Just a bunch of simple and helpful products with minimal to no technology involved.

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*Buys five sets of dachshund-shaped ice trays*

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"And they would toast to me, oh, let the players play. Iad be just like Leo in Saint Tropez."

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Paul Rudd wearing a shirt with his face on it on The 40-Year-Old Virgin is nothing short of iconic.

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Dogs are the absolute best, and the absolute weirdest.

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Seriously, it's a climate emergency; Germany warns Britain about no-deal Brexit; your weekend longreads. All in your BuzzFeed News newsletter, Aug. 23.

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Katharine OaDonnell accused the newspaper of harassment, victimisation, and unfair dismissal.

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When the moon hits your eye...

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Can you *imagine* the thought of your lip balm actually, dare I say, working?

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Experts say international pressure may be only way to sway Bolsonaro government

International pressure may be the only way to stop the Brazilian government from taking a asuicidea path in the Amazon, one of the countryas most respected scientists has said, as the worldas biggest rainforest continues to be ravaged by thousands of deliberate fires.

The large number of conflagrations a set illegally to clear and prepare land for crops, cattle and property speculation a has prompted the state of Amazonas to declare an emergency, created giant smoke clouds that have drifted hundreds of miles, and sparked international concerns about the destruction of an essential carbon sink.

Rolling coverage of the dayas political developments as they happen

11.55am BST

On a visit to a kidas lunch club in Wales Jeremy Corbyn will accuse the government of failing a whole generation of children. In a news release issued in advance, Corbyn highlights the recent report from the childrenas commissioner for England saying 210,000 young people are living in temporary accommodation, with thousands staying in converted shipping containers. He also cites figures showing that 30% of children in England are living in poverty and that poorer children are much more likely to get low grades in their GCSEs than their richer peers.

In a statement in the news release Corbyn said:

Working class children are still being held back while their wealthy peers get ahead. The next Labour government will take radical action to unlock the potential of every child, not just a lucky few.

The Tories are failing a whole generation of children.

The press release issued by Labour to mark Mr Corbynas visit ato Walesa spoke of a report by the childrenas commissioner for England and plans that Mr Corbyn has for a UK Labour government. Much of what he has in mind is devolved, and so would have no effect in Wales.

At best, Mr Corbyn is politically illiterate and simply doesnat understand how devolved government works. At worst, he is purposefully ignoring the fact that his own party a which runs the Welsh government a has run out of ideas and motivation to improve the lives of people in Wales.

11.23am BST

You can read all todayas Guardian politics stories here. Iave already mentioned the Telegraph story about Brexiter Tories telling Boris Johnson that the backstop is not the only problem with the withdrawal agreement. (See 8.37am.) Here are some other interesting stories from the dayas papers.

Stephen Barclay, the Brexit Secretary, and his officials will now be ordered to aturbochargea work on how to find alternative arrangements to the Northern Ireland backstop.

Their work is expected to focus on examining proposals in a 270-page report drawn up by Greg Hands, the former Tory minister, and Nicky Morgan, now the culture secretary.

In June, I presented a report on the issue to a gathering of German cabinet members and senior German entrepreneurs and industrialists who showed great interest in finding solutions to the backstop.

Unlike the ideological technocrats in Brussels who have refused point blank to consider any way of getting around this seemingly intractable problem, politicians and business folk are more pragmatic a including Chancellor Merkel. She has been indicating her willingness to be more practical on Brexit for some time.

A plan under consideration would see the scope of the backstop whittled down and largely confined to covering livestock, plus animal and plant products.

The private discussions amongst diplomats in Brussels at still at an early stage, but still contrasts with the EUas public line that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be reopened.

Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, another think-tank, said there was a rich history of UK politicians and pundits drawing the wrong conclusions from remarks made by the German chancellor. aThe British like to assume that Germany will solve their problems. [Former British prime minister] David Cameron made this mistake several times.a

Mr Cameron was accused by the opposition Labour party of relying far too much on Ms Merkel during his efforts to secure new EU membership terms for the UK before the 2016 Brexit referendum.

The rebels, who are described as the aRemain alliancea and are led by Philip Hammond, have been working on plans to push through legislation that will force Boris Johnson to request an extension of the article 50 process.

However, Downing Street sources have pointed out that Brussels could simply reject any request for an extension, even if Mr Johnson is legally bound to ask for one.

UK-listed firm is latest to be targeted by a foreign buyer since pound weakened amid Brexit fears

Hasbro, the US toymaker behind My Little Pony and Play-Doh, has snapped up the Peppa Pig owner, Entertainment One, in a APS3.3bn takeover.

The deal, which sent Entertainment Oneas share price soaring by 30% in early trading on Friday, marks the latest UK-listed company to be targeted by a foreign buyer since the dramatic weakening of the pound over fears of a no-deal Brexit.

Google-owned service says it discovered channels abehaved in a coordinated mannera against pro-democracy protests

YouTube has disabled 210 channels that appeared to be part of a coordinated influence campaign against pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

The action by the Google-owned service came as Twitter and Facebook accused the Chinese government of backing a social media campaign to discredit Hong Kongas pro-democracy movement and sow political discord in the city.

Home secretary and French counterpart to meet after 37 people picked up this week

The home secretary, Priti Patel, is to hold talks with her French counterpart after dozens of people were intercepted this week while attempting to cross the Channel.

At least 37 people, including six children, were picked up in the Channel from a number of small boats while trying to reach the south coast of England on Thursday.

Emergency services called to Longleat Forest holiday park on Saturday afternoon

A child has died after falling ill at a Center Parcs holiday village in Wiltshire.

Emergency services were called to the Longleat Forest holiday park on Saturday afternoon. The boy was reportedly playing in the sub-tropical indoor pool area when he became unwell.

Pilot scheme on Network Railas Wessex route could pave way for direct powering of trains

The worldas first solar farm to power a railway line directly is due to plug into the track near Aldershot, paving the way for solar-powered trains.

From Friday, about 100 solar panels at the trackside site will supply renewable electricity to power the signalling and lights on Network Railas Wessex route.

Jeff Brazier tells Edinburgh TV festival the reality star wouldnat have made it on to Big Brother

Jade Goodyas former partner believes the Big Brother star would never have made it on to screen if she had been forced to go through the strict new duty of care requirements being placed on reality television producers.

