Major immigration reforms delivered to restore order and control

The statement of changes to the immigration rules HC 836, published on 24 June, will amend the definition of “continuous qualifying period” in Annex 1 of Appendix EU from 16 July to offer an another way for a pre-settled status holder to complete a five year continuous residence period.more

Banks will push Britain’s savers to invest in the stock market under plans drawn up by Rachel Reeves. Savers with money piling up in low-interest accounts will be offered investment opportunities by their banks in a bid to funnel funds into British businesses, the Treasury has announced.more

Kamil Majchrzak lost to Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse 6-1, 5-7, 1-6 in the second round of the ATP 250 clay-court tournament in Gstaad, Switzerland. The 21-year-old advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in his career.more

The UK is a “powder keg” of social tensions, with a third of people rarely meeting anyone from different backgrounds, research has found. A report from the thinktank British Future and the social cohesion group Belong Network found that a year on from last summer’s riots, there was a risk of unrest being reignited unless urgent action was taken to address issues of polarisation and division. more

Thousands of Afghans have moved to the UK under a secret scheme which was set up after a British official inadvertently leaked their data, it can be revealed. In February 2022, the personal details of nearly 19,000 people who had applied to move to the UK after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan were leaked.more

Two men have been sentenced to four years and three months in prison for illegally cutting down the Sycamore Gap tree. The world-famous tree, which stood next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was felled in September 2023.more

More than 2,100 pubs have closed across Ireland since 2005, a 24.6% drop, according to the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), an organization representing alcohol distributors and retailers. There are now 6,498 pubs operating in the country.more

An airport staff member will undergo “retraining” for asking a woman if she was pregnant. Claire King, who is a size 12 and is not pregnant, said a Jet2 male gate agent had “looked her up and down” before asking if she was “expecting”.more

Barcelona footballer Lamine Yamal, who turned 18 on Sunday, is facing criticism for hiring short people for his party last weekend. The AP reported that the Ministry of Social Rights has asked the prosecutor's office to investigate the matter.more

US First Lady Melania Trump is among Ukraine's greatest allies in the White House, the British website Independent assessed yesterday, referring to the statement by US President Donald Trump that it was his wife who made him realize that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was playing a false political game.more

The cost of some new electric cars will soon be reduced by up to £3,750 under grants being introduced by the government to encourage drivers to move away from petrol and diesel vehicles. The discounts will apply to eligible vehicles costing up to £37,000, with the most environmentally friendly vehicles seeing the biggest reductions, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.more

Almost one in four audited companies does not cover energy costs for employees and does not pay an allowance or a lump sum for the use of their own tools for work, the “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” reported yesterday, citing the National Labour Inspectorate's 2024 report.more

Heathrow Airport has unveiled a £10 billion investment plan to expand capacity, aiming to handle an extra 10 million passengers per year by 2031. The plan forms the core of the airport’s 2027–2031 business proposal, which was submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Fridaymore

Immigration to the European Union pushed the EU population to a record 450.4 million last year, according to the latest Eurostat figures.more

The 12th-century crucifix, known as the Majestat Batlló, which is housed in the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, is treated as a club relic by FC Barcelona fans. And this is because the entire cross is painted in two colours that are similar to those on the jerseys of the famous football team.more

You don't need to travel miles from London to get lost in the winding walking trails right here in the city. Despite the London Olympics in 2012 feeling a million years away now, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park still exists and invites Londoners to explore through two very special trails.more

Barcelona authorities will host a match at the revamped Camp Nou in 2026/27 featuring the club's former football star Argentine Leo Messi. The information was reported by radio station Catalunya.more

A fear of being ordered back to the office is having an impact on workers’ wellbeing, according to a poll, after a string of companies issued return-to-office mandates.more

Britain must prepare for a potential war with Russia within the next five years by building bunkers and strengthening air defences, the former head of the Army has warned.more

Most of England is expected to face hosepipe bans this summer in a historic drought. The Environment Agency (EA) warned on Monday that swathes of the country, from Cumbria to the Isle of Wight, could have drought status declared by September.more

