The Italian press is giving Quentin Tarantino a hard time with 'conflict-of-interest' questions and the Lido looks like a construction site, but nothing can dampen the festival spiritThis year's Venice film festival has begun on rather a disconcerting note: the colossal construction project on the Lido, building a new addition to the Palazzo Del Cinema, is far from complete – to the dismay of festivalgoers who hoped that it might be ready in time for the beginning of this year's event. No such luck. So the red carpet premieres are happening next door to a huge, unsightly, screened-off building site, with everything but "No hard hat, no work" signs and men with jeans sliding down their buttocks asking for a cup of tea.And what makes it even more piquant is that more building work is...

Da Vinci's study of two soldiers, at the Royal Academy this autumn, captures battlefield trauma as ferociously as Don McCullinWar is coming to London. A drawing that shows us the reality of battle reflected in an old warrior's eyes will be shown this autumn at the Royal Academy, and it brings with it the despair, sorrow and numbness of a lifetime of violence.The drawing is by Leonardo da Vinci. When he drew this compelling head, flanked by a second grimacing profile, in about 1504 he was in his early fifties and had spent much of his life working with soldiers and men of war. When he was about 30, the painter left his native Tuscany and went to Milan, where he applied for a job at the court of Ludovico Sforza, not as an artist but a "master of war". His surviving notebooks show that he...

A man has pleaded guilty after his bag containing snakes broke open on a luggage belt at Kuala Lumpur International airportA Malaysian man has pleaded guilty to wildlife smuggling after his bag bursting with 95 live boa constrictors broke open on a luggage conveyer belt at Kuala Lumpur International airport, an official said.Keng Liang "Anson" Wong, 52, who was previously convicted of wildlife trafficking in the United States, was charged on Wednesday in a district court for exporting the endangered boas without a permit, said Shamsuddin Osman, an official with Malaysia's wildlife department. The offence carries a penalty of up to seven years in prison and a fine, Shamsuddin said.Wong was arrested on 26 August after airport authorities found the boa constrictors, together with a few other...

For the second year running, the bestselling author's books are the most-donated to the charity shop chainDan Brown has hung on to the dubious honour of being the author whose books readers most want to get rid of, topping the list of writers most-donated to Oxfam shops for the second year running.The bestselling American author, whose latest cryptographic thriller The Lost Symbol – filled with such gems as "Is there life after death? Do humans have souls? Incredibly, Katherine had answered all of these questions and more" – was published last autumn, is joined on Oxfam's most-donated line-up by the likes of John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell and Alexander McCall Smith.The rants of Jeremy Clarkson, meanwhile, have made the Top Gear presenter the first non-fiction writer to enter the...

Butt, Asif and Amir interviewed by Metropolitan police for second time over allegations of bowling no-balls at Lord'sThe three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of an alleged betting scam were today being questioned by police.It is the second time Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been interviewed by the Metropolitan police since the allegations surfaced that the three had agreed to bowl no-balls in specific overs of last week's fourth Test at Lord's in return for money.They were initially questioned last weekend when the News of the World broke the story and had their mobile phones seized by the police.The trio were yesterday suspended by the International Cricket Council, pending a tribunal, despite the ICC having indicated that they would not take any action before the...

Disciplinary panel suspends pathologist, who carried out first post-mortem examination on Ian Tomlinson, for three monthsThe pathologist who carried out the first postmortem examination on newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson, who died at the G20 protests, was today suspended from the medical register for three months.A General Medical Council disciplinary panel previously ruled that Dr Freddy Patel acted in a way that amounted to misconduct in two earlier postmortem examinations, meaning his fitness to practise was impaired.The panel also ruled that Patel had displayed deficient professional performance in a third examination.He has already been suspended from the Home Office register of forensic pathologists after questions were asked about the autopsy carried out on the body of 47-year-old...

