We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how the size of a person’s temporalis (chewing) muscle could reveal their dementia risk.

And your glutes’ strength and size may even show how you’re ageing.

As it turns out, another muscle measure – our calf size – has been associated with a longer lifespan, too.

This seemed especially true in older adults.

In 2021, researchers published a paper after following 796 older adults over nine years.

By the end of the study, 197 of the participants had died. Those with a low BMI (less than 18.5) were at a significantly higher risk of mortality.

And of those studied, older adults with calf circumferences under 31cm seemed to have roughly double the risk of death during the almost-decade-long follow-up period.

The study authors concluded calf circumference “was an independent predictor of mortality”.

A systemic review involving 37 cohort studies, meanwhile, found that for a 1cm increase in calf circumference results, the risk of death decreased by 5%.

Yet another paper suggested that calf circumference is “is a convenient and predictable marker of frailty in older adults,” having shown that the “best cut-off value was 29.5 cm in [men] and 28.5 cm in women”.

We can’t say for sure yet. But some researchers think that it could reveal a person’s level of sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss.

The lower our muscle mass, especially as we age, the likelier we are to face issues like falls and frailty.

Scientists have learned that stronger, more active calves seem to lower our risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes, too.

Luckily, it’s possible to grow your calves. PureGym suggests two to four training sessions a week.

Some exercises that could help include:

• Calf raises,
• Pogo jumps,
• Skipping,
• Weighted farmer’s carries.

And if you’re a little gym-shy, walking uphill seems to go a long way, too.

One of the year’s most talked-about concert tours is about to come to an end, with Ariana Grande set to take the final bow on her run of Eternal Sunshine live shows.

After three months and 40 shows, the Grammy winner’s Eternal Sunshine world tour concludes on Tuesday night at The O2 Arena, concluding a 10-night residency at the iconic London venue.

HuffPost UK has seen the show, and if you’re lucky enough to have tickets for Ariana’s last night, rest assured that you’re in for an absolutely killer performance, cementing the Petal singer’s place as one of pop’s most dependable performers.

If you are heading to the O2 on Tuesday, though, you may well have some questions, in which case here’s everything you need to know before seeing the Eternal Sunshine tour for its last ever show…

The main thing to be aware of before heading to the O2 on Tuesday night is that – for obvious reasons – there are very strict rules around what you’re allowed to bring into Ariana Grande’s tour with you.

With that in mind, the easiest thing to do is to only bring absolutely essentials with you, to avoid needing a bag, as guests are only allowed to bring “one clear bag or a re-sealable clear freezer/zip-lock bag” to the gig.

If you do need to bring a bag, it must be completely clear (although “small logos” are acceptable), and not exceed 30cm x 15cm x 30cm in size.

Exceptions are being made for any “medical, accessibility, parent/child-care related bags or other essential bags”, which are allowed but only after they’ve been inspected by security.

Don’t bring cameras or recording devices in with you, either (although, obviously, camera phones are allowed).

Unlike some of her peers in the pop world, Ariana has been an absolute stickler for time-keeping on her Eternal Sunshine tour, kicking the show off at 8pm sharp and usually being off-stage by just before 10pm.

She doesn’t have a support act – but we’d advise being in your seats for 7.45pm, as there is a special pre-show that we won’t spoil for you, but fans definitely won’t want to miss it.

As you might have gleaned from the title, the Eternal Sunshine tour is mostly made up of songs from Ariana Grande’s 2024 album of the same name, including the singles Yes, And?, We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love), The Boy Is Mine and Twilight Zone.

She’s also made sure to include plenty more songs released since her last world tour in 2019, most notably the UK number ones Positions and Rain On Me, as well as hits from earlier on in her career.

Since unveiling her most recent album, Petal, in July, the chart-topping star has also been peppering the setlist with different tracks from that release, with Hate That I Made You Love Me being the sole permanent fixture.

Bad news for Wicked fans, though, as the setlist consists only of hits from Ariana’s solo back catalogue (although that’s not to say there aren’t nods to the movie scattered throughout the show).

