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The LeadLike the rest of the western world, our household is currently binging medical drama The Pitt, revelling in its visceral depiction of life in a modern emergency department. So far the series has yet to inspire a video game tie-in (though there has been an amusing parody), but fans wishing to try their hand at tense medical (mal)practice, should not despair. Here are eight of the best hospital games spanning more than 40 years of gruesome interactive surgery. Microsurgeon (1982, Mattel Intellivision) Created by lone developer Rick Levine, this early oddity shrank players down and put them into the bloodstream of a sick patient where they had to blast diseased cells and unclog arteries. Clearly inspired by the movie Fantastic Voyage, the title features strange, colourful, almost psychedelic depictions of human anatomy. Life & Death (1988, PC, Mac, Atari ST, Amiga etc) This point-and-click abdominal surgery simulation was groundbreaking in its realism. Players had to diagnose a variety of conditions (kidney stones! aortic aneurysm!), before ordering tests and scans and finally operating while an ECG display showed your victim’s – sorry, patient’s – heart rate. Sanitarium (1998, PC, smartphones from 2015) The asylum has always been a popular trope for horror games, from the imaginatively titled 1981 adventure Asylum to the Silent Hill series. I’m going for this disturbing psychological thriller in which a patient wakes up in a seemingly abandoned sanatorium, his memory gone, his face completely bandaged. Emergency Call Ambulance (1999, arcade) You’ve no doubt heard of Crazy Taxi, Sega’s hectic arcade game about careering around a city picking up annoying passengers. But did you ever play its stablemate, Emergency Call Ambulance, about driving around a city picking up desperately ill passengers? Trauma Center: Under the Knife (2005, Nintendo DS) If you thought the Nintendo DS was all about cosy puzzle games, you were wrong. Developed by veteran publisher Atlus, this fascinating game was part surgery sim, using the handheld’s touchscreen and stylus for realistic operations, and part visual novel as lead character Dr Derek Stiles navigated life in a futuristic hospital. Surgeon Simulator (2013, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox) Surgeon Simulator is a game where you play as a surgeon with a goal to perform operations. The game became famous for its challenging gameplay and realistic physics.

The Rise of Frances Chang's Unique Sound Frances Chang, a Brooklyn-based musician, is gaining attention for her distinctive songwriting style, which is both magnetic and uncanny. Her music is often compared to artists like Cate Le Bon, Astrid Sonne, and Julia Holter. Exploring Chang's Musical Style Chang's songs are characterized by their internal logic, evoking a sense of uncanny domesticity. Her music features casual piano refrains, rainy percussion, and softly flaring synths. Her new single, 'No Avatar,' showcases her conversational and serene vocals. This Week's Best New Tracks Lambchop – Weakened: A simple yet beautiful ballad featuring Kurt Wagner's vocals, backed by guitar, choir, and Justin Vernon on banjo. Silvana Estrada and PabloPablo – Antes de Ti: A elegant song featuring Estrada's cuatro and a liquid, orchestral pivot. Josh da Costa – Proving Me Right: A new wave anthem with a chorus reminiscent of Sparks. Martin Brugger – Knees, Hands, Shoulders, Teeth: Ambient music with softly clanking, mournful sounds and traces of Kentucky post-rock. Bedouine – On My Own: A ballad with classic piano-driven MOR and affecting vocals. Resonant Bodies – Failed Hornpipe for Jacken: A refined and hopeful song featuring nyckelharpa and hammered dulcimer. Liz Lawrence – Exploded Into Flowers: A powerful tribute to her sister, with a robust repeating melody. Discover More New Music Subscribe to the Guardian's rolling Add to Playlist selections on Spotify or transfer it to Apple, Tidal, or other services to explore more new music.

