2 h. ago ‘It brings you closer to the natural world’: the rise of the Merlin birdsong identifying app

Merlin has been trained to identify the songs of more than 1,300 bird species around the worldWhen Natasha Walter first became curious about the birds around her, she recorded their songs on her phone and arduously tried to match each song with online recordings. After a friend recommended Merlin Bird ID, a free app, she tried it in her London garden and was delighted to discover the birds she assumed were female blackbirds – “this is how bad a birder I was” – were actually song thrushes and mistle thrushes.“I’m obsessed with Merlin – it’s wonderful and it’s been a joy to me,” says Walter, a writer and human rights activist. “This is what AI and machine-learning have been invented for. It’s the one good thing!” Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago Forget working, you could be better off on benefits under Labour! How a couple with three children earning just £10,000 a year could 'game' the system to pocket the equivalent of a £140,000 salary

Benefit-claiming parents who work as little as a day a week are set for bumper pay packets worth the equivalent of £140,000 next year - and it's all thanks to Labour's 'Benefit Street Budget'.

Economics

4 h. ago ‘Bumper’ Boxing Day for UK retail destinations, analysts say

High streets enjoyed a 3.6% increase in footfall on last Boxing Day while retail parks saw an 8.8% uplift.

Politics

4 h. ago The hill I will die on: Online shops, please I beg – stop with endless post

You really want me to review my buy? Yes, it was fine. But that is where I would like our relationship to end When I buy something online, I don’t want to receive more than two emails: one to confirm my order has been received, and another to tell me when it will be delivered. The numerous notifications we receive while browsing, buying and then waiting for delivery are presumably meant to be reassuring. But since when is harassment reassuring?Imagine a world in which the second you walk into a shop, someone taps you on the shoulder and asks: “Can I help you today?” Then someone asks for your email address in exchange for a 5% discount. When you find what you are looking for and place it in your basket, this instigates more nuisance. “Hurry! Twenty-one other people have this in their basket too!” Of course 21 other people have this in their basket, it’s shower gel and a significant number of people shower. This doesn’t make you rush. It makes you thrilled that the consensus remains ...

Economics

4 h. ago Where to shop Kate Middleton's exact suede handbag from Christmas Day appearance

The Princess of Wales attended the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk and she opted for a monochrome brown look, complete with a chic brown suede handbag she's worn before

Politics

5 h. ago ‘Painful to hear!’ How podcasts’ rush to video is turning them into dreadful listens

From Joe Marler’s visual-only stunts to the incomprehensible shuffling sounds Steven Bartlett recently subjected headphone users to, dodgy audio experiences are on the riseTo understand where we are in the evolution of podcasting, the opening episode of Joe Marler Will See You Now is unexpectedly instructive. The podcast finds Marler, former rugby player and breakout star of The Celebrity Traitors, impersonating a psychotherapist and subjecting guests to “totally unregulated psychological testing”. The mock-therapy conceit is hardly a new one, but on paper it still has the makings of a successful pod. Celebrity host fresh from ratings-busting TV triumph? Check. Fancy studio setup for the viewing crowd? Check. Weird visual stunts that will leave audio listeners baffled? Er check?The big news in podcasting from the last 18 months has been the medium’s swift and unstoppable pivot to video. Where a podcast was previously defined as an audio recording available to stream online, it has s...

Politics

5 h. ago ‘I’ve tested hundreds of lip balms but this is the only one that lasts for 12 hours’

'I'm actually using lip balm less often now because this nourishing formula is so good,' says beauty editor Laura Mulley about this surprising hit product

Politics

5 h. ago 'I bought £5 Too Good To Go bag from M&S on Boxing Day and items were wild'

A woman shared her impressive Too Good To Go bag haul from M&S on Boxing Day, revealing she paid just £5 for sandwiches, ready meals and fresh produce worth much more

Economics

5 h. ago Spanish town has Europe's cheapest package holiday for 2026 summer getaways

If you're looking to book your summer getaway for next year then look no further, as the cheapest holiday destination has been revealed and it's a stunning Spanish region

Politics

6 h. ago ‘It restored my hope’: how community action is confronting racism in Belfast

An initiative linking people across race, class and faith offers an antidote to silence, hate and growing divisionDonate to the charity appeal hereAs a black woman in Northern Ireland, Maureen Hamblin knows that racism comes in many forms. “It’s not just the smashing in of shop windows,” she says. “It can be quiet, it can be silent.”Bystanders who hear racist remarks and remain mute, as if oblivious, amplify the hurt and leave victims feeling alone and isolated, a recurring experience that left Hamblin drained. “There was a time when I’d lost a lot of faith in white people, in white men.” Continue reading...

Events

6 h. ago My 22st frame left me breathless walking to the pub, now I’ve achieved my dream of wearing Primark XS thanks to fat jabs

HEARING the satisfying sound of the zip closing, Rebecca Johnson can’t help but smile. Stood in the changing rooms of Primark she has finally achieved her dream - she can fit into an XS in her favourite shop. It’s a far cry from the girl she was just nine months earlier, admitting she struggled to...

Politics

7 h. ago Supermarket timings for New Year revealed for Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Lidl and more

Most major supermarkets are open with time variations

Politics

8 h. ago 'I struggled with acne since age 10 and wish I'd had this Boots skincare range'

Australian brand The Breakout Hack has launched at Boots UK with acne-fighting products that avoid harsh ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide

Politics

9 h. ago Global hotel groups bet on customer loyalty to beat online and AI agents

Companies including Marriott and Hilton push to improve perks and get more direct bookings

Economics

14 h. ago Manchester United win vs Newcastle can prove turning point as Ruben Amorim hails new trait

Man Utd were on the back foot in the second half against Newcastle but produced an excellent defensive performance to claim all three points.

Politics

15 h. ago Final Boxing Day fox hunt in photos as Nigel Farage seen watching sick sport

Nigel Farage was seen amongst the throng at Chiddingstone Castle, in Chiddingstone, Kent, before hunters and their packs of dogs started following a pre-laid trail

Sport

15 h. ago Lisandro Martinez reaction showed Manchester United have their warrior back

Man Utd produced a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort to beat Newcastle United 1-0 in the Premier League.

Events

16 h. ago Tesco car park fire drama as 999 crews race to tackle Boxing Day inferno

Dramatic pictures show the moment a car is engulfed in a ball of flames in a Tesco car park in Cornwall

Events

17 h. ago 'Durable, sleek' packing cubes for saving suitcase space now 20% off: 'I love them'

'The packing cubes are of high quality materials and have proven to be very durable in my travels'

Politics

18 h. ago Boxing Day hunt defies Chris Packham and local council to go ahead with centuries

Hundreds attended the hunt in Tiverton, Devon, amid Labour's plans to ban trail hunting.

Politics