We can no longer ignore how we’re spending our time. It causes us to stop and think about where our energy goes. We book the trip, meet that friend, start the crafting project. Personally, I’ve read so many stories over the years of people who’ve made changes in their lives, big and small, because of something traumatic that has happened to them or someone they know.

Rich in culture and diversity, Croatia’s abundant beauty spans coastlines, historic towns, over 1,000 islands - and eight national s parks. Boasting ten UNESCO World Heritage sites, Croatia overtook Spain as the ‘Best Country to visit in Europe’ by European Best Destinations in 2025.

Ahead of Brighton '84's arrival at Harrogate Theatre, King Brilliant co-founder Lee Bainbridge talks to Group Editor Andrew Palmer about class, comedy and a writing partnership a decade in the making. Mention the Brighton bombing and most people picture the same thing: Margaret Thatcher, the Grand Hotel, a nation holding its breath.

Our mortgage expert Sam Fox, founder of UKMC, explains why first-time buyers should look beyond their existing bank when searching for a mortgage. First-time buyers could be missing out on mortgages better suited to their circumstances by limiting their search to their existing bank.

Sonya Venugopal considers herself a foodie. “My family all love food, and we have a group family chat called Foodies, where we tend to share recipes.

The introduction to this novel tells us it is ‘the portrait of a middle-aged, middle-class housewife’, but that does it an injustice because it is so much more. The intro also says that ‘even if a literary work concerns unintellectual subjects, it is, nonetheless, the product of intellect’. How true!

The introduction of new technology in the business world often brings both excitement and apprehension. While some are enthusiastic about change, others meet it with resistance, a reaction that is frequently mistaken for a modern phenomenon. In truth, resistance to innovation has existed throughout human history.

A reviewer who spends years moving between genres and recordings risks a kind of critical fatigue, where superlatives are handed out too readily and end up meaning very little. That's why I keep a mental scorecard, weighing tone, technique, ensemble and interpretation against one another before I let an adjective like 'outstanding' anywhere near a review. Most of the time this keeps me honest.

Westside Cowboy’s It Goes On is the kind of album that makes you want to turn the volume up simply to hear where it might take you next. Across its nine tracks, the Manchester band have refined their scrappy, guitar-heavy sound into something that feels both unmistakably British and remarkably fresh. There is a looseness to the record, but never a lack of purpose. Guitars jangle, grind and collide; melodies appear from the noise; and the songs find poetry in everyday observations without ever making them feel ordinary.

For those wanting to start a family, a positive pregnancy test is welcome news and brings with it the hope of an exciting and rewarding journey into parenthood. Starting a new chapter in life inevitably brings uncertainties but for today’s mothers-to-be the numerous controversies that surround pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood can cause confusion, apprehension, anxiety and unease.

Tim Pope is the visionary director behind some of the most famous pop music videos, including Queen’s It’s A Hard Life and Soft Cell’s Bedsitter besides David Bowie’s 50th birthday concert at Madison Square Gardens in New York in 1997. Of all your favourite videos, Pope was probably the director.

A warm and sultry night in old London town was the location for the formal brand launch for Lepas in the UK. Regular readers will already have seen my review of the Chinese manufacturer’s first car, the L8, Lepas-L8-Launch-Review However, this was a chance to meet the full team and find out what the future plans are.

His playing is thrilling, especially in the third movement, where the registrations traded between manuals draw the listener deep into the acoustic. He darts around the manuals with formidable technical dexterity, particularly through the trickiest chromatic passages, while the low pedal growls around the building like a Norwegian troll and the mixtures positively shimmer. He captures the opening movement's dark, brooding Grave with real atmosphere too

There is plenty to admire here. Hazel Eyes is richly produced and, at its best, allows Smith’s extraordinary voice to breathe rather than simply serve as another component in a maximalist pop production. Everlasting Love opens with a gently fingerpicked guitar and sultry minor chords before Smith’s nimble head voice glides over restrained strings and horns. It is sleek and sophisticated, recalling the understated elegance of Sade without feeling like mere pastiche.

Meta has unveiled a new WhatsApp security feature called Scam Alert, an optional AI-powered tool designed to detect potential scam messages directly on a user's device while preserving WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption model.