Related: Jade Goody: a scorned celebrity who held a mirror up to bitter Britain

Truth commission reveals evidence of death squadas abuses over two decades

One of the most notorious killers in the Gambia sits on a grubby mattress on his brotheras stoop, uneasy in his newfound freedom. His nephews fetch cigarettes and brew tea, and birds sing in the mango trees. A cuddly toy crocodile lies near the gate.

Malick Jatta was a member of the Junglers, a death squad trained to do the dirtiest work of the countryas former president, Yahya Jammeh, whose abuses over 22 years in power are being revealed by a truth, reconciliation and reparations commission broadcast live into the living rooms of Africaas smallest mainland nation.

Thereas nakedness aplenty in Netflixas comedy about pioneering female wrestlers a but the male gaze is thankfully nowhere to be seen

We have all heard the standard defences: aNudity is empowering!a they say, as the female character pouts silently into the camera, topless for some reason. aItas essential to the story!a In its third season, GLOW has actually managed to back up those claims, busting out nudity that is by turns ordinary, funny, realistic and, yes, sexy.

Related: Feminist warriors: why wrestling for women is taking hold

Trumpas mood is volatile, and the French leaderas approach has had only limited success

Emmanuel Macron reckons he has found the best way of dealing with Donald Trump. It involves acceptance that the US presidentas mind will not be changed where a campaign promise is involved. But on everything else a keep talking.

Macronas method is about to be put to the test once more as Trump arrives on Saturday to join the G7 summit of the worldas major industrialised democracies in Biarritz. So far, the results have been thin at best.

The director dials up the stomach-churning violence in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. If only he had something meaningful to say

Warning: this story contains spoilers

Compare and contrast two screen deaths. In Quentin Tarantinoas second film, Pulp Fiction in 1994, John Travoltaas Vincent Vega accidentally shoots Marvin, a minor character, in the face. The killing happens mid-sentence, in the blink of an eye; in the process Vince covers himself and his acolyte Jules in blood and guts. The scene is played for laughs and succeeds: the horror and suddenness of the event coax an appalled hilarity from viewers, exacerbated by the two hitmenas reaction, which is to bicker about mundane practicalities.

In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Manson family member Susan Atkins, who slaughtered Sharon Tate and two others with her accomplices in 1969, is killed in self-defence by Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) and Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), by being beaten in the face with a tin can, savaged by a dog and torched with a flamethrower. The scene is also played for comic effect, but in a diametrically opposite way, since the intended humour derives from how prolonged and over the top the brutality is. The violence, though stomach-churning, plays out on a surreal sort of Tex Avery level.

I grabbed a wine-cooling sleeve from the freezer and wrapped it around my penis

This summer I got a new boyfriend, moved into a new flat in Berlin and started a new job a it was one of the happiest times of my life. One Friday, my partner was having an early night, so a friend came over with a few bottles of wine. Soon I was in the queue for Lab, Berlinas most notorious men-only Friday night party.

I popped a Viagra before leaving the house, because I find it difficult to get an erection if Iave been drinking (my boyfriend and I are in an open relationship). When I hooked up with a handsome, bearded nurse, I suggested we go back to my place, where he proposed he give me an erection-enhancing injection. I was hesitant. I had tried something similar a few years before; it had hurt a bit and I had stayed hard for longer than I wanted to. But the nurse seemed really keen, so I consented. That was the biggest mistake of my life.

In an open letter to the PM, Northern Irish film-maker Mark Cousins recommends six films, from Neil Jordanas Angel to Bill Clintonas eulogy to Martin McGuinness, to make him consider the consequences of no deal

Dear Boris Johnson,

Iam a Northern Irish film-maker, living in Scotland. I have never been great at words, but have learned a lot about life through film. As it is 50 years since the start of the Troubles and, as the backstop is so topical, I thought I would send six films to you at Downing St that clarify why all this matters. Maybe you could watch them on a flight or train journey somewhere?

A cave complex recently reopened on the north Kent coast joins an array of interesting, awe-inspiring and historic grottos from Iceland to New Zealand

Cocoons of glistening ice in VatnajAPkull glacier, Iceland; geometric Fingalas Cave in Scotland; echoey mouths of darkness in Mexicoas cenotes. All over the world, caves have inspired awe, as well as providing shelter.

This week, a slightly lesser-known site, Margate Caves, has reopened after being closed to visitors for 15 years. Campaigners have been working to save it from redevelopment since 2008, raising funds to preserve, restore and reopen it.

Less bitter than Reputation, Lover has something for everyone, especially Swiftas boyfriend, but is she treading water?

The deluxe version of Taylor Swiftas seventh studio album comes with a facsimile of the singeras journal. It contains selected diary entries that make for surprisingly glum reading. We see Swift progress from wide-eyed 13-year-old (aI heart school!a) to one of the worldas biggest stars: the latter the source of considerable woe. There are complaints about fans outside her house, worries about her relationships failing due to athe nasty world that just wants to ruin thingsa and about 2016, when her personal woes, including her motheras cancer diagnosis, were compounded by public spats with other artists a most notably Kanye West a a succession of think-pieces bemoaning her awfulness and, most mind-boggling of all, her unsolicited adoption as a figurehead of the American alt-right after she declined to endorse a presidential candidate. aThis summer,a she writes, from the thick of it, ais the apocalypse.a

People say that news these days is unexpected and baffling, but really could there be a more predictably 2019 story than aDonald Trump wants to buy Greenlanda? It has all the boring trappings of a typical Trump story a gobsmacking ignorance, casual racism, colonialist attitudes towards the treatment of indigenous people, a cold-hearted, transactional view of human life, and ending with him calling a woman in power anastya. If the news were a binge-worthy drama, this would be a mid-series episode that The AV Club would rate C-: aa worryingly formulaic outing that makes you fear the writers have run out of ideas.a

The whole idea was a nonstarter anyway a Greenland is a proud, independent region. What kind of self-respecting island nation would willingly accept being purchased by the United States? If Trump wants to buy somewhere, he needs to find somewhere thatas been entirely stripped of pride, dignity and joy to the extent that it is now completely incapable of self-governance. A country so humiliated and degraded that it would happily grovel at the feet of an expansionist empire if it just promised the slightest iota of stability.

