2 h. ago Michael Schumacher ally admits 'strict visiting rules' stop him from seeing F1 icon

As the 12th anniversary of Michael Schumacher's life-changing skiing accident approaches, the F1 legend's condition remains closely-guarded by his family

Politics

11 h. ago Barracuda, grouper, tuna – and seaweed: Madagascar’s fishers forced to find new ways to survive

Seaweed has become a key cash crop as climate change and industrial trawling test the resilient culture of the semi-nomadic Vezo peopleAlong Madagascar’s south-west coast, the Vezo people, who have fished the Mozambique Channel for countless generations, are defined by a way of life sustained by the sea. Yet climate change and industrial exploitation are pushing this ocean-based culture to its limits.Coastal villages around Toliara, a city in southern Madagascar, host tens of thousands of the semi-nomadic Vezo people, who make a living from small-scale fishing on the ocean. For centuries, they have launched pirogues, small boats carved from single tree trunks, every day into the turquoise shallows to catch tuna, barracuda and grouper.A boat near lines of seaweed, which has become a main source of income for Ambatomilo village as warmer seas, bleached reefs and erratic weather accelerate the decline of local fish populations Continue reading...

Events

11 h. ago My weirdest Christmas: I insisted, through gritted teeth, that it would be fun to eat outside

It was 2020, and I hired a gazebo and heaters so we could have a festive feast with my mum in the garden. What could possibly go wrong?We called it “diffmas”, because it was going to be a different kind of Christmas. Our son was five, so we were trying to package it appealingly for him. But we might have done that anyway, given the kind of year we’d had – and by “we” I don’t just mean my family, I mean the world.It was 2020. When the then prime minister, Boris Johnson, had announced, in March, that we “must stay at home”, it left my mum, who had lived on her own since my dad died in 2012, completely alone, like many people, for months on end. Her work had involved travelling all over the country, having meetings, organising events, networking. Then, in lockdown, everything stopped. She was Zooming with the best of them, but it was clearly extremely difficult. Continue reading...

Politics

13 h. ago 'I spent five hours lying on hospital floor waiting to be treated

Juliet Caryl slammed the hospital, saying there was no care or dignity. Bosses have since apologised

Politics

23 h. ago The new life of Gareth Bale and the family illness that changed everything

Gareth Bale has enjoyed more time with his family since hanging up his boots

Politics

24 h. ago 'Life changing' Magic Bullet Air Fryer now reduced to under £50

customers saying it's 'the best thing I've bought in years'

Economics

26 h. ago Kate McCann describes how her life changed after Madeleine went missing as she backs The Independent’s SafeCall campaign

SafeCall ‘represents hope, compassion and the possibility of a different ending’ for young people in danger, says mother of Madeleine McCann

Events

27 h. ago Striking a cord: the return of wired headphones is restoring friction to our convenience

From Zendaya to zoomers, listeners are forgoing the convenience of wireless headphones to plug in again. Is it just a retro affectation – or does this physical connection strengthen our relationship to music?AirPods changed my life. I was previously a user of excellent but somewhat cumbersome Audio Technica over-ears, but Apple’s wireless headphones – dinky in their construction, finicky in their setup, temperamental in their ability to actually work – liberated me from cords. My listening habits are, at best, frustrating for the people around me: when you write about music, you have to listen to the same things over and over, and sometimes those things are very bad. Suddenly I could listen to a terrible new pop record or an ominous drone piece while making breakfast or folding laundry late at night without fear of disturbing my housemates by listening from a speaker. I kept my Audio Technicas but built out my collection of AirPods; now I use the wireless in-ear ones while commuting...

Events

28 h. ago Everything we know after motorcyclist rushed to hospital following crash

Police spent hours at the scene

Events

28 h. ago My weirdest Christmas: I sat on a desk chair watching the strangest film I’ve ever seen

Away from our families, my flatmate and I hung out in his bedroom, Christmas lunch on our laps, watching a poorly written, jarringly inappropriate movieIn 2022, I was living in a flat in north London above a chicken shop, with two flatmates and a cockroach infestation (what did we expect, said the landlord, living above a takeaway?). My flatmate was from Lithuania, and was due to go home in January, and our other flatmate, his girlfriend, was away for Christmas. I’d been home to Canada the month before, so for Christmas Day itself it was just the two of us.I bought a small chicken to roast, and served it with stuffing I’d brought back from Canada – it’s the same concept as the stuffing in the UK but somehow fluffier and with more texture – and some pasta. I made brussels sprouts, trying to recreate a dish I like from a restaurant in my home town by cooking them with bacon, maple syrup, parmesan and a mayonnaise drizzle. It wasn’t very nice. We had some prosecco that my flatmate had ...

