When Lizzy Bennet, the witty sister in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813), asks: “What are men to rocks and mountains?” she is thinking about ways of understanding self and world through the notion of the sublime.

The sublime was one of the key 18th-century philosophical ideas of Romanticism, balancing our physical insignificance next to something majestic like a mountain, with our imaginative capacity to conceptualise it. Lizzy is trying to get over her own and her sister Jane’s heartbreak by thinking beyond herself to the wider world of nature around her.

The philosopher Sianne Ngai claims that the notion of the sublime no longer holds any force. Instead, today’s culture replaces the idea with concepts that have a weaker emotional impact on us, such as the “zany”, the “cute” and the “interesting”.

For big hits, social media demands zany personalities and cute images. And to say something is “interesting” might actually indicate that you find the topic boring. In her book Our Aesthetic Categories, Ngai basically argues that 21st-century capitalist society has no time for the ecstatic experience of the sublime.

Although the new BBC TV series The Other Bennet Sister – adapted from Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel – is a development and continuation of Austen’s novel, the programme steers clear of the sublime and the beautiful and focuses especially on the “cute”.

The Other Bennet Sister starts where Pride and Prejudice also begins. The local grand house Netherfield Park is being let at last, causing much excitement over the identity of the new tenant and the potential opportunities for socialising they may provide.

Focusing on Mary Bennet, the mousy pedantic sister who remains unmarried at the end of Austen’s novel, the TV drama quickly dispatches with the plot of Pride and Prejudice in the first two episodes. Mary is left standing with her mother and father as the rest of her sisters get married.

But Mr Bennet (Richard E. Grant) dies and the sisters’ cousin Mr Collins (Ryan Sampson) and his wife descend on Longbourn to claim the Bennet family home as their own. So Mary is sent to London to stay with her aunt and uncle, the kindly Gardiners in Gracechurch Street.

In London, Mary begins to to enjoy herself and have her own adventures, and crucially, find out who she is – if she’s not the witty one (Lizzy), the beautiful one (Jane), the good-humoured one (Kitty), or the lively one (Lydia). In this BBC incarnation, Mary is the cute, endearing one.

A different perspective

The first episode rewrites Austen’s novel from Mary’s perspective, with her cutting a lonely and drab figure next to the pastel couples of Lizzy and Jane, and Kitty and Lydia. Ruth Jones’s Mrs Bennet is transformed from a character beset by nerves to a woman with nerves of steel. She forbids Mary a cute romance with her optician, or from flirting with Mr Collins as the formidable matriarch has set her sights on him marrying Lizzy (who, of course, will not have the pompous bore).

The Other Bennet Sister makes Mary’s sisters seem distant and shallow, and focuses on her struggles with self-esteem in response to their lack of notice. Like Hill, the Bennet servant you can tell likes Mary best, you just want to give her a hug. In a neat twist, Hill is played by Lucy Briers, who played Mary herself in the BBC’s famous 1995 Pride and Prejudice series.

In London, Mary starts to overcome her awkwardness and self-consciousness under the care of the Mr and Mrs Gardiner, played with verve by Richard Coyle and Indira Varma. She nervously begins a romance with Mr Tom Hayward (Dónal Finn) only to discover he is already engaged.

The show hints heavily that this engagement has faded in intensity like Sense and Sensibility’s Edward Ferrars with Lucy Steele, though Amy Baxter, played by Doctor Who’s Varada Sethu, is far nicer than the two-faced Lucy. By the end of the fifth episode, before she is called away to look after her ailing mother, Mary has found herself in a love triangle.

Throughout the series, Mary wonders just who she is. The audience, along with sensitive characters like Mrs Gardiner, already know: she is kind, funny, caring and thoughtful. In today’s parlance, she’s cute.

There is a sublime moment when Tom tries to cheer Mary up from one of her bouts of self-doubt. He arranges for Mr and Mrs Gardiner and Mary to enter a secret garden, where he reads Wordsworth’s poem Composed Upon Westminster Bridge:

Earth has not any thing to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

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A sight so touching in its majesty:

This City now doth, like a garment, wear

The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie

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Open unto the fields, and to the sky;

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

Mary is moved to tears and it is clear to the audience, if not Mary or even Tom, that when he uses Wordsworth’s words to describe London, he is also describing Mary. Again, for the viewer, this is cute.

