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Man, 26, arrested after attack in elevator in Angie Craig’s Washington apartment building early on Thursday morningAngie Craig, a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota who was assaulted in her Washington apartment, reportedly deterred her attacker by pouring hot coffee over him, it emerged on Friday.“Representative Craig defended herself from the attacker and suffered bruising, but is otherwise physically OK,” her chief of staff, Nick Coe, said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading...

A year into his country’s fight for its very survival, Volodymyr Zelenskiy knows some in Europe are looking for a way outThe image was stunning, the optics perfect: a war leader addressing the nation in an ancient hall, the rays of stained-glass sunlight all but crowning him with a halo. And yet there was something wrong with that picture. Volodymyr Zelenskiy was not stiffening the resolve of his own people, who after a year of war, bereavement and pain might be forgiven for losing heart. Rather, he was in Westminster to steady the nerves of British politicians – and, later, European ones – to ensure they do not abandon a fight that has cost them so much less.His official request was for fighter planes – “Give us wings,” he said – but he had a wider purpose. His lightning trip to London, Paris and Brussels was aimed at ensuring the west does not grow impatient, that as the first anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, it does not start looking at its watch – and for an early way out. Continue reading...

Republican at centre of string of scandals was charged in Pennsylvania with theft over purchase of puppies in 2017The New York Republican congressman George Santos, who is at the centre of a bizarre string of scandals and who the Utah senator Mitt Romney this week called a “sick puppy”, was charged with theft in Pennsylvania in 2017 – over a purchase of “puppies”.The scandal, reported by Politico, is not Santos’s first involving dogs and his charity, Friends of Pets United. A New Jersey veteran alleges Santos raised money for an operation for his dog, then absconded with the money. Continue reading...

Who spoke out? Who took it step by step? Who scored? Continue reading...

Syrian rescue teams say earthquake has created conditions not seen at any point during 12 years of war. Plus, Russia ‘on offensive’Good morning.Pressure is mounting on the UN to provide urgent support to north-western Syria, which is yet to receive meaningful aid five days after the earthquake that devastated the region, and with the chance of finding any survivors beneath the rubble almost gone.Erdoğan’s earthquake response tarnishes brand. His refusal to accept criticism of the state’s response has done little to quell growing public anger at a wholly inadequate disaster response.‘I am lucky.’ Wisam Afisa, a British-Syrian dual citizen, has been walking through the streets of Aleppo in pyjamas, boots and a parka since Monday. Continue reading...

Remote work has emptied downtowns across the US – and that space could be used to create desperately needed affordable housingThe lack of affordable housing and the emptying of many downtowns in the US are what doctors might call co-morbidities: different problems that occur simultaneously and can exacerbate each other, making the entire system worse. But some people are able to look at the US housing crisis and the state of the nation’s downtowns and feel a shred of hope. After all, here are two problems that can each become a solution to the other.The 2022 State of the Nation’s Housing report from Harvard University revealed that the US housing supply is at a deficit of 3.8m homes. Meanwhile, in a city like San Francisco, where the availability of affordable housing has reached an acute crisis, the downtown business district has all but hollowed out. Now that remote work has become the norm, with knowledge workers logging in from everywhere and anywhere, only 27% of the city’s office space is in use, according to one study by the real estate firm CBRE. Continue reading...

Durham inquiry into origins of FBI’s Trump-Russia scrutiny has sparked allegations of a weaponization of justice departmentWhen the Trump justice department tapped a US attorney to examine the origins of the FBI inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, conservatives and many Republicans hoped it would end the idea Donald Trump’s campaign was boosted by Moscow and back his charges that some FBI officials and others had conspired against him.But instead, as the multi-year investigation winds down, it is ending with accusations that unethical actions by that special counsel – John Durham – and ex-attorney general William Barr “weaponized” the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to help Trump. Continue reading...

The signs are good. Ukraine’s leader is avoiding the mistakes of the second world war – while Putin shows every sign of repeating themThe Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s speech to parliament on Wednesday was filled with references to the second world war and Winston Churchill. Just as evil was defeated before, he said, so evil will be defeated today. Comparisons with that momentous conflict have been a common theme throughout Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – but at least we can rest assured that Zelenskiy knows what he’s talking about.I was flattered when the Economist reported a few weeks ago that Zelenskiy gets up early each morning and reads from my book, Hitler and Stalin: The Tyrants and the Second World War, recently published in Ukrainian translation. I was also impressed that, while trying to win a bloody war against the Russians, he found time to read anything other than official documents. Continue reading...

