6 h. ago At American summer camps, kids get a glimpse of their future. That’s what made the horror in Texas so crushing | Emma Brockes

As news of the floods began to break, for so many parents the scene at Camp Mystic was intimately imaginableAmong the many dreams that the US offers its citizens, there’s this: that the American child, around the age of eight, will go to sleep-away camp a few hours from home and begin one of the key formative experiences of their life. They will return every summer. They will learn independence. They will form bonds with people who will one day godparent their children. As an adult, a friend of mine – no kidding – returned to the hallowed ground in Pennsylvania where her summer camp once stood, bought a piece of land and built a house there. Whenever we visited, she’d point out the ruins of the old dining hall down by the lake and get a haunted look on her face.I mention this because, among the many devastated reactions to the flash floods in Texas last week, there is one that is particular, and particularly acute, to millions of Americans: a gut-level blow of unfathomable loss stri...

Events

6 h. ago At US summer camps, kids get a glimpse of their future. That’s what made the horror in Texas so visceral | Emma Brockes

Camps are a rite of passage for American parents and children. That’s why the tragedy at Camp Mystic was intimately imaginableAmong the many dreams that the US offers its citizens, there’s this: that the American child, around the age of eight, will go to sleep-away camp a few hours from home and begin one of the key formative experiences of their life. They will return every summer. They will learn independence. They will form bonds with people who will one day godparent their children. As an adult, a friend of mine – no kidding – returned to the hallowed ground in Pennsylvania where her summer camp once stood, bought a piece of land and built a house there. Whenever we visited, she’d point out the ruins of the old dining hall down by the lake and get a haunted look on her face.I mention this because, among the many devastated reactions to the flash floods in Texas last week, there is one that is particular, and particularly acute, to millions of Americans: a gut-level blow of unfa...

Events

11 h. ago When do Chelsea play in the Club World Cup final? Date, kick

Everything you need to know ahead of the Club World Cup final

Sport

34 h. ago Revenge in the air as Kylian Mbappé and PSG clash in Club World Cup semi

Real Madrid forward faces former club amid legal war and bitterness, after watching PSG grab the glory he left to pursueThis is a tale of blackmail and revenge, or so it goes. Of power and money, lots of money. It is also a story of sport. The buildup to the semi-final of the Club World Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, those two empires and enemies, didn’t begin with a fitness update from Atlanta or Palm Beach; it began on Monday morning New York time with news from Paris that Kylian Mbappé had withdrawn a legal claim accusing his former club of extortion and harassment. Two days before kick-off, it was time for the football.Well, sort of. “The Real Madrid striker and his entourage want to calm the situation and concentrate exclusively on sporting issues,” L’Équipe reported. Definitely nothing to do with their prospects of winning the case, then. Besides, there is still the demand for €55m in allegedly unpaid wages and bonuses, which led to PSG’s accounts being momen...

Society

34 h. ago Holidaymaker reveals the 'genius' bag that fits Ryanair luggage restrictions

A travel-savvy holidaymaker has stunned social media after revealing a 'genius' travel bag that effortlessly fits Ryanair's strict baggage size limits - holding enough for an entire 10-day trip.

Politics

60 h. ago ‘I’m rooting for them’: why American Movie is my feelgood movie

The next in our series of writers drawing attention to their favourite comfort films looks back to a funny and touching documentary from 1999“I was a failure and I get very sad and depressed about it. I really feel like I betrayed myself. Big time. When I was growing up, I had all the potential in the world. Now I’m back to being Mark with a beer in his hand who is thinking about the great American script and the great American movie. This time I cannot fail. I will not fail.”As far as opening monologues go, you couldn’t have scripted a more perfect introduction to a film that captures one of the purest pursuits of the American Dream ever set to film. But these were not written for a character, but instead straight from the heart of Mark Borchardt in a 1999 documentary. It’s rare that documentaries are associated with feelgood movies, which is odd because they are remarkable vehicles for generating warmth, empathy and humor from spending time in the company of real life people who y...

Politics

61 h. ago Starmer braced for fresh rebellion over reforms to special needs support

It comes after Bridget Phillipson refused to rule out scrapping key documents that parents rely on to guarantee specialist help for their children

Politics

3 d. ago Expect 'real change' as huge astrological shift for first time in over 100 years sets in

Your weekly horoscope is here and it's all about the big change ahead, as Uranus is on the move and Neptune is readying for . Here's your star sign's forecast for the week ahead...

