Rock stars: the summer soltice at Averbury, Wiltshire

This weekend marks the celebrations for this year's summer solstice – but forget visiting Stonehenge. Hugh Thomson prefers the wonders of its nearby rival, the largest stone circle in England

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Singers Tegan and Sara Quin of Tegan & Sara

Music review: Tegan & Sara, Troxy, London

The 32 year-old identical twins from Canada play the third of their four UK shows in East London's Troxy, filling the Art Deco theatre with their hardcore fans who singalong to nearly all of the 22 songs in their lengthy set.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste in Amen Corner at the National Theatre

Theatre review: The Amen Corner, Olivier, National Theatre, London

In the English theatre, you can go for years without bumping into either of the two best-known plays by James Baldwin, the African-American essayist, novelist and eloquent spokesman for the Civil Rights movement.

The Gyuto Monks of Tibet with the Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama's exiled Tibetan monks to perform at Glastonbury for the first time

Glastonbury is well-known for its hippy vibe, but this year will be the first time the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan monks have taken to the stage.

Mumford & Sons bassist Ted Dwane is currently receiving emergency treatment in hospital.

Mumford & Sons bassist Ted Dwane treated for blood clot on his brain

British folk stars Mumford & Sons have been forced to postpone three upcoming shows after one of their number developed a clot on his brain.

Some like it hot: Rihanna's crotch gets top billing at the Millennium Stadium

Music review: Rihanna's raunchy Millennium Stadium show in Cardiff fails to hit the thigh notes

Forget pyrotechnics, dancers and crazy hydaulics - Rihanna's Diamonds tour is essentially one long celebration of her lady-parts

The News Matrix: Wednesday 12 June 2013

Boyfriend denies murder of woman, 55

Extraordinary legacy: Bruno Bartoletti

Bruno Bartoletti: Acclaimed opera conductor

Bruno Bartoletti, who died on 9 June the day before his 87th birthday, was a conductor who was associated with the Lyric Opera of Chicago for half a century, and who championed modern opera. In a career that saw him conduct into his 80s – he directed Puccini's Manon Lescaut at Florence's Teatro Comunale in February 2011 – he served as the first music director of Chicago's Lyric Opera, starting as guest conductor there in 1956, when he was relatively unknown.

'Plum Charmer' Paul Johnson encourages growth in the Lenches Heritage Orchard near Pershore

What kind of music does a plum charmer play? Anything by the Stones or Deep Purple

Matthew Bell visits Pershore, the UK’s plum capital, where farmers anxious about this year’s crop have reinstated a rural tradition

The Returned

The Returned: Don’t judge a show by its first episode (especially if you’re a TV critic...)

On Sunday night, the French zombie drama The Returned (Les Revenants) stuck a claim to being the best-received French zombie TV drama of all time.

Latitude 2013: Five minutes with... Local Natives

Local Natives are a funky little beat combo from Los Angeles, who'll be bringing their afro-pop influences and general, all-round groove to this year's Latitude

The Risk wax lyrical about rivals One Direction

Boyband The Risk waxed lyrical about their heroes One Direction after a visit to Madame Tussauds to see their figures.

Shaken and stirred: Ian Brown of The Stone Roses

Music review: The Stone Roses, Finsbury Park, London

Fearless, if flawed, second coming for band that defined a generation

Violinist 'not sorry' for egging Simon Cowell on Britain's Got Talent final

The musician who pelted Simon Cowell with eggs on live TV has offered to pay his cleaning bill but said she was not sorry for attacking him.

Presenter of Woman's Hour, Jenni Murray

Jenni Murray to conduct BBC Philharmonic orchestra - despite having no musical training

Woman's Hour presenter Jenni Murray has announced that she will be conducting the BBC Philharmonic orchestra - despite not being able to read music.

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'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong': The true effect of the badger cull

The true effect of the badger cull

'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong'
Theatre review: Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's The Cripple of Inishmaan

First night: The Cripple of Inishmaan

Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's comedy
Girls Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

After 103 years, organisation changes oath to welcome 'all girls, of all faiths, and none'
Steve Tongue: Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago

Steve Tongue

Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago
Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Bradley Wiggins' exit

Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Wiggins' exit

Sky's lead rider says he is in fantastic form for the Tour and happy pecking order debate is over
Hannah England: I've got the right times – now to focus on the chess

Hannah England: Keeping Track

I've got the right times – now to focus on the chess
Beards, brawn and body art

Beards, brawn and body art

Meet London’s new batch of male models
Scandi-geeks descend on Nordicana for fan-convention

Scandi-geeks descend on Nordicana for fan-convention

British love of shows such as The Bridge, Borgen and The Killing shows no sign of fading
Behind the rhetoric what is really being done to combat desertification?

The Great Green Wall of Africa,

Behind the rhetoric what is really being done to combat desertification?
Laughter Inc: the cheering growth of the chuckle industry

Laughter Inc

The cheering growth of the chuckle industry
The bad science scandal: how fact-fabrication is damaging UK's global name for research

The bad science scandal

How fact-fabrication is damaging UK's global name for research
To the manor born: The female aristocrats battling to inherit the title

Female aristocrats battle to inherit the title

A passionate protest is gathering pace among the women of Britain's aristocracy, who believe that men should no longer automatically inherit the family pile and title.
Love struck: Photographs of JFK's visit to Berlin 50 years ago reveal a nation instantly smitten

In pictures: JFK's visit to Berlin in 1963

Photographer Ulrich Mack accompanied Kennedy on the entire trip. The results are an astonishing record of a watershed moment.
Eat shoots and leaves: Mark Hix gets creative with fresh peas, mangetouts and sugar snaps

Mark Hix gets creative with English peas

English peas and their offsprings, such as mangetouts and sugar snaps, are great tossed into a salad, says our chef.
Ceviche with a smile: Chef Martin Morales has turned South America's elegant cuisine into one of London's hottest food trends

Chef Martin Morales: Ceviche with a smile

Morales has turned South America's elegant cuisine into one of London's hottest food trends