Author: The Guardian

“Ideas are bulletproof”. Three words, stamped out in multicolour tiles above a doorway, represented one of the last vestiges of Hong Kong’s once vibrant literary spaces. On 31 March, Mount Zero, a beloved independent bookstore in Hong Kong, closed its doors for the final time. Hundreds of Hongkongers came to say goodbye.The bookshop, which opened in 2018, took its slogan from the 2005 film V for Vendetta; the eponymous antihero’s Guy Fawkes mask occasionally appeared during Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests.Mount Zero’s closure, which was announced after what the owner said was repeated inspections from the authorities, came as Hongkongers are…

timeHe started slightly later at this year’s Masters, as an early morning storm delayed him by three hours. It was 10 a.m. when Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson arrived at the practice range. It was just past 10:15 when they walked from the clubhouse through the gallery to the first tee. The player stops and presses the ball into the palm of a woman waiting by the ropes. Her name is Barbara and she is 88 years old. “We’re the same age,” she said, smiling like a kid who’s just discovered a big gift hidden behind the Christmas…

Key eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this feature73 mins: Kudus is showing some trickery and is fouled, allowing West Ham to waste a good 30 seconds.Xhaka takes aim from 30 yards but it flashes past the post.Share71 mins: WHAT A SAVE! Grimaldo chips a cross to Schick at the front post from where he flicks towards the top corner but Fabianski is equal to it and tips over.Share69 mins: I suspect West Ham will need to send on some fresh legs soon. Johnson did well at Wolves, so I expect to see him. I am not…

Premier League clubs have voted unanimously to adopt rules to limit player spending as part of controversial reforms to the Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).An overhaul of PSR rules is underway and officials hope to have it completed before the Premier League’s annual general meeting in June, but the cost containment ratio will now in principle be at the center of any plan.Under the proposed controls, clubs competing in European competitions would limit 70% of their income to player-related costs, which includes transfer fees, agent fees and wages. Other clubs will be able to spend 85%, part of the league’s…

OJ Simpson, an NFL star turned suspected murderer, has died, according to a statement by his family. He was 76.On X, formerly known as Twitter, Simpson’s account carried a simple message from his family.“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” the statement said.Simpson was not found guilty of the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman in a case that captivated the…

oxygenJordan Gill was contemplating taking his own life when he drank a liter of vodka in a field in Cambridgeshire on June 30 last year. It was the night before his 29th birthday, early Friday morning, and in his own words, “just a normal, sunny day. I woke up and didn’t know what to do with myself.”On a very different Friday morning we sit a foot apart in a boxing gym in Harlow. The room was empty except for a few heavy objects and utensils. Gill and Zelfa Barrett take to the ring for a high-profile super-featherweight bout in Manchester…

The French parliament is taking aim at noise complaints in the countryside. Lawmakers say they are well acquainted with the problem of residents who have moved to the countryside from the big cities bemoaning the way livestock, church bells and other rural sounds impinge on their newly claimed right to pastoral quiet.A new law aims to stop these néoruraux (rural newcomers) from taking farmers to court over farming activities that were already happening long before they arrived. Opposition MPs have derided the new bill as hot air, because it mostly just reorganises existing bits of legislation. But what is new…

Documents show royal courtiers privately pressured the Welsh government to ensure King Charles would not be prosecuted for rural crimes under new laws set out by ministers.The elected minister, who serves as the Welsh government’s chief legal adviser, was “not happy” that the King was granted special immunity from prosecution but agreed last year.A Buckingham Palace official called the Welsh government to obtain assurances based on an ancient practice that requires the British Parliament to obtain the monarch’s consent before drafting a bill.Under this mechanism, ministers inform the royal family of specific provisions in draft laws that may affect their…

A holiday should be relaxing, but booking one can be a fraught experience, with days lost to endless scrolling, comparing reviews and prices. How can you be sure you are getting a good deal? Travel agents share their tips for the most affordable, sustainable and memorable trips.1. Book like an agent“Everybody views themselves as a travel agent and they can be up to a point,” says Paul Sharp from Newcastle upon Tyne, who operates as part of the Travel Counsellors network and has 30 years’ experience in the industry. He says the rise of budget airlines and online booking have…

Ukrainian lawmakers have sparked outrage after scrapping a provision in a draft law that would have given long-serving soldiers on the front lines a chance to return home.With Ukrainian troops outnumbering Russia on the battlefield, “the offensive continues along the entire front line.” Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Dmytro Razutkin said on state television on Wednesday that it was not currently possible to weaken defense forces.”We cannot make hasty decisions now,” he added, explaining the military’s objections to the provision.Military leaders have pressured politicians to abandon a draft amendment that would have given soldiers with more than 36 months’ service the…