Almost 2,000 people submitted voters registration applications on Christmas Day - up 23% on last year.

A total of 1,764 applications were submitted on December 25, according to government figures.

The majority (63%) were from people aged 34 and under, while 2% came from those aged 65 and over.

It was the highest number of Christmas Day applications since records began in 2014.

The jump might reflect growing public anticipation of a general election or second EU referendum in 2019.

Applications between December 1 and 25 totalled 353,810 - a 15% increase on the same period last year.

Writer Armando Iannucci used Twitter several times this month to urge his half a million followers to make sure they are registered to vote, as “there’s going to be a referendum or general election soon, and you’ll only kick yourself if you don’t”.

While there are no nationwide elections currently scheduled for 2019, polls are due to take place on May 2 in England in a number of local contests.

Seats on around 250 local authorities will be available, including five newly-created councils: Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, Dorset, East Suffolk, West Suffolk, and Somerset West & Taunton.

Over the 12 days of Christmas, HuffPost UK is hosting a series of blogs from people at the centre of 2018′s biggest news stories. Today, Together for Yes campaigner Sarah Monaghan reflects on Ireland’s historic abortion referendum and what it means to the country’s women. To find out more about the series, follow our hashtag #HuffPost12Days

As I wrote this we learned the President of Ireland has just signed the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018 into law. We did it. We repealed the eighth amendment and abortion services will be free, safe and legal from January 2019. It was an incredible day for all who have worked tirelessly on this issue, social change implemented from the ground up. It has been a long journey: an often torturous movement carried by the grassroots, the far from ‘ordinary’ women and men of Ireland, for months, years and decades. There were times when it appeared impossible, the odds insurmountable, the task of driving an appetite for change amid apathy threatened to swallow us whole.

But it did not. Instead we grew strong and defiant and on 25 May, we changed history. The yes from the Irish public was deafening and groups of activists, supporters and volunteers all over Ireland breathed a sigh of relief. It had all been worth it: the sleepless nights, the missed meals, the abandoned family and friends, the tough decisions and compromises, the cruelty and lack of empathy from those campaigning for a no, which we bore with a smile and carried on. It had all been worth it because there was something bigger than all of us at stake, a collective goal that united and strengthened. At the centre of all the arguments it came down to something very simple: A pregnant person’s right to choose. A person’s life, a person’s future, a person who should be cared for at home and not exiled abroad.

As we move into 2019 we know that it won’t be perfect. We know the legislation is flawed. It contains barriers to care that will impact negatively on pregnant people. We know the implementation of abortion healthcare will not be flawless from day one. But we also know that women and pregnant people are waiting and that we need to remember those who are at the centre of this issue once again. They voted yes in May on the promise that services would be available from January 2019 and we are pleased to see this promise being delivered on.

At the Abortion Rights Campaign we will continue to work, as we have done every day since 2012 and every day since 25 May. We know from our international colleagues that there are few holidays in pro-choice activism and that a retirement from reproductive rights is impossible. We are committed to continuing to work toward patient-centred care which retains a focus on the woman and whatever choices she feels are right for her and her family. We are determined to see the healthcare which we deserve realised for all those who voted Yes in May and we will bring all of the knowledge and experience of the years past to bear in the realisation of this goal.

Our groups all across Ireland will continue to support women, particularly those in rural areas whose pathways to care will be restricted. Stigma around abortion has not disappeared over night and we will continue to work to educate and normalise what is a private healthcare procedure. We will continue to work toward the three year review of the legislation to close some of the gaps which contradict the promise of free, safe, legal abortion access.

We will continue to support all those who fall outside of this legislation, those often already most marginalised who are still forced to travel, those who do not have the PPS number to make their care free, those who struggle to identify a willing GP in a rural community, those living in domestic violence who struggle to leave the house once, and then again in three day’s time to attend their second appointment. We will continue to listen and support. We will look to our sisters and colleagues in Northern Ireland and stand in solidarity with their struggle to attain access to abortion, just as they stood united with us. It appears to be the best kept secret in the United Kingdom that there is no abortion access in Northern Ireland, when it has been available in England since 1967. Groups travelled across the border to help us campaign in May and we will do the same in return. Reproductive rights cannot have a hard border.

On 26 May, the young women of Ireland walked the streets knowing their power, knowing that the country had changed forever and that that change belonged to them. We will defend that change with everything we have left, we are never going back. We look to 2019 with excitement and expectation for the many ways in which these people will continue to drive social progress.

Sarah Monaghan is co-convener of the Abortion Rights Campaign and a founding member of the Together for Yes campaign 

Michael Gove has thanked the “wonderful” NHS staff who treated his teenage son after he fell through a plate glass windows on Christmas Eve.

The environment secretary took to Twitter to pay tribute to the team at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their “kindness and professionalism”, saying his family were “in your debt”.

It comes after his 14-year-old son Will was left with a “huge gash on his shoulder about 10 centimetres long and deep enough so you could see the bone and tissues”.

Gove’s wife – journalist Sarah Vine – described in her Daily Mail column on Boxing Day how she returned home from last-minute Christmas shopping to find a strip of flesh was hanging off the teen’s arm “like something out of a horror movie”.

