by our editorial team.
Book reviews: ‘An Unexpected Life: A Memoir’ and ‘Roll the Calls: A Memoir’
Gloria Steinem and Ari Emanuel tell their own stories
Iced coffee: Symbol of eroding office manners?
The iced coffee debate “isn’t really about iced coffee,” said Beth Kowitt in Bloomberg. If you’ve been on social media recently, you’ve likely seen the viral debate about workplace etiquette and whether it is acceptable to bring a caffeinated beverage to a job interview. Younger people broadly think it’s fine, while their older peers think its slovenly and unprofessional.
Did a New York Times writer ‘betray’ her child?
Nikole Hannah-Jones’ school experiment reads like “an Aesop’s fable for progressives,” said Coleman Hughes in The Free Press. Ten years ago, the New York Times journalist wrote a viral essay explaining why she’d enrolled her 6-year-old daughter, Najya, in an underperforming, majority-Black public school. Better public schools were available near her Brooklyn home, and she and her husband could afford to go private.
Music reviews: Miley, Beck
‘Bass Persuades’ by Miley★★ At 33, Miley Cyrus is “still finding her way forward,” said Larisha Paul in Rolling Stone. On her latest No. 1 album, the former teen star attempts a couple of club tracks like the hits she used to make, but it’s clear she “has no use for flash and spectacle” and would rather just talk about her fiancé, musician and producer Maxx Morando.
Film reviews: Digger, The History of Concrete
‘Digger’Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu (R) ★★ “It’d be a mistake to judge Digger by the standards of a normal film,” said Amy Nicholson in the Los Angeles Times. Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s over-the-top new satire, featuring Tom Cruise in “his riskiest role in eons,” offers viewers no hope, “only a seductive, mischievous malevolence that, by design, feels empty as soon as the end credits roll.”
Team Kemistry: are the Tories making a comeback?
The Conservatives have kicked off their conference in Birmingham in a buoyant mood. Four years on from the Liz Truss mini-Budget that shredded the party’s economic credibility, and a mere two years since the party’s worst general election result in history, Kemi Badenoch has “a modest spring in her step”, said Politico’s Noah Keate.
French school protests
Continued riots have left 500 schools across the country closed and more than 5,000 arrests, with further action planned for the coming days
Move over kimchi, natto is appearing in health food shops everywhere
“It is smelly, slimy and contains bacteria”, said Justin McCurry in The Guardian. But after centuries of being eaten for breakfast by Japanese people with “nerves of steel”, natto is popping up in health shops around the world as a superfood to “rival kimchi, kombucha and kefir”.
Microgrids: the latest response to natural disasters
With climate change making natural disasters far more frequent, some consumers are turning to smaller off-grid electric networks to generate power in the event of a catastrophe. These “microgrids” are already becoming popular in numerous vulnerable areas of the U.S.
A surgeon shortage creates challenges in rural communities
For Americans in rural communities, getting adequate health treatment has often been an uphill battle. Now, new research shows just how dire the state of healthcare is in these areas, particularly because of a dearth of surgeons in places across the United States.
Cape Town seeks solution to its baboon problem
Authorities in South Africa’s capital city have set out plans to round up and remove around 60 chacma baboons, which are increasingly coming “into conflict” with the city’s human residents, said Reuters. The animals can be “intimidating” – males grow up to one metre tall and weigh around 50kg – and this urban primate population has adapted to city life, raiding bins, cars and houses for food.
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A thrilling journey across Ireland
A vast “concrete jungle” with “notoriously awful” traffic, the Brazilian city of São Paulo does not attract many foreign tourists, said Tomé Morrissy-Swan in The Telegraph. They tend to opt instead for the “glamour and natural beauty” of Rio, or the “vivaciousness” of Salvador – and yet to skip it is to miss a “gem”.
The welfare bill: is spending on benefits really out of control?
Critics claim that ‘spiralling’ costs are unsustainable, but Keir Starmer’s attempts prove reforming the system is no small feat
Diesel price hikes: a ‘missile’ heading for Trump voters
What was the key factor that propelled Donald Trump back into the White House for a second term? If you’d asked him that a couple of years ago, said Virginia Heffernan in The New Republic, his answer would almost certainly have been the cost of living.
The political walking dead: Germany’s zombie chancellor
A string of poor election results has left Friedrich Merz with unprecedentedly low approval ratings
Could the 30-day savings rule help you rein in overspending?
It has maybe gotten a little too easy to make a purchase. From saved credit card information to click-to-buy, you can move from contemplating a purchase to following through on it within mere seconds.
‘Artificial’ or ‘super’? When it comes to digital intelligence, it’s all in the name
The age of artificial intelligence has ended. Now dawns the age of “super intelligence.” So says President Donald Trump, who this week signed an executive order mandating that the federal government abandon the term “artificial intelligence” in favor of a more maximal adjective. (Other options floated across Trump’s social media included “supreme” and “superior.”) But not everyone is on board with the shifting labels. As digital intellect continues to develop at breakneck speed, why does what we call it matter?
The award-winning new restaurants to try this fall
Fall is when some of the country’s flashiest food publications name the year’s best new chefs and best new restaurants. Get in on the remarkable cooking happening at these standout spots.
Quiz of The Week: 26 September - 2 October
Find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest news and other global events by putting your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.
The week’s best photos
A golden guinea pig, a tightrope walker, and more
The Week Unwrapped: Why are Indonesia’s wildfires getting more extreme?
Why is Indonesia experiencing its worst ever wildfire season? Would you eat a banana that never goes brown? And why do men feel more confident in their looks than women?
Coastal California braces for Kelvin wave chaos
Many people are familiar with the El Niño phenomenon of warming surface temperatures across the Pacific Ocean. Less known is a separate but related oceanographic feature that is quickly positioning itself as one of — if not the — major disruptive weather events of the season. Dubbed a “Kelvin wave,” researchers warn this large surge of warm ocean water could lead to intense meteorological destruction during a winter storm season already heightened by a particularly active El Niño.
Magazine solutions - Oct. 9, 2026
CROSSWORD - Oct. 9, 2026SUDOKU - Oct. 9, 2026
Magazine printables - Oct. 9, 2026
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The Week contest: Cringe clubbing
This week’s question: A Manhattan nightclub is letting patrons skip the line if they turn up accompanied by a parent, and is holding weekly dance parties at 5pm for “people who want to go to bed early.” In seven or fewer words, come up with a headline for a tabloid article expressing outrage at how un-hip big-city nightlife has become.
Are Trump cabinet impeachments coming after the midterms?
President Donald Trump was impeached twice during his first term. As the midterm elections inch closer, there is impeachment talk in the air again, but this time with a different twist. Democrats are now talking about impeaching members of Trump’s cabinet, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could be first on the list.
Will the Cornell rape case spur accountability nationwide?
As details continue to emerge about the fraternity members who allegedly drugged and gang raped a student at Cornell University in 2024, many hope it could be a reckoning for colleges across the country. The ongoing civil lawsuit may also bring about systemic changes, even as some accuse Cornell of treating the seven defendants too lightly.
Table 17: a ‘stylish and exhilarating theatrical experience’
Following sold-out runs in New York and Los Angeles, “Table 17” – Douglas Lyons’ “heartfelt” and “hilarious” one-act play about a pair of ex-lovers reuniting for what might be a date – has arrived in the UK, said Isobel Lewis in Time Out.
Remake: a ‘profoundly moving work’ about parenting and art
“Sometimes it feels as if all human life is contained in this deeply moving documentary from the veteran American filmmaker Ross McElwee,” said Kevin Maher in The Times. “Grief and loss, marriage and family, work, success, failure and fame are all embraced.”
Is the UK on the verge of a diesel crisis?
Record high prices underline Britain’s reliance on global suppliers to power ‘engine’ of economy
Christa Pike execution
Botched execution of only woman on Tennessee death row draws attention to concerns about her sentence
A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Chichester Festival Theatre: a ‘punchy, techno delight’
Chichester Festival Theatre has put an “ingenious spin” on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by transporting the action to John Major’s Britain, said Fiona Mountford in The Telegraph.