We attended on Monday night, and here’s the full list of songs she played, although take note that not all of them will be guaranteed to be performed on Tuesday:

• Yes, And?
• Positions
• Dandelion
• The Boy Is Mine
• Eternal Sunshine
• Just Like Magic
• Thank U, Next
• 7 Rings
• Imperfect For You
• Warm
• Safety Net
• One Last Time
• Rain On Me
• Break Free
• Twilight Zone
• Past Life
• Dangerous Woman
• Freak
• Warning Signs (Interlude)
• Like I Do
• Honeymoon Avenue
• Hampstead
• Into You
• Hate That I Made You Love me
• We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love) (encore)
• Supernatural (encore)

Yes, hours before her show on Tuesday night, Ariana let fans know that she’d had a little accident and needed to adapt the show accordingly.

“My sweet petals,” she began. “I Wanted to let you know I will need to be in cosy footwear for this evening’s show (and possibly tomorrow’s) as I am bandaged up underneath, recovering from a minor injury.”

“It is not a sprain or anything muscular, just a deep cut!” she quickly added. “So, when you see me tonight, without my signature heels or even possibly having a little trouble putting weight on that foot, that is why!

“But please do not fret. On with the show and I am on the mend!”

Indeed, besides a change in footwear (to retain her signature look, she appeared to adapt some Ugg boots with some knee-length leg-warmers), there were no other signs that Ariana had hurt herself, and the night went off without a hitch.

There’s a reason the Eternal Sunshine tour has so much buzz around it – it’s easily the best live show Ariana has ever been a part of. Fans can look forward to some spectacular setpieces, innovative staging, great choreography and, as mentioned above, a setlist packed with hits.

Of course, the main thing you’re going to an Ariana Grande show for is the vocal performance – and she’s in absolutely tremendous voices, and has arguably never sounded better. After seeing Eternal Sunshine, there’s no question that Ariana is one of the best vocalists of her – or, in fact, any – generation.

As for moments to be aware of, we don’t want to spoil too much, but during the encore rendition of We Can’t Be Friends, audience members have taken it upon themselves to keep completely schtum during the “me and my truth we sit in silence”, so don’t be the one cheering or, worse still, chatting during the last night of the whole tour.

Naturally, there will also be plenty of fans in full costume, so if you were feeling a bit shy about paying homage to the star with your wardrobe, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing you won’t be the only one.

We’d advise keeping your expectations realistic.

So far, Ariana has only had two surprise guests on her tour, the first being when Ty Dolla $ign joined her for a rendition of their collab Safety Net, already a fixture on the set.

Meanwhile, earlier in her London run, Ariana’s Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo was a surprise guest towards the end of the run, where they performed their duet For Good and a show-stopping reprise of Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again.

Whether or not she’d want to potentially overshadow the last night of the tour with another surprise guest remains to be seen, but it’s probably unlikely.

Keep your eyes peeled for famous faces in the audience, too. We were there on a night when both Wicked star Jeff Goldblum and Ariana’s mum Joan Grande were met with rapturous cheers from the crowd, with other celebs putting in appearances over the course of the Eternal Sunshine run.

Once you’re in London, the easiest way to get to The O2 Arena is on the tube, taking the Jubilee Line to North Greenwich station.

There’s also on-site parking if you wanted to drive and numerous bus options – plus, for the more adventurous, there’s the cable car and even boat options. For more information on that, we’d recommend visiting the venue’s website.

It’s already well-documented that Ariana is planning on taking a step back from the spotlight when her current tour comes to an end.

She first indicated this would be the case during an interview with Amy Poehler on the podcast Good Hang, explaining: “I’m very excited to do this small tour, but I think it might not happen again for a long, long, long, long time. So I’m going to give it my all.

“I think that’s why I’m doing it, because I’m like, ‘One last hurrah. For now’,” she added, noting elsewhere in the interview that the “last 10 or 15 years” of her career “will look very different to the ones that are coming up”.

Amid the furore surrounding her Petal music video at the end of July, Ariana’s team then issued a statement reiterating that she would be “taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour”.

This included pulling out of a planned London revival of the musical Sunday In The Park With George, which would have reunited her with her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey.

Her team told People magazine: “[Ariana] looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.

“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

Following this, Ariana clarified on stage: “Sometimes when a story comes out that’s not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion. So I just wanted to speak to my fans directly tonight because I love you so much. The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing.

“It is something that I had decided to plan that I had quietly made a long time ago and it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place. And I want you to know that many things can be true at the same time.”

She continued: “I want to share this because I heard that my fans were worried that negativity was ruining things for me, but I just have to say that could not be more the fuck opposite. Honestly, this is not what that is.

“And I just want to be very, very clear: Multiple things can be true at the same time. Yes, boundaries, they need to be set. Human beings can need a break sometimes. And also, this [tour] can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional and creative life.

