Category Archives: Politics

2025.04.18

Survivor of notorious New Orleans child sex abuser priest speaks out for first time
Neil Duhon blames archdiocese for allowing his rapist to prey on children throughout his career
Ramon Antonio Vargas and David Hammer of WWL Louisiana in New Orleans
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/18/new-orleans-clergy-abuse-survivor-neil-duhon

Medical cannabis shows potential to fight cancer, largest-ever study finds
Analysis aims to solidify agreement on cannabis’s potential as a cancer treatment, lead author of research says
Hannah Harris Green
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/18/medical-cannabis-cancer-study

Republicans in many states forge ahead with bills requiring proof of citizenship to vote
State-level attack come as House has approved the Save Act, that requires voters to submit proof they are US citizens
Rachel Leingang
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/18/republican-states-bills-proof-of-citizenship-vote

Trump officials take control of Penn Station revamp from New York’s MTA
Transport department claims decision to take over project will ‘save taxpayers approximately $120m’
Jenna Amatulli
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/17/trump-penn-station-new-york-mta

FDA to suspend quality-control program for food testing due to staff cuts
The FDA labs that test food to prevent illness have been affected by wider health and human services staff cuts
Maya Yang and Reuters
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/17/fda-suspends-quality-control-food-testing-staff-cuts

Millennium-old monks’ manuscripts return to Ireland for exhibition
Books include religious scriptures and scribbled jokes, giving glimpse of daily lives of early medieval Irish monks
Rory Carroll Ireland correspondent
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/18/millennium-old-monks-manuscripts-return-to-ireland-for-exhibition

Pink smoke, pigs and Pixar: a dozen movie Easter eggs to feast on
Hidden references and in-jokes in cinema can be an acquired taste, but here’s a festive selection of the best arch nods for aficionados to enjoy
Peter Bradshaw, Stuart Heritage, Phil Hoad, Anne Billson, Laura Snapes, Lucy Knight, Luke Holland, Tom Shone, Hollie Richardson, Ryan Gilbey, Gwilym Mumford and Ben Child
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/apr/18/pink-smoke-pigs-and-pixar-a-dozen-movie-easter-eggs-to-feast-on

Queer Asian-American movies you should absolutely watch
Mey Rude | 04/17/25
https://www.out.com/film/queer-asian-american-movies#rebelltitem4

Severance to Adolescence: 10 of the best TV shows of 2025 so far
Caryn James and Hugh Montgomery
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250417-the-best-tv-shows-of-2025

How climate change could affect arsenic in rice
Amanda Ruggeri
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250417-how-climate-change-could-affect-arsenic-in-rice

2025.04.17

Re-arm, reassure and spend big: how the Asia Pacific is responding to a new era under Trump
The US president has upset global norms in the space of weeks, spurring a flurry of defence spending, diplomatic overtures and offers to boost trade
Justin McCurry, Ben Doherty, Amy Hawkins, Helen Davidson and Rebecca Ratcliffe
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/17/asia-pacific-trump-response-china

Scientists hail ‘strongest evidence’ so far for life beyond our solar system
Astrophysics team say observation of chemical compounds may be ‘tipping point’ in search for extraterrestrial life
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/apr/17/scientists-hail-strongest-evidence-so-far-for-life-beyond-our-solar-system

Live colossal squid captured on video in wild for first time ever
A young Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, the heaviest invertebrate on earth, was filmed in the Atlantic Ocean
Karen McVeigh
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/16/colossal-squid-captured-on-video

New daily weight-loss pill shows success at clinical trial
Orforglipron also reduced blood sugar levels in participants with type 2 diabetes
Ian Sample Science editor
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/17/new-daily-weight-loss-pill-orforglipron-success-clinical-trial-diabetes

Toothpaste widely contaminated with lead and other metals, US research finds
Most of 51 brands tested, including those for children, contained dangerous heavy metal
Tom Perkins
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/17/toothpaste-lead-heavy-metals

