Month: August 2024

Harpenden high street (Image: James Linsell Clark / SWNS) Stepping off the train at Harpenden station, I was immediately struck by the calm that greeted me. Just 40 minutes away from the heart of London, this small Hertfordshire town feels like a world away. The air is cleaner, the pace slower, and the greenery more abundant. It’s no wonder that for the second year in a row, The Telegraph has named Harpenden one of the best places to live in the UK. But as I walked through the picturesque High Street, with its charming independent shops, cozy cafés, and traditionally ... Read more

The First World War was one of the deadliest conflicts in human history resulting in the deaths of millions. Hundreds of movies focused on different aspects of World War I have been made over the last century. And film fan database IMDb has ranked the very best, but Lawrence of Arabia missed out on No 1 to another classic. Check out the full Top 10 list below, which features two adaptations of the same novel. 10. All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) The third adaptation of the 1929 anti-war novel follows the life of an idealistic young German soldier. ... Read more

Bibury, often dubbed “England’s prettiest village,” is facing a crisis of overtourism, prompting local authorities to consider banning coaches from the village center.  The influx of tourists has led to severe disruptions for residents, who are now calling for immediate action to alleviate the pressure on their community. Known for its iconic Arlington Row, Bibury has long been a magnet for visitors from around the world. However, the village’s popularity has become a double-edged sword. The large numbers of touring coaches bring a constant flow of tourists, causing congestion, illegal parking, and even physical altercations between frustrated locals and visitors. ... Read more

Spanish locals have started branding Brits who go out drinking whilst on holiday an offensive term. The slang word “guiri”, pronounced ‘guee-ree’, is actually a Basque term to denote someone “blonde” and “fair-skinned”. However, it also can be used to refer to holidaymakers that go out and make noise, usually while drinking excessively. According to The Sun, Spaniards have been known to shout “hola guiri” at tourists, which may make some people feel unwelcome. The publication writes that residents in holiday resorts are less likely to brand visitors a “guiri” if they integrate into the local culture. Discussions around the ... Read more

Brits are receiving relatively few spam calls each month compared to the rest of the world but when fraudulent calls do get through they are most commonly tax scams that try to defraud by impersonating His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). New research from security firm Hiya said the average UK phone owners received three spam calls per month from January to June 2024. That’s low compared to the average person in America who received 14, France who received a European high of 13, and Brazil who got an alarming 26. Calls attempting to impersonate HMRC and defraud Brits surged ... Read more

As the summer begins to blend into autumn, you’ll want to be sure you have a trusty coat or jacket that will protect you from any autumn breeze or shower. Marks and Spencer is selling the perfect coat that’ll keep you sheltered from the changing weather, and it’s incredibly stylish, too. The Cotton Rich Belted Longline Trench Coat is available in sizes six to 24 and comes in two colours – a neutral buff shade and black. The coat has a classic double-breasted front with button detailing and a detachable belt, allowing you to cinch in your waist for added ... Read more

Aside from his rock music career as Queen guitarist and his doctorate in astrophysics, Sir Brian May is a passionate animal rights campaigner. His new documentary Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me airs on BBC Two this evening, documenting new scientific research into fighting bovine tuberculosis. The 77-year-old has worked with farmers to find a solution for effectively tackling the disease in cows that many believe is spread by badgers. As a result, hundreds of thousands of the animals have been culled in the last few decades. Backed by what he claims is new evidence, May strongly believes ... Read more

Motorway access roads are rarely a worthwhile talking point for many. Unlike slip roads at junctions and services, they are very rarely for public use, with many being there simply to allow emergency services access to the motorway in the event of crashes or other incidents, or serve as access for nearby constrution sites. As a result, it’s understandable that an access road on the M4 eastbound in Berkshire does not generally attract the attention of the thousands of motorists who pass it every day. Closed to the public, the road is marked simply as ‘works unit only’ and leads ... Read more

Russia’s Wagner Group, a notorious private military company linked to the Kremlin, is facing increasing scrutiny and operational difficulties as it expands its footprint in Africa, according to an expert. “Wagner is undertrained and overvalued for its role,” Irina Tsukerman, a human rights and national security lawyer, and the CEO of Scarab Rising, told Express.co.uk. “Wagner is struggling with the various security threats and simply does not have sufficient numbers or skills to withstand the current security trajectory indefinitely.” Wagner’s activities in West Africa have been marked by controversy. Recent reports from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International accuse Wagner ... Read more

Microsoft says it plans to let some Windows users test a controversial artificial intelligence (AI) feature soon after previously delaying its release owing to major privacy concerns. In May, the tech giant announced a slew of new Windows 11 PCs under new Copilot+ branding. The firm showed off a new feature called Windows Recall that actively scans and screenshots everything that appears on your computer screen so that your PC can ‘recall’ anything when you ask the AI tool a question. The idea is you can type natural language requests such as “find the slide from my presentation with the ... Read more