9 d. ago It’s the media’s job to hold power to account. This year, too many got into bed with it instead | Arwa Mahdawi

The lines between advertising, public relations and journalism have become dangerously blurredFunded by readers, the Guardian’s fierce independence is guaranteed. Please help us reach our year-end fundraising goalEnough time has passed now, I think, that I can safely tell you about one of the stupidest things I have ever done. Almost a decade ago I decided to quit my well-paid job in advertising in order to pursue a precarious career in freelance journalism. The merits of that decision are up for debate but the real stupidity is in how I quit my job: I wrote a rather cringeworthy column for the Guardian about my “meaningless job in advertising” and publicly proclaimed that I’d decided to quit. My boss saw the piece and, well, he obviously wasn’t happy. (Sorry, Sean!)I bring this embarrassing anecdote up because I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting recently on the reasons why I left advertising. Maybe this sounds twee, but I was sick of selling people things they didn’t need. I wanted...

Politics

2 w. ago Autistic volunteer who lost his job at Waitrose set to return in paid role

Waitrose ended Tom Boyd’s placement after his mother asked for paid hours, but will now be employing him from January

Politics

2 w. ago Waitrose finally gives autistic volunteer paid job after major U

Hard-working Tom Boyd put in 600 hours of voluntary work at his local Waitrose in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, but was let go when his mum asked for a few paid hours

Politics

2 w. ago Autistic volunteer accepts paid job at Waitrose after being 'sacked' in row over free working

Tom Boyd, 28, had been working for free at a branch of the retailer. Today Waitrose announced he will start work in January as 'paid partner.'

Politics

2 w. ago Autistic volunteer 'sacked' by Waitrose finally gets paid job as supermarket makes U

Hard-working Tom Boyd - who has severe autism - put in 600 hours of voluntary work at his local Waitrose in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, but was let go when his mum asked for a few paid hours

Politics

2 w. ago Autistic man sacked by Waitrose after four years unpaid FINALLY gets paid work

Tom Boyd, 28, has finally been given a job at Waitrose after initially being dismissed when his family asked for him to start taking on paid hours - he volunteered at the supermarket for four years

Politics