Largest, northernmost Inner Hebrides island with dramatic Cuillin peaks
The 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony has opened in Glasgow, with King Charles III and Queen Camilla attending. The event features a time-travel Tardis entrance, a garden stage, 74 nations parading, and a rotation of Scottish cultural moments amid budget constraints.
A new Angus Glens report shows moorland and grouse management support thousands of jobs and local businesses. It highlights 86.5 full-time equivalents and 768 seasonal workers in 2025, with significant local spending and 84 grouse shooting days, illustrating the economic and social ties of rural estates.
A roundup of UK travel features highlights scenic routes, coastlines and towns from multiple outlets, focusing on accessible nature, iconic landscapes and local culture. The pieces span Gleneagles in Scotland, Lake District gems, Edinburgh’s outdoor scene, and Shetland’s northern beauty.
Italy faces an invasion of blue crabs damaging fisheries along the Adriatic. Authorities deploy 130,000 octopuses to prey on the crabs in Emilia-Romagna as an experimental measure; experts caution it is not a guaranteed solution and monitoring continues.
Belgian hiker Hector Patemore has not returned from a planned route in the Cuillin Mountains. He was last seen leaving Glen Brittle Youth Hostel on Sunday morning and is described as white, 6ft 4in, slim with a shaved head. Police Scotland are appealing for information as concerns for his wellbeing grow.
A wave of UK and European travel pieces are steering readers toward autumn getaways, with Cornwall topping a reader travel awards and St Ives standing out as a surf-and-art hub. Pieces highlight off-season value, non-flight stays, and regional diversity.
Northern Ireland faces renewed calls to remove parental responsibility from individuals convicted of child-related sex offences, with debate intensifying as ministers consider new legislation. The move parallels England and Wales’ Jade’s Law, but its applicability to NI remains under review as safeguarding experts stress tailored risk assessments.
Gina Saarberg has won the Golden Spurtle at the World Porridge Making Championship in Carrbridge, using the same Dutch-championship-winning recipe of organic pinhead oats, water and salt. Rob Reid takes the speciality prize with a cannoli-porridge creation. Thirty competitors from 14 countries competed in the event.