Who are the death row executioners? Disgraced doctors, suspended nurses and drunk drivers
These are just the US executioners we know. But they are a chilling indication of the executioners we don’t know
Corinna Lain
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/17/death-row-executioners

Ask questions, practice and know when to make an exit: how to start a conversation
Socializing can be hard, especially starting a conversation with a stranger – here are some tips from experts
Madeleine Aggeler
https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/apr/16/how-to-start-a-conversation-stranger

A crack in the manosphere: Joe Rogan’s guests are revolting
Sam Wolfson
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/16/joe-rogan-guests

Watch: Michigan town forms human chain to move 9,100 books for shop
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cj45yl5dy42o

Julie Christie at 85: her 20 best films – ranked!
To celebrate the Oscar-winning actor’s birthday this week, we look back at the highlights of a six-decade career, from early classics such as Doctor Zhivago and Billy Liar to later roles in Finding Neverland and Away From Her.
By Anne Billson
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/apr/17/julie-christie-at-85-her-20-best-films-ranked

Giant fritters and roast root veg with whipped feta: Alissa Timoshkina’s recipes for an eastern European Easter feast
An eastern European celebration of spring: a giant, shareable fritter of cabbage, pea and spring onion, and roast new potatoes and carrots with herby whipped feta
Alissa Timoshkina
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/apr/17/giant-fritters-and-roast-root-veg-with-whipped-feta-alissa-timoshkinas-recipes-for-an-eastern-european-easter-feast



2025.04.16

Seth Rogen attack on Trump edited out of science awards show coverage
Presenting an award at the Breakthrough prize ceremony, the actor and writer allegedly accused the president of destroying American science
Andrew Pulver
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/apr/16/seth-rogen-attack-on-trump-edited-out-of-science-awards-show-coverage

In the red: global wine sales fall to lowest levels since 1961
Consumption and production falls in almost every market as industry fears a ‘generational’ change in drinking habits
Agence France-Presse in Paris
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/apr/15/global-wine-sales-fall-lowest-levels-since-1961

Millions tune in for three-week live stream of Sweden’s moose migration
Slow TV is attracting viewers with hits such as a knitting marathon, burning firewood and swimming salmon
Jon Henley
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/15/millions-tune-in-for-three-week-live-stream-of-swedens-moose-migration

I was sufficiently vaccinated against measles in childhood – or so I thought
One of the requirements of graduate school in the US stumped me: an immunization certificate for the MMR vaccine
Jean Iversen
https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/apr/09/measles-vaccination-adulthood

Beyond the buffet: Why all-inclusive resorts are sending guests off site
Chadner Navarro
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250415-why-all-inclusive-resorts-are-sending-guests-off-site

Peru’s ex-president and first lady sentenced to 15 years in jail
Vanessa Buschschlüter
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c33z6kn7xvyo

2025.04.15

Simple £5 blood test could help prevent thousands of heart attacks, study says
Researchers suggest troponin tests could help detect ‘silent’ harm and predict the risk of future cardiovascular events
Andrew Gregory
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/apr/07/simple-blood-test-help-prevent-thousands-heart-attacks-study

Combination of two cheap drugs could save lives after heart attack, study finds
Giving patients statins and ezetimibe after a heart attack can reduce risk of second attack or stroke, say scientists
Andrew Gregory Health editor
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/apr/14/combination-cheap-drugs-statins-ezetimibe-could-save-lives-after-heart-attack-study-finds

Good news at last: just a little exercise can reduce the risk of dementia
Devi Sridhar
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/14/exercise-risk-dementia-study-middle-age

Potential new antibiotic for treating gonorrhoea
Michelle Roberts
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c367jp764z2o

How we made Muriel’s Wedding: ‘No one wanted a film about a plus-sized thief and liar’
‘I wanted to do an Australian Mike Leigh film. I was convinced it was terrible – but we showed it at Cannes and they went crazy. Audiences had never seen a character like that treated sympathetically’
Interviews by Simon Bland
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/apr/14/plus-sized-thief-liar-muriels-wedding-toni-collette