“His lips were blue, and the hall was looking distinctly Quentin Tarantino,” she said. “Both French door windowpanes were jagged, gaping holes. Carpet, presents, tree were all covered in a fine spattering of blood,” she wrote, having rushed home after getting a call from her son.

Meanwhile, Gove arrived back home “gasping for air having sprinted back from the Tube station” as an ambulance crew prepared to take Will hospital.

Once in the hospital, Vine said their son was “stitched up a treat” by doctors, who included consultant surgeon Edward Ibrahim.

By the next morning, he was feeling well enough to wake his parents early to watch him open his presents like any other Christmas Day.

Vine said the episode had left her haunted by the fragility of life and grateful for “my great good fortune in life”.

“Had he fallen an inch to the side either way, he could easily have severed a ligament or, much worse, an artery,” she said. “Or if had I missed his call - as I often do - I might not have got home in time.

“Had Will’s guardian angel not been paying close attention this Christmas Eve, I could have been facing a very different Christmas from the one I’ve just enjoyed.”

After months of speculation about exactly what ‘Black Mirror’ had in store for fans in 2018, it’s finally been confirmed that ‘Bandersnatch’ is set to debut on the streaming service on 28 December.

Billed as a ”‘Black Mirror’ event”, ‘Bandersnatch’ is thought to be a stand-alone feature-length film, a trailer for which debuted on Thursday morning, less than a day before the whole thing begins streaming on Netflix.

While giving away predictably little about the plot, there was still a great deal to take away from the trailer, and here are the main things we learned from watching...

1. There are a few familiar faces in the cast

While specific details about the new ‘Black Mirror’ offering have been kept under lock and key, the clip reveals that the new instalment will be led by Fionn Whitehead, best known for his prominent role in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dunkirk’, as Stefan.

Also featured are Will Poulter of ‘The Maze Runner’ and the biggest surprise of all, Kurupt FM’s own Asim Chahdhry, who stars as the owner of the video game company that employs Stefan to help with the mysterious ‘Bandersnatch’ project.

Not featured is Miley Cyrus, who has been repeatedly rumoured to be featured in an upcoming instalment of ‘Black Mirror’, though this was never confirmed to be ‘Bandersnatch’, and might be a different forthcoming episode. 

2. The plot will centre around a video game 

When ‘Bandersnatch’ was first teased last week, many questioned whether it would centre around the video game of the same name, which was announced to be in the works back in 1984, but was mysteriously never actually released.

The trailer now confirms this to be the case, with lead character Stefan being tasked with making a video game adaptation of a fictional novel with the same name. This being ‘Black Mirror’, though, things do not look like they’re going to go smoothly for our hero.

In the comments on the trailer’s YouTube page, some ‘Black Mirror’ fans have suggested it may also reference the ‘Polybius’ urban legend, which also relates to video gaming.

3. There are plenty of retro elements

After the 80s aesthetic of ‘San Junipero’ went down a storm in 2016, Charlie Brooker is giving us a huge throwback in ‘Bandersnatch’, but this time things will be a little closer to home with a more British feel.

The ‘Bandersnatch’ trailer is peppered with authentic-feeling 80s references, including the nostalgic high street set that was filmed in Croydon earlier this year (the episode itself has now been confirmed by Netflix to be taking place in 1984).

4. ‘Black Mirror’ has nailed it with its soundtrack once again

But it’s not just the fashion and technology that is throwing it back to the 80s, with music clearly also playing an important part in setting the scene too.

‘Black Mirror’ is known for its attention to detail, and past episodes have made great use of music in the past (who could forget the euphoric blast of ‘Heaven Is A Place On Earth’ at the end of ‘San Junipero’, or the devastating inclusion of Radiohead’s ‘Exit Music (For A Film)’ as ‘Shut Up And Drive’ reaches its stomach-churning conclusion?).

The trailer for ‘Bandersnatch’ is soundtracked by Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘Relax’, which topped the charts in – you guessed it! – 1984, and given that Netflix tweeted out the lyrics to the chorus when the trailer was first shared, it’s a safe bet the song will be prominently featured in the episode itself.

5. We should expect some allusions to past episodes

Even though every episode of ‘Black Mirror’ features a completely different cast and a whole new set of dystopian adventures, the show has never been afraid of referencing its past episodes, particularly in the series 4 episode ‘Black Museum’, which was littered with nods to previous instalments.

The ‘Bandersnatch’ trailer alone features two prominent nods to previous episodes, most obviously when Stefan and his new boss are seen talking in front of a poster for something called ‘Metl Hedd’, an obvious throwback to series 4′s ‘Metalhead’.

Also buried in the trailer is a brief shot which shows the ominous symbol first introduced in ‘White Bear’, which looks to have been recreated in blood in a flashback sequence.

6. ‘Choose your own adventure’ hints 

Earlier this year, it was reported that Netflix was trying its most ambitious stunt yet with a new episode of ‘Black Mirror’, by including a feature that would allow viewers to choose their own ending as the story unfolds.

While the show’s co-creator Charlie Brooker has recently said that he was planning “the most complicated thing” the show has ever attempted for a forthcoming instalment, this trailer features several small hints that this will be the episode in which the “create-your-own adventure” feature is introduced.

As well as the tagline “change your mind, change your life, change your past, your present, your future”, the episode ends with a mysterious figure on Stefan’s TV, telling him “your fate has been dictated... you’re not in control”.