According to Iain Duncan Smith Iall still be expected to work when I am just one giant stiffened joint

I need varifocals. I make noises of extreme contentment as I sit down and extreme discontent as I get up off the sofa. It takes 20 minutes every morning before I feel my joints are truly working smoothly. I look at the laughter lines on my face in the mirror and mutter: aNothingas that funny.a In the shower, I canat turn round enough to perform vital ablutions with ease, and if you donat know what Iam talking about, let me just say enjoy it while you can.

The Amazon is the centre of the world. Right now, as our planet experiences climate collapse, there is nowhere more important. If we donat grasp this, there is no way to meet that challenge.

For 500 years, this has been a place of ruins. First with the European invasion, which brought a particularly destructive form of civilisation, the death of hundreds of thousands of indigenous men and women and the extinction of dozens of peoples. More recently, with the clearance of vast swaths of the forest and all life within it. Right now, in 2019, we are witnessing the beginning of a new, disastrous chapter. The area of trees being cleared has surged this year. In July, the deforestation rate was an area the size of Manhattan every day, a Greater London every three weeks. This month, fires are incinerating the Amazon at a record rate, almost certainly part of a scorched-earth strategy to clear territory. Why is this happening now? Because of a change in power.

Ever since Al Gore first launched his climate crusade, the sight of any given public figure making the case for action, anywhere other than in their own home, has frequently been met with the following genre of response: if you care so much, how come you took a plane? If you didnat take a plane, how much did the alternative cost? How much steel does a train use these days, anyway? Wouldnat it be cheaper, ergo greener, not to go anywhere?

Related: How I deal with the unbearable hypocrisy of being an environmentalist

When Oasisas Liam Gallagher sang about how he wanted to alive forevera I donat think he meant putting in some extra shifts at work in his 70s. Many of us are, of course, living longer a if not forever a but ideally we should be able to enjoy this greater life expectancy, not see it as a threat or a physical burden.

Related: Work until 75? Many people wonat even live that long | Frances Ryan

The Womenas Equality party believes in collaborative politics. Will other parties put aside self-interest to tackle this crisis?

With a snap general election on the horizon, the campaign machinery is moving full speed ahead. As leader of the Womenas Equality party, for the past few weeks I have been speaking to leaders and strategists from across the political spectrum in an effort to stop us from crashing out of the EU. That means Iave been privy to the jostling that is currently taking place as the mainstream parties iron out their game plans for winning votes and seats. What I have seen doesnat fill me with confidence.

Related: Corbyn arranges all-party 'tactics' meeting to fight no-deal Brexit

• Updates from the second day of play at Headingley
• Jofra Archer aover the moona after six-wicket haul
• Any thoughts? Email or tweet @GeoffLemonSport

11.59am BST

11th over: England 20-3 (Denly 0, Stokes 0) A certain Ben Stokes has been the day-saver for England all summer. Now he has to do it again. A couple of dots and Cummins completes a wicket maiden.

11.56am BST

Nasty from Cummins! Gets his man after working him over. The sequence starts bouncer that almost hits Burns in the grille. Heas jumping and twisting. Gets his gloves up in front of his face and the ball hits his chest and goes earthbound quickly enough to prevent the short leg swooping in. Thatall get the heart racing. He blocks once, then tries a square drive to a fuller ball but is only half-forward, and mistimes it to point. Heas in two minds now. So Cummins goes short again, just off line towards the batsmanas right shoulder, and Burns tries to hook but is done for pace and can only glove it down leg side! The fourth ball dismissed him but the first ball was the wicket-taker.

• Shakers await fate amid threat of extinction after 135 years
• James Bentley: losing Bury would devastate a community
• You can email Barry or tweet @bglendenning or post BTL

11.58am BST

Related: Penalty palaver, Neymar and strife at Bolton and Bury a Football Weekly Extra

11.56am BST

Meanwhile at Headingley: England are wobbling after a bad start to their first innings against Australia in the third Ashes Test. Theyare 20-3 with two batsmen on zero at the crease. Follow the action with Geoff Lemon ...

Related: Ashes 2019: England v Australia, third Test day two a live!

• aThis was an opportunity that I couldnat refuse,a says Mallinder
• Mallinder will work across Scotlandas menas and womenas teams

Jim Mallinder will join the Scottish Rugby Union as its new performance director. The 53-year-old had been working with the Rugby Football Union on youth development, but has now accepted a role north of the border.

aIam sad to be leaving the RFU as Iave really enjoyed my time here, in particular getting to work with some fantastic people in a wide range of roles within the menas pathway,a Mallinder said on the RFUas website. aI will miss working with them all but this was an opportunity that I couldnat refuse.a

• Manchester United to meet Twitter to discuss abuse of players
• aSocial media is a place where people can hide behind fake Idsa
  

Ole Gunnar SolskjA|r believes Paul Pogbaas astrong charactera will not be affected despite the racist abuse he suffered after missing a penalty at Wolves on Monday.

The Frenchman was targeted on Twitter after the 1-1 draw at Molineux and officials from United will meet with the social media site to discuss how to address an issue that is ongoing.

• Fears fans in rural areas will not be able to follow
• Bill raised in parliament to extend licensing hours

New Zealanders in rural areas are raising concerns at how they will watch the upcoming Rugby World Cup, as the government introduce legislation in a last-ditch effort to make the tournament more accessible for fans in the rugby-mad nation.

This year rights for the World Cup have been bought by telecommunications giant Spark, who will livestream games on a special website, Spark Sport, for a one-off fee of NZ$80.

Rolling coverage of economics, business and markets ahead of a key speech from the Federal Reserve chair in Jackson Hole

• RBS and Santander rapped over PPI failures
• Investors in Kevin McCloudas projects told they face huge losses
• Hasbro buys Peppa Pig owner Entertainment One in APS3.3bn deal
• Hong Kong businesses fear protests will push economy into recession
  

11.42am BST

While central bankers are meeting at Jackson Hole, the leaders of the worldas largest advanced economies have their own shindig: the G7 summit in Biarritz, in the south of France.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is there. Brexit is predictably on the agenda, for the British at least. You can follow the twists and turns today on the politics live blog.