The likes of Andrew Tate want to return to an imagined idyll in gender relations. It would be a disaster for everyoneCan we think a bit more deeply about masculinity? Toxic masculinity has a certain usefulness and punch as a phrase. It expresses what some men put out into the world but it doesn’t address the whys deeply enough.Until recently, and still to this day in many parts of the world, men were raised to be protectors: fighters and economic providers. Conscription – men being trained to kill – only ended in Britain in 1960. Women, meanwhile, were being raised to be nurturers and carers – to be midwives to their needs, to support their initiatives, whether or not the women worked also outside the home. Men were to be receivers of emotional support, women to be receivers of economic support and “protection”.Susie Orbach is a psychotherapist, psychoanalyst and social critic. She is the author of many books including What Do Women Want? – co-authored with Luise EichenbaumDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Things are looking up for the Suns and Bucks after a most chaotic trade deadline. The Bulls and Raptors? Not so muchKyrie Irving to Dallas. Then came Kevin Durant to Phoenix. Brooklyn’s spectacular loss was the Western Conference’s gain. And that was only the start of one of the most chaotic NBA trade deadlines in recent memory, with all but two of the league’s 30 teams getting into the action. Here’s a quick survey of the most notable winners and losers. Continue reading...

Super Bowl LVII shows that football is more willing to see Black men as leaders – although that doesn’t apply to other levels of US society, or the NFLThirty-five years ago a harsh spotlight shone on Washington’s Doug Williams. He was the story of Super Bowl XXII, the first Black quarterback to start in the NFL title game. In the run-up to the game he was blitzed with questions about his race, but this was the one that hit home.Reporter: “How long have you been a Black quarterback?” Continue reading...

Superstar singer is the much-anticipated half-time performer on the biggest US sports night of the year – but what can we expect?A lot has happened since Rihanna, one of the most famous singers in the world, last released an album. Two presidencies, a global pandemic, the invention of TikTok and five new Taylor Swift albums all postdate 2016’s Anti, the Barbadian singer’s last full-length project before a seemingly eternal hiatus from music.Rihanna’s return to the stage during Sunday’s Super Bowl half-time show – her first live performance since pitching in to help DJ Khaled on Wild Thoughts at the 2018 Grammys – does not guarantee new music. Even the singer has joked that R9 (the colloquial name for her next, ninth LP) may be lost to time. But it does herald a megawatt return to the music spotlight for one of pop’s most reliable hit-makers, who has for nearly seven years devoted her energy elsewhere. Continue reading...

Dancers have alleged harassment, wage theft and unsafe working conditions. Still they struggle to make their voices heardFor Mhkeeba Pate, no Super Bowl will ever beat the 2014 game. Her hometown team, the Seattle Seahawks, fought from underdog status to domination over the Denver Broncos, knocking them out 43-8. And Pate had the best seats in the house – she was on the field the entire time. Pate, who was a Seattle “Sea Gal” cheerleader for five seasons from 2011–2017, remembers seeing the likes of Gayle King taking her seat near the sideline, and dancing for and with fans.“It was just amazing. Getting to dance in the end zone. It’s the ultimate experience. That’s our Super Bowl, too,” says Pate. Continue reading...

Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk has amassed a litany of contentious rulings in less than four yearsMatthew Kacsmaryk, a federal judge in Texas appointed by Donald Trump, has a tendency to attract strong language. Every Democratic senator opposed his confirmation in 2019, with Chuck Schumer, the then minority leader, calling him “narrow-minded” and “bigoted”.“Mr Kacsmaryk has demonstrated a hostility to the LGBTQ [community] bordering on paranoia,” Schumer said. Continue reading...

In this series, Guardian writers share the best advice they’ve ever received and how it’s impacted their lives sinceMy grandfather was a prolific collector of aphorisms and inspirational quotes. “Failing to plan is planning to fail” is tattooed on the brains of my entire family, he said it so much. But it was one poem (of the many) he often recited about self-belief that has really stayed with me.If you think you are beaten, you are

Former vice-president and former Trump official Robert O’Brien issued subpoena though nature of requests is not knownFormer US vice-president Mike Pence and the former national security adviser Robert O’Brien have been subpoenaed by the special counsel leading investigations into classified documents found at former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and efforts to overturn the 2020 election result, according to media reports on Thursday.Pence was issued a subpoena by special counsel Jack Smith, though the nature of the request was not immediately known, ABC News reported, citing sources. The action follows months of negotiations involving federal prosecutors and Pence’s lawyers. Continue reading...