He might not be... but it sounds like we will be this time around. 

7. There are a fair few Lewis Carroll references, too

The ‘Bandersnatch’ is a fictional creature first introduced in ‘Alice In Wonderland’ creator Lewis Carroll’s poem ‘Jabberwocky’, with the author’s imagiantive and psychadelic world appearing to be a big influence on the episode as a whole.

As Stefan’s perception of reality seems to be shifting, he’s seen putting his arm through a mirror (a nod to ‘Through The Looking Glass’, Carroll’s second ‘Alice’ novel), while he also meets characters that make him question his own identity, just like Alice when she first touches down in Wonderland.

Heavily featured throughout the trailer are red and yellow pills (a potential “one side makes you larger, and one side makes you small” reference), which Stefan seems reluctant to take, while Will Poulter’s character urges him that “a bit of madness” is what he needs to help with the ‘Bandersnatch’ project, “madness” being a keyword in ‘Alice In Wonderland’.

‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’ will begin streaming on Netflix on Friday 28 December.

Christmas Day is associated with unwrapping presents, eating too much food, falling out with the family over Monopoly, and for some people, tax returns - apparently.

2616 people submitted their tax return on Christmas Day, with 204 of them doing it before the kids got up to open their presents between, 12am-8am. 

According to HM Revenue and Customs, for some it has become a tradition to get the job done on December 25 and 26, when businessmen and women take a break from trading for the festive period.

To be fair, spending that much time indoors with the family can sometimes be a bit stressful, so taking a bit of peaceful time out to fill out the complicated document (which can take up to 15 hours to complete) almost makes sense.

Peak time was between 1pm and 2pm, when 231 completed self-assessment forms were submitted online, as most of the country were sitting round the table to tuck into their Christmas dinner.

Boxing Day was even more active, with 8,465 submitting their assessments while they were tucking in to turkey sandwiches.

HMRC director-general for customer services Angela MacDonald said: “Whether you fit it in while cooking the Christmas turkey, or after the kids have gone to bed, or after the Queen’s Speech, our online service is available for you to file your tax return at a time that suits you.”

Earlier today, it emerged that nearly 2000 people registered to vote on Christmas Day, in a further endorsement of special festive family time.

More than 11 million taxpayers are expected to complete their self-assessment forms for 2017/18 by the deadline of January 31.

As another year comes to a close, there’s no better time to book your city escapes, weekend getaways and time in the sun for 2019. Take advantage of the sales and get your next holiday booked in now while you can still find a discount.

We’ve compiled the ultimate list of what’s on offer, from flights to hotels, so you can travel in style this year without going over budget. Whether you’re in it for the long haul or a quick pit stop in Europe is on the cards, find the best locations at the lowest prices with our guide to the winter holiday sales.

Thomas Cook

Book online with Thomas Cook and by using their code, BOOKIT, you can save yourself £75 when you spend £800, £150 off when you spend £1500 and £300 off when you spend £4000. 

British Airways

Book with BA by 31 January and save on long and short haul destinations. Grab a flight to New York with three nights in hotel from £379 per person or catch some rays in Barbados, with flights and seven nights in a hotel from £499 per person. 

Easyjet

Book with Easyjet and enjoy 20% off 400,000 holidays for travel between 30 January and 3 July 2019. Don’t wait too long to book, as the sale is on until 10 January. Our top pick would be flights and seven nights in a hotel in the Algarve, Portugal from £163.57 per person. 

Air New Zealand

From now until 31 January, take advantage of Air NZ’s Los Angeles sale where you can fly economy return to the sunshine state for £329 per person. You can also find return flights to New Zealand for £781 from London via Los Angeles. 

Virgin Holidays

Virgin Holidays have a range of discounted flights and holiday deals to pick from, including London to Boston for £279 per person or London to Johannesburg for £414 return.   

STA Travel

STA Travel is offering discounts across its adventure packages and experiences, for example save £3190 to travel from Mexico City to Ushuaia or Delhi to Goa from £636, with just a £100 deposit required. Also find up to 20% off camper van hire and volunteering projects in locations including South Africa, Thailand and Fiji. 

Barcelo

Book with Barcelo and save an extra 30% until 30 December on its hotels in destinations such as Andalusia, the Balearic and Canary Islands and the Caribbean.

TUI

Book a trip with TUI in its sale and save £100 on short and mid-haul holidays when you use the code SALE100 and to save £150 on long-haul holidays, use the code SALE150. Both deals require a minimum spend of £1000. Travel to Cape Verde from Manchester with a seven day hotel stay for £656 per person. 

Marriott Hotels

Book a European weekend getaway with Marriott Hotels from over 12 cities, between 1 January and 28 April and you can save up to 30% using the code ADP for standard rates and M96 for member rates. 

We all work hard to earn our money – so it shouldn’t feel like hard work to spend it well. At HuffPost Finds we’ll help you find the best stuff that deserves your cash, from the ultimate lipstick to a durable iron to replace the one that broke (RIP). All our choices are completely independent but we may earn a small commission if you click a link and make a purchase. 

Ofcom has revealed that this summer’s ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ was its most complained-about TV show of the year.

