London Trans+ Pride will return to central London on Saturday 26 July with organisers announcing this year’s theme: ‘Existence and Resistance’ the annual protest march is expected to bring thousands to the streets in a show of solidarity with trans+ people across the UK The event follows a record-breaking turnout in 2024 making it the largest Trans Pride gathering in history more than 30 Trans Pride events are scheduled across the UK and Ireland with London remaining one of the most prominent “Marching to reclaim our streets is more important now than ever as our community has continually seen its rights rescinded in the UK and across the world for years,” Adam Khan a member of the London Trans+ Pride organising team This year’s theme responds to what organisers describe as a growing wave of political and legal hostility, including the recent Supreme Court ruling on the definition of “biological sex” said: “This year’s Supreme Court ruling has caused confusion and real harm… The judgement erases the realities of intersex people and reinforces the idea that only a narrow outdated definition of womanhood deserves legal protection.” In light of this, the event has drawn vocal support from a wide range of community members and allies, including Jessie Ware, Jeremy Corbyn, Munroe Bergdorf, Eddie Suzy Izzard, Jake Shears I proudly stand with the trans community – with love and respect Actor Russell Tovey said: “No LGB without the T and respect and no amount of government rhetoric can erase their existence Will Young added: “I stand in full solidarity with all trans people The political hijacking of your lives and bodies is driven by a minority “Trans people have always existed and should have the right to live peaceful dignified and joyous lives,” said Clara Amfo “Their rights are human rights.” Organisers have set out a series of political demands for 2025 including a full ban on all forms of conversion therapy and legal recognition for non-binary people The importance of allyship has also been highlighted said: “There has never been a more urgent time for allyship I’m asking you to shelve passive allyship and step into active advocacy… Show up on the streets and then: take that same energy to your workplace For more information or to register to volunteer, visit the London Trans+ Pride website Cardinal Vincent Nichols will be leading a Jubilee Year pilgrimage to St Edmund's College is a continuation on English soil of the famous college that was founded Cardinal William Allen at Douay in Flanders in 1568 It is important to us because it was probably the strongest single agency by which Catholicism was kept from perishing in England Originally intended as a seminary to prepare priests to work in England to keep the faith alive it soon also became a Catholic boys’ school debarred as they were by the laws of the land from having such institutions at home returned to England to be put to death under the anti-Catholic laws of the time and the College has among its alumni 20 canonised and 133 beatified martyrs The seminary part of the College moved to Allen Hall in Chelsea in 1975 Buried in its grounds are the bodies of some of the Vicars Apostolic who looked after the Church in the south of this country before the restoration of the Hierarchy in 1850 11am - Pilgrims are invited to arrive and gather 12noon - Solemn Mass for the Jubilee Year celebrated by H.E Cardinal Nichols in the school grounds – please bring suitable clothing etc in the event of rain 1.30pm - Picnic lunch (bring your own); tours of the College  Adoration and Confessions in the Chapel during this break 2.45pm - Procession of the Blessed Sacrament; please gather outside the College Chapel for the procession to the school grounds where Mass was celebrated and where Benediction will now be given Registration Form Poster Home   News   Article The Conservatives have sensationally lost control of Hertfordshire County Council for the first time in 26 years after the Liberal Democrats Reform UK and the Green Party all gained seats at their expense in Thursday’s (May 1) election The Tories lost just over half of the 46 seats they won at the previous poll in 2021 to be left with 22 The Lib Dems are now the biggest party on the council but their tally of 31 seats is nine short of the 40 required to be able to assume control by themselves so they could be looking to form a progressive administration with Labour and the Green Party The Conservatives and Reform cannot form a right-of-centre administration – even if the two parties desired it – as their combined seats amount to 36 The political make-up of the new council is: Liberal Democrats 31 (up 8 on the 2021 result) The turnout of 32% – less than a third – was down on the 37.2% in the last county council election four years ago 40 are newly elected and 38 were re-elected which is illustrated perfectly in Bishop’s Stortford where the Lib Dems – one newcomer and one returner – comfortably won both urban seats Miriam Swainston – who is leader of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council and a member of East Herts Council – gained Bishop’s Stortford West from the Conservatives while Calvin Horner decisively retained the Bishop’s Stortford East seat he won in 2021 Mark Pope dramatically retained Bishop’s Stortford Rural for the Conservatives by just SEVEN votes from Reform’s Jonathan Grose after a recount Reform wanted a second recount but withdrew their request The seat was previously held by Graham McAndrew who defected to Reform and stood unsuccessfully in Hertford on the authority were up for grabs in Thursday’s election Liberal Democrats and Reform fielded candidates in all 78 while the Green Party had 77 including smaller parties and independents the Conservatives won an overall majority – as they had done at every election since 1999 their 42 seats – four fewer than they won on polling day four years ago – gave them a narrow majority of six Independents five and the Green Party and Reform UK one each Miriam Swainston polled 1,072 votes with Harrison Grose pipping Conservative John Wyllie for second by just two votes – 949 to 947 David Jacobs (Labour) polled 632 and Maura Connolly (Green) 294 Calvin Horner polled 1,536 votes with Reform’s Mike Casey second on 774 beating third-placed Conservative David Snowdon (628) Andrew Zsibrita (Green Party) was fifth with 175 and Barry Hensall (Heritage Party) sixth with 11 Cllr Horner told the Indie at the East Herts district count at Wodson Park Sports Centre in Ware: “I’m extremely pleased – I’m delighted to have over 1,500 votes “As well as being delighted with the result I’m honoured to be entrusted with another term by the people of Bishop’s Stortford but I was hopeful that what I have done over the past four years had been enough to earn the trust of the electorate He said the result gave him the chance to complete projects he had already started “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to finish them,” he said Cllr Horner became the first non-Tory to be elected to represent the town on Hertfordshire County Council in 24 years when he beat Conservative John Wyllie In Bishop’s Stortford Rural – which as well as part of the town includes the Hadhams polled 1,087 votes to Reform candidate Jonathan Grose’s 1,080 the Green Party’s George Williams fifth with 316 and Jane Fowler Conservative incumbent Eric Buckmaster polled 1,802 votes beating Reform UK Hertford and Stortford chairman John Burmicz (1,230) by more than 500 votes fourth was Lib Dem Julia Davies with 318 and fifth was Sarah Santos of the Green Party with 267 the East Herts district’s 10 seats on the county council were held by eight Conservatives Lib Dem Calvin Horner and the Green Party’s Ben Crystall his party’s only member at County Hall and the leader of East Herts Council the Conservatives have just three of those seats: newcomer Mark Pope in Stortford Rural while Eric Buckmaster and Ken Crofton retained their Sawbridgeworth and Hertford Rural seats respectively The Greens have four – all in Hertford and Ware – the Lib Dems two (both in Stortford) and Reform UK one, after Terry Smith won the Buntingford division having also won an East Herts Council by-election. Reflecting their surge nationwide, Nigel Farage’s party were also second in eight of the seats and third in one. Ben Crystall comfortably retained Hertford All Saints by 1,121 votes, polling 1,870 to Reform runner-up Graham McAndrew’s 749. He will now be joined at County Hall by Rachel Carter, who won Hertford St Andrew’s from Reform’s David West by just 59 votes, Kirsty Taylor-Moran, who ousted long-serving Conservative David Andrews in Ware North, and by Steven Watson in Ware South. While counting in the vast majority of the county’s seats began on Friday morning, the six divisions in Broxbourne were declared last night. The Conservatives held four of the six – Cheshunt Central, Hoddesdon North, Hoddesdon South and Waltham Cross – despite significantly reduced votes. Reform were second in all four. But Reform’s Tony Hill won in Flamstead End