The social media minimum age has become a benchmark – but one size won’t fit allThe surgeon general is the “nation’s doctor” in the United States. He or she is tasked with giving Americans the “best scientific information” about their health.Late last month the current US surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, warned that 13 is too young to join social media. He said it posed a risk to young people’s “self-worth and their relationships”, adding:I, personally, based on the data I’ve seen, believe that 13 is too early … the skewed and often distorted environment of social media often does a disservice to many of those children. Continue reading...

Woman found guilty of trying to kill 35-year-old woman with cake laced with powerful sedative and then stealing her passportA New York City woman accused of feeding poisoned cheesecake to her lookalike in a bid to steal the other woman’s identity has been convicted of attempted murder, prosecutors said on Thursday.Viktoria Nasyrova, 47, was found guilty by a jury on Wednesday of trying to kill 35-year-old Olga Tsvyk with cheesecake laced with a powerful sedative and then stealing her passport and other valuables in August 2016, Queens district attorney Melinda Katz said in a news release. Continue reading...

Lawsuit, filed by parents and sister of cinematographer, accuses actor and others of battery and negligenceThe family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer killed on the set of Rust, have filed a lawsuit against Alec Baldwin and others involved with the film.The lawsuit filed on behalf of Hutchins’ parents, Anatolii Androsovych and Olga Solovey, and sister, Svetlana Zemko, accuses Baldwin and others, including the film’s armorer, of battery, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and loss of consortium. Continue reading...

Survey also finds that 29% of white evangelical Protestants qualify as nationalism adherents while 35% qualify as sympathizersTwo-thirds of white evangelicals and most Republicans are sympathetic to Christian nationalism, a new survey has found.According to a national survey released on Wednesday by the Public Religion Research Institute and Brookings Institution, 29% of white evangelical Protestants qualify as Christian nationalism adherents while 35% qualify as sympathizers. Continue reading...

President makes comments in Florida speech, vowing to safeguard programs ahead of anticipated 2024 re-election campaignJoe Biden amplified his attacks on Republicans over Medicare and Social Security during a visit to Florida on Thursday, arguing that it was the party’s “dream” to slash the federal programs and vowing to be the “nightmare” that stops them.Speaking in Tampa, Biden outlined his administration’s plan to safeguard the popular entitlement programs as part of an ongoing war of words with his Republican opponents that began during his second State of the Union address on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Investigation concludes six officials violated state ethics laws by diverting alcohol, including Pappy Van Winkle, for own purchaseOfficials with Oregon’s liquor and marijuana regulating agency allegedly “abused their position for personal gain” and violated state ethics laws to obtain rare bottles of top-shelf bourbon worth thousands of dollars.The state’s governor on Wednesday asked the Oregon liquor and cannabis commission (OLCC) to remove the executive director, Steve Marks, and five other officials after an internal investigation concluded they used their knowledge and connections to obtain the pricey whiskey. Continue reading...

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to London, Paris and Brussels is not only about fighter jets. It is about arming his country to resist Russian offensivesRussia is preparing for a long war in Ukraine. Recent reports put the number of Russian troops in Ukraine at about 320,000. They are not there to look at cathedrals. They are there to kill Ukrainians and take territory. Vladimir Putin wants to win the war. He is demanding “sweeping advances”. At the very least he wants to control the Donbas. There is absolutely no evidence that Russia is interested in any form of settlement to the conflict that will carry what the military expert Prof Lawrence Freedman calls “a whiff of defeat”.Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to western Europe this week should be understood in that light. The Ukrainian president – who visited London, Paris and Brussels in quick succession – knows that the Russians are not interested in peace negotiations. What is more, he knows that western European and US leaders now know it too. The logic of this recognition is that the western states have no alternative but to arm Ukraine to win some battles. Mr Zelenskiy’s trip to the west, like his trip to Washington at the end of last year, is designed to secure the weaponry which can make that possible. Continue reading...