The media watchdog received 27,602 complaints over the series, which saw Roxanne Pallett accusing fellow housemate Ryan Thomas of punching her “repeatedly” and “deliberately” in the ribs, although video evidence later revealed this not to be the case.

Upon leaving the house, Roxanne conceded that her comments were a “mistake” and an “exaggeration”, while she later took time out from the spotlight to reflect on her actions, quitting both her radio presenting job and a then-upcoming pantomime role.

The Roxanne Pallett drama wasn’t the only controversial aspect of this summer’s ‘CBB’, though, with “Human Ken doll” Rodrigo Lopes receiving a formal warning for his use of a racist slur on his first night in the house.

Channel 5’s choice of housemates also raised eyebrows among some fans, with some noticing that most of the men in the house had been picked for “media storms” of their own making, as opposed to the women, many of whom had been the victim of media bullying or even criminal behaviour.

Ofcom also revealed that the second most complained-about show of the year was an episode of ‘Loose Women’ in which Kim Woodburn appeared as a guest, which quickly made headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Third on the list was Sky News, with many complaining due to supposed bias in an interview with Tommy Robinson, while ‘Love Island’ was fourth, particularly due to an episode in which eventual winner Dani Dyer was led to believe her boyfriend was sharing a bed with his ex.

Completing the top five was ‘Coronation Street’, with the majority of complaints relating to the soap’s male rape storyline, involving long-serving character David Platt.

Following the most recent series of ‘CBB’, which Ryan eventually went on to win, Channel 5 announced that they would not be renewing the show for 2019, and that the most recent series would be the last.

Three British tourists, including one child, have been killed after a Land Cruiser crashed while travelling across a bridge in Iceland.

The 4x4 was carrying seven tourists when it crashed through a barrier on a one lane bridge, local police said.

The remaining four were airlifted to hospital with critical injuries and police are not sure when they will be able to speak to them to find out more about the incident.

The crash happened on a 200-300 metre bridge on the national Route 1 road near Skeidararsandur, a vast sand plain in southern Iceland.

Speaking to the BBC, tour guide Adolf Erlingsson described a “very difficult situation” at the scene of the crash.

Erlingsson estimated the car had fallen about five or six metres from the bridge and was a “total wreck”.

He said the crash occurred in an area that was “the most popular destination on the south coast”.

The tour guide described rescue workers arriving at the scene and starting to cut the driver out of the vehicle.

“We had turned the car over a bit,” he said. 

“Soon after I arrived we had an SUV with a winch and we use it to lift the car up a little bit to alleviate the pressure on the driver and to try and get him out,” he said.

“It was a horrible sight to come there and see the wreckage and people there,” Erlingsson added.

“Four people were out of the car, one of them deceased,” he said. “Then there were three people, trapped in the car and I think two of them were deceased.

“The driver was alive and trapped more or less under the dashboard.

“We were trying to get the people out of the car and helping them. It was a very difficult situation.”

He said he spoke to some people who were “semi-conscious” outside the vehicle.

“I tried to talk a bit to the driver to calm him down. He was trapped inside the car,” he added.

The identities of those who died have not yet been released.

If you’re into art, you’ve likely spent hours in the Tate Modern or the Manchester Art Gallery.

But one place - away from the Uffizi or the Louvre - that is on a rapid fire upwards trajectory in the world of exhibitions, modern spectaculars and older classics? Abu Dhabi.

In recent years, it has become a hotbed for both old and new artistic talent, led by the thriving Abu Dhabi Art Fair, an annual international event that takes over Manarat Al Saadiyat for four days every November, as well as exciting plans for the city’s very own Guggenheim museum.

Here’s your essential art hit list for the UAE capital for this and next year.

Where to go: The New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery: a space attached to the UAE outpost of the prestigious university. The focus here is on curations and installations, as opposed to on collecting pieces. 

What’s on? Ways of Seeing, curated by art curators and academics Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, is a multidisciplinary exhibition comprising painting, sculpture and photography. The idea is to showcase familiar objects - from shattered mirrors to knotted rope - in new, different ways, to make us understand how the narratives we tell ourselves can prevent us from seeing reality as it truly is. On until 5th January 2019, this is one to make time in the diary for.

Come the 26th February and the gallery’s spring exhibition, by Swiss Artist Zimoun, will open. Featuring five immersive audio-visual installations, it’s set to be an intriguing display. 

How much? Free, Nyuad-artgallery.org, Monday to Saturday: 12 - 8pm

Where to go: Warehouse 421, a new cultural destination converted from old warehouses in the Mina Zayed port area of the city.

What to see: Hundred Best Arabic Posters 100/100. Take a look at the first stop of this travelling exhibition, which consists of a selection of posters that reflect the graphic design culture of the Arab region. Each poster is selected from a regional biannual competition, based on how well it celebrates the diversity of Arab visual work. Head over for a peek, as well as for the chance to take part in specialised talks and workshops about how arresting posters slot into the region’s wider artistic narrative. 

How much? Free, visitabudhabi.ae, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am - 8pm

Where to go: Louvre Abu Dhabi

What to see: Roads of Arabia: Archaeological Treasures of Saudi Arabia. This exhibition, on until the 16th February, brings together artefacts from antiquity to the present day to tell the story of the earliest inhabitants of Saudi and the UAE, through to developments in the seventh century and the Arabic world in 2018. But you’ll want to head to this destination regardless of specific exhibitions - it’s a tranquil place to roam around. 