It’s clear The Other Bennet Sister is shaping up to be a classic reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, transforming the overlooked Mary Bennet into something and somebody else: as bright and glittering as the Thames in Wordsworth’s poem.

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The match, which saw Sunderland claim a 90th minute winner over Newcastle United, came after Sunderland’s 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light earlier this season, adding extra intensity to the long-running rivalry.

Sunderland supporters were marshalled by police officers as Sunderland fans arrive at St James’ Park for the Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle United and Sunderland (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

There are plenty of videos all over social media today of fans from the rival sides ‘goading’ one another.

However, police have confirmed that in the main everyone in Newcastle city centre today for the football were co-operative.

However, police did make one arrest ahead of the kick-off.

One arrest has been made following the Tyne-Wear derby today (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

Officers will remain in the city centre to monitor supporter behaviour and ensure public safety in the hours following the derby.

Sunderland supporters were given a hostile reception by Newcastle fans as they arrive at St James’ Park for the Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle United and Sunderland (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “We are aware of a number of videos circulating on social media in relation to Newcastle United and Sunderland supporters goading one another.

“In the main, everyone has co-operated and we are able to report that one arrest was made ahead of kick-off. We will continue to have an increased police presence in the city centre.”

Both Jurrien Timber and Eberechi Eze miss the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, with neither Arsenal star recovering from injury in time to face Manchester City at Wembley.

The full-back and the play-maker were doubts coming into the clash, with Timber missing the win over Bayer Leverkusen in midweek and Eze being forced off during the meeting with the Germans.

The England international scored a brilliant opener against Leverkusen but was taken off after the break due to a knock.

The Dutchman was not involved in the Champions League last 16 match due to an ankle issue.

There was hope that both would be fit enough to feature at Wembley, with Arsenal meeting City at 4.30pm, but neither have recovered in time and will be disappointed to miss out.

Ben White will play at right-back, while the front line sees Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard featuring behind Viktor Gyokeres.

Martin Odegaard has also failed to recover from a knee injury and is not in the squad to take on Manchester City.

Kepa Arrizabalaga starts in goal, with William Saliba alongside Gabriel at the heart of Arteta’s defence and Piero Hincapie at left-back.

The familiar pairing of Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi is in midfield at Wembley.

More to follow…

MORE: Why David Raya is not playing for Arsenal against Man City in Carabao Cup final

MORE: Why Marc Guehi is not playing for Man City against Arsenal in Carabao Cup final

MORE: Mikel Arteta suggests Man City clash about more than just Carabao Cup

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been deprived of another centre-back before the League Cup final with Arsenal.

Manchester City suffered an injury blow ahead of the Carabao Cup final with Ruben Dias ruled out of the game with a hamstring injury. The centre-back only lasted 45 minutes against Real Madrid in the Champions League in midweek and was not named in the squad for Sunday’s game with Arsenal.

That left Pep Guardiola without two of his best centre-backs, given Marc Guehi is ineligible due to an obscure rule that disqualifies him on the basis of not having joined from Crystal Palace before the first leg of City’s semi-final with Newcastle. The January signing will be forced to sit out the game while Antoine Semenyo can play after his move from Bournemouth.

Without Guehi and Dias, Guardiola has plumped for Uzbek international Abdukodir Khusanov and Dutch veteran Nathan Ake in his defence alongside Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly. John Stones could also have featured but is only on the bench, having missed the West Ham game last week with injury before returning to the squad against Real.

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James Trafford starts in goal despite Gianluigi Donnarumma being the City No.1. Guardiola has almost always allowed his No.2 goalkeepers to keep their places in domestic cup competitions, even when the Blues reach finals, with Claudio Bravo, Zack Steffen and Stefan Ortega all featuring at Wembley previously.