Mystery Jets has returned with A Hole To See The Sky Through, an album that feels like a genuine rediscovery of what makes them such an enduring proposition. Where their recent work sometimes felt weighed down by its own seriousness, this record finds a far more natural balance between reflection and exuberance, bringing back the melodic sparkle, wit and sense of adventure that first made the band so compelling.

The Harrogate Food and Drink Festival was held in two locations this year, at The Stray, Harrogate, in June, and at Ripley Castle, Harrogate, on the 22nd and 23rd August. I went along to Ripley Castle on Saturday the 22nd to see what it was all about.

As students prepare to start university this September, many families face new and sometimes unexpected challenges. Leaving home, losing daily structure, managing money, making friends from scratch and facing new academic standards can put a lot of pressure on a young person. Parents are often the first to notice shifts in mood, behaviour, or academic performance.

Mazzoli's score is nothing short of genius. The music paints pictures with real creativity and power, and her use of instrumentation to depict particular scenes is marvellous, not least the deployment of melodica, piano, synthesiser and electric guitar alongside the more conventional orchestral palette.

Stella Lefty has had a massive 2026. The breakout success of her Noah Kahan-interpolating single, Boston, has seen her achieve the longest-running ever #1 single on the UK country radio charts, but it has also seen her included on the prestigious Country Mount Rushmore for 20

Five bush dog pups - the only ones born in the UK this year - have emerged from their den at Chester Zoo. Born around a month ago to four-year-old Molly after a 65-day pregnancy, the youngsters are now beginning to explore their surroundings alongside their parents and older siblings.

Opening this excellently recorded Delphian disc, the sonata is played with a beautiful sensitivity, its lines phrased with real understanding – nowhere more so than in the Romance slow movement, with its rippling piano accompaniment. Every movement is delivered with delectable expression, Burnside's accompaniment judiciously weighed against Foyle's tone, and the emotional core of the piece is never in doubt.

When Julia* inherited a share of her late father's four-bedroom house in East London, she expected a straightforward process. What followed was a year of financial strain, family tension, a probate handled by strangers, and a mounting fear of homelessness - all while knowing money was coming to her that she couldn't yet touch.

Having cited The Beatles, The Stone Roses and David Bowie as key influences, it is clear that Beckham is happy to wear these sounds within his own context, but at one stage does this EP try to simply emulate those artists? He rather marries his key influences with his own Britpop leanings to craft an EP that feels very much his own.

Most importantly, The Roaring Waves never feels like a competition between two legendary guitarists. There is no sense of Hackett and Rothery trying to prove who can shred hardest. Instead, the emphasis is on atmosphere, melody and storytelling. That makes the album considerably more involving than a mere virtuoso showcase.

Written and recording during COVID-19, Bareilles is in a very reflective mood as she tries to understand the world that surrounds her. As she explores the notion of loss, grief, heartbreak and personal breakdowns, she delivers what many may see as an introspective record but in reality is based on the stories of those she knows and those she has read. And the real beauty of this record is that she showcases such deep empathy that they feel so true to her that it is impossible not to connect with the depth of emotion showcased.

As we head into September after a record-breaking summer and drought, autumn provides a transitional month to reset our gardens after a dry and tinderbox few months. With hope of rainfall and sunshine, our gardens can reset, with autumn being the perfect time to plant and plan in your outdoor space.

Conservationists are celebrating a successful year for Black-necked Grebes, one of the UK’s rarest breeding birds. Working in partnership with Woolston Eyes Conservation Group to restore and extend precious wetland habitat, 35 pairs of the scarce species were recorded on the reserve in 2025 after breeding was first proven in 1987.

Castings Technology has installed a multi-million-pound vacuum arc remelting (VAR) furnace at its new £18m facility in Sheffield, marking a significant milestone for the South Yorkshire engineering sector. The installation is the largest of its type in commercial use in the UK and ranks among the largest globally.

Drivers warned to expect sudden surface water and localised flooding as heavy, thundery showers follow the recent hot, dry weather. Hard, compacted ground following prolonged dry conditions can increase surface run-off during intense rainfall. “Conditions can change incredibly quickly when a thundery downpour hits.” - AA expert patrol

Dear Editor, Some of life's best moments come with a soundtrack – whether it's at a music event, a festival or a night out with friends. It's how many people connect, celebrate, and make memories. To keep it that way it's really important to protect your hearing health.