Mark Thompson photographed with memo revealing Andy Coulson's 'concern' that BBC gives context to cuts coverageThe BBC has been forced to defend its impartiality after Mark Thompson, the director general, was photographed yesterday going into a meeting in Downing Street to discuss a season of TV and radio programmes about the government's spending cuts.Thompson was photographed carrying an internal email from Helen Boaden, the BBC News director, saying that she had had lunch with Andy Coulson, the coalition government's director of communications, at which he had expressed concern "that we give context to our Spending Review Season".Boaden's email went on to provide Thompson with briefing notes on the season – which begins next week across BBC TV, radio and online services – for his...

The survey, which includes businesses from hairdressers to banks, showed the service sector growing at the slowest pace since April 2009Growth in Britain's service industry has slowed sharply as employers have scaled back hiring in the face of the gloomy economic outlook and looming public spending cuts.A key survey of the sector, which includes businesses from hairdressers to banks and makes up two-thirds of the economy, showed it growing at the slowest pace since April 2009 and revived talk of a double dip recesssion. "Should the surveys continue to weaken in the next few months, the threat of a renewed contraction [in GDP] in the fourth quarter and beyond would become very real indeed," said Jonathan Loynes at Capital Economics.Alan Clarke at BNP Paribas concurred, saying the report...

Home Office to announce review of arrangements with US and EU after rows over McKinnon and Ubani casesThe Home Office is to announce a review of extradition arrangements, including those with the US and EU countries following high-profile rows over the way they are operating.The main impetus has been the row with Washington over the Gary McKinnon affair, in which the 43-year-old has been accused of hacking into US computer systems.But the review will also look at the operation of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW). Serious questions have been raised about its working after a dispute between British and German police and prosecutors over a criminal investigation into the accidental killing of a 70-year-old patient in the UK by the Nigerian-born German doctor Daniel Ubani.The Home Office...

Ferries have ceased from Britain to Scandinavia, but Debbie Lawson takes an alternative slow route north on a camping road trip along Norway's stunning south coastWhen the last direct ferry between Britain and Norway set sail in 2008, severing a historic maritime link between the two countries, it also called time on Norway's popular Newcastle booze cruise, and forced holidaymakers into the air. But for those who still hanker after the romance of slow travel – and the convenience of arriving in one of the most expensive countries in Europe with a car full of beer and provisions from one of the cheapest – there is another way.Lured by the image of pristine sandy beaches backed by forest and nature reserves, we set off from London to the south coast of Norway by car: a round trip of...

• Three Pakistan players suspended by ICC• Leading Pakistani diplomat says ICC action is 'wrong'• Rob Bagchi on the legacy of entrapment• The latest from Durham v Notts at Chester-le-Street• Watch county cricket video highlights12.19pm: Flanagan says the cloud of this potential match-fixing case has a "silver lining" as it has made people more vigilent in regards to corruption within the sport. 12.17pm: Lorgat refutes claim from Michael Atherton that the ICC has "buried evidence" in regards to match-fixing. Flanagan says ICC's anti-corruption unit can only interview players once those involved in the criminal investigation are happy for them to do so.12.12pm: Flanagan says that if the three Pakistan players are found guilty they could well be banned for life. He declines,...

Why is human well-being improving globally when our environmental woes appear to be worsening all the time?We hear lots of concerned chatter these days – not least, here on this site - about peak oil, peak water, deforestation, resource depletion and the like, but a popular riposte offered by those doubting such concerns is something commonly referred to as the "Environmentalist's Paradox".The argument goes thus: "Why, despite resource depletion and the degradation of ecosystems, is average human well-being improving globally?"People such as Matt Ridley, author of the Rational Optimist, argue that environmentalists are needlessly downbeat about humanity's prospects. After all, we are a resourceful, adaptable, highly intelligent species more than capable of riding out any current...

Former deputy prime minister says police refused to tell him whether his phone was hacked by News of the World journalistsJohn Prescott today called for a judicial review of the conduct of the Metropolitan police force in relation to the allegations of phone hacking against the News of the World.The former deputy prime minister was speaking after the paper confirmed it had suspended a journalist while it investigates new allegations of the unlawful interception of voicemail.The police have come under pressure after the New York Times quoted unnamed detectives alleging they had cut short their investigation because of their close relationship with the News of the World.Prescott said the police had repeatedly refused to tell him whether his phone was hacked by News of the World journalists...

