45 m. ago Trophy hunting holidays to slaughter elephants, lions and leopards on sale at UK fair

Dozens of holidays to kill majestic creatures like zebras were being flogged from Staffordshire's County Showground while the number of animals being killed by British trophy hunters is going up

Politics

60 m. ago I told a truly weird lie on a first date 30 years ago – and it worked out surprisingly well | Emma Beddington

A new E4 dating show brings the lies we tell while dating into the spotlight. But is bending the truth always a bad thing when looking for love?In 1994, I went on a date. I had just arrived in a new country and I liked the guy: he seemed funny and confident. He took me to a hardware store (weird, but not a dealbreaker) and then for a Tex-Mex meal during which, at some point, I told him I drove a Land Rover.It was a truly weird, dumb, lie – I knew nothing about cars and cared even less. Maybe I thought it made me sound grown up, tougher and more capable than I was, or maybe the margaritas went to my head? I’m sure I told him other lies (I remember giving the impression that I enjoyed clubbing), but that one was memorably stupid. Continue reading...

Politics

64 m. ago A ‘Black Snape’ in the new Harry Potter seems designed to cause controversy – but it could work | Jason Okundaye

Ignore the fuss: Paapa Essiedu is a brilliant actor who can bring his own depth and style to enrich the iconic characterAfter months of speculation, HBO has announced part of the cast of the latest round of Harry Potter IP-mining: the new TV adaptation of the original books will feature John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Hagrid – and Paapa Essiedu as Snape. As the Mail and Telegraph’s headlines were quick to inform their readers, yes, this means a “Black actor” in that iconic role.There is a real concern that Essiedu is drinking from a poisoned chalice – that he will be associated with an author who is at the forefront of a gender-critical movement that has succeeded in redefining the rights of trans people to their detriment; that he will have to weather the racist storm of Potterheads enraged at the diversion from “book accuracy” (Snape is described as having “sallow skin”); and deal with opportunists looking to illustrate their next rant about how the world has succumbed t...

Politics

67 m. ago Christine McGuinness locked in cosmetic range legal battle with firm loved by Kendall Jenner

The Real Housewives of Cheshire star received legal papers from a Sportwsear brand, after she attempted to trademark the term Goddess by Christine McGuiness.

Events

2 h. ago EA FC 25 Serie A TOTS predictions – Inter stars headline TOTS squad

Stars from Inter, Milan, Juventus and Atalanta could all feature in the EA FC 25 Serie A TOTS squad

Politics

2 h. ago WWE superstar Jade Cargill suffers WrestleMania wardrobe malfunction as she adjusts top

WWE star Jade Cargill was forced to readjust her outfit during WrestleMania 41 on Saturday night, after showing off a little more than the audience had expected to see

Events

3 h. ago Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story review – richly bittersweet portrait of an Irish literary great

The dizzy highs and painful lows of the late writer’s life are laid bare in Sinéad O’Shea’s moving documentaryHer raw, sexually and emotionally frank prose made her a sensation and got the Irish Catholic church hot under the cassock. She was an eloquent wit, a provocateur who could hold her own in literary circles and in the glittering party circuit of 1960s London. It’s now widely acknowledged that she was one of the greats of Irish literature. But the slightly bitter aftertaste left by this otherwise richly enjoyable documentary portrait of the writer Edna O’Brien comes from the decades of bullying and ridicule she had to endure before her talent was fully recognised.Much of it originated uncomfortably close to home: Blue Road, which features interviews with the 93-year-old O’Brien shortly before her death last year, tells of her tumultuous marriage to fellow writer Ernest Gébler, who was not a man able to graciously accept the fact that his wife’s success had eclipsed his own. Je...

Politics

3 h. ago Celebrity Big Brother's Chris Hughes, 32, enjoys a steamy night with JoJo Siwa, 21, in the hot tub after sparking backlash over his 'creepy' behaviour

Celebrity Big Brother stars Chris Hughes, 32, and JoJo Siwa, 21, were seen stripping down to their bathing suits for a dip in the hot tub during Saturday's livestream of the iconic house.

Politics

3 h. ago Rangers lessons helped Aberdeen book Scottish Cup Final spot as Jimmy Thelin reveals key Hampden difference

The Dons saw off nine man Hearts to book a return to Hampden after Oday Dabbagh's late winner in extra-time

Politics

4 h. ago Skip supermarket opening times this Easter and shop fabric conditioner for £16 less than Tesco

We're all a bit confused about supermarket opening times this bank holiday weekend - but Amazon may be the quicker and cheaper place to shop for household groceries

Economics

4 h. ago Mum with disabled children placed in mouldy Glasgow home covered in sewage

The mum, who has two severely autistic daughters as well as two teen sons, began to notice that other parts of the house, including the floors, were damp to the point that mushrooms had started growing.

Society

4 h. ago Ordinary family home on sale for £599k mocked for its 'very tacky' feature in back garden

A homeowner has been mocked online after listing their four-bedroom detached Tamworth property on rightmove due to an 'unusual' feature.

Economics

4 h. ago Ronnie O’Sullivan tells Kyren Wilson where he went wrong before Lei Peifan defeat

Kyren Wilson was expected to breeze past Lei Peifan in the first round of the 2025 World Snooker Championship, but was instead dumped out of the tournament in a final frame decider

Politics

4 h. ago 101 years, 1 house: London centenarian given heritage award for care of lifelong home

101 years, 1 house: London centenarian given heritage award for care of lifelong home  CBC

Society

5 h. ago Princess Diaries fans just noticing 'secret blooper' Anne Hathaway made in film

Anne Hathaway starred as Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries, 2001 but there is one scene that includes an unplanned moment which ended up featuring in the movie

Politics

5 h. ago BBC Scotland's Home of the Year: Inside grand Victorian mansion in Helensburgh

BBC Scotland's Home of the Year returns to screens next week and this gorgeous villa with three levels in Helensburgh is one of the properties you can expect to see in the first episode.

Politics

5 h. ago Lewis Hamilton's brother Nicolas was living a 'parallel life' as gambling spiralled

Nicolas Hamilton has opened up on his experience with gambling harm, after staking left him in a "dark spot", barely a penny to his name, and feeling as though there was no one to turn to

Politics

5 h. ago Glastonbury Festival tickets resale – key dates could land you spot at festival

Glastonbury Festival resale tickets will go on sale later this month, after the Worthy Farm event sold out in just 35 minutes, but there are some steps to complete before purchase

Politics

6 h. ago Emmerdale spoilers for next week: John Sugden's worst nightmare and shock attack

Emmerdale viewers can expect some huge twists and turns next week on the ITV soap, with spoilers confirming a deadly attack on one resident and a secret exposed

Events

6 h. ago Zelenskyy accuses Putin of creating ‘impression’ of a ceasefire and says Russian shelling has continued – Ukraine war live

‘Easter truce’ ordered by Putin on Saturday but Ukraine president says Russian army continuing efforts to advanceLuke Harding, a Guardian foreign correspondent, writes that the ceasefire declaration came amid reports that the White House was ready to recognise Russian control of Crimea as part of a broad US proposal to end the war in Ukraine.Here is an extract from his piece:According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the US may be willing to give Putin a strategic victory and to accept Russian control over the peninsula. In 2014, Russian special forces seized Crimea, which Putin annexed after a sham referendum.US diplomatic recognition would violate the UN charter and the post-1945 consensus that countries cannot seize territory by force. Most states, including the UK, have refused to recognise Russia’s illegal takeover. Continue reading...

Events