35 m. ago Male friendship isn’t easy. Just ask Trump and Musk | Dave Schilling

The older I get, the harder it is to maintain ties – and a series of unhinged social media posts probably wouldn’t helpI have a hard time maintaining male friendships these days. The older I get, the less time I have for the sorts of activities stereotypical American males enjoy: sporting events, competitive binge drinking and collecting rare coins in a dark basement. OK, maybe that last thing isn’t nearly as common anymore, but what is common (if you believe various trend pieces in newspapers and magazines) is the increasing rarity of long-lasting male friendships. Most of my guy friends keep in touch with me through group chats or the occasional solo check-in text. I have, by my count, at least 10 group chats with different circles of friends. All of them are organized around a unifying theme – Star Trek, movie industry gossip, the Los Angeles Dodgers, hating that one guy who wore flip-flops to my wedding. My whole social life revolves around screens now. I watch a show or a baseb...

Politics

35 m. ago The manosphere seizes on the Diddy trial to undermine female victims: ‘I don’t see no crimes committed’

Commentators on Black masculinity are popular pundits on Sean Combs’s case – but they’ve taken a clear sideWhen the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs began last month, there was one man who stood apart from the journalists, legal eagles and YouTube gossips queuing up for seats inside the New York courtroom: Myron Gaines, co-host of the Fresh and Fit podcast and author of the 2023 book Why Women Deserve Less. In the past five years, he has become infamous for his incendiary takes on masculinity, dating and the perceived challenges that men face in contemporary society.Combs was a natural person of interest for Gaines, as well as his peers who focus on Black masculinity and traffic in many of the same misogynistic tropes that have been present in hip-hop from its early days. For decades, the New Yorker was an alpha-male fantasy come to life: a self-made captain of industry and paragon of “Black excellence” who helps mainstream hip-hop music while juggling a roster of paramours that included...

Events

35 m. ago Conservationists call for Lake District to lose Unesco world heritage status

Campaigners say designation promotes unsustainable sheep farming at expense of nature recovery and local communitiesConservationists have launched a campaign to revoke the Lake District’s Unesco world heritage status, arguing that it promotes unsustainable sheep farming at the expense of nature recovery and local communities.In a letter to Unesco, the ecologist Lee Schofield argues that the designation “promotes a false perception of farming, is not economically sustainable, is working against crucial efforts to restore the natural environment and mitigate the impacts of climate change, does not help sustain farming livelihoods, is not wanted by local people and is contributing to damaging overtourism.” Continue reading...

Politics

35 m. ago Many Black women consider synthetic braids safe. A study found toxins in all the brands it tested

Chemicals found in the braiding hair have been linked to increased cancer risk and organ damageIn recent years, personal care products marketed at Black women have received increased scrutiny for their toxicity, specifically chemical hair straighteners. These perms, also known as “relaxers”, have been condemned for causing severe health problems, including fertility issues, scalp irritations and increased risk of cancer.In light of this, many Black women have turned to natural hairstyles, including braids, as a way to avoid toxic chemicals. But recent research has revealed that popular brands of synthetic braiding hair, human-made extensions that are used in these protective styles, contain dangerous carcinogens, heavy metals and other toxins. Tested brands included in a recent study from Consumer Reports (CR) were Magic Fingers, The Sassy Collection, Shake-N-Go, Darling, Debut, Hbegant and Sensationnel, all mass producers of synthetic braiding hair. According to the CR study, all t...