Related: Brexiter Tories tell Boris Johnson backstop is not only problem with withdrawal agreement - live news

Related: Amazon rainforest fires: global leaders urged to divert Brazil from 'suicide' path

11.20am BST

Huawei, the Chinese tech giant at the heart of the geopolitical dispute with the US, said on Friday its business has been less impacted by trade restrictions than initially feared.

It seems itas going to be a little less than that. But you have to wait till our results in March.

Friday expected to be worst day for queues as millions head off, with rail travel also affected

Motorists are being urged to delay bank holiday getaways until after 9pm on Friday to avoid severe queues on popular tourist routes.

There will also be major disruption on parts of the railway network this weekend as Network Rail carries out hundreds of engineering projects.

Incomplete copy of Holbein work is galleryas first painting of Tudor kingas third spouse

The National Portrait Gallery, in London, has fixed a glaring hole in its Tudors collection with the acquisition of a portrait of Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII, who managed to avoid divorce or beheading but not an early death.

aIt really is filling quite a gap,a said the curator Charlotte Bolland, as the portrait went on public display for the first time on Thursday. aPreviously, the only portrait we had of Jane Seymour was a mid-17th century engraving. We had no painted representation of her, so this is very exciting, she is an incredibly important sitter.a

Amid mass demonstrations and a trade war, financial observers say the cityas slowdown could deepen

Hong Kong is a free marketeras dream. The tiny island has a GDP bigger than many industrialised countries, low tax and abundant cheap labour, and is a world-class financial centre boasting a stock market with a total value of more than APS2.5tn.

No wonder then that the cityas most powerful vested interests are showing signs of nerves after 11 weeks of street protests that have paralysed the city, prompting its biggest political crisis since the handover to China in 1997 and threatening to push it into recession. Even worse, some observers believe the standoff could destroy Hong Kongas cherished entrepot status and send it on a journey of no return into Chinaas orbit.

Medecins Sans Frontieres accuses Nauru of breaching medical ethics

A 36-year-old Pakistani refugee has been hospitalised after he set himself alight on Nauru on Friday.

This comes amid warnings the governmentas attempts to repeal the medevac laws could have fatal consequences, and accusations by Medecins Sans Frontieres that Nauru has breached medical ethics.

Posters in India-administered Srinagar urged people to defy ban on public gatherings

The main city in Indian-administered Kashmir has been placed under lockdown following calls for residents to march en masse against the revocation of the territoryas special status.

Posters were put up overnight this week urging people to defy a ban on public gatherings and join a march in Srinagar after Friday prayers. It is the first such call to be made by separatist leaders since Delhi stripped the region of autonomy almost three weeks ago.

Unicef report points to three-fold increase in number of schools closed in the region in two years due to intensifying conflict

More than 1.9 million children are forced out of school across west and central Africa due to rising violence and insecurity, putting them at higher risk of recruitment by armed groups, the UNas children agency has warned.

In an urgent report published on Friday, Unicef revealed that more than 9,000 schools have been shut down as of June this year in eight countries; Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.

Satirist Samantha Kureya seized at home, stripped and forced to drink sewage

One of Zimbabweas best-known comedians and political satirists is in hiding after being abducted from her home by unidentified armed men, then beaten, stripped and made to drink sewage.

The attack on Samantha Kureya is one of a series in recent weeks targeting critics of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Government pressure leaves agency silent despite claims of forced returns of LGBT refugees and others under police crackdown

When summer began, Wardas* biggest worry was her sick boyfriend.

A Syrian with a gentle voice, and all her identity documents in order, Ward thought she could convince doctors in Istanbul, where she lived, to see her boyfriend, another refugee, without papers.

Ri Yong-ho says US secretary of state cast adark shadowsa over nuclear talks

North Koreaas top diplomat has called the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, a adiehard toxina who only complicates denuclearisation talks and said North Korea was ready for both dialogue and standoff.

Talks aimed at dismantling the Northas nuclear and missile programmes have stalled since a failed second summit between Donald Trump and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, in Hanoi in February.

Protesters dispute claim by Indonesian president Joko Widodo that order has been restored

Indonesiaas president, Joko Widodo, has said West Papua ahas returned to normala after clashes with police, a claim dismissed by independence protesters who said mass rallies were likely to continue.

There have been protests across the archipelago, including in Jakarta and Bali, as well as in the Papuan towns of Jayapura, Timika, Sarong and Fakfak, where police reportedly used tear gas and fired warning shots to clear crowds after they set fire to a market and destroyed ATMs and shops. Local media reports 45 people were arrested.

Administrationas move is a ahead in the sand approacha that will further imperil creatures threatened by the climate crisis

Life as a sea turtle is already harrowing. Emerging alone from a shell to crawl through a deadly gauntlet of predatory birds, dogs and ants, all for the goal of reaching the ocean, a place where fish swallow you whole and fragments of discarded plastic slowly suffocate you.

Now climate change a in the form of sea level rise, rising temperatures and fiercer storms a is adding further, existential hardships and in the US a recent weakening of endangered species protections by the Trump administration will further imperil sea turtles and other creatures threatened by the climate crisis.

Trade dispute widens, sparking concerns that information about North Koreaas missile programmes may not be shared

South Korea has said it will scrap an intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, drawing a swift protest from Tokyo and deepening a decades-old dispute over the countriesa wartime history that has hit trade and undercut security cooperation over North Korea.

South Koreaas Kim You-geun, deputy director of the presidential National Security Council, said Japan had created a agrave changea in the environment for bilateral security cooperation by removing South Koreaas fast-track export status this month.

The author on the book that changed his mind about the British empire, and rewriting Mister Men books on the fly

The book I am currently reading
Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie. My family were very active in the fight against fascists in Britain. Growing up, I was always hearing about who was an appeaser and who was a collaborator, so I wanted to see what the latest views are.

The book that changed my life
The way James Joyceas style just changes as the character ages in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was like a great penny dropped. I was so excited when I first read it that I thought: aI want to do that for the rest of my life.a

aNo one could have treated my father worse than Marvel and Disneyas executives,a says Joan Lee as she backs Sony in studio bust-up

Joan Lee, the daughter of the late comics mogul Stan Lee, has spoken out in the wake of this weekas surprise split between studios Sony and Disney over the rights to Leeas creation, Spider-Man.

In a statement to TMZ, Joan Lee said Marvel and Disney (which bought Marvel for $4bn in 2009) need to be achecked and balanceda in their quest for overall control of Leeas work.