Quick Take: A Queer Comic Turns Pregnancy Into a ‘Manly’ ActAshley Gavin delivers a one‑hour set that fuses explicit jokes about the clitoris, oestrogen treatment and fertility with a razor‑sharp dismantling of gender conventions. The performance, captured at a London venue on 10 May 2026, positions her as a leading voice in a new wave of LGBTQ+ stand‑up.Gavin’s Show Dissects Clitoris, Gender Norms and FertilityThe routine opens with a wax‑appointment gag, then escalates to a provocative claim that the clitoris is essentially a “tiny dick”. She flips the script on traditional masculinity by arguing that “it’s manly, getting pregnant”, weaving scientific tidbits about oestrogen and animal mating rituals into punchlines. Throughout, Gavin navigates mis‑gendered audience moments and crowd‑work, keeping the energy high while interrogating X/Y binaries.Tour Stats and Audience Demographics Highlight Growing Queer DemandAge of performer: 38UK tour runs until 13 MayAverage venue capacity: ~300 seats, with reported sell‑outs in Manchester and EdinburghSocial‑media clips of the show have amassed >2 million views across TikTok and InstagramWhy This Sets a New Benchmark for Gender‑Forward ComedyBy treating reproductive biology as comedic fodder, Gavin pushes the envelope beyond the “old‑school masculine stand‑up” that Guardian notes is “out of fashion”. The show resonates with queer audiences seeking representation, while also provoking mainstream viewers to reconsider entrenched gender scripts. Critics praise the blend of “gleeful iconoclasm” and “twisty gender logic” as a template for future acts.What’s Next for LGBTQ+ Stand‑Up on the Global StageGiven the strong ticket sales and viral clip performance, promoters are likely to book Gavin for larger festivals in Europe and North America. The success may encourage other queer comedians to tackle taboo subjects—fertility, anatomy, religion—with similar candor, potentially reshaping comedy line‑ups at major venues.

The Theatricality of the Oval OfficeComedian Munya Chawawa’s new documentary, Wrestling With Trump, offers a startling new psychological framework for understanding the former president’s meteoric rise. Rather than viewing Trump’s behavior through traditional political lenses, Chawawa posits that his political style has been cribbed entirely from the world of WWE SmackDown. This theory, which Chawawa dubs the 'theory of knocking everyone unconscious,' suggests that the American political stage has been transformed into a wrestling ring where the suspension of disbelief is the ultimate weapon.Deconstructing Trump's WWE PlaybookThe documentary dissects the specific mechanics of Trump’s performance, identifying three core elements borrowed from professional wrestling that have reshaped modern politics:Hyperbole: The fact-allergic triumphalism where reality is bent to fit a narrative, exemplified by the claim that 'Michael Jordan said I’m better at basketball.'Smack Talk: Strategic rudeness and crowd-bullying, seen in nicknames like 'crooked Hillary' and 'sleepy Joe,' designed to belittle opponents while energizing a base.Kayfabe: The willingness to suspend disbelief. This concept is central to the analysis, suggesting that the audience’s belief in the 'reality' of the performance is more important than the truth itself.The Business of Politics and WrestlingThe documentary highlights the symbiotic relationship between the wrestling industry and Trump’s political career. Key moments include Trump’s infamous appearance at WrestleMania 23, the 'Battle of the Billionaires,' where he physically pushed promoter Vince McMahon. The film also notes the crossover of wrestling personalities into the political sphere, such as Hulk Hogan ripping his shirt open at the Republican National Convention in 2024. Perhaps most striking is the appointment of Linda McMahon, former wrestling executive, as the US Secretary of Education, blurring the lines between entertainment and governance.The Erosion of Reality in Public DiscourseChawawa explores the 'Attitude Era' of the early 2000s, characterized by controversy and stereotypes, as a precursor to Trump’s rhetoric. The film interviews former wrestlers who played villainous roles, such as an Italian-American who played a 'villainous Arab' and Dan Richards, who played a character called 'Progressive Liberal' beaten to pulp by crowds. This analysis extends to Chawawa’s own visit to a 'Magathering' (a Trump supporters' night), where he encounters supporters who believe they have personally investigated the '30,000 lies' Trump told in his first term—a twist that underscores the dangerous power of the 'kayfabe' narrative.The Future of Political PerformanceUltimately, Chawawa suggests that we are all now living within a script. By comparing his own experience to Louis Theroux’s forays into the manosphere, Chawawa argues that cultural and political scripts are ubiquitous. The danger lies not in the performance itself, but in forgetting that it is a performance. As the line between the theatre of wrestling and the reality of politics continues to dissolve, the challenge for the public becomes maintaining the awareness that the show is on, even when the audience believes the drama is real.