Mikel Arteta has adopted the same approach at Arsenal, with Kepa Arrizabalaga starting for them on Sunday ahead of No.1 David Raya. Kepa started against City for Chelsea in the 2019 League Cup final and refused to come off before the penalty shootout and then ended up on the losing side.

Arsenal are favourites for Sunday’s game as they look to clinch the first leg of what could be an historic Quadruple this season, but City are still gunning for three domestic trophies as Guardiola aims to add another trophy to his collection and become the most successful manager in the history of the League Cup.

Student loans now sit at the centre of how higher education is funded in England, shaping how millions of graduates finance their studies. Many students leave university with debts of £50,000 or more and may spend decades repaying them.

The current system rests on the idea that higher education primarily benefits individuals, because going to university means that they will earn more over their lifetime. On this view, graduates should bear a significant share of the cost of their education through loan repayments once they enter the labour market.

Yet universities also generate wider social benefits. They educate professionals in sectors such as healthcare, education and engineering. They produce research that contributes to innovation and public policy. They make a significant contribution to cultural and civic life.

This raises the question of whether higher education should be treated mainly as a private investment for individuals, or as a public good that benefits society as a whole.

Research also shows that higher levels of education are associated with greater civic participation, higher levels of political engagement and improved health. These findings suggest that the benefits of higher education extend beyond individual graduates.

If this is the case, the question of who should finance universities becomes more complex. Should the cost fall mainly on graduates, or should it be shared more broadly through public funding?

The shift in funding models

Over the past two decades, England has gradually moved away from a system in which universities were funded largely through public expenditure. Now, graduate contributions play a much larger role.

Before tuition fees were introduced in 1998, most undergraduate teaching in England was financed primarily through public funding. Fees were later increased significantly in 2012, when the system that now allows universities to charge over £9,000 per year was introduced.

Students do not normally pay these fees upfront. Instead, they take out government-backed loans to cover tuition fees and living costs, which they repay once their earnings exceed a certain threshold. Repayments therefore depend on income rather than the total amount borrowed.

A fair system?

Several features of the current system have raised concerns about fairness.

One issue is the length of the repayment period. Under recent reforms in England, many graduates may repay their student loans for up to 40 years before the debt is written off.

Another concern is the interest charged on student loans. Interest begins accumulating while students are still studying and continues after graduation. It also continues to accumulate during periods when graduates are not making repayments because their income falls below the repayment threshold. This might be during unemployment, part-time work or parental leave.

Graduate earnings also vary widely. Some graduates repay their loans relatively quickly, while others work in sectors such as teaching, social care or the creative industries where salaries tend to be lower.

Lower-earning graduates typically repay more slowly. As a result, interest accumulates for longer. They may therefore accrue more interest overall and repay a larger total amount than higher-earning graduates. Some may also still have a balance outstanding when the loan is written off.

Earnings also differ across gender, ethnicity and social background, reflecting wider labour market inequalities. Because repayments depend on income over time, these differences shape how the costs of higher education are distributed among graduates.

Possible directions for reform

Different proposals for reform emphasise different priorities, shifting the balance between graduate contributions and public funding.

These include lowering interest rates, adjusting repayment thresholds so lower earners repay less, or shortening the repayment period so student debt does not follow graduates for most of their working lives. Some also argue that a fairer system would involve greater public investment in universities, reducing reliance on graduate repayments and spreading costs more widely across society.

These debates also raise a more fundamental question about justice. The issue is not simply how individuals pay for their degrees, but how societies sustain universities that produce knowledge and educate citizens for democratic life. The real question is whether higher education is treated as a private investment or a public good essential to democracy.

If universities are understood mainly as providing a private benefit to individuals, a system based on graduate repayments may appear reasonable. But if higher education is also recognised as contributing to economic development, research, professional training and civic life, the case for sharing its costs across society becomes stronger.