With customised speakers pumping out earthquaking bass, sound systems are the booming heart of carnival. A selection of operators talk about 50 years of playing records from reggae to grime. Plus: a map of the sounds at this yearas event

Rooted in Caribbean culture and introduced to the UK by the Windrush generation, sound systems a static or truck-bound collectives of MCs and DJs playing music through customised, bass-heavy speakers a have been integral to Notting Hill carnival since 1973. Organiser Leslie Palmer introduced them alongside live bands to appeal to a youthful audience, instantly creating the eventas unique vibe.

This year, 36 systems will operate simultaneously from Kensal Road right down to Westbourne Grove, playing an array of music stretching from reggae and ska through Latin and soca to house, drumanabass and grime. We spoke to a selection of sound system operators about their colourful beginnings, what they are playing this year, and why an event that began in 1959 is still unique and vital.

Actor-singer says Sony let her go from family animation after seeing images of her licking a phallic gateaux bought for her then-boyfriend Liam Hemsworth

Miley Cyrus claims she was fired from childrenas animation Hotel Transylvania after posing with a penis-shaped cake purchased for her then-boyfriendas birthday.

Listing a series of her lowest points on Twitter on Thursday, Cyrus a who started her career as a Disney Channel star a said she was akicked off Hotel Transylvania for buying Liam a penis cake and licking ita.

This week weave got difficult techno, blue-eyed soul, and a slice of uber-millennial rap

Donmar Warehouse, London
Dark secrets emerge as three siblings gather at their late fatheras old plantation home in this daring drama

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is a subversive writer. In An Octoroon, based on a 19th-century Dion Boucicault melodrama, he questioned what it meant to be dubbed aa black playwrighta. In this play, also dating from 2014, he appropriates the classic American family drama with results that are both gravely serious and mordantly funny.

The focus is on the Lafayette clan who have gathered at their late fatheras crumbling old plantation home in Arkansas to sort out their inheritance. Even by the standards of theatrical families, they are notably dysfunctional. Toni, the eldest, is embittered, rancorous and foul-tongued. The middle child, Bo, shows an insatiable appetite for money. Frank, the youngest, is a reformed addict with paedophile tendencies. But the arguments about property are superseded by the discovery of a photo album suggesting that their father, a supposedly liberal lawyer, was a closet racist obsessed with pictures of dead black people.

A refreshing antidote to the spendy fine-dining common to the Lake District, this family-run bistro offers good, hearty eating without the mountainous prices

The Lake District is impossibly beautiful, as well as delicious. I spend half my life there, but at times itas woefully inaccessible. Not aKirkstone Pass in a Vauxhall Rascal with worn-out brakesa inaccessible. No, I mean much of the notable dining and friendly service in the Lakes takes place in ultra-spendy luxury resorts, with a minimum two-night stay, at approximately APS300 per room. aYes, Iall bring my 83-year-old mother and tween niece for a three-hour, 10-plate chefas journey of citrus bisque and kohlrabi,a I groan mournfully as weekly news arrives of yet another billion-pound stately home renovation aimed at stressy Zurich hedge-fund managers who want to spend 48 hours blasting haplessly at grouse and having APS200 hot-stone massages.

Which is all lovely, but every week Iam in search of a big, reasonably priced and, above all, welcoming place to take normal folk; one in fact like The Yan at Broadrayne. Somewhere that serves rustic stuff with finesse, but not too much finesse: Cumberland sausage, bowls of buttery mash, sticky toffee pudding or even just a rack of toast with local jams. Somewhere like The Yan thatas open more than 20 hours per week and serves sweet things that appear to be made from scratch, not bought at the local Pioneer food store and thawed out. Somewhere the staff are jolly and not broken by 20 coaches of Beatrix Potter fans every day.

I check myself for symptoms constantly, my anxiety spirals, and fear of disclosure eventually destroys every relationship I have

I had always practised safe sex, but contracted genital herpes eight years ago. Following my diagnosis my world folded, and I stayed with the man I contracted it from for months because I thought nobody else would want me.

I have the less severe type of herpes, which is difficult to pass on. If a partner already gets cold sores, then it is next to impossible for them to contract the virus again through sex. All this should make me feel better, and it does a until I meet someone I like. Then rational thinking goes out of the window. I begin every new relationship with massive anxiety and a fear of rejection.

Passionate about wildlife and nature? These surveys and activities offer volunteers a close-up of our fauna and flora while helping to safeguard the environment

Forestry Englandas Big Forest Find is the countryas largest survey of forest wildlife. Volunteers can download the free iNaturalist app, then use it to take and upload photographs of animals and plants in their local forest, identifying the species they find. This can be anything from lichen and other fungi to birds, butterflies and mammals. These observations are verified by experts and added to national records on biodiversity. Accurate records help ecologists, scientists and rangers provide homes for wildlife and care for the forests. There are also expert-led activities, such as one in Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, on 5 October. The Big Forest Find is part of Forestry Englandas centenary celebrations a the Forestry Commission was founded in 1919 to restore the nationas woods and forests after the first world war, and is now focusing on preparing for the climate crisis.
aC/ Until 31 October, free, forestryengland.uk

They say routine is good for mental health, and techno is nothing if not routine

I am often asked what sort of things help me with my mental health. I think people expect me to say walking, nature, swimming. And all of those things do help, all of those things I need, but also: techno music. People never expect techno.

I actually used to hate techno; would rather die than listen to it, until I was sober for a year. It seems somewhat paradoxical to give up booze and suddenly start hanging out on vodka-sticky dancefloors. But, just like an SSRI, mix a high BPM into my bloodstream and my mood will lift.

The ditsy floral has always been a firm favourite with print aficionados, but this summer it has taken over. Style with bold, chunky footwear to balance out the sweetness of the blooms and add graphic sunglasses or a natural-fabric bag

Exhibition about Soviet-Nazi treaty, signed on 23 August 1939, seeks to turn spotlight on westas behaviour in 1930s

Eighty years after the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed a non-aggression treaty dividing Europe into spheres of influence, Russia has put the original Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and its secret protocol on public display.