Science

4 d. ago ‘We’re an antidote’: Boss of Legoland owner on the thrill of theme parks in a world of technology

Fiona Eastwood says real-life experiences that bring people together are vital amid a battle for attention in the digital eraArtificial intelligence is in the process of upending the business models of companies all over the world, but when it comes to the $100bn (£73bn) global theme park business the thrill of “big metal” rollercoasters is still the biggest draw.Fiona Eastwood, the boss of the sector’s second biggest operator, Merlin Entertainments, says that in a world dominated by battles over screen time it is real-life experiences that provide families with an “antidote to phones and digital technology”. Continue reading...

Science

4 d. ago Live tweets: Can this smart bird feeder bring wildlife to a London flat?

Bird Buddy 2.0 promises HD close-ups of local robins and real-time alerts from your balcony. But in a city of sirens and squirrels, does it work?

Politics

5 d. ago Man unearths time capsule buried 24 years ago – and can't believe what's inside it

A man unearthed a time capsule which he buried around 24 years ago with on Millennium Eve (December 31, 1999) with his brother – and he simply can't believe the contents of it

Politics

7 d. ago Look at Wimbledon without human line judges and tell me this: do you really want life to be perfect? | Hugh Muir

They say say tech instead of people on court is progress, and perhaps it is. But society has hard calls to make: sometimes perfect is not worth havingIt’s the perfect Wimbledon. The sun is out, the Brits are firing and as for the scoring, that too will be somewhat perfect, this being the first Wimbledon since the tournament told the line judges, long the arbiters of accuracy, that after 148 years, their services will no longer be required.Arguments, unpredictability and, as the cameras zoom in to the line judge whose eyesight judgment prompts a participant explosion, buttock-clenching awkwardness in close-up: goodbye to all that. Hello, AI and sharp-eyed robots, analysing in real time 18 lots of footage.Hugh Muir is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Meet ICEblock: The app that lets residents know when immigration agents are in their community

A grassroots network of apps, text threads and forums are sharing real-time ICE location data. The Trump administration says that’s illegal, Alex Woodward reports

Politics

1 week ago The five best value new cars on sale: Which? reveals its magic formula

If you're looking to buy a new car and value for money is top of your priorities, then sit tight as we can tell you which showrooms you really need to visit.

Politics

1 week ago Can I tame my 4am terrors? Arifa Akbar on a lifetime of insomnia – and a possible cure

From Van Gogh’s starry skies to the nocturnal workings of Louise Bourgeois and Patricia Highsmith, sleepless nights have long inspired heightened creativity. Could those artistic impulses actually help us to sleep?I can’t remember when I first stopped sleeping soundly. Maybe as a child, in the bedroom I initially shared with my brother, Tariq. I would wait for his breathing to quieten, then strain to listen beyond our room in the hope of being the last one awake, and feel myself expanding into the liberating space and solitude. By my early 20s, that childhood game of holding on to wakefulness while others slept began playing out against my will. Sound seemed to be the trigger. It was as if the silence I had tuned into as a child was now a requirement for sleep. Any sound was noise: the burr of the TV from next door, the ticking of a clock in another room. When one layer of sound reduced its volume, another rose from beneath it, each intrusive and underscored by my own unending thoug...

Events

1 week ago States can cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, the Supreme Court rules

The Supreme Court is allowing states to cut off Medicaid money for Planned Parenthood amid a wider Republican-backed push to defund the organization, the country’s largest abortion provider

Events

2 w. ago Arsenal face Rodrygo transfer wait as Real Madrid's stance on sale emerges

Arsenal have identified Rodrygo as a top summer target in their search for a quality left winger but it may take time for a deal for the Real Madrid superstar to materialise

Sport

2 w. ago Summer job rules every parent needs to know this summer for their child

MoneyMagpie Editor and financial expert Vicky Parry explores employment law for under-18s considering a summer job

Society

2 w. ago Parents could be fined £300 for letting their child ride this type of bike

Electric bikes have become increasingly popular in recent years, but there are strict rules in place that parents need to be aware of when it comes to their children

Society

2 w. ago Katherine Ryan to host The Real Housewives of London reunion show

The 41-year-old comedian - a long-time fan of The Real Housewives reality franchise - will bring her "unique humour to navigate the final discussion of the season"

Politics