The Pulitzer-winning author of Less has crafted a breezy confection of fish-out-of-water wit, insecurity and self-discovery set in an Italian paradise

‘There’s a place in Italy in need of someone. Why don’t you look into that?” Inspired by his two-year stint directing a writers’ residency, the Santa Maddalena Foundation outside Florence, with these words American author Andrew Sean Greer launches a hapless, clueless innocent into the Tuscan hills and the embrace of its eccentric aristocracy, in the person of the eponymous Coco, Baronessa Lisabetta.

Variously known as “our young man”, Gio and Giovedi, Villa Coco’s narrator is here to fill the post of “adjutant” for the Baronessa. His duties include pruning roses, emptying drains, hunting the Baronessa’s mortal enemy, the pine marten, and cataloguing the dilapidated Villa Coco’s contents. Among the camel saddles and hat racks, he is assured, lurk priceless works of art, including a Picasso and a Botticelli. He joins a staff consisting of a Sri Lankan cook, her husband and a Lebanese factotum; they share in the sisyphean task of keeping Villa Coco going, and the Baronessa out of harm’s way.

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It was once an article of faith that even those who speak words we disagree with deserve protection. As regards Palestine, that’s now not true

Remember the Satanic Verses controversy? Remember “Je suis Charlie”? Remember the constant invocations of Voltaire and Orwell? The great irony of our age is that many of the cadre of politicians who spent years anointing themselves as champions of free speech have become its most enthusiastic enemies when the subject turns to one issue: Palestine.

For decades, western governments lectured the world about liberal values. They declared freedom of expression the hallmark of a liberal democratic society. Protest was deemed patriotic while the right to offend was considered sacred. Then came Gaza. Suddenly, the principles that we were once told were non-negotiable became highly negotiable indeed.

Mehdi Hasan is the editor-in-chief and CEO of Zeteo

The assault on freedom with Mehdi Hasan and Arwa Mahdawi
At 7.30pm BST on Monday 8 June, join Mehdi Hasan and Arwa Mahdawi at a joint Zeteo/Guardian event to discuss the current seismic changes in geopolitics, the alarming rise of populism and nationalism, and its global implications. Only livestream tickets are now available.
Book tickets here

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Despite Trump’s calls for calm, IDF says it struck military targets in Iran in response to attacks by Tehran

• Israel strikes Iran despite Trump plea as Middle East crisis threatens to escalate

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, said the US holds direct responsibility for the recent ceasefire breaches, adding that ⁠⁠Israel’s military actions ⁠⁠cannot ⁠⁠be ‌‌separated ‌‌from ‌‌US policies.

“The actions of the Zionist entity within the region cannot be looked at in isolation from the United States,” Baghaei was quoted as having said at a press conference.

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Aymen Hussein, aanvaller van het Iraakse nationale voetbalelftal, is zaterdag zeven uur lang ondervraagd door de Amerikaanse grenspolitie voordat hij het land in mocht.

etsu2 has added a photo to the pool:

Fabio Bruna posted a photo:

Aan het water. Brasacker, Ypenburg.

Fabio Bruna posted a photo:

Noorderstrand, Scheveningen

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

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RIGA (ANP) - NAVO-vliegtuigen hebben een drone neergehaald die het luchtruim van Letland was binnengedrongen, zegt de Letse krijgsmacht. De actie is waarschijnlijk het werk van de Franse Rafale-gevechtsvliegtuigen die het Baltische land beschermen. De Baltische landen hebben de laatste tijd geregeld te maken met Oekraïense aanvalsdrones die door Rusland worden verstoord.

JERUZALEM (ANP/AFP) - Het Israëlische leger meldt opnieuw een reeks raketten uit Iran te hebben waargenomen en stelt dat de luchtverdediging bezig is om die te onderscheppen. De strijd tussen die landen is geëscaleerd na een Israëlische aanval op Beiroet zondag.

Iran kwam daarna met een vergeldingsaanval, waar Israël op reageerde met raketten. Maandagochtend zei Iran twee Israëlische luchtmachtbases te hebben geraakt: Nevatim en Tel Nof.

Israël beschoot onder meer een militair complex in het noordwestelijke Tabriz en een petrochemisch complex in de zuidwestelijke stad Mahshahr.

De Amerikaanse president Donald Trump riep beide partijen op terughoudend te zijn. De Verenigde Staten proberen al maanden een deal te sluiten met Iran en Trump zei zondag nog dat zo'n overeenkomst "heel dichtbij" was.