Tens of thousands told to vacate islands off North Carolina as US east coast braces for hurricane-force winds and rainTens of thousands of people were told to evacuate islands off North Carolina last night and hundreds of thousands more warned to expect hurricane-force winds and heavy rain across the US north-eastern coast, as hurricane Earl came within about 85 miles of the shore.More states along the east coast declared emergencies as shelters were prepared and residents as far north as New England were told to expect fallen power lines and trees over the Labour Day holiday weekend.Despite signs that the hurricane's force was weakening and its centre would miss much of the US mainland, families from North Carolina through Virginia to Delaware were warned to act on their own disaster...

With Organic Fortnight starting today, join us at 1pm to discuss organic food, products and farming with Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil AssociationTo mark the start of Organic Fortnight today and discuss everything to do with organics, we're joined between 1 and 2pm by Peter Melchett.Melchett is policy director at the UK organic food and farming organisation, the Soil Association, which has organised the fortnight of events from a festival to farm visits. Whatever you want to ask on organic produce and issues, this is your chance.Interested in Zac Goldsmith's idea that food for schools, hospitals and care homes should be organic? Want to quiz Melchett on a specific aspect of the Soil Association's work, such as how it certifies organic products? Got a question about organic...

There are bargains to be had for netbook shoppers on a budget, says Marc LockleyLast week's article regarding the Apple MacBook sparked a fiery debate about affordability and the usual battle between Apple and PCs. This week we are balancing the books, looking at a few netbooks which are a fraction of the cost of the Apple product.Netbooks are a great alternative for the budget-conscious student who wants to do their work but not miss out on portability, affordability, sociability and surfability.As there are a number of choices in this category, please feel free to add your own preferences or price updates below. For the sake of too much repetition the following all come with 1GB of RAM.Less than £200Student Computers are selling the Samsung N110 Netbook for £189 with a 250GB hard...

• Fugitive tycoon returns to UK after 17 years• Q&A;: Asil Nadir trial• Profile: Asil NadirFugitive tycoon Asil Nadir will appear in court today for the first time since fleeing Britain 17 years ago, during which a provisional trial date may be fixed and his bail renewed during a brief hearing at the Old Bailey.Nadir was given bail in his absence on 30 July on condition he returns to the UK and attends court today.Old Bailey judge Mr Justice Bean said he hoped it would end the "legal limbo" which existed since Nadir fled Britain for Northern Cyprus.He also quashed an arrest warrant for him and imposed 10 conditions on bail, including Nadir, 69, being electronically tagged.Nadir was facing 66 counts of theft involving £34m fraud allegations in May 1993 when he flew from Britain to...

• Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif charged• Pakistan players had withdrawn from one-day series against EnglandSalman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council.The game's governing body has charged the Pakistan trio with "various offences under Article 2 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code for Players and Player Support Personnel relating to irregular behaviour during, and in relation to, the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's last month".The three players have been at the eye of a spot-fixing storm since claims in the News of The World last Sunday, and today they withdrew from the Twenty20 and one-day series against England which is due to begin on Sunday.But they would not now be eligible for...

Lord Sacks accuses astrophysicist of logical fallacy in book excluding possibility of supernatural creationThe chief rabbi, Lord Sacks, hit back at Stephen Hawking after the astrophysicist said God did not create the universe.In his new book, The Grand Design, published next week, Hawking concludes that science excludes the possibility of a deity and that it is unnecessary to "invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going".But his finding were described by Sacks as an "elementary fallacy" of logic.Writing in the Times, the chief rabbi said: "There is a difference between science and religion. Science is about explanation. Religion is about interpretation. The Bible simply isn't interested in how the universe came into being."Sacks also said the mutual hostility...

Explosion off Louisiana raises pollution fears after BP oil spill, but coastguard say damaged rig is not in productionAnother oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico suffered an explosion today, raising fears of more pollution just months after the BP oil spill hit the area.There were 13 crew on the rig, of whom one was known to be injured. Most of the crew took to the water when the explosion occurred.The United States Coast Guard said the rig was not in production, suggesting there would be no oil leak, but it could not be sure.The blast comes as states surrounding the Gulf are still cleaning up after the BP oil spill.The rig, about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay, Louisiana, is owned by Mariner Energy.Petty officer Colclough, of the coastguard, said the rig was still on fire."There are reports...