Your First Home: how revived Help to Buy scheme could put you on property ladder
The government has unveiled a new housing support scheme to boost the property market. Your First Home aims to “combat malaise” among housebuilders, said The Times, and “get young people on the housing ladder”. Similar to later versions of the popular but now defunct Help to Buy scheme, it will only be available to first-time buyers.
Chuckle through fall with these comedians on tour
Get some laughs from Lavell Crawford, Kathy Griffin and more
Cannabis use linked to worsened seizures
A new study suggests a worrying link between frequent marijuana use and care-intensive seizures in people with ‘hard-to-treat’ epilepsy. While it’s too early to prove causation, researchers believe the connection warrants further study.
Guess the Number: daily number puzzle from The Week
Guess the four-digit number in six tries. Choose your number and tap enter to submit. Each tile will change to green if the digit is correct and in the right position, or orange if it is correct but in the wrong position. A dark grey tile means the digit does not appear anywhere in the number. Come back here tomorrow for the next Guess the Number game.
St Andrews’ brewing class row
A debate has broken out at the University of St Andrews after a former student accused the establishment of having a “culture of anti-Scottish classism”.
How Trump’s Title IX reversal upends protection for LGBTQ+ students
The Department of Education has formally rescinded the 2024 Title IX regulations, a Biden-era policy that extended the federal ban on sex discrimination in schools to also protect LGBTQ+ people. The change prompted pushback from advocates.
Will the farm crisis deliver the midterms to Democrats?
It is a bad year for U.S. farmers. President Donald Trump’s trade wars were already taking a toll, but the Iran war compounded problems by raising fuel and fertilizer costs. Rural regions reliably vote Republican, but Democrats hope for a midterm backlash.
6 Tudor-style homes
Featuring a 1908 Connecticut estate and a mansion designed by architect Jarvis Hunt
Why should you care about the bond market?
To the average investor, the bond markets may seem like a concern better left to Wall Street bigwigs. But what happens in these markets can have major implications not only on the larger economy but also on household budgets.
It’s time to hit the road: The season’s brand-new touring theater productions
Fall is when a new batch of shows take to the road. This year, you can live forever, see the future, island hop to Cuba or rewrite the 19th American century through guffaws. It’s going to be a good theatrical autumn.
How is the water crisis impacting the Israel-Gaza conflict?
As the Israel-Hamas war nears its three-year mark, an outbreak of algae throughout Israel’s desalination plants is threatening the country’s water supplies, which could affect the sewage systems in Gaza. Experts say the ongoing war is likely to exacerbate the problem.
Argentina turns up the economic pressure on the Falklands
Argentina is subjecting the Falklands to “economic warfare”, the leader of the British overseas territory’s government has said.
Brexit: is Burnham on the right course?
Prime minister looking at ‘options’ for new relationship with EU this year
How a Madrid pensioner become a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis
The sight of a disabled octogenarian being removed from her home on a stretcher has reignited public anger about Spain’s housing crisis. Tens of thousands of Spaniards took to the streets last weekend, protesting at the eviction of Madrid pensioner María del Carmen Abascal, known as Maricarmen, and demanding “stronger protection for tenants in the face of a housing shortage and soaring rents”, said the BBC.
War: Sienna Miller and Dominic West lock horns in ‘tasty’ legal drama
Forget “muddy trenches”, said Belen Edwards on Mashable. In HBO’s new legal drama, “War”, battles are fought in “elegant wood-panelled rooms or glassy offices perched high above London’s streets”.
Will the public get to see the new Elon Musk documentary?
Who wants to see the new, nearly four-hour documentary about Elon Musk? Not Musk. The former trillionaire is threatening a defamation lawsuit over explosive claims in Alex Gibney’s “Musk.” Social media companies are hesitant to allow promotion on their platforms, and Hollywood is whispering that Musk’s power might keep the public from opportunities to see the film. What did the commentators say?“So much for free speech,” said The Hollywood Reporter.
Nvidia’s new security platform launched to stop rogue AI agents
Given the significant concerns over the safety of artificial intelligence, the chipmaking behemoth Nvidia has unveiled a new security apparatus that it hopes will stop AI bots from running amok. But many are still worried about the implications.
Are the midterms dictating Trump’s Iran strategy?
The midterm elections are looming as a milestone in the Iran war. President Donald Trump declined a ceasefire proposal from Tehran last week, reportedly because he expects to restart U.S. attacks after the vote. Iran’s leaders may be betting that election pressure can force the White House to make concessions.
Sweden’s ruggedly beautiful west coast
Come for the herring, stay for the people
The row over Ukraine’s North Korean prisoners
An “extraordinary diplomatic row” has erupted between South Korea and Ukraine over the fate of two North Korean prisoners of war, said the Financial Times.
The best film museums to visit around the world
Discover the history and craft of movie industry masters
Alzheimer’s disease no longer considered untreatable
Dementia research has reached a major milestone: Alzheimer’s disease is no longer untreatable, according to a landmark global report. The growing range of treatment options marks a shift from seeking a cure to focusing on avoiding the disease entirely.
What’s margin trading and how does it work?
You’ve undoubtedly heard of borrowing money to buy a house or a car. But Americans are also increasingly borrowing funds to invest, a practice known as margin trading.
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Can Montana ban ‘dark money’ in elections?
Political campaigns are awash in cash, thanks in part to U.S. Supreme Court decisions declaring that campaign contributions are a form of free speech. Montana voters are poised to push back with a proposed ban on corporate political spending.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opens in LA
George Lucas’ new billion-dollar L.A. museum “makes no apologies for looking like a spaceship,” said Philip Kennicott in The Washington Post. Built to house the Star Wars creator’s “vast and motley” personal collection of figurative art, the enormous white-clad structure brings centuries of efforts to democratize the museum experience to fruition in the form of “a gigantic, magnificent, messy, maddening absurdity.”
Russian hybrid attacks risk catching Europe flat-footed
As Russia’s full-scale invasion attempt against neighboring Ukraine nears its fifth year of region-disrupting violence, a new wave of intelligence reports has raised a frightening prospect: a widening theater of violence, in which Russian hybrid warfare strikes deep European Union territory. With alarm bells ringing over potential Russian offensives — both digital and kinetic — in the coming months, vulnerable European nations must figure out if, and how, to respond.
10 upcoming albums to stream in the fall air
Herald the beginning of sweater season with brand-new tunes
How the Fed interest rate hike will hit your wallet
With prices spiking and borrowing costs already high, the Federal Reserve’s latest decision could make life even more expensive, said Rachel Lerman in The Washington Post. The central bank’s vote this September to raise interest rates by a quarter percentage point to 3.75% 4%, the first such hike since 2023, could affect everything from student loans to mortgage rates. The Fed “sets the federal funds rate, or the standard rule for how banks borrow money from each other.” That doesn’t impact longer-term rates like business or car loans directly,
Emily Ruskovich’s 6 favorite books
When you make a purchase using links on our site, The Week may earn a commission. All reviews are written independently by our editorial team.
White House depletes education statistics agency amid a schooling crisis
When DOGE began cutting up government entities in 2025, among the most severely affected was the Education Department’s little-known National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Now, more than a year later, experts say the gutting of this center has made it very hard to keep track of the nation’s education goals.
A killer robot revolution
Rapid advances in drone technology are upending how wars are fought. Is the U.S. military ready?
Book reviews: ‘Exit Party’ and ‘Redwood: The Untold Story of theCold War’s Most Extraordinary Spy’
An apocalyptic post-U.S. science fiction and a fictionalized take on a real-world spy
Could regulations reduce the risk from Artificial Intelligence?
“If this were an alien-invasion movie,” said Toluse Olorunnipa in The Atlantic, now would be the moment when people of all persuasions “band together to save the human race.” In recent weeks, a string of top artificial intelligence researchers have warned that “AI could wipe out humanity before the decade ends,” and executives at Anthropic, OpenAI, and other AI firms have called for a slowdown in the technology’s frenetic pace of development.
