8 hours ago Mark Steel: ‘At 16, I thought I’d help transform the world into a socialist arena of peace and justice. I’m not sure we’ve managed it’

The comedian on liberating a budgie, stealing carrier bags, and his recent brush with deathBorn in Kent, Mark Steel, 64, began his radio career in 1992 with the satirical show The Mark Steel Solution. From 1999 to 2002, he presented The Mark Steel Lectures on Radio 4, which was nominated for a Bafta when it transferred to television. He has made 13 series of Mark Steel’s in Town for Radio 4, and his podcast is What the F*** Is Going On?. On 12 February, he begins a tour of The Leopard in My House and publishes an accompanying book. He lives in London and has two children. His partner is the comedian Shaparak Khorsandi.What is your earliest memory? When I was three years old, my mum and dad took the budgie cage out into the garden to clean it and I thought: “I’m going to open the door to see what happens.” Obviously what happened was the budgie flew out of the cage. I remember thinking: “Blimey, I’ve gone and done it now”, which sort of set the tone for the rest of my life. Continue ...

Politics

3 hours ago Support letter for RFK Jr’s confirmation includes signatures of doctors with suspended or revoked licenses

Meant to lend credibility to his nomination to head HHS, the letter is signed by some doctors disciplined for not following Covid guidelinesA letter submitted to the US Senate that states it was sent by physicians in support of Robert F Kennedy Jr’s nomination as secretary of health and human services includes the names of doctors who have had their licenses revoked or suspended, or who have faced other disciplinary actions, the Associated Press has found.The letter was meant to lend credibility to Kennedy’s nomination, which has faced strenuous opposition from medical experts due to his two decades of anti-vaccine activism. Republican senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a medical doctor who boasts on his official website of an effort he created to vaccinate 36,000 children against hepatitis B, expressed hesitancy about Kennedy’s nomination and is seen as a key vote. Continue reading...

Economics

8 hours ago Netflix fans rave over 'masterful' new family drama with 100% Rotten Tomatoes score hailed as 'a rare feat in storytelling'

Japanese limited series Asura made its debut at the beginning of January and was written and directed by Oscar-nominated Hirokazu Kore-eda.

Sport

12 hours ago Wicked star Cynthia Erivo on fame, fear and fighting classism; Marina Hyde on why gen Z kids are not alright; and the mind/body revolution – podcast

From yearning for a ‘strong leader’ to being swept up in riots, the portents for our children are not good – and who can blame them for being so disillusioned, asks Marina Hyde. Oscar-nominated Cynthia Erivo has gone stratospheric as Elphaba in Wicked – what next for one of Britain’s brightest stars? And new research shows western medicine’s traditional split between brain and body is far from clear cut – could this new understanding provide a breakthrough for many complex conditions? Continue reading...

Politics

11 hours ago Tom Cruise's thrilling blockbuster loved by fans to free to watch on streaming

The film was nominated for six Oscars in 2023

Sport

6 hours ago NATO scrambles warplanes as Putin strikes hit across Ukraine hours after Trump says he is talking to Russia about ending war

The wave of attacks by Vladimir Putin - which led to power cuts in multiple regions - came soon after Donald Trump announced in the Oval Office that his administration was actively talking to Moscow.

Events

19 hours ago Mark Robinson is not running for Senate – here’s why that's bad news for Trump

Analysis: North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis has had to appeal to the Trumpian right to avoid a primary challenge. Eric Garcia says Robinson’s departure gives him an opening to pivot to the center and sink some of Trump’s nominees

Politics

11 hours ago Russian spy ship fire exposes poor state of Mediterranean fleet, say experts

Incident reveals Russia’s maritime presence in the area is in a state of disrepair and disarray, argue western sourcesA fire onboard a Russian spy ship off the coast of Syria has underlined the poor state of the Russian navy as its toehold in the Mediterranean hangs in the balance, analysts and western security services say.The 55-year-old Kildin got into trouble off the Syrian coast last Thursday, when flames and thick black smoke could be seen billowing from its funnel and it hoisted two black balls up its mast, signifying that the crew no longer had control of the vessel. Continue reading...

