CATEGORIES

Generation game An American's view of life in China during the turbulent Covid years, through the eyes of his curious, jaded students

When Peter Hessler, the celebrated chronicler of Chinese society, arrived at Sichuan University in the autumn of 2019, he was expecting to take a break from writing. Hessler made his name as a journalist documenting the lives of everyday people during China's boom years in the early 2000s.

Claims to fame Will this sympathetic biography of a failed pop star help its enigmatic protagonist find the status his stoicism deserves?

In 2004, the British journalist Chris Heath spent more than a year shadowing Robbie Williams's every movement for his book on the singer, Feel. If this was above and beyond the usual requirements of a biographer, you could see why he thought it might pay off. We tend to be fascinated by success, and the cost that fame can exact upon the individual. And so who better to take such an approach with than both the biggest pop star of his generation and the most self-critical?

Heartfelt home truth An extraordinary portrait of a 1950s American housewife, based on the diaries of Will Self's mother in an act of filial generosity

Will Self has a history of gonzo premises. He has written novels set in the afterlife, in a world ruled by chimpanzees, in a post-apocalyptic society based on the misogynist rantings of a London cabby.

'My dance is a kind of prayer'

After success in France, choreographer Qudus Onikeku has returned to Nigeria to bring new life to Lagos's dance scene and to mastermind a pan-African creative awakening

The lighter side of grief A romcom where love never dies

Marrying your dead fiance may be taboo, but Colin Hanks and director Daniel Reisinger hope their new film will help those coming to terms with their own loss

Look who's back in anger

Will an Oasis reunion be a success? Definitely. Will it be worth it? Maybe, say Guardian arts writers

Voters rejected Macron. Why is he still trying to dictate who governs us?

After the electoral turbulence of June and July, few in France imagined that we would be heading into September without a new prime minister appointed to reflect the results of July's parliamentary elections.

Forget the clothes-eating critters-we should love moths in all their beauty

Let me start with a confession: I love moths. If your instant reaction to that statement is a shudder and expression of dislike (or worse), be assured that you're not alone. It is the commonest response I get. But moths are extremely important and beautiful creatures, and we should all love them.

Is Starmer's 'reset' with Europe enough to undo Brexit damage?

Every prime minister has their verbal tell-tales. \"Reset\" is a favourite Starmerism. When he visited Berlin last week to pave the way to a bilateral co-operation treaty, the prime minister said he was there as part of a \"wider reset\" in Britain's relations with Europe. There was the same message when he journeyed on to Paris for a grip, grin and chat with Emmanuel Macron. I see why he's fond of the word. \"Reset\" conveys new thinking, a fresh start and altered priorities, while being conveniently vague about the direction of travel or the ultimate destination.

'Of course, you've got to be ruthless' As Britain's PM for a decade and now head of his own global policy institute, Tony Blair knows a thing or two about leadership. To coincide with a new book on the subject, he reflects on the nature of decision-making, the difficulty of relinquishing power - and why a second Trump term wouldn't faze him

Were you to board an aeroplane piloted by a man who has never previously sat in a cockpit, you'd be alarmed. Were you to face surgery by a woman with no medical qualifications, you'd be frightened.

A BEAUTIFUL MIND?

Groundbreaking mathematician Alexander Grothendieck spent his last years alone, engrossed in his esoteric theories. Some say solitude drove him to madness, but others think his work may hold the key to the future of AI

The flight speed record that remains unbroken 50 years on

On 1 September 1974, two men made the fastest ever journey between New York and London. The astonishing trip - at three times the speed of sound - set a record that still stands 50 years later.