Film reviews: ‘Primetime,’ ‘Heart of the Beast’ and ‘Resident Evil’
An iconic television personality and a Brad Pitt starrer
The designer who bedazzled the stars
Bob Mackie never let practicality get in the way of glamour. Dubbed the Sultan of Sequins, the Rajah of Rhinestones, and the Guru of Glitter, he dressed stars as if costuming characters in a play, and the results were both provocative and witty. His creations were sparkly, beaded, feathered, and often sheer or midriff-baring. Over six decades, he clothed legends like Cher, Madonna, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, and Dolly Parton, winning 10 Emmys and one Tony and picking up three Oscar nominations.
The writer who found the divine in nature
Annie Dillard was just 28 when she published a collection of spare, meditative essays drawn from a year’s worth of wandering and watching in the wilds of Virginia’s Roanoke Valley. “A meteorological journal of the mind,” she called the book, in which she ruminated on plants, muskrats, butterflies, and the essential paradox of a natural world defined by beauty “tangled in a rapture with violence.” The 1974 book, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, was a sensation, winning Dillard a Pulitzer and a reputation as one of her generation’s top literary voices.
How the mansion tax will work and who will be affected
New levy due to be introduced for homes worth more than £2m from April 2028 but will it work as intended?
SAS war crimes inquiry faces another setback
Emergence of new MoD evidence is ‘troubling and regrettable’, says inquiry chair, as further delays and costs are likely
What next for Man City?
Manchester City face a large fine, a points deduction, a transfer ban, the stripping of titles and trophies and even legal action from other football clubs, after being found guilty of 114 out of 115 charges of breaching the Premier League’s financial rules.
The great Aussie bee heist
Beekeepers in Australia are “abuzz” at the news that “a series of stunning heists” caused the disappearance of 800,000 bees, said Smithsonian magazine.
A summer in Canada’s ‘cottage country’
Since its premiere on HBO Max in the US last year, the Canadian ice hockey drama “Heated Rivalry” has become a “cultural phenomenon”, spawning trivia nights, costume contests and “no fewer than four parody musicals”, said Sarah Bahr in The New York Times. It catapulted its actors to stardom and created another, more unlikely star too – the glamorous lakeside house where the male lovers “cosy up”.
A paradise island in northeast Brazil
With its pale beaches and low-lying, forested interior, the Brazilian island of Boipeba is a slice of “heaven”, says Chris Haslam in The Sunday Times.
The march of the data centres
The AI boom will require a massive physical infrastructure to sustain it, which is already proving hugely contentious
Nscale’s $35bn IPO: off-the-scale ambition?
When the former deputy PM Nick Clegg – and his erstwhile Meta colleague Sheryl Sandberg – joined the board of Nscale in March, it looked like something big was in the offing. And so it has proved, said Elias Schisgall in The Wall Street Journal.
5 contentiously funny cartoons about voter discontent
Artists take on misunderstandings, the jaw of the beast, and more
How nativism has been normalised in Sweden
The hard-right Sweden Democrats (SD) had high hopes of achieving complete “detoxification” in last week’s general elections, said Nicola Quondamatteo in Jacobin (New York).
5 hilariously pressing cartoons about Trump’s crackdown on free press
Artists take on press pool, taking notes, and more
‘NAZA’: the film causing outrage in Israel
What surprised me, watching the documentary, “wasn’t the massive scale of the killing, or even the coldness of it, but the proficiency”, said Mahmoud Mushtaha in +972 Magazine (Tel Aviv). The 24 Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers interviewed for “NAZA”, a new film, coolly described destroying people’s lives as if they were discussing “a routine errand”; one likened it to a “video game”.
Scotch collops
This recipe is based on a traditional Scottish one that dates back to the 18th century, says Ali Stoner.
The pros and cons of paying off your mortgage early
If you have the means, the appeal of paying off your mortgage early is obvious: You will finally be done making payments on your home — including that continually accruing interest — and you will own your house free and clear.
Six Flags is in hot water over 100 alleged brain injuries
Six Flags Magic Mountain is one of the most popular amusement parks in the United States, but its flagship attraction and most popular ride, the X2 roller coaster, has come under fire for allegedly causing more than eight dozen severe brain injuries in the past two years. Now, a series of lawsuits has put the future of the ride in jeopardy.
Get indoors and into the kitchen because the best of fall’s cookbooks are here
It’s high season for new releases
Masoud Pezeshkian: Iran’s defiant president clashing with the US
This week, the world heard from an often quiet figure at the center of the Iran-U.S. war: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. While subservient to Iran’s supreme leader, Pezeshkian wields immense power as the head of government, and a fiery speech at the United Nations showed that the Iranian president has no intention of rolling over for the United States.
‘Other so-called improvements might even backfire’
‘Advice for parents who want to prevent CTE in youth athletes’Leana S. Wen at The Washington Post Nobody “disputed that CTE is a serious issue, but many seemed to think that young athletes today are at lower risk than previous generations because of better safety precautions,” says Leana S. Wen. The “majority of head impacts that can cause brain damage do not result in a concussion diagnosis but can still contribute to CTE.”
How will 7% mortgage rates change home ownership?
For most of this century, homebuyers could depend on mortgage rates being relatively low — no more than 5%. But that is no longer true. The average 30-year mortgage rate hit 7% this week. High rates may be here to stay, and that could have profound effects on an already dysfunctional U.S. housing market.
Are conservatives getting fed up with Trump?
President Donald Trump has dominated the GOP for a decade. That hold might be slipping, though, as Republicans prepare for an anticipated “blue wave” in the midterm elections, driven by the president’s unpopularity. Conservative candidates are starting to break with Trump, and the right’s pundits are rooting them on.
Macklemore launching ‘Free Palestine’ concert tour
What happenedMacklemore on Thursday announced a Free Palestine concert tour, less than two weeks after the rapper was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour for making pro-Palestinian comments onstage and accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. All proceeds from the new tour will benefit Palestinian aid organizations, Macklemore and Live Nation said.
Trump administration runs taxpayer-funded ‘love me’ ad
What happenedThe Trump administration on Thursday defended a campaign-style ad airing on Fox News and Newsmax that features President Donald Trump and says it was “paid for by the U.S. Government.” The White House “did not say what agency paid for the spot, which includes background music with singers crooning ‘love me’ over and over,” The Associated Press said. But in a statement, it called the ad a “public service announcement” aimed at “reminding Americans to love their country.”
Trump hosts Xi for lavish visit with few public gains
What happenedPresident Donald Trump on Thursday night hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state dinner at the White House, after the two leaders spoke privately and toured Trump’s remodeling projects. Trump said he and Xi have “never gotten along better” and presented him with a bald eagle statue. Xi, whose gift for Trump was two pandas for Atlanta’s zoo, said the U.S.-China relationship should be based on “healthy” competition, not a “wrestle in which one either wins or loses.”
Hung parliament: who could form a coalition after the next general election?
A ‘mega poll’ from YouGov suggests parties could be scrambling to forge an alliance
Quiz of The Week: 19 - 25 September
Find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest news and other global events by putting your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.
Fertility treatment for female footballers: a mixed blessing?
Governing bodies, federations and clubs are beginning to offer funding for egg freezing, but concerns persist over ethics and efficacy
The Week Unwrapped: Why is potash so critical for Belarus?
How will Belarus profit from its critical minerals? Can Ed Davey lead his party back to power? And why is the BBC censoring its own archive?
The week’s best photos
A fresh new feline, a town crier, and more
Exhibitions of the season
The best curations to see around the UK this autumn and winter
GLP-1 use is on the rise in obese children under 12
The FDA hasn’t approved the weight loss drugs for that age range, but the numbers are climbing quickly
‘I didn’t notice any tangible benefits from the union’
‘I liked the idea of unions. Then I joined one at Starbucks.’Joe Emmenegger at USA Today “Liking the idea of unions — and actually wanting to be a part of one — are two very different things,” says Joe Emmenegger. Workers “often join unions that make big promises about improving working conditions but ultimately fail to deliver,” and “that was unfortunately my experience with Starbucks Workers United.”
