2 h. ago Family homes worth £1.5m could yet be hit by Rachel Reeves' 'mansion tax' as officials promise to ensure new levy will raise as much as possible

At her Budget in November, the Chancellor announced a 'high-value council tax surcharge' in England on homes above £2million from April 2028.

Society

2 h. ago Wellness retreat owner fled country after 'bleach attack' which left guest with serious injuries

An international manhunt was launched to find Dean Mayze after he failed to turn up at court - he has now appeared and pleaded guilty to GBH

Events

2 h. ago Ten products to weatherproof your hair in wet and windy weather

Ten dependable stylers to help keep your hair in check, whatever the forecast

Society

2 h. ago Boots bargain wrinkle serum saviour that 'has unexpected amazing results' now £10

The serum is Dermatologist approved and promises to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by up to 5 years

Economics

3 h. ago Meet the glam Russian former teacher luring foreigners to fight for Putin then burning their passports if they defy her

A GLAMOROUS former Russian teacher has been accused of luring foreign fighters to the frontline in Ukraine. Polina Alexandrovna Azarnykh, 40, would promise to help them get Russian citizenship if they enlisted in non-combat roles but would savagely turn on her clients once her tricks had been uncovered. Omar, a 26-year-old Syrian construction worker, found...

Sport

3 h. ago Your hair myths, debunked: does rosemary oil really promote hair growth

An expert trichologist separates fact from fiction on hair growth, greys and scalp care

Politics

3 h. ago Hair transplant in Turkey: Inside the world of Smile Hair Clinic

A closer look at how Istanbul became a global destination for hair restoration – and what the patient experience really involves

Science

4 h. ago Meet the merpeople: ‘Once I put the tail on, my life was changed forever’

Professional mermaids risk hypothermia, seasickness and the cling of skin-tight silicone, but the reward is becoming an ‘ocean ambassador’ – and a bit more colour in the worldPropelled by a shimmering silicon tail, Katrin Gray spins underwater, blowing kisses to the audience as her long, copper hair floats around her face. Her seemingly effortless movement is anything but – a professional mermaid’s free diving and performance skills require training, practice and total concentration.Mermaiding has become a global cottage industry, with pageants, conventions, retreats and meet-ups, where people gather in “pods” to practise their dolphin kicks. Makers create bespoke tail flukes, bejewelled bras, mermaid hair and even prosthetic gills for professional and hobbyist “seasters”. There is even a Netflix reality series called MerPeople, which documents the occasionally perilous journey of several aspiring professional merfolk. “No dead mermaids,” is the motto of one business featured. Conti...

Politics

4 h. ago Spanish author lambasts linguistic academy over social media influence

Arturo Pérez-Reverte says ‘an illiterate pundit, YouTuber or influencer’ has more impact than a literary prize winnerOne of Spain’s best-known novelists has launched a withering attack on the country’s leading linguistic authority, saying it ignores the opinions of writers when it comes to changes in language, and that its “anything goes Taliban” yields instead to social media, commentators and influencers.Arturo Pérez-Reverte used a column in Monday’s El Mundo to accuse the Spanish Royal Academy (RAE) – of which he is a member – of failing to live up to the mission laid out in its celebrated motto of “cleaning, fixing and giving shine” to the Spanish language. Continue reading...

Culture

5 h. ago 'I tried cryotherapy on my bleached hair and couldn't believe the results'

We tested out Hair.TOXX's cryotherapy, a new treatment for 2026 using -16°C technology and promising up to 264% more shine for damaged hair

Politics

5 h. ago 2026 is already pure chaos. Is that Trump’s electoral strategy? | Moustafa Bayoumi

Less than two weeks into the year, the US is stoking mayhem at home and abroad – with midterms coming in the autumnHave we ever seen a year in recent memory begin with as much deliberate turmoil as 2026 has? Less than two weeks into 2026, we have witnessed Donald Trump deploy US forces to depose and abduct the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, along with Cilia Flores, his wife and close political adviser. The US president then informed the world that the United States would “run” Venezuela for the time being, which he later explained could potentially last for several years.Trump has also threatened – and then seemingly made peace with – the president of Colombia; seized at least five oil tankers in the Caribbean (actions that UN experts label illegal armed aggression); promised US military strikes targeting cartels in Mexico against the wishes of Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum; and frightened the people of Cuba with the prospect that Marco Rubio could be their next presi...

Politics

5 h. ago Sex giggles! Nail clippings on the sofa! The new TV romance so realistic it’s close to perfect

Fans of Normal People and One Day will adore The New Years, which follows a relatable on-off couple in Madrid. It is the best relationship drama you haven’t seen yetIt is rare to watch a fictional romance and feel genuinely invested in the question of will-they-won’t-they – and even rarer for it to reflect familiar relationship turbulence. Many love stories on TV skip straight to wish-fulfilment, delivering instant chemistry, no challenges that can’t be overcome within the runtime and glib reassurance that Love Conquers All.Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, for instance – based on a real couple, and ostensibly exploring whether a relationship can survive differences of faith – didn’t wait to resolve that question before bringing its leads together. In real life, promising connections fall at much lower hurdles, for such banal reasons as incompatible schedules. Continue reading...

Politics

5 h. ago Grandmother, 70, lost her life savings after 'cowboy' builder promised her dream extension but kept demanding more cash before leaving her garden like a 'scrap yard'

Grandmother Yvonne Elloitt, 70, had wanted a small extension to her living room in Leeds, West Yorkshire - but she claims a builder rook her £14,000 life savings and failed to complete the work.

Economics

5 h. ago Hair cryotherapy promises 264% more shine – here’s what it did to my dull, bleached hair

Cryotherapy for your hair looks set to be a big beauty trend for 2026, freezing strands to -16 deliver incredible shine and hydration. Here's what happened when we tries it out...

Politics

6 h. ago Dog owner promised pup won't grow past 30lbs but soon learns the truth

When Ezana Bahru adopted a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy, he was assured by the breeder that the dog wouldn't grow too big. Then something unexpected happened

Politics

8 h. ago The lifesaving legacy across Greater Manchester of Girls Aloud's Sarah Harding

'It's a promise that her fight will help protect future generations of young women'

Politics

8 h. ago Huge US singer announces first ever show in major Scots city

A HUGE US singer has announced his first ever show in a major Scots city. Charlie Puth will bring his 2026 Wherever’s Clever World Tour to the capital’s Usher Hall this summer, promising an “unforgettable” night for fans. The American hitmaker, known for songs like We Don’t Talk Anymore and See You Again, first shot...

Politics

8 h. ago ‘I made the biggest mistake’: the young Yemeni men lured into the Russian army with empty promises

The offer of thousands of dollars a month was hard to refuse for those living in poverty in a war-torn country. But while some Yemenis have died on the frontline, others are now prisoners of warThe first time I heard Hussein’s mother’s voice, it wasn’t anger that came through the phone, it was exhaustion.“There are rumours that he burned to death,” she said to me. “How do you think that makes me feel as a mother? Where are you, Hussein? I’m looking for you. Please my daughter, help me.” Continue reading...

Politics

11 h. ago Revlon hair tool that 'gives excellent volume with no frizz' now 50% off

As winter weather makes hair frizzy, the Revlon styler has been branded a 'breeze' to use '

Politics

18 h. ago I’m 42 and I’ve been cursed with a micropenis & haven’t had sex for years – how can I make it normal size?

HAVE you set any New Year’s resolutions? January is full of promises to “start again”, which may fill you with hope or dread. Even if it’s the former, going in too hard can lead to a plateau later, if your goals are unrealistic. My message to you, as a GP, is not to punish yourself....

Politics