14 h. ago I played in the NFL. Outrage over male cheerleaders is really about attempts to control masculinity

Sport has long been used to police what it means to be a man. But inclusivity on the sidelines reflects the game’s true power: bringing people togetherOf all the existential threats facing professional football – concussions that erode the minds of players, scandals that rot institutions from within, dwindling youth interest in a sport built on collision and control – who could’ve predicted that what would truly rattle some fans was the sight of two men dancing on the sideline?Earlier this month, the Minnesota Vikings unveiled their newly minted 35-member cheerleading squad with a bold promotional video captioned, “The next generation of cheer has arrived!” It wasn’t just the choreography that caught attention, but the fact that two male performers, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, were part of the group. Continue reading...

Politics

21 h. ago Photos show games, dancing and singing bringing people together in Indonesia

Two men held rubber bands apart at chest height while a woman hopped over them from one side to the other, earning applause and boisterous encouragement from others marveling at her leaps.

Culture

3 d. ago Special forces commandos could be used to tackle people smugglers bringing migrants to UK

Defence chiefs have ordered special forces to target ruthless people smugglers shipping illegal migrants across the channel

Events

4 d. ago Trump says he wants to see a ceasefire and ‘won’t be happy if it’s not today’ – Europe live

US president says Russia needs to show willingness to seriously talk about the end of the war in Ukraine, as he travels to meeting in Anchorage, AlaskaAsked if his conversation with Trump will cover territorial issues, Trump says:“They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they’ll make a proper decision, but I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table. “I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good.I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war stopped.” Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Trump confirms plans for ‘economically severe’ sanctions for Russia over Ukraine as he goes to meet Putin – Europe live

US president says Russia needs to show willingness to seriously talk about the end of the war in Ukraine, as he travels to meeting in Anchorage, AlaskaAsked if his conversation with Trump will cover territorial issues, Trump says:“They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they’ll make a proper decision, but I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table. “I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good.I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war stopped.” Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin is ‘a smart guy’ as he heads to Alaska for meeting over Ukraine – Europe live

US president tells reporters ‘something is going to come up’ as he travels to Anchorage, Alaska, for meeting US hopes will be pivotal momentAsked if his conversation with Trump will cover territorial issues, Trump says:“They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they’ll make a proper decision, but I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table. “I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good.I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war stopped.” Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Donald Trump departs for Alaska to meet Vladimir Putin to discuss war in Ukraine – Europe live

US and Russian presidents to meet in Anchorage, Alaska, starting at 11am local time, in what US hopes will be pivotal moment in efforts to end warUS president Donald Trump is now chatting with reporters on board of Air Force One.He says Trump is “a smart guy” and they “get along,” with “a good respect level on both sides,” saying he thought “something is going to come up.”“I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good. I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war stopped.” Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Lorraine's Ranvir Singh 'predicts' Strictly dance for Ross King

Ranvir Singh predicted Ross King's couple's choice dance after he was confirmed as one of the Strictly contestants

Politics

5 d. ago Last year was the most HUMID on record, scientists warn, bringing people into 'potentially life

Climate change drove record levels of global humidity in 2024, posing a rising risk to people's health, a new report has warned.

Events

5 d. ago ‘I have to believe I deserve to be here’: ‘Tesco TikToker’ Hannah Lowther on her path to West End stardom

The up-and-coming musical theatre star’s online audience of 1.2 million has been crucial in scoring her major roles. Her career is part of a shift in the industry towards performers with social media clout – but not everyone is happyIf you’re on TikTok, you’ll probably recognise Hannah Lowther. Known affectionately as the “Tesco TikToker”, she found viral fame during lockdown by filming herself singing and dancing in the aisles of the supermarket during her shifts there.“I got 10,000 views on a video and I thought: OK, that’s it, I’m famous, and I just never let it go,” the 27-year-old laughs. Since then, Lowther has built an audience of 1.2 million followers and leveraged her social media presence into a starry stage career, landing roles in West End musicals including Heathers and Six. “At the back of my mind, I was thinking: You know what? Maybe this could help me one day.” Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago We know that cosy games have big audiences – so where’s my epic Call the Midwife sim?

