business 
Monique on Ian What were you hoping for?To find a nice connection with someone like-minded and with a romantic touch – it is a date after all! First impressions?We were both relieved to find out we were not matched with our colleagues with the same names. What did you talk about?Karneval season in Germany. How … Read more
When asked where the safest place in the world is, some might suggest the airport security queue. Vigilantly monitored, it sends me into autopilot: finishing my water, putting my luggage on the tray, taking out my electronics, shuffling through the body scanner and collecting my belongings. But as of August last year, I’m no longer so … Read more
A tall hedge – a privet – marked the boundary between our front garden and our neighbour Marianne’s. The hedge afforded both a measure of privacy and an illustrative contrast in maintenance regimes: Marianne’s side is always neat and straight; ours shaggy and bulging into the walkway. A couple of years ago the hedge started … Read more
When it comes to something as earth-shatteringly important as coffee, everyone has an opinion. Some crave a single perfect shot of espresso, while others seek the milkiest latte; some love Starbucks and others, well, don’t. This is why the idea of there being a single best coffee machine is fanciful – everyone’s idea of the … Read more
Learning to get comfortable being by yourself can be challenging. Here, the Lonely Planet team share their advice for women traveling solo. Covering everything from making friends to personal safety to crying in public, most of these tips work well for anyone who finds themselves adventuring unescorted. 1. Ease into it, even for an afternoon … Read more
new video loaded: SpaceX Dragon Capsule Lands in Pacific Ocean transcript Back transcript SpaceX Dragon Capsule Lands in Pacific Ocean After more than five years of landing its returning vessels off the Florida coast, SpaceX’s Dragon capsule splashed down off the California coast for the first time. “We are expecting the main parachutes to deploy … Read more
The prosecution: Xenia He says his throat is dry but to me spitting is a sign of disrespect. I’ve seen people look shocked by it My boyfriend, Ahmed, has a habit I find disgusting: he’s always spitting in public. I think that’s bad enough, but he does it really loudly, which makes it worse – … Read more
Various guidelines suggest we all try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day to improve our overall health and wellbeing. Public Health England encourages a slightly more manageable target of just 10 minutes of brisk walking daily to introduce more moderate-intensity physical activity and reduce your risk of early death by up to 15%. … Read more
Recently, my garden fantasies have extended to a table. Specifically, one of those substantial, move-it-if-you-dare stone tables, weathered beautifully with some mottling and moss, standing on gravel beneath the dappled shade of a tree. I long for this table because, in the similarly fantastical small urban garden in my head, it is the answer to … Read more
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/picture/2025/apr/04/the-fight-back-against-american-bbq-culture-starts-here-the-stephen-collins-cartoon