Flights between the UK and Israel have been cancelled following an escalation of hostilities in the Middle East overnight. British Airways has halted its flights between Heathrow and Tel Aviv in both directions between Sunday and Wednesday, the airline said. Wizz Air also said it is “temporarily suspending” flights to and from Israel “due to the escalating situation in the region”.more

Belgian French-language radio station Nostalgie has announced that it will have an artificial intelligence-generated radio presenter, the Belga news agency reported.more

The site of The Beatles first ever performance is set to be honoured with a commemorative plaque. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison played alongside Stuart Sutcliffe - the band's original bass guitarist - and Pete Best, the original drummer, at the Jacaranda on Slater Street in Liverpool in August 1960.more

According to bookmakers, Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, Serb Novak Djokovic and Italian Jannik Sinner have the best chance of triumphing at the US Open.more

The shrinkage of human resources in Poland could have disastrous consequences for social security systems and economic development; this could be prevented by, among other things, a well-considered migration policy, according to a report published on Wednesday by Employers of Poland.more

Barcelona secured a 2-1 victory over Athletic Club in La Liga on Saturday evening. Lamine Yamal lit up the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys when giving Barca the lead, but a penalty from Oihan Sancet shortly before half-time drew Athletic Club level. Barca pressed hard for the winner and were rewarded when Robert Lewandowski netted with 15 minutes remaining.more

The United Nations has urged the UK to take action to curb racist hate speech, including by politicians, in a report published on Friday. It noted the persistence of hate speech published in mainstream media, online, and spread by politicians and public figures.more

Sunita "Suni" Williams and Commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore blasted off in Boeing's new Starliner spacecraft on 5 June.more

Polish national team player Matty Cash was injured and replaced after fifteen minutes of the second round of the English Premier League. His Aston Villa lost at home to the runner-up Arsenal London 0:2. Jakub Kiwior was a reserve player for the visiting team.more

Councillors in Edinburgh have voted for the introduction of a tourist tax aimed at raising up to £50m a year. The city will become the first in Scotland to charge a transient visitor levy (TVL) on stays, with profits used to fund improvements to the capital.more

Officials of the Afghan Ministry of Virtue and Vice Prevention have just presented a year-long summary of their fight against prohibited phenomena, such as music or the propagation of beliefs other than the officially prescribed Islam, the tolonews portal reported.more

Portuguese national football team coach Roberto Martinez would like Cristiano Ronaldo to play in the Nations League competition starting in early September, in which - in addition to Croatia and Scotland - the Portuguese will also compete against Poland.more

One of the rarest and largest species of spider in the UK is said to be making a comeback on nature reserves. cvAfter facing near extinction over the last century, the UK’s population of fen raft spiders is steadily increasing, and numbers are at a record high this year, according to the conservation charity RSPB.more

Walks and walks among historic buildings and historic streets are probably one of the best ways to get to know and immerse yourself in the cities we visit. It is best if its biggest attractions are located just a few steps away. According to the latest ranking, there are at least 15 such cities in Europe, including Kraków.more

McDonald's plans to open over 200 restaurants across the UK and Ireland over the next four years in a £1bn expansion drive. "Drive to" restaurants - with a car park, a small seating area, and no drive-through - and "other smaller formats" will be tested as part of the new offer.more

Paris Saint-Germain beat Montpellier 6-0 (2-0) at home in the second round of the French top flight, the second big win for the defending champions after beating Le Havre 4-1 away.more

Building society staff surprised to receive card believed to date back to 1903 and addressed to Lydia Davies. In the age of next-day deliveries and speedy shipping from all corners of the world, the days of waiting around for a letter or package were thought to be over. In Swansea, however, staff at a building society were taken aback after receiving a postcard that was delivered 121 years late.more

A resident of the city of Guaruja, in the state of Sao Paulo in eastern Brazil, came to the hospital emergency room with a poisonous snake in his hand, causing panic among the staff. Some employees recorded the unusual event and then published the recordings on the X network.more

Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-2 (2-0) away in their Bundesliga opener, with Spanish coach Xabi Alonso's side continuing their unbeaten run in the league, having been unbeaten last season.more

Beauty brand Avon Products, known for its door-to-door saleswomen, became the latest business to file for bankruptcy as a way to resolve mass lawsuits alleging that its talc products contained cancer-causing asbestos.more

Raiffeisen Bank (Kyiv) opened its first underground branches in Kharkiv and Dnipro, the bank’s Telegram channel reported on Friday. As specified, the underground branches will operate on the basis of existing ones and serve clients in the event of an air raid alarm. Customer service is already available through a separate entrance leading to the underground premises.more

Keir Starmer spoke to President Xi Jinping of China yesterday. The Prime Minister began by setting out his priorities for his government, including national security, secure borders and economic stability. The leaders discussed areas of shared collaboration, and potential areas of cooperation between the UK and China, including on trade, the economy and education.more

Australia yesterday announced a plan to improve water quality around the Great Barrier Reef to protect the world's largest coral ecosystem. The government will spend $130 million on the plan to reduce pesticides, control invasive species and improve the most vulnerable parts of the reef, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said.more

Ilkay Gündogan will return to ­Manchester City on a free transfer, 12 months after leaving the club for Barcelona. The 33-year-old, captain when City won the treble in 2023, will join on an initial one-year deal with an option for a second.more

Voi, which already operates e-scooters in the capital, has said it wants to ‘generate as many rides as possible with as few vehicles as possible’.more