14 h. ago I was a chess prodigy trapped in a religious cult. It left me with years of fear and self

Growing up dirt poor in Arizona’s Church of Immortal Consciousness, I showed an early talent for the game. Soon the cult’s leader began grooming me to become a grandmaster – even if it meant separating me from my mother When I first discovered chess, after watching the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer on HBO, I was a nine-year-old kid living in a tiny village in the mountains of Arizona. Because of its title, many people think the film is about Bobby Fischer, the reclusive chess genius who bested the Soviet Union in 1972, defeating Boris Spassky to become the first US-born world chess champion in history. Really, it’s about how the American chess world was desperate to find the next Bobby Fischer after the first one disappeared. The story follows Josh Waitzkin, a kid from Greenwich Village in New York, who sits down at a chess board with a bunch of homeless dudes in the park one day and miraculously discovers that he’s a child prodigy – at least that is the Hollywood version of the...

Politics

4 d. ago Netflix's People We Meet on Vacation reveals lead cast including Hunger Games star

Netflix has finally announced the leading duo for its upcoming rom-com, People We Meet on Vacation

Politics

4 d. ago Netflix's People We Meet On Vacation lead cast and release date announced

The romance film premieres on Netflix in January 2026

Politics

1 week ago Pixar confirms new film coming in 2026 and people have thoughts

A brand new film and characters will grace our screens next year as Pixar are releasing a new film called Hoppers – but fans are divided over some features in the animation

Politics

2 w. ago Plastic bag sales rise for first time since 5p charge came in 10 years ago driven by supermarket deliveries

Plastic bag sales have increased for the first time in a decade thanks to a boom in online shopping.

Economics

2 w. ago The rise of Tesco: How the supermarket giant conquered Greater Manchester

In 1960 Tesco had 160 supermarkets in the UK but nearly all were in the south of England

Politics

2 w. ago What 3.8% rise in inflation means for your supermarket bills

The level of inflation for the 12 months to July was 3.8% - this is higher than the 3.6% that was recorded in June. The majority of economists forecast inflation would hit 3.7% in July.

Economics

2 w. ago Trump administration to expand review of Smithsonian museums to ‘get Woke out’

Exclusive: White House flagged institutions including those for Latino, African and Asian art for review, document showsAmid the Donald Trump administration’s heavy-handed review of Smithsonian museums, the Guardian has seen a document compiled by the White House that argues the widely visited cultural institutions have overly negative portrayals of US history, from a Benjamin Franklin exhibit that links his scientific achievements to his ownership of enslaved people and a film about George Floyd’s murder that it says mischaracterizes the police.The document, based on public submissions shared with the administration, shows that seven museums have so far been flagged for review: the National Museum of American History, National Museum of the American Latino, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African Art, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Museum of Asian Art. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago MOVIE REVIEW: We take a dark, intense trip with horror 'Bring Her Back'

Sally Hawkins is a true revelation in film that deals with loss and the lengths people will go to towards reuniting with a loved one.

Events

3 w. ago Lidl UK: supermarket announces fifth staff pay rise in two years

Supermarket staff are set for higher wages this September 💷

Economics

3 w. ago UK supermarket closures: 100+ major supermarkets including Asda and Tesco risk closing as business rates rise

Shoppers could face fewer local supermarket options as rising property taxes hit stores 🛒

Economics

3 w. ago ‘I don’t touch my phone. At home, I’d be scrolling’: why young people are flocking to independent cinemas

Young people are drawn in by the promise of a ‘no-distractions’ zone, rereleases of old classics and music documentaries by global artistsA new generation of film lovers is helping to drive an increase in cinema attendance across the UK. As the industry slowly recovers from the decline of audiences during the pandemic – there were 126.5m admissions in 2024 compared with 176.1m in 2019, the rise in younger people returning to cinema may be due to a newfound love for film developed during the lockdown years. Although figures are yet to be restored to pre-pandemic levels, admission rates are continuing to increase, and it is younger audiences in particular who are showing significant enthusiasm, with figures from the Cinema Advertising Association suggesting that under-35s make up 50% of cinemagoers across the board.This is a proportion, which includes all cinemas including mainstream multiplexes, has held steady over the last few years but the effect appears particularly marked on the...

Politics

last month Danny Dyer says Bafta win was 'very emotional' after 35 years in the industry

Danny Dyer has opened up about his Bafta win and said it was 'very emotional' to be given his 'flowers' after 35 years in the industry, as he also spoke about the lack of working class people in the TV and film industry

Politics

last month ‘People buy it to film it, not eat it’: The surreal rise of the supermarket food stunt

They might look fun on social media, but do they actually taste any good? Katie Rosseinsky explores why supermarkets have started chasing viral success with their latest food launches

Economics