Page 24 - News

Hands using pruning shears to trim seedlings on a sunny windowsill with pots and a spray bottle nearby.

Spring Cuttings: Seven Easy Plants to Propagate

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

Buying plants from a nursery can quickly strain the budget, particularly during planting season. Yet a clean pair of secateurs,...

Person using tongs to remove steaming fried food from a black air fryer on a kitchen counter.

6 Best-Selling Air Fryers on Amazon Everyone’s Adding to Cart

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

In a quiet flat kitchen at 7.15 p.m., someone tips a handful of frozen chips into a compact black appliance...

Person measuring a wooden garden shed and taking notes on plans in a sunny backyard.

Garden shed: the 5 m² threshold that can trigger planning formalities and development tax

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

The flat-pack garden shed has just arrived, leaning against the gate, and the excitement is real: at last, somewhere to...

Couple sitting at a table reviewing bills and calculating expenses with a calculator and laptop in a bright kitchen.

French State Pension 2026: Maximum Carsat Pension Set at €1,932

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

The French government has finalised the maximum state pension payable in 2026, establishing a firm upper limit on what the...

Man planting flower bulbs in garden soil surrounded by tulips, daffodils, and autumn leaves in a backyard.

What to Plant in October for a Beautiful Spring Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

On October mornings, the lawn is still wet and your hands can sting slightly against the cold soil. Yet in...

Businesswoman showing smartphone with approved message on screen, city skyline in background.

Revolut secures a full banking licence in Australia

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

Revolut has secured a full banking licence in Australia, taking on a long-established market controlled by four major banks. The...

Smiling woman using a smartphone outdoors in a rural area with a drone and airship flying overhead.

Stratospheric Internet: Closing the World’s Last Major Connectivity Gap

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

The technology that is intended to close the world’s last major connectivity gap now comes from the stratosphere. Around a...

Person making a contactless payment with a card and smartphone at a café table next to a cup of coffee.

UK Contactless Card Payment Limits: What Changes From Thursday

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

From this Thursday, an important change takes effect for cardholders: the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and banks are setting the...

Person studying a bird guidebook while observing a bird building a nest in a clay pot outdoors.

What Does Finding a Rufous Hornero Nest in Your Garden Mean?

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

Finding a rufous hornero nest in your garden creates a profound link with nature and shows that the area provides...

Four young people sit around a table with a laptop and medication chart, discussing doses and schedules.

How Reconciliation Could Change Healthcare Affordability for Families

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

Coffee had gone cold. Behind me, the baby monitor gave off a faint hiss, and the family laptop shone with...

Person making contactless payment with a card on a terminal inside a cafe with a red double-decker bus outside.

FCA changes contactless payments: what happens to the £100 limit?

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

Contactless payments have long been standard across the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is now changing the rules behind...

Person spreading white gravel into a geometric garden grid on a sunny patio with plants and tools nearby.

30 m² gravel courtyard renovated without concrete using stabilisation panels

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

A homeowner completely revamped a gravel courtyard without slabs or built edging, using an unobtrusive material that keeps the stones...

Blue Mocean EU electric SUV on display in a bright showroom with large windows and city view outside.

Hyundai Mocean subscription service may expand across Europe

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

Hyundai Connected Mobility is considering extending its Mocean car subscription service into Europe’s key markets. It is already available in...

Person using smartphone to make contactless payment at a café with barista in the background.

UK contactless payment limit: FCA rules could remove the £100 cap

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

For anyone who simply taps their card on the terminal at the supermarket, pharmacy or petrol station, contactless payment has...

Cardinal and tits feeding from a cardboard bird feeder held by a gloved hand in snowy garden.

Turn an Egg Box into a Simple Winter Bird Feeder

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

One January morning, as I opened the shutters, I spotted a blue tit perched on the old wooden crate beside...

Teenage boy sitting cross-legged on bed using phone with laptop and lamp on bedside table in evening.

UK digital curfew for teenagers aged 16-17 targets late-night smartphone use

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

The United Kingdom is preparing an unprecedented measure intended to make 16- and 17-year-olds put down their smartphones overnight, a...

Man holding hard drive near flying drone with laptop showing blockchain symbol at e-waste recycling site.

James Howells and the Bitcoin Hard Drive Worth 649 Million Dollars

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

A Welsh IT technician accidentally threw away a hard drive while clearing out an office. It contained access credentials for...

Person placing blue eggs in a nest near a wooden birdhouse in a garden with gardening gloves and a bird guidebook nearby.

Four Garden Birds That May Be Nesting Outside Your Door Now

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

If you look closely over the coming weeks, it soon becomes clear that a real baby boom is under way...

Person gardening and tending plants in shade of a leafy tree in a sunlit backyard garden.

Plane-Leaved Mulberry: Living Shade for a Hot Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

One July afternoon, the garden thermometer reads 34°C and the patio suddenly feels far too white, far too hard and...

Person using a smartphone at a table with Union Jack mug and passport, with a red phone box and double-decker bus outside.

Pornhub returns to the United Kingdom for iPhone users with Apple age verification

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

Pornhub’s publisher has announced that the site is returning after access was blocked in the United Kingdom. However, it is...

Hands pouring coffee from a glass jug into a glass on a wooden table with orchids by a window.

Orchids: How Molasses Can Encourage New Blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • October 11, 2026

Many orchids look rather forlorn once their first magnificent flush of flowers has faded. Yet a straightforward household ingredient from...