Alongside the pact at the exhibition at Russiaas State Archives in Moscow are documents spanning from the 1938 Munich agreement and occupation of Czechoslovakia until the outbreak of war, which organisers say confirm Soviet fears that the west sought to redirect German aggression toward Moscow.

I felt less than human until I was given a second chance. University has made me stronger, hungrier and more confident

Before I became a student, I felt less than a human being and had almost given up hope. But being given a scholarship was like the appearance of a candle, burning bright to lead me out of the darkness: studying counselling at university has kept me alive.

I was born in Ghana and came to the UK when I was 12 with my father and four younger siblings, and we lived in East London. One day, when I was 15, I came home from football and my little sister was on the stairs crying because my father had left us.

Closing of Chevrolet plant is latest blow in a slow, painful decline in Lordstown a an area that has suffered more than most from the outsourcing of jobs overseas

For years, the General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio, employed 8,000 workers in the Mahoning valley.

In a rust belt region that has become synonymous with industrial decline, following the closure of its once mighty steel mills in the 1970s, the presence of the Chevrolet factory in Lordstown, and its well-paid manufacturing jobs, was particularly important.

For residents of Anchorage, Julyas wildfire and unprecedented temperatures plus the current McKinley Fire confirm that global heating has changed life forever

Major fires are burning this week in south-central Alaska, lengthening the stateas wildfire season, which has usually ended by the beginning of August.

They come after Alaskaas hottest July on record, during which its largest city, Anchorage, had a temperature pass 90F (32C) for the first time. On top of that, the area has seen little rain this summer, resulting in extremely dry conditions.

Administrationas move is a ahead in the sand approacha that will further imperil creatures threatened by the climate crisis

Life as a sea turtle is already harrowing. Emerging alone from a shell to crawl through a deadly gauntlet of predatory birds, dogs and ants, all for the goal of reaching the ocean, a place where fish swallow you whole and fragments of discarded plastic slowly suffocate you.

Now climate change a in the form of sea level rise, rising temperatures and fiercer storms a is adding further, existential hardships and in the US a recent weakening of endangered species protections by the Trump administration will further imperil sea turtles and other creatures threatened by the climate crisis.

Closing of Chevrolet plant is latest blow in a slow, painful decline in Lordstown a an area that has suffered more than most from the outsourcing of jobs overseas

For years, the General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio, employed 8,000 workers in the Mahoning valley.

In a rust belt region that has become synonymous with industrial decline, following the closure of its once mighty steel mills in the 1970s, the presence of the Chevrolet factory in Lordstown, and its well-paid manufacturing jobs, was particularly important.

Experts say international pressure may be only way to sway Bolsonaro government

International pressure may be the only way to stop the Brazilian government from taking a asuicidea path in the Amazon, one of the countryas most respected scientists has said, as the worldas biggest rainforest continues to be ravaged by thousands of deliberate fires.

The large number of conflagrations a set illegally to clear and prepare land for crops, cattle and property speculation a has prompted the state of Amazonas to declare an emergency, created giant smoke clouds that have drifted hundreds of miles, and sparked international concerns about the destruction of an essential carbon sink.

Fridayas top story: Macron calls wildfires ainternational crisisa and urges G7 response. Plus, GM plant closed amid Trumpas failure to bring back midwest jobs

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Good morning, Iam Tim Walker with todayas essential stories.

Ri Yong-ho says US secretary of state cast adark shadowsa over nuclear talks

North Koreaas top diplomat has called the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, a adiehard toxina who only complicates denuclearisation talks and said North Korea was ready for both dialogue and standoff.

Talks aimed at dismantling the Northas nuclear and missile programmes have stalled since a failed second summit between Donald Trump and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, in Hanoi in February.

Google-owned service says it discovered channels abehaved in a coordinated mannera against pro-democracy protests

YouTube has disabled 210 channels that appeared to be part of a coordinated influence campaign against pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

The action by the Google-owned service came as Twitter and Facebook accused the Chinese government of backing a social media campaign to discredit Hong Kongas pro-democracy movement and sow political discord in the city.

Email sent to immigration judges links to virulently anti-immigrant site full of antisemitic references

The US Department of Justice distributed a morning news briefing to immigration judges that contained a link to a white nationalist website riddled with antisemitic references.

As first identified in a report by BuzzFeed News, the executive office for immigration review (EOIR), a division of the justice department, included a link to a blogpost on the website VDare in the briefing, which was emailed to immigration court employees earlier this week.

Mountain fire races across hundreds of acres in just hours as wildfire season looms large over the state

A fast-moving wildfire that broke out on Thursday in northern California has forced the evacuation of nearly 4,000 residents, racing across at least 600 acres within just a few hours, officials say.

The Mountain fire, which erupted on the outskirts of a national forest in northern California, has threatened 1,110 homes and structures. As of Thursday evening the fire was 0% contained and officials in Shasta county described the situation as avery fluida.

Photos of the blaze posted on Twitter by the Shasta county sheriffas office showed thick black and gray smoke billowing into the area over a highway near the Shasta-Trinity national forest.

aNo one could have treated my father worse than Marvel and Disneyas executives,a says Joan Lee as she backs Sony in studio bust-up

Joan Lee, the daughter of the late comics mogul Stan Lee, has spoken out in the wake of this weekas surprise split between studios Sony and Disney over the rights to Leeas creation, Spider-Man.

In a statement to TMZ, Joan Lee said Marvel and Disney (which bought Marvel for $4bn in 2009) need to be achecked and balanceda in their quest for overall control of Leeas work.

Truth commission reveals evidence of death squadas abuses over two decades

One of the most notorious killers in Gambia sits on a grubby mattress on his brotheras stoop, uneasy in his newfound freedom. His nephews fetch cigarettes and brew tea, and birds sing in the mango trees. A cuddly toy crocodile lies near the gate.

Malick Jatta was a member of the Junglers, a death squad trained to do the dirtiest work of the countryas former president, Yahya Jammeh, whose abuses over 22 years in power are being revealed by a truth, reconciliation and reparations commission broadcast live into the living rooms of Africaas smallest mainland nation.

Less bitter than Reputation, Lover has something for everyone, especially Swiftas boyfriend, but is she treading water?

