The big idea: do our political opponents really hate us?

Not half as much as we think, according to the evidence – and there are ways to break the cycle of mutual mistrust

Birmingham mural honours legacy of poet giant Benjamin Zephaniah

The tribute will be unveiled in Handsworth Park, near where the poet grew up, after the accidental removal of another artwork in the city

‘The surreal dislocation of the everyday’: how Japanese photographer Akihiko Okamura captured the Troubles as never before

Okamura, who moved to Ireland to explore JFK’s ancestry and stayed for 16 years to document political upheaval, is celebrated in a new exhibition and book

Apology after Benjamin Zephaniah mural painted over in Birmingham

Council contractor says sorry amid anger at removal of artwork of poet from an underpass in Hockley area

Surge of interest in Ethiopian culture boosts case for return of treasures, says Sissay

Poet who is curating country’s first Venice Biennale pavilion says ‘part of the heart’ of the country was looted and is being held in museums

Scottish authors criticise cancellation of Glasgow literary festival Aye Write

Val McDermid and Douglas Stuart were among many writers to express outrage after Creative Scotland turned down the literary festival funding application

The UK is trapped in a cycle of political, social and financial turmoil. But there is a way out…

The Conservatives’ pernicious reign, defined by a toxic belief in self-organising markets, has brought Britain to its knees. But we now have an opportunity to turn things around

Explorers unlock the mystery of ‘pirate king’ Henry Avery who vanished after huge heist at sea

Letter reveals disappearance of 17th century British pirate was tied to William III’s spy ring, Daniel Defoe and an archbishop

I thought selling my car was the right thing to do, but now I wonder why I bothered

Despite my local council claiming to favour walkers and cyclists, it seems to be actively making my life more difficult

Poem inspired by New York mugging wins top prize in National Poetry Competition

Imogen Wade’s The Time I Was Mugged in New York City impresses judges for ‘lyricism in the account of an abduction’

‘Not a parable about death’: Raymond Briggs’s notes set record straight for The Snowman

Remarks scribbled in a Finnish copy of the much-loved book, to be featured in an exhibition on the author, reveal how the story was misunderstood

Simon Armitage releases spring-themed poetry collection celebrating blossom

Poet laureate produces 10 poems, haiku and a musical EP, working with National Trust as it renews its blossom campaign

‘Three big flukes’: how Penguin ended up republishing a 1934 Rochdale plasterer’s tale

Bartender who found Caliban Shrieks in a library says chance encounters helped him get Jack Hilton’s story back in print

Latin American fiction ‘booms’ again on International Booker prize longlist

Works from the continent make up a quarter of this year’s nominees, which include novels from Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil and Peru

The enigma of Rose Dugdale: what drove a former debutante to become Britain and Ireland’s most wanted terrorist?

The case of the English heiress who became an IRA bomber was one of the most confounding stories of the late 20th century. Now it’s dramatised in a new film