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Dinosaurs This article is more than 9 years oldFour-winged flying dinosaur unearthed in ChinaThis article is more than 9 years oldNewly discovered Changyuraptor yangi lived 125m years ago and was like 'a big turkey with a really long tail'A new species of prehistoric, four-winged dinosaur discovered in China may be the largest flying reptile of its kind. The well-preserved, complete skeleton of the dinosaur Changyuraptor yangi features a long tail with feathers 30cm in length – the longest ever seen on a dinosaur fossil.

Jonathan Rée is a writer, philosopher and historian. His has written for the Times Literary Supplement, the London Review of Books, the Independent, Prospect, the Nation and the Evening Standard. His books include Philosophical Tales, Proletarian Philosophers, and I See a Voice. ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKiipLOquMRooaimkam1orqMq5ye

Book of the dayHistory booksReviewA compelling and wry narrative of one of the most intellectually thrilling eras of British history The only public execution of a British head of state occurred 371 years ago outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall on 30 January 1649. It was a radical, unintended act, born of failed negotiations and it entirely disregarded the people of Scotland and Ireland. The surviving details are piquant and shaming: Charles I in two shirts so as not to betray shivered fear on a cold day, a masked executioner in a wig and false beard, a collective groan from the crowd.

Vladimir Putin Putin attends Orthodox Christmas service alone – video The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, attended an Orthodox church Christmas service by himself inside a Kremlin cathedral on Saturday. State television showed two live clips of Putin inside the gilded Cathedral of the Annunciation as Orthodox priests conducted the midnight service, known as the Divine Liturgy. The 70-year-old also attended Christmas by himself last year at his official Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow

Reel historyFilmSnyder's 300 is an epic failA voiceover straight out of Rainbow, leather Speedos, waxed chests and a battle rhino slightly undermine the director's claims of historical accuracyDirector: Zack Snyder Entertainment grade: E History grade: Fail The battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC is seen by some historians as a pivotal moment in the relationship between east and west. For three days Greek forces, under the command of King Leonidas of Sparta and his 300 warriors, held back the entire Persian army, under the Achaemenid emperor Xerxes.

The ObserverFitnessForrest Gump’s wisdom has inspired many of us, but Rob Pope took that a step further, dressing as his hero for the run of his life. But why? And what did he learn? On 15 September 2016, Rob Pope, a chipper veterinarian from Liverpool, sat down in the chair of Fluke’s Barbers in Mobile, Alabama, and readied himself for a haircut. “So what would you like?” the barber asked him.

Austria This article is more than 8 months oldTwo charged after Hitler speeches played on Austrian train intercomThis article is more than 8 months oldSnippets from Nazi leader as well as shouts of ‘Sieg Heil’ played on train running from Bregenz to Vienna Two people have been charged in Austria for allegedly playing speeches by Adolf Hitler via the loudspeaker system of a train running from Bregenz to Vienna. The two suspects, who were not identified, also allegedly blasted “Heil Hitler” via the train’s intercom several times on Sunday.

USA This article is more than 9 years oldUSA squad for 2014 World Cup: the 23 chosen by Jürgen KlinsmannThis article is more than 9 years oldThis is the USA squad for the Fifa 2014 World Cup finals with the official squad numbers Michael Bradley: from Daddy’s boy to key for Klinsmann USA: a tactical analysis Which player has played the saxophone in his underpants?1 Tim Howard goalkeeper, Everton

InequalityDomestic service can extract a family from extreme poverty – but it can also be a path to near-enslavement. Tripti Lahiri investigates the uneasy, and sometimes abusive, relationship between India’s modern-day ‘madams’ and maids “Knock twice, not three times. If someone banged your door hard, wouldn’t you get cross?” asks Preeti, a woman in her early twenties with a bachelor’s degree in political science – which may come in useful when preparing the group of women she now instructs on the art of being a superior maid.