Biden’s State of the Union address is a reminder of how good a president he has been, but majorities believe he has made no progressIn his first State of the Union address since Democrats lost control of the House, Joe Biden celebrated recent economic gains – especially declining inflation and soaring job growth – while taking a bow for legislative victories that will curb prescription drug prices, expand health benefits for veterans, slow climate change and rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.Biden’s speech reminded me of how good a president he has been, especially given what he inherited from the former guy, who made a fetish out of dividing and angering Americans while accomplishing nothing except giving a giant tax cut to big corporations and the rich.Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few and The Common Good. His new book, The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It, is out now. He is a Guardian US columnist. His newsletter is at robertreich.substack.com Continue reading...

The quarterbacks will earn plenty of attention on Sunday in Arizona. But their ability to survive an onslaught from the opposition will be crucialThe hype and intrigue swirling around quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes in Sunday’s Super Bowl is deserved. But the game may well be decided by which quarterback copes with the heat coming at him from the opposition. Both defenses have been great this season. Here’s how Hurts and Mahomes may fare against them. Continue reading...

State department source says balloon was carrying equipment capable of intercepting communicationsThe Chinese balloon that flew over North America for more than a week before being shot down over the Atlantic was carrying equipment capable of intercepting and geolocating communications, the US government has claimed.A senior state department official said on Thursday that equipment was identified by a U-2 spy plane sent up to scrutinise the balloon. Continue reading...

Alleva Dairy, on Grand Street in Little Italy in New York City, is set to close after sales plummeted due to the pandemicA cheese shop considered to be the oldest in the US is set to close, after its owners struggled to pay rent during the Covid-19 pandemic.Alleva Dairy, on Grand Street in Little Italy in New York City, has operated for 130 years. Its current owner, Karen King, bought the store a decade ago with her husband. Continue reading...

Democrat who suffered a stroke while campaigning last year is in good spirits, says spokespersonThe Pennsylvania senator John Fetterman was under observation in a Washington DC hospital on Thursday, after the Democrat, who suffered a stroke during his election campaign last year, was taken ill at a party event on Wednesday.Doctors at the George Washington university hospital said initial tests showed no evidence of a new stroke, Fetterman’s office said, adding that more testing was taking place. Continue reading...

Davion Irvin, charged with six counts of animal cruelty and two counts of burglary, remains jailed on $25,000 bondA 24-year-old man linked to an unusual string of crimes at the Dallas zoo told police that after he stole two monkeys he took them on to the city’s light rail system to make his getaway, court records show. Davion Irvin also said he loves animals and will steal more if released.Irvin, who remains jailed on $25,000 bond, was arrested last week after asking questions at a Dallas aquarium. He is charged with six counts of animal cruelty and two counts of burglary. An attorney did not comment. Continue reading...

Republican-led legislature rejects measure to prevent minors from carrying firearms in public without adult supervisionThe Republican-led Missouri state house on Wednesday voted against banning minors from openly carrying firearms on public land without adult supervision.The proposal to ban children from carrying guns without adult supervision in public failed by a 104-39 vote. Only one Republican voted in support. Continue reading...

Balentine, 54, was convicted of triple murder in what attorneys argued was a trial marred by racial biasA man convicted of killing three teenagers while they slept in a Texas home more than 25 years ago was executed on Wednesday, the sixth inmate to be put to death in the US this year and the second in as many days.John Balentine, 54, whose attorneys argued his trial was marred by racial bias, received a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, for the January 1998 deaths of Edward Mark Caylor, 17, Kai Brooke Geyer, 15, and Steven Watson, 15, in Amarillo. Prosecutors said all three were shot once in the head. Continue reading...

To grant Ukraine’s request carries a huge risk – better to help it gain battlefield advantage as a basis for peace talksHeroic rhetoric has its moment in every conflict. “We have freedom, give us wings to protect it,” cried Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in pleading support from the nations of Europe in Westminster Hall on Wednesday. He faces a renewed battle to drive Russian tanks off his land – all his land – in the spring. His cause is just and it is desperate. He now wants jets.At such a time, war has all the best tunes. It ridicules argument, honours danger and jeers at caution. Over the past year, the western powers under Nato auspices have struggled to contain the battles in Ukraine from escalating into precisely what cold war theorists most feared. That is a destabilisation of the balance of power in Europe, leading to a widespread and catastrophic conflict.Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Yoel Roth testifies that Elon Musk’s release of records led to harassment. Plus, Shell directors face landmark lawsuitsGood morning.A former Twitter executive testified on Wednesday that he had been forced to leave and sell his home after a campaign of “homophobic and antisemitic” harassment over the company’s handling of a New York Post story about Hunter Biden.But the disclosures sparked backlash against Roth. He said the release of the files by Musk led to a campaign of harassment against him and other employees. “And following the Daily Mail’s decision to publish where I live. I had to leave my home and sell it.”The spoils of war. Shell recently announced a record annual profit of $40bn, driven by the high energy prices resulting from Russia’s war in Ukraine, “but the writing is on the wall for fossil fuels long term”. Continue reading...

