Why holding the door open for someone makes you happy
The aim of my new book is to help you become the architect of your own happiness and health. I can’t change the fact that you’ll encounter…
It’s time we talk honestly about British women and drinking in pregnancy
Should a mother’s drinking levels during pregnancy be recorded on her child’s health record? Last week, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) climbed down…
When having a Covid test costs money, many won’t bother – and the rest of us will pay the price
I don’t want a return to lockdown, with kids trapped inside, but I cannot stomach this ‘I’m all right Jack’ attitude. Testing, like vaccination, is about collective…
How to keep cut flowers alive: six expert gardening tips for long-lasting vases
3. Make your own flower food In a 30cm (1ft) tall vase, use one teaspoon of bleach or a good slurp – about five tablespoons – of…
You can never trust a fuel duty cut
It sounds lovely, doesn’t it? What a relief. A heavily rumoured fuel duty cut. And just when the price of petrol is sky-rocketing, along with the cost…
Why Zelensky’s address to the Knesset fell flat
So bowled over were British MPs by Zelensky’s video address earlier this month that they topped it off with a unique round of parliamentary applause. In the…
The Russian army has run out of time
The Russian campaign in Ukraine may have reached its culminating point. In short, Russian forces may no longer be able to achieve their strategic objective by offensive…
A football regulator would kill the beautiful game
Sanctions against Roman Abramovich since the Russian invasion of Ukraine has plunged Chelsea Football Club into crisis. Unless a respectable new owner can be found and quickly installed,…
Joe Biden’s apathetic approach to Putin is alienating America’s allies
One of Barack Obama’s advisers famously described him as “leading from behind” on the Libya crisis. His Democratic successor in the White House is doing even worse….
The Covid inquiry must not ignore children
The public inquiry into the Covid pandemic is a unique opportunity to examine the effects of, and seek mitigation for, the biggest national crisis in most of…
Why Poland deserves to win the Nobel Peace Prize
Unless you are part of it, it is almost impossible to convey the extraordinary way Poles have risen up to welcome the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian…
These PC rules for writers aren’t just chilling… they’re wildly hypocritical
In this hyper-sensitive age, we are all desperate to avoid giving offence, in case it gets us in trouble. But it isn’t easy. There seem to be…
Half-hearted sanctions against Russia have already failed
Russia has enough usable foreign currency to stay afloat for a long time. Western sanctions against the central bank are not proving to be the killer blow…
Every win for Lia Thomas is a loss for women in sport
I was astonished to learn that Lia Thomas has still not fully transitioned and has been accused of sometimes walking around the female changing-room with their member…
China and Covid are killing free Hong Kong
A recent email from a British citizen working in Hong Kong begins: “I am writing this from a quarantine hotel in HK. Due to the HK government’s…
The best vitamin supplements every woman needs to take in their 40s
All anyone’s asking me about these days is supplements; which ones help you to sleep, give skin a glow, boost immunity, curb anxiety, increase energy… it seems…
How to spring clean and declutter your home in 2022
Spring cleaning is a trend many of us jump on as we approach the warmer months – but there’s no denying it’s an effort. Who can tolerate…
The brand behind the Duchess of Cambridge’s £2,500 dress – and how to get it for a fraction of the price
Percy dress, £220, Aspiga; Floral dress, £220, Aspiga (available May) Their corduroy Percy dresses in particular mimic the Vampire’s Wife silhouette: nipped-in waist, high-neck, three-quarter length sleeves…
5 best spring/summer perfumes for women
Fragrance can be comforting and nostalgic, like giving an old friend a hug. I also definitely find some escapism in the form of a bottle of perfume….
Why a luxury Italian label became Vladimir Putin’s go-to brand
At a particular level of society, there are certain brands that become a go-to. Until now, Loro Piana has been the ultimate “stealth wealth” operator. Its fabrications…
Inside Russia’s notorious ‘troll factory’ that is flooding social media with Kremlin propaganda
An undercover journalist has exposed the inner workings of Russia’s notorious “troll factory” which aims to boost domestic support for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine by flooding…
China could destroy Australia’s satellites knocking out its broadband, warns new head of ‘space command’
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines, she said that the reality was that space was “contested and congested and there are threats”. Lack of capability ‘concerning’ Of…
Tuesday evening UK news briefing: Putin’s forces ‘retreating’ says Ukraine’s military
As ordinary families suffer, pensioners are in line for a £733 boost to the state pension next year, after the Government promised to reinstate the state pension…
‘Why shell a shopping centre?’ Locals mourn loss of Kyiv landmark to Russian onslaught
It was also, as Mr Moskalenko said, a “morale-sapper”. The centre, opened in 2015, was a centrepiece of Kyiv’s newly-developed Podil district, where smart new flats sprung…
Even on the brink of defeat, Mariupol refuses to lay down its arms
The European Union said on Monday that “what’s happening in Mariupol is a massive war crime” while a Greek diplomat, and the last foreign official to leave,…