Labour leadership contender says he wants to lead 'a government not a gang'Labour leadership hopeful David Miliband today sought to distance himself from the party feuding reignited by Tony Blair's new book, declaring that he wanted to lead "a government not a gang".As ballot papers went out to eligible voters, Miliband sent an email to all party members in which he said he was "sick and tired" of seeing the leadership race characterised in terms of a choice between rejecting or retaining New Labour.Instead, the shadow foreign secretary pledged to "change the way we do politics" and said he was "ready to lead".Miliband dispatched the email to members after the publication yesterday of Blair's autobiography, which charted the former PM's deteriorating relationship with Brown.Urging members...

Instead of producing reports 3,000 pages long, the IPCC should focus only on the key questions that everyone is interested inIf the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change didn't exist, would we need to invent it? Many people find it helpful to have a single point of reference on the big, global questions that everyone is interested in: can we detect human influence on climate, how large are changes expected to be in future, what are the main impacts likely to be and what can (not should) be done about it? These are questions on which the level of scientific consensus is far higher than most non-scientists believe, so an institution like the IPCC clearly has a role to play to assess and communicate the extent – and limits – of that consensus.Where the IPCC has gone wrong, in my...

Conspiracies, zombies, assassins, cops – there's plenty to get your teeth into in the latest shows coming across from AmericaIs US TV out to get you this year? We've got not one, but two conspiracy thrillers on the horizon, plus a zombie invasion, conmen, assassins – and a lot of undercover cops. Here's a quick look at some of the best of the new US dramas coming to UK screens this autumn.Rubicon - BBC4 We're in the 1970s for this conspiracy thriller from AMC. It's all hidden clues in crosswords, clandestine meetings in libraries and (very) slow-moving plots – the perfect show to settle down with in the long winter months. James Badge Dale (The Pacific, 24) is the junior intelligence analyst who starts to wonder whether he's working for one of those ultra-secret societies who are...

Follow all the diplomatic activity as Israel and Palestine hold Middle East peace talks in Washington DC - live10.29am ET: Clinton is making no bones that the chances of success from these talks are slim."I want to conclude by saying a few words directly to the people of the region," says Clinton, telling them "you are the ones that will ultimately decide the future.""For the effort to succeed we need your support and your patience ... we cannot do this without you."10.22am ET: The first official public act begins: at the State Department, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opens proceedings with a statement"I look around I see veterans. We've been here before and we know how hard this will be."Things will "get no easier if we wait, nor will they resolve themselves" says Clinton,...

Today is 09/02/10 – time to celebrate a US import that hit the perfect balance between teen angst and superficialityIt is not, admittedly, a date that most people will have marked on their calendar. It's not even a date that most British people will have properly noticed. But jot down today's date in an American format while reminiscing about 1990s teen TV and all will become clear. Today is 09/02/10 – which can only mean it's time to wish yourself "Happy Beverly Hills 90210 Day!". Or, if you're a British fan who decided to celebrate the enduring Californian show in February (which doesn't quite feel right, given the weather and the quintessentially American feel of the show): "Happy International Beverly Hills 90210 Day!". If you happen to be in the vicinity of Beverly Hills today...

Industrial action on London Underground to start on 6 September in protest against plans to cut 800 jobsTalks aimed at averting a series of strikes by London Underground workers from next week have broken down and the industrial action will go ahead as planned, union leaders said today.The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said LU had failed to remove the threat of cuts to safety and safe staffing levels that would have allowed "meaningful discussions" to take place.Thousands of Tube staff are due to launch the walkouts from next Monday evening, 6 September, in protest against plans to cut 800 jobs, threatening travel chaos in the capital.The RMT accused LU management of "sabotaging" talks today at the conciliation service Acas with officials from the union, and the Transport...