Florida’s Stop Woke Act and ban on African American studies will only deprive students of the right to think and learnFor some time now, conservative groups pressured libraries and classrooms to remove certain “controversial” books from their shelves and their syllabi. These are texts that tell uncomfortable or unpopular truths about our nation’s origins, including inequality, race, history, gender, sexuality, power and class – a range of subjects that a small but vocal group of Americans would prefer to ignore or deny.These efforts achieved one of their most notable successes last April when Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed the Stop Woke Act, which prohibits in-school discussions about racism, oppression, LBGTQ+ issues and economic inequity. Books that have not been officially vetted and approved must be hidden or covered, lest teachers unknowingly break an ill-defined law against distributing pornography – a felony. Continue reading...

The sports event generates a high volume of food waste that nonprofits hope to redistribute to the least well-offSuper Bowl Sunday is beloved for the sport, the party atmosphere, the extravagant half-time show and funny TV ads but also, undoubtedly, for being accompanied by snacks – lots of snacks.At the stadium where the football game itself is played, wherever that may be each winter, a lot of munching of wings, nachos, burgers – you name it – also leads to a lot of something else: leftovers. Continue reading...

New Yorkers delighted by sightings of Eurasian eagle owl, but staff at the zoo it fled worry about its prospects of survival in the wildDavid Barrett was at the gym on Thursday night when the first reports began to trickle in: there was an owl on the sidewalk of 5th Avenue, just south of Central Park.A longtime resident of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and an avid birder since 2010, Barrett, 59, is used to receiving breaking news tips about birds. As the proprietor of the popular Twitter account Manhattan Bird Alert, he receives and transmits a steady stream of information about bird sightings, as well as photos and videos taken by a network of contributors around the city. Continue reading...

The USA forward, Alex Morgan, has questioned the possible sponsorship deal between Fifa and Saudi Arabia’s tourism authority for the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer. “I think it’s bizarre that Fifa has looked to have a ‘Visit Saudi’ sponsorship for the Women’s World Cup when I, myself, Alex Morgan, would not even be supported and accepted in that country," she said.Both the Australian and New Zealand football federations have decried the move because of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, especially when it comes to women and LGBTQ individuals. Women’s rights in Saudi Arabia are restricted under strict male guardianship laws and homosexuality is illegal.

At Davos, a futurist spoke in glowing terms about ‘brain transparency’ – and downplayed the obvious dystopian risksThe reptilian annual World Economic Forum at Davos, where the masters of the universe meet to congratulate themselves on their benevolent dictatorship, is home to many sinister ideas. Sharing the latest sinister ideas with business leaders is, in essence, why the event exists. This year, one of the creepiest discussions of all was delivered under the guise of progress and productivity.Nita Farahany, a Duke University professor and futurist, gave a presentation at Davos about neurotechnology that is creating “brain transparency”, something I previously associated more with a bullet to the head. The new technologies, which Farahany says are being deployed in workplaces around the world, may prove to be nearly as destructive. They include a variety of wearable sensors that read the brain’s electrical impulses and can show how fatigued you are, whether you’re focused on the task at hand or if your attention is wandering. According to Farahany, thousands of companies have hooked workers ranging from train drivers to miners up to these devices already, in the name of workplace safety. But what we are really discussing is workplace surveillance. Continue reading...

Philadelphia are experts at getting Jalen Hurts over the line in short yardage situations. Should opposing teams look to rugby for a solution?The Eagles have turned the quarterback sneak into the least sneaky play in the playbook. There was no mystery about what Philadelphia were planning when Jalen Hurts lined up with nine teammates between the hashes on the San Francisco one-yard line in the NFC Championship game, half of the group in four-point stances.Nor did the call change after the 49ers stopped Hurts for no gain. One play later, from an identical formation, Philly’s quarterback took the snap and plunged forward to his left, forcing his way into the end zone with some help from tight end Dallas Goedert and running back Boston Scott behind him, shoving him over the line. Continue reading...

