3 d. ago 8 ways to stay social after retiring – and why it’s important

Staying socially connected in retirement provides a sense of purpose and helps create a strong support system.

Politics

5 d. ago Geely EX5 review: Sensational value SUV with a little help from Lotus

The first model from Volvo, Polestar and Lotus owner Geely is a cracker – if only it went a little bit further

Politics

5 d. ago The one change that worked: I was burned out and stressed – then I found a steamy solution

After a bereavement and world events left me struggling to cope, I tried medication, yoga and therapy. But it was my local sauna that helped me find peace and purposeEarlier this year, I was approaching burnout. I felt as though my career as a freelance journalist was on permanent life-support, I was juggling a hectic family life, and I was consumed with worry about a world seemingly hellbent on self-destruction. I was struggling, too, with the death of a close family member and an old school friend. Grieving had become a default status. Despite support from family and loved ones, I needed to find a way to cope with this nearly overwhelming sense of loss.I tried meditation, yoga and therapy, which all helped. Then I heard of Community Sauna Baths, a not-for-profit project in London designed to make saunas accessible and affordable for everyone. From my very first visit, I felt something change. A sense of peace came over me. It immediately felt like a sanctuary, a pocket of calm in ...

Events

5 d. ago Why do people love spicy food – even when it hurts to eat it?

Tearing up, sweating and other bodily functions are all signs that the body is trying to expel spicy foods as quickly as possible. But there is a simple reason why some people enjoy those sensationsThe first thing to understand about eating spicy food is that it really isn’t a matter of taste. Capsaicin, the active chemical in capsicum plants that are a key ingredient in anything you’d think of as “spicy”, evolved as an irritant to stop mammals from chewing and destroying plant seeds. It acts on the nervous system directly through receptors in the tongue, throat and skin – no taste buds required – and, in theory, tells our bodies that the thing we’ve just ingested is something to get rid of as soon as possible. The obvious question, then, is: why do some of us like the sensation so much?To start to understand that, it’s helpful to know a bit more about what’s going on in the body. “Think of an engineering brief where we have to detect irritants in a system and clear them rapidly,” s...

Politics

6 d. ago Gary Neville forced into change he 'never' makes by Liverpool disaster vs Man City

Jeremy Doku scored a sensational goal to help Manchester City see off Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, with Gary Neville left so impressed he made a rare admission

Events

8 d. ago Tea drinkers are turning to gum serum that reduces teeth sensitivity 'in days'

The special serum not only helps with sensitive teeth, but also naturally enhances tooth whiteness

Politics

1 week ago 'Secret son' of comic pal of King Charles shows dad's flair for humour in hilarious book

Spike Milligan's sense of fun and way with words helped his son write 'A Book Of Poems For People Under 4ft 2"', a work which would have made his dad smile.

Society

2 w. ago Dog walker killed in ‘senseless’ Uxbridge triple stabbing was ‘trying to help’

A 22-year-old Afghan national - who arrived in the UK in a lorry before being granted asylum in 2022 - was arrested at the scene

Events

2 w. ago Novak Djokovic’s wife proved right after tearful retirement chat as plans grow clearer

Novak Djokovic was on the brink of retirement a few years ago, but his wife Jelena and their children helped him make a sensational comeback which shows no sign of slowing

Politics

3 w. ago Spirituality isn’t rigid dogma. It’s a living, breathing practice that helps make sense of an incomprehensible world | Shadi Khan Saif

I grew up in Kabul and Karachi. In both, I learned the value of the quiet rituals observed while no one is watchingWhen I was leaving London for Melbourne, my eldest sister-in-law told her kids not to forget the “tradition” – to throw a bowl of water behind me as I stepped out the door. Just a small splash on the ground, a gesture older than borders. “La har azaab po aman se,” she whispered in Pashto under her breath – may all hardship stay away from you. The little ones giggled and waved their goodbyes as they spilled the water, somewhere between shy and amused.My mother used to do this too, back in Afghanistan. Every time I left for a journey, especially international ones, she’d quietly follow me to the gate with a bowl of water, whispering prayers I couldn’t always hear. But this moment, between two western cities, with children growing up in a world so far from where that habit began, felt different. It was softer. Bittersweet. Like watching an old song being hummed in a new la...

Politics