The deluxe version of Taylor Swiftas seventh studio album comes with a facsimile of the singeras journal. It contains selected diary entries that make for surprisingly glum reading. We see Swift progress from wide-eyed 13-year-old (aI heart school!a) to one of the worldas biggest stars: the latter the source of considerable woe. There are complaints about fans outside her house, worries about her relationships failing due to athe nasty world that just wants to ruin thingsa and about 2016, when her personal woes, including her motheras cancer diagnosis, were compounded by public spats with other artists a most notably Kanye West a a succession of think-pieces bemoaning her awfulness and, most mind-boggling of all, her unsolicited adoption as a figurehead of the American alt-right after she declined to endorse a presidential candidate. aThis summer,a she writes, from the thick of it, ais the apocalypse.a

Exhibition about Soviet-Nazi treaty, signed on 23 August 1939, seeks to turn spotlight on westas behaviour in 1930s

Eighty years after the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed a non-aggression treaty dividing Europe into spheres of influence, Russia has put the original Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and its secret protocol on public display.

Alongside the pact at the exhibition at Russiaas State Archives in Moscow are documents spanning from the 1938 Munich agreement and occupation of Czechoslovakia until the outbreak of war, which organisers say confirm Soviet fears that the west sought to redirect German aggression toward Moscow.

As demonstrations entered their 11th week, the Guardian shadowed a protester for the day at a major anti-government rally banned by the police

It is noon on a muggy August day in Hong Kong. Patrick Wong*, 20, has just eaten a breakfast of instant noodles and vegetables with his parents at a nearby cha chaan teng, an old-school local diner. Now he is preparing for another long Sunday on the streets.

He is packing a black T-shirt, a yellow helmet, and a pair of goggles that can withstand 0.22-calibre bullets. He hopes for a peaceful march, as organisers and protesters have planned, but he is preparing for the worst.

New Yorkers flock to the Dominican Republic for cheaper plastic surgery procedures, but not all of them return home.

Sharilene CedeA+-o used to joke with her sister Kendra that she was going to be 23 forever.

CedeA+-o, daughter of Dominican immigrants, was obsessed with staying young a and by extension, plastic surgery. Coworkers at the Manhattan clinic where she was a nurseas assistant would catch her looking at dramatic before and after photos on surgeonsa social media pages.

Google was latest company to be lobbied by its employees as they urged it not to work with US agencies involved with the separation and detention of immigrants

Last week, Google became the latest company to be publicly lobbied by its own employees specifically because of US immigration policy.

More than 1,300 Google workers have signed a petition demanding the company publicly commit to not support government agencies involved with the separation and detention of immigrants until those agencies astop engaging in human rights abusesa.

An ambitious agenda by the March for Our Lives activists may be the first time the majority of Americans get real representation

March for Our Lives, the national youth gun violence prevention movement founded by survivors of last yearas school shooting in Parkland, Florida, released a sweeping gun reform agenda this week.

The agenda calls for significantly raising the standards for gun ownership in America, and reducing by about 100m the total number of guns in circulation.

Social media was supposed to liberate us, but for many people it has proved addictive, punishing and toxic. What keeps us hooked? By Richard Seymour

We are swimming in writing. Our lives have become, in the words of the author and academic Shoshana Zuboff, an aelectronic texta. Social media platforms have created a machine for us to write to. The bait is that we are interacting with other people: our friends, colleagues, celebrities, politicians, royals, terrorists, porn actors a anyone we like. We are not interacting with them, however, but with the machine. We write to it, and it passes on the message for us after keeping a record of the data.

The machine benefits from the anetwork effecta: the more people write to it, the more benefits it can offer, until it becomes a disadvantage not to be part of it. Part of what? The worldas first ever public, live, collective, open-ended writing project. A virtual laboratory. An addiction machine, which deploys crude techniques of manipulation redolent of the Skinner Box created by behaviourist BF Skinner to control the behaviour of pigeons and rats with rewards and punishments. We are users, much as cocaine addicts are users.

Can we stop pretending that Joe Biden is the inevitable 2020 candidate?

Much like Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Bidenas Democratic primary campaign has thus far cloaked itself in an aura of inevitability. You might not like Joe Biden. He might say racist or sexist stuff from time to time. His gaffes might be occurring at an alarming rate. He might have uninspiring policy ideas. But heas going to win the primary anyway, so you better get used to him.

That was the subtext, at least, and an explanation for how banal Bidenas campaign has been so far. If victory is certain, why not hold the ball and milk the clock? Jill Biden, the former vice-presidentas wife, made the case bizarrely explicit on MSNBC earlier this week. aYour candidate might be better on, I donat know, health care, than Joe is,a Biden said, abut youave got to look at whoas going to win this election, and maybe you have to swallow a little bit and say, aOkay, I personally like so-and-so better,a but your bottom line has to be that we have to beat Trump.a

Ever since Al Gore first launched his climate crusade, the sight of any given public figure making the case for action, anywhere other than in their own home, has frequently been met with the following genre of response: if you care so much, how come you took a plane? If you didnat take a plane, how much did the alternative cost? How much steel does a train use these days, anyway? Wouldnat it be cheaper, ergo greener, not to go anywhere?

Related: How I deal with the unbearable hypocrisy of being an environmentalist

The Amazon is the centre of the world. Right now, as our planet experiences climate collapse, there is nowhere more important. If we donat grasp this, there is no way to meet that challenge.

For 500 years, this has been a place of ruins. First with the European invasion, which brought a particularly destructive form of civilisation, the death of hundreds of thousands of indigenous men and women and the extinction of dozens of peoples. More recently, with the clearance of vast swaths of the forest and all life within it. Right now, in 2019, we are witnessing the beginning of a new, disastrous chapter. The area of trees being cleared has surged this year. In July, the deforestation rate was an area the size of Manhattan every day, a Greater London every three weeks. This month, fires are incinerating the Amazon at a record rate, almost certainly part of a scorched-earth strategy to clear territory. Why is this happening now? Because of a change in power.

The female objects of desire in this disappointing mA(c)nage A trois comedy by Louis Garrel are more fantasies than characters

French actor Louis Garrel pays homage here to Woody Allenas ego by co-writing, directing and starring in a film in which two drop-dead-gorgeous women go to war over him. (Naturally, one is much younger than Garrel.)

A Faithful Man bombs the Bechdel test, of course. But it seems to me that it fails an even more basic test of humanity, since this pair of female adventurers arenat even really characters, so much as fantasies. Itas a shame because Garrel directs with frothy light-touch flair.

