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The Enduring Influence of LGBTQ+ Movie CharactersWriters share their favorite LGBTQ+ movie characters, showcasing a range of personalities and stories that have made a lasting impact on cinema.Corky from BoundCorky, played by Gina Gershon, is a swaggering ex-con turned plumber who helps Violet escape her mob boss husband in the 1996 cult classic Bound. Corky's character is noted for its unapologetic visibility during a time when few films explored queerness.Eric Hunter from Edge of SeventeenEric Hunter, played by Chris Stafford, is a suburban Ohio teen who embodies the charm of 90s' New Queer Cinema. His character navigates coming out and self-discovery in the film Edge of Seventeen.Frank Dillard from Mrs. DoubtfireFrank Dillard, played by Harvey Fierstein, is the flamboyant gay brother of Daniel Hillard in Mrs. Doubtfire. His character is remembered for being a positive representation of a gay person during a time of moral panics around HIV/AIDS.Divine from Pink FlamingosDivine, a legendary drag queen, stars in the film Pink Flamingos. Her character is iconic for its outrageousness and has influenced many in the LGBTQ+ community.

Opening the Wound: A Brief OverviewThe Guardian’s review of Anna Goldreich's first novel The Leveret (published by Hamish Hamilton at £14.99) frames the story as a meditation on late miscarriage, rural isolation, and an unexpected animal companion that becomes a conduit for healing. Plot Mechanics: Miscarriage, Relocation, and the HareClare, still reeling from a still‑birth‑like miscarriage six months earlier, moves with her partner Phoebe to Phoebe’s childhood village. While Phoebe tends to her farmer parents’ lambing, Clare spirals into silence until she discovers an abandoned leveret (baby hare) named Isla, whose rescue triggers a second‑birth metaphor that blurs grief and renewal. Critical Reception: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Market PositionPraised for “absolutely conviction‑driven” prose that renders the hare‑care scenes viscerally alive.Criticised for uneven polyphonic structure; Phoebe’s chapters feel “weakly uncertain” compared to Clare’s lyrical voice.Positioned as a “triumphant first novel” despite its modest length, appealing to readers seeking literary explorations of motherhood and nature. Why It Resonates: Cultural and Literary ImpactThe novel taps into a growing appetite for narratives that re‑examine human‑nature relationships and the hidden trauma of miscarriage, offering a fresh, undogmatic perspective that aligns with contemporary eco‑literature trends. Looking Ahead: Prospects for Goldreich and Similar VoicesIf the book’s critical buzz translates into sales, Goldreich could become a notable voice in British literary fiction, encouraging more publishers to champion stories that blend personal loss with ecological symbolism.

The Lead At 33, the French writer Édouard Louis has already seen all seven of his slim novels translated into English. In his latest work, "Collapse," translated by novelist Tash Aw, Louis describes his eldest brother's death, at 38, from complications relating to alcoholism. The novel takes the form of a metaphysical inquest into the brother's decline, exploring their complex relationship through various literary forms. A Brother's Complex Legacy "I felt nothing at the announcement of the death of my brother," Louis begins; "not sadness or despair or joy or pleasure." The reasons for his coldness soon become clear. His brother was violently homophobic, his drinking once prevented Louis from sleeping before a crucial exam, and after "The End of Eddy" came out, his brother went looking for him with a baseball bat. When Louis discusses with his mother and sister how to pay for his brother's funeral and admits, "yes, I would have let him be buried like a dog," we understand why. The Literary Exploration of Grief Collapse takes the form of a metaphysical inquest into the brother's decline. Louis has said that the book was in various drafts a play, a diary and a manifesto – experiments that can all be glimpsed in the final product, which is a self-conscious hodgepodge of forms including witness testimony, a scripted dialogue between the author and his brother's ghost and key scenes presented as numbered facts. Class Destiny and Personal Tragedy Long-term readers of Louis will be familiar with his tentative political diagnosis. His brother, ensnared in a vortex of negative social forces, stood no chance. "Your brother was above all else a victim of alcoholism," a friend tells him. "It's the narrative of a class destiny that you're telling before anything else," suggests another. But these conclusions are too pat for Louis. "My friends have clear ideas yet I don't know, I don't know," he writes. The Wound That Never Healed Reaching for fresh perspectives, he turns to literature: Catullus, Freud, Foucault, Joan Didion. His reading helps Louis find the distance he needs to think of his brother in new ways. Louis describes his brother's life in terms of "Destiny" and "Injustice" and writes of his brother's "Wound," a word that evokes not just the psychoanalytic work he cites but the incurable injury of Amfortas, pierced by the Holy Spear, in Wagner's Parsifal. Though more mundane in provenance, Louis's brother's Wound is equally insurmountable. Contrasting Paths: Brother and Mother Read in tandem with "Monique Escapes," Louis's latest reveals itself as the dark half of an equation that also has a more hopeful side. While his brother was unable to escape the cycle in which he was ensnared and it took his death to make a kind of redemptive sense of his life, Louis's mother Monique has proved capable of forgiveness and growth. She sees in her son's work how literature can be not just a form of revenge, indicting a person at their worst, but also liberating. The Future of Louis's Family Saga Though Louis has said that "Collapse" marks a close to writing his family saga, it's hard to believe we've seen the end of Monique. "Through her, I've discovered the pleasure of writing in the service of someone else," Louis remarks at the end of "Monique Escapes." "I've become acquainted with the delight that accompanies disappearance, self-effacement, becoming just a glimpse into the story of a destiny other than my own … Nothing in literature has ever given me so much joy."