Could a ban on diesel exports bring down fuel prices?
The cost of diesel fuel is breaking records, with spillover effects for the cost of groceries and other goods. President Donald Trump is reportedly contemplating a possible solution: a 90-day ban on exports of diesel from U.S. refineries. Experts warn the move could backfire.
What’s the new Trump TV?
Launched during the president’s latest media feud, the White House’s new streaming platform is off to a shaky start
China reportedly holds F-35 parts diverted to Hong Kong
What happenedChina’s government has taken possession of “potentially sensitive” F-35 stealth fighter jet parts “inexplicably diverted” to Hong Kong while being sent to the U.S. from Australia via UPS, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the incident. The Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office told Politico last week it was “aware of a shipment issue” involving F-35 parts and was “actively working” to retrieve them.
Court temporarily blocks Trump’s media ban
What happenedA federal judge in Washington, D.C., early Thursday morning ordered President Donald Trump to immediately restore White House access to Politico, CNN and MS NOW. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly’s 14-day restraining order is a “temporary reprieve for the three outlets” while their litigation over Trump’s press ban proceeds, The New York Times said. But even after Kelly’s order, Secret Service agents still blocked the trio of outlets from entering the White House grounds on Thursday.
Iran’s president vows fight ‘until our last breath’
What happenedIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday told the United Nations General Assembly that the U.S. “hit us, but we did not bend the knee” and will defend “our beloved” homeland “until our last breath.” His “defiant speech” at the U.N.’s New York headquarters “marked a striking instance of a foreign leader addressing the world body while their country is at war with the host nation,” The Associated Press said.
Fences: a ‘phenomenally powerful’ tragi-drama
Five years on from their excellent co-production of “Jitney”, the Headlong theatre company and Leeds Playhouse have returned to August Wilson’s “Pittsburgh Cycle” with a “striking” revival of “Fences”, said Catherine Love in The Guardian.
Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom – a joyful Halloween caper
When it comes to “Britain’s greatest cultural export”, forget James Bond or Doctor Who, said John Nugent in Empire. The accolade surely belongs to Shaun the Sheep, the “claymation lamb with a heart of gold”, whose “silent-movie-esque antics” have made him a “hero in over 170 countries”.
Youth: Sharon Horgan’s new comedy about dating in later life
Sharon Horgan’s sharp new comedy-drama “Youth” (HBO Max) “perfectly captures what it is to reach your 50s and find that it’s no walk in the park”, said Anita Singh in The Telegraph.
This real-life story about a KGB defector is packed with twists
The acronym Mice (money, ideology, coercion, ego) is sometimes used to describe what motivates people to betray their countries, said Oliver Bullough in The Guardian. But in Ben Macintyre’s enthralling new “work of true-espionage”, a fresh motivation emerges: erectile dysfunction.
London’s disappearing children
Falling numbers of pupils in the capital are creating a ‘genuine sense of loss’ in communities
The best woodland walks around the UK
As autumn begins, the countryside “puts on its brightest show”, said Helen Daly and Emma-Louise Pritchard in Country Living. Now is the time to experience the season “at its most colourful” as woodland paths wind through “gold, russet and crimson”. Here are some of our favourite spots for a wholesome day out in nature across the UK.
Is China the winner of the Iran oil crisis?
China is being quietly credited with keeping energy prices down in the wake of Donald Trumps’ war with Iran, in turn helping prop up the global economy while cementing its own power on the world stage.
Erin Brockovich’s next act
More than a quarter of a century ago, her heroic struggle against a utility giant over groundwater contamination became an Oscar-winning Hollywood movie. Now, Erin Brockovich has turned her attention to the “rapid” and “opaque” expansion of artificial intelligence data centres across the United States.
FDA estrogen warning’s impact on menopausal UTI deaths
The black-label warning may be gone, but the stigma still endangers older women
Argentina’s contested glaciers
Changes to Glacier Law risk accelerating retreat of Andean ice sheets, as geologists warn of water shortages and Nepal-style flash floods
What credit score do you need to get a mortgage?
Without solid credit, becoming a homeowner may be that much more challenging. While credit score is not the only thing that lenders weigh when evaluating mortgage applications, it is a major factor in determining whether or not you get approved for a mortgage and what your interest rate will be.
Trump’s South Africa obsession upends the US refugee program
Thousands of immigrants are set to arrive next year. Almost all of them are white South Africans.
‘We shouldn’t fall for any of this’
‘Normalizing Delcy Rodríguez won’t fix Venezuela’Juan Pablo Spinetto at Bloomberg “Given that nobody elected” Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez to the “job she’s performing, and that the constitutional rules governing Venezuela’s presidential vacuum have long been ignored, dictator sounds about right,” says Juan Pablo Spinetto. But “dictators tend to do as they please,” while “Delcy, by contrast, appears to be taking all her cues from Trump.”
The best wildlife preserves and refuges in the US
Go where the wild things are
Can the US and China cooperate on AI dangers?
The United States and China are locked in a race to develop the most powerful artificial intelligence models. Industry leaders are increasingly calling for regulations and guardrails to keep the technology from threatening humanity, which means the competing nations must collaborate to rein in AI as it gallops ahead. But observers are skeptical that Washington and Beijing can find the will to do so.
Carriers are focusing on lounges and premium seating
A “K-shaped economy” is defined by the rich getting richer while everybody else falls behind behind. That pattern is now showing up at the airport: Airlines in desperate search of profits are expanding roomy first- and business-class seating on flights and building out pricey lounges to appeal to upscale customers. Economy class, meanwhile, continues to get more cramped.
The Week contest: Scratching salon
This week’s question: A Chinese businessman has opened two popular “scratching salons,” where customers lie down on a bed and have their back itches tended to by spa workers wearing specially designed pointed nails. If an entrepreneur were to open a scratch parlor in the U.S., what should the business be titled?
Trump FBI ended pay-to-play probe involving Collins
What happenedSenior FBI officials last year shut down a nascent “sweeping bribery probe” that included pay-to-play allegations involving Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), ProPublica reported Tuesday, citing a “trove of evidence gathered by the FBI,” legal records and dozens of interviews.
White House ousts 760K from ACA, claiming fraud
What happenedThe Trump administration on Tuesday said it had kicked 760,000 enrollees off the Affordable Care Act insurance marketplace. Vice President JD Vance told a press conference that the canceled enrollees were a mix of “phantom people” and “real people who just don’t meet the eligibility requirements,” didn’t submit the proper documents or weren’t even aware they were enrolled in an ACA health plan.
Trump defends Iran war at UN General Assembly
What happenedPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday told the United Nations General Assembly in New York City he was deciding whether to make a deal with Iran or “annihilate the Islamic Republic” and “drive them into hell with no chance of survival.” After his speech, his envoys met indirectly with Iranian officials for what Trump described as a “very good meeting.”
Can the Lib Dems actually get back into power?
After Ed Davey’s final speech at the party conference, many supporters are still uncertain of the direction required for Westminster
Struggling men take centre stage in 2026 Booker shortlist
Booker Prize judge and Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker said it was a “surprise” that that four novels written by men have ended up on this year’s shortlist of six – because, “generally speaking, the male-written books weren’t as good as the ones written by women”. The male authors still in the running for the prestigious 2026 literary award are those who are able to “rethink their roles”.
The UK’s support to Saudi Arabia in Yemen
The prime minister announced military support to Saudi Arabia in a bid to avoid further disruption to global energy supplies, which could have a knock-on effect on the cost of living at home.
The best Aardman films
Aardman Animations is back with its third feature starring Shaun the Sheep, “the claymation lamb with a heart of gold”, said Empire. The latest, a Halloween-themed film – “The Beast of Mossy Bottom” – sees Shaun and his loyal flock accidentally turn their “beloved if ungainly farmer” into a “Bigfoot-like monster who terrorises the local village”.
Scientists built a mosquito toilet to reveal viral information
Mosquito excrement could provide valuable insight on potential pathogens. Scientists have created a “toilet” to collect the insect waste, which can then be analyzed. The results showed a variety of viruses, including some never seen before.