“No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will ever be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or elaborate to me than this love that we share. The rest of that shit is not mine to carry, so I don’t carry it.

“I need to get out here and differentiate that from my truth for you all because I love you and this tour has been the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, special experience of my life.”

Later this year, Ariana will appear alongside Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro in a reboot of the Meet The Parents series, titled Little Fockers.

HuffPost UK attended Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball tour as a guest of Nordic Spirit. Nordic Spirit nicotine pouches are a smoke-free alternative for existing nicotine users aged 18 and over. These convenient nicotine pouches are one hundred percent tobacco-free, with no smoke or vapour. Existing adult nicotine users aged 18 can find out more info here.

Look, when it comes to high-end skincare that actually gets the job done, I’m always going to point you in the direction of Augustinus Bader.

I’ve written before about the brand whose products Dua Lipa famously reported that she ‘can’t live without’, so much so that their Eye Patches and The Rich Cream have a permanent place in her (and now my) handbag.

Their cult-favourite moisturiser cleared my period-spot riddled skin up in just seven days when I first tested it, so when Augustinus Bader announced that they were bringing its cell-renewing TFC8 tech to a brand-new, delicately scented Rose Geranium body range I couldn’t have said yes to testing it out faster if I could.

Before you say ‘what the heck is TFC8’, it’s the brand’s secret sauce: a proprietary blend of natural amino acids, high-grade vitamins and peptides that supports the body’s capacity to renew.

According to AB, the body cream is clinically proven to deliver firmer, smoother, deeply hydrated skin. In fact, a 12 week study carried out by the brand reports a 75% reduction in cellulite (with 92% of users saying they saw a visible reduction).

As someone who (thanks to a whole lot of weight lifting, spin classes, swimming and a passion for dinners out) has a battle with cellulite and stretch marks across my thicc thighs, I was hoping for big results.

I’ve also never been a body moisturiser girlie and now in my mid 30s, I’m definitely paying the price – as a recent convert to regular waxes my legs now permanently feel like they need a good long glass of water. Luckily for me, the body cream’s blend of shea butter and geranium and rose essential oils promise to “deeply hydrate and lock in moisture for plump skin with greater bounce back.”

Now just to see if it works…

As with any product testing here at HuffPost UK, we don’t do it half-arsed. Armed with a fresh wax, a slight tinge of sunburn and dryness from regular dunks in chlorinated water, my skin was not about to give the Augustinus Bader The Geranium Rose Body Cream an easy ride.

For thirty days solid I committed to applying the cream to my body twice a day every day – once after my morning shower, and once before bed.

The new scent is incredibly spa-esque and made for a strong and invigorating way to kick off the day. Despite how thick the cream comes out the tub, it soaked in quickly without leaving a greasy film (because god knows there’s nothing worse than post moisturiser clothes cling).

Thirty days on, my skin feels soft yet lifted, smooth yet firm – and if you’d told me a month ago that I wouldn’t think twice about going out without my beloved tights on, I’d never have believed you.

Alongside the longer term effects, the cream offers an almost blurring effect in the same way facial primer does – marks, bumps and rashy bits all immediately looked significantly less noticeable after my morning application.

Over time, my thighs’ dimpling has lessened dramatically and although it’s not gone completely (hey, no product can erase them altogether), I’ve found myself not giving it a second thought (a rarity!).

As with any Augustinus Bader product, this body cream doesn’t come cheap (£160 for 200ml) however, I will always bang the drum that anything the brand makes is worth the investment. More so because a little goes a long way, even with using the cream twice a day (probably worth noting at this juncture that I’m also almost 6ft, so there is PLENTY of leg to moisturise), I’ve still got plenty left in the jar after a month of near religious use.

Sorry tights, I may never need to pull you out my drawers again.

Labour would win a general election if it was held now – but lose more than 150 MPs and the party’s huge Commons majority.

A new study of recent opinion polls suggests Andy Burnham would return to 10 Downing Street as prime minister.

However, he would be forced to do deals with other parties to govern after falling well short of a majority in parliament.

The UK Polling Report findings come amid speculation at Westminster that Burnham could call a snap election within months to capitalise on Labour’s resurgence under his leadership.

The party is now leading Reform UK in most opinion polls – a dramatic turnaround from when Keir Starmer was still PM.

A poll of polls by Election Maps UK puts Labour on 26%, with Reform on 24% and the Conservatives on 20%.