and Turnford – beating serving Tory Mark Mills-Bishop, who is also leader of Broxbourne Council, by 28 votes – while Anthony Owen took Goffs Oak and Bury Green from the Conservatives. In 2016 Broxbourne voted 66% for Brexit and more recently the party has seen its first two councillors on the borough council. The chairman of Reform in Broxbourne, Hamish Haddow, said that the Conservatives would now have to realise that support for Reform in the county was “not just a protest vote”. Voters were feeling the pain of the past 14 years and wanting change locally, said Mr Haddow, and with seats on the county council Reform would have the opportunity to influence budgets and to highlight “erroneous decisions”. Richard Roberts, the previous Conservative leader of the county council, who retained his seat in King’s Langley, said: “There’s a national sentiment that has been driven by Nigel Farage, and it has washed over our local elections from the north of the country to the south.” Thomas O'Ware had been Kelty captain since 2023 Thomas O'Ware has been made player-manager of Kelty Hearts on a permanent basis after a second spell as caretaker following the resignation of Charlie Mulgrew Former Scotland international Mulgrew left after just one win in 11 games as Kelty fell out of contention for a promotion play-off place drawn one and lost one under 32-year-old centre-half O'Ware and sit sixth in the table before hosting Alloa Athletic in Saturday's final game of the season Kelty said in a statement that: "Thomas has impressed everyone at the club with his professionalism and attention to detail during his two spells in interim charge this season "We are sure that this appointment will prove to be popular with players and fans alike." who spent seven seasons with Greenock Morton has been with the Scottish League 1 club since leaving Partick Thistle in 2021 who was made captain at the beginning of the 2023/24 season has also been "a rock" in their defence He initially took interim charge after player-manager Michael Tidser left in January for a shortlived stint as Dunfermline Athletic head coach Champions League semi-final updates: Calafiori back for Arsenal; Dembele returns for PSG Stunning stats and 'Ronaldo behaviour' - is Yamal cut out to rival Messi PSG's Dembele fit for second leg against Arsenal A gritty crime saga set in Liverpool starring Sean Bean Stacey Dooley explores Britain’s shoplifting epidemic What is still to be decided as season reaches climax Scotland men's internationals to be shown live on BBC Commonwealth Games: Why is it so special to be part of Team Scotland From titles to tinpottery - rank Scotland's top 10 clubs Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week Is the risk that Mercedes took with Antonelli paying off Trailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China 'Calamity keeper' or 'human wall' - which Donnarumma will Arsenal face Zhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights VideoZhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights Alexander-Arnold leaves as modern Liverpool great - but fans will feel hurt 'Scheffler and DeChambeau wins further raise US PGA excitement levels' Match-fixing scandal to Crucible champion - fall and rise of Zhao 'We need to take a look at ourselves' - Arsenal stalling at wrong time Europa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney VideoEuropa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney Ask Me Anything the new BBC Sport service designed to serve you Bayern's 'James Bond' - how Kane clinched his first trophy Nine bolters with a shot of making the Lions squad How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool VideoHow 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool Solskjaer on Besiktas Saints 'punch' favourites Leinster in game for the ages VideoVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer Poppy's tears Elton John & Happy Gilmore - McIlroy on Jimmy Fallon show Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. May 5, 2025Never know what to get the mom who has everything? We've done the legwork for you with this collection of great gift ideas for the foodie matriarchs in your life. Remember when kitchen gifts for Mother's Day were considered a faux pas If your mom has elevated her kitchen game to Martha-like proportions she'll love these food and drink gifts for Mother's Day 2025.  there are many great options to consider here Shop our mom-friendly favorites and pin your wish list finds to pass off to the fam for easy hints for the perfect May 11th gift Parade aims to feature only the best products and services Related: 100 Happy Mother's Day Messages for 2025 Surprise Mom with a luxurious brunch experience she won’t forget FultonFishMarket.com’s premium selection of bagels lox and caviar is the perfect way to celebrate this Mother’s Day Whether it’s a cozy brunch at home or a grand spread Fulton Fish Market delivers the finest flavors right to your doorstep Chateau d’Esclans Rosé, $38+Chateau d’Esclans One Mother's Day gift idea that's always a good idea? Rosé. And since rosé season goes hand in hand with the holiday—and spring—a bottle of some of the world’s finest from Chateau d’Esclans is the perfect present. Choose from Château d’Esclans (aclassic in the portfolio) Les Clans (an exotic rosé defined by red berry aromas or Garrus (reminiscent of a vintage champagne without the bubbly) Elia Grecian Olive Oil Cake With Vanilla and Lemon, $30Elia If you don’t have a Grecian vacation on the books with mom you can still transport her tastebuds to the Mediterranean with Elia a line of luxury olive oil cake mixes made with top-of-the-line ingredients and the aesthetics to match Grow Your Zone Seed Bank Gift Set, $60The perfect present for the garden-obsessed mom or a novice who wants to embrace the hobby This gift comes in varieties for every USDA hardiness zone so you can give your mom a set of seeds guaranteed to do well in her yard Each kit includes 32 organic seeds that are a mix of veggies Nordic Ware Floral Cakelet Pan, $35Nordic Ware Nordic Ware's floral cakelet pan can help you bake the cutest flower-shaped bundts for mom this year Hu Organic Chocolate Bars, Chunks & Bites, From $4.29For the mom who loves health and wellness but also has a sweet tooth The products are made with no refined sugar From organic vegan chocolate baking chips to bars made with organic grass-fed milk and filled with nut butters and you're sure to find a flavor to suit your mom Sfoglini The Sporkful Collection, $35.99You could take mom to an Italian restaurant on Mother's Day or you could make her a bowl of Cascatelli—a pasta shape so unique that it was named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of the Year Sfoglini's Sporkful Collection features this waterfall-like nood along with Vesuvio "volcanos" and Quattrotini that are only served once a year Ambrosia Linen Refrigerator Bags Set, $110Ambrosia meet the gift you didn't know you needed in life Ambrosia's breathable linen bags ensure optimal air circulation to extend freshness preserve crispness and keep your produce at its peak for up to two weeks wrapping or waste with these washable sacks Kit Kemp for Spode Alphabet Mug, $20Kit Kemp for Spode Kit Kemp's Alphabet Mug collection for Spode is illustrated with fantastical creatures and curiosities this work of art is bound to become mom's new favorite mug Marky's Caviar Gift Set, $238Marky's Caviar For the mom who loves to be spoiled (and can appreciate the finer things in life) And legacy purveyor Marky’s aqua caviar sampler includes a little bit of everything: Siberian Sturgeon Osetra Karat Amber and Kaluga Fusion Amber crème fraîche and mother-of-pearl spoons Giadzy Seasonal Three-in-One Recipe Box, $120-130Thanks to Giada De Laurentiis seasonal and delicious Italian meals with just one box delivered The ingredients in these boxes change every few months you'll get everything you need to make Pasta Ponza Spring Artichoke Pasta and Sun-Drier Tomato & Caper Pasta Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque Rosé 2013, $260Nothing but the best bubbly for mom! Perrier-Jouët's Belle Époque Rosé is a fascinating cuvée—subtle and delicate with palette notes of pink grapefruit and mandarin And it makes an excellent Mother's Day brunch beverage The Chef's Garden Best of the Season Box, $89The Chef's Garden If your favorite urbanite mom wishes she had her own vegetable garden, give her the next best thing: Famer Lee Jone's Best of the Season Box from The Chef's Garden sustainably-grown produce like micro greens leafy lettuce heirloom carrots and spring radishes to bring the farm directly to her door Union Square Cafe Lasagna, $140Goldbelly You weren't going to really make mom cook on Mother's Day This legendary lasagna from Chef Danny Meyer’s flagship restaurant traps a traditional rich bolognese sauce in between ten delicate sheets of fresh egg pasta dough to create an impressive tower of the Italian classic Ojo de Tigre Mezcal Joven, $25+Ojo de Tigre If you know a mezcal curious mom, put Ojo