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Executive Summary: Masturbation Recognized as Natural Avian BehaviorA collaborative survey of 120 bird species shows that self‑pleasuring is widespread, more frequent in the wild than in captivity, and poses no health risk. The findings challenge long‑standing advice to discourage or punish the behavior and call for a shift in veterinary guidance.Comprehensive Survey Highlights Widespread Onanism Across Diverse SpeciesThe research, led by Dr Chloe Heys (University of Lancashire) and co‑author Dr Matilda Brindle (Oxford University), combined expert interviews, online keeper communities, and published literature. Species documented include parrots, ducks, turkeys, chickens and numerous others, with both males and females engaging in the activity.Quantitative Findings Underscore Higher Incidence in Wild Populations120 bird species examined, spanning captive and wild individuals.Incidence reported as higher in wild birds than in captivity.Male birds were slightly more frequently mentioned, but female participation was notable.Repercussions for Veterinary Practice and Bird WelfareVeterinarians are urged to reassure owners that the behavior is normal and not a sign of distress. Interventions such as perch removal, hormonal treatments, or even surgical de‑sexing are deemed unnecessary except in rare pathological cases. Dr Ana Basto (University of Lancashire) emphasizes that the study will help vets provide evidence‑based advice.Projected Shift Toward Non‑Interventionist Care in Avian HusbandryAs the scientific community accepts masturbation as a natural component of avian sexual repertoires, bird‑keeping guidelines are expected to evolve. Future husbandry practices will likely focus on monitoring for genuine health issues rather than attempting to suppress a harmless behavior, fostering better welfare outcomes for both captive and wild birds.

How Norway’s Children’s Books Are Redefining TabooSwedish‑born author Anna Fiske and fellow illustrators are publishing picture books that openly discuss subjects traditionally considered off‑limits for young readers, from assisted reproduction to sexual abuse. The approach has earned them awards, strong sales, and, in some markets, fierce opposition.Anna Fiske’s ‘How Do You Make a Baby?’ Triggers International ControversyFiske’s 2019 title Hvordan Lager Man en Baby? (How Do You Make a Baby) illustrates IVF, insemination and the mechanics of intercourse. Distributed in English‑speaking territories by a New Zealand publisher, the book attracted death threats in Canada, was labeled pornographic in the US and banned from several school libraries, yet it also sparked vital conversations about sexual education.Sales Milestones and Awards Highlight Market Reception100,000+ copies sold of Fiske’s “How to” series in Norway.2025: Fiske receives the Honorary Brage award, one of Norway’s top literary honors.Norwegian festival of literature in Lillehammer showcases dozens of titles on exclusion, bullying, queer literature, climate, mental health and forced migration.State Support and Cultural Attitudes Fuel Literary FreedomNorway’s publishing model purchases a large stock of every new title for national libraries, insulating authors from pure market pressure. Government grants further enable writers to experiment without fearing commercial failure. Culturally, Scandinavian views treat children as autonomous individuals, encouraging open dialogue about risk and hardship.Global Publishers May Follow Norway’s ModelAs controversy in North America highlights the limits of censorship, the Norwegian example suggests a viable path for other markets: combine public funding with a cultural ethos that respects children’s capacity to engage with difficult topics. If other countries adopt similar policies, we could see a surge in globally distributed children’s literature that tackles previously taboo subjects.

