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Israel-Gaza warIsrael and Hamas agree deal to send medicine to hostages and Gaza civiliansShipment of medicine has arrived in Egypt on way to conflict zone under deal brokered by Qatar and France Middle East crisis – live updates A shipment of medicine for Israeli hostages and Palestinian civilians has arrived in Egypt on its way to Gaza under a deal mediated by Qatar and France, as fighting continues across much of the territory after a deadly night of bombardments.

Pride and poverty in AmericaAlabamaA beacon for the civil rights movement 50 years ago, the Alabama city’s largely African American population today struggles with joblessness, poverty and drugs Ten figures clambered over piles of rubble from the old cotton warehouse, picking up bricks. It was a cold day for Selma, Alabama, close to freezing, and as the sun disappeared they gathered to warm their hands over makeshift fires. For 10 hours they removed bricks from piles mixed with wood and metal, chipping each recovered brick free of mortar, and then stacked them.

Lucian Freud This article is more than 8 years oldLucian Freud portrait of Camilla's ex-husband sells for nearly $35mThis article is more than 8 years oldPainting of Andrew Parker Bowles – formerly married to the Duchess of Cornwall – beats pre-sale estimate at Christies auction in New York A Lucian Freud portrait of the ex-husband of Britain’s Duchess of Cornwall, Andrew Parker Bowles, sold for $34.89m in New York on Tuesday, Christie’s said.

Behind the jokeEdinburgh festival 2014Hollywood only has two modes of East Asian character: Mr Miyagi or babbling madman. Why can't we be boring too? More coverage of the Edinburgh festival 2014 Reading on mobile? Click here to view Phil Wang's routine. I'm a little obsessed with how East Asian people are presented in the media. If one pops up on TV or in a film, I wait to see if the representation is offensive or patronising or ignorant – which it too often is.

The ObserverFictionReviewIt's just not good enough. There's plenty of evidence that women would be prolific consumers of pornography if only it was aimed at themThere are few things I like more than being alone in a foreign hotel room, lying on the bed and flicking TV stations from the porn channel to The Antiques Road Show before turning back to the porn again via the Cartoon Network. I like to watch heterosexual porn - I like the fakeness of the locations (often a ranch house in the San Fernando Valley with wicker chairs and pot plants).

The term has followed Mitchell through her career – much to her annoyance. Photograph: GAB Archive/RedfernsThe term has followed Mitchell through her career – much to her annoyance. Photograph: GAB Archive/RedfernsMusicThe term is loaded with notions of guilt and remorse – and it is rarely ever used about men With every hour that Joni Mitchell spent in intensive care earlier this month, and with every hour her fans held their breath, braced for the worst, another (premature) tribute made its way online.

IowaExtreme cold and snow blanket Iowa ahead of Monday’s Republican caucusesCandidates were forced to cancel campaign events as snow closed rural highways and temperatures are expected to plummet Wild and dangerous winter storm weather continued to wreak havoc on Saturday in Iowa just two days before the Republican caucuses kick off the official nominating process for the 2024 presidential election. Iowa caucuses are ‘important because they’re first’ – but are they democratic?

Jennifer Lawrence This article is more than 7 years oldJennifer Lawrence offends with story about 'butt-scratching' on sacred rocksThis article is more than 7 years oldActor’s story about actions while filming Hunger Games movie in Hawaii criticised as ‘disrespectful and inconsiderate’ Jennifer Lawrence has drawn scathing criticism for an anecdote she told on the BBC, about disrespecting local customs while shooting in Hawaii. In a recent interview, Lawrence told a story about “butt-scratchin’” on rocks that are considered sacred to native Hawaiians, while shooting The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2012.

Other livesTrade unionsObituaryMary Compton obituaryMary Compton, who has died of cancer aged 67, was an inspirational teacher and trade unionist. A modern languages teacher, she was active in the National Union of Teachers for more than 30 years, eventually serving as its president in 2004-05. As the NUT speaker at the million-strong rally against British intervention in Iraq in 2003, she began her speech: “I am speaking as a teacher. I extend my solidarity to the teachers of Iraq and the children of Iraq.