How much? 60 AED, louvreabudhabi.ae, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am - 10pm

Where to go: Etihad Modern Gallery, a hip exhibition space which hones in on work from contemporary artists local to the UAE.

What to see: Filled with a collection of paintings from emerging Emirati talent, this gallery operates an open door policy, every day from 10am to 10pm (apart from Fridays). Recent exhibitions include Rational vs Intuitive, which was designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia and the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Slovak Republic. For this, a collective of Slovak artists have produced work in a range of artistic mediums. They pertain to either a ‘rational’ theme – resulting in art that has been conceptually planned out by the artist – or an ‘intuitive’ theme, which lends the artist licence to create out of their own emotional impulses and visitors to interpret from their own instincts. 

Right now, an exhibition of Emirati and Japanese artists’ work, titled UAExJapan, is giving visitors a unique look at 

How much? Free, Saturday - Thursday, 10am - 10pm, etihadmodernart.com

Where to go: Park Rotana Abu Dhabi, a hotel known for its art exhibitions

What to see: Located close to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, this hotel is big on hosting smaller exhibitions. What’s on in 2019? No word, yet. But if the Year of Zayed Art Exhibition - which celebrated a year since the birth of UAE founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan through a collection of 25 paintings inspired by the city’s history and landmarks - is anything to go by, it’ll be great.

How much?  Free, abudhabiculture.ae, every day, 8am - 11.30pm

Discover more of Abu Dhabi at our 360 experience: abudhabi360tour.com

If you hosted Christmas this year, chances are you’ve got a tub filled to the brim with turkey sitting in your fridge. But what to do with it?

If turkey and chips just doesn’t cut the mustard, here are three ways to reuse your leftover meat – from a warming Thai curry to a filling turkey and ham pie.

Turkey Thai Massaman Curry

Tom Griffiths is chef at Flank (Old Spitalfields Market, London). Here he shares his “banging” Thai curry recipe.

For the paste, you will need:

Turkey And Ham Pie

A great way to make the most of cooked turkey and ham (and practise your pastry skills).

For the filling, you will need:

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 300ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 4 tbsp milk
• 225g cooked turkey, chopped
• 100g cooked ham, chopped
• 50g frozen peas
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pastry, you will need:

• 350g plain flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 150g Trex (or butter)
• Beaten egg or milk, to glaze

Method

To make the filling, put the onion and carrot into a saucepan with the stock. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Mix the cornflour with the milk until blended, then add to the stock, stirring until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the turkey, ham, peas and parsley. Season.

For the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the Trex (or butter) with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in just enough chilled water to make a soft, but not sticky dough. Knead for a few moments until smooth, then wrap and chill for 10-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/Gas Mark 6.

Cut the pastry into two equal pieces. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface into a circle with a diameter of 27cm (11in). Use one circle to line a 25cm (10in) metal pie plate.

Spoon the cooled filling onto the pie plate and spread out evenly. Dampen the pastry edges with water, then place the lid on top. Press the edges together to seal, trim with a sharp knife, then make 2-3 small cuts in the centre of the lid to allow steam to escape. Brush the surface with beaten egg or milk, then bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked and golden brown.

Turkey And Broccoli In Sesame And Soy Sauce

Amanda Bootes is a food blogger whose go-to recipe for using up turkey is this healthy and tasty dish which can be prepped and served in less than 25 minutes. 

You will need:

• Leftover turkey
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/4 courgette
• 1 small spring onion
• Handful of broccoli florets
• Handful of sweetcorn and peas
• Coconut oil
• Soy sauce
• Honey
• Cracked black pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• Small chunk of ginger
• 1 lime
• Sesame seeds
• Handful of cashew nuts
• Rice

Method
Chop the onion, spring onion and broccoli.

In a small frying-pan, add a spoonful of coconut oil, fry the above ingredients for 4-5 minutes. Then add in the chopped courgette.

Add in the turkey, sweetcorn and peas and fry until the broccoli is nicely charred.

While they are cooking, drip 4-5 tablespoons of honey into a small jar or bowl, and add a few splashes of soy sauce, the garlic puree, chopped ginger, pepper and a squeeze of one lime. Add a few splashes of water to make your dressing go that little bit further.

Add the sauce into your turkey and broccoli mixture, and keep on a low heat.

In the last few minutes, add in a handful of cashews and sesame seeds.

Serve with white fluffy rice – and you can stir through some fresh chopped basil into your rice just before plating.

Family holidays live or die on whether there’s enough to do. As destinations go, Abu Dhabi has a wide mix of things to keep everyone occupied - including beach activities and wildlife, but also chill-out activities for those who need a little space to unwind. 

That last part is important. Food and family blogger Emily Leary, who has a son, JD, aged 11, and a daughter, Jay, aged 7, has found that children want to be challenged, but it definitely is important to work in down-time for everyone.

“Initially,” she says, “I think we were trying far too hard to pack every day with activities that pleased both ages and kept them busy, when we started going on family holidays. But in recent years we’ve realised that having a packed itinerary just leads to stressed parents and grumpy kids who forget half of what they’ve done by day three.