de Tigre on her radar It's been dubbed the "mezcal that welcomes you to mezcal" due to its subtle smokiness and approachable prices With flavors sustainably crafted from two states—the sweet and smoky essence of Espadín from Oaxaca with the herbal complexity of Tobalá from Puebla—it's one of the smoothest Picnics are better when you have a cute tote to lug all your stuff This wicker basket has an insulated cooler compartment to keep drinks and snacks fresh and includes plates Add a foil-debossed monogram to the leather tag for an extra special touch Find Your Hero Bundle, $34Hero Bread They have some of the tastiest tortillas and croissants we've ever tried but they're made with proteins and fibers from common plants like wheat and fava beans instead of traditional flour Mom Juice Rosé WineMom Juice With spring in full swing, Mom might be itching for some Mom Juice Wine right about now The BIPOC woman-owned wine company is shaking up the industry by producing wine in Napa (while rooted in Colorado) and their California rosé is perfect for those looking to unwind and savor the moment this Mother's Day Sugarfina x Chopin Vodka Shake Your Martini Bento Box, $32Sugarfina x Chopin For the mom who loves her martinis—and sweet treats—Sugarfina's Candy Bento Box is the perfect solution Cosmopolitan Bears and Lemon Drop Bears are infused with Chopin's potato vodka offering a playful way to enjoy the complex spirit Ooni Karu 12G Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven, $399Ooni Meet the world’s most advanced portable pizza oven that cooks 12-inch pies in just 60 seconds using wood pellets for a traditional wood-fired experience The ultimate gift for pizza-loving moms who don't own a pizza oven but need one Via Carota Espresso Martini, $39Via Carota This ready-to-drink bottling of the popular cocktail comes with true Italian credentials—it's crafted in New York City's beloved West Village restaurant: Via Carota Pour this chilled over ice and watch mom be transported to a sidewalk seat on Grove Street Ina's Coconut Cake, $100Goldbelly This snow-white coconut layer cake is one of Barefoot Contessa's signatures layered with cream cheese icing and coated in shredded coconut It's guaranteed to be the star of the show for Mother's Day brunch or for a special dessert after dinner Surely Non-Alcoholic Wines, $24-27Poppin’ (non-alcoholic) bottles this Mother’s Day? Gift a N/A wine collection to your favorite mom-to-be, from Surely Made for actual wine lovers (no grape juice here!) who want to enjoy the taste—without the morning hangover Enzo's Table Tre Biscotti, $44Enzo's Table Moms who love their morning coffee might want a biscotti upgrade this Mother's Day Enzo's Table made a gift basket just for the occasion with three of their best-selling biscotti: Pistachio Cranberry Chocolate Almond and Traditional Almond but it's their secret family recipe that's the true star of the set Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times After three hurricanes hit the state in 2024 Florida lawmakers Friday gave final approval to a bill that would make changes involving issues such as debris removal and rebuilding storm-damaged homes The House voted 106-0 and the Senate voted 34-1 to approve the bill (SB 180) “This bill is meant to help those folks in the future that are going through their darkest hours because we know that we're going to continue to have hurricanes,” Rep would require local governments each year to set in advance at least one debris-management site; to develop plans for businesses and homeowners about post-storm permitting processes; to establish what are known as mutual-aid agreements to bring in help from elsewhere; and to set plans for staffing after storms Local governments also would be prohibited from increasing building-permit and inspection fees for 180 days after emergencies are declared for hurricanes or tropical storms The bill also would seek to prevent a repeat of an incident where a crane collapsed into a St Petersburg office building when Hurricane Milton slammed into the area last year The bill would require that 24 hours before anticipated hurricane impacts all hoisting equipment would have to be secured to comply with manufacturer recommendations laying down fixed booms and setting towers in a “weathervane position.” An earlier version of the bill also dealt with the authority of elections supervisors to make changes after storms but that issue was removed from the final measure said those issues could be addressed in the 2026 legislative session This year’s six-month hurricane season will start June 1 causing tens of billions of dollars in damage Following the recent Supreme Court ruling on the definition of the words ‘woman’ and sex’ in the context of the Equality Act 2010 a number of major pop stars and music industry professionals have signed a letter in solidarity with the trans community Among the signatories were Charli xcx, Little Mix stars JADE The letter was started by artist Tom Rasmussen, publicist Tom Mehrtens, former Attitude cover boy Olly Alexander and Sugababes’ Siobhán Donaghey have also signed the letter which can be read in full below: while further suggesting that trans people may also be excluded from using facilities that correspond to their sex assigned at birth We believe this guidance exposes trans people to embarrassment and harassment ultimately excluding and seeking to erase them from participation in public life.We stand with the many voices who have condemned both the ruling and the EHRC guidance highlighting the negative consequences that both will have for all individuals and the particular harm that trans and intersex people face as a result.We commend organisations within the music industry who have already voiced their support for the trans community and call upon further influential companies and organisations BPI and beyond to join us in condemning the Supreme Court ruling We urge them to use their power within the industry and public platforms to make meaningful commitments to protecting trans and staff from discrimination within their respective organisations.Music has the power to unite and to reflect the richness of the human experience This is our moment to amplify voices that need to be heard and to ensure that our industry remains a welcoming and trailblazing space for everyone The full list of signatories can be viewed here A post shared by QUEER HOUSE PARTY (@queerhouseparty) NASCAR has hit a Cup Series team with two penalties ahead of the action at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. SHANE ANDERSON: You’ve recently published a book about extinction – The one that comes after is about violence in the broadest possible sense: aesthetic violence Book three is going to be a philosophy of nature which is where the book on extinction actually started and it will be about the relationship between what I call “first,” “second,” and “third” nature; about habit; about madness This is what I was working on when COVID came along as I discuss in the Preface to On Extinction your thinking was forced to change direction the first thing to say is that it’s not a conventional book about extinction The title might be taken as something of a red herring since its primary focus is not climate change but they’re folded back into a bigger philosophical It provides a new philosophical history of extinction looking at the ways in which extinction has continued to fascinate and provoke thinkers from Kant and Hegel through to figures in the twentieth century such as Adorno and Freud The idea here is that the history of modern European philosophy can be re-read as a history of thinking about extinction or the end of the world is to rethink the relationship between time and catastrophe we hear a lot about tipping points and doomsday clocks that the catastrophe is not some existential dark cloud still looming on our horizon already taken place; and it’s already having a clear effect on our economic the question becomes: how do we think and how do we act when it’s already too late and it’s one that the book provides a number of answers to To pick up just one thread: one of the arguments I make is that we need to return to the issue of time we now appear to find ourselves stuck within an arrested time: an ever-expanding present that has the character of a strange limbo state We thus need to ask how we might emerge from this condition of stuckness How might we imagine new forms of collective time opening up The German-Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin points us in an interesting direction here is that we need to think about moving into the future not as a leap into some great unknown but rather as a process that involves the repetition and completion of the unfinished past we free ourselves from problematic ideas of “progress” by aiming to actualize alternative potentialities that lie unrealized in history we have to look at where the struggles are currently located The things that are animating younger activists today are I think we should try to