Translated Fiction Review Roundup A collection of recent translated fiction has been reviewed, showcasing the diversity and complexity of global literature. The reviews include: 'Sisters in Yellow' by Mieko Kawakami Sisters in Yellow by Mieko Kawakami, translated by Laurel Taylor and Hitomi Yoshio (Picador, £16.99) Kawakami’s latest opens with a bang, as narrator Hana learns that her old friend Kimiko has been charged with abduction. This MacGuffin takes us to their friendship in late-1990s Tokyo, when teen Hana and the older woman open a bar called Lemon: “Yellow attracts money.” But it’s a turbulent ride and soon Hana is in a world of organised crime. “The world is crazy. I feel like I’m living in a manga.” She’s not the only one, and you need an appetite for Kawakami’s style, which prefers to explore rather than explain – people come and go, buildings burn down, cancer is diagnosed, almost at random – but the relentless rush means there’s no time to get bored. At its best – as in a scene where Hana’s unreliable mother wants to borrow 2m yen for investment in lingerie that helps “your spine and organs move back to where they’re supposed to be” – this is a story both absurd and horrifying. 'All Flesh' by Ananda Devi All Flesh by Ananda Devi, translated by Jeffrey Zuckerman (Pushkin, £12.99) “Forgive me for starting this story with bodily, unpalatable origins.” You may as well – it’s all like that. In an unnamed European country, a schoolgirl “born with no urge but to consume” is getting bigger and bigger. “My gut, my ass, my thighs – they were all set on reaching the farthest corners of the world.” She blames her gluttony on the need to silence the voice of her dead twin sister, who was “absorbed into my tissues” in the womb. She hates school, where other kids mock her, as though her own self-disgust weren’t enough. After a blackly comic scene where she gets stuck in her bedroom doorframe like “an uncooperative cork”, she falls in love with the lonely carpenter who arrives to widen the door – but there are more twists to come. This powerful story is deeply physical, but driven by a compelling voice describing the torment of a girl who is “the psychical mirror of our time … immoderation made manifest”. 'The White Desert' by Luis López Carrasco The White Desert by Luis López Carrasco, translated by Rosalind Harvey (Granta, £14.99) This unpredictable book, comprising five linked stories about a Spanish couple, opens with the end of the world and gets weirder from there. A balloon debate about a post-apocalyptic scenario turns nasty when one participant pulls a knife, or thinks he does. A plane crash-lands on an island. “Can [we] go and get our luggage … Lots of people have, you know, soiled themselves.” What links the scenes is a sense of disconnection in our connected world, but the book subverts expectations: when a group of people celebrating New Year’s Eve go missing, it turns out to be a game of hide and seek. Footnotes peppered throughout suggest we’re viewing all this from the future (“Emirates was a well-known passenger airline …”), and discovering what the white desert is turns everything on its head. For readers who like to do their own joining up, and who want a playful, original take on our precarious lives, this is a thought-provoking treat. 'The Home of the Drowned' by Elin Anna Labba The Home of the Drowned by Elin Anna Labba, translated by Elizabeth Clark Wessel (Harvill, £16.99) “You could have waited, you bastards.” In 1942 Lapland, a village occupied by the semi-nomadic Sámi people is flooded by a new hydroelectric plant’s dam. One family watch as their goahti (peat-covered hut) disappears under the water. “It wasn’t the nicest goahti,” says Ánne. “No, but it was mine,” says her sister Rávdná. When Rávdná wants to build a house to replace it, the authorities refuse permission: the Sámi way of life has been rejected but alternatives are not permitted. A local newspaper half-heartedly offers to publicise their case, but “we receive a lot of angry letters if we use any foreign words”. When the government tells local people the new dam “will lift us out of poverty and injustice”, the words reek with irony. This intimate story of infuriating discrimination is, Labba says, based on real events in Sweden.

The LeadSéamas O'Reilly's debut novel "Prestige Drama" presents a brilliant wry comedy set in Derry, where a Hollywood actor disappears while filming a TV series about the Troubles. The novel transcends its intriguing premise to explore how places become defined by historical moments, and how stories about such places often fall into predictable formulas.Multiple Perspectives on Historical TraumaO'Reilly uses the TV series "Dead City" as a starting point to weave through different characters connected to the production. From a stressed scriptwriter to a local historian questioning how to talk about the past while still living it, the novel creates a patchwork portrait of the city. This approach echoes Tommy Orange's "There, There," which used multiple voices to explore Native American lives. Each character speaks directly to the reader, revealing their complex relationship with Derry's history and the Hollywood production that has descended upon the city.Commodification of MemoryThe novel masterfully examines how historical trauma becomes marketable. O'Reilly has a keen eye for absurdities: the artist who once painted Bogside murals now doing lecture tours with a "wee moustache and crucifix earring like a plastic Provo"; the ex-IRA hitman offering services as a "consultant." Those once bound by silence now demonstrate how to make a bottle bomb for the cameras. The locals, facing economic necessity, take work that perpetuates clichés—local painters recreate old murals for film sets, while aspiring actors see the production as their only chance to escape.The Haunting of HistoryThis recreation and commodification of the past creates a kind of haunting. The novel is permeated by different ways in which the dead remain inescapable. Ann-Marie, whose son was shot by a British soldier and whose image now appears on book covers and "bloody tea-towels," delivers one of the novel's most powerful voices: "My heart is small and hard, wind-bleached like seaside beach seats." Her reflection on those who came home safely after her son was killed—"It wasn't their fault and I'll never forgive them"—captures the unfixable contradictions of grief.A New Voice in Irish LiteratureBuilding on his previous memoir "Did Ye Hear Mammy Died?"—described as "heartbreakingly funny"—O'Reilly demonstrates a rare gift for moving between opposing tones. The humor in "Prestige Drama" is skillfully weaponized, allowing him to address subjects we often tiptoe around. His language is gloriously vivid, as when a hungover man wakes up "slowly, like a column of dog food muscling its way out of a tin." While some readers may wish the missing actor thread had more prominence, the novel's true focus is on the ordinary people behind the televised version of events, offering a polyphonic exploration of how history continues to shape the present.