Why do writers whose prose is clean and clear turn into gushing Kate Winslets in the thank-you pages of their books?The title story of If I Loved You, I would Tell You This, Robin Black's debut collection, is a shimmering, skewed tale of domestic disturbance and urban disaffection. It's one of 10 glacially poised stories that stand out for their simplicity; that quietly dissect the minor dramas of life and love, and blaze with understated emotion. However, on finishing the collection something else stayed with me almost as clearly as the stories themselves: the fulsome four pages of acknowledgements at the end.Black stops short of thanking the baristas in the local coffee house or the manufacturers of the computer she uses, but it wouldn't have been a surprise to see them mentioned....

Everyone's a critic these days – so how do you sort the wheat from the chaff? And who is reviewing the reviewers?A few years ago, at a weird corporate dinner, an actor from a satirical sketch show turned to me and said, "I've always wondered, what exactly are your credentials to review me?" I could have obligingly set out my career path. I could have argued that the qualities qualifying a reviewer to review are as ultimately unquantifiable as hers to sit on stage naked in a bathtub doing impressions of the Queen. I could have reassured her that I made a point of never reviewing people I'd sat with at weird corporate dinners. Instead, in the absence of a critic's exam certificate, I said: "Yes, I see what you mean." I remembered this while reading the Scotsman's recent article about an...

A sequel to the superhero hit has been greenlit, according to the writer of the original comic book. But doubts have been raised over the film's production scheduleKick-Ass was always rather nicely set up for a sequel, what with that open-ended denouement, so it's hardly surprising that Mark Millar, who wrote the original comic book, has been talking up a second film. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Millar said the film's success on DVD in the US, where it sold 1.4m units in its first week, meant the project was finally greenlit."The estimate is that Kick-Ass will do 100 to 150m on DVD based on the American sales, so it'll end up making a $250m (£160m) on a $28m investment," said Millar. "So it should be OK. The sequel's greenlit, we can go ahead and do the follow-up now. The first made so...

Assistant secretary general to investigate after community leaders say they begged for help before villagers were rapedCommunity leaders begged UN officials for protection days before rebels raped more than 240 villagers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they claimed yesterday.The attacks took place over several days, with victims ranging from a month-old baby boy to a 110-year-old great-great-grandmother.The number of reported rapes between 30 July and 4 August has grown from initial figures of 179 and now stands at 242. Survivors have blamed the FDLR rebel group – led by perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide who fled to Congo in 1994 – along with Congolese Mai-Mai militia.The world's biggest UN peacekeeping mission, Monusco, said it was not informed of the incidents until more...

Gang conned elderly victims out of a total of £200,000Members of a gang that conned a 94-year-old woman out of almost £70,000 for building work worth just £250 were jailed today.The woman was one of 11 elderly victims swindled out of £200,000 for building work by David Evans, his sons and two accomplices. Two other victims were each charged £40,000 for work that should have cost just a few hundred pounds.Over five years the gang targeted vulnerable elderly people in Gloucestershire and convinced them that their homes needed maintenance work.The victims - aged between 81 and 94 - were often "confused" and were persuaded to hand over vast cheques for the "shoddy and vastly overpriced" work, Bristol crown court heard.Evans, 57, sons Buddy, 22, and Shannon, 21, and their friends Patrick...

Press Complaints Commission confirms it was told two months ago that journalist was under investigation over new claimThe News of the World is facing a fresh allegation of phone hacking against one of its journalists, the Press Complaints Commission confirmed today.The commission was informed by the paper just over two months ago about the allegation, and the journalist involved has been "suspended from reporting duties".Stephen Abell, the PCC director, confirmed today that the press regulator was informed in by the paper in June "of the existence of the recent allegation of phone-message hacking against the reporter". Abell said that the PCC was prevented from launching its own investigation because the allegation was "the subject of legal action".The new claim was revealed late...

Federal Reserve chairman appears before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission in Washington• Lehman boss Dick Fuld was defiant in the hotseat yesterday2.41pm: There are 4 or 5 countries which are the most important that the US has to work with on solving the problem of 'too big to fail' banks, Bernanke says. Presumably (hopefully) that includes the UK. "There a lot of work to be done and I think we have a way to go" but there's plenty of co-operation and goodwill from international partners.2.38pm: So what's changed? Well, nowadays, Bernanke says, firms will have "living wills" giving instructions on how to wind them down.But a key problem, he says, is the international dimension - one bank supervised by the Fed has offices in 109 countries, each with its own bankruptcy rules and...