As discussions about student loans continue, the challenge for policymakers is not only to adjust repayment rules but also to consider how funding reflects the wider role of the university. Ultimately, debates about student loans are also debates about how societies choose to support universities and invest in future generations.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been pictured for the first time since his arrest over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

The 66-year-old former prince was seen walking his dogs in the grounds around his new home, Marsh Farm, on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

He has not been seen since he left Aylsham police station in February, where he attempted to hide from photographers in the back of the car.

The former Duke of York was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office over accusations he had shared confidential information with the convicted paedophile while serving as trade envoy.

Mr Mountbatten-Windsor served as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment from 2001 until 2011, when he stepped down amid controversy over his friendship with the disgraced financier.

He remains under police investigation by Thames Valley Police, whose officers are assessing the claims after they emerged in the Epstein files, which were released by the US government.

It was also reported earlier this week that the investigation may be widened to potential corruption offences. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing over his friendship with Epstein.

The former Duke of York was forced to relocate to the King’s estate in Norfolk after public backlash over his rent agreements resulted in him giving up his lease on the Grade II listed mansion Royal Lodge in Windsor.

It emerged he had only paid a peppercorn rent for more than 20 years, having first moved into the property in 2003.

He was arrested at Wood Farm, where he is temporarily living while renovations are underway at Marsh Farm, with the former prince expected to move in the coming days.

Calls have grown from a range of public figures for a wider probe into Andrew’s past dealings with Epstein, while Commonwealth countries such as Canada and New Zealand have called for him to be removed from the line of succession.

Despite being stripped of his royal title last year, the King’s brother is still eighth in line to the throne, and an Act of Parliament would be required to remove him and prevent him from ever becoming king.

Sir Keir Starmer’s government will consider introducing such legislation once police have finished their investigation into the King’s disgraced brother, it has been understood.

Calls for his removal came after Mr Mountbatten-Windsor featured a number of times in the so-called Epstein files, including images of him bent over an unidentified female and lying across the laps of a number of women.

In an email, Epstein appears to introduce the former prince to a woman described as “26, Russian, clevere [sic] beautiful, trustworthy” who wished to visit him at his royal residence.

Retired civil servants have also claimed he used taxpayers’ money for massages and excessive travel costs during his time as the UK’s trade envoy.

The BBC reported that one ex-civil servant refused to pay to cover the costs of a massage for him, but was overruled by senior staff, telling the broadcaster: “I thought it was wrong… I’d said we mustn’t pay it, but we ended up paying it anyway.”

A former Whitehall official, who oversaw finances, separately told the BBC they had “absolutely no doubt” about the authenticity of the claim after having seen similar expenses for his overseas trips.

There are many key tasks gardeners must take on ahead of the spring, but there are some things to avoid.

From pruning too soon to heavily disturbing the soil, experts have said these are just some of the main garden tasks homeowners should steer clear of this spring.

5 gardening jobs to avoid this spring according to experts

Gardening expert at Hillarys, Luke Newnes, gave his verdict on some jobs to avoid, with the first being around pruning.

He said: “Every spring I see the same mistake play out: people get so excited about a bit of sunshine that they start cutting back and tidying up far too aggressively.

“I completely understand the urge, after months of looking at a messy garden, you want a clean slate, but heavy pruning is one of the worst things you can do at this time of year.

“A lot of plants are just waking up, and taking too much off them now can shock them or remove the very stems that are about to flower.

“I always say to people: if you’re not sure whether something should be cut back in spring, leave it alone until you are.

“It’s far easier to prune later than to undo damage from pruning too soon.”

Another task Mr Newnes warned Brits to steer clear of was “unnecessarily disturbing soil”.

Some of the jobs to avoid include over-pruning and disturbing the soil too much (Image: Getty Images)

He said that early spring is when wildlife, such as bees, beetles and other beneficial insects, are still sheltering in leaf litter and the top layer of soil.

The expert advises giving them a little longer before gardeners start lifting and turning things over.

The third and final key job that Mr Newnes says to avoid is planting tender flowers too early, particularly if they are spotted at garden centres.

He said: “A mild week can lull you into a false sense of security, but one cold night or late frost can undo all that effort.

“I always wait until temperatures have been consistently warm before anything delicate goes in the ground.