‘Berlin’s Mamdani’: a beacon for Germany’s bruised Left
“If a left-wing candidate can win in New York, then there’s no reason it can’t happen in Berlin.” A year on from her comments after Zohran Mamdani’s victory, Elif Eralp looks likely to be elected as the mayor of Berlin. She would be the first Turkish-origin person in the role, and the first candidate from left-wing party Die Linke to become mayor since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Tuition: Is higher ed entering a ‘death spiral’?
College campuses are alarmingly under-populated, said Marina Villeneuve in The Guardian. Enrollment is down at more than 1,000 institutions this year thanks to soaring tuition, Trump administration cuts to financial aid and international student visas, and “growing public skepticism about the value of a college degree.” Colleges are being forced into austerity. At the University of New Hampshire, “officials closed the dining hall on weekends, shut campus pharmacies, raised tuition, and laid off dozens of professors and staff members.”
Gustavo Dudamel: Can one man save classical music?
“It has been a long time since any cultural figure arrived in New York on such a wave of high expectations,” said Adam Nagourney in The New York Times. But conductor Gustavo Dudamel, having just completed a spectacularly successful 17-year run in Los Angeles, officially stepped into the role of music and artistic director of the storied New York Philharmonic early this month, and lovers of classical music are hoping that the former wunderkind can use his new perch to revive the genre as a force in American popular culture.
Eriq La Salle’s 6 favorite books
When you make a purchase using links on our site, The Week may earn a commission. All reviews are written independently by our editorial team.
Book reviews: ‘The Disappearers’ and ‘American Scoundrel’
A critically-acclaimed tale of gay life in 1980s Jamaica and a deep dive into the life of vilified lawyer Ray Cohn
iPhone Duo: Apple’s first foldable arrives
“Uh-oh,” said Nicole Nguyen in The Wall Street Journal. “Am I about to spend $1,999 on a phone?” Foldable smartphones have existed in the U.S. since 2019, but like many people, I’ve never been interested. They tend to be fragile and awkward to use and, when folded open to function like a tablet, have an annoying crease bisecting the two screens. But for its debut foldable, the iPhone Duo, which was announced earlier this month, “Apple—in its very Apple way— has also come up with some hardware and software trickery” to minimize those problems.
The feminist icon who led the women’s movement
The personification of liberal feminism, Gloria Steinem galvanized the movement for equal rights and taught millions of women to advocate for themselves at work and at home. Instantly recognizable in her aviator glasses and her curtain of streaked hair, she spoke, wrote, and lobbied, helping create rape crisis centers, women’s shelters, and the National Women’s Political Caucus. An introvert who feared public speaking, she occupied the national spotlight for over half a century.
Canada becomes a safe haven for Haitians fleeing ICE
As a result of nearly 300,000 U.S.-based Haitians having their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) revoked by the Trump administration in August, many are heading north of the border. But while they look to join a country that has a vibrant Haitian diaspora, fleeing to Canada presents its own challenges.
The best anime series of all time
These anime gems are the genre’s standouts
Concerns fly as AI is integrated into air traffic control
After years of reports about artificial intelligence potentially being incorporated into air traffic control systems, the prospect is finally becoming a reality. The FAA is rolling out an AI tool that’s already being used in control towers at major airports. But while the federal government is lauding the new AI program, many aviation experts are wary of letting the technology take off.
Magazine printables - Oct. 2, 2026
CROSSWORD - Oct. 2, 2026SUDOKU - Oct. 2, 2026
Magazine solutions - Oct. 2, 2026
CROSSWORD - Oct. 2, 2026SUDOKU - Oct. 2, 2026
‘Some eligible voters may be discouraged’
‘Many Americans live in the UK — but few vote back home. This year, that must change.’Kathryn Sikkink at The Guardian
Trump press pool stops filming after press ban
What happenedCNN, Politico and MS NOW on Monday filed a federal lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s decision to ban them from the White House. CNN is one of five networks in a rotating pool that provides live coverage of presidential events, and to demonstrate their objections to Trump’s press ban, the other four — ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News — stopped their cameras indefinitely.
Paramount, states settle, clearing Warner merger
What happenedParamount Skydance on Monday settled an antitrust lawsuit with 12 states challenging its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, clearing the merger’s last major obstacle. The states, led by California, had argued that combining the two major Hollywood studios plus streaming giant HBO Max and a host of cable channels would harm competition, cut film production and raise consumer prices. There were also concerns about combining Warner Bros.
Texas detainee says ICE bullet still lodged near spine
What happenedA Venezuelan DoorDash driver shot in the back of the neck by an ICE officer in Austin over the weekend told reporters Monday that the bullet was still lodged near his spine and he hadn’t “received the medical attention that I require” while being held at a detention center in South Texas. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, speaking in Spanish by phone, said an unmarked ICE SUV had turned on its police lights only after sideswiping his car twice, and the agent shot him after he asked about pulling over somewhere safer.
What does Burnham want from Trump – and will he get it?
PM will press for US support for Ukraine in first meeting, but defence spending, Middle East and North Sea oil remain potential flashpoints
Make the most of shoulder season with a last-minute break
“Britain is now a nation of ‘shoulder seasoners’”, said The Times. For the “uninitiated” that means more of us are choosing to travel in May or September to avoid the crowds and soaring temperatures associated with peak summer holiday months.
Trump’s third-country deportations
A US federal appeals court has ruled Donald Trump’s policy of deporting migrants to so-called third countries is unlawful, setting up a potential showdown with the Supreme Court.
Is the tie dead?
The House of Lords has “long been derided as a stuffy relic of the past”, but its dress code is moving towards the modern era, said Sammy Gecsoyler in The Guardian: men are no longer required to wear a tie in the “storied” chamber.
‘Pheromonemaxxing’: Gen Z men thumb their noses at showers and deodorant
They want to enhance their natural scent to attract a partner
Lindsay Clancy: Why the jury deadlocked
The holdout juror in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial has become “a Rorschach test” for our divided nation, said Jenna Russell in The New York Times. The basic facts of the Clancy case are not in dispute: The former labor and delivery nurse, 36, admits that in January 2023, she strangled her three children—Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan—with exercise bands before slitting her wrists and jumping from a second-floor window at her Massachusetts home. She was left paralyzed below the waist.
Sept. 11: How the war on terrorism changed America
It’s been 25 years of war, death and and a slipping global standing
The problem with men
Many boys and young men are floundering in school, work, and relationships. What’s gone wrong?
Midterms: Did ‘Trumpapalooza’ help the GOP?
The music was loud, the flags were everywhere, and the “sense of panic” was inescapable, said Nikki McCann Ramirez in Rolling Stone. With Election Day less than two months away, and polls showing Republicans in danger of losing both the House and Senate, the GOP earlier this month held its first-ever midterm convention in Dallas. The MAGA luminaries addressing “Trumpapalooza” barely mentioned soaring gas prices or the quagmire in Iran, the related catastrophes that have dragged Trump’s approval rating down into the mid-30s.
Tech leaders, lawmakers call for AI slowdown
AI experts say progress is being made too fast, without enough guardrails
Winery-free zone: Experience California’s Sonoma County without the juice
Think outside the vineyard
‘This power is entirely inward-facing’
‘In the land of billionaire barbarians’Arielle Pardes at The New York Times Silicon Valley is “home to four of the most powerful companies in the world,” yet “by looking at it, you’d hardly know this place had any influence,” says Arielle Pardes. Tech billionaires have “donated generously to scientific research and global health initiatives, but little of their money goes to improving their own backyard.”
Republicans gained Latino votes in 2024. Are they losing them already?
President Donald Trump won the White House in 2024 while making inroads among Latino voters despite his ardent promise of an immigration crackdown. Two years later, the reality of that crackdown is producing a backlash that could cost Republicans control of the House and Senate.
Iranian proxies put Saudi Arabia on its heels in Yemen
A stunning Houthi offensive has rattled one of the region’s biggest powers
White House bars 3 news outlets after Trump threat
What happenedThe Trump administration on Saturday barred reporters from CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House, following through on President Donald Trump’s post a day earlier warning he was “banning” the three outlets as a “result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” The White House Correspondents’ Association and other media organizations condemned the decision, and the networks announced Monday they had filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration over the ban.
