The Guardian’s weekend wrap of essential reads from the past seven days, selected by Miles Herbert and Jacqui Housden
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Hello and welcome to the weekend.
We went big this week. In this selection of reads from across the Guardian, big wins are dissected, big questions are asked, big bowls are taste-tested and dreams of being bigger are realised. Enjoy.
1. Is this the beginning of the end for Trump?
A blue wave has swept through the US. In what appears a remarkable repudiation of Trumpism, voters handed Democrats control over the House of Representatives and the Senate. Our Washington DC bureau chief, David Smith, called it an “extinction-level event” and one famous Democrat proclaimed it was “morning again in America”.
But how will Trump and the Republican party respond to having his power diminished to a veto pen? Will it eat away at his “cult-like” control over the GOP, and will conservatives conclude Trump is now a creature of the political past?
What happens next? Come January, Democrats will have the power to significantly impede Trump’s agenda. Progressive lawmakers will be “a bulwark against Trump’s expansion of executive power”, with the ability to block legislation in Congress as well as launch investigations into Trump’s family business and the Epstein files.
Notable quote: “A wounded Trump who feels he has nothing to lose over the next two years might turn out to be the most reckless and dangerous of all.” – David Smith
How long will it take to read: Two minutes.
Further reading: Why Democrats turned towards the politics of affordability, and the Republicans hopeful of succeeding Trump read through the tea leaves.
2. ‘The term is becoming unrecognisable’: have the experts who believed in a single autism spectrum changed their minds?
The recent rise in diagnoses of autism has brought with it a heated debate. From supposed “overdiagnosis” to whether some people are prioritised over others, the controversy has become a new front in the culture wars. But what do the experts make of it all? John Harris sat down with some key figures to find out.
Different conclusions: Dame Uta Frith, who helped come up with the accepted understanding of autism, once agreed with the idea of a broad autistic spectrum; now she has come to the conclusion that many people diagnosed as adults are different from those whose condition was obvious in their early years. “Some of them, I think, are being wrongly influenced by social media to believe that they’re autistic, because it’s a possible way to explain your difficulties,” she tells Harris. Another expert, Simon Baron-Cohen, now thinks the catch-all term “autistic spectrum disorder” – or “autistic spectrum condition” – is proving increasingly problematic.
But there is strong disagreement: One is from Mary Doherty, an Irish anaesthetist and one of the founders of Autistic Doctors International, who believes there is potential harm done by “invalidating people’s life experience”. “If you are autistic, understanding your autistic nature is life-changing,” she says. “It’s so damaging to deny that to people, particularly people who are already at risk of mental health problems.”
How long will it take to read: 10 to 11 minutes.
Further reading: How the Beatles heped my autistic son find his voice.
3. The cursed cruise: how the dream of never-ending luxury at sea became a nightmare
It’s the epic story of the Odyssey – but not that one. In 2024, the owners of the MV Odyssey cruise ship made a tempting (but not cheap) offer: a four-year voyage at sea, in which one could escape the troubles of a land-based world in which Donald Trump had just been elected president. But things did not go to plan.
From haven to hellhole: Even with the best planning and even the best prices, it turned out there was no escaping the US president and his knock-on effects on fuel prices amid his disastrous war in Iran. Instead of being a haven, the ship became a microcosm for the global economic turmoil, leading to passengers being “unceremoniously” dropped in Cambodia.
Notable quote: “People were shellshocked, numb, crying,” said one passenger. “People were angry. They were hysterical.”
How long will it take to read: Four minutes
Further reading: ‘They have schedules to follow’: how fast ferries can threaten endangered whales in the Mediterranean.
4. Never big enough
Interest in penile-enhancement is on the rise, and it is now a booming industry. Manhood, a new documentary from film-maker Daniel Lombroso (formerly of The Atlantic and The New Yorker), investigates the latest phenomenon tied to men’s obsession with their members.
While the subject matter may invite humour, Lombroso centres the film on the male self-esteem issues driving the enhancement trend, highlights the patience and tender attention afforded to the fragile men seeking treatment and portrays it as another form of gender affirming care: “So many of these things are funny and self-evident, especially to smart viewers. It’s fun to have these tough conversations and not tell people exactly how to feel in every moment,” Lombroso says.
The economics of enhancement: one penis practitioner featured heavily in the documentary, Bill Moore, wants enlargement procedures to be “as common as Botox”. Moore’s company, which advertises its offerings as “girth enhancement”, now has 32 locations across the country. Moore offers “career-changing, sex-life turbocharging, depression-curing” procedures for up to $20,000 out of his office in a Dallas strip mall.
Notable quote: “Everybody wants a boat that’s one foot longer” – Penis enlargement patient
How long will it take to read: A modest three minutes (no need to extend it).
Further reading: How toxic masculinity is reshaping young men’s faces, and a look back at the “original looksmaxxer”.
5. One laksa to rule them all
Max Veenhuyzen says the people of Darwin take their laksa seriously. He must be right, because the city in Australia’s far north hosts the Darwin international laksa festival – a celebration of multiculturalism and food that brings together chefs and foodies from across the country. More than 50 different vendors entered the competition, with only one walking away the winner.
The Golden Bowl: Vendors compete for the top prize – a gaudy laksa dish-shaped trophy – as chosen by a panel of judges who secretly visit the restaurants and blind taste the dish on stage.
Notable quote: “Can I get some tissues on stage, please?” – Golden Bowl judge and self-taught chef Junda Khoo as he struggles to taste-test finalists in the Darwin heat.
Who went home the winner? Angkor Takeaway walked away champions, with the judges unanimously awarding Cheata Ouch’s bowl the accolades on account of its seasoning and diverse body.
How long will it take to read? Just under two minutes, leaving you plenty of time to make and enjoy your own bowl of laksa.
Further reading: How to cook the perfect laksa.
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