The Concept of World Cup Portraits Lionel Messi of Argentina stands rigidly in front of the camera. Marc Cucurella of Spain whips his hair and appears to boogie. Diego Moreira of Belgium covers his eyes with his forearm and reveals an eerie tattoo. Harry Kane leans on to one knee. The Making of the Portraits There are 1,248 football players and 48 managers at the World Cup, and none could escape the obligatory media duty that is the official portrait – whether or not they had a fun pose in mind. Shot by Getty Images on behalf of Fifa in recent weeks, the portraits capture a wide array of poses and expressions, revealing details about each player’s personality – and the image they wish to convey to the world. The Photography Process Two photographers were assigned to shoot each team, enabling them to prepare opposing sets – one plain and one distinctive – so players and managers could be rotated into position quickly. Simple lighting set-ups were used throughout: typically, a large studio strobe-light with a softbox aimed at the subject’s body, with a couple of rim lights to provide shape and definition from the rear. The Impact of the Portraits Though the backdrops were muted compared to the official portraits for the 2022 World Cup, the photographers were able to create vivid images using special lens filters that produced unpredictable blurring and kaleidoscopic effects.

Heatwave Threat Prompts Simple Curtain Hacks in AmsterdamAs a scorching heatwave sweeps the Netherlands, the city of Amsterdam has activated its national heatwave plan and is urging households to adopt low‑cost shading measures. Eline Coolen, heat coordinator at the city’s public health institute, recommends rigging temporary curtain rails or draping curtains and sheets over windows to block solar radiation.DIY Exterior Shading: Curtains, Sheets, and Temporary RailsCoolen’s viral social‑media post sparked a wave of do‑it‑yourself solutions, from hanging curtains on exterior rails to installing makeshift blinds inspired by practices in Barcelona. Researchers are also testing “fake trees,” pergolas with climbing plants, and mobile “jungle blocks” to create shade on streets and pavements.Heat‑Related Mortality and Economic Cost FiguresCurrent estimates: 110 heat‑related deaths per year in Amsterdam, potentially rising to 600 without intervention.Economic impact: a single night of sleep loss due to heat can cost up to €200 per person, translating into significant productivity losses for the city.Survey data: 23% of homeowners report their homes become uncomfortably hot during heatwaves, though four‑in‑five have already tried personal cooling measures.Broader Implications for Urban Design and Public Health in the NetherlandsThe RIVM outlines three tiers of action: behavioural changes, building‑level retrofits, and urban‑scale design. Experts like Bert Blocken stress that exterior solar shading is the most effective passive cooling strategy, while green roofs, street trees, and expanded parks enhance overall resilience.Future Outlook: Scaling Shade Solutions and Policy MeasuresOfficials suggest that mandatory exterior shading could become a new building code requirement. Continued investment in green infrastructure and public awareness campaigns is expected to lower heat‑related mortality and improve economic productivity as climate‑induced heatwaves become more frequent.

The Evolution of Tournament PredictionThe World Cup has always captivated football fans worldwide, but never before has predicting tournament outcomes been so interactive and engaging. This innovative bracketology tool transforms passive viewing into active participation, allowing supporters to craft their own vision of how the tournament might unfold.Interactive Bracket MechanicsThe tool features a sophisticated drag-and-drop interface where users can select teams and place them in various tournament positions. Each team selection triggers visual feedback, with highlighted matches and connections showing how the predicted bracket would progress through each round.Strategic Team SelectionUsers can experiment with different scenarios, testing various combinations of teams to see potential matchups and outcomes. The interface includes all qualified teams, with visual indicators showing their relative strengths and historical performance data to inform predictions.Tournament VisualizationThe bracket provides a clear visual representation of the tournament structure, from group stages through to the final. As users make selections, the bracket dynamically updates, showing potential paths to the championship and highlighting key matchups that could determine the tournament's outcome.Engaging the Fan ExperienceThis interactive tool enhances fan engagement by creating a personalized connection to the tournament. Users can share their predicted brackets with friends, compare scenarios, and track how their predictions align with actual tournament results once the competition begins.The Future of Sports InteractionAs digital experiences continue to evolve, tools like this represent the future of sports engagement. By combining data visualization with interactive elements, platforms can transform passive viewing into active participation, deepening fans' connection to the events they love.