Leïla Slimani’s Madrid Residency: Finding Light in Goya’s DarknessFrench-Moroccan author Leïla Slimani is currently in Madrid, utilizing the Museo del Prado as a sanctuary for her next literary work. Her deep dive into Francisco Goya’s Black Paintings reveals a writer obsessed with the darkness of the human condition.The Residency and the Black PaintingsSlimani is participating in Writing the Prado, a residency inviting international authors to produce new work inspired by the museum. She is particularly drawn to Goya’s later works, which depict violence, fate, and societal disillusionment. Slimani explains that Goya painted the future, seeing things others did not, and that his bleak outlook resonates with her own preoccupations.Location: Museo del Prado, MadridResidency: Writing the PradoPrimary Inspiration: Goya’s Black Paintings (e.g., Saturn Devouring His Son)The Cultural Impact of Literary PrestigeWhile the article focuses on a residency, Slimani’s career trajectory highlights the immense cultural capital of literary recognition. Her success is not just personal but systemic.Award: First Moroccan woman to win the Prix Goncourt (2016) for Lullaby.Role: Appointed by President Emmanuel Macron as a representative for promoting French language and Francophone culture.Her presence in Madrid as a cultural ambassador demonstrates how high-profile authors bridge the gap between national identity and global literature.The Intersection of Trauma and Artistic ExpressionSlimani’s work is driven by a formative family trauma: the arrest and imprisonment of her father on financial charges. She describes her early impulse to write as driven by anger and a desire for revenge.“Literature is probably the best way to give justice back to people who are not understood or listened to,” she says. Her ability to transform personal pain into universal empathy—allowing readers to feel tenderness for characters they might reject in real life—defines her impact on modern literature.The Future of Cross-Cultural Literary InspirationSlimani is currently working on a new project inspired by the Prado, signaling a continued evolution in her style. Her upcoming work, I’ll Take the Fire, focuses on her family history, suggesting that her future writing will continue to explore the tension between nostalgia and the necessity of moving forward.As she navigates the complexities of being a French-Moroccan writer, Slimani’s journey suggests a future where literature will increasingly serve as a tool for deconstructing rigid cultural identities and embracing the contradictions of the human experience.