Tax Day! Well, at least for some o’ us!
‘Silicon Six’ accused of avoiding almost $278bn in US corporation taxes over 10 years
Analysis finds Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, Netflix, Apple and Microsoft averaged 18.8%, compared with 29.7% US average
Sarah Butler
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/15/silicon-six-accused-of-avoiding-almost-278bn-in-us-corporation-taxes-over-10-years

Enjoy sushi? You may have Welsh seaweed to thank for it
Natalie Grice
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx20ryyx00wo

2025.04.14

Hay fever
‘It looks like I’ve gone 10 rounds with a boxer’: when hay fever becomes debilitating – and potentially deadly
Often dismissed as summertime sniffles, the condition that affects a quarter of UK adults can lead to serious and life-limiting health problems
Elle Hunt

The big idea: will sci-fi end up destroying the world?
Skewed interpretations of classic works are feeding the dark visions of tech moguls, from Musk to Thiel
Sam Freedman

It is difficult to imagine a post-American world. But imagine it we must
Nesrine Malik
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/14/post-american-world-washington-chaotic-opportunity

Taxes
I dun ma taxes.

2025.04.13

Songkran: The world’s biggest water fight
Lynn Brown

Sit-to-stand: The simple test that reveals how you’re ageing
Jasmin Fox-Skelly

The rise of end times fascism
Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor

New books chart Biden’s downfall – and the picture is damning for Democrats
Martin Pengelly in Washington

Mad House: new book exposes Capitol Hill’s absurdity and dysfunction
Reporters Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater shine a jaundiced spotlight on the foibles and foolishness of the US political class
Lloyd Green

Worried about your stock market savings as Trump tariffs wreak havoc? Don’t panic
Gene Marks
Despite the turmoil it helps to put things into perspective with a look at some fundamental indicators

Taxes
I owe, I owe, I owe, and I hope to file today.

2025.04.12

Is Minnesota about to finally launch its legal marijuana market? New regulations are set to be published on Monday, according to Office of Cannabis Management spokesperson Josh Collins. Via the Minnesota Star Tribune. Via MinnPost

Tuberculosis could end if there’s more US public health funding, experts say
Resurgence could be on horizon as outbreaks pick up speed in US and abroad amid public health program cuts
Melody Schreiber

How climate change is supercharging pollen allergies
Amanda Ruggeri

The mystery of why some people develop ALS
Sarah Pitt

Boarding passes and check-in could be scrapped in air travel shake-up
Facial recognition and a ‘journey pass’ stored on passengers’ phones are part of UN-backed plans to digitise air transport
Sammy Gecsoyler

‘Fika has become more expensive’: rising coffee prices affect a Swedish tradition
Swedes are stockpiling supplies of the drink amid cost hikes, with some saying the coffee culture is changing
Miranda Bryant in Stockholm

The science behind the perfect cup of coffee: everything you need to know, from grind size to roast
New research on the optimal pour height this week adds another layer to the quest for caffeinated perfection
Esther Addley

Epic win: why the Odyssey is having a moment
With new translations, a film starring Ralph Fiennes and a Christopher Nolan blockbuster on the way, Homer’s saga about a soldier’s return from battle speaks to our times in unexpected ways
Charlotte Higgins

‘Really important stories’: What nine rare 1800s photos reveal about US history
Deborah Nicholls-Lee

Why Icelanders are happier than ever
Lindsey Galloway

2025.04.11

Jp Lawrence at the Star Tribune reports: “A teacher and youth sports coach in New Ulm, Minn., was sentenced to six years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty last year to a charge he shared videos of child sexual abuse.” Via MinnPost

MPR News’ Elizabeth Shockman reports: “Lawmakers last year ordered required training for school resource officers, a decision rooted in the 2020 police killing of George Floyd. A recent training session in St. Michael – the first of its kind in Minnesota – offered a glimpse of life in schools that’s real but rarely discussed.”
Via MinnPost

