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26 October

In the headlines

Israel sent tanks into Gaza last night as part of a targeted raid which the military says was in preparation for “the next stages of combat”. Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed plans for a full-scale ground offensive, vowing to “rain hellfire” on Hamas. Police are hunting for an “armed and dangerous” suspect after a mass shooting in Maine. At least 16 people were killed when a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley and restaurant in the city of Lewiston. Spain’s Duke of Huéscar has been told that his baby daughter’s name is too long to be legally registered. She currently goes by Sofía Fernanda Dolores Cayetana Teresa Ángela de la Cruz Micaela del Santísimo Sacramento del Perpetuo Socorro de la Santísima Trinidad y de Todos Los Santos.

Fashion

Earlier this year, says Vogue, TikTokers became obsessed with “latté make-up”: gold bronzer, cinnamon eyeshadow, and so on. Now the craze appears to have permeated the fashion world, with coffee-inspired hues “popping up on the runway at Ferragamo, Hermès, Loewe and Tom Ford”. Celebrities spotted wearing the look include Hailey Bieber, combining a coffee-coloured miniskirt with an oversized jacket; Timothée Chalamet in tailoring with “deep and sophisticated browns”; and Meghan Markle wearing appropriately “liquid fabrics”, such as satin.

Love etc

Tinder is taking “meet the parents” to a whole new level, says The Guardian. With the dating app’s “Matchmaker” feature, users can give a select group of friends and family 24 hours to assess their matches. This trusted circle can make suggestions about your potential dates – but “fortunately, cannot start messaging on your behalf”.

Inside politics

After three weeks of Republican infighting, says Axios, the US House of Representatives finally has a new Speaker. Mike Johnson – now second in line to the presidency, after the vice president – is a dedicated Trumpist: he led efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, and was a “staunch defender” of Donald Trump during his impeachment over the January 6 insurrection. But the 51-year-old isn’t well known in the corridors of power: he has been a congressman for just shy of seven years, making him “the least experienced representative to obtain the gavel in 140 years”.

On the way out

“Jump scares” – ghosts, ghouls and other nasties suddenly appearing on screen – used to be standard horror movie fare, says The Washington Post. But an analysis of more than 1,000 films has found that the number of these startling moments has fallen precipitously since 2014, from about one every 10 minutes to one every 15. Some directors still use the cinematic device, however: Host, a 2020 horror, features a jump scare every two and a half minutes. 😱

Gone viral

There’s a new online game in which users try to remember the names of all 416 stations in the London Tube network. Developer Benjamin Tran Dinh tells The Daily Telegraph he had already created versions for Paris and Berlin, but that the reception in London has been much more enthusiastic. One player who got all 416 – supposedly without cheating – says she doesn’t know whether to be “proud or embarrassed”. Have a go yourself here.

Snapshot

It’s an artist’s rendition of the “Adventure” hotel, designed by the Dutch architect Chris van Duijn to nestle among craggy cliffs near Saudi Arabia’s Gulf of Aqaba coast. The luxury resort will be one of three boutique hotels in “Leyja”, the latest “region” announced as part of the Neom desert city. No opening date, or construction timetable, has yet been confirmed.

Quoted

Quoted

“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”

Pablo Picasso