imagine how we can build new forms of collective politics—new forms of class struggle—around these particular issues; and then how we might use these as a lever to open up a whole set of other political and ethical debates does not involve starting from scratch: it is an effort to begin again the great anti-war protests of 2003 against the illegal invasion of Iraq which were themselves a kind of repetition of the massive protests against the war in Vietnam Radical politics thus involves the attempt to bring explosively back to life what has but to make it appear as if for the first time SA: Is Extinction Rebellion a positive example of this As I argue in the first chapter of the book which merely adds to the prevailing culture of the endless end: Spectacle of protest Demand that the capitalist state “tell the truth” and “act” in a way that is no longer capitalist—a SAD politics repeated ad infinitum Their politics is perverse and moves in the direction of what I call apocalyptic jouissance In the big London protests just before the pandemic One of them read “Climate Change,” the other “We’re Fucked.” The slogan “Climate Change: We’re Fucked” now appears as an infinitely repeated and endlessly enjoyed slogan; but it is one that should strike us as rather strange the threat of extinction and sexual gratification and thus perfectly summing up the political impotence of contemporary eco-masochism As if politicians are just going to turn around and say What were we thinking?” The eco-moralists seem unable to realize that capitalism is completely indifferent to the moral demand in the same way that it is completely indifferent to spectacular action we will have to think beyond capitalism and not ask it to be nice and benevolent “Hell Yeah We Fuck Die,” Esther Schipper Gallery BW: I think we might begin by reminding ourselves of Walter Benjamin’s powerful statement: “That things are ‘status quo’”—i.e that they just carry on as they do—“is the catastrophe….Hell is not something that awaits us but this life here and now.” I think we need to be aware of what we are up against; and that we cannot expect anything to get “fixed” within the framework of the existing system—and this includes any attempts to “change things from the inside” by so-called “left populists” such as Corbyn and Sanders is where the activity of radical critique—or “ruthless criticism,” as Marx referred to it—comes in: critique can itself produce a cut in our present “reality,” a disruption of what we perceive as fixed “second nature.” As part of this activity of critique we also need to keep alive a number of “old fashioned” ideas and the unconscious: ideas dismissed today as so many relics of an “outmoded,” “paranoid” style of theorizing If we really want to uncouple from capitalist desire some kind of synthesis between Marx and Lacanian psychoanalysis will SA: You described earlier that philosophy could be understood through the lens of reckoning with the end it occurred to me that this was something Socrates also suggested: “to philosophize is to learn how to die.” Maybe this is the still the true goal of philosophy the true task of both philosophy and politics today is to look extinction in the face and tarry with it!I think this is what Kant is trying to do in his great late essay “The End of All Things.” And we can trace a line from here all the way through to Adorno’s comment in his essay “Progress” that the prospect of humanity only opens up in the face of its own extinction I’ll never forget this one visit I had to the Prado in Madrid where people were pushing against one another to get closer to Breughel’s The Triumph of Death It was like a mosh pit to be near a famous representation of extermination and get a picture of it This colored my entire experience of the museum and then I started noticing that so many of these famous paintings—from Goya to van der Weyden to all the depictions of Christ on the cross—were about death so much of culture is about beginning at the end and this idea of beginning again at the end—and beginning again out of the end—is an idea that I pick up again in the new work on violence I’ve been going back to the paintings of Francis Bacon an artist I’ve written on quite a bit—I edited a collection of psychoanalytic essays about Bacon for Thames and Hudson in 2019 not in the way that Bacon himself describes it I don’t think that the paintings make a violent impact on the viewer’s “nervous system” as both Bacon and Deleuze believe I think their violence should be located elsewhere SA: One thing I appreciate about On Extinction is that it brings so many aspects of culture and politics together BW: Maybe this is after 10 years of Lacanian analysis but this is just how I think: which is to say Anything to avoid my work lapsing into a kind of “university discourse.” Each section in each chapter offers which means that the book doesn’t have to be read from beginning to end: one can simply read a few sections at a time and take the time to take things in The rather intricate nature of the construction means that the books can take quite a while to complete; but this is the process I don’t know any other way—I’m sure new formal experiments will emerge over time I think this mixing of culture and politics and everything else comes from a particular modernist impulse that has always animated my work; an attempt to find the new and also find it new It is interesting that in his final lectures which were recently published by Verso as The Years of Theory (2024) one of the things that the late Fredric Jameson laments is precisely the disappearance of this modernist impulse from philosophy SA: Since governments and ecological movements are devoid of practical solutions I’m wondering if you’re sympathetic to technocratic proposals to fixing the crisis through technology this kind of eco-futurism always raises the immediate spectre of eco-fascism I come at some of this stuff in chapter three of the book—in a slightly different but related way—when I criticize “de-extinction,” or so-called “resurrection biology,” the use of advanced genetic sequencing to bring back extinct megafauna As I argue: “de-extinction is perhaps the most extreme instance of the anthropocenic sublime: the attempt to create wonder and awe on the back of global planetary wreckage…De-extinction asks that we put all our faith in accelerationist science to solve all of nature’s woes.” This is a new eco-modernist theology which turns out to be apocalyptic through and through you don’t see the government as leading the way nor the technocracts nor the protest movements… Are you an optimist or a pessimist people have picked up the book thinking they’re going to get a very pessimistic tone I think there’s a moral obligation to think about the possibility for change Pessimism can become its own form of negative enjoyment where you can enjoy the dystopia All Networks Lead Through Kansas: The Shadowy Well(ness) of Masculinity “We Cannot Assume False Neutrality”: Wu Ming—from the Luther Blissett community Weaponized Irony: A Roundtable on Trolling and Politics “It’s very serious”: BAR ITALIA’s THE TWITS Mining a Counter-History from the Past: WILLIAM S Making Money From Hiding the Truth with Liam Gillick The New American Dream Is Sponsored by Meta: ANA VIKTORIA DZINIC Life Exists: Theaster Gates’ Black Image Corporation My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is Chris Ware — author of Jimmy Corrigan, Building Stories and Rusty Brown, and a man widely regarded as one of the greatest living cartoonists Chris’s new book, The Acme Novelty Datebook Volume Three, opens his sketchbooks for public consumption: a potentially painful move for an artist as self-conscious and perfectionist as Ware He tells me a bit about the relationship between cartooning and architecture what he’s trying to do with his graphic novels the importance of R Crumb and Art Spiegelman to his work and what gave him the confidence to turn his back on fine art Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3 Already a subscriber? Log in Three new plaintiffs were added to the suit against WWE and Vince & Linda McMahon alleging that former ring announcer Mel Phillips and now Pat Patterson and Koko B Ware abused teens recruiting for ring crew duty in the late 1980s and early 1990s Yesterday (April 29), an amended version of the “ring boys” lawsuit against WWE and Vince & Linda McMahon was filed The suit alleges the plaintiffs were aware of sexual abuse perpetrated by former WWE employee Mel Phillips against underage young men that were recruited to be part of the company’s set-up crew in the late 1980s Brandon Thurston has a thorough report on the amended suit over at Post Wrestling that we encourage you to read The key additions are allegations from three additional plaintiffs who name not only Phillips but WWE Hall of Famers Pat Patterson and Koko B says he met Phillips in 1988 when he was 11 or 12 years old Doe 6 was told he had to stay in a hotel room with Patterson he says he was given alcohol while Patterson watched