85 m. ago I've spent years studying natural disasters... here's how likely an apocalyptic

Expert Anthony Finchum, 31, from Omaha, Nebraska, broke down the chances of an incident occurring in our lifetime that will wipe out the human race.

Events

1 hour ago Reckless mobility scooter OAPs hit with speed limit to stop them terrorising shoppers

A number of near-misses involving shoppers and pensioners on mobility scooter have led to a shopping centre introducing strict speed limits on the zooming older Brits

Events

2 h. ago Kathy Lette looks back: ‘Older women are invisible, so I make sure to do something outrageous every day’

The author on her love for Spike Milligan, the furore over Puberty Blues, and why being middle-aged is greatBorn in 1958 in Sydney, Kathy Lette burst on to Australia’s literary scene in 1979 with Puberty Blues. Co‑written with Gabrielle Carey, the irreverent portrait of teenage girlhood became a cult classic, a film and a TV series. Relocating to London in the 1980s, Lette has worked as a columnist, television writer and campaigner, and has published a string of bestselling comic novels. She lives in London and has two children, Julius and Georgina, with her former husband, the human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson. Her latest novel, The Revenge Club, is out now.When I was 19, I was in a band called the Salami Sisters. As well as the occasional gig in a pub, we’d busk. The problem was, we kept getting arrested. I was furious. How come we were getting arrested for singing, when actual rapists were running free? My sister was a police constable at the time, so one day I bor...

Politics

2 h. ago Trump, Netanyahu and Khamenei – three angry old men who could get us all killed | Simon Tisdall

Whether inept, driven by survival or corrupt, they are unfit to lead their countries, let alone make decisions that imperil the whole worldThis was not inevitable. This is a war Israel chose. It could have been prevented. Diplomatic talks were ongoing when the bombers took off for Iran. Israel’s continuing, illegal, unjustified airstrikes are unlikely to achieve their stated aim – permanently ending Tehran’s presumed efforts to build nuclear weapons – and may accelerate it. They must stop now. Likewise, Iran must halt its retaliation immediately and drop its escalatory threats to attack US and UK bases.This conflict is not limited, as was the case last year, to tit-for-tat exchanges and “precision strikes” on a narrow range of military targets. It’s reached a wholly different level. Potentially nothing is off the table. Civilians are being killed on both sides. Leaders are targets. The rhetoric is out of control. With Israel fighting on several fronts, and Iran’s battered regime bac...

Events

3 h. ago Pulp at the O2 review: Jarvis Cocker, sorted for snacks and wizardry

Pulp take to the O2 for a weird and wonderful celebration of uncommon music led by their one-off frontman

Politics

4 h. ago Why nuclear war, not the climate crisis, is humanity’s biggest threat, according to one author

Mark Lynas has spent decades pushing for action on climate emissions but now says nuclear war is even greater threat Climate breakdown is usually held up as the biggest, most urgent threat humans pose to the future of the planet today.But what if there was another, greater, human-made threat that could snuff out not only human civilisation, but practically the entire biosphere, in the blink of an eye? Continue reading...

Events

5 h. ago DAME DIANA JOHNSON: Labour will deliver reform needed to restore public trust in the police

Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson writes for The Mirror about Labour's coming Crime and Policing Bill, which the Government will use to restore public confidence in the police

Politics

6 h. ago China considers lifting sanctions on UK parliamentarians as relations warm

Exclusive: Restrictions to be reviewed as embassy official says ‘UK-China relations are showing a positive momentum’China is considering lifting the sanctions it imposed on UK parliamentarians in 2021, in the latest sign of warming relations between London and Beijing.The Chinese government is reviewing the sanctions, which it introduced four years ago in response to what it called “lies and disinformation” about human rights abuses in Xinjiang, according to two UK government sources familiar with the conversations. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago ‘Who else can we annoy with our show?’: Such Brave Girls, Britain’s most gleefully offensive comedy returns

Despite its twisted characters and unremitting plotlines, the Bafta-winning sitcom has become an unlikely hot property for the BBC. The secret, says creator Kat Sadler: dealing with things in ‘the most unenlightened way possible’Few writers take criticism well, fewer actively court it. Kat Sadler, however, has an insatiable appetite for negative feedback. When crafting her BBC sitcom Such Brave Girls, the 31-year-old frequently runs the scripts past her younger sister and co-star Lizzie Davidson – but she isn’t looking for praise. Instead, “she wants you to tear it to pieces”, says Davidson. “She loves it.”“I get off on it,” confirms Sadler, with matter-of-fact melancholy. Continue reading...