Croatian Luka Modric, who left Spain's Real Madrid after 13 years, finalised his transfer to AC Milan yesterday, signing a one-year contract with an option to extend until June 2027, the club, who compete in the Italian Serie A, announced.more

Researchers at UK Biobank, the world's largest human body imaging project, today announced that they have reached their goal of scanning the brain, heart and other internal organs in 100,000 people. The research has been ongoing for 11 years.more

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be able to deport migrants to countries other than their country of origin with just six hours' notice, Reuters reported yesterday, quoting a memo from acting ICE chief Todd Lyons.more

Club World Cup matches played in the USA at midday or early afternoon due to the heat have taken their toll on footballers. The problem has been noticed by FIFA, which has announced that it will therefore review the programme for next year's World Cup once again and consider stadium changes.more

Members of the Ax-4 mission, including Pole Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, returned to Earth today. After launching in the Pacific, they exited the Dragon Grace capsule, which they had travelled from the International Space Station (ISS), at around noon Polish time aboard the MV Shannon rescue ship.more

Four foreign nationals died on board a plane that crashed after taking off from London Southend Airport, Essex Police said. The medical transport plane bound for the Netherlands crashed at around 3.48pm on Sunday.more

Donald Trump's offer to Ukraine, including arms and the introduction of tariffs hitting Russia, is linked to his irritation with Vladimir Putin, according to the British daily “The Guardian”. However, the US president's assurances are no guarantee, as he is willing to change his mind, the “Economist” recalled.more

Kamil Majchrzak won against Frenchman Terence Atmane 6:4, 3:6, 6:2 in the first round of the ATP 250-ranked tournament in Gstaad, Switzerland. It was the first duel between the two tennis players in the elite series.more

All-inclusive family package holidays from the UK have jumped in price for some of the most popular destinations, including Spain, Cyprus and Turkey. The average price for a week in Cyprus in August has gone up by 23%, from £950 per person to £1,166, figures compiled for the BBC by TravelSupermarket show.more

The power of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is turning his country into an “illiberal democracy”, is tottering and has inspired Donald Trump and other European leaders of the right, the BBC assessed yesterday. The British broadcaster added that the threat to Orban's government had grown within its own ranks.more

The UK has delivered more than 70,000 drones to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. - Luke Pollard, Under-Secretary of State at the UK Ministry of Defence, announced yesterday, the UK Defence Journal website reported.more

The airline Wizz Air will launch new direct flights from Gdansk to Bucharest at the end of October. Travellers will be able to fly twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays, the carrier announced on Thursday.more

The organisers of Grand Slam Wimbledon are planning an expansion of the venue, which will include the construction of a new court with an 8,000-seat grandstand and 38 smaller courts. The world's top tennis players support the idea, but it is causing controversy among the local community.more

The biggest new park since the 2012 Olympics has officially opened in London, as part of the creation of a new village. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan formally opened Springfield Park in Tooting, which is part of the new Springfield Village that South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust has created around Springfield University Hospital.more

The number of people hunting for jobs in Britain surged in June at the fastest rate since the height of the Covid pandemic, industry figures show, amid growing business fears over tax rises and the economic outlook.more

The pound has dropped to a three-week low after the governor of the Bank of England said it could make bigger cuts to interest rates if the job market slows too quickly. Andrew Bailey said “slack” was opening up in the UK economy, as higher taxes have squeezed employers.more

After Saturday's triumph at Wimbledon, Iga Świątek moved from fourth to third in the world tennis rankings. Meanwhile, the second Wimbledon winner, Italian Jannik Sinner, strengthened his lead in the ATP rankings.more

Four people were killed when a plane crashed and exploded in a "fireball" at London Southend Airport on Sunday, the PA news agency said it understands. The airport has been closed until further notice after the small plane crash - with video footage emerging showing a huge fireball in the aftermath.more

The UK is breaking heat and rainfall records increasingly frequently as its climate continues to warm, the Met Office has warned. The country's changing weather patterns mean the UK now experiences a "notably different" climate to what it was just a few decades ago, its State of the UK Climate report says.more