pornography before forcing him to engage in sexual activity Some of Doe 6’s testimony supports the case’s assertion that the McMahons had knowledge of the abuse by showing how widespread knowledge of it was. From Thurston’s report for Post: In a separate alleged incident, in a WWF dressing room in Maine, Doe 6 claims he was grabbed in the crotch by wrestler Koko B. Ware with many other witnesses present, including Phillips, Patterson, ring crew member and later ring announcer Tony Chimel, and referee Danny Davis. “In front of everyone else in the room, Koko B. Ware told John Doe 6 to get against wall [sic], pushed John Doe 6’s head against wall [sic], patted him down, and then grabbed John Doe 6’s crotch.” ... The updated lawsuit states that most others in the room laughed, except Chimel, who “said something like, ‘don’t do that, let him go.’” Chimel later told Doe 6 that he shouldn’t be on the ring crew and that he should run away, according to the complaint. Doe 6 also shares a story about wrestling in the ring with a teenage Shane McMahon, who was injured. The supposition appears to be the McMahons had to know about ring boys since their son was hurt interacting with them. The two other additional plaintiffs allege they were abused by Phillips while underage, as the suit’s five initial plaintiffs did. WWE and the McMahons had previously filed responses to the suit. In addition to claiming they were unaware of the alleged abuses, the responses argue lack of jurisdiction due to the defendants lack of ties to Maryland, where the state’s 2023 Child Victims Act made the suit possible by eliminated the statute of limitations on when victims of child sexual abuse can file civil lawsuits against those responsible. The defendants also argued the suit doesn’t adequately establish their “duty of care” for the plaintiffs, and that it didn’t successfully argue the current WWE is liable for what happened under a different from of the company, as the then-WWF was not owned by TKO. The amended suit adds that each of the plaintiffs received compensation for their work on the ring crew, which could strengthen the case’s “duty of care” argument. Philip died in 2012, and Patterson in 2020. Post Wrestling attempted to reach out to Ware, but have thus far been unsuccessful. Request for comment from each of the defendants have not been answered as of this writing. Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again. A new retrospective of the work of iconic American graphic novelist Chris Ware has landed in Barcelona’s Contemporary Culture Centre (CCCB).  With designs and creations stretching the full length of the exhibition space walls, visitors will be able to dive headfirst into the creative universes of one of the most celebrated cartoonists working today.  ‘Chris Ware. Drawing is Thinking’ reviews the work and reflections of an author whose work has the power to move so many people as they touch on themes of human existence in great depth.  The exhibition presents a chronological journey through Ware’s work with original pieces, audiovisuals, objects, books, and sculptures on display now until November 9.  The exhibition is an expanded adaptation of ‘Building Chris Ware’, curated by Benoît Peeters and Julien June Misserey, which was presented at the Angoulême International Comics Festival (France) in 2022 and which subsequently toured France, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany.  The CCCB is now hosting the end of the European leg of the tour and expanding its contents by providing, among others, new originals and objects from Chris Ware’s private collection. Ware told Catalan News at the opening of the exhibition on Thursday that he doesn’t aim his artwork at any particular type of audience, but rather, “you have to try to speak to everyone, and the only way you can speak to everyone is to first speak to yourself. What I look for in other people's artwork is a sense of their lived experience and an emotional honesty, so I try to cultivate that as much as I possibly can in my own stuff.” The Nebraska-born illustrator aims to identify “a particular feeling” through his artwork and express it “in a somewhat accurate way.” When drawing, he is “constantly going back and rereading and rereading to see if I'm getting at a real feeling or not.” The act of drawing itself is what attracted Ware to the medium for which he has become so renowned. “If you don't draw, you should,” he recommends to everybody, “because it's one thing that you can do where you find out something about how you feel inside. You can surprise yourself with that very particular line and way of making something on the page that comes back to you,” he points out.  “But comics are a language of words and pictures and color and pattern and music and gesture and theater on paper that is unlike anything else,” Ware celebrates. “They're completely inert and dead as a corpse on the page until you breathe life into them by reading them.” The American says that the CCCB’s exhibition is different from the five previous versions of it that have been shown around the world before now. “This one specifically they allowed me to design myself with input from the staff, which I greatly appreciated. They've been very kind and permissive and tolerable of my weird ideas, and I greatly appreciate it,” Ware says. Specifically, Ware is a fan of the CCCB’s building design, as the exhibition spaces have no windows. “There's something sort of subterranean about comics because they happen in your mind, so I tried to put a little bit of that into the exhibit.” During his stay in the Catalan capital, the author says he has already found “the best comic shop I've ever been to,” and specifically highlighted the vast community of cartoonists and designers based here.  “I can't believe all the cartoonists who are here, the bookstores, the most beautiful bookstores I've ever seen, the most amazing comic shop I've ever seen.”  Ware had a recommendation for any fans of graphic novels and comics, particularly highlighting Fatbottom Books, located near the CCCB in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona. “It's the best comic shop I've ever been to. The owner has impeccable taste, it's perfectly curated, completely unpretentious. I would say 70% of the stuff he had in there I had never seen before, and I tried very hard to stay up to whatever's going on in comics, and it was mind-blowing and wonderful.” He also joked that his family “don’t expect me to sound happy” and were surprised at hearing his impressions of Barcelona. “My daughter said, ‘sounds like you should just move there, you sound happy, it's really strange.’” The illustrator also pointed out a contrast in his feelings since arriving in Barcelona and the current atmosphere in his native United States of America. “I feel like we're being sold a bill of goods in America, it's like we're living 25 years in the past. It's real civilization here, and I really love being here.” Ware admits that the current political landscape of his home country has had an influence on his work. “I try to put it in there in a way that it mirrors the way it affects everyday life for everyday people,” he explains. “I can't draw political cartoons, not only because I'm not very good at it, but also because they don't last very long, they have the shelf life of an avocado.” Instead of depicting the likes of Donald Trump directly, “I try to get a sense of how, for lack of a better word, the political landscape is affecting internal life.” “I can find myself all of a sudden starting to edit what I'm thinking, which is the very first worst sign, I think, of what is happening in America, and that frightens me because art has to have freedom.” Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone Real Bedford fought back from a 1-0 half time deficit to win 3-1 at Ware in Southern League Central Division One to reduce the gap to a single point to Berkhamsted at the top of the division Ty Ward and Ben Stevens secured Real’s first win of 2025 in their first game since 28 December A host of postponements due to frozen pitches have stalled the Southern League in recent weeks but thanks to Ware’s 3G pitch in Hertfordshire Real Bedford were able to play in one of just two fixtures to go ahead on Saturday (11 January) in this league Stefanos Georgiou gave ninth placed Ware an early lead with a smart finish and that is how the score remained at half-time ahead of a big second forty five minutes for Rob Sinclair’s side A loss would have seen Real Bedford four points behind league leaders Berkhamsted ahead of a crunch tie between the top two in a rearranged fixture on Tuesday 14 January next Real’s attacking strength shone through in a second half that saw three unanswered goals to secure three big points against last season’s losing play-off semi-finalists who has now scored four goals in four games since returning from injury restored parity after he completed a slick move that began with an expert pass from Drew Richardson through to the marauding The winger made no mistake with his assist as Evans slotted home Real were ahead as Evans turned from goalscorer to provider in setting up Ty Ward to score before Ben Stevens sealed the win moments from the full-time whistle as he smashed home at the third time of asking despite last ditch defending from the home team Rob Sinclair noted his team’s reaction to going behind as key to securing three points going a goal down early wasn’t ideal but the boys’ reaction to that was superb and overall we deserved the win “The intensity and the energy that we showed in the second half to get our football going was brilliant so really proud of the boys’ performance in that they made it hard and narrowed the pitch and hit us with pace on the counter attack We had to be patient at times but we stuck to our game plan and got the result.” “It’s an exciting game [against Berkhamsted] on Tuesday Everyone knows it’s top against second but we’re not going to listen to the noise and its another game of football we’ll prepare for.” The rearranged game against Berkhamsted has the potential to shape the second half of the season; a win for Real Bedford will take them top of the eighth tier for the first time in many weeks while a win will put Berkhamsted four points clear once again The only other game to take place in Southern League Central Division One saw a double for captain Lynton Goss as Leighton Town beat Beaconsfield Every other game in the division was postponed due to a frozen pitch The game against Berkhamsted kicks off at 7:45pm on Tuesday 14 January at the Ledger Stadium. Tickets can be purchased here The exhibition at CCCB Barcelona celebrates the comic book artist and New Yorker collaborator’s weighty influence on the world of comics writing with vignettes – ever since he was a child Widely regarded as one of the comic world’s most innovative contemporary artists Ware has spent much of his career experimenting and innovating with comic book language breaking with years of formalism and classicism in the process While his work has been exhibited at the likes of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the Whitney Museum of American Art Ware’s new retrospective at CCCB Barcelona curated by head of exhibitions Jordi Costa takes a deeper look at his creative philosophy: drawing is thinking The artist spoke about his process previously at Offset festival in 2018 saying: “Writing and drawing are the same thing I think in pictures and words and sounds and smells and stuff in the same way a novelist would but I just happen to be drawing a lot more.” the retrospective tells Ware’s story through a selection of original work objects and sculptural pieces – from notebooks to toys to vending machines – placing his practice in the context of the history of comics and artists who’ve inspired him Ware originally trained as an artist in Texas before settling in Chicago – the city where the American comic book emerged as medium in the 20th century He first became known in the early 90s for his own magazine Acme Novelty Library which launched during a golden age of American independent comics he radically challenged the traditional comic format and rooted the medium in popular culture Jimmy Corrigan (2000) continued to push the boundaries of the medium as a story about abandonment and complex family relationships with an autobiographical element Ware has previously said that the four or five hours it takes to read the book was the amount of time he had spent with his father who left his family when the artist was very young the landscapes of Nebraska form the backdrop to human (tragi)comedy in which Ware continues to explore uncharted territories in comic-strip language It would be remiss not to mention the artist’s long-term collaboration with the New Yorker either An entire section of the exhibition is dedicated to his work with the historic publication which he’s contributed comic strips to since 1999 he’s also illustrated more than 30 covers which when placed together tell the story of a polarised USA – addressing racial tensions Describing his process when collaborating with the New Yorker’s longtime art editor Françoise Mouly while at Offset Ware said: “It’s the same thing as drawing a script or writing a short story I’ve tried to apply the high level of rigour of great fiction to the covers that I’ve done.” Chris Ware. Drawing Is Thinking is on display at CCCB Barcelona until November 9; cccb.org Find out details for the undergraduate art and design showcases taking place this summer around the UK the result of the mammoth 18-month project seeks to place brand at the forefront of Amazon’s business Peperami’s much-loved Animal mascot has been given a makeover for the contemporary age keeping his swagger while losing the laddy 90s elements of his character David Craft of Fearless Union explains how it was done Brands are treading a delicate path in an age of increasing protectionism where having a strong national identity can be a blessing or a curse Copyright © 2025 Centaur Media plc and / or its subsidiaries and licensors Built by Standfirst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. 1);}.css-4hf0t5:focus{outline:none;}.css-4hf0t5:hover{border-color:rgba(215 Hosted on Acast. 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Read our Privacy notice Celebrities including singer Jessie Ware, DJ Annie Mac and Wicked and Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey have backed a new campaign to urge parents to become LGBT+ allies The trio have thrown their support behind LGBT+ young people’s charity Just Like Us’s new Guide For Parents which aims to combat homophobic language in primary schools when it is released on Monday said: “As parents you want the best for your children – you want them to feel safe “Any home can welcome in a member of the LGBTQ+ community. “There should be no shame in parents not understanding or knowing how best to support their LGBTQ+ children and their straight children to be allies, only shame in parents who don’t endeavour to protect, nurture, and celebrate their LGBTQ+ children. “Just Like Us is doing the incredible work of offering our parents’ generation an education that wasn’t available to them when they were young.” Say You Love Me singer Ware echoed his comments and said she wanted her children to “grow up in a world where they feel safe, loved, accepted for exactly who they are, knowing that love is love, and that standing up for others matters”. It comes after research from Just Like Us found that 78% of primary school pupils, and 80% of secondary school pupils have heard homophobic language, yet a third of British parents had never spoken to their child about what LGBT+ means. The research also found that despite the majority of straight parents considering themselves to be supportive of LGBT+ people, a third of LGBT+ young people are still not confident their parents will accept them, with almost half estranged from at least one family member. Speaking about the new guide, former BBC Radio 1 DJ Mac added: “This guide is incredibly useful and vital to help parents support their LGBTQ+ children. “I love that it’s deliberately wide in its scope when it comes to different ways of parenting and different kinds of families. “There is no one size fits all, only your way and this guide helps parents to find their way by learning about the experience of other young people and then figuring out what’s best for them and their child.” The guide focuses on encouraging positive and open conversations about LGBT+ topics and identities with children, and showing them that difference is something to be celebrated, whether they themselves are part of the LGBT+ community or not. Topics covered include unlearning stereotypes, encouraging schools to be inclusive, and how to support children if they come out. Laura Mackay, chief executive of Just Like Us, said: “No young person should have to fear that they will be rejected by their family for being who they are. “Yet, sadly, we know this is the reality for many LGBTQ+ young people. “A lack of family acceptance can have a range of negative effects on LGBTQ+ young people, from a lack of family closeness and lower self-esteem, to estrangement and even homelessness.” Hana Chang was a winner of the 2023 Young Classical Artists Trust and Concert Artists Guild International Auditions held at Wigmore Hall She was nominated as one of Classic FM’s Rising Stars of 2024 and has recently been announced as a Borletti-Buitoni Fellowship recipient and a member of BBC Radio 3's New Generation Artist scheme 2024-26 Hana has performed with orchestras including the Prague Radio Symphony Yehudi Menuhin, Prague Spring, Beethoven Hradec and Louis Spohr International Violin Competitions she was named a laureate of the 2024 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition Texas-born pianist Jonathan Ware trained at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester and at the Hochschule für Musik ‘Hanns Eisler’ in Berlin included the first prize of the 2014 lied competition of the Internationale Hugo-Wolf-Akademie in Stuttgart with baritone Ludwig Mittelhammer as well as the accompanist prize at the Wigmore Hall International Song Competition and Das Lied Competition Concerts have taken him to Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall in New York The next lunchtime concert is on Thursday 6 February and will be performed by Tim Horton (piano) Join the LSE Choir and Orchestra on Tuesday 1 April for the LSE Spring Concert in the beautiful surroundings of St Clement Danes Church Follow LSE public events on X for the latest updates on all our events and ticket releases.  