The Lead Meena Kandasamy's novel "Fieldwork As a Sex Object" tackles the terrifying reality of deepfake technology and its use in online harassment, particularly targeting women in India's complex digital landscape. Through protagonist Amy Chaturvedi, the novel explores how fabricated content can destroy lives and how internet trolls exploit such content for misogynistic and political purposes. The Digital Hell of Indian Internet Culture The novel portrays India's internet as a particularly toxic environment, far exceeding the toxicity of Western platforms like X and Facebook. Kandasamy captures a world where caste, religion, and political extremism intersect with misogyny to create a dangerous space for women. The author describes how algorithms, far-right government influence, and societal tensions combine to create a digital hellscape where women are systematically targeted and harassed. The Deepfake Crisis and Its Victims The central plot revolves around Amy Chaturvedi, a privileged student activist living in London, who becomes the victim of a deepfake sex tape. Despite her sexual liberation and experimentation, Amy must confront a world that immediately judges and shames her based on the fabricated content. The novel explores how such digital violations can be used as weapons, not just for humiliation but also for political and social control. The Anatomy of Online Trolls Kandasamy provides a sharp, humorous, yet critical examination of the Indian internet troll, exposing their motivations, insecurities, and political alliances. The author portrays trolls as a "disparate bunch of Nazi-loving, Islamophobic vegetarian dicks" who use anonymity to spread hate, promote extremist ideologies, and attack those who challenge their worldview. The novel reveals how these trolls operate in coordinated campaigns to silence dissenting voices, particularly women and minorities. Literary Merits and Political Commentary As one of India's most outspoken writers, Kandasamy blends personal narrative with political commentary, creating a work that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. While the reviewer notes some stylistic choices that could be refined—particularly the Marxist theoretical framework and excessive internet jargon—the novel's power lies in its unflinching portrayal of online misogyny and its intersection with political extremism. The author's willingness to "not pull any punches" makes her a vital voice in contemporary Indian literature. The Future of Digital Rights and Literature "Fieldwork As a Sex Object" arrives at a critical moment when deepfake technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated and accessible. The novel serves as both a warning and a call to action, highlighting the urgent need for better legal protections and digital literacy. As internet culture continues to evolve, works like Kandasamy's will play an essential role in shaping public discourse about technology, power, and gender in the digital age.

Fatalities Spark Global Scrutiny of the Kambo Healing RitualThe kambo ceremony—an ancient Amazonian rite that applies frog secretions to skin burns—has claimed at least six lives in the past two decades, including the recent death of UK wellness coach Kristian Trend (40). The surge in high‑profile fatalities is driving governments and health experts to demand stricter regulation of a practice that lacks scientific validation.Recent Deaths Highlight Risks of the Frog‑Poison CeremonyIn April 2026, Kristian Trend died after a “cleansing ceremony” in the United Kingdom, reigniting media calls for a ban. Earlier incidents include:2008 – 52‑year‑old man in Brazil.2018 – Italian man with pre‑existing heart conditions.2019 – Australian woman Natasha Lechner (39) seeking relief from chronic back pain.October 2021 – Australian Jarrad Antonovich (death linked to a perforated oesophagus).2024 – Mexican actress Marcela Alcazar Rodríguez (33) during a cleansing ritual.These cases illustrate the ritual’s unpredictable physiological effects, ranging from violent vomiting and hyponatremia to sudden cardiac arrest.Known Mortality Figures and Regulatory LandscapeMedical literature now records six confirmed deaths associated with kambo worldwide. A 2025 review in *Cureus* recommended tighter regulation after documenting severe reactions. Current legal status varies:Brazil banned sale and marketing in 2004.Chile prohibits importation.Australia classified kambo as a poison in 2021.United States deems it illegal; a 2025 US embassy advisory warned citizens against use in Peru.In the UK, frog poison can be purchased but is not a licensed medicine.Public Health and Legal Implications Across ContinentsThe ritual’s spread into Western “wellness” circles—particularly in the UK, US, Brazil, and Australia—poses a public‑health challenge. Health agencies warn that the peptide cocktail in kambo can cause:Severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.Rapid blood‑pressure drops and fainting.Cardiac arrhythmias and potential organ toxicity.Hyponatremia leading to brain swelling or death.Indigenous leaders, such as Yamanawa chief Joaquim Luz, have condemned commercial exploitation, emphasizing cultural appropriation and safety risks.Prospects for Regulation and Consumer ProtectionGiven the mounting evidence, experts anticipate a coordinated push for:Standardized licensing of practitioners where the ritual is permitted.Clear labeling and prohibition of online sales of raw frog secretions.Public‑education campaigns highlighting the lack of clinical efficacy.International cooperation to monitor cross‑border trade of the toxin.If authorities act swiftly, the next wave of fatalities could be averted, and the balance between cultural tradition and modern health safety may be better defined.

