An added boost from summer sun and sports fixtures for some businesses helped the UK economy to grow by 0.4% between April and June, according to official data. But the figure - in line with economists' expectations - is below the 0.6% expansion recorded in the first three months of this year.more

Households based near newly unveiled grid infrastructure and pylons are set to benefit from reduced energy bills following details released by the government. The Energy Department (Desnz) outlined 43 initial projects expected to fall within the scope of its "bills discount scheme" on Wednesday.more

The Spanish Super Cup, which has been held in Saudi Arabia in recent years, will take place in Turkey this time. Between 2 and 7 February, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Atlético Madrid will compete for the trophy at the Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.more

A record number of candidates, the longest ballot paper in British history, and a contest between Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, and a man claiming to be an alien wearing a helmet resembling a rubbish bin. This is what today’s by-election to the House of Commons in Clacton, in eastern England, looks like.more

With London’s population continuing to age – ONS data predicts the proportion aged 65 and over will be 40.9 per cent by 2040 – it is likely that ever greater pressure will be put on finding burial spacemore

Germans still know far more about France or Spain than they do about Poland, according to Jan Puhl, a German columnist for the weekly magazine ‘Der Spiegel’. In his view, Germans who have got to know our country envy Poles for their rapidly growing economy and reforms.more

The chief inspector of probation for England and Wales has told the BBC the early release of thousands of prisoners could lead to "a serious sexual or violent offence or even murder" because of the demands on probation staff to monitor offenders.more

Paris Saint-Germain have won the UEFA Super Cup for the second year running. This year’s Champions League winners beat Aston Villa, the Europa League champions, 2–1 (1–1) in Salzburg. Matty Cash played the full match for the Birmingham side.more

A ferry service from Gdańsk, operated by Polsca Baltic Ferries, was officially launched yesterday in Karlshamn, Sweden. The ribbon was cut by the Polish Ambassador to Stockholm, accompanied by local authorities and representatives of the port and the shipping company.more

The UK's largest Harry Potter shop will open on London's Oxford Street in November, Warner Bros has announced. The flagship store, which will span more than 21,000 sq ft (1,951 sq m) over two floors, will open within The Ribbon development at 134-140 Oxford Street on 4 November.more

The point of greatest obscuration of the solar disk (the "Greatest Eclipse" point) during yesterday's total solar eclipse (Wednesday, August 12, 2026) occurred over the Atlantic Ocean, exactly 45 km off the west coast of Iceland. In Iceland, the total solar eclipse was best viewed from the Westfjords, where the skies cleared.more

The first human trials of a new-generation vaccine have gone well. The vaccine comes in powder form and does not need to be stored in a fridge. So far, trials have focused on a combined vaccine against tetanus and diphtheria. These trials could mark the start of a revolution in vaccination.more

Seventh seed Iga Swiatek defeated Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina (No. 9) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the semi-finals of the WTA 1000 tennis tournament in Toronto. This is the first time this season that the Polish player has reached the final of any tournament. She will face Yelena Rybakina of Kazakhstan for her 26th career title.more

Nearly 1,000 tourist overnight stays per resident—this very high figure was recorded in the town of Limone sul Garda in Lombardy, northern Italy. A ranking of municipalities with record-breaking rates clearly illustrates how small Italian towns transform into medium-sized cities during the tourist season.more

An Italian rail operator is looking to end Eurostar’s control over the Channel Tunnel. Ferrovie dello State Italiane (FS Group) has signed an agreement with Hitcachi Rail for the supply of 19 new high-speed trains.more

A Polish family from Bootle, near Liverpool (Merseyside), has accused a British police officer of brutality and racial discrimination during an intervention. The incident, which took place on July 27, 2026, sparked a massive outcry on social media and in both Polish and British media after the Polish woman—who had been pushed by the officer—published a video recording.more

The UK Home Office has started stripping some EU citizens of their post-Brexit residency rights, in a move that has raised concerns about Britain’s compliance with its withdrawal agreement with Europe.more

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and American Coco Gauff will face each other in the second semifinal of the WTA 1000 tennis tournament in Toronto. Iga Świątek and Ukraine's Elina Svitolina had previously advanced to this stage of the competition.more

The British government has announced plans to give local authorities greater powers so that they can more easily block the opening of new e-cigarette shops, betting shops and arcades. This is an attempt to improve the appearance of Britain’s high streets. The debate over their condition has been ongoing in the UK for years.more

England is on track to become one of the first countries in the world to eliminate hepatitis C, a dangerous virus that attacks the liver, figures show. The target of treating 80% of all known cases has already been met, and deaths from the virus have fallen by 36% in the last decade, just short of what is needed by 2030.more

Forty-one countries, including Poland and the United States, expressed concern in Geneva regarding missile tests in the Pacific conducted without prior warning. Although the joint statement did not explicitly name any specific country as the intended target of these remarks, Chinese authorities described the document as "political manipulation."more

Octopus Energy has urged its customers to avoid using electricity during the deepest solar eclipse in almost 30 years. Britain’s biggest household energy supplier has warned people not to use washing machines, dishwashers, and other plug-in devices between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday.more

Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo married his long-time partner Georgina Rodriguez on Tuesday. The wedding ceremony took place in the popular resort town of Cascais, near Lisbon.more

A pavilion that will serve as the arrivals hall during the construction of the new passenger terminal at Goleniów Airport opened on Monday. It could begin handling its first passengers as early as the end of August. The airport expansion is expected to cost approximately PLN 200 million and be completed in 2028.more

All of England was placed under an amber weather alert on Tuesday after the UK Health Security Agency raised the alert level for the northeast region. The Met Office has stated that it expects this summer to be the hottest on record.more