“Spring should feel exciting, not frantic. Hold off on the heavy jobs, take stock of what’s coming back to life, and ease yourself and your garden into the season.”

Meanwhile, Alex Biggart, a plant expert from online florist, 123 Flowers, has revealed two other things to avoid.

The first was watering on a schedule, with Alex explaining: “Routine can be helpful in many areas of gardening, making things seem more manageable, especially for beginners; however, watering isn’t one of them.

“Plants don’t follow a strict timetable; they respond to their environment.

“Sticking to a set schedule often leads to overwatering, which can be just as damaging as underwatering.

“Saturated soil can cause root rot, a problem that is often irreversible, so it’s always better to check the soil first and only water when it’s genuinely needed.”

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The expert also warned against ignoring plant spacing and overcrowding plants.

He said: “Plants placed too closely compete for light, nutrients and airflow – weakening them and increasing disease risk.

“Giving each plant space takes patience but leads to a healthier, more attractive garden.”

What gardening jobs will you be doing first this spring? Let us know in the comments.

Soon after Disney pulled the plug, Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, with whom she shares a son, released duelling statements with fresh allegations about their turbulent relationship. He was also granted temporary custody of their son, according to a court protective order.

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba began restoring its energy system on Sunday, a day after a nationwide collapse of the entire grid left millions of people in the dark for the third time this month.

Some 72,000 customers in the capital, among them five hospitals, had electricity again early Sunday, according to a report from the state-run Electric Union and the Ministry of Energy and Mines, but it’s only a fraction of Havana’s total population of approximately 2 million.

In Havana and provinces such as western Matanzas and eastern Holguin, local power microsystems were set up to supply the most vital centers. Residents in some areas of the capital told The Associated Press that power returned during the early morning hours.

Cuba is currently facing an unprecedented energy crisis. Its aging grid has drastically eroded in recent years, but the government has also blamed the outages on a U.S. energy blockade, after President Donald Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. His administration is demanding that Cuba release political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalization in return for a lifting of sanctions. Trump also has raised the possibility of a “friendly takeover of Cuba.”

Another reason Cuba has been struggling with dwindling oil is the removal by the U.S. of Venezuela’s former President Nicolás Maduro, which halted critical petroleum shipments from the nation that had been a steadfast ally to Havana.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said the island has not received oil from foreign suppliers for three months. Cuba produces barely 40% of the fuel it needs to power its economy.

Daily blackouts have a significant impact on the population, whose lives are disrupted by reduced work hours, lack of electricity for cooking and damage to household appliances, among many other consequences.

“With the blackout and low voltage, my refrigerator broke — that was today. The day before yesterday, the voltage also dropped around 10 at night,” Suleydi Crespo, a 33-year-old woman with two small children, told AP on Saturday. “If there’s no electricity tomorrow, we won’t be able to get water.”

Residents also expressed exhaustion from the constant outages, whether nationwide or partial.

The Cuban Electric Union, which reports to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, reported that the total disconnection of the national energy system was caused by an unexpected shutdown of a generation unit at the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant in Camaguey province, without providing details on the specific cause of the failure.

The last nationwide blackout occurred on Monday. It took several days to restore power.

Saturday’s outage was the second in the past week and the third in March.

“We have to get used to continuing our usual routine. What else can we do? We have to try to survive. Get used to events, with or without electricity,” said Dagnay Alarcón, a 35-year-old vendor.

Authorities and Díaz-Canel himself have acknowledged the seriousness of the current energy situation. The Vice Minister of Energy and Mines Argelio Abad Vigo explained this week that the country has gone three months without receiving supplies of diesel, fuel oil, gasoline, aviation fuel or liquefied petroleum gas — all vital for the economy and power generation.

Fuel sales for vehicles are rationed, airlines have suspended flights or reduced frequencies many workplaces have reduced hours.

Trump has for months suggested Cuba’s government is on the verge of collapse. After a previous time Cuba’s electric grid collapsed, Trump told reporters he believed he’d soon have “the honor of taking Cuba.”

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