Hurricane expected to reach North Carolina later today as states from Virginia to Massachussetts prepare to batten down hatchesStates along the eastern coast of the United States were today preparing evacuation plans to be put in to operation if hurricane Earl moves inland instead of glancing the shoreline.As thousands of people were told to leave islands off North Carolina, Barack Obama authorised the department of homeland security and the Federal Emergencies Management Agency (Fema) to co-ordinate disaster relief – a move that should allow rapid movement of equipment and other resources if the hurricane threatens the most densely populated area of the country.Storms are expected to reach North Carolina later today before moving north-east as states from Virginia to Massachussetts...

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who have been dropped from tour, face top officials over betting allegationsThe Pakistani high commissioner said today he believed the three players under investigation for spot-fixing were innocent, after talking to them in London about the allegations.Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who will take no further part in the tour of England, had been summoned to explain themselves to commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan, and the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ijaz Butt.After the meeting, Hasan read out a statement saying the men maintained their innocence but had requested their own removal from the remaining matches because of the "mental torture" they had faced.In response to a question, he said: "I believe in their...

Remains of Muslim teenager Shafilea Ahmed found in 2004 after she had refused arranged marriage and swallowed bleachThe parents of a Muslim teenager thought to be the victim of an "honour" killing were today arrested on suspicion of her murder.Workmen discovered the decomposed remains of 17-year-old Shafilea Ahmed, from Warrington, Cheshire, in the river Kent, Cumbria, in February 2004. She had disappeared from her home in Great Sankey five months earlier.It emerged that she had refused an arranged marriage, and, during a visit to Pakistan to meet a prospective suitor, had swallowed bleach and required regular hospital treatment for her injuries.Today, officers from Cheshire police arrested Shafilea's father, Iftikhar Ahmed, 50, and her mother, Farzana, 47, at their home. They were taken...

The Unite union reckons that since 2009, Royal Bank of Scotland's strategic review has seen the loss of 21,500 jobsRBS is axing 3,500 of its UK staff in a cost-cutting move which union leaders have attacked as a "horror story".The cuts, which include back office roles being axed as a result of the sale of 318 branches to Santander, comes after the state-controlled bank announced £1.1bn profits last month."The news that Royal Bank of Scotland is to cut another 3,500 staff from across the UK is a horror story," said Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer. "It will be a specially bitter pill for staff to swallow as RBS has decided to move some of the jobs abroad to the far east, India and America."Just three weeks ago staff were boosted to hear of the £1.1bn half-year profit yet today...

Video: Juliette Binoche on the importance of originality and the fallout from her Cannes acceptance speechCatherine ShoardHenry Barnes...

No 10 says Hague enjoys PM's full support as foreign secretary says he wanted to 'put the record straight' about his sexualityDavid Cameron declared his "100% support" for William Hague today, as the foreign secretary said he had decided to speak out about his private life because he could no longer put up with allegations about his sexuality.Hague also received the backing of his local constituency party chair after issuing a statement yesterday in which he denied having had an "improper" relationship with his special adviser, Christopher Myers, who resigned as a result of the "pressure" put on his family due to the "untrue and malicious allegations" circulating on the internet.At a press conference this morning with the German foreign minster, Guido Westerwelle, Hague refused to be...

Israeli and Palestinian leaders begin direct talks, as Netanyahu describes Abbas as 'partner for peace' despite recent attacksIsrael's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has said he is looking "to find a historic compromise" that will bring peace to the Middle East for generations as he begins direct talks with the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, in Washington today.The two leaders met Barack Obama yesterday, when the US president launched his initiative to forge a peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians within a year, which he described as a "moment of opportunity that may not soon come again".Obama said he recognised the depths of passions and mistrust and that the task would be difficult after so many failed efforts. But he said the occupation and accompanying...