Brian Oliver was the sports editor of the Observer. He has a particular interest in horse racing and African football
March 2021
Is that a unicorn? No, it’s a teenager taking a hike in the great outdoors…
The Ramblers charity, long known for its older demographic, is now recruiting the Insta-generation
January 2019
Drifting into the future at 4mph: a rebirth awaits for Britain’s canals
Some 3,000 miles of navigable waterways will be almost doubled in a bid to reawaken a historic national asset
September 2018
Town v gown: is the student boom wrecking communities?
In towns across the country, many locals fear the relentless expansion of universities threatens the fabric of their neighbourhoods
March 2018
Child’s tears spark weightlifting protest that raises bar for Iran’s sportswomen
Officials are finally allowing females to compete after the banning of two young girls caused global embarrassment
December 2017
Naim Süleymanoğlu obituary
Weightlifter who fled communist oppression in Bulgaria to represent Turkey at the Olympics
July 2017
A vegan diet helps them win – but are sports stars committed to the cause?
Exotic and colourful – but should parakeets be culled, ask scientists
February 2017
Candlelit vigils unite Greenland and Iceland in grief over killing
Murder of Icelander Birna Brjánsdóttir and arrest of a trawlerman from Greenland prompt solidarity and sadness
November 2016
Welcome to skyr, the Viking ‘superfood’ waking up Britain
One of Iceland’s top exports, worth £6.4bn a year globally, is now made in Yorkshire
October 2016
Observer dispatch
Tourism, cheese and Nordic noir: how football made Iceland a hot property
Victory over England put the spotlight on the country and its economy is reaping the rewards
September 2016
Youth hostels head upmarket and into the cities
How football’s working-class fans were sold out for a fistful of popcorn
July 2016
The best thing about being Iceland’s new president? Tickets to every Euro game
Elected a week ago, ex-history professor Guðni Jóhannesson explains how he hopes to change his country’s future
June 2016
‘In 1946 Iceland played against Ilford. Now it’s England in the Euros … Afram Island!’
Tomorrow England take on the smallest nation ever to play in the tournament
May 2016
Observer dispatch
‘It’s a great time to be a tourist here’: Iceland prepares for sporting glory
'No McDonald's, no motorway, no army': Iceland's evolution recalled
March 2016
Google maps aims to let you walk the North Downs – without leaving your sofa
Some of the most beautiful walks in England and Wales will be appearing on Google Street View from 17 March
December 2015
Brighton reaches for the sky in bid to reverse its ‘lost decade’ of neglect
‘Strong is beautiful’: the unstoppable rise of Crossfit
November 2015
Sports cheats have been at it for years: it’s always about greed and politics
The latest revelations of doping in Russian athletics will not be the last. Since the dawn of the professional era, national self-interest and corruption have blighted sport
