6 d. ago The capital city near to white sand beaches where not a single person lives

Plymouth is the official capital city of the beautiful Caribbean island of Montserrat, but while it once had a population of 4,000 it was dramatically deserted almost 30 years ago

Society

8 d. ago Snowy peaks, orcas and an antique shop – the abandoned Norwegian fishing village that’s enjoying a revival

A handful of returning locals and adventurous tourists are breathing new life into Nyksund, a remote coastal outpost in Norway’s wild northwestWe land on a white sand beach under jagged black mountains. A sea eagle, surprised to see humans, flaps away over the only house with a roof on it – the rest are in ruins. “Hundreds of people used to live here,” says Vidar. “In the days when you had to sail or row, it was important to be near the fishing grounds. Now there’s just one summer cabin.”Jumping out of the boat, we walk along the beach. My daughter, Maddy, points out some animal tracks. “The fresh marks are wild reindeer,” says Vidar. “The older ones could be moose – they come along here too.” Continue reading...

Culture

8 d. ago UK’s largest lake faces environmental crisis as rescue plans stall

Toxic algae cases in Northern Ireland’s Lough Neagh have tripled since last year, as local fishers’ incomes plummetThe UK’s largest lake, Lough Neagh, is on course to record its worst year of potentially toxic algal blooms to date, as rescue plans remain deadlocked.As a ban on eel-fishing in the lake is extended yet again, with local fishers’ incomes falling by 60% since 2023, there have so far this year been 139 detections of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) growths recorded at the lough and its surrounding watercourses, according to a government pollution tracker. This is more than treble the number for the same point in 2024 (45). The data covers the 400 sq km freshwater lough, its tributaries, and smaller peripheral bodies of water, including Portmore Lough and Lough Gullion. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago CDC chief Susan Monarez refuses to resign amid ‘targeted’ ousting – US politics live

Monarez issues statement saying she had ‘neither resigned nor received notification’ of her termination from the White House, plunging public health agency into chaosSenator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an Independent, who serves as the ranking member on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee, said that Robert F. Kennedy’s attempt to fire Susan Monarez was “outrageous”.“The Sen. HELP Committee must hold a hearing with Kennedy & the CDC Director as soon as possible. Vaccines save lives. Period,” Sanders added. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Beautiful beach with white sands has some of Europe’s ‘bluest waters’

Spiaggi dei Conigli, located on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, is the second best beach in the world, according to TripAdvisor.

Events

2 w. ago These islands could be mistaken for Barbados – but they’re off the coast of England

No passport, no jet lag – just white sands, clear water and kayaking among seals. A sleeper train and a ferry later, Rod Ardehali discovers Britain’s most quietly astonishing islands

Politics

2 w. ago You'll be able to fly to this Caribbean Paradise with white sandy beaches directly from Cardiff

With white sandy beaches, turquoise water and palm trees - what's not to love?

Events

2 w. ago Epic private island you can visit on cruises with water park all

Brits can book cruises to the private island in the Bahamas that has incredible white sand beaches, all-inclusive cocktails and water slides

Politics

2 w. ago I spent years unlearning an eating disorder – then I was told to diet for health reasons. This is what it taught me | Amelia Tait

First I had anorexia, then high cholesterol. It’s hard to maintain a healthy relationship to food in a society obsessed with weight lossWhen I was a teenager suffering from anorexia, I thought it was a life sentence. I genuinely believed slogans like “every woman has an eating disorder” and couldn’t imagine a future where calories didn’t make me sweat. With this in mind, you must understand that I’m boasting when I write this next sentence: in November 2024, I was diagnosed with “very high” cholesterol.After years of restriction, I spent my 20s unable to understand why every meal shouldn’t be the maximum amount of delicious. This means that last year, I was regularly melting a packet of white chocolate buttons on my morning porridge before heading out for a white chocolate matcha with cream, followed by a cheese and egg sandwich in a brioche bun, a slice of cake, fried chicken and chips, to say nothing of the bread and butter before dinner and dessert. In short, I was smashing throu...

Events

4 w. ago ‘The ocean is spitting our rubbish back’: Italy’s museum of plastic pollution

Faded items dating back to 1950s have been found on Italian beaches, underscoring plastic’s problematic longevityEnzo Suma, a naturalist guide, has always picked up rubbish during his walks along Carovigno beach, a stretch of coastline lapped by clear blue waters close to his home in Salento, an area of Puglia in the heel of Italy’s boot.During one walk, Suma, 44, spotted a washed-up bottle of Ambre Solaire sunscreen. He was about to throw it away when he noticed something unusual: the price printed on the bottle was in lire, meaning it must have been produced before the euro replaced the lira in Italy. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Tranquil beach is like a 'Caribbean paradise' with white sands and blue waters

This secluded beach in the Cíes archipelago is often likened to the Caribbean because of its white sands, but its cooling Atlantic waters and lush forests are ideal to beat the heat

Events

last month ‘Who needs the scorching Med?’ Readers’ tips for cooler European coastal holidays

From the deserted Danish Riviera to the unspoilt beaches of Poland, our readers share their favourite, more chilled European coastlines• Tell us about your favourite rail holiday – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucherSpend some time on Rügen, Germany’s largest island, on its Baltic coast. White sandy beaches and darker history await. Visit Lauterbach, by the sea. From there, catch the coastal ferry to the tiny fishing village of Baabe, a near three-mile (5km) walk/cycle through rolling countryside and catch the “Raging Roland” steam train back again. Not far away, you can walk the cliffs that inspired Caspar David Friedrich. For a very different day, visit Prora and its massive beachside concrete apartment blocks, originally planned as a Nazi holiday complex, before becoming a Soviet army barracks, and now a part ruin, part reunification commercial and residential redevelopment.Richard Continue reading...

Politics