Events

23 hours ago McGregor joining Celtic 500 club is not beginning of the end as Rodgers names 4 key reasons he has YEARS left

The Hoops boss reckons it is 500 not out with plenty of years still left in the tank for the captain

Politics

20 hours ago Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón says she's been 'threatened with death' as she deletes X account

The Oscar nominee previously said she was ‘deeply sorry’ for offensive social media posts

Events

24 hours ago Trump’s pick for health secretary has many dangerous views – but some good ideas, too | Devi Sridhar

RFK Jr’s proposal to remove fluoride from tap water is a matter for debate. But his plans to improve school lunches and crack down on additives are laudableThe United States and Britain: two countries divided by a common language and by very different approaches to health, whether it’s how healthcare is accessed, what kind of food products are sold in supermarkets, what is advertised on TV or even what is in the water that we drink from our taps. Having lived in both countries for an extensive period, the UK, in my opinion, takes a more sensible approach to implementing pro-health and wellbeing policies, closely linked to EU regulations. But the US could soon be following suit, under a range of proposals from a surprising source: Donald Trump’s nominee for health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr. As I laid out last month, many of his ideas are potentially dangerous for public health – from bizarre conspiracy theories to anti-vaccineviews and campaigning – and completely divorced from ...

Politics

24 hours ago 'WW3 has already begun' as we 'prepare for serious conflict with Russia and China'

World's top banker Jamie Dimon has warned the third world war is already upon us and nuclear armageddon poses a much bigger risk to humanity than climate change

Events

25 hours ago 2025 Grammy nominations in full: Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter among nominees

The biggest names in music have been recognized for their contributions to the industry made throughout the past year

Politics

27 hours ago Grammy Awards live: How to watch, red carpet times and who’s nominated

Ceremony is taking place in Los Angeles this Sunday, with Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Charli XCX among the nominees

Events

26 hours ago Regime change in Syria has Iraqi factions backtracking on push for US withdrawal

The fall of Bashar Assad in Syria has led Iran-allied factions in neighboring Iraq to reconsider their push for U.S. forces to exit the country, multiple Iraqi and American officials told The Associated Press

Politics

27 hours ago 2025 Grammys will celebrate music but also raise money for LA fire relief

With nominations led by Beyoncé and Charli xcx, the event will serve a dual-purpose by acknowledging the devastating wildfires in CaliforniaGrammy awards 2025: list of nomineesA “very different” Grammy awards will take place in Los Angeles this weekend, impacted by the recent wildfires that have affected California.The annual celebration of music, taking place at the Crypto.com arena on Sunday, will still feature a range of big-name performers but there will be a noticeable shift in purpose. Continue reading...

Events

28 hours ago Russia claims another Ukrainian village has fallen as it closes in on a key city

Russia is claiming it has captured another village in its relentless offensive in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region and as it closes in on the critical Ukrainian logistics hub of Pokrovsk after almost three years of war

Politics

29 hours ago Ukraine launches second major drone attack against Russian oil refineries in a week

Intelligence sources say one refinery had been hit by four Ukrainian drones, causing ‘significant damage”

Events

28 hours ago Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón says she is ‘deeply sorry’ for offensive social media posts

Oscar nominee’s past tweets with controversial views about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars caused severe backlash

Politics

29 hours ago Ariana Grande's 'addictive' perfume that 'lasts all day' cut by 50% in Superdrug sale

A large 100ml bottle of the Oscar nominee's perfume is on offer at a cheaper price than you would pay for a smaller 50ml bottle.

Events

28 hours ago Trump plots healthier America but deregulation likely to feature on menu

President’s cabinet picks suggest help for big companies and regulatory rollbacks will take precedence in food policyTrump will change the face of US food policy. These are the players to watchWhen Robert F Kennedy Jr. suspended his campaign for the presidency in August 2024, throwing his support behind Donald Trump, he promised to continue fighting to “make America healthy again”. Kennedy’s criticism of ultra-processed foods and big food companies became a central feature of the Trump campaign. And after Trump was elected, he nominated Kennedy to be his secretary of health and human services.Yet, just days before naming Kennedy, Trump nominated another senior official to his administration: Susie Wiles, a longtime lobbyist whose clients have included the same big food companies Kennedy has critiqued for their role in pushing ultra-processed foods into kitchens and grocery stores across the US. The two stood in stark contrast: a critic and a lobbyist for the food industry standing s...

Politics

29 hours ago Trump doubles down on blaming DEI for air tragedy as Fox host says diversity policies embolden 'dwarves': Live

Trump baselessly claimed the U.S.’s aviation regulator hired ‘dwarves’ and people with paralysis

Events

29 hours ago Trump says he will impose trade tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Saturday – US politics live

Donald Trump says tariffs will start at 25% and ‘may or may not’ rise over timeYesterday saw President Trump’s controversial nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, grilled about his views at a Senate confirmation hearing.Watch independent senator Bernie Sanders ask Kennedy whether he believes discredited claims about a link between vaccines and autism. Continue reading...