The Shift in Maritime Security in the Gulf of OmanThe recent missile strike on the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MKD Vyom marks a grim escalation in the conflict between the US and Israel and Iran. For the first time in this specific phase of hostilities, a commercial vessel has suffered a fatal casualty, transforming the Gulf of Oman from a strategic chokepoint into a lethal war zone for international shipping.The Devastation of the MKD VyomSurvivor accounts reveal the sheer violence of the attack on 1 March. The explosion, which occurred over 100 miles from Iran, obliterated the engine room. Basis, a crew member, described the scene: a total blackout followed by a fireball, with a 2cm-thick solid fire door and glass windows instantly destroyed. The crew, hailing from Ukraine, India, and Bangladesh, was forced to navigate total darkness and thick black smoke to escape.Target: Engine room of the MKD Vyom.Location: Gulf of Oman, en route to Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia.Crew Response: Used fire extinguishers and sand to fight the blaze for four hours.Cargo Volume and Critical Risk AssessmentThe strategic danger of the MKD Vyom attack extends beyond the immediate loss of life. The vessel was carrying a massive 60,000 tonnes of petrol. Had the fire spread to the cargo tanks, the resulting explosion would have been catastrophic, likely causing a massive environmental disaster and endangering nearby vessels. This high-stakes cargo volume underscores why commercial shipping is now viewed as a direct participant in the conflict's kinetic theater.The Human Cost and Maritime Security ImplicationsThe death of Dixit Solanki, a 32-year-old oiler from Mumbai, highlights the disproportionate human toll on the global merchant navy. Solanki was trapped in the destroyed engine room and could not be recovered before the crew was forced to abandon ship. The incident creates a psychological burden for surviving crews, who must now navigate the terrifying reality of leaving colleagues behind in active combat zones. This event signals a shift in maritime insurance and risk assessment, as insurers may begin to categorize the region as a "war risk" zone.Future Outlook for Global ShippingThe MKD Vyom attack suggests a "new normal" for global logistics. With the engine room destroyed and navigation systems compromised, the resilience of modern vessels is being tested. We can predict a significant increase in the use of autonomous monitoring systems and a re-evaluation of routing strategies to avoid the Gulf of Oman entirely. The commercial shipping industry is no longer just a bystander to geopolitical tensions but is now a direct target, necessitating a complete overhaul of safety protocols for seafarers operating in volatile regions.

The Genesis of a Wartime SanctuaryIn February 1945, the landscape of Walthamstow Marshes in east London was forever altered when a German V2 rocket struck the area. The explosion tore a crater into the marshland, a wound that would eventually heal into a thriving ecosystem. Today, this "Bomb Crater Pond" serves as a year-round refuge for wildlife, supporting a diverse range of plants, insects, and amphibians despite its modest size.Ranger Luke Boyle describes the site as an "engine room" for the marshes. Unlike managed wetlands with sluice gates, this pond relies on natural hydrology, holding clean water year-round. Its margins are disturbed by cattle, creating a patchwork of habitats that allow rare species to thrive. Notably, the pond is home to the creeping marshwort, one of Britain's rarest aquatic plants, recorded at only two sites in the UK.Biodiversity Metrics of Small PondsThe Bomb Crater Pond is a prime example of the "power of small ponds," a concept that challenges traditional ecological assessments. Historically dismissed as insignificant, small water bodies actually support a wider range of freshwater plants and animals—including more rare and protected species—than larger rivers or lakes.High Species Density: Small ponds often host more biodiversity per hectare than expansive water bodies.Pollution Resilience: Because they are small, they avoid the diffuse pollution and runoff accumulation that plagues big rivers and lakes.Management Strategy: Rangers maintain at least 80% open water, manually removing encroaching vegetation to preserve the balance.Urban Ecology and the Resilience of NatureThis site highlights a critical shift in how we view urban nature. In a highly managed urban landscape visited by over a million people annually, Bomb Crater Pond demonstrates that nature does not need a pristine environment to flourish; it only needs a foothold. The presence of species like snipe, lapwing, newts, and herons proves that even wartime scars can become vital sanctuaries.The Future of Small Water Bodies in ConservationAs climate change and urbanization continue to reshape landscapes, the Bomb Crater Pond offers a blueprint for future conservation efforts. It suggests that creating or preserving small, semi-natural water bodies could be a highly effective strategy for bolstering biodiversity in both urban and conflict-affected regions, turning scars into sanctuaries.