“These days we’re much more laid-back, but aim to schedule in one activity per day that will use up a few hours, and then use the rest of each day to just take it easy and see what happens, explore the local area and so on.”

The ultimate goal is for everyone to have fun. We’ve sifted through the top picks for what to do in the UAE capital when holidaying with the fam.

For nature lovers: The Empty Quarter

Suitable for: older kids

It takes several hours to drive to this unspoiled stretch of sand from Abu Dhabi, so little ones may find it challenging - but older kids will absolutely love it. Amid pristine, empty dunes and miles of golden sand stretching into the distance, it is home to Tal Moreeb – one of the world’s tallest dunes. You can try sandboarding and fat biking.

For thrillseekers: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

Suitable for: all ages

Located on Yas Island, this destination is home to the Formula Rossa – the world’s fastest rollercoaster – and Flying Aces, the highest inverted roller coaster loop in the world. There’s go-karting, simulators for driving and a flume ride through the engine of a Ferrari 599 engine. For really small toddlers, there’s a soft play area disguised as a car wash, and you don’t need to worry about little ones getting hot and flustered either as most of it is indoors.

ferrariworldabudhabi.com

For animal lovers: Saluki Centre 

Suitable for: all ages

Salukis are a distinct pure-bred type of beautiful desert dog, that are great at covering long distances and used in hunting. You can learn more about them here, as well as cuddle the puppies. 

visitabudhabi.ae

For wildlife fun: Al Ain Zoo 

Suitable for: all ages

Set in the foothills of Jebel Hafeet, a drive from Abu Dhabi will bring you to this comprehensive and well-operated zoo, which runs the world’s largest man-made safari. There are roughly 4,000 animals across the 400-acre park, with around 30% endangered creatures. The cat house is a particular favourite featuring lions and spotted leopards, while there is an enclosure where children can feed the giraffes and budgies. 

alainzoo.ae

For film buffs: Warner Bros World, Abu Dhabi 

Suitable for: all ages

With around 30 rides, this billion-dollar amusement park isn’t just for kids – it also contains all the characters from your childhood such as Looney Tunes and Flintstones. There’s lots of DC superhero action for older children, and six immersive lands to get lost in – including Gotham City for Batman lovers and Metropolis, if Wonder Woman is more your thing. The detail of the park is incredible, and there are tons of restaurants and takeaway spots.

wbworldabudhabi.com

For watersports: Wadi Adventure 

Set in Al Ain, it’s free for infants under two. Aside from the man-made beach and swimming pools, it’s perfect for a watersports experience. The giant swing and zipline are not for the faint of heart, while kayaking and rafting are great for slightly older children. There are surf lessons on offer (the park is home to a massive simulator) and if you want a breather from the activities, there are plump loungers by the pool to sunbathe for a bit.

wadiadventure.ae

Discover more of Abu Dhabi at our 360 experience: abudhabi360tour.com.  

While business may be front and centre when you’re in Abu Dhabi for the grind, play time is possible with a nifty bit of scheduling and preparation. Amy Pritchett, a travel blogger for Wegoplaces, tells HuffPost UK that: “a bit of research before setting off goes a long way to identifying the best things to do and how to prioritise it.”

Time is of the essence, so it helps when you’re in a place that’s well-connected and is practically designed for you to see as much or as little as you can fit in.

When visiting the UAE capital, here are the places deserving of a spot on that to-do list.

Do 

Corniche

Stretching along the waterfront in a sweeping curve for eight kilometres is the Corniche, where people go for a walk or to lounge under a beach umbrella on pristine sand. The beachfront has Blue Flag status (which attests to its environmental credentials), and it’s the perfect spot for people-watching. There is easy parking, restaurants for a scenic lunch, and you can also hire a bike if you want to combine some cardio with your sightseeing.

World Trade Centre Mall

Most of Abu Dhabi’s shopping is mall-based. While Yas Mall on Yas Island is for more languorous luxury shopping, it’s also further away and therefore harder to squeeze in as a pit-stop between meetings. Apart from having great shopping, World Trade Centre Mall is right in the centre of activity, and is the newest mall on the block.

Noukhada 

Setting off from the Eastern Mangroves jetty, this eco-friendly company offers kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and sailing across one of the quieter parts of the city. Most tours take about 90 minutes to two hours, so it’s for those who have a bit of time to spare.

See

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Open from 9am until 10pm, this is a great one to squeeze in if you find yourself with a free half an hour. There are free guided tours, and it’s a beauty of a building: 82 marble domes, the world’s largest carpet (yes, really) and chandeliers that are so enormous and sparkly you’ll need to wear sunglasses (not really). It also has an extremely impressive library with 50,000 volumes of rare books and manuscripts.

Souq Al Qattara

Located in Al Ain, the historic Souq Al Qattara runs between October to May, and was part of a renovation to improve some of the city’s traditional places. It’s a wonderful and authentic insight into old Abu Dhabi, and thriving place for local artisans and Arabian handmade crafts. You can buy dates, pottery, coffee – even falconry equipment – and if you’re lucky, you may even see Bedouin dance performed.