Ukraine hammers Moscow as Russia votes
What happenedUkraine hit a major oil refinery in Moscow on Sunday, along with a warehouse and residential buildings, in what Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called Kyiv’s “largest ever” drone attack on the Russian capital. Sobyanin said “a few drones” got through, out of 1,600 targeting the Moscow region, including 450 aimed at the city, and the attack was “clearly planned with the aim of disrupting” Sunday’s final day of voting in Russia’s first parliamentary elections since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
ICE shoots, wounds migrant DoorDash driver in Austin
What happenedAn ICE agent on Sunday shot and wounded a Venezuelan man in Austin as he was delivering for DoorDash, according to Texas officials and the 28-year-old man’s wife. The man, identified as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, was in serious but stable condition after being shot in the torso, officials said at a press conference. More than 100 protesters amassed at the shooting scene.
Strictly Come Dancing – how is the revamped format working out?
New host line-up sees Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe share presenting duties
Greenland deal: a victory for Trump?
Donald Trump has hailed a deal that gives the US “permanent control over security” in Greenland, while backing down from threats to annex the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Earl Spencer’s Swan Song: the most explosive claims
Revenge, for Charles Spencer, is “best served in a primetime television slot with the merest hint of a smirk and, where appropriate, a few tears”, said The Times.
Packed lunches are back – get creative with these recipes
The lunchbox that’s been “lurking” at the back of the cupboard for the last few years “may finally be heading back to work”, said Andrew Ellson in The Times. Fewer of us are popping into Pret a Manger for a sandwich as more office workers are “rediscovering the packed lunch”.
6 bookish homes for readers
Featuring a Gothic revival in New Hampshire and former library in Massachusetts
Historic highs: Humans may have been doing drugs for 25,000 years
Humans have been getting high for longer than you might assume. Researchers have found evidence that ancient humans chewed on betel nuts, a stimulant still widely used today. The seed may have been employed as a painkiller or as a social and cultural practice still influencing its modern use.
England’s glassblowing industry under threat from green levies
The British glass industry could become “No. 10 North’s first major test”, said the Financial Times. A new government green levy introduced last year has put thousands of jobs at risk in the “heavily northern-based sector”, creating a headache for Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
The Houthis: a new threat to oil supplies
“The Iran war is metastasising,” said Adrian Blomfield in The Telegraph. Having evolved into a struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz, the conflict is now threatening another key oil-shipping route.
The great local government shake-up
Last week, plans to overhaul England’s system of county councils and local authorities were abruptly paused. What’s going on?
The scandal rocking Malta: getting away with murder?
Nine years after the murder of a journalist, there remains a ‘suffocating intimacy’ between big business and politics
Trump’s $5,000 pledge to voters: a ‘desperate gimmick’
The president’s outlandish campaign promise has prompted questions about his grip on reality
Tiger cat named 1st new feline species in century
What happenedA team of biologists Thursday said they have identified the first new living feline species in more than 100 years: a small spotted tiger cat that lives in Bolivia’s cloud forests. Genetic testing confirmed that Leopardus tilcayo is a new member of the cat family, the researchers reported in the journal Current Biology.
How do pension plans work?
Pension plans were starting to seem like a thing of the past. But a recent resurgence suggests this retirement benefit may be staging a comeback.
‘It doesn’t really matter what divides, so long as the poor lack compassion for one another’
‘The cruel politics that pit struggling Americans against each other’LZ Granderson at the Los Angeles Times
Fiji declares national emergency as drugs and stigma fuel HIV outbreak
As new HIV diagnoses skyrocket, the government is focusing on community advocacy
10 concert tours to see this coming fall
Ring in the autumn festivities with new concerts from your favorite artists
Candidate’s racist post throws Texas GOP schisms into sharp relief
Statewide Republican nominee Bo French’s broadside against a group of UT students has many questioning the party’s tolerance for bigotry
UN probe finds US likely committed Iran war crimes
What happenedUnited Nations investigators Thursday reported they had found “reasonable grounds” to believe the U.S. committed war crimes in Iran with its “indiscriminate” attacks on an elementary school and sports center, killing at least 178 civilians, mostly children.
RFK Jr. assures anti-vaccine group as measles spreads
What happenedHealth Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Thursday addressed the anti-vaccine advocacy group he founded, telling the hundreds of attendees they “have a strong and steadfast friend in the White House.”
Why charity shops are closing
The UK collectively donates an estimated 350,000 tons of clothes each year to our 9,900 charity shops, but the future of the sector seems in doubt as “more and more” of the outlets are closing.
Could Canada join the EU?
“Wouldn’t it be lovely if Canada was the 28th state of the European Union rather than the 51st state of the United States?” asked Finnish President Alexander Stubb recently. That fanciful notion now appears to have taken a step closer to reality. In a speech to the European Parliament, the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the European Union's ambition for Canada to become its first “associate member”, calling for closer cooperation on defence, critical minerals and energy security.
Quiz of The Week: 12 - 18 September
Find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest news and other global events by putting your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.
Baked aubergines with tomatoes, tarragon and crème fraîche
Served just warm with nutty brown rice, garlicky yoghurt and rocket salad on the side, this dish makes a lovely vegetarian supper. It also works well with grilled or barbecued lamb, wrote the late Skye Gyngell in her bestselling book “A Year in My Kitchen”, which has just been reissued in a 20th anniversary edition. Ingredients (serves 4-6) 1.5kg aubergines, trimmed sea salt and freshly ground black pepper olive oil, to shallow fry 50g unsalted butter 1kg ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
Honda Prelude: a ‘sleek’ coupé with a ‘sporty edge’
“Launching an all-new coupé in 2026 is a brave move” given the dominance of SUVs, said Evo. But Honda isn’t expecting to sell a lot of these – 1,000 over the next two years, and it has few competitors.
Blockbuster shows in Europe
Europe’s art scene continues to be one of the richest and most diverse in the world. From Renaissance masterpieces, to innovative impressionism, the continent’s exhibitions have so much to offer this autumn. Explore some of the titans of industry in Dalí and Rembrandt, and discover lesser-known gems such as Mary Cassatt, for shows right up until April.
Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy – ‘full of spit, fire and brilliance’
Thanks to the smash hit success of “1536”, her “coruscating” play about three young women in Tudor England, the English writer Ava Pickett is flavour of the month, said Sarah Crompton on WhatsOnStage. Now, she has produced a new play – “Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy” – which is so powerful she might well prove to “be flavour of the year and of many years to come”.
Pressure: Andrew Scott is ‘superb’ in gripping WWII drama
“There’s no shortage of worthy films about D-Day,” said David Sexton in The New Statesman. To name just a few, there are “The Longest Day”, “Saving Private Ryan”, “Overlord”, “The Big Red One” – and, of course, we also have TV’s “Band of Brothers”. Yet “Pressure”, from the producers of “Darkest Hour” and based on a play by the actor and writer David Haig, “finds a niche not yet occupied”.
The week’s best photos
A raccoon robbery, a shower of confetti, and more
The Week Unwrapped: Will Europe meet Canada in the Arctic?
Will Europe meet Canada in the High North? Is the Piddington vote a sign of things to come? And why did it take 50 years to recognise a lost talent?
T. rex had humanlike body temperature, study finds
What happenedTyrannosaurus rex, the “king of the dinosaurs,” was warm-blooded, with an average body temperature of 97 degrees Fahrenheit, scientists reported Wednesday in the journal Science Advances. The researchers, from UCLA, calculated the dinosaur’s temperature by analyzing the chemical makeup of tiny samples of enamel drilled from three T. rex teeth.
‘A decade after his protest, the price he paid for speaking out has scared off other athletes’
‘Colin Kaepernick set an example. Nobody wants to follow it.’Will Leitch at The Washington Post Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback who knelt during the national anthem, desperately “wanted to play,” says Will Leitch. But as the “maelstrom he set off exploded, every NFL team chose not to roster him.” Kaepernick “wouldn’t retreat from his fundamental protest against police violence and oppression of Black people,” even if it meant losing his job.
