2 h. ago Eight of the best affordable beach holidays, from Crete to the Costa de la Luz

Kick back and dream of summer with our pick of seaside gems, including a stylish Andalucian bolthole and a villa with views of StromboliWild, windswept and wonderfully unspoilt, the Costa de la Luz is the Spanish coastline time forgot; a great swathe of Atlantic drama, fringed with sandy beaches and small seaside villages and resorts. Hotel Madreselva, surrounded by the pine forest, wetlands, dunes and sea cliffs of the Breña y Marismas de Barbate nature reserve, makes a suitably tranquil base, with a palm-shaded courtyard, flame-walled pool area and 18 stylish rooms, all with a private patio. A minute’s walk from the beach at Los Caños de Meca, the hotel is perfect for watersports lovers, as well as exploring this unspoilt corner of Andalucia. The hilltop pueblo blanco of Vejer, a 20-minute drive away, has charm in spades, while Cape Trafalgar, a lighthouse with views over the Strait of Gibraltar, is 10 minutes’ walk along the beach.Doubles from £83 B&B, hotelmadreselva.com Con...

Politics

2 h. ago Hamilton Accies wage bill laid bare as club paid £30,000 safety bonus to players despite relegation

We can exclusively reveal the crisis club's wage bill and the task new owner Rob Edwards faces to cut costs

Economics

2 h. ago Woman loses £100,000 in scam, meets 'handsome bloke' online and then loses another £60k

Retired Cindy Palecek was enjoying her free time when she fell for a man she met online. The encounter with 'Mike' ended up costing her almost £100,000

Economics

2 h. ago Cheapest supermarket smashed it at Christmas, but there are seven reasons money

I did a big shop at the supermarket celebrating a festive sales surge

Economics

3 h. ago Avoid January energy bill price rises with simple change through online service

Price cap increase leaves households facing higher bills until April 2026 when £150 government support arrives.

Economics

3 h. ago Power shortage forces '100% electric' train operator Lumo to use diesel for new service

Freight trains also hit by energy shortage on west coast main line

Events

3 h. ago London leaver: 'My £400k Glastonbury home cost a third what I sold for in Camberwell'

Katie Young says swapping south London for Somerset offered an affordable new start post divorce

Economics

3 h. ago New cheapest cars to keep on the road ranking is good news for MINI and Hyundai owners

MINI, Hyundai and Volkswagen topped the list in a new study that looked at maintenance costs and likelihood of being written off for 20 of the UK's most popular car brands

Transport

4 h. ago Chimney Sweeps Are Making a Comeback in the U.K. as Energy Costs Climb

Chimney Sweeps Are Making a Comeback in the U.K. as Energy Costs Climb  The New York Times

Politics

4 h. ago Sleep, stress and sunshine: endocrinologists on 11 ways to look after your metabolism

Hormones impact almost all of our bodily functions, from skin, to the gut, to our moods. Here, experts on hormonal and metabolic health explain how to stay well“Most people would like to have more energy and be leaner,” says Prof David Ray, an endocrinologist at the University of Oxford who also provides NHS services. “There is a connection between how we choose to live, what our bodies look and feel like, and the hormones that are going around the body. What endocrinologists deal with is disorders of either a lack of hormones, or too much of a hormone.” Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Cardiff's most expensive suburbs where homes cost £750,000 as you've never seen them before

Cardiff's Cyncoed and Lisvane through the ages will take you back to childhood

Economics

5 h. ago Strangest death ever to happen on Mount Everest as climber made 'insane' mistake

Wilson, a Bradford born British Army officer with almost no mountaineering experience, attempted to the climb the mountain all by himself, convinced that through prayer and, incredibly, through fasting, he would be able to safely reach the summit.

Events

5 h. ago Haunting death of Brit on 'most dangerous ever climb' up Mount Everest

Maurice Wilson, a Bradford-born British Army officer with no mountaineering experience, attempted to climb Mount Everest alone

Events

5 h. ago Dentist says mouthwash alternative 'costs pennies and works just as well'

Mouthwash can be pricey, but a dentist says you've probably already got all you need at home

Economics

7 h. ago Universal Credit to replace two benefits within weeks and how to keep current payments

Many people claiming one of two benefits may have already been sent a letter by the DWP

Politics

7 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: Russia readying strikes on nuclear power system, Zelenskyy warns

Kyrylo Budanov arrives in US heading delegation for further talks on peace proposals. What we know on day 1,425Russia is taking aim at Ukraine’s nuclear power system, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, as the Kremlin continues to try to freeze Ukraine into submission by crippling its energy grid. “We do not see any willingness on the part of the aggressor to comply with any agreements or end the war,” the Ukrainian president said. “Instead, there is ample information about preparations for further Russian strikes on our energy sector and infrastructure, including facilities and networks that serve our nuclear power plants. Each such Russian strike on the energy sector amid such a harsh winter weakens and undermines the efforts of key states – in particular the United States – to end this war.”Zelenskyy spoke after a briefing from Ukraine’s chief of defence intelligence, Oleh Ivashchenko – the recent replacement for Kyrylo Budanov, who was made head of the president’s office. Budano...

Events

7 h. ago David Byrne review – hope, humanity and dancing in a superbly paced and choreographed show

Brisbane Entertainment CentreSolo songs and Talking Heads classics mingle in a spectacular performance that doesn’t pull any punchesDressed from head to foot in iridescent orange, David Byrne and his 12-piece backing band look as if they’re about to burst into flames. On a vast, empty stage – uncluttered by amplifiers, microphones or any of the usual things that anchor a live performance – the former Talking Heads frontman is still full of twitchy energy.Thankfully, there’s no spontaneous combustion. The template for tonight’s spectacle remains the legendary Stop Making Sense tour of 1984 – via American Utopia – where the show is built in increments. It starts slowly with Heaven, from Talking Heads’ 1979 album Fear of Music, a song that has lost none of its existential power. Continue reading...

Culture

9 h. ago Masked Singer fans convinced Can of Worms is X Factor boyband star – do you agree?

THE Masked Singer fans are convinced that Can of Worms is an X Factor boyband star - but do you agree? The wacky ITV singing game returned this month and fans think they have already guessed who is behind the cheeky costume. Fans watching tonight's episode of The Masked Singer were convinced they had worked out...

Culture

10 h. ago European Figure Skating Championships: Costly mistake leaves Scottish ice dancers with bronze medal

The pair were lying in second after the rhythm dance

Politics

11 h. ago Families could save 17% on energy bills after smart meter pledge

An accelerated rollout of the digital gas or electricity meters will put an end to estimated bills and allow accurate tracking of people’s usage to cut bills, and save water

Science