Eat and drink

Nolu’s

Nolu has two locations and regularly pops up on best eats lists – it was Time Out’s best café for three years in a row - for its superb execution of Californian style food mixed with Afghani flavours. With freshly baked bread, perfectly-cooked organic eggs and garlic and jalapeño dumplings, it’s a great stop for breakfast or lunch.

Skylite

The setting is everything at Skylite, which is Abu Dhabi’s most well-known rooftop bar favoured by residents. The interior is dramatic to say the least, with a sweeping latticed roof, and it overlooks the waterfront. Located on the 9th floor of the Yas Viceroy hotel, the drinks are swish, the service is slick, and the bill is steep.

BBQ Al Qasr 

Voted consistently as one of Abu Dhabi’s most romantic restaurants, that shouldn’t put you off visiting on a business trip. Aside from the gut-buster of a menu, it also means knocking off a must-see, as it’s located in Emirates Palace, the most opulent hotel in the city and is jaw-dropping in scale. One to save for expense accounts.

Tawa Bakery 

This 100% gluten-free kitchen is a top spot for breakfast and has a ton of wheat-free dishes from waffles to muffins. They even serve dishes such as Emirati eggs and Foul Mudammas – the latter is a staple in Egyptian households and is cooked fava beans with garlic and lemon. If you’re there for lunch, order legayamat, a UAE favourite, which is fried cardamom and saffron-infused dough mixed with date syrup and sesame. 

Discover more of Abu Dhabi at our 360 experience: abudhabi360tour.com.  

While you might go to a destination for a particular reason – such as adventure or beach-time, travel is no longer a singular experience. In most modern destinations, such as Abu Dhabi, you can have the relaxation of a spa day but also rev up the pace on days you’re feeling adventurous by taking a trip to explore the landscape.

Safaris are a great way to do that - and aren’t limited to just observing animals. Here we list some of the amazing safari experiences you can have in the UAE capital.  

Evening desert safari 

Deserts have a very different characteristic at night. Atmospheric, calm and pink with the sunset, a beautiful way of experiencing the Abu Dhabi desert is an evening safari that culminates in a barbecue dinner once you are out on the dunes. Some companies have activities set up such as quad biking, to make the whole thing even more exciting.

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Morning desert safari 

One of the more popular safaris, this iteration sees you picked up from your hotel and taken out into the desert where you experience dune-bashing (this is where you sit in a 4X4 as it accelerates and crashes around the dunes). And there’s sandboarding, of course, which involves riding on a sand dune with your feet strapped to a board. You then finish off with a short camel ride back to your pick-up spot.   

getyourguide.co.uk 

Overnight safari 

After a drive out into the desert, you’ll experience something very similar to the evening safari including a barbecue dinner, and the chance to try dune-bashing and sandboarding. But once you’ve drunk your Arabian coffee and eaten your dates, the experience of staying overnight in the deep stillness of the desert almost injects the soul with peacefulness. After a comfortable night’s stay in a Bedouin-style tent, few pleasures beat eating breakfast in the early hours as the desert stirs into life.  

raynatours.com 

Water tour 

People forget that Abu Dhabi has so much more to offer than just desert, and that there’s a great deal to explore on the water. A five-hour water tour takes in a journey by a tiny nine-seater Cessna seaplane, that leaves from Yas Island and overseas all the major landmarks such as the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi theme parks and the Emirates Palace.

The domes and spires look incredible from a height, but the best part is seeing the mangroves by air and the Arabian Gulf stretching out into the distance. The rest of the trip includes a boat cruise sailing along the eight-kilometre Corniche waterfront and back to harbour.

seawings.ae

Mountain safari 

The drive to Jebel Hafeet, one of the highest peaks in the Emirates, is said to be one of the best because the tarmac is smooth, and the road has 21 thrilling turns. It’s supercar heaven, if you can afford to hire one for the day. The brave, however, attempt to cycle it all the way to the top, making it a great mountain safari experience. Aside from being out in the craggy landscape and peace of the foothills, there are over 500 ancient burial tombs dating back to 5,000 years in the area. For the saddle-sore, there’s a Mercure hotel that offers food and spa treatments.

abudhabiadventure.com 

Bird trail 

Around 30 minutes from the city, Al Wathba Wetland Reserve is a quiet, off-the-beaten-track spot to observe birdlife. It’s the polar opposite to the modernity and bells and whistles of the city, with basic facilities and nothing around as far as the eye can see aside from wetlands. The main reason people come here: flamingos. Over 4,000 of them are in the reserve, as well as 250 other species of birds.

ead.ae

Discover more of Abu Dhabi at our 360 experience: abudhabi360tour.com.  

With another Christmas over, we’re now into the limbo period between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, where your days are filled with leftovers, lounging about at home and of course, sales shopping. Or being the saintly people who are working through the holiday (only us, then?) and consoling yourselves with... sales shopping.

We’ve put together guides to the best beauty, fashion, fitness, home and travel bargains for you so you can treat yourself or others. Whether you’re hoping to find that one wishlist item Santa didn’t bring or are holding out to buy your new sofa, we’ve done all the hard work for you.

HuffPostFinds has rounded those all important links here so you can shop from your sofa before dozing off for your third nap of the day. 

Gifts For The Beauty Obsessed

Start the year as you mean to go on, looking and feeling good. Pick from our carefully curated beauty sale guide with everything from winter skincare saviours, glow-giving palettes and makeup essentials to add to your kit with discounts from Hourglass, NARS, Estée Lauder, MAC and more.

