64 minutes ago ‘In the distance I see tiny glowing silhouettes sprinkled like salt’: birdwatching on Devon’s Exe estuary

The spectacular estuary is a haven for thousands of migrant birds each winter, and perfect to explore on foot and by boatThe Christmas market doesn’t know what’s hit it. At 8.30 on a mid-November morning Exeter is a whirl of white, a city half-blinded by tumbling flakes. Four market workers, caught out by this overly authentic addition to the festive decor, are busy shovelling the ground in front of the bao stalls and craft gin chalets. Above them, the cathedral’s medieval towers stand tall and cold in the heaven-filling flurry. Winter has arrived in Devon with bells on.I’m here to catch a train to see some birdlife. A breakfast blizzard wasn’t part of the plan, but sometimes these things don’t go as expected. The city’s Queen Street has turned into a real-life snow globe – Narnia with ...

Politics

64 minutes ago Who will be Ireland’s next taoiseach? With only one day to go, it’s still wide open | Justine McCarthy

With a housing emergency and the cost of living weighing heavily on voters’ minds, anything could happen at the polls on FridayIn Easter, 1916, his epic poem about the failed Dublin rebellion that eventually led to Irish independence, William Butler Yeats declared: “A terrible beauty is born.” The same might be said about the marriage of convenience between Ireland’s old civil war enemies, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, as they attempt to recreate their history-making coalition government.The two parties are now in power alongside the Greens, but this time round their mission is to stop the main opposition, Sinn Féin, entering government as part of a three-way coalition in the Republic after Friday’s general election. Instead, their preference would be to coalesce with Labour, because of vo...

Politics

65 minutes ago ‘I need the option of ending my life peacefully’: Independent readers debate the assisted dying bill

Many shared their personal experiences amid a heated debate, with supporters advocating for patient choice as critics raised concerns about misuse and the need for improved end-of-life care

Events

65 minutes ago Arsenal hit with DOUBLE transfer blow as Viktor Gyokeres 'has heart set' on Man Utd move

Arsenal have been linked with making a transfer move for both Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres but Manchester United may have ensured the Gunners have a difficult time securing either

Sport

65 minutes ago London travel news LIVE: 'Significant leaf fall' closes part of Piccadilly Line

London’s roads and railways have been hit by flooding as Storm Conall struck, and various stations evacuated

Politics

72 minutes ago Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters tackle huge blaze at takeaway in Holloway

Residents told to keep windows and doors closed as blaze on Seven Sisters Road produces large amounts of smoke

Events

79 minutes ago How to watch Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt: TV channel and live stream for Europa League today

Ruben Amorim’s first home game in charge of Red Devils

Sport

91 minutes ago Crackdown on employers who flout visa laws and exploit foreign workers

Ministers plan to extend sanctions against companies who breach employment rights like the minimum wage and who repeatedly flout visa rules

Society

93 minutes ago Fame, glory, awards — but John Legend has also faced grief, personal fallouts and political turmoil

As the 20th anniversary edition of his debut album Get Lifted is released, the EGOT singer talks to Olive Pometsey about the joy of his two new babies and why it’s a badge of honour to be hated by Trump

Politics

1 hour ago How to watch Tottenham vs Roma: TV channel and live stream for Europa League today

Spurs take on Roma for the first time in a competitive fixture

Sport