Politics

30 hours ago Russia slams Donald Trump's 'Iron Dome' missile defence shield in nuclear weapons space war row

Moscow said the move aimed to weaken Russian and Chinese nuclear deterrence

Events

30 hours ago Emilia Perez star Karla Sofía Gascón faces backlash over racist and offensive tweets about Muslims and George Floyd

Controversial posts spark outrage as actor nominated for Oscar

Politics

30 hours ago Battle for Pokrovsk: The Ukraine that city could be the most important of the war

The fall of Pokrovsk opens up Russia’s army s in the east, potentially opening avenues for attacks in several directions

Events

30 hours ago Nao on fame, motherhood and living with ME: ‘I’ve had to work a lot on what my idea of success is’

She went from being Jarvis Cocker‘s backing singer to a Grammy-nominated purveyor of ‘wonky funk’, before being set back by chronic fatigue syndrome. But on fourth album Jupiter, she’s learned to ‘ride the waves’Nao is trying to articulate how it feels to be on the verge of releasing a new album. When this thing that’s been yours and yours alone has to be launched into the world. “It feels really similar to being pregnant,” the 37-year-old mum of two decides. Her answer feels apt; we’re currently sitting in an east London cinema cafe hemmed in by buggies while a mum-and-baby screening of erotic thriller Babygirl plays next door. “It’s really exciting in the beginning, then it gets a bit tedious,” she continues. “And you’re stuck in the process because you need to finish it. Get it out.” Sometimes, she says, it can also be just as painful.Not that you’d know it from listening to this month’s fourth album, Jupiter, a typically featherlight concoction of pillow-soft...

Politics

32 hours ago The battle for Pokrovsk: Deserted Ukrainian city could be the most important of the war

The fall of Pokrovsk opens up Russia’s army s in the east, potentially opening avenues for attacks in several directions

Events

31 hours ago Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón says she is 'deeply sorry' for offensive social media posts

Oscar nominee’s past tweets with controversial views about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars caused severe backlash

Politics

36 hours ago ‘Everybody is tired. The mood has changed’: the Ukrainian army’s desertion crisis

Some of those abandoning the frontline say the longer the war goes on, ‘the more people like me there will be’When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine three years ago, Viktor* was ready to die for his country. He volunteered to defend Kyiv as enemy tanks appeared and joined Ukraine’s armed forces. In the spring of 2023 he was fighting in the village of Tonenke, near the eastern city of Avdiivka. “When I arrived I was super-motivated. If necessary I would give my life,” he recalled.Gradually, however, he became disillusioned. The battle was furious. “The Russians would smash our positions to the ground,” he said. Senior Ukrainian commanders gave unrealistic orders. Then, while he was defending a ruined building, a panel fell on his shoulder. After receiving injections to reduce the pain, he was told to return to the front. “I realised I’m nobody. Just a number,” he said. Continue reading...

Events

31 hours ago Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón says she is 'deeply sorry' for old social media posts

Oscar nominee’s past tweets with controversial views about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars caused severe backlash

Politics

41 hours ago Ukraine war briefing: elderly couples among nine killed in Russian drone attack

Thirteen people wounded, including eight-year-old girl, in Sumy apartment block attack. Sweden pledges $1.2bn in Ukraine military aid, its biggest pledge yet. What we know on day 1,073See all our Ukraine war coverageA Russian drone attack on a residential block killed nine people including three elderly couples in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, officials said on Thursday. Images distributed by the emergency services showed a gaping hole in the facade of the long block of flats and rescue workers digging through debris for survivors. “This is a terrible tragedy, a terrible Russian crime. It is very important that the world does not pause in putting pressure on Russia for this terror,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media. National Police later said the search operation had been completed after 19 hours, with rescuers finding nine bodies in the ruins, while 13 people were wounded. Among the dead were three couples – men and women between the ages of 61 and 74 – Ukr...

Events

37 hours ago Nicola Sturgeon accused by SNP MSP of 'equality' and 'gender' obsession

Fergus Ewing made the remarks in an interview with the Institute for Government think tank.

Politics

39 hours ago Karla Sofia Gascón apologizes for old tweets, says she is 'deeply sorry to those I have caused pain'

Karla Sofia Gascón, the Oscar-nominated lead of the movie “Emilia Pérez,” is apologizing for her old social media posts that denigrated Islam and that called George Floyd “a drug addict and a hustler.”

Politics

40 hours ago Trump vows Mexico, Canada tariffs to start Feb 1 after using press conference to blast DEI once again: Live

The president said neither country has been ‘good to us on trade’ and the U.S. did not need their products

Politics

41 hours ago Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón receives backlash over resurfaced tweets

Gascón recently became the first openly trans actor to be nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars

Politics