More than 240 banks owned by Lloyds Banking Group are facing closures between May 2026 and March 2027, as more customers move online. Lloyds Banking Group, which also owns Halifax and Bank of Scotland, will be closing 17 branches — nine Lloyds banks and eight Hallifax branches — moving away from in-person services as more customers use online banking.more

British police are recording a growing number of crimes linked to cocaine, including assaults, domestic abuse and dangerous driving, as figures show consumption has surged across England. A Guardian investigation has found police forces across Britain recorded a 10% rise in crime rates associated with the class A drug since 2019.more

President Donald Trump’s administration is promoting the candidacy of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for the post of UN Secretary-General, the “Wall Street Journal” reported yesterday. According to this proposal, Orbán would be the joint candidate of the US, Russia and China.more

Barcelona lost 1–2 (0–1) to Real Madrid at Camp Nou in the 10th round of the Spanish top flight. This is the first time Hansi Flick’s side have dropped points this season. “Los Blancos”, for whom Frenchman Kylian Mbappé scored both goals, have reduced the gap to the league leaders to three points.more

Today (Monday 26 October) marks the moment that Oxford Street becomes permanently traffic-free for the first time, with almost a kilometre of the iconic road pedestrianised, as the Mayor of London launches an exciting new chapter for the nation’s high street.more

On 17 October 2026, the ‘Run Brave for Yourself’ charity run took place at Bushy Park in Dublin, organised by the CKU – Centre for Counselling and Therapy in Dublin and the Symposium of Polish Women in Ireland.more

A new personalised cancer vaccine given alongside a widely used immunotherapy drug has cut the risk of patients dying or their skin cancer returning by 42% in a major clinical trial.more

Piotr Zieliński scored a goal in stoppage time for defending champions Inter Milan in their 2–1 victory over Fiorentina in Matchday 8 of the Italian top flight. It was the 32-year-old Polish international’s second league goal of the season.more

One in two Poles admitted to being overworked, and amongst those aged 18–34, this figure stood at 60 per cent – according to a survey commissioned by Personnel Service. Women feel the negative impact of overwork on their domestic responsibilities and relationships more than men do, the report added.more

The king’s three-metre-long cloak, which Freddie Mercury wore during his final live performance, and the white satin costume he wore in the famous music video for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – these are just some of the props on display along the Queen singer’s exhibition trail, which opened on Saturday at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.more

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