ICE’s treatment of detained pregnant women
The agency has lost count of miscarriages amid record-high pregnant detainees and reports of denial of medical care
No gate-storming required: 6 castles that welcome guests to stay the night
Make medieval memories
Will Trump actually send out $5,000 checks after the midterms?
President Donald Trump last week promised to send a $5,000 check to every U.S. adult — but only if Republicans win the midterm elections. Polls prove voters are skeptical, Trump’s GOP allies in Congress are leery and experts say a mass payout might add to the growing national debt. The president, meanwhile, says the payments will “happen 100%.”
House clears Russia sanctions bill, quits early
What happenedThe House Wednesday passed sweeping legislation to punish Russia and voted to hold billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas tied to Jeffrey Epstein, then adjourned until after the Nov. 3 midterms.
Slow Horses, series six: Gary Oldman’s spy thriller is ‘as brilliant as ever’
Apple TV’s “critically lauded” series of adaptations of Mick Herron’s books has returned for a sixth season, said Ed Power in The Telegraph, and has once again pulled “off the perfect balancing act between dark humour and misanthropic spycraft”.
Fed hikes key interest rate, drawing Trump ire
What happenedThe Federal Reserve Wednesday raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in more than three years. The unanimous vote to raise rates by a quarter-point, to about 3.9%, was “aimed at combating inflation brought on by spiraling oil prices and other factors,” including AI spending and tariffs, CNBC said. The “vast majority” of the Fed policymakers also “penciled in one more hike this year,” The Wall Street Journal said, “implicitly” undercutting “the White House’s insistence that inflation isn’t a concern.”
‘Gripping and illuminating’ portrait of Anita Brookner
Anita Brookner was in her early 50s when she began writing fiction. She was a respected art critic, and unmarried. Anthony Blunt, her boss and mentor at the Courtauld Institute (where she was a lecturer), had just been exposed as a Soviet spy. “Reeling”, depressed and lonely, she found herself writing what would become “A Start in Life” (1981), said Lucy Atkins in The Guardian. It established a “process” that she stuck to religiously over the next two decades.
Will Russian elections weaken Putin’s grip on power?
Result of elections not in doubt but how much the Kremlin needs to hide public discontent could spell problems for Russia’s president
Piddington’s ‘posh revolt’ over migrant housing plans
A “polite, posh revolt” has broken out in an Oxfordshire village over plans to turn an old army site into new housing for more than 1,000 asylum seekers, wrote Ella Whelan in The iPaper.
The best orchards for apple picking
Perfect spots around the UK for a wholesome autumn day out
DNA plays a complex role in personality and life outcomes
Both genes and environment can make a person who they are
Ed Sheeran tour in turmoil as opening acts quit
What happenedEd Sheeran’s world tour unraveled Tuesday after all his remaining supporting acts quit in solidarity with the rapper Macklemore and his onstage support of Palestinians. Macklemore said Monday that he was dropped from the tour after New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft “rallied some of the other stadium owners” to give Sheeran an ultimatum: No Macklemore or no concert.
The 9 best historical fiction books of all time
From the French Revolution to early aviation, writers continue to draw inspiration from the past
FBI’s Patel defends easing bestiality ban in hiring
What happenedFBI Director Kash Patel Tuesday sparred with Senate Democrats at a Judiciary Committee hearing that touched on his firings of experienced agents, melding of personal and taxpayer-funded travel, alleged agency politicization, the Jeffrey Epstein files and his refusal to rule out sending federal agents to voting sites in November.
Trump board shuts Kennedy Center after renaming block
What happenedThe board of the Kennedy Center, chaired by President Donald Trump and stacked with allies he appointed, voted Tuesday to close most of the performing arts center for renovation. But Trump “immediately threatened to block that work unless his name is restored to the building,” The Wall Street Journal said. Shortly before Tuesday’s vote, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper had blocked the board’s revised proposal to add Trump’s name to the outside of the building and rename the grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.”
4 financial planning tips for recent college grads
The transition from college to the “real world” is never easy. But when you add inflation, a tough labor market and the ubiquity of AI, the transition can feel especially tricky.
‘A period of global dominance has ended in plain sight’
‘The American age is over’Phillips Payson O’Brien at The Atlantic “In the past six months, America’s power, long exemplified by the world’s best warfighting equipment and most highly trained military personnel,” has “proved insufficient to defeat Iran, an economically stagnant regime armed with cheap missiles.” For years, “virtually everyone thought that, in a crisis, Washington could draw on deeper reserves.” This “assumption about America’s fundamental strength reassured allies and deterred foes,” but it also “promoted a complacency.” Trump’
Canada begins its post-US pivot
Facing a trade war with an unreliable ally turned adversary, Canada looks to the EU for allies
Can faith-based politics help Democrats win the midterms?
Republicans have usually claimed the faith mantle in U.S. politics. This year’s midterm elections are developing along a different path, with Democrats like James Talarico in Texas and Adam Hamilton in Kansas highlighting their religious bona fides on the campaign trail.
The Week contest: Crab catchers
This week’s question: To combat the spread of invasive blue crabs in the Adriatic Sea, Italian researchers unleashed a flood of 130,000 baby octopuses, which in adulthood can each eat up to four blue crabs a day. In seven or fewer words, come up with a snappy headline for a tabloid story about this seafood battle royale.
Condos: The rising costs of community living
Homeowners dues are reshaping the neighborhood, said Giulia Carbonaro in Newsweek. About 21.6 million people—nearly one-fourth of all homeowners in the country—paid a condo or homeowners association (HOA) fee in 2024, according to the Census Bureau. These community governance groups rely on owner dues and assessments to cover shared amenities, like pools, trash collection, and lawn maintenance. But in many places, the fees are rising quickly as HOAs contend with higher upkeep, labor, and insurance costs.
The weapons put in space by US
‘Extraordinary’ announcement has sparked strong criticism from Russia and China, fuelling fears of a space arms race
Julia Donaldson’s best books
It’s been over two decades since a “brown furry beast with purple prickles all over his back” made children’s book author Julia Donaldson a “household name”, said Laura Harding in The Independent. Now, she is back with a third instalment in her “witty and smart” Gruffalo series. “Gruffalo Granny” sees the Gruffalo and his daughter venture into the “deep dark wood” to source and prepare a special meal for grandma.
Is big money a threat to UK democracy?
The £72m donations to Reform could be ‘key moment when politics in this country changed’
What we learned from the Brics summit
‘Historically unruly bloc’ takes stand over Iran war and Gaza but divisions limit influence
Sydney Sweeney sports betting ad reignites debate over sexualizing women
Over a year after courting controversy with an American Eagle ad, actor Sydney Sweeney is facing another firestorm for a racy campaign in which she appears in various states of undress. Posing for the sports trading app Novig, Sweeney has stirred a debate regarding oversexualization in the world of advertising.
South Korea’s stalker tracking app
The South Korean government has launched an app which allows victims of stalking offences to be notified if their stalker comes within range. More than 400 people are enrolled in the scheme, which has been operating since June.
6 spectacular homes in Seattle
Featuring a Spanish-style home in Mount Baker and a mid-century modern property in Broadmoor
Putin ally funded Trump Jr. wedding party
What happenedDonald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson’s “lavish” three-day wedding celebration in the Bahamas was “heavily funded by a secret benefactor: Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin,” ProPublica reported Monday. Kremlev spent “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to rent out one of the “pair of ultra-exclusive private islands” that hosted the May wedding, plan the reception and put on a fireworks show, among other expenses.
Magazine solutions - Sept. 25, 2026
CROSSWORD - Sept. 25, 2026SUDOKU - Sept. 25, 2026
Trump EPA repeals coal, gas power plant pollution limits
What happenedThe Environmental Protection Agency Monday said it had finalized a repeal of rules limiting planet-warming pollution from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas. The EPA also proposed a related measure that would prevent future administrations from regulating emissions from fossil-fuel power plants, the second-largest U.S. source of greenhouse gas emissions after transportation.
