8 h. ago Bloom or bust? Superbloom spectacle eludes California after dry winter

Riot of native wildflowers that enthralled visitors in the past several years have failed to sprout due to too little rainIt’s one of the best known rites of spring in California: extraordinary displays known as “superblooms” that coat the hillsides in an abundance of color. Some years the blooms are massive enough to draw tourists from around the world to revel in the fields, such as in 2023 when more than 100,000 people showed up on a weekend to gawk at the poppies in Lake Elsinore, a small city about an hour outside Los Angeles.But this year, not so much. Thanks to a brutally dry winter, the hills around the usual southern California superbloom hotspots have been conspicuously bare. Callista Turner, a state park ranger, could count the number of blooms on two hands as she surveyed the 8 miles of rolling hills at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in the final week of March, which is typically when superbloom season peaks. “We’re still waiting to see what kind of season ...

Politics

4 d. ago Man dubbed 'W*nksy' draws 'world's largest penis' on Strava covering over 75 miles

WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT: A 'Strava' artist known for mapping out rude routes on the exercise app has equalled the record for the world's largest drawing of a penis with a brutal 75-mile run

Politics

6 d. ago War Paint – Women at War review – female conflict artists get their moment in the spotlight

From quilting in Japanese prisoner camps to graffiti in Sudan via Rachel Whiteread, Maggi Hambling and Lee Miller, this documentary covers myriad artistic responses to warMargy Kinmonth’s latest feature documentary represents the third in a trilogy of films about artists and war, following Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War, which focused on the second world war artist of the title, and the more first world war-skewed War Art with Eddie Redmayne, which showed on ITV. This time the focus is on female artists and war – as the title suggests with its cringe-inducing pun on a slang term for makeup.It’s a perfectly valid and potentially fruitful subject, but the analysis here is often frustratingly superficial. Kinmonth puts herself front and centre as the onscreen interviewer and narrator, so one has to blame her directly for the daftness of some her questions. For instance, she asks sculptor Rachel Whiteread: “I’m wondering, is there a difference in the perception of female artists to men, a...

Events

9 d. ago Omaze prize draw 'curse' after winner demanded £3million refund

Lucky punters can also win, £250,000 in cash but previous winners say it isn't always a blessing scooping a huge prize.

Economics

1 week ago Man with 'world's largest penis' claims to have slept with 'Oscar winners' and A

Jonah Falcon, 54, from New York, has made a name for himself discussing his genitalia and claims to have bedded lots of celebrities.

Politics

2 w. ago Donald Trump 'orders US military to draw up plans to seize Panama Canal'

US Southern Command has been given proposals that include collaborating with the Panamanian military - and potentially seizing the canal by force if they don't co-operate

Events

3 w. ago 'I was drawn into a secretive world of chemsex and it turned me into a zombie'

'I was drawn into a secretive world of chemsex and it turned me into a zombie'  BBC.com

Politics

3 w. ago Paper tigers: how Kandinsky, Kokoscha and Klee sparked an artistic revolution

A new show of visceral, violent and anxiety-strewn drawings reveals a history of expressionist artists seeking to make the world a better placeGerman expressionism has rarely gone out of fashion since its emergence in the early years of the 20th century, but something about it feels particularly of the moment today. Perhaps that’s not so surprising for a movement that sought to define, graphically represent and challenge a time fraught with the threat of war, economic uncertainty and cultural conflict that often shaded into misogyny.A large exhibition of work by the Blue Rider group occupied Tate Modern in London for much of last year and is now followed by a more focused show at the Courtauld Gallery. With Graphic Intent seeks to examine expressionism’s engagement with some of these heightened themes through one characteristic aspect of activity. “Their work on paper was central to the project,” says Niccola Shearman who, along with co-curator Emily Christensen, has brought togethe...

Politics

4 w. ago World’s first $1m women’s footballer Girma has Chelsea debut cut short

USA defender injured in Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with BrightonManchester United keep pressure on WSL leadersThe USA centre-back Naomi Girma’s debut for Chelsea ended early as she was brought off with an injury in their 2-2 draw at Brighton.The world’s first $1m women’s footballer, who signed for Chelsea from San Diego Wave in January for a $1.1m (£874,000)fee and has had to wait patiently for her debut while recovering from a calf injury that caused her to miss the SheBelieves Cup in February, had to be withdrawn just before the hour mark. It was an absorbing contest which saw a hard-working Brighton side give Chelsea more than just a scare.This story will be updated Continue reading...

Sport

4 w. ago Gervonta Davis blames shock draw on hair product and missing ring girls

Davis blinded by hair product and lost track of roundsFight report: Davis keeps title after controversial drawGervonta Davis v Lamont Roach Jr – as it happenedThere was plenty of blame to go around in the wee hours of Sunday morning after the controversial majority draw that nearly cost Gervonta Davis his World Boxing Association lightweight championship and undefeated record.Not long after the three-division champion from Baltimore survived 12 hairy rounds with Lamont Roach Jr to narrowly retain his title, Davis blamed the would-be knockdown that should have swung the fight to his opponent on a cosmetic malfunction. He blamed his losing track of which round it was on the absence of ring girls. Most of all, he blamed himself for the flattest performance of a 13-year professional career. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago Lewis Hamilton using criticism as 'fuel' after Ferrari switch as F1 testing ends

Seven-time world champion unfazed by critics as Bahrain testing draws to a close with former Mercedes team-mate George Russell on top

Politics

last month Luke Humphries lands Beau Graves as UK Open throws up historic draw between World no 1 and women's champ

Cool Hand will take on the Doncaster star in the fourth round on Friday night

Politics

last month Luke Humphries lands Beau Greaves as UK Open throws up historic draw between World no 1 and women's champ

Cool Hand will take on the Doncaster star in the fourth round on Friday night

Politics