See the whole sale guide here.

The Best Fashion Bargains

For the style conscious, give your wardrobe a new year’s overhaul with our pick of investment pieces, statement shoes, delicate jewellery and cosy knitwear. Find savings of up to 70% off your favourite stores such as Miss Selfridge, Zara, Oliver Bonas and Office.

See our fashion sales guide here.

Homeware Deals You Won’t Want To Miss

Splurge and save at the same time on furniture, kitchenware and home accessories in our round up of homeware discount buys. With everything from a new coffee machine, cutlery set or cushion covers to oh-so-soft bedding and the dreamiest velvet sofas, there’s something here for everyone.

See our homeware sales guide here.

Cheap January Breaks To Book Now

What better way to escape the gloomy onset January blues than by booking a budget getaway. Find deals on hotels and flights to Prague, Milan, Berlin, Morocco and Tunisia in our money-saving guide. Top tip: book now so you don’t lose out. 

See our January break sales guide here.

Get Your Fitness Kick From Sweaty Betty

Pick up an activewear bargain from Sweaty Betty and find big savings across their leggings, leotards, tank tops and jackets. Sweat it out in style, whether you’re training for the London Marathon in April or your local park run. 

See our fitness sales guide here.

Who Has The Best Money-Saving Holiday Deals?

Book your 2019 summer holiday in the January sales, with massive savings, discounts and deals to take advantage of from Thomas Cook, British Airways, Virgin Holidays, Marriott Hotels and more. We’ve got our eye on a trip to the Big Apple and Cape Verde. 

See our 2019 holiday sales guide here.

A 37-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the deaths of two young children in Margate, Kent Police said.

Police attended a property on Castle Drive at 3.30am on Thursday due to concerns about the occupants’ welfare.

The South East Coast Ambulance Service also attended and two young children were taken to hospital, where they were later declared dead.

The woman had been involved in a road traffic collision on the A299 Thanet Way at around 2.50am and was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

She was discharged from hospital and taken to the police station.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.

Nine years ago, Katie Houghton planned to take her own life. It was a message from her friend that popped up on her laptop screen at just the right time which stopped her from going ahead.

“That one message ultimately broke my train of thought that night and saved my life,” Houghton told HuffPost UK. “That’s why I do what I do. You never know what or when that moment could be for someone.”

The 33-year-old mental health campaigner from Solihull is using her experiences to try and help others with mental illness, particularly through the holidays, which can be a difficult and stressful time for so many. 

Houghton, who also owns a shop on Etsy, made 230 acrylic hearts with messages of hope on them and attached 100 of them to a tree in Shirley Park, Solihull, before Christmas. And they’ve already helped people, she says, including a grieving man who lost his wife.

“The elderly man was stood behind me and I didn’t notice him at first,” said Houghton of their chance encounter. “Then he asked if he could have a heart and I told him of course he could.”

The pair got chatting and the man revealed he’d lost his wife in 2017 and was fed up because he felt like he should be over it and able to move on.

“We spoke and I told him he didn’t need to feel that way, that 12 months is no time at all and we all process things differently,” the mum of one said. “He was clearly lonely and I offered him a cuddle and he squeezed me so tight and said, ‘I hadn’t had one of those for so long.’

“He asked for a pink heart as it would remind him of her and he really squeezed it, which made me fill up as it was such a sad but lovely moment.”

Each of Houghton’s hearts of hope has a message explaining that people can take one if they are struggling with their mental health or know of someone who is. They also have the Samaritans phone number number on the back for people to call in crisis.

A few days before Christmas, all of the hearts had been taken from the tree so Houghton added more.

With her own mental health journey, she found the smallest acts often made the biggest difference – and hope played a huge part in her feeling better. 

“If you have hope that means there is the possibility of change and recovery,” she added. “I didn’t think nine years ago that I would have a daughter, a fiancé, and be managing much better.

“Hope is powerful in that it means there is the chance of things getting better ... and a reason to keep going even when It feels hopeless and impossible.” 

HumanKind is HuffPost’s celebration of kindness, featuring people who do incredible things for others or the planet – transforming lives through small but significant acts. Get involved by joining us on Facebook or telling us about the people who you think deserve recognition for their kind works. You can nominate them or share your personal story by emailing natasha.hinde@huffpost.com.

Useful websites and helplines:

• Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
• Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)
• The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@themix.org.uk
• Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on www.rethink.org.

Instagram has launched an unexpected update to how users view posts, which head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has revealed was a test that accidentally reached more users than originally planned.  

The new feature, which updated without warning, allowed users to tap through regular posts, mimicking the way Instagram stories are viewed in what is presumably an attempt to mimic their success. Launched in 2016, Instagram stories dominate the app platform and have rapidly overtaken Snapchat in popularity, too.

Removing the traditional scrolling movement, a message popped up on the app informing users of the change reading, “Introducing a new way to move through posts. Tap through posts, just like you tap through stories.”

The reaction from users was far from positive, with people taking to rival platform Twitter to vent their frustrations.

Adam Mosseri cleared up confusion by tweeting that the update could be reversed by restarting the app.

HuffPost UK have contacted Instagram for further comment.