In a world overwhelmed by noise and with more players looking for solace, it’s time the triple-A developers pay attentionI am 85 hours into Death Stranding 2, an apocalyptic nightmare about Earth becoming infected with death monsters, and I’ve realised that I’m playing it as a cosy game. For hours at a time, I trundle along the photorealistic landscapes in my pick-up truck, delivering parcels to isolated communities and building new roads. The only reason I complete the main story missions is to open new areas of the map so that I can meet new people and build more roads. I find it blissfully enjoyable.Of course, I am far from alone in playing video games this way. “Cosy games” have become a thriving cottage industry over the past five years, led by crossover successes such as Minecraft, Stardew Valley and Untitled Goose Game, but also housing hundreds of smaller titles that appeal to highly engaged communities. On Steam this month you’ll discover Catto’s Post Office, a delightful g...

Events

7 d. ago Singapore like never before: 6 acts bring comedy, theatre, dance and street performance to Edinburgh

The alternative side to Singapore’s cultural riches is being brought to the capital, as the island nation marks 60 years of independence. This is paid for editorial ahead of the Festival and Fringe, and not a Scotsman review.

Culture

7 d. ago AP photos show an injured elephant frequenting an Indian village as its habitat shrinks

For months an injured male elephant has been frequenting a village on the outskirts of India's northeastern Assam state in search of food, bringing it into contact with people living in the area.

Culture

8 d. ago 'Hero' steward goes viral after working Oasis gig in Edinburgh

The steward was spotted dancing and singing along to Oasis's hits at Murrayfield

Events

9 d. ago 'Hero' Oasis steward goes viral after heartwarming video at Edinburgh gig

An elderly steward has gone viral after she was spotted dancing and singing along to Oasis at Murrayfield, with fans branding her a 'hero' and calling for a pay rise

Events

9 d. ago The best transfer announcements of the summer window (and the worst)

From a Saturday Night Fever-inspired video to a bizarre Lionel Richie-theme, it has been a creative time for signingsSometimes it’s best not to overcomplicate things. The former Atalanta playmaker Alejandro “Papu” Gómez loves a dance (his hit single Dance Like the Papu went viral in 2017) and Padua is an absolutely gorgeous city in northern Italy, so this Saturday Night Fever-inspired transfer announcement video for the Argentinian that showcases both works a charm. In what feels like a high-quality production, the 2022 World Cup winner struts around the city in 1970s clobber: a leather jacket, an enormously lappelled shirt and a vintage pair of Copa Mundials, all to the sound of the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive. The context of this transfer to the Serie B side is that Gómez is finishing a two-year doping ban after taking a banned substance, which the now 37-year-old claimed came from his son’s cough medicine. Gómez, fifth on the all-time list of Serie A assists, continues to train indep...

Politics

1 week ago Police arrest 365 people at Palestine Action protest as demonstrators bring chaos to London after group banned

Police arrest 365 people at Palestine Action protest as demonstrators bring chaos to London after group banned  The Sun

Events

1 week ago Police arrest 474 people at Palestine Action protest as demonstrators bring chaos to London after group banned

Police arrest 474 people at Palestine Action protest as demonstrators bring chaos to London after group banned  The Sun

Events

1 week ago 90s pop icon looks unrecognisable 26 years on from release of hit record

The British singer and dancer, 48, is well-remembered for bangers as the 1999 single Viva La Radio as part of her First Album, releasing chart-topping hits as Mickey and Big Boys Don't Cry.

Events

1 week ago Amaarae: Black Star review – glamour, glitz and lust from a pop star who should be a supernova

(Golden Angel/Interscope)With a sleek dancefloor-facing sound, the Ghanaian American singer is deliriously in thrall to wealth and celebrity – but most of all loveFountain Baby, the second album by Amaarae, was a revelation – a sensual, funny, frank and musically dense record released in 2023 that established the 31-year-old Ghanaian American pop musician as a cultural force to match contemporaries such as Rosalía and Charli xcx. Although the songs are hedonistic – largely oscillating between wry flexes of wealth and lyrics about trifling with, and being trifled by, women in her orbit – she is also a realist: actions have consequences in Amaarae’s world, such as on Reckless & Sweet, as she wonders whether her lovers desire her or merely her money.Despite the ingenuity and complexity of her music, Amaarae has struggled to break into the mainstream, in the UK at least. A recent Glastonbury set felt sparsely attended and, aside from 2020’s Sad Girlz Luv Money, one of the most ...

Politics