The Lead: Mbappé's Dual Focus Kylian Mbappé is relishing a Golden Boot duel with Lionel Messi, the player he calls the "best of the best", but has said his personal ambitions would be subordinated to those of the team when France seek to seal qualification from Group C with victory over Iraq on Monday. The Captain's Century: A Historic Milestone Mbappé stepped into the full glare of the international media for the first time at this World Cup and handled the spotlight impeccably. From a defense of Ousmane Dembélé to the hot topic of the hydration break, France's captain spoke in a calm and thoughtful manner. A more pugilistic role was reserved for his manager, Didier Deschamps. "It is always a pleasure to be able to play in national team, and there is nothing bigger than that for me," Mbappé said, before a game in which he will earn a remarkable 100th cap for Les Bleus at the age of 27. "To reach 100 caps, that's historic, to do it at a World Cup all the more so. So it's a special match for me, but the thing that is clear in my mind is that we need to win in order to qualify." The Golden Boot Race: Chasing History After his opening double against Senegal, Mbappé has 14 World Cup goals, two goals behind Miroslav Klose's all-time record, one that was tied by Messi with his opening hat-trick against Algeria. "I knew Messi would go and score goals, he always does," Mbappé said. "He is ahead of me but I will keep scoring to help our squad go as far as possible. When you score goals it helps towards breaking records, but I want to win the World Cup." The Pecking Order: Messi Above All Messi and Mbappé's exploits both occurred during a remarkable 48 hours of goalscoring last week, with Harry Kane and Erling Haaland also making their mark at the tournament. Asked which of this cohort was the best, however, the Frenchman did not require time to think. "Lionel is the best of the four players it's clear," he said. "He is the best of the best with Cristiano [Ronaldo]. He's shown over 15 years he has an amazing quality. For the rest, it's a debate for journalists and fans. It's good to debate but it's not an issue in my head. I just try to show what I can do and show my ability on the biggest stage." Team Chemistry: Praise for Dembélé Mbappé said he had already rewatched the Senegal game twice, once by himself and once with staff. He praised the performance of Dembélé, whose international form has been the subject of much scrutiny by French journalists, to the extent that, when later confronted with the same topic, Deschamps insisted the media were "very much on his back". "In the first half he was the best attacker, he made the play fluid," Mbappé said "In the second half Michael Olise and I were decisive [in the opening goal] but Ousmane also contributed. If you see Michael's pass, Ousmane creates the space. It doesn't count in the stats, but it matters. He is the Ballon d'Or and everyone is on board." Tournament Strategy: The Hydration Debate On the small matter of the compulsory drinks breaks, Mbappé was short but to the point. "Don't ask the players about it, we'll change our mind all the time," he said. "If we're up and it disrupts our play I won't like it. If it's hot, I'll think it's good."

The Author’s Grievance with Redundant SpeechLouis de Bernes opens his column by describing the irritation caused by the ubiquitous filler “like” and the broader trend of imprecise, redundant language. He contrasts his classical humanist education with today’s “generic Thames corridor” accent, lamenting the loss of regional dialects such as Norfolk’s “Mardle”.Anecdotal Evidence and Cultural ObservationsThe piece cites several personal observations: litter tossed from car windows in the Norfolk countryside, a sixth‑form student’s overuse of “like”, and the author’s frustration with Radio 4’s shift toward younger, filler‑laden speech. These anecdotes serve to illustrate a perceived decline in linguistic standards.The Limited Quantitative ContextCaptain Corelli’s Mandolin – de Bernes’s fourth novel became a worldwide bestseller in 1994, underscoring his literary credibility.No concrete statistics on filler‑word frequency are provided, highlighting the essay’s reliance on personal experience rather than empirical data.Implications for Communication and Regional IdentityAccording to de Bernes, the proliferation of “like” and similar fillers dilutes meaning, hampers clear thought, and contributes to the erosion of regional speech patterns. He suggests that this linguistic flattening may reflect broader cultural homogenisation, linking it metaphorically to rural littering and the “imperialism of Essex”.Future Outlook for Language PurityThe author warns that without conscious effort, English could become increasingly cluttered with meaningless interjections. He calls for a revival of precise diction and respect for local dialects, implying that language purists may need to champion clearer speech in education and media.

Michel Barnier's Reflections on BrexitMichel Barnier, the former EU negotiator, recently shared his insights on Boris Johnson, Brexit, and the future of the EU. In a recent interview, Barnier discussed his personal experiences with Johnson and his views on the UK's decision to leave the EU.Barnier's Personal Connection to JohnsonBarnier revealed that he spent a weekend with Boris Johnson's father, Stanley, at a French castle. He described Stanley as 'very friendly' and noted that Boris was more European in his views at the beginning of his career. Barnier characterized Johnson's approach as 'cynical' and 'pragmatic.'The Brexit NegotiationsBarnier led the EU's negotiating team during the Brexit talks. He worked with several UK counterparts, including David Davis, Dominic Raab, and David Frost. Barnier emphasized that the EU was committed to protecting the single market and the four freedoms (of goods, capital, services, and labor).The Impact of BrexitBarnier expressed his concerns about the consequences of Brexit, stating that the UK's problems are more difficult because of its departure from the EU. He criticized the idea that everything was due to Brussels and noted that the UK's weak economic growth and toxic immigration debate are not solely the EU's fault.The Future of the EUBarnier is worried about the rise of far-right parties in Europe, including Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. He emphasized that the EU must not give in to their demands and that flexibility on trade is not an option. Barnier's comments come as France prepares for a potential presidential election next spring.