7 d. ago Are there billions more people on earth than we thought? If so, it’s no bad thing | Jonathan Kennedy

A study suggests the global population has been undercounted – but we shouldn’t let the overpopulation alarmists win the argumentAccording to the UN, the world’s population stands at just over 8.2 billion. However, a recent study suggests the figure could be hundreds of millions or even billions higher. This news might sound terrifying, but it is important to remember that anxieties about overpopulation are rarely just about the numbers. They reflect power struggles over which lives matter, who is a burden or a threat and ultimately what the future should look like.The world’s population reached 1 billion just after the turn of the 19th century. The number of people on the planet then began to grow exponentially, doubling to 2 billion by about 1925 and again to 4 billion about 50 years later. On 15 November 2022, the UN announced the birth of the eight billionth human.Jonathan Kennedy teaches politics and global health at Queen Mary University of London, and is the author of Pathoge...

Politics

8 d. ago Half of world's population endured extra month of extreme heat due to climate change, experts say

Scientists say 4 billion people, about half the world’s population, experienced at least one extra month of extreme heat because of human-caused climate change from May 2024 to May 2025

Society

2 w. ago Nearly 6,000 DWP staff reviewing new and existing Universal Credit claims for ‘incorrect payments’

DWP has blocked £1 billion incorrect payments in a drive to protect people from falling into debt.

Politics

2 w. ago Mike Lynch's superyacht 'Bayesian' dredged from sea nine months after tragedy

The billionaire businessman and his daughter were among seven people who died when the vessel sunk off the coast of Sicily

Politics

2 w. ago Junk food overtakes smoking and alcohol as main cause of ill health in teenagers

A new Lancet study shows obesity and mental health problems are now the biggest problems facing younger people as half a billion teens across the globe are predicted to be overweight by 2030

Society

2 w. ago Half a billion young people will be obese or overweight by 2030, report finds

Health of adolescents worldwide has reached a ‘tipping point’, authors of Lancet commission analysis warnAlmost half a billion adolescents worldwide will be living with obesity or overweight and 1 billion at risk of preventable ill health by 2030, according to an international report.While adolescent mortality has declined by more than a quarter over the past two decades, comprehensive analysis of global data calculated that in five years, at least half of the world’s 10- to 24-year-olds will be living in countries where preventable health problems such as HIV/Aids, early pregnancy, depression and poor nutrition pose a “daily threat to their health, wellbeing and life chance”. Young people’s health has reached a “tipping point”, the authors warned. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Family of chef who died alongside six others on the doomed Bayesian superyacht could be in line for massive £40MILLION compensation

Recaldo Thomas was among seven people who drowned when the yacht owned by British tech billionaire Mike Lynch went down in a violent storm off the coast of Sicily last summer.

Economics

3 w. ago Lip readers reveal the comment Prince Harry made to Meghan Markle at the altar on their wedding day

Nearly two billion people tuned in to watch as Meghan Markle walked down the aisle at St George's Chapel in May 2018 to marry her prince.

Politics

3 w. ago Cause of Mike Lynch's superyacht sinking revealed as situation deemed 'irrecoverable'

Tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah were among seven people who died when the 56-metre (184ft) Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily on August 19 last year

Politics

3 w. ago Toxic wildfire pollution infiltrates homes of 1bn people a year, study finds

Dangerous indoor pollution could be tackled with air purifiers but costs are too high for many, researchers sayToxic pollution from wildfires has infiltrated the homes of more than a billion people a year over the last two decades, according to new research.The climate crisis is driving up the risk of wildfires by increasing heatwaves and droughts, making the issue of wildfire smoke a “pressing global issue”, scientists said. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Britain’s asylum housing ‘king’ becomes a billionaire after fortune rises 35%

Clearsprings Ready Homes founder Graham King, dubbed the 'Asylum King' for his lucrative Government contracts, is now worth over £1 billion - and is among the top 200 wealthiest people in Britain

Events

4 w. ago Weight loss jabs could boost UK economy by £4.5 BILLION by getting people back to work

The UK economy could receive a boost of more than £4 billion by helping people considered obese access weight loss jabs to get back to work, with four million people said to be eligible

Economics

4 w. ago DWP benefit changes 'will hit 700,000 families already in poverty'

Internal DWP forecasts show that large numbers of people will lose out because of the government's planned £5 billion cuts and reforms to social security

Events