Streaming of Linda Ronstadt’s Long Long Time rose by 4,900% the day after it featured on The Last of Us. It wasn’t all because of meI’ve been here before, but not for a while. The last attack, from memory, was Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time, but that was quick – I was in and out in two days. Same goes for Petula Clark’s Don’t Sleep in the Subway. There was a weird period when the needle stuck – no judgment – on Dan Stevens (Dan Stevens!) singing Evermore from the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack, which must have had to do with my then very young children and had to be borne with patience until it worked itself out. There was Macca doing Golden Slumbers. Which reminds me, oh God, of the week I lost to In My Life, except, crucially, it was the 1991 Bette Midler cover version not the Beatles’ 1965 original. All I can say is it made sense at the time.Last week, like the return of a fever dream, I fell into a deep, unfightable obsession with a single song, that in the last seven days I have played on a loop probably hundreds of times. I have listened to it while I’m stacking the dishwasher and making the kids’ lunches. It has taken me round the supermarket, and back and forth to a doctor’s appointment. My apartment has never been so tidy, tidying providing me with an excuse to put off work for another five minutes so I can get in two more revolutions. At night, I’ve warned my children that if they fall off the sofa and start screaming I won’t hear them because I’ve got my Pods in and, for reasons I can’t explain but that they may one day understand, I am compelled to listen to Linda Ronstadt over and over and over and over until suddenly, just as abruptly as it started, it stops.Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Yahoo News/YouGov survey finds that an additional Republican candidate would split the vote in former president’s favorAs the former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley prepares to announce a run for president, a new poll found that just one additional candidate in the 2024 Republican primary will be enough to split the vote and keep Donald Trump ahead of Ron DeSantis, his only current close rival.The Yahoo News/YouGov poll gave DeSantis, the Florida governor, a 45%-41% lead over Trump head-to-head. Similar scenarios in other polls have prompted increasing attacks on DeSantis by Trump – and deflections by DeSantis. Continue reading...

Animal spotted in the desert of southern Nevada likely to have been abandoned as a puppy, rescuers sayFor the last few months, a ghost has roamed the desert of southern Nevada near Las Vegas with a pack of coyotes. The apparent phantom is actually a white dog named Ghost, who observers say the animals accepted as one of their own.Residents in Henderson spotted the dog running through their neighborhood at night, sometimes with the coyotes as they played together, for at least six months, according to a fundraiser for the animal. But neighbors, who documented his movements on social media, grew concerned about an injury on Ghost’s leg that was causing a severe limp and tried unsuccessfully to catch him. Continue reading...

The key context of the word I coined in 2008 is that mansplaining is one part of a huge problem – of who gets listened to, and who gets believedI have a file on my desktop titled Mansplaining Olympic Tryouts, mostly screenshots of some of the most epic specimens I’ve come across on social media or that people have steered my way. They’re grimly hilarious: a man explaining vaginas to a noted female gynaecologist, a man telling Sinn Féin adviser Siobhán Fenton to read the Good Friday agreement (she replied with a picture of herself with the book she wrote on that agreement), and the famous incident with Dr Jessica McCarty, about which she tweeted: “At a Nasa Earth meeting 10 years ago, a white male postdoc interrupted me to tell me that I don’t understand human drivers of fire, that I def needed to read McCarty et al. I looked him in the eye, pulled my long hair back so he could read my name tag. ‘I’m McCarty et al.’”The word mansplaining was coined by an anonymous person in response to my 2008 essay Men Explain Things to Me and has had a lively time of it ever since. It was a New York Times word of the year in 2010, and entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2018; versions of it exist in many other languages from French to Icelandic, and the essay itself has appeared in many languages including Korean and Swedish. People often recount the opening incident in that almost 15-year-old essay, in which a man explained a book to me, too busy holding forth to notice that I was its author, as my friend was trying to tell him.Rebecca Solnit is a Guardian US columnist Continue reading...

Guns have become the No 1 killer of children in the US. But they have little formal say in how – or whether – to confront the crisisGuns are now the No 1 killer of children and teens under 18 in the US, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that was analyzed by University of Michigan researchers.While 2020 marked the first year that more children and teens of all races and ethnicities across the US were killed by guns than in car accidents, homicide has been the No 1 cause of death among Black teenage boys and young adults over 15 for at least a decade, according to CDC data, and the second leading cause of death among Hispanic teenage boys and men ages 15 to 34. The trend was underscored by the recent high-profile killings of an 18-year-old at a gas station in Oakland, California, and two boys, ages 14 and 15, at a high school in Des Moines, Iowa. Continue reading...