Former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb reacts to Jalen Hurts skipping Trump White House visit
The franchise’s last remaining connection to the original trilogy has appeared in a number of recent spinoffs. What’s next, now the 73-year-old actor says he has hung up his lightsaber for good?
Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker has been Star Wars’ ultimate backup plan for at least half a decade. The original trilogy has faded into the distance, and the movies set in that galaxy far, far away have become so poor in recent years that we’d all rather watch Andor. But there was always the option of plugging in Hamill – a sort of human Star Wars USB stick, primed to conjure up 1970s vibes as required. Not quite getting your fill of Force nostalgia? Here’s Luke tutoring Baby Yoda in The Book of Boba Fett. And here he is again, whinging about past mistakes in The Last Jedi. It may not quite have been Binary Sunset, or Yoda lifting the X-wing on Dagobah. But for a few shimmering, quite-possibly-digitally-retouched moments, it felt like we were back in the real Star Wars again.
Back in 2023, I wrote about the weird emotional whiplash of falling for digi-Luke: the plasticky but strangely compelling CGI version of the Jedi master who turned up in those Disney+ TV shows like a hologram from a smoother-skinned age. At the time, Hamill had sounded lukewarm on returning to Star Wars, but left just enough ambiguity to keep the dream alive.
Continue reading...© Photograph: Fox/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
© Photograph: Fox/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
Trump tells CNN Musk ‘has a problem’ and that he does not plan to speak to the Tesla CEO for a while
Tesla shares rose on Friday as investors took some comfort from White House aides scheduling a call with CEO Elon Musk to broker peace after a public feud with President Donald Trump, reports Reuters.
The electric carmaker’s shares were up about 5% in Frankfurt on Friday, having closed down 14.3% on Thursday in New York, losing about $150bn in market value.
“It’s unlikely that Trump will end subsidies and contracts with Tesla. Those are obviously threats that are unlikely to come into fruition,” Fiona Cincotta, senior market analyst at City Index told Reuters. “I don’t expect this to blow out into anything more serious than a war of words for a couple of days.”
Continue reading...© Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
© Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
© Illustration: Martin Rowson/The Guardian
© Illustration: Martin Rowson/The Guardian
From spending review to China audit to assisted dying vote, June’s events have potential to lift or darken Labour mood
As Keir Starmer approaches his first anniversary in Downing Street, there will be several things he wishes he had done differently. But before he can contemplate that July milestone, he faces a busy month strewn with political bear traps.
June has proven a difficult time for successive prime ministers: Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak all had to contend with deeply unhappy parliamentary parties reeling from heavy local and European election losses.
Continue reading...© Photograph: Andy Buchanan/PA
© Photograph: Andy Buchanan/PA
Arsenic was historically mixed with copper to create a vivid green for book covers, which can irritate modern day readers
A new tool to quickly identify books that are poisonous to humans has been developed by the University of St Andrews.
Historically, publishers used arsenic mixed with copper to achieve a vivid emerald green colour for book covers. While the risk to the public is “low”, handling arsenic-containing books regularly can lead to health issues including irritation of the eyes, nose and throat along with more serious side-effects. The toxic pigment in the book bindings can flake off, meaning small pieces can easily be inhaled.
Continue reading...© Photograph: University of St Andrews
© Photograph: University of St Andrews
Late-night hosts discuss the social media war of words between Donald Trump and former friend Elon Musk
Late-night hosts relished the dramatic fallout between Donald Trump and his erstwhile friend and ally Elon Musk.
Continue reading...© Photograph: Youtube
© Photograph: Youtube
Director and star of the Vegas-set mafia drama spoke to an audience as part of this year’s Tribeca film festival, looking back at their 1995 hit and its timeless themes
For this year’s Tribeca film festival, the annual New York salute to moviemaking featured a special screening of Casino, the Martin Scorsese-directed drama starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone, timed to its 30th anniversary. But even though the splashy epic premiered in this same city back in November 1995, its themes of power, money, greed and ego are echoing in the modern ethos louder than ever.
“You can go back to the ancient Greek tragedies,” said Scorsese, speaking alongside De Niro and moderated by standup comedian W Kamau Bell on stage at the Beacon Theater before the screening. “It’s a basic story of hubris and pride, with the pride taking us all down.”
Continue reading...© Photograph: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival
© Photograph: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival
Our writers highlight the films they find endlessly rewatchable, including Notting Hill and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
“Feelgood” movies are often thought of as big-hearted romantic comedies, comforting classics, or childhood favourites that still hold up decades later. In our series, My feelgood movie, Guardian writers reflect on their go-to flick, and explain why their pick is endlessly rewatchable.
This list will be updated weekly with further picks.
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging is available on Hoopla and Kanopy in the US or to rent digitally or on Amazon Prime and Paramount+ in the UK
Continue reading...© Composite: The Guardian/Alamy
© Composite: The Guardian/Alamy
The IMO faces calls to suspend Israel, while escaping Gaza and the West Bank to attend this year’s event in Australia seems a distant dream for Palestinian hopefuls
For six Palestinian teenagers, it could be a “life-changing opportunity”.
The youngsters have been selected for the International Mathematics Olympiad, to be held on Australia’s Sunshine Coast in July, but it is unclear whether they will be able to leave Gaza and the West Bank to take part.
Continue reading...© Photograph: Valerie Kuypers/AFP/Getty Images
© Photograph: Valerie Kuypers/AFP/Getty Images
Trawulwuy artist Nathan Maynard’s installation intends to educate on Tasmania’s violent past – but will the lesson be lost
In the dimly-lit basement of a former furniture store in Hobart CBD, 480 embalmed sheep’s heads in specimen jars are arranged on industrial shelving units: 24 racks, each four shelves high and with five jars per shelf, in a neat grid. The fastidiousness of the presentation sits at odds with the inherent violence of the material; so do the expressions on most of the sheep’s faces, which range from serene to uncanny smiles.
As if to dispel any false sense of quietude, the room’s lighting periodically switches to nightmarish red.
Continue reading...© Photograph: Jesse Hunniford
© Photograph: Jesse Hunniford
From acknowledging big emotions to finding ways to make climate action fun, it’s important to start where your kids are
Change by Degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprint
Got a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.com
Although it’s unfair, it’s young people (and the generations to come) who will have to deal with fallout from the climate crisis. So how do you talk to young people about living sustainably and raise knowledgeable kids who care about the future of the planet?
Here are some tips for engaging the next generation on the environment meaningfully.
Continue reading...© Composite: Getty Images
© Composite: Getty Images
French government braces for legal challenges to new tactics, involving extra police, boats and drones
British taxpayers will be expected to contribute more money to stop irregular migration as the French government prepares to halt small boats carrying asylum seekers even if they are already at sea.
It is understood there will be extra costs associated with the scheme to tackle boats within 300 metres of the shore – including paying for police, boats and drones – which the UK will be asked to share with France.
Continue reading...© Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA
© Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA
© Pool photo by Wpa