The Strib’s Christopher Magan reports: “A melee outside the Franklin Library in Minneapolis involving contract security guards and an Indigenous man, who was banned from the facility, has activists and a county commissioner calling for the security firm’s removal.”
Via MinnPost

Cosmic visions, Edwardian bling and Middle Eastern monuments – the week in art
Ravishing photos of space, glittering images of a golden age and Ali Cherri’s archaeological sculpture – all in your weekly dispatch
Jonathan Jones

DIY Dubai chocolate: Ravneet Gill’s recipe for crunchy pistachio chocolate
Our baker’s take on the viral bar is made with vermicelli pastry, dark chocolate and white chocolate pistachio cream. It’s simple. Just chill!
Ravneet Gill

2025.04.10

Pollen peril: how heat, thunder and smog are creating deadly hay fever seasons
Scientists say a complex mix of factors are making seasonal allergies worse for longer in many parts of the world – but why is it happening and is it here to stay?
Patrick Greenfield

Hay fever making your life a misery? Try these 20 tips from doctors and allergy experts
Do nasal sprays work? Which are the best antihistamines? Can honey help? What about a shower? We’ve got all the answers
Sarah Phillips

Surprise as sealskin is discovered to be cover material of ‘hairy’ medieval books
The findings from volumes kept in a Cistercian monastery in France shed new light on a robust medieval trade network that went well beyond local sourcing
Ella Creamer

FBI director Kash Patel removed as director of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Decision transfers control of ATF away from US justice department to the defense department for first time
Hugo Lowell in Washington

Woman gives birth to stranger’s baby after IVF bungle in Brisbane
Mistake at Queensland fertility care clinic results in woman unknowingly giving birth to another patient’s baby after embryos mixed up
Australian Associated Press

What’s inside a black hole?

Saliva test may turn tide on prostate cancer, claim scientists
James Gallagher

2025.04.09

After latest brutal Southwest LRT audit, some lawmakers question the point of the Met Council
The Met Council chair says the agency has improved, and trains will run in 2027.
by Matthew Blake

Tributes to ex-London scientist after body found dismembered in Colombia
Alessandro Coatti described by former colleagues at Royal Society of Biology as ‘passionate and dedicated’
Alexandra Topping

Cinemas threaten Minecraft Movie audiences over ‘chicken jockey’ TikTok trend
Incidents reported in the UK and US of cheering, shouting and throwing popcorn during screenings of hit film have prompted cautions to audiences
Andrew Pulver and Dan Milmo

Top US companies spent three times as much on buybacks than on taxes after Trump tax cuts – report
As president proposes new cuts, data shows 11 corporations collectively recorded nearly $500bn in profits since last cuts
Tom Perkins

A moment that changed me: I brought a baby gorilla home – and learned so much about being a parent
The seven months I spent hand-rearing Afia fast-tracked me through every stage of parenting: love, laughs and pride, followed by inevitable separation and loss
Alan Toyne

US supreme court blocks ruling that 16,000 fired federal workers must be rehired
Probationary employees laid off in Trump administration’s purge lose reinstatement in 7-2 ruling over legal standing
Robert Tait

EU drops plans to hit American bourbon with retaliatory tariffs
Drink removed from draft list after lobbying from whiskey-making Ireland and wine-producing Italy and France
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels and Lisa O’Carroll in Dublin

Secret to stronger pour-over coffee with no extra beans unlocked by scientists
Pouring water slowly, steadily and from height is key to achieving ‘avalanche’ mixing effect
Nicola Davis Science correspondent

Minneapolis may overhaul rules for street vendors — bringing carts to more neighborhoods
A struggle with unlicensed fruit vendors led the city to take a closer look at its rules. It is also funding a program to help immigrant entrepreneurs set up carts that meet city code.
by Alfonzo Galvan