Livestreams and archive videos of past lectures are shared on our YouTube channel while event podcasts can be found on the LSE Player London School of Economics and Political Science LSE is a private company limited by guarantee Campus map Contact us Cookie policy Report a page Accessibility Statement Terms of use Privacy policy Modern Slavery Statement The United States Postal Service (USPS) is celebrating its 250th anniversary this July and for the Sestercentennial will be issuing stamps commemorating the occasion: the Second Continental Congress established a postal system for the United Colonies and appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general Postal Service today announced two stamp issues to celebrate its 250th anniversary One of the issues has famed cartoonist Chris Ware designing and illustrating the pane From the U.S. Postal Service: is a pane of 20 stamps by cartoonist Chris Ware that invites the public to spot a fun array of familiar postal items and icons while following a mail carrier on her rounds through four seasons of the year [emphasis added] Both sets will be released in July of 2025 Also possible for July 2025: Postal Service today filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of mailing services price changes to take effect July 13 The new rates include a 5-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 73 cents to 78 cents So Chris Ware’s “250 Years of Delivering” will probably reach my local post office in the last half of July (they usually arrive here about a week after first-day-of-issue) and may have the higher price tag “May” because there are efforts to move the postal service into private for-profit hands and the powers that be could deny the price increase to drive the post office into more dire straits than they have already Postal Service unveiled stamps based on artwork from the classic children’s book “Goodnight Moon” at The Rabbit hOle a museum that brings to life a century of American children’s literature including the book’s iconic Great Green Room “These nostalgic stamps not only celebrate the timeless charm of ‘Goodnight Moon’ but also highlight the enduring relevance of both stamps and children’s literature in a digital age,” said Lisa Bobb-Semple the Postal Service’s stamp services director “The enthusiastic response from the public about these stamps has been exciting — a reminder that the joy of stamps continues to inspire all generations.” Written by Margaret Wise Brown with artwork by Clement Hurd “Goodnight Moon” revolutionized children’s publishing when it debuted in 1947 Today, May 2, 2025, is the first-day-of-issue for the Postal Service’s Goodnight Moon stamps. Elsewhere the U.S. Mint has revealed the final design of their 2025 Superman coin. The obverse (heads side) design of Superman was designed and sculpted by Mint Chief Engraver Joseph Menna  It depicts Superman flying over his family farm  The Sun not only nurtures the farmland where a young Clark Kent was raised by his adoptive parents but it is also the primary source that fuels his incredible powers Mint Medallic Artist Joseph V. Noorigian designed and sculpted the reverse (tails side) of the Superman coin and medals  This design explores the duality of identity inherent in the story of Superman and the concept of “the hero within.”  Clark Kent is shown as a young adult deep in thought as he watches a plane fly overhead and my first thought was the opening of The Simpsons The Superman/Batman bullion coins are both unnecessary and wasteful Gold is something like $3250/oz and the silver replica isn’t officially a coin and is being sold for about a hundred bucks a pop It reminds me of those pseudo-coins “issued” by tiny islands in the middle of the ocean featuring Harry Potter Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a643b95a719131896e68fb97655f2a15" );document.getElementById("h28b51313a").setAttribute( "id" Get a daily recap of the news posted each day You have successfully joined our subscriber list Vron Ware and Jim Scown join Lara Choksey for a conversation about the histories that connect soil to colonialism and imperialism and why these connections matter for agricultural production now and in the future Vron and Jim reflect on links between militarism and the English countryside online far-right content and the decline of rural mental health services and what nineteenth-century soil science might tell us about national identity and their shared interest in the organic chemist Justus von Liebig the conversation addresses the many scales operating in our sense of the local she worked at the the anti-fascist and anti-racist magasine Searchlight she was a research officer at Women’s Design Service which pioneered feminist perspectives on urban planning and environmental design Her first academic job was in the department of cultural geography at the University of Greenwich She lived in the US from 1999 to 2005 where she taught at the Program for Women’s and Gender Studies at Yale University From 2014 to 2021 she was a professor of sociology and gender studies at Kingston University and Military Migrants: fighting for YOUR country (Palgrave 2012) England’s Military Heartland: preparing for war on the Salisbury Plain (with Antonia Dawes will be published by Manchester University Press in January 2025 Jim Scown is Lecturer in Environmental Humanities at the University of Exeter He works on the links between soils and understandings of nature place and belonging from the beginning of the nineteenth century After completing his PhD across the English Departments at Cardiff University and the University of Bristol Farming and Countryside Commission for two years on a project for transitioning to a socially and environmentally just agri-food system traces the developing science of soils in the 1800s and its reception in novels by Charlotte Brontë Lara Choksey is Lecturer in Colonial and Postcolonial Literatures in UCL English and Faculty Associate in the UCL Sarah Parker Remond Centre Read the transcript and Jim ScownProducer: Lara Choksey and Kaissa KarhuEditor: Kaissa Karhu More from SPRC Podcasts                                    Musician was clearly not tempted by the offer Martyn Ware, the musician and producer behind British synth-pop bands The Human League and Heaven 17, has claimed he was offered a one-off payment of just £5,700 to have H17’s hit song “Temptation” featured in the new Grand Theft Auto game Ware, 68, shared on X/Twitter that he was contacted by his publishers on behalf of Rockstar Games, the studio behind the hit franchise about the possibility of using the 1983 track in Grand Theft Auto VI “Naturally excited about the immense wealth that was about to head my way I scrolled down to the bottom of the email re the offer...” he wrote for a buyout of any future royalties from the game who has also produced records for artists including the late Tina Turner He later added: “For those claiming H17 should have accepted the extremely low offer for buyout for ‘Temptation’ in GTA6 claiming ‘increased exposure’.. An extra one million streams generates each writer a pitiful $1,000 each.” “Temptation” was a Number Two hit in the UK in 1983 and is considered one of the defining songs of the synth-pop era It previously featured in Danny Boyle’s 1996 film Trainspotting Grand Theft Auto VI is due for release in 2025 and will be the latest installment in one of the biggest-selling video franchises of all time A trailer for the game, which was leaked in December last year, smashed a number of world records after it was viewed more than 90 million times in its first day on YouTube. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply. ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Music is a major part of the game, as players can cruise around in its fictional vice setting with the radio tuned to popular songs, with different stations offering various genres. In GTA V, featured songs included Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools” and Future’s “How Was It” on Radio Los Santos, while the Non-Stop Pop FM station offered INXS’s Eighties classic “New Sensation”, Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way”, Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger” and “Applause” by Lady Gaga. Other artists to have songs in the game are Britney Spears, Mis-Teeq, Robyn, Rihanna, Wham!, Phil Collins, Queen and Stevie Wonder. Responding to Ware’s complaint, Cocteau Twins and Bella Union Records founder Simon Raymonde implored him to reconsider. “Martyn is it too late to change your mind?” he responded. “GTA had around 440 songs in the last game so really that fee for one (albeit brilliant) song is normal. Might seem low but if they pay $7,500 each then that’s $3.3m on the music alone. The fee [in my honest opinion] is irrelevant.” He argued that, given 200 million people bought the last game, having a song on the soundtrack could potentially boost streams for an artist by “10 or 20 times what it is now”. “I see these fees constantly and, low as they are, that really is only a tiny part of what [having your song featured in a game] can do to the awareness of your music and GTA is the game everyone wants,” he added. However, a follower replied: “Yeah, but $3.3m is going to be a drop in the bucket of the [development] costs. The expected development cost for GTA 6 is projected to be over RDR2, which was $550m, by a good margin. So $650m? That means music would be less than 1 per cent of the budget. That’s low, way low.” The Independent has contacted Rockstar Games for comment. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Locals have been left devastated after it has been revealed that Ware's cherished Christmas lanterns will not return to the historic Hertfordshire town's high street this festive season which have been a hallmark of the town's Christmas celebrations for many years have been discontinued due to safety compliance issues The significance of Ware's Christmas lanterns was deeply rooted in local tradition with the decorations serving as a cherished symbol of the festive season for the community Instead the town has been decorated with huge bear statues and various lights fixtures Residents were less than impressed with the new lights One upset resident told GB News: "The lanterns are a staple of the town decorations and I look forward to them every year The world is always changing but the lanterns remain the same “I feel sad that the town has chosen big structures for photo opportunities rather than focus on tradition." Another said: "When those lights come up and now it doesn't look the same at all I'm sure people will be more than happy to add a few pounds to the council tax every month just to be able to get the lights back it's part of Ware and we've lost it." A third added: "I am really disappointed to see that they are not up One resident shared her "disapointment" in the new lights They have just stuck the stupid bear up." it's the tradition of Ware isn't it?" A fifth person said: "I was so disappointed That is a highlight of Christmas I think in Ware they are a bit different from the ordinary lights "I think that is very important and traditional to Ware and I would definitely ask the council to put them back up." Another resident who has "lived in Ware for 30 years" was upset in the break of tradition a sixth person embraced the change and said the old lights were "very dated" and this is the start of a "new era" for the town said: “I am desperately disappointed that we can’t bring the Christmas lanterns back to Ware this year I’ve always loved them and they’ve been a big part of my Christmas for as long as I can remember “I have argued for years on the Council that we have to keep them we have to comply with modern safety standards we have to find a new way to celebrate Christmas in Ware.” The Manchester-based producer and the London pop singer-songwriter collaborate on a new track for Ninja Tune salute and Jessie Ware have collaborated on a new single called 'Heaven In Your Arms' "I’ve been a fan of salute for a while and caught their set in Sonar this summer From that point I was determined to work with them" "salute sent me a load of tracks and this beat stood out I wanted to make something optimistic and romantic It reminds me of the garage I used to dance to in my teens but of course with salute’s unique and futuristic sound it feels brand new and to see how it’s been going down in salute's shows in the states makes me so excited to perform it with them one day Jessie Ware's most recent studio album landed is 2023's 'Free Yourself' salute was DJ Mag UK's cover star this past April. Revisit Kamila Rymajdo's in-depth interview in which they discuss 'TRUE MAGIC' Check out the 'Heaven In Your Arms' single on Bandcamp Your guide to London's culture and transport news and events taking place across the city Published on 2nd July 2024 by ianVisits in Day trips from London A former Roman town in Hertfordshire that later became an important coaching stop and source of the New River Ware is a town of contrasts and one with a significant reason to visit Up on the hills on the opposite side of the railway from the main town is the main reason to visit Ware — the UK’s most extensive shell-lined grotto with several passages leading to rooms that were later given rather fanciful names It was opened to visitors almost immediately and became a bit of a tourist attraction in the 19th century it was nearly demolished in the 1960s when housing developments wanted to clear the land this is its 50th anniversary under permanent council ownership you can visit the Grotto that Scott would have recognised some 260 years ago you’re left to wander the grotto as you want—with a recommendation to go clockwise so that a particularly grand chamber is the final reward and they recommend you bring a torch if you don’t want the light on your phone The corridors are narrow and delightfully spooky Although mostly lined with flint stone and shells but a delight to stand in or sit in the little niches in the walls There are also air shafts in the grotto to peer along or up apart from the impressive shell decorations though — as there’s a gazebo to see in the grounds above the grotto and lots of woollen knitted animals dotted around the garden and Scott’s Grotto is open on Saturdays and Bank Holiday Mondays from 2pm to 4.30pm between 1st  April and 30th September Details are here the rest of Ware is mainly seen from the outside but you can easily spend an hour wandering around the town centre The museum is free to visit and is very much a local museum, so expect a lot of bones, pottery, and local industrial history. There’s a bit here about the famous Great Bed of Ware, a massive thing that could sleep 10 people and was probably built as a showpiece by a carpenter. The bed itself isn’t here—it’s in London What this museum has that few others have though is an air-raid shelter Around the back and down some steps and into the curved ceiling room that would once have protected people from enemy bombs notice the helpful area maps which point out the 20 or so things to look out for from the old churches to the Blue Statue and the oldest building in Ware There’s also a lot of blue plaques telling the history of the buildings they’re on The main church in the town centre is opposite the museum and was open on my early afternoon visit for a look around There are also a lot more churches to the east of the main town centre which is worth wandering up to see the town’s former workhouses but I didn’t see anyone glaring at me as I wandered around installed in 2000 and a reminder of one of the towns lost industrial strengths One of the town’s other claims to fame is the longest line of gazebos fronting onto a river anywhere in the UK Most were built in the 18th and 19th centuries allowing local homeowners to admire the riverside without the inconvenience of sitting outside Most fell into ruin in the 20th century because it was assumed a road would be built along the riverside giving the riverside a rather picturesque feel Having arrived before Scott’s Grotto opened I comfortably spent 90 minutes or so wandering around town and could have probably stretched it to 2 hours It’s a small but historic and interesting town to visit and you still have Scott’s Grotto to see It’s about 45 minutes from Liverpool Street station (via Tottenham Hale) on the Greater Anglia line I stopped off at Rye House en route If you aren’t using any railcards or concessions the stations along this route all accept TfL contactless payments This website has been running now for over a decade, and while advertising revenue contributes to funding the website, it doesn't cover the costs. That is why I have set up a facility with DonorBox where you can contribute to the costs of the website and time invested in writing and research for the news articles It's very similar to the way The Guardian and many smaller websites are now seeking to generate an income in the face of rising costs and declining advertising Whether it's a one-off donation or a regular giver every additional support goes a long way to covering the running costs of this website and keeping you regularly topped up doses of Londony news and facts If you like what you read on here, then please support the website here and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" and the latest news published on ianVisits You can unsubscribe at any time from my weekly emails © ianVisits