BlinkDash

UkraineThe path to joining the bloc is not straightforward but most Ukrainians believe it should – and will – happen When the then Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, abandoned a deal with the EU in favour of stronger ties with Russia in November 2013, hundreds of protesters came to Kyiv’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square). Soon, those hundreds became thousands, eventually hundreds of thousands, forming a protest camp where blue and gold EU flags flew defiantly in the winter air.

TV reviewTelevisionReviewZoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman lead a starry cast in this drama about an elite all-woman unit of marines. It’s absolute nonsense, but it’s solid, action-packed entertainment Blimey, but Special Ops: Lioness is some brilliantly executed nonsense! This is nothing but a compliment, by the way. Full-blooded, uncynical nonsense is a vital part of a well-balanced TV diet, but it is difficult to do. There’s only so much Succession steak and fibrous slices of documentary you can eat, you know.

Not hummus: homemade golden beetroot borani dip. Photograph: Issy Croker/The GuardianNot hummus: homemade golden beetroot borani dip. Photograph: Issy Croker/The GuardianKitchen aideFoodThink charred or roasted mashed spiced veg, or yoghurt laced with lemon and garlic … Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@theguardian.com I always make my own hummus, but what other Middle Eastern dips should I try? Jo, Merseyside “The whole idea of dips and meze is that you can use whatever you have in the fridge,” says Eran Tibi, chef-owner of Bala Baya in south London.

Movies This article is more than 10 years oldDeep Throat lawsuit threatens to swallow Lovelace biopic wholeThis article is more than 10 years oldOwners of 70s porn film Deep Throat seeking to block release of Linda Lovelace movie amid claims footage used without consentDeep Throat was a notorious 1970s porn film about a sexually rapacious young woman who swallow all her suitors. Now, four decades on from its initial release, Deep Throat appears to be back to its old tricks.

TV and radio blogDownton AbbeyDownton Abbey: What should happen in the final episode?Reports are rife that the end is nigh for the Crawleys and chums. But if the Yorkshire aristos truly are facing the axe, what plot-clinching twists can we expect for the final episode, and what would you like to see happen? It strikes me that rumours of Downton Abbey’s demise are much exaggerated. It was reported today that series six – due to air in the UK in September (series five is currently on PBS in the US) – will be the last gasp of the Crawley dynasty.

The age of extinctionGlobal development‘It’s not just the lions that are under pressure, it’s biodiversity in general,’ warn conservationists, amid a rapidly expanding human population Standing in a patch of damp forest, a clump of moss in one hand, Siraj Hussein applies the last touches to a camera trap. He explains why his chosen tree is in an ideal spot: it is in a clearing, which gives the sensors a good view, and lion droppings have been found nearby.

Julian SandsInterview‘I didn’t want to be a Hollywood actor’: Julian Sands on controversy, fear and his best friend, John MalkovichAmy NicholsonThe actor has spent his career seeking out the weirdest roles possible. And his new portrayal of Tarzan is no exception – perhaps because Malkovich is playing Cheeta … There’s freedom in being Julian Sands, an actor whose eclectic career has taken him from prestige romances to subversive indie movies and sinister TV shows – and to more than 50 countries.

Sex with robots is ‘about intimacy and technology, computers and psychology’, says Dr Kate Devlin. Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian Design/Getty ImagesSex with robots is ‘about intimacy and technology, computers and psychology’, says Dr Kate Devlin. Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian Design/Getty ImagesSummer essentialsSexFor at least a decade, researchers have speculated that sex with robots is just around the corner but that is yet to materialise The man leans towards the woman on his couch.

Sunday Mirror This article is more than 8 months oldSunday Mirror ‘did dodgy stuff’ on every story, phone-hacking trial toldThis article is more than 8 months oldFormer reporter, giving evidence in support of Prince Harry and others, says editor Tina Weaver taught journalists to hack phones The Sunday Mirror’s editor personally taught journalists how to hack voicemails, a former reporter has told the high court. Dan Evans told the phone-hacking trial that illegal activity was “bog-standard” at the tabloid newspaper.