What you need to join MI6
The ‘tap on the shoulder’ is back
One spy recruiter says that, besides emotional intelligence and a high IQ, she is looking for people who have had to fight to get on in life, whatever their background
It’s possible for Ukip to lose elections but still win the argument
‘The Munchkins dancing on the party’s grave aren’t thinking about what might yet emerge’
Though the party is damaged by internal feuding, it can still try to shape the debate as a toxic social movement, warns Gaby Hinsliff
Film critics assemble!
Our writers pick their favourite superhero films
Which cape-wearing, civilian-saving adventurers are worth cheering? The film desk marks Wolverine’s return by naming the movie he’ll need to beat to be considered truly ‘super’.
Inside Britain’s sharia councils
Hardline and anti-women – or a dignified way to divorce?
Sharia councils say they offer Muslim women a way out of religious marriage but critics argue this parallel legal system can leave vulnerable people trapped in abuse. Here is a rare look behind the scenes
Ed Sheeran: ‘I got hammered and cracked Justin Bieber in the face with a golf club’
Slightly more stylish, slightly more guarded but still affable and funny
As he releases his third album ÷, Sheeran talks about surreal moments of fame, being mobbed on easyJet and building a pub in his garden
What happens when women retire
Working just as hard, but unpaid?
Five women talk about what retirement means to them, and reveal the ‘deep-rooted gender issues’ it has exposed
Why analogue refuses to die
‘More than mere hipsterism, this is an appreciation for devices that do less’
I realise everyone’s desperate for good news these days but the elation over the Nokia 3310 phone’s relaunch was startling, says Oliver Burkeman
Inside Royal Brompton hospital’s paediatric unit
‘The hospital becomes a second home and a place of hope’
The picture essay: photographer David Levene and Guardian health editor Sarah Boseley spent a day with patients and the staff who treat children with heart and lung diseases
The best new budget hotels in London
Top lodgings for anyone planning a trip or looking for somewhere to put the family
With smart tech and sharp design, a new wave of budget hotels is sweeping away grisly memories of dull functionality. We review a selection of the latest openings across London
