The Guardian

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Kevin review – Aubrey Plaza’s new cat comedy is so irretrievably bad it must never be allowed to happen again

The team behind this adult animation is unbelievably stellar – Jason Schwartzman, John Waters, Whoopi Goldberg, Amy Sedaris … Sadly, it’s so awful it’s hard to even express its direness

We need to talk about Kevin. We need to surround ourselves with soothing furnishings and sturdy stress toys and – deep breaths, everyone – discuss how and why Kevin has happened and what steps must be taken to stop Kevin, or anything like Kevin, from ever happening again.

But first, the unfortunate facts. Kevin is the title of a new adult animation from Prime Video and the name of the series’ protagonist; a self-doubting house cat who, after his owners’ breakup, opts to move into a chaotic pet rescue centre.

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‘She’d been drinking with Julie Walters. I heard a crash’: Victoria Wood’s genius – by her friends, fans and actors

Dazzling performer, brilliant writer, maddening perfectionist, Easter Egg hunt maestro … on the 10th anniversary of Wood’s death, those who knew her best celebrate the shy introvert who redefined comedy

Duncan Preston

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Get a grip on ‘scandal’ of illegal child social care in England, ministers are told

Vulnerable children placed in caravans, Airbnbs and holiday camps, with children’s commissioner saying practice must stop

Ministers must get to grips with the “national scandal” of England’s shadow child social care system, the children’s commissioner has warned, as a shocking new report reveals the number of children in unregulated settings has increased by more than 370% in five years.

Some of the most vulnerable children in England are being temporarily placed in unregulated caravans, Airbnbs and holiday camps, which risk the “accumulation of increasing levels of harm for children who have already faced enough distress for several lifetimes”, according to a new report.

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Ed Miliband to double down on net zero with measures to combat Iran energy shock

As fossil fuel prices soar ‘the era of clean energy security must come of age’, energy secretary will say

Ed Miliband will double down on Labour’s commitment to net zero in the face of the Middle East conflict this week, insisting that as fossil fuel prices soar “the era of clean energy security must come of age”.

The energy secretary is set to announce a package of new policies in a speech on Tuesday in response to an expected energy crisis prompted by Donald Trump’s war with Iran.

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England left with ‘toilet deserts’ as public facilities decline by 14% in a decade

Report says lack of provision is harmful to health and damaging for high streets

The number of public toilets in England has fallen by 14% in a decade, harming public health and creating vast swathes of lavatory “deserts” and unpleasant environments, a report says.

The analysis by the Royal Society for Public Health found a “significant shortfall” in provision, with 15,481 people for each public toilet in England. That contrasts sharply with Scotland, where there are 8,500 people for each toilet, and Wales, with 6,748.

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Arrests fuel fears among Madagascar’s gen Z protesters that new regime no better than one they overthrew

Jubilation is turning to disenchantment as young activists arrested after protest calling for election date to be set

The arrest of several protesters in Madagascar has increased fears among young people that the military regime that took power last year after huge Gen Z demonstrations will be no better than the government it overthrew.

Four Gen Z activists, Herizo Andriamanantena, Miora Rakotomalala, Dina Randrianarisoa and Nomena Ratsihorimanana, were arrested on 12 April, one of their lawyers said, two days after taking part in a protest calling for an election date to be set.

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‘Every time I write, I doubt myself’: Michael Rosen at 80 on deep grief, self-belief and chocolate cake

The children’s author answers questions from readers, friends and writers on losing his son Eddie, surviving Covid, who he’d invite to his perfect birthday dinner and where he goes for inspiration

Whether you know him from reading his classic picture book We’re Going on A Bear Hunt as a child, from his viral YouTube videos or his tireless support for children’s literacy and the NHS, Michael Rosen has been a household name in the UK for decades. As he turns 80, we gave his peers and Guardian readers the opportunity to put to him the questions they’ve always wanted to ask.

Which do you prefer, asking or answering questions? Roger McGough, poet
Probably asking. I always worry if I’m answering questions I’m being boring. It feels quite exciting if you ask questions. And, as Roger knows, the moment you pick up a pen and start to write, you’re actually asking questions. You’re saying: “What’s the next word? What’s the next phrase? Why am I writing in this shape? Why am I writing in this tone of voice?”

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Minder lezen, Meer weten.

Oorlog rond Iran loopt verder uit de hand

De oorlog tussen Amerika en Israel aan de ene kant en Iran aan de andere kant heeft een gevaarlijke nieuw dieptepunt bereikt.

Amerika heeft een Iraans schip beschoten en geenterd. Dat maakte de machthebbers in Iran opnieuw erg boos. Het Iraanse leger heeft gewaarschuwd dat het zal reageren. Tot nu toe hebben de Iraniers na zo'n dreigement telkens woord gehouden. Daarmee escaleert het conflict telkens verder.

En dan de onderhandelingen . Vicepresident JD Vance en hoge Amerikaanse functionarissen reizen maandag naar Pakistan voor een nieuwe ronde gesprekken over de oorlog met Iran. Maar Teheran heeft nog niet publiekelijk bevestigd dat het aanwezig zal zijn, en sommige staatsmedia suggereren dat de gesprekken mogelijk niet doorgaan. Het staakt-het-vuren, dat de VS en Iran elkaar verwijten te schenden, loopt woensdag af.

In de nacht van zaterdag op zondag heeft president Trump opnieuw gedreigd de Iraanse beschaving te zullen vernietigen. En hij de macht en de middelen om dat te doen, ook al zou dat een (nieuwe) oorlogsmisdaad zijn.


Rijnmond - Nieuws

Het laatste nieuws van vandaag over Rotterdam, Feyenoord, het verkeer en het weer in de regio Rijnmond

Het weer van vandaag: een frisse lentedag

Vandaag is er geregeld zon, maar in de loop van de ochtend bestaat er vanuit het noorden ook op een enkele plek kans op een bui. Hoe dichter bij zee, des te groter die kans is. Vanmiddag blijft het droog en zien we een mix van zon en bewolking. De maximumtemperatuur komt niet hoger uit dan 12 of 13 graden.

VK: Voorpagina

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Doden bij beschieting vermeende drugsboot in Caribisch gebied