Politics

35 m. ago My best friend of 50 years knew me better than anyone. But when she died, no one seemed to take my grief seriously

Friends know you differently from family, but where do you sit in the pecking order after they die? Below immediate relatives, ahead of a cousin, behind a workmate?I don’t remember a time in my life when Chrissy wasn’t in it. We were born 11 days apart and were both one when our families moved on to the same street in Geelong, a port city an hour south-west of Melbourne. We had a very Australian childhood; summers spent in our bathers, running through sprinklers; swimming in back yard pools; eating sausages in bread on New Year’s Eve, when we were allowed to stay up late while our parents drank cask riesling with the neighbours, and we’d lie on the cool evening grass listening to crickets.During those blisteringly hot summer days of our childhood, we lived at the beach, where shark alarms were constant and the waves dangerous. Occasionally, Chrissy would paddle out on her inflatable red and blue raft to the big waves out the back where the serious surfers were. Sometimes, I’d panic ...

Events

35 m. ago ‘I’m paranoid all the time’: surveillance and fear in a city of immigrants as White House ramps up deportations

New York’s once-bustling immigrant neighborhoods are chilled as Trump administration cracks downTwo months after fleeing death threats in Colombia, Juan landed a construction job in New York. But on his first day, the bulky GPS monitor strapped to his ankle caught the manager’s attention. It wouldn’t fit inside standard work boots. The boss shook his head. “Come back when you’ve resolved your status,” he said.Since arriving in the US with his teenage daughter to seek asylum, Juan has lived in a state of constant anxiety. “It feels like I committed a crime, like they’re going to arrest me at any moment,” he said, speaking near the migrant shelter where they now live in Queens. Juan started wearing oversized pants to hide the monitor, a style he finds uncomfortable. “I’m paranoid all the time,” he said. Continue reading...

Events

35 m. ago Intrepid Geoff Thomas geared up for another crack at Tour de France route

Former Crystal Palace captain aims to complete the entire course for seventh time to raise funds for Cure LeukaemiaWhen Geoff Thomas was forced to abandon his seventh attempt to complete Tour 21 at the age of 58 after an unforgiving day on the cobblestones, the former Crystal Palace captain thought his days in the saddle were over. “My bike sort of disintegrated underneath me,” remembers Thomas. “That’s when the issues with my knees started so I’d not really been on the bike since then.”But, two years on and having celebrated his 60th birthday earlier this year, he will join the group of amateur riders in tackling the entire Tour de France route a week before the pros, a ride of nearly 3,500km to raise money for Cure Leukaemia. Continue reading...

Politics

47 m. ago Body found following search for missing teenager seen 'spooked' in footage

Cole Cooper, 19, was reported missing the day after last being seen near Falkirk in Scotland last month

Events

71 m. ago Spurs hunt for new manager, Saka ruled out of England qualifier – matchday live

Latest news and updates before Saturday’s footballFixtures | Tables | Mail matchday.live@theguardian.comPaul is confident that Tottenham will succeed if they appoint Thomas Frank to replace Ange Postecoglou:“There’s probably been too much over thinking on this. I sent this message to my son last night. ”It’s the right decision. He can leave a hero and will always be welcomed back. £100m just for turning up in the CL is too much to gamble on him getting top four. I know Frank hasn’t managed at CL level and he may be out of his depth but, personally, I’ve been walking out of games during the tenure of the last 3 managers. That needs to stop and if Frank gets me to stay 90+ minutes every week, he’s a step up! It will be interesting whether Frank can attract top quality signings. I see Manor Solomon’s coming back. Not a good start to the window!!” Continue reading...

Society

73 m. ago Kharkiv hit by ‘most powerful attack since start of war’ as Kyiv calls for extra pressure on Moscow – Russia

At least three people killed and a further 21 injured after nighttime attack involving drones, missiles and guided bombs, mayor saysUkraine’s air forces shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet on Saturday morning, the Ukrainian military said.“This morning, on 7 June 2025, as a result of a successful air force operation in the Kursk direction, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet was shot down,” the military said on the Telegram messenger, according to Reuters. Continue reading...