The Film's Premise A new short film, Vitória Régia (Amazon Water Lily), has imagined a future where a far-right coup in Brazil succeeds, and the Amazon rainforest is surrendered to the United States. The film depicts a dystopian scenario where Brazilian democracy is annihilated, and the military takes power. A Nightmarish Scenario The film's plot centers around a scenario where Jair Bolsonaro's plot to seize power after the 2022 election is successful. The military takes control, censoring the media, purging ideological 'deviants,' and transferring control of the Amazon to Washington in exchange for its support of the coup. The Data Analysis The film highlights the potential consequences of such a coup, including the exploitation of the Amazon's natural resources by US interests. The film's director, Denis Kamioka, noted that the film was shot in March 2025, nearly a year before Donald Trump's administration took a similar stance in Venezuela. The Impact Analysis The film's lead actor, Alice Braga, said that the film became 'almost a documentary' given the similarities between the film's plot and real-life events. The film aims to draw attention to the threats facing Brazil's Indigenous peoples and their centuries-long quest to defend their traditional lands. The Prediction The film's creators hope that it will serve as a warning about the dangers of far-right extremism and the importance of protecting democracy and the environment. With Bolsonaro's politician son Flávio poised to challenge the leftwing incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, for the presidency, the film's message is more relevant than ever.

Exploring New Releases in Science Fiction and Fantasy The Guardian has published a review roundup of recent science fiction, fantasy, and horror books. The selection includes a variety of titles that showcase the diversity and creativity in these genres. In-Depth Look at Notable Titles The Republic of Memory by Mahmud El Sayed: A thought-provoking space opera set on a gigantic spaceship, exploring themes of language, culture, and revolution. The Rainshadow Orphans by Naomi Ishiguro: The first volume of a trilogy inspired by Japanese pop culture, set in a vibrant city with a mix of technology, magic, and adventure. No Ghosts by Max Lury: A unique ghost story that delves into the emotional undercurrents of contemporary life, blending elements of AI-generated film and psychic phenomena. Palaces of the Crow by Ray Nayler: A moving and thought-provoking novel set during World War II, exploring the lives of a doctor's daughter, a young soldier, and a Roma girl in a Lithuanian forest. Moon Over Brendle by Jeff Noon: A magical faux-autobiography set in Lancashire in 1968, where a strange multicolored dust known as Greot affects the world in mysterious ways. Why These Books Matter These books represent a small sample of the innovative and engaging works being published in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. They offer readers a chance to explore new worlds, ideas, and perspectives, showcasing the versatility and creativity of authors in these fields. What's Next for Readers For readers looking to expand their literary horizons, these reviews provide a valuable guide to recent releases that are worth checking out. Whether you're a fan of space operas, magical realism, or psychological thrillers, there's something on this list for everyone.

The Forbidden Garden: A Modern Reinterpretation of the ClergyChannel 4's new drama Falling introduces a provocative twist on the traditional period piece by centering on a forbidden romance between a nun and a priest. Set in a convent garden within a community plagued by social issues, the series follows Anna, played by Keeley Hawes, a woman who entered the order at 18 and has never known the outside world, and David, played by Paapa Essiedu, a younger, worldly priest with his own demons.Breaking the Wall: Humanizing the FaithfulThe series distinguishes itself by moving beyond the stereotype of the fanatical religious leader. Both actors emphasize the humanity of their characters—discussing mundane realities like buying socks and the physical toll of the job. A key narrative device is the concept of "jumping the wall," the difficult decision for nuns to leave the order, which Hawes researched extensively with an ex-nun. The show subtly explores how menopause acts as a catalyst for Anna's sudden desire and departure from her vows, adding a layer of biological realism to the spiritual conflict.A Timeless Ethereal: The Future of British DramaDespite the modern themes of desire and identity, *Falling* maintains a timeless, almost ethereal atmosphere. The absence of smartphones and athleisure clothing contributes to a liminal setting where the struggle between the "now" and "eternal souls" feels universal. As the industry moves toward more grounded, gritty portrayals of modern life, *Falling* offers a counter-narrative: a drama that is "good but not wet," balancing wholesomeness with complex, ardent passion.