The UK’s third tallest structure, Caldbeck transmitter station, is celebrating 65 years of keeping communities across Cumbria and South West Scotland connected through television and radio services. The transmitting station, which first went on air on 1 September 1961, serves around 280,000 homes and has become one of the UK's most important broadcasting locations.

Car tech computer confusion has become one of the UK’s top five causes of breakdowns, the AA reveals. Whilst people might be used to ‘computer says no’ at home or work, many are being flummoxed by the technical complexity of their vehicles.

Almost half the people eligible for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax have missed the first filing deadline, according an analysis from international accountancy and business advisory group Azets. Figures from HMRC showed 436,000 taxpayers filed their first MTD for Income Tax quarterly update on time on August 7 – 50.5% of those who should have.

The latest Emergency Department (ED) performance figures from NHS England, covering July 2026, show that last month was the worst July on record for 12-hour waits, with over 150,000 patients waiting more than half a day in major (Type 1) EDs. It also shows that more than 47,000 patients who attended major EDs spent over 12 hours waiting on a trolley.

From blaming a twin brother to eating the evidence, TransPennine Express (TPE) has revealed some of the more unusual excuses its revenue protection team has heard from customers travelling without a valid ticket. Among them was a customer caught using a child ticket for the second time.

The government must be honest about the UK’s energy demand in its response to the public consultation on the Rosebank oilfield, says David Whitehouse chief executive of Offshore Energies UK The government response to the public consultation which closes today [Monday August 17th] will set the direction of the UK’s future energy policy, industrial resilience and its route to net zero.

Grade I-listed Ribble Valley hall set for hotel, members' club and wellness centre, with planning applications expected in November Alison Brooks Architects has been appointed to lead a £30 million redevelopment of Gisburne Park, a 1,000-acre estate near the Ribble Valley, converting the historic house into a members' club, boutique hotel and wellness centre.

Foodbanks are calling for donations of everyday essentials this summer as families face extra pressure during the school holidays. To help shoppers support their local communities, supermarket Aldi has revealed the products charities say are needed most, making it easier for customers to donate while doing their weekly shop.

A new briefing from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Buildings: In defence of ‘stupid growth, is written by Kristian Niemietz, the IEA's Editorial Director, and forms part of a forthcoming IEA book, The Great Stagnation: Why Britain Stopped Growing, which brings together contributions from multiple authors, each examining a different explanation for Britain's growth malais…

Focus4Hope’s CEO and founder Louise Reed works with West Yorkshire’s most vulnerable people, including those who are homeless. Here’s her message for Andy Burnham. 1. Prevent homelessness – don’t just react to it. The fallout that follows homelessness, including addiction, plummeting mental health and exploitation, is far more costly in human and financial terms than prevention.

Four wins and two of them the coveted two-star kind — Altrincham-based Lovingly Artisan Bakery has enjoyed one of its finest showings yet at this year's Great Taste Awards. The Guild of Fine Food has revealed its 2026 winners, with the Northwest bakery — which operates across Altrincham, Manchester and Kendal in the Lake District — picking up two two-star awards and two one-star awards.

New YouGov research reveals that nearly three in ten members of the British public (28%) say they are not planning ahead financially. Of the rest, a fifth plan less than one year ahead (21%) and the same proportion plan 1-3 years ahead (21%). Some 12% plan 3-5 years ahead, but only a quarter (25%) plan more than five years ahead.

Charities across Yorkshire are being encouraged to apply for funding from LNER’s 2027 Customer & Community Investment Fund (CCIF). Grants of up to £10,000 are available to small and medium-sized charities based within 15 miles of the East Coast Main Line for projects that support LNER's three key priorities: better for planet, better for people and better for places.

The former Anglican Bishop of Lancaster from 1998 to 2005, Rt Rev. Stephen Pedley, has died at the age of 85. Bishop Stephen was also Honorary Chaplain to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth between 1984 and 1998.  A priest's son, Stephen was born in Coventry in 1940 at the height of the Battle of Britain and the subsequent bombing blitz of many British cities.

The UK economy grew by 0.1% in May, official figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown, with warm weather lifting retail sales even as renewed conflict in the Middle East threatens to disrupt global supply chains and dampen business confidence.