A poignant step along the yellow brick road

Elton John's classic songs wrapped up a weekend packed with eclectic acts, joyous nostalgia and not-so mystery guests

I can't say Imran Khan's name on TV-this madness has to end

I am not a big fan of Imran Khan. I have long criticised Pakistan's former prime minister, but now it is becoming difficult to do so. There is a de facto ban on referring to him in the media, meaning we are no longer allowed to mention his name or show his picture.

Two sea tragedies reveal much about how we value human lives

Have you heard about the billionaire and multimillionaires who were trapped - and killed on a submersible after spending up to $250,000 each to view the wreckage of the Titanic?

The children of Windrush

The Empire Windrush docked in Britain in 1948 carrying hundreds of people from the Caribbean. On the 75th anniversary of its arrival, the children of its passengers tell of a lasting legacy.

Battle of the borsch

The beetroot soup's origins have been fiercely contested for centuries, but have taken on a new symbolism since Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Hope eternal - It is a human trait to believe in survival despite all odds

The discovery of wreckage from the Titan submersible last Thursday on the North Atlantic seabed close to the wreck of the Titanic ended a five-day vigil of hope.

That's life. Or is it?

A series of surprising studies into the science of the mind has shown how deeply our own beliefs influence the outcome of experiments

After Ardern: politics back to usual with two men called Chris

Whether Jacinda Ardern was baking a cake, getting turned away from a full cafe or taking her baby to work, her every move as New Zealand's prime minister seemed to prompt breathless global coverage.

'Too hot' Why interest rates could spell a big headache for Sunak

If the heads of some of Britain's biggest banks were nervous as they entered Downing Street for a crunch meeting on the mortgage crisis last Friday, they were quickly reassured.

Summit fails to deliver on climate crisis finance

Poorer countries struggling with a growing debt crisis were thrown a lifeline at a global finance summit in Paris last week but the plans still fell short of the debt forgiveness programme that some had hoped for.

Country opts for digital clone as it faces extinction

When Lily Teafa was growing up in Tuvalu, her uncles would go fishing every day and come home with a big catch to share with the neighbours.

'THERE WAS HOPE FOR CHANGE' DISMAY OVER QUASHED UPRISING

For nearly 24 hours, millions of Ukrainians believed the war with Russia might be nearing its conclusion, the battered country glimpsing the end of Putin's regime.

A ROAD TO RUIN? 24 HOURS THAT SHOOK A NATION

The fury of one of Vladimir Putin's once-trusted lieutenants has exposed serious fault lines inside the Kremlin. Can the president's regime survive?

Leader to loser - How Tory MPs turned their backs on Boris Johnson

\"It's all extremely depressing, all this tearing each other apart,\" said one Tory MP and former minister whose career thrived under Boris Johnson but who now holds no candle for his former boss.

Out of the shadows

One of the world's most prominent living artists, Hito Steyerl talks about her persistent questioning of humanity in the digital age

'Candid' talks but Blinken's Beijing visit could rein in tensions

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, wrapped up a rare trip to Beijing where he met President Xi Jinping, concluding a high-stakes visit aimed at stabilising spiralling relations.

The robot surgeon will see you now...

Keyhole surgery using robotic arms has transformed medicine-and advanced devices coupled with AI might surpass doctors' skills

Temperatures spike amid signs of record hottest year

Global temperatures had accelerated to record-setting levels by mid-June, an ominous sign in the climate crisis ahead of a gathering El Niño that could potentially propel 2023 to become the hottest year ever recorded.

Maori tribes with ocean ties pledge to 'protect what is left'

Warming waters push species away and erode cultural practices... and it's happening faster than anyone imagined

Rise of Vox - Far-right hopes to ride wave of nationalism

The man all but certain to be the next mayor of Rascafría, a small town in the green and mist-hugged mountains an hour north of Madrid, gives few clues about his political leanings as he lists his priorities for the coming years.

Are times catching up with London gentlemen's club culture?

25 The number of members who must sign, on club premises, in support of a potential member in one stage of Pratt’s admission process

This is going to hurt (for ever)

In 2020, Oliver Franklin-Wallis felt an ache in his arms. Three years on, he is one of the millions of people who are forced to live with chronic pain that may never go away

Grand old man of letters

The life and work of Kenyan novelist Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o has intersected with many of the past century's biggest events. At 85, he reflects on his long, uncompromising life in writing

In a true blue idyll, rumours abound of a revolution

The wealthy village of Bolton Percy is a tiny North Yorkshire idyll with one bus and where the post office is open only once a week, during a four-hour window on Wednesdays. It is a place where residents have neat gardens and fancy cars, and the friendly local church, which will celebrate its 600th birthday next year, is the social hub. In other words, it is exactly the kind of place the Tories could normally rely on for an abundance of support.

On the wire - As leaders move closer to Putin, EU hopes fade

Ruling party in Tbilisi claims it is pursuing a future within Europe yet rails against Brussels, Ukraine and Nato

Biden hits the 2024 trail...but can he last the pace?

It became known as the “basement strategy”. As the coronavirus pandemic raged outside, presidential candidate Joe Biden addressed the nation from a makeshift studio under his Delaware home, avoiding off-the-cuff gaffes and allowing rival Donald Trump to self-destruct.

Rival governments - Power vacuum makes it hard to effectively tackle people smugglers

The mass drowning of refugees heading from Libya for Italy as their large boat capsized off the coast of Greece underlines Libya’s continuing power vacuum and the inability of its divided leaders to deliver on their promises to stem the profi table people-smuggling trade. It is striking that the ship sailed from the eastern port of Tobruk, a city where local leaders have mounted a campaign against illegal migration.

Europe's response New pact, but underlying causes have not gone away

€20,000 Charge per head for EU member states that refuse to host refugees under a new migration and asylum pact

A deadly trade

As families mourned the hundreds of people lost in last week’s Mediterranean shipwreck disaster, grief turned to anger over the Greek authorities’ handling of the incident and Europe’s failure to tackle one of its greatest challenges

Kylie at 55: We can't get her out of our heads

The Australian singer was meant to be a fleeting star but now, 36 years after I Should Be So Lucky, the pop princess has won over the TikTok generation