8 h. ago The Swiss lived in splendid isolation for years. Trump’s tariffs have shattered that complacency | Joseph de Weck

The shockwaves sent by the US president could finally push Switzerland closer to the EUGrowing up in Zurich often felt like being removed from the world. It shouldn’t be that way: after all, Switzerland is at the heart of Europe. Riding on the cosy Zurich trams, one hears all the world’s languages; and the airport offers more direct intercontinental flights than Berlin. And yet, coming of age in Switzerland is like sitting in an aquarium looking at the world through a thick bulletproof window.That glass was shattered last week when Donald Trump announced 39% tariffs on Swiss exports. The US is the most important destination for Swiss products: 18.6% of all its exports go there. If Trump maintains the tariffs, sales to the US “will be effectively annihilated”, said Switzerland’s industry lobbying group. The rightwing Swiss business minister, Guy Parmelin, announced a furlough programme to shield the economy from “mass layoffs”. The tabloid newspaper Blick captured the mood with a sta...

Politics

8 h. ago UK universities explore merging language courses as enrolment falls

Institutions discuss closer collaboration and sharing resources amid funding concerns

Politics

16 h. ago Russell Martin tells Rangers to forget Champions League if one thing doesn't happen as he gives Dessers injury update

Rangers were poor despite progressing against Viktoria Plzen while Dessers had to helped off after suffering an injury

Sport

21 h. ago Forget hosepipe bans! Now officials say we should delete old EMAILS to save water

They're the government body behind the dreaded hosepipe bans. But the Environment Agency have come up with another way to save water - by deleting old emails.

Politics

27 h. ago The enduring appeal of Moomins as cartoon celebrates its 80th birthday

Set in the whimsical Moominvalley, the series has been translated into more than 60 languages, sparking a global phenomenon

Politics

27 h. ago UFC landed a $7.7bn deal with Paramount. But is Dana White’s Trump bond a liability?

The Octagon is more international than ever – so why is Dana White still tied to an administration that seeks to isolate large parts of its audience?Forget for a moment the stereotype that MMA athletes and their fans are All-American bar fighters. The MMA community is far more diverse and far more cerebral than the casual onlooker realizes.Has Dana White forgotten that? Continue reading...

Economics

27 h. ago Forget Trump, Europe must show Putin it’s serious about peace in Ukraine – and prepare for war

Politicians in the UK and Europe know the threat from Russia is real, but the public still don’t quite get the danger they are in, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley

Politics

29 h. ago ‘I hate it’: 11 movies that actors regretted saying yes to, from Harry Potter to Blade Runner

Jacob Stolworthy runs through the roles certain stars wish they could forget

Culture

30 h. ago ‘I’m going to Russia’: Trump appears to forget Alaska is in US as he frets over facing Putin

Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the 49th state on Friday

Politics

31 h. ago ‘I’m going to Russia’: Trump appears to forget Alaska is in US as he frets over facing Putin amid DC crime

Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the 49th state on Friday

Politics

32 h. ago Take away our language and we will forget who we are: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and the language of conquest

The late Kenyan novelist and activist believed erasing language was the most lasting weapon of oppression. Here, Aminatta Forna recalls the man and introduces his essay on decolonisationIn the 1930s, it was common for British missionaries to change the names of African school pupils to biblical names. The change wasn’t “just for school” – it was intended to be for ever. So Ngũgĩ became James and my father, Mohamed, became Moses. While many students retained their new names throughout their lives, Ngũgĩ and my father changed theirs back, though you can still find early editions of Ngũgĩ’s first book, Weep Not, Child, under the name of “James Ngugi”. With the novel, Ngũgĩ established himself as a writer and later, by reclaiming his Kikuyu identity as an activist, began a process of decolonisation that he would explore in one of his most famous nonfiction works, Decolonising the Mind (1986), which challenged the dominance of European languages in African education and literature. Ngũgĩ...

Politics

35 h. ago Donald Trump ridiculed after embarrassing slip up during Putin meeting announcement

Donald Trump appeared to forget where he and Russian President Vladimir Putin are meeting for their face-to-face later this week, mistakenly declaring he was "going to Russia"

Politics

41 h. ago Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal can't speak or read French despite living there for years

Fat Duck owner Heston Blumenthal can say 'bonjour' but 'still' doesn't know much of the French language despite having spent the past seven years in the country

Politics

44 h. ago ‘I’m going to Russia on Friday’: Trump appears to forget Alaska is in US as he frets over facing Putin amid DC crime

Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the 49th state on Friday

Politics

46 h. ago ‘If these words reach you Israel has succeeded in killing me’: the last words of a journalist killed in Gaza

Anas al-Sharif, an Al Jazeera reporter, was killed by an Israeli airstrike on Sunday night. This is the message he had prepared for his family, and his call for the world not to forget Gaza• Report: Funeral held for five journalists killed in strikeThe following statement was posthumously published on Anas al-Sharif’s X account, after an attack on a tent for journalists near al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Seven people in total were killed including al-Sharif, the Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa, according to Al Jazeera.This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Events

47 h. ago History made accessible: The Real Mary King’s Close launches first

One of Edinburgh’s most iconic attractions is making its own history by launching digital sign language tours for the first time. The Real Mary King’s Close will offer tours in British Sign Language (BSL) and International Sign Language (IS) using a multimedia app, launching to coincide with Edinburgh Deaf Festival which begins on August 8th.

Politics

51 h. ago Prince Andrew's shock act of defiance as he breaks cover after brutal allegations

The disgraced Duke was spotted as he headed out for a walk on Sunday afternoon - and now a body language expert has decoded his 'true feelings' after being hit with a deluge of fresh allegations

Politics

52 h. ago The Adversary by Michael Crummey review – dark humour and depravity at the edge of the Earth

This prize-winning take on a biblical tale set in 1800s Newfoundland is grim, but has energy, empathy – and a wickedly colourful way with wordsSeveral years have passed since Michael Crummey’s last novel The Innocents was published in the UK in 2020. A pandemic has since occurred and, appropriately perhaps, The Adversary begins on a dark note of contagion. “There was a killing sickness on the shore that winter and the only services at the church were funerals,” runs the opening line, setting the tone for a book that plumbs the depths of depravity but – thanks to its energy, and its ripe and adventurous language – never loses a black sense of humour. Having now won the 30th annual Dublin Literary award, worth €100,000, The Adversary is proof that Crummey is beginning to garner the accolades he deserves beyond his native Canada.Crummey hails from Newfoundland; all six of his novels are set there. He understands the power of lashing sea, scouring wind, an eked-out existence far from wh...

Politics

3 d. ago Simple math equation leaves people bewildered as they forget 'golden rule'

The internet is torn over the elementary-level math equation, with people suggesting conflicting answers based on their approaches.

Politics

3 d. ago Inside New York City’s most exclusive preschools — where college prep begins at age 3

Forget nap time and finger painting. For a growing number of New York parents, preschool is where the serious investment begins. Holly Baxter talks to those inside the city’s elite programs for toddlers and discovers a world of dual-language immersion, rooftop morning meetings, emotional resilience training — and tuition fees that rival college

Politics