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Power play The Solar Mamas who are lighting up Zanzibar

In a dimly lit corridor of a mudwalled house nestled among coconut trees, Sharifa Hussein stripped red and black cables, a screwdriver voltage tester balanced between her lips and rolls of cable lying by her feet.

Play it again and again

Spotify's Billions Club tracks the world's most popular songs, but many greats are nowhere to be found. What are the forces shaping pop's new canon?

David Lynch 1946 -2025

The maverick American surrealist film director sustained a successful mainstream career while also probing the bizarre, the radical and the experimental

Election fever grows ....but Trump is pulling the strings

The machinations of Elon Musk andthe returning US president loom large in minds of politicians and voters

International response America's allies hope for the best-but prepare for the worst

Western allies of the US are braced for the return of Donald Trump, still hoping for the best, but largely unprepared for what may prove to be a chaotic and disorientating worst.

Mood music

Listening to, or playing, the right song can soothe pain, lift depression and help treat conditions as diverse as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, PTSD and back pain. Neuroscientist and bestselling author Daniel Levitin gives his musical recommendations for better health, drawing on his experience of helping his friend, the legendary songwriter Joni Mitchell.

Gaza's devastation The terrible price exacted by Israel for 7 October attack

Israel began bombing Gaza on 7 October 2023 after Hamas crossed the border, killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage to Gaza.

North Koreans' capture sheds new light on war

The news was sensational.

Fragile truce An agreement is in place-if it will hold matter is another

The hours-long delay in implementing the Gaza ceasefire agreement last Sunday was not a good omen for a deal that many fear could be doomed to failure as it moves through its challenging three phases.

Why did LA's wildfires explode out of control?

Acombustible combination of factors laid the groundwork for disaster as the city struggled with catastrophic blazes

Yeast, nuts and leeks - secrets to a great plant-based 'cheese' sauce

I love cheese sauce, but I'm now plant-based. Are there any easy alternatives? I don't want to use too many processed foods.

'An act of patriotism' Defiant anti-Maga hats go viral

Few items of clothing have come to exemplify American far-right nationalism in the 21st century as much as the red \"Make America Great Again\" hats worn and sold by Donald Trump.

The wrecking ball

A blitz of executive orders, a radical shake-up of the global order and a 'revolution of common sense' were among the 47th US president's immediate pledges, marking a new era of disruption and division.

Vanilla boom provides sweet deal for Choco's farmers

As he wandered around a corner of his land, Luilly Murillo González stopped and leaned down to examine a twisting green vine.

Losing its marbles

The British Museum, beset by colonial controversy, difficult finances and the discovery of a thief on the inside, is in deep trouble. Can it rescue its reputation?

Parallel protest Has Seouljust witnessed its own January 6 moment?

They arrived intent on causing mayhem. The political figurehead they supported had, they said, been the victim of a grave injustice at the hands of the establishment.

Executive decisions The orders Trump signed on day one

On his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders.

Caste and class An epic, tightly plotted and powerful journey through three different interpretations of India where shadows linger and tensions rise

Devika Rege's debut is not a definitive state-of-the-nation novel. Nor can it be characterised as the next \"great Indian novel\", although it holds greatness within its pages.

Islanders seize chance to spotlight their cause

In one corner, friends discuss this month's visit by Donald Trump Jr, while in another, coffee is being roasted, as the northern lights dance across the dark early evening sky.

Hope amid ruins The day the Gaza ceasefire finally arrived

From a ridge on the western edge of Sderot, the ruins of Gaza loom.

Cutting a dash

Scissor Sisters are reuniting to celebrate 20 years since their debut album. They talk fans, Elton John and connecting with the UK's weird’ energy

How art led resistance to Pakistan's dictatorship

A dazzling exhibitionin Qatar reveals how the repressive regime of Zia-ul-Hag led prompted a powerfulcreative defiance

The death of the middleclass professional spells danger for Labour

What does it mean to have a middle-class, white-collar professional job?

I love travelling Europe by train, but a joined-up approach is needed

Last August, I took the train from Trieste to Ljubljana, following a route once used by the Orient Express.

How will 2025 turn out? The life of Jimmy Carter offers us a clue Jonathan Freedland

How will we look back on 2025? Or, if that seems too absurd a question to ponder just a few days into the new year, how might we view the first quarter of the 21st century? As it happens, the answer to both questions is the same and it was confirmed by an event that came as the old year faded and the new one began.

15 ways to overcome overwhelm

Readers and wellbeing experts share tips on corralling chaos and avoiding anxiety, from journalling to cherishing nature

Overwhelmed? Here's how to fix it

Modern life is exhausting. Here, Guardian writers explain what they have given up to make space in their schedules and lives from social media to makeup to news addiction. Then, readers and experts offer tips on how to navigate the demands and pressures we all face. First, Emine Saner examines why we are so overwhelmed

Seoul standoff Impeached president fights on despite arrest attempt

South Korean anticorruption officials attempting to arrest the country's suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol, must know by now what he meant by his repeated vows to \"fight to the end\".

'Don't feed the troll': European leaders hit back at Musk

When the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, was asked in an interview about the barrage of insults being directed at him and other German leaders by Elon Musk, the world's richest man, his reply was: \"Don't feed the troll.\"

History lessons The two steps that could stop societal collapse

Academic Danilo Brozović says studies of failed civilisations all point in one direction-the need for radical transformation to survive