Amanda Smith is a freelance journalist and writer. She reports on culture, society, human interest and technology. Her stories hold a mirror to society, reflecting both its malaise and its beauty.

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Tuesday, July 22 last year began like any other ordinary day for Natasha Thorpe. It was the end of the school term, and the married mother-of-two was looking forward to the summer holidays when she ...

New or increased fees are the number one reason people would leave their bank, a 2026 MoneyRate survey found, with nearly half of respondents (47.7%) citing bank charges as the main justification for ...