The exhumation of the remains of 796 children began today at the former Mother and Child Home in Tuam, western Ireland, RTE reported. The Sisters of Our Lady Help of Christians (Bon Secours) operated a facility for single mothers there from 1925 to 1961.more

French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking yesterday before the armed forces, stated that freedom has never been so threatened since 1945. He announced that the defense budget will be increased by a total of €6.5 billion over the next two years.more

London’s housing crisis has become a “housing emergency” – with the latest figures revealing the boroughs where barely any affordable homes have been started in the last two years.more

Paris St-Germain have been swatting aside all-comers all season, from wrapping up the Ligue 1 title in early April to demolishing Inter Milan in a Champions League final so one-sided it was scarcely believable. They seemed to be breezing through the Club World Cup in similar fashion, too, beating Bayern Munich with nine men and then thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 on their way to Sunday's final. more

Four people were injured as the last day of the infamous Pamplona San Fermín bull run took place on Monday after eight days of festivities.more

People have been urged to beware of scams linked to winter fuel payments after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) received more than 15,000 reports of bogus activity last month. HMRC received a total of 15,100 reports of bogus activity in June, with fraudsters targeting vulnerable people using texts and phishing websites.more

Most people in the four largest countries in the European Union would welcome the UK back into the bloc, a new poll has found – but not on the same terms it had before. At the same time most Britons are in favour of rejoining the EU, the YouGov survey of six western European nations found, but only if they can keep the opt-outs the UK previously had.more

A plane has been involved in a collision at Southend Airport, police said. In a statement, Essex Police said they were alerted shortly before 4pm on Sunday to reports of a serious collision involving one 12-metre plane.more

The astronauts of the Ax-4 mission, including Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, said goodbye to the crew of the International Space Station yesterday. The ISS is an example of excellent international cooperation, the Polish astronaut emphasized during his farewell. Today, the Dragon capsule will begin its return journey to Earth.more

Italian tennis leader Jannik Sinner defeated Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who had been the best player in the two previous editions of Wimbledon, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final. This was his fourth Grand Slam triumph.more

Live facial recognition camera technology could be introduced on the Tube to help catch fare dodgers. Transport chiefs are also considering whether to install new barriers that will make it harder for evaders to “tail-gate” fare-paying passengers.more

The most dangerous areas for tourists in London have reportedly been revealed in a new list. Outside the National Portrait Gallery off Trafalgar Square came top with 3,060 crimes over the past year including 1,200 thefts, according to MailOnline. But a gallery spokesman hit back saying it was aware of two instances of reportable crime among 1.6 million visitors since 2024.more

A blue shark has appeared off the beaches of the central section of Portugal's west coast, the authorities of the port of Peniche and the municipality of Caldas da Rainha have reported. As a result, one of the popular beaches was temporarily closed.more

Mobile phone coverage has been expanded along more of the London Underground system, Transport for London (TfL) has announced. Further sections of the Northern line and Victoria line have access to 4G and 5G.more

Iga Świątek defeated American Amanda Anisimova in the final 6-0, 6-0 and for the first time in her career - and as the first Polish woman - she won the Grand Slam Wimbledon, the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.more

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has called the economy's recent performance "disappointing" after figures showed it shrank unexpectedly in May.more

Kate, Princess of Wales, will present the trophies after Saturday's Wimbledon final, organizers announced. The match between Iga Świątek and American Amanda Anisimova will begin at 4:00 PM UK time (5:00 PM PL time).more

Ryanair is negotiating with several Polish airports to increase the number of flights and passengers, announced the airline's CEO, Michael O'Leary. He added that from August 1st, the carrier will allow passengers to bring larger cabin bags on board for free.more

Liverpool have retired the number 20 shirt in honour of Diogo Jota - the first time it has made such a gesture. The club said it was a "unique tribute to a uniquely wonderful person" and the decision was made in consultation with his wife and family.more

Thousands of cases that would normally be heard in front of a jury should be decided by judges alone, according to recommendations made by a former senior judge. Sir Brian Leveson was asked by the Lord Chancellor to come up with a series of proposals to reduce the backlog of cases in the criminal courts.more