Amid mass demonstrations and a trade war, financial observers say the cityas slowdown could deepen

Hong Kong is a free marketeras dream. The tiny island has a GDP bigger than many industrialised countries, low tax and abundant cheap labour, and is a world-class financial centre boasting a stock market with a total value of more than APS2.5tn.

No wonder then that the cityas most powerful vested interests are showing signs of nerves after 11 weeks of street protests that have paralysed the city, prompting its biggest political crisis since the handover to China in 1997 and threatening to push it into recession. Even worse, some observers believe the standoff could destroy Hong Kongas cherished entrepot status and send it on a journey of no return into Chinaas orbit.

Satirist Samantha Kureya seized at home, stripped and forced to drink sewage

One of Zimbabweas best-known comedians and political satirists is in hiding after being abducted from her home by unidentified armed men, then beaten, stripped and made to drink sewage.

The attack on Samantha Kureya is one of a series in recent weeks targeting critics of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Posters in India-administered Srinagar urged people to defy ban on public gatherings

The main city in Indian-administered Kashmir has been placed under lockdown following calls for residents to march en masse against the revocation of the territoryas special status.

Posters were put up overnight this week urging people to defy a ban on public gatherings and join a march in Srinagar after Friday prayers. It is the first such call to be made by separatist leaders since Delhi stripped the region of autonomy almost three weeks ago.

Government pressure leaves agency silent despite claims of forced returns of LGBT refugees and others under police crackdown

When summer began, Wardas* biggest worry was her sick boyfriend.

A Syrian with a gentle voice, and all her identity documents in order, Ward thought she could convince doctors in Istanbul, where she lived, to see her boyfriend, another refugee, without papers.

The speeding double amputee in New Zealand says he didnat have time to stop because he needed to get his tea ready

New Zealand police embarked on what may be the worldas slowest chase while attempting to stop a man fleeing them on a mobility scooter.

The slow-motion pursuit took place on Wednesday in the small town of Timaru on the east coast of the South Island.

Protesters dispute claim by Indonesian president Joko Widodo that order has been restored

Indonesiaas president, Joko Widodo, has said West Papua ahas returned to normala after clashes with police, a claim dismissed by independence protesters who said mass rallies were likely to continue.

There have been protests across the archipelago, including in Jakarta and Bali, as well as in the Papuan towns of Jayapura, Timika, Sarong and Fakfak, where police reportedly used tear gas and fired warning shots to clear crowds after they set fire to a market and destroyed ATMs and shops. Local media reports 45 people were arrested.

When Fraser Harvey crowned himself his local coffee shopas No 1 customer he thought he had no competition. He was wrong

It all started on Monday when Fraser Harvey walked into his local cafe in Melbourneas city centre.

To mark his constant visits to the Sensory Lab outlet on Collins Street, he put up a small poster that crowned him as its favourite customer.

The chicken chainas latest offering has been selling out and earning hoards of fans. What inspired the obsession?

Popeyesa new chicken sandwich is a bona fide, boneless fried phenomenon.

The fried chicken chainas new offering has become Americaas must-eat sandwich, for those who can find a location where itas not sold out. The simple meal a battered chicken, pickles and sauce on a brioche bun a has inspired long lines nationwide and endless chatter on social media. A customer at a Popeyeas in Oakland, California, joked about the sandwichas place in the national conversation: aItas like Game of Thrones.a

And three that Congress will probably not do but will dominate the news

The August lull is upon us so letas all be grateful. We can definitely use a few weeks of the congressional recess to at least try and forget about the ugliness in Washington and instead focusing on the more important things, like catching up on Stranger Things, spending some quality hours with the family and seeing Once Upon A Time in Hollywood for the third time. At least, thatas what Iall be doing.

But the fall political season a and the 2020 presidential election cycle a will unofficially begin in earnest come 9th September when our congressional leaders arrive back in Washington to start the next term. Putting aside the rhetoric, will there be any legislation that will pass before year end that will affect your business and mine? Perhaps. Here are five things Iam watching.

In a compelling new film, a 16-year-old small town boy becomes a star thanks to livestreaming and an ever-changing new world opens up

Sometime between 2016 and 2017 a a distinct period, if you follow the rapid hot and colds of social media platforms a 16-year-old Austyn Tester filmed a video just for himself. Shirtless in front of a wall in his Kingsport, Tennessee, home, Tester flicks his hair with barely contained excitement. After months of live-streaming his middle American high school life on YouNow, cultivating a following of teenage girls who tuned into him lip-syncing, dancing, or just hanging out, Tester received interest from a talent manager. Clutching himself and spinning around, he tumbles through a series of revelations. aThis is before Iam famous!a He leans into the selfie lens. aIt is 10:06pm. Iam not famous right now. Hopefully Iall be famous soon.a

Related: The Obamas' first film: will American Factory be the biggest documentary of 2019?

I check myself for symptoms constantly, my anxiety spirals, and fear of disclosure eventually destroys every relationship I have

I had always practised safe sex, but contracted genital herpes eight years ago. Following my diagnosis my world folded, and I stayed with the man I contracted it from for months because I thought nobody else would want me.

I have the less severe type of herpes, which is difficult to pass on. If a partner already gets cold sores, then it is next to impossible for them to contract the virus again through sex. All this should make me feel better, and it does a until I meet someone I like. Then rational thinking goes out of the window. I begin every new relationship with massive anxiety and a fear of rejection.

Hate may be less like a cancer and more like bubbles, says Neil Johnson, who applies physics theory to human behavior

Lone wolves. Terrorist cells. Bad apples. Viral infections.

The language we use to discuss violent extremism is rife with metaphors from the natural world. As we seek to understand why some humans behave so utterly inhumanely, we rely on comparisons to biology, ecology and medicine.

For residents of Anchorage, Julyas wildfire and unprecedented temperatures plus the current McKinley Fire confirm that global heating has changed life forever

Major fires are burning this week in south-central Alaska, lengthening the stateas wildfire season, which has usually ended by the beginning of August.

They come after Alaskaas hottest July on record, during which its largest city, Anchorage, had a temperature pass 90F (32C) for the first time. On top of that, the area has seen little rain this summer, resulting in extremely dry conditions.