Culture

6 h. ago Inside Sir Alex Ferguson's eerie JFK obsession from assassination theory to odd gift

Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson has opened up on his obsession with John F. Kennedy, and how the former US President has inspired him throughout his career

Politics

6 h. ago I'm a shopping writer and these are my top picks from Rochelle Humes' Next collection

Writer Nisha Mal has been obsessed with Rochelle Humes' latest Next collection and highlights some of her favourite summer pieces

Economics

7 h. ago ‘Modest fashion’ headed for mainstream despite political hostility, say experts

Surging demand for looser styles with high necklines comes amid politicians’ criticism of burqa and the hijabFashion influenced by Islam and other religions is expected to become “mainstream” globally, in spite of politicians singling out the burqa and the hijab, as the rise of “modest fashion” is powered by influencers, luxury brands and big tech.The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has said employers should be able to ban staff from wearing face coverings, before adding that she was not in favour of a government ban. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago Garden tools will stay rust free for years if you use 52p ingredient

How to rust-proof your gardening gear this summer which is when the most damage is done

Events

7 h. ago Man applauded for revenge on 'entitled' neighbour who kept parking on his driveway

A man has been hailed for his 'petty revenge' on his neighbour who kept parking on his driveway - but even after he issued him a warning, his neighbour still didn't take any notice

Politics

7 h. ago The secret psychology of dogs and cats: do we ever really know what they are thinking?

Pets have long been a source of comfort and companionship for humans. But are they really trying to console us when we’re distressed or do they just want their dinner?I am lost in Morris’s eyes. They are brown, almond-shaped and fringed by impossibly long lashes. He looks back at me, softly blinking occasionally, and then reaches out his tongue and licks my cheek, just once.I’ve been depressed lately, and while I’ve received compassion and support from many dear people, Morris, my 10-year-old terrier, has been one of the greatest sources of comfort. With that reassuring lick, that steady gaze, he’s conveying a message: “It’s OK. Everything will be all right.” Continue reading...

Politics

8 h. ago Club World Cup humiliation as FIFA take drastic action to cover up empty stadiums

FIFA are making plans to protect the optics of their Club World Cup with fans being moved around stadiums to ensure cameras don't show waves of empty seats with sales not going as planned

Politics

8 h. ago Victoria Beckham breaks cover with Harper as Brooklyn's cold snub plunges new depths

Brooklyn Beckham has failed to publicly congratulate his dad on his knighthood after saying he 'chooses' his wife Nicola amid the family feud

Politics

9 h. ago Woman sheds a staggering 15 stone after admitting family Disneyland trip 'broke me'

EXCLUSIVE: Leah Hope is quite literally half the woman she was after a family trip to Disney gave her the shock she needed to take control of her life - now she faces another challenge

Politics

10 h. ago My unexpected Pride icon: indie breakup songs said all the things I couldn’t say to other boys

From John Lennon’s takedown of Paul McCartney to the Libertines’ Can’t Stand Me Now, songs by straight men about falling out with their friends were strangely romantic to meWhen I was a teenager, in the late 00s in central Scotland, being gay was something I experienced as painful made me feel overwrought. This didn’t match the depiction of gayness I encountered in mainstream culture at the time, which was mostly very cheerful. Almost all of the gay men on my radar were comedians – figures such as Graham Norton and Alan Carr, both of whom I found funny and still admire today, but who were too easy-going and unpretentious to satisfy my desire to see myself as a tortured poet.When I got to university, I found the representation I was looking for – solemn and beautiful – in writers such as Edmund White and James Baldwin, but earlier in my teenage years I had to make do with what was available: romanticising being gay through songs about straight men falling out with their platonic frie...

Events

10 h. ago Drowned in drink and lost in legend: The forgotten genius of The Band’s Richard Manuel

It’s hard to overstate the influence that The Band had on music, inspiring everyone from Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton to The Beatles and Elton John. Less talked about is the influence that singer-songwriter Richard Manuel had on The Band. Jim Farber speaks to the late musician’s contemporaries, and the writer of a new book about his life and death

Events