According to UK Polling Report, an election now would see Labour return 239 MPs, 173 fewer than in 2024 and wiping out the party’s 167-seat majority.

Reform would come second on 128 seats, one ahead of the Tories on 127.

The Lib Dems would win 73 seats, the SNP would surge to 41, with the Greens on 6 and Plaid Cymru on 4.

Such a result would leave Labour 87 seats short of an overall Commons majority.

In that scenario, Burnham would most likely look to do a deal with Lib Dem leader Ed Davey, even though that would still not be enough to guarantee him a majority.

The next general election does not need to take place until 2029, and the prime minister has insisted that he has no plans to call one before then.

Speaking to the BBC in July, he said: “There’s no early general election. I don’t think people want it.”

Nevertheless, many senior Labour figures believe Burnham should capitalise on his current popularity by going to the country at some point between now and next spring.

Former Labour adviser Liz Bates told HuffPost UK’s Commons People podcast: “I would be tempted, if I was him, to go for it because you get the new manager bounce, Farage is looking bonkers to be honest … the Greens seem to be in a bit of a tricky spot as well.

“It’s probably not going to get better than this [for Burnham]. They will think it’s going to get better than this because it feels like ‘we’re great, we’re better than Keir, look at us’.

“When things get tough and the pressure comes on to have a general election, if you’re down in the polls at that point, all your options narrow. I would do it when things feel sunny and positive.”

Her comments echoed those of former Theresa May pollster James Johnson, who has said an election by next spring is Burnham’s best chance of securing his own Commons majority, defeating Reform and destroying the Tories.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Kemi Badenoch has been accused of “shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic” after she axed two Tory big beasts as she freshened up her top team.

The Conservative leader sacked former cabinet ministers Priti Patel and Mel Stride in the second reshuffle of her leadership.

Andrew Griffith – one of the architects of Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-Budget – replaced Stride as shadow chancellor, while Tom Tugendhat takes over from Patel as shadow foreign secretary.

Tory rising star Katie Lam replaces James Cleverly – who is bidding to be the party’s London mayoral candidate – as shadow housing secretary.

Another member of the Conservatives’ 2024 intake, Rebecca Paul, has been appointed shadow culture secretary.

Former cabinet minister Damian Hinds returns to the Tory frontbench as shadow health secretary, taking over from the sacked Stuart Andrew.

Other changes include Harriet Cross becoming shadow Scottish secretary.

She takes over from Andrew Bowie, who is replacing Claire Coutinho as shadow energy secretary.

Coutinho, who is currently on maternity leave, becomes shadow business secretary.

A Reform UK spokesman said: “Kemi is simply moving the deckchairs around the titanic with this reshuffle.

“She has promoted ardent supporters of net zero and the ECHR into senior positions, despite saying she wouldn’t .

“The Conservatives haven’t learned a thing from their failures in office.”

Labour chair Bridget Phillipson said: “Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives have learnt nothing since they were kicked out of office by the British people.

“Promoting a key architect of Liz Truss’s disastrous mini Budget tells you all you need to know about Badenoch’s complete lack of judgement.

“The Tories’ top team is crammed full of the same vandals who hammered family finances and left our public services crumbling. No wonder they’ve made no progress in the last two years.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Labour’s attempts to stop asylum seekers crossing the English Channel in small boats are “bearing fruit”, according to Shabana Mahmood.

The home secretary made the surprising claim as new data revealed the number of crossings this summer was the lowest in seven years.

Her comments came less than a week after nearly 500 migrants arrived in Dover in a single day.

A total of 102 small boats brought asylum seekers over the Channel between June and August this year, a lower number than any year since 2019, when 57 vessels made the journey.

Some 7,371 migrants made the perilous journey this summer, which is lower than any year since 2020, when 3,307 crossed from France.

Home Office figures released last week also showed that the number of small boat crossings is down 23% compared to last year.

Mahmood said: “This government is committed to restoring order at our border.

“This work is beginning to bear fruit, with June, July and August recording the lowest number of small boat crossings in seven years. But we know there is more to do.

“We will be relentless in targeting the criminal gangs behind these crossings, and we will continue to remove the incentives that draw people here on unsafe and illegal routes.”

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp rejected Mahmood’s claims, and insisted that bad weather was the cause rather than government action.

He said: “Labour’s returns deal with France has been exposed as total sham. I saw with my own eyes the reality on French beaches this summer, as gendarmes stood idly by while migrants boarded dinghies bound for England.

