Row over Paris opera house ceiling reignites with lawsuit threat 12. October 2026 (12:04) Descendant of 19-century artist demands removal of Marc Chagall’s 1960s canvases that cover original frescoIn 1962, the then French culture minister, André Malraux, reportedly bored by the ballet he was watching at Paris’s opera house, raised his eyes to the classical ceiling and determined it needed a makeover.In his ennui, Malraux decided his friend and artist Marc Chagall, sitting next to him at the Palais Garnier at the time, was the man for the job and commissioned him to make a new ceiling. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Republican US senator facing re-election settles six-year bakery debt 12. October 2026 (12:00) Roger Marshall says he has ‘no idea how this happened’ and repaid bill double for 2020 election watch party treatsThe Republican US senator Roger Marshall says he has finally paid off a bakery debt – after six years and repeated collection attempts reported by a Kansas business that had supplied a large order of treats for a 2020 election watch party.“We have absolutely no idea how this happened”, the Kansas senator wrote in a social media post containing a screenshot of the payment on a $678.75 invoice from Holly’s Sweet Treats as well as his $1,300 payment. “And we have repaid the bill … double.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
French centre left must wage ‘existential battle’ to prevent far right winning presidency 12. October 2026 (11:41) MEP Raphaël Glucksmann issues call after becoming social democrat candidate for 2027 presidential electionThe European lawmaker Raphaël Glucksmann has urged the French centre left to wage an “existential battle” to prevent Marine Le Pen’s far right winning the 2027 presidential election after he was chosen as the social democrat candidate for the presidency.“We’ve got to rid our hearts of the spirit of defeat,” Glucksmann, the founder of the small party Place Publique, said on Monday morning after his decisive win in a centre-left primary race held by the Socialist party. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ex-director who oversaw Grenfell cost-cutting leaves council housing role after backlash 12. October 2026 (11:24) Survivors had criticised ‘outrageous’ appointment of Laura Johnson to £150,000 job with Barnet GroupA housing director who oversaw cost cutting at Grenfell Tower before the fatal fire has left a £150,000-a-year senior council housing role after a backlash from bereaved families and survivors.Laura Johnson was the director of housing at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) at the time of the 2017 Grenfell fire which killed 72 people;p, and was criticised in the subsequent inquiry for her role in budget-cutting decisions prior to the blaze. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
London not ready for driverless 'robotaxis', report warns 12. October 2026 (10:59) A London Assembly report has urged transport officials to hold off on introducing driverless taxis until stronger safety measures are in place(London News)
