Reforming tax-free and universal credit childcare could boost household incomes and bring more parents back into work, according to new research. The research, carried out by the Early Education and Childcare Coalition (EECC) together with the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE) at LSE, comes as new polling suggests current schemes are not improving work opportunities for many families.more

Cancelled train and flight services, cancelled events and flood warnings – these are the consequences of the strong winds and heavy rain brought to the UK yesterday by the Boelo low-pressure system.more

According to information provided by representatives of the tourism industry, Poles are increasingly keen to book their holidays ‘first minute’, that is, up to a dozen or so months in advance. Family holidays account for a large proportion of the bookings already made for summer 2027.more

Manchester City, the leaders of the English top-flight football league, dropped their first points of the season, losing 1–2 away to Aston Villa in the eighth round of matches. more

From playgrounds and museums to countless city farms, London has a seemingly endless list of things to do with kids over the school holidays. But as the cost of everything goes up, it can be increasingly difficult to find fantastic activities that are worth the money.more

Londoners who have experienced delays on the Underground could be entitled to a refund under Transport for London's (TfL) compensation rules. Passengers whose Tube journeys are delayed by 15 minutes or more may be able to claim back the cost of their fare, provided the disruption was caused by something within TfL's control.more

The Metropolitan Police says it is investigating reports that a letter was sent to one of its specialist units in 2018 containing allegations about Thomas Markle, the father of the Duchess of Sussex. Meghan released a statement saying that a letter was sent to the force containing "disturbing allegations" about the behaviour of her estranged father, and subsequently shared with her.more

On the night of 24 to 25 October, we’ll be switching back to winter time. By turning the clock back from 3.00 am to 2.00 am, we’ll get an extra hour’s sleep. The decision on whether to retain or abolish daylight saving time in the EU has not yet been finalised. However, a new timetable has been published setting out the dates for the changes up to 2031.more

Borussia Dortmund has announced that it will reward fans who refrain from using their phones while watching the team’s matches from the stands. The German top-flight football club’s goal is to limit live streaming, as well as the number of photos and videos being taken.more

The oil painting "Amaryllis Lily”, painted in 1948 by the then British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was sold on Thursday at a London auction for 716,000 pounds. The entire proceeds will go towards a programme to promote art in public spaces.more

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has warned that Europe faces the "biggest increase in airfares in history" as the conflict in the Middle East continues to drive up costs. The budget airline boss said his company and others could be forced to hike fares by as much as 20% as kerosene prices continue to rise into 2028.more

The lights will stay on this winter, the body in charge of Britain's electricity network has said after concerns were raised by some of its engineers. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) said the country's electricity system was prepared and "resilient to the challenges it may face" during the colder months.more

Following another round of matches, Poland has dropped from 11th to 12th place in the UEFA national club rankings, despite having the same points tally as the Czech Republic, which is in 11th place. The gap to Greece, in 10th place, is widening, however.more

Cyber security chiefs have cautioned that websites belonging to UK organisations might need to be taken offline following the discovery of a “critical security issue”.more

The British public is being urged to prepare for food shortages and widespread disruption from cyber attacks and emergencies under a new national initiative. The 'Be Ready' campaign marks the beginning of a three-year drive to boost household emergency preparedness, as Defence Secretary Wes Streeting unveils updated advice for threats such as flooding and wildfires.more

Poland will be exempt for another year from the obligation, set out in the asylum and migration pact, to accept migrants or to pay a fee for refusing to accept them – according to information obtained by PAP from EU sources.more

Cristiano Ronaldo is close to returning to the Portugal national football team following the suspension imposed on him for leaving the training camp without permission ahead of the Nations League match against Denmark on 1 October in Copenhagen, according to reports in the local media.more

The highly-coveted event sees thousands of Londoners gather along the banks of the Thames to see in the New Year. Fireworks and lights will illuminate the London skyline, while music blares across the capital in what has been described as “one of the most important moments in our city’s cultural calendar”.more

More than 160,000 households in north-western France were left without power due to Storm Austen, which brought strong gusts of wind, reaching speeds of 120–140 km/h, during the night from Thursday to Friday.more

The British fleet is unable to defend itself effectively against the Russian threat in the Arctic region, a report by the parliamentary defence committee warned yesterday. The authors cite an expert’s view that the availability of submarines is “shockingly low”.more

The Nations League Group A2 match scheduled for 13 November will take place in Belgrade behind closed doors, UEFA has decided. This is a sanction imposed on the host federation for repeated incidents of racist and discriminatory behaviour.more

Although the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread adoption of remote work have permanently altered Poland’s migration landscape, not all urban centers have managed to adapt to this new reality. Some are grappling with a profound demographic crisis. This is highlighted by a recent analysis from Business Insider Polska, based on data from Statistics Poland (GUS) covering the years 2021–2025.more

Pumpkin carving might be a Halloween tradition, but for busy families finding the time to wrestle with a giant pumpkin and create the perfect spooky design can feel more trick than treat. New research from Tesco has found that, despite pumpkin carving being one of our favourite traditions for almost half the population, just over a third (36%) of Brits say they’d appreciate a little help with pumpmore

The Met Office has declared a second named storm in a matter of days, with fresh weather warnings issued as severe winds are set to batter the UK this weekend. Storm Boelo is due to hit the UK on Saturday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to large parts of the country, the forecaster said.more

The UK could re-enter the EU in a “Switzerland plus” package that could be negotiated within months of any decision to deepen ties with the bloc, the head of a European parliament committee has said. Bernd Lange, who was heavily involved in Brexit negotiations, said: “I would love to see the UK back.” more