Politics

29 h. ago The 12 weirdest and most wonderful Christmas traditions from around the world

Here are some of the unusual ways countries around the world celebrate the festive season

Politics

30 h. ago Wales icon Ian Rush shares health update after hospital stay and breathing problems

Ian Rush spent 48 hours in intensive care after being rushed to hospital earlier this month, but the Liverpool legend has said that he is now 'feeling much better'

Science

31 h. ago Powerball jackpot jumps to $1.7 billion after another drawing with no big winner

The rollover means one lucky player could be in line to receive a life-changing windfall during the holiday season

Economics

34 h. ago When the AI bubble bursts, humans will finally have their chance to take back control | Rafael Behr

The US economy is pumped up on tech-bro vanity. The inevitable correction must prompt a global conversation about intelligent machines, regulation and riskIf AI did not change your life in 2025, next year it will. That is one of few forecasts that can be made with confidence in unpredictable times. This is not an invitation to believe the hype about what the technology can do today, or may one day achieve. The hype doesn’t need your credence. It is puffed up enough on Silicon Valley finance to distort the global economy and fuel geopolitical rivalries, shaping your world regardless of whether the most fanciful claims about AI capability are ever realised.ChatGPT was launched just over three years ago and became the fastest-growing consumer app in history. Now it has about 800m weekly users. Its parent company, OpenAI, is valued at about $500bn. Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, has negotiated an intricate and, to some eyes, suspiciously opaque network of deals with other players in the sector...

Politics

34 h. ago 'I went to GP with toe blister and 24 hours later my leg was amputated'

Security consultant Mike Jones lost his leg just 24 hours after visiting a GP and he is now desperate to keep a roof over his head and put food on the table after his life changed in an instant

Politics

35 h. ago My weirdest Christmas: I spent three hours in a car with a screaming baby – and she completely changed my life

Her decibel level was almost operatic. But the sound of my first granddaughter wailing like an ambulance was the most beautiful I had ever heardJust days before Christmas in 2018, I took a flight from New York City to visit my family in southern Italy. My wife, Elvira, and daughter Caroline had moved to a small town in the countryside a few years earlier, and I planned in due course to join the festivities permanently.I’d made the trip before, once or twice a year since they moved, mainly to get the lay of the land. But this time was different. Caroline had recently had her first child and our first grandchild. And now, after making do with photos and videos, I was finally going to meet Lucia Antonia, all of 11 weeks old. Rarely in my life had I felt more giddy about an encounter in the offing. Continue reading...

Politics

43 h. ago 'Wasp whisperer' darts star David Munyua hopes Ally Pally 'dream' will 'unite Africa'

EXCLUSIVE: Kenyan vet David Munyua, who was beaten by Kevin Doets at Ally Pally, admitted the experience had been 'life-changing' and hoped it'll inspire a generation of new players

Politics

46 h. ago We spent 15 HOURS doing the ultimate Elf on the Shelf prank – we’ll take it down again tomorrow, people say we’re crazy

ELF on the Shelf has taken over numerous UK households in the run up to Christmas. And while many parents have been scratching their heads as to what comical scenes they can place the mischievous toy in, one gran shared how she truly pushed the boat out. Taking to Facebook, the creative grandma shared how...

Economics

52 h. ago Stacey Solomon tearful sister makes 'selfish' life decision amid 'giant mess'

Jemma Solomon has made a life-changing decision just days before Christmas following what the 37-year-old mum-of-three described as a 'struggle year', she held back tears as she told fans

Politics

56 h. ago Historic Scottish cat and dog charity names new boss as it appeals for £200,000

“The work of the team is truly life-changing in supporting and caring for dogs and cats in need of loving homes” – Amelia Morgan

Economics