Music reviews: Billy Strings and Alabama Shakes
‘So Much for Goodbyes’ by Billy Strings★★★ Consider the latest from Billy Strings “an instant addition to the canon of great Americana albums born from personal upheaval,” said Eric Renner Brown in Billboard. The virtuosic bluegrass guitarist, whose “lightning-quick” picking and psychedelic improvisations have won him a devoted following, has thus far been underrated as a songwriter. “But expect that to change with his emotional fifth album,” a record born of heartbreak following the 2025 overdose death of his mother.
‘Paranormal Activity’
★★★ “The stage version of Paranormal Activity delivers more thrills, chills, and screams than Broadway has seen in years,” said Frank Rizzo in Variety. Horror rarely succeeds on New York City’s biggest stages, but this show works because its story is built around two appealing characters, their fear that their home may be haunted proves justified, and the whole experience is sold by “hair-raising” illusions provided by the same man who created the Tony-winning supernatural effects for the current stage adaptation of Stranger Things.
Dan Jones’ 6 favorite books
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Book reviews: ‘The Life of M’ and ‘Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient Literature’
An experimental book on fame and a fascinating take on ancient literature
‘Remote work reduces the day-to-day slights that wear women down’
‘When a return to the office is a return to sex-discrimination’Gleb Tsipursky at The Hill A recent Organization Science study analyzed “everyday gender discrimination” and found that “women experience far fewer gendered offenses when working remotely,” says Gleb Tsipursky. “As employers roll out return-to-office rules, the risk is clear: Mandates are not neutral. They can recreate the exact conditions that drive women out of roles, teams and entire fields.”
AI may have cracked the antiaging code
An AI-discovered drug could help slow the aging process
Soul-stirring podcasts you may have missed this summer
This summer's podcasts put the spotlight on investigative journalism, a decades-old true crime story, and another podcast for book lovers
Does Trump want to win the midterms?
President Donald Trump last week promised to send $5,000 checks to Americans if Republicans win the midterm elections. But he is seemingly intent on making the election a referendum on his increasingly unpopular presidency, doubling down on policies — data centers, tariffs, war with Iran — disfavored by voters. That leads some observers to wonder if he really cares about GOP victories in November.
The Nottingham balaclava ban
“There is only one reason that young people come into the city wearing balaclavas, and that is to conceal their identity to commit crime and intimidate members of the public,” said Nottinghamshire Police superintendent Chris Pearson earlier this month. “Not any longer. Your time is up.”
Will we heed warnings and slow AI down?
Amid stark warnings that artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity by the end of the decade, the heads of the largest AI firms in the US have all backed a proposal by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to slow down development to ensure public safety. Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark went even further, saying all AI software should have a mandatory “kill switch”, so society can “pull the plug” on anything that gets too dangerous.
Why are fewer young Brits learning to drive?
Learning to drive used to be a rite of passage for teenagers, but now one in five young Brits say they haven’t even considered learning. No wonder, said The Telegraph: it’s “Britain’s biggest rip off”, and booking a test has become a complete “nightmare”, too.
Get up close to rare wildlife on a Galapagos Islands cruise
It’s not surprising that a trip to the Galapagos Islands “tops many travellers’ wish lists”, said The Times. The “far-flung Ecuadorian archipelago” is home to “astonishing landscapes” and an array of rare wildlife from blue-footed boobies to marine iguanas and giant tortoises.
Air traffic control is coming to the moon
The world’s first lunar airport has difficult logistics
What’s the Coast FI retirement formula the internet is so excited about?
Knowing you need to save enough for retirement and actually doing it are two different things. Today’s economy has left younger generations struggling to determine how to navigate a financially tricky present while also setting something aside for the future. Along the way, many are hoping to catch a break, and maybe even enjoy themselves a little.
‘The idea has surfaced two months before the midterm elections to revive the “Mommy Wars” debates’
‘Vance’s childcare plan pits parents against each other’Mary Ellen Klas at Bloomberg “Should the federal government give subsidies to parents who stay home to care for their young kids? Absolutely,” says Mary Ellen Klas. “Should it also subsidize childcare for working parents? For sure. This shouldn’t be an either-or question, but the Trump administration’s new childcare subsidy plan” would “force working parents” to “compete with married, at-home parents for the same pool of funds.”
The 9 best psychological thrillers of all time
Gaslighting, paranoia and unreliable narrators are common themes in some of the best cinematic mind-benders
Trump blames Kyiv for diesel costs amid Mideast oil crisis
What happenedPresident Donald Trump Sunday blamed Ukraine for rising diesel prices. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump told reporters at his golf club in Ireland. “He’s causing a shortage of diesel fuel” and “that’s hurting the world.” The shortage “isn’t done by the Middle East,” he added. “This is done by what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine.”
Trump backs Irish unification, sparking furor
What happenedPresident Donald Trump over the weekend caused uproar by advocating for Irish reunification. Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, and the independent Republic of Ireland have been separated since 1921 and coexisted in relative peace since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Will AI end humanity?
The end is nigh. Or maybe not. Artificial intelligence developers are expressing alarm that AI could destroy humanity in the next few years, and industry leaders are calling for a slowdown in AI development. Congress, however, seems uncertain what role it should play in reining in the onrushing technology.
A war by any other name: Republicans recast Iran to fit a shifting agenda
It has been more than six months since the first barrage of American missiles struck Iranian targets in what has become the defining foreign policy crisis of the second Trump administration. Less defining, however, is the language the White House has used to describe what is taking place between the United States and Islamic Republic.
Swedish elections on a knife-edge
A ‘razor-thin’ victory for the centre-left is forecast but not certain, in a result that tests the temperature of European politics
Is the UK about to break up for good?
Nationalist leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland sign declaration calling on Westminster to ‘prepare, plan and facilitate constitutional change’
Sweet, sticky jam season is here – time to get cooking
The “real preserving season” begins now at the “deep, sticky end of summer”, said Itamar Srulovich in The Guardian. “In fact, September may well be the best jam month of all.”
Stunning views and stand-out food at The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul
Skyscraper hotel overlooking the Bosphorus is home to Turkey’s only Nobu and an expansive spa
A wellness-focused break at Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti
The sprawling spa takes centre stage at this sophisticated mountain retreat
The ‘nauseating’ horror of AI food slop
A menu promising a “glistening digital cheesesteak or an eerily geometrical” turkey sandwich “evokes little more than horror in those who behold it”, said the New Yorker. So why are so many restaurants relying on generative AI to create their promotional materials and are these images straying towards false advertising?
Film reviews: ‘Onslaught’ and ‘The Dog Stars’
‘Onslaught’Directed by Adam Wingard (R) ★★ “If you’ve seen this type of movie before, the makers of Onslaught are betting you’ll want to see their ersatz rehash, too,” said Simon Abrams in RogerEbert.com. A sci-fi action-horror flick that might have made more sense if it was released in the 1980s, this “empty-headed” siege drama pits an Army-vet single mom against three government-engineered super soldiers.
Spotting Bhutan’s birds of heaven
A winding five-hour drive from Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu, the Phobjikha Valley is one of the Himalayan kingdom’s most beautiful places, and also a prime spot to see black-necked cranes, said Ian Trower in DestinAsian.
Jaguar Land Rover: a threatened species
Compared with the likes of BMW (which sold more than 2.5 million cars last year), JLR is a “minnow”, said Steve Fowler in The Independent. It sold just over 352,000 vehicles last year, employing 43,000 people globally, and 34,000 in the UK. But the company, owned by India’s Tata Motors, is a “big fish in a small pond”, creating work for businesses in supply chains up and down Britain. And the “decline of a single species can cause a whole ecosystem to collapse”.
The fall of Imran Khan
How did Pakistan’s cricketing-great-turned-politician end up behind bars?
5 divided cartoons about the $5,000 Trump ploy
Artists take on missing DOGE checks, cash for votes and more
5 nominally funny cartoons about Donald Trump’s renaming frenzy
Artists take on New America, Trump Ground Zero, and more