“The home secretary should not be taking credit for rough seas in the Channel.

“Every day the waves are low, hundreds of illegal immigrants flood in. Praying for choppy seas is not a border security strategy.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Kemi Badenoch’s new shadow chancellor praised Liz Truss’s mini-Budget even as it sent the UK economy into a tailspin.

Andrew Griffith was one of the architects of the former prime ministers’ disastrous plan for £45 billion-worth of unfunded tax cuts.

In the days after the “economic growth plan” was delivered by the then chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng in September 2022, interest rates soared, inflation spiked and the value of the pound collapsed.

With the money markets in turmoil and Truss’s premiership in crisis, Griffith went out to defend the mini-Budget, insisting it would deliver economic growth and benefit ordinary people.

He said: “We think they’re the right plans because those plans make our economy competitive.

“What we politicians are responsible for is making the economic decisions that will drive continued growth.

“One of the things that’s bedevilled our economy is our inability to reach that top 2.5% rate of growth. It happened before the 2008 financial crisis, we can get back to do so with the programme of supply side reform that was embedded in the growth plan.”

He said Truss’s government should “get on and deliver that plan”.

“That’s what I, the chancellor, my colleagues in government are focused on – getting on delivering that growth plan,” he said. “That is what’s going to allow consumers to benefit.”

But within days, Kwarteng was forced to U-turn on his plans for huge tax cuts.

He was then sacked, with Truss herself being forced to resign shortly afterwards after a revolt by Tory MPs.

Nevertheless, Badenoch has decided to give Griffith the plum job of shadow chancellor after sacking his predecessor, Mel Stride, as part of a Tory frontbench reshuffle.

A senior Tory source said said Griffith would be “a no-nonsense, pro-growth shadow chancellor with real business experience”.

The source added: “Andrew and Kemi are in complete lockstep on how we back business, bring down taxes and regulation and get Britain working again.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Donald Trump has been criticised after he suggested America could withdraw its support for Britain over the Falkland Islands.

The US president said he was “reviewing” his position on the British Overseas Territory.

Argentina claims the Falklands, which it calls the Malvinas, belongs to them.

That is despite the fact that a referendum in 2013, 99.8% of those living there said they wanted to remain British.

At the recent World Cup, Argentina’s players sparked controversy after unfurling a banner saying “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (the Malvinas are Argentine) after they beat England 2-1 in the semi-final.

America’s official position is that it is neutral on the islands’ sovereignty, which in practice means it supports the status quo.

However, it has been reported that the Trump administration could instead support Argentina’s claim because the president does not believe the UK is spending enough money on defence.

Asked on Monday whether he was reviewing the US’s position, Trump said: “I always review positions, and that’s one of them.”

His comments sparked an angry backlash online, with one social media user accusing Trump of behaving like a Mafia boss.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

One of Vladimir Putin’s top international allies has urged the Russian dictator to end the Ukraine war.

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi told the Russian president to his face that the conflict must come to a conclusion, for humanity’s sake.

India is the second largest buyer of Russian oil after China and its support is essential to fund Putin’s war machine amid sweeping Western sanctions.

Russian crude oil accounted for more than 50% of India’s oil imports in June and July.

At the start of talks with Putin in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, Modi began by calling Putin “my friend” and welcoming the economic ties between their countries.

According to the Kremlin’s transcript, Modi then said: “As you are aware, India supports all peace efforts in this regard, and we shall continue to do so in the future.

“Every day that the war continues, humanity is in effect set back a step, whilst every step towards peace gives all of humanity real hope for peace.

“We need to move from endless war to an end to the war, to the cessation of hostilities.

“And we will need to move precisely in this direction.”

Putin, who appeared visibly annoyed, replied: “Thank you very much, prime minister. We are moving forward along this path.”

Modi’s comments came after Russia’s defence ministry confirmed on Monday that that it is planning more “massive strikes” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure just as the weather changes for autumn.

Moscow is expected to launch an intense winter assault on Ukraine in the coming months just as freezing temperatures hit the beleaguered country.

Putin’s unsuccessful land grab has now lasted for longer than World War 1 with more than 1.4 million battlefield casualties on Russia’s side.

The Kremlin has repeatedly insisted Russia will only ready to end the war on its own terms.

Putin has previously called for Ukraine to withdraw from the territory now occupied by Russian forces, primarily the Donbas, in exchange for peace.

However, Kyiv has insisted that is a red line it will not cross.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.