2 d. ago I used to judge my mother’s gambling addiction. Now I think she was longing for a fairytale ending

Toni Jordan’s mother gambled fast, ferociously, without any sense of fun. The author has come to realise she was dreaming of a bigger life My mother, Margaret, died in 2018 at 75. It was a good death, all things considered. The very end was savage, as endings often are, but she was in her own home and on her own two feet until the final week. For a woman who’d smoked two packs a day all her adult life, who’d never exercised or even walked to the shops, who refused to drink water (“I’d spew!”) and lived on Coca-Cola, paté on toast, jubes and green olives from a jar – considering all that, she did OK.During my mother’s final days, I had it easy. My sister, Lee, lived closer and is, to be honest, a more nurturing person. She’s caring. Patient. Lee is also better with money than me, but I thought I should at least attempt to help – so at the end, I took charge of Mum’s bank accounts. She lived on the pension and died with a run-down brick veneer villa unit in an over-50s complex, an old...

Events

9 d. ago India’s top court ordered one million stray dogs be removed from the streets. The backlash was immediate

Street dogs are a fixture of nearly every neighbourhood in Delhi, in most cases fed and cared for by residents. So when a child’s apparent rabies death sparked a court order that all dogs must be rounded up and confined to non-existent ‘shelters’, it sparked mass protests and nationwide debate. Namita Singh reports from Delhi

Events

1 week ago Travellers break down locks to invade affluent north London park with 15 caravans illegally pitched up next to multi

Coldfall Wood in the leafy suburb of Muswell Hill has become the latest site to become overrun with travellers, with images showing several vehicles parked up on the grass.

Events

1 week ago ‘Water was just spewing everywhere’: Violent watermain break in London neighbourhood puts residents in danger

‘Water was just spewing everywhere’: Violent watermain break in London neighbourhood puts residents in danger  CTV News

Politics

2 w. ago Three wildfires break out at same London park in just two days as dozens of firefighters rush to tackle latest blaze

Three wildfires broke out in Wanstead Flats in east London on Tuesday and Wednesday, while another fire erupted in Northolt

Events

3 w. ago Three wildfires break out in 24 hours in London amid scorching temperatures

Dozens of firefighters had rushed to Wanstead Flats on Monday before more fires broke out on Tuesday

Events

3 w. ago Wildfires break out across London amid scorching temperatures

Dozens of firefighters had rushed to Wanstead Flats on Monday before more fires broke out on Tuesday

Events

3 w. ago Wildfires break out at east London park for second day in a row amid scorching temperatures

Dozens of firefighters had rushed to Wanstead Flats on Monday before more fires broke out on Tuesday

Events

3 w. ago First look inside new homes to rent at Greater Manchester's £35million Deansgate Gardens development

The first residents are now moving into the new residential neighbourhood of 167 homes

Economics

3 w. ago Russian model, 25, is latest crime victim of lawless London as she reveals burglar broke in and ransacked her home in the capital

Russian model Alla Bruletova, 25, took to Instagram to share an image of the aftermath of a break-in at her London home with her 2.6 million followers.

Events

3 w. ago Vandals wreck 41 cars in one night as they smash windows and spray paint bizarre messages on vehicles

The vandals went on the rampage in a residential neighbourhood in the Overslade area of Rugby, Warwickshire, over the weekend.

Politics