The LeadA novel featuring a protagonist whose job is taken by AI has won the Climate fiction prize. Hum by Helen Phillips, the American writer's third novel, explores themes of technological displacement and the commodification of nature in a dystopian future.The Disneyfication of Nature in LiteratureHum is about a woman, May, who loses her job to a "hum" of the title – a humanoid robot. Struggling to find work, she becomes a guinea pig for an experimental injection that alters her face so it can't be recognised by surveillance. When she gets paid for it, she splashes out on family passes to the Botanical Garden, the last remaining green space in her city. There, things take a turn for the worse.The Climate Fiction Prize RecognitionThe prize, worth £10,000, was first awarded last year to Abi Daré for And So I Roar, the follow-up to her bestselling debut The Girl with the Louding Voice. This year's judging panel was chaired by Guardian theatre critic and former literary editor of the Independent, Arifa Akbar. Alongside Kit de Waal and Friederike Otto on the panel were author Jessie Greengrass and book influencer Simon Savidge.Judges' Perspectives on the NovelJudge and writer Kit de Waal described Phillips's book as being about the "Disneyfication of nature … turning nature into a rare place that we have to pay to see". Fellow judge and climate scientist Friederike Otto added that it "tackles the central reason that nothing is done about the climate crisis – privilege", while writer Daisy Hildyard described it as "mesmerising and scary".The Author's InspirationPhillips was inspired to write the book after walking home from work one day and having the thought that she needed to buy dishcloths, before opening her computer at home and finding that dishcloths were being advertised to her. "That eerie feeling stuck with me, and I started to think about what worst-case scenarios might arise from surveillance by an algorithm."Impact on Climate AwarenessHum "helps us connect with what really matters and stops us from sleepwalking into an inevitable dystopia", said Lucy Stone, CEO of Climate Spring, which funds the prize. "In the novel, the machines themselves start to question the insane volume of advertising and the consumer treadmill, and then show the family that there are multiple different futures lying ahead of them."Future RecognitionPhillips will appear at Hay festival to discuss the book on Saturday 30 May. Alongside Phillips on this year's shortlist were Madeleine Thien for The Book of Records, Robbie Arnott for Dusk, Keshava Guha for The Tiger's Share, Susanna Kwan for Awake in the Floating City and Maria Reva for Endling.

Visiting Banishanta: A Personal Encounter with Bangladesh’s Hidden BrothelsThe author travels to Banishanta, a state‑licensed brothel on a mud‑lined island in southern Bangladesh, confronting the stark reality of women’s bodies commodified for meager sums.Location: Southern Bangladesh, island of BanishantaObservation: Dilapidated huts, soft mud, limited resourcesKey figures encountered: Farzana, Asha, KomolaLiterary Lineage of Female Revolt: From Gilead to LadylandThe piece situates contemporary feminist imagination within a canon that includes Margaret Atwood's Gilead, Naomi Alderman's The Power, and Miriam Toews's Women Talking, culminating in the author’s own fictional island inspired by Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain's 1908 utopia Ladyland.Classic examples: Gilead (The Handmaid’s Tale), The Power, Women TalkingHistorical precedent: Aristophanes’ Lysistrata (411 BC)Modern inspiration: Tahmima Anam's upcoming novel UprisingHistorical Strikes and Modern Movements: Numbers Behind the ProtestsWhile the essay is largely narrative, it references quantifiable movements that illustrate the scale of female dissent.Aristophanes’ fictional strike: women of Sparta and Athens withholding sex, leading to a cease‑fire after two decades of war.South Korea’s 4B movement: rejects four pillars of patriarchy—dating, marriage, sex, child‑bearing—gaining traction among thousands of young women.1980s “dirty protest” at Armagh prison: women joined 400 men in a protest that intensified the overall pressure on the prison system.Why These Narratives Reshape Feminist DiscourseBy weaving together ancient comedy, modern dystopia, and lived experience on Banishanta, the essay argues that imagined revolts provide a template for real‑world agency.Creates mental space for alternative social orders.Highlights the link between bodily autonomy and political power.Encourages collective action beyond individual protest.Imagining Future Utopias: The Path Forward for Feminist FictionThe author concludes that speculative fiction—whether through a sex‑refusing strike or a women‑ruled Ladyland—can catalyze tangible change, urging writers to craft more “manuals for survival” that inspire activism.Potential rise of more novels centered on collective female resistance.Increased visibility for stories from marginalized regions like Bangladesh.Broader cultural shift toward valuing feminist speculative narratives.