Events

79 m. ago England ace Millie Bright 'dumps fiancé after falling for married gym trainer'

After her shock exit from the Lionesses squad ahead of the Euros 2025 left fans 'open mouthed', Millie Bright, 31, has now reportedly left her hubby-to-be for a bloke she met down the gym

Politics

95 m. ago ‘The moon came into view and I searched for the perfect place to stand’: Eric Kogan’s best phone photo

The Brooklyn-based photographer on a chance encounterNew York-based photographer Eric Kogan took this picture on a family day of furniture and thrift-store hunting in Shelton, Connecticut, about a 90-minute drive from their Brooklyn home. En route, they stopped off in New Haven for a pizza. “The city is famous for its top-notch pizza restaurants,” Kogan says. “And the one we chose, Frank Pepe’s, is rumoured to have invented the first-ever pizza box!” After lunch they continued on to Shelton, pulling into the large parking lot of a furniture sample store a little before 4pm.“It was so tucked away that we kept questioning if we were heading in the right direction,” Kogan says. “The moon came into view as we made our way to the entrance. The sun had just set and it was semi-daylight out. I searched for the perfect place to stand. I also had to underexpose the frame a bit, turning it down until the moon felt right: luminous and detailed against its subdued ...

Culture

95 m. ago Warning to owners of these popular dog breeds as vet shares common health issues

Insight from Green Pantry, based on their customer demographics, revealed some of the most popular small dog breeds for 2025, with Jack Russel terriers, chihuahua, cocker spaniels, dachshunds, Shih Tzu, cavapoos and cockerpoos all coming out highly

Events

98 m. ago Rory McIlroy worried about US Open bid after missing cut with 78 in Canada

Masters champion struggling with driver troubles‘I’m still searching for the missing piece off the tee’Rory McIlroy admitted he is concerned about his form before next week’s US Open after missing the cut at the Canadian Open. The Masters champion shot a dismal second-round 78 on Friday, carding a quadruple bogey, a double and four other bogeys in an eight-over-par round that left him languishing 21 shots behind the halfway leader, Cameron Champ, who finished on 12 under.It is the first time the world No 2 has missed the cut since the Open at Royal Troon last July. McIlroy’s round continued his troubled buildup to Oakmont having been forced to switch to a different driver after his previous model was deemed non-conforming in a random test on the eve of last month’s US PGA Championship, in which he finished joint-47th. Continue reading...

Events

99 m. ago Steve Clarke's Scotland goalkeeper options laid bare as 3 potential solutions for Liechtenstein emerge

The national team are without Craig Gordon, Liam Kelly, Zander Clark, Angus Gunn and Robby McCrorie through injury

Politics

1 hour ago Rod Stewart cancels US tour dates with Glastonbury legends slot weeks away

Singer tells fans he is recovering from flu after various health setbacks this year including strep throat and CovidSir Rod Stewart has cancelled a run of concerts in the US after having the flu, just weeks before his appearance at the Glastonbury festival later this month.The 80-year-old singer said he was “devastated” to cancel or reschedule six shows in the US, due to take place over the next eight days. Continue reading...

Events

1 hour ago Which bookies are offering Free Bets ahead of the 2025 Epsom Derby

The bookies will be busy this weekend with two Classics in the horse racing flats season including the Epsom Derby

Politics

1 hour ago Finn Russell fitness addressed by Bath after Scotland star limps out of Premiership semi

Injury fears alleviated ahead of Twickenham final

Politics

2 h. ago Body of Thai hostage retrieved from Gaza, says Israeli defence minister

Nattapong Pinta had been seized in the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attack and killed, according to Israeli militaryThe Israeli military has retrieved the body of Thai hostage, Nattapong Pinta, who had been held in Gaza since Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023, according to defence minister, Israel Katz. .Pinta’s body was held by a Palestinian militant group called the Mujahideen Brigades, and was retrieved from the area of Rafah in southern Gaza, Katz said. His family in Thailand has been notified. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago 'Insecure Tinder date walked out after seeing how tall I am – it was so awkward'

A long-legged woman who makes big money online for height admits that it can often be hard for her to date - and one man walked out of their date after seeing how tall she is

Events