‘Today we die a little’ – writing the story of Emil Zátopek

Richard Askwith talks about the difficulty and the joy of writing a biography of one of the greatest runners of all time, from grappling with the legends to capturing the spirit of a truly unique man

Angelina Jolie to return in Maleficent 2

Disney also announces plans to produce live-action sequels to Tinker Bell, with Reese Witherspoon, and The Jungle Book

The Huntsman clobbered by The Jungle Book at US box office

Scathing reviews hamper The Huntsman: Winter’s War, while Disney remake retains No 1 position and tops $191.5m in North America

Boys, girls, books and roses: a literary love affair in Catalonia

St George’s Day in Catalonia coincides with World Book Day and is an opportunity for Catalans to honour their patron saint and show their love of culture

Was Jane Austen a feminist? The answer is in her stories

I updated Pride and Prejudice to show that for women today marriage is no longer the only version of ‘happily ever after’

The Killing of Osama bin Laden by Seymour M Hersh – review

Seymour Hersh’s theories surrounding the killing of Osama bin Laden and recent events in Syria are forceful but unconvincing

Neil MacGregor: ‘Britain forgets its past. Germany confronts it’

The former head of the British Museum, now helping to create a German equivalent in Berlin, talks about our two nations’ contrasting attitudes to culture and memory, and why the end of the second world war is finally in sight

A girl’s guide to growing up: how does Laura Bates’ advice play out in the real world?

From social media to sex education, today’s girls have a more complicated path to adulthood than ever before. Laura Bates hopes her new book will help them on their way – so what does student Ellie Olcott make of it?

No one would listen to Stephen Fry if he was poor

The actor sneers at child sex abuse victims and says free speech is being stifled. But he is part of the 1% who enjoy a platform – it’s ordinary people who struggle to be heard

From gay conspiracy to queer chic: the artists and writers who changed the world

For years gay people were tolerated in the arts – and were then accused of taking over. Gregory Woods traces the networks of writers, artists, intellectuals and film stars who transformed 20th-century culture

Yanis Varoufakis: Why we must save the EU

The long read: The European Union is disintegrating – but leaving is not the answer

Chronicles: On Our Troubled Times by Thomas Piketty – review

Eight years on from the banking crisis, Thomas Piketty’s calls for reform are still being ignored

Bullet helps take TE Lawrence’s Arab revolt story off the line of fire

Archaeologists find bullet from a Colt pistol that was likely fired by the man who became known as Lawrence of Arabia

The epic task of bringing the enigmatic Elena Ferrante’s books to life

Francesco Piccolo will collaborate with the pseudonymous novelist to turn her books into an Italian TV drama – but not in person

Poetry Society top prize explores familial discord

Eric Berlin wins prestigious award with poem Night Errand, while David Morley takes Ted Hughes prize