Tribal target Democrats chase voters who may flip to Harris

A siren blares. Feet crunch on gravel. A county sheriff looks into a car and tells a teenage girl he knows she is pregnant. He arrests her father for driving her to a state where she can get an abortion. \"And you, young lady,\" the sheriff says, \"well, you're under arrest for evading motherhood.\"

Birds of a feather The flying scientists showing ibis the way home

Extinct in central Europe for 300 years, a flock of northern bald ibis is following a light aircraft on a migration route from Austria to Spain

South China Sea island community stands up to Beijing

From the sandy beaches of Thitu Island, blue waters stretch for as far as the eye can see. It feels like a tranquil paradise: there's no noisy road traffic, air pollution or crowds. But Thitu is not a luxury retreat, it's a tiny island in the remote Spratly chain and one of the world's most fiercely contested maritime sites.

Beetlemania How nation fell in love with quirky classic car

When Yared Agonafer, an Ethiopian gold and silver merchant, wanted to buy a car five years ago, he settled quickly on the model: a 1977 Volkswagen Beetle. The low price was its main draw, but nostalgia motivated him too.

Self-serving China's divide-and-rule tactics risk shock waves across region

Ethnically, religiously, ideologically fractured Myanmar, formerly Burma, has never been a model of harmonious, integrated nationhood. Yet since the 2021 military coup and ensuing civil war, new and old divisions have grown rapidly. Western and neighbouring states supporting a democratic restoration now face a more fundamental, urgent challenge: how to prevent Myanmar's anarchic disintegration.

Family affairs Can Asia break free from the power of political dynasties?

In early August, against a backdrop of deadly student-led protests, Bangladesh's prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned her position, bringing to a close a political dynasty that stretched back to the country's founding.

Grenfell communities share solace and succour

'Seven long years on from Grenfell, progress has seemed agonisingly slow on any number of fronts, but I find the seeds of hope in many places,\" said Mary White from the Latymer community church in the shadow of the burnt-out tower.

Friends disunited? East and west drifting apart as far-right AfD rides a populist wave

After the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, the former West German chancellor Willy Brandt predicted that reunification would finally allow \"what belongs together to grow together\".

'It was all a blur' Troops tell story of audacious attack

While the situation in the country's east looks increasingly bleak, the surprise incursion into Russian territory has boosted morale in Kyiv

War on hold in Gaza as polio vaccine drive offers hope

Like so many in Gaza, Eid alAttar, a teacher from the north of the territory, now spends his days trying to find enough food and water for his family. Displaced eight times since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October, the 42-year-old has tried his best to protect his five children. Now the Palestinian territory is facing a new danger: the highly infectious and potentially deadly disease, polio.

Pressure point Hostage deaths unleash public fury-but can it bring a ceasefire closer?

Pressure mounted on the Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu this week after his US counterpart Joe Biden accused him of not doing enough to secure a ceasefire deal with Hamas, although protests against Israel's government suffered a blow when a court ordered an early end to a general strike.

Questions of truth Tech bros-in-arms control the narrative. We must fight back

It was a breaking news alert to lift the spirits and make the heart sing. A tech billionaire arrested as he stepped off his private jet and detained by the French authorities. Happy days! Because while the UK police have been charging individuals who incited violence online during this summer's riots, the man who helped to fuel its flames - Elon Musk has simply tweeted his way through it.

Mixed message Why was Durov arrested and what are the implications?

What is Telegram? At its core, Telegram is a messaging app, but it offers more social networking features than most of its peers. Group chats are in effect unlimited in size, as are the broadcast \"channels\" that let users follow individual accounts.

THE rise and fall of Pavel Durov

The Telegram app is widely used by political protesters but also by criminals. Now its enigmatic founder is under arrest. Can he face down the French authorities?

Five to follow Athletes to watch out for

Froma US swimming stalwart to French cycling’s champion of champions’, this quintet will beon the hunt for medals

Islands laid waste by Beryl survey devastating cost

From the outside, it looks like a typical primary school in the multi-island Caribbean nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), with children's voices echoing behind the distinctive green walls.

Canal plus The quest to make urban waterways swimmable

Around the world, architects and campaigners are turning previously polluted rivers and harbours into bathing spots

Line in the sand A bitter battle over seabed mining

Rare metals in iron sands off North Island coast could be extracted despite local opposition as government pushes to fast-track proposals