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America
Trump v history
A new report accuses the Smithsonian of ‘extreme political activism’ and sexual impropriety. But the attack reveals the brittleness of the administration’s patriotism, Evan Moffitt writes
World Cup 2026
A good time, not a long time
The traditional European powerhouses have come to the fore at the expense of more exciting footballing nations, Rory Smith writes
Breakthroughs
The science of serendipity
Chance encounters have been behind some of science’s greatest discoveries, from penicillin to gene-editing tools. Could we create more, James Tapper asks
For today
Politics
Rachel Sylvester
Farage has been guilty of extraordinary hubris – Burnham should take note
Media
Fred Harter
The UK is a television exporting powerhouse
Russia
Isabel Coles
Masha and the scare: Russian TV show accused of indoctrinating children
Recipe
Nigel Slater
Nigel Slater’s recipe for apricot harissa couscous
The critics
Time well spent
Further listening
Songs for Bastille Day
Ahead of Le 14 Juillet, our critic picks the best tracks for France’s national holiday
Further watching
From Little House on the Prairie to Remember… The Office
Our TV critic on the best new shows airing and streaming
What to do this weekend
From Beyoncé to Dirty Dancing
Our critic picks five cultural highlights, whether you have a few minutes, two hours or a day to spare
Ideas
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Economy
Ben Zaranko
‘Buying British’ could be smart politics but poor economics
Politics
William Keegan
The right person in No 11 will do more for growth than a Department of Economics
World Cup
Kenan Malik
This World Cup shows how contradictory and messy it is to define who we are
Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Razmi Farook
Our writers’ unique voices are an anathema to AI
Sport
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Wimbledon
Jessy Parker Humphreys
Muchová beats Gauff to reach Wimbledon final after thrilling tie-break
Tennis
Jessy Parker Humphreys
How sport manufacturers are keeping their athletes cool in soaring heat
Rugby union
Patrick Kidd
A high pain threshold, no fear, and a letter to Santa: How Noah Caluori rose to England debut
World Cup 2026
Rory Smith
Brazil exit, but fans leave behind a new approach to World Cup attendance
In Real Life
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Observations and scenes from beyond your phone screen
Meet the Observers
To meet more of our team, click here
Slow Newscast
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Weekly investigations in audio
Tortoise Investigates
Deep Water
In the high-stakes sport of freediving, athletes descend as deep as they can on a single breath. They are used to putting their lives at risk. Through her diving instructor, Lydia Gard discovered a new threat that could tear their community apart: drug use
Sweet Bobby
Kirat is a successful radio presenter. On Facebook she meets Bobby, a handsome cardiologist. He’s a catch. Soon, they get tangled up in a love affair full of lies and manipulation. Then… Kirat discovers a deception of almost unimaginable proportions. Alexi Mostrous investigates a very modern love story
Lucky Boy
Gareth’s whole life has been defined by a relationship he had 35 years ago when, as a 14-year-old schoolboy, he fell in love with an attractive young teacher at his school. He spent most afternoons in her bedroom. But when she walked out of his life, everything started to unravel. Chloe Hadjimatheou asks: who gets to be a perpetrator, and who gets to be a victim?
