A cathedral city of North Yorkshire, with Roman origins and a historic trading and railway hub.
Andy Burnham has outlined a plan to devolve power away from Whitehall, establishing a No 10 North unit in Manchester to oversee regional reform, housing, transport and economic policy. He has positioned himself as the voice for English regions and signalled potential changes to where key decisions are made.
The government is expanding use of former military sites to house asylum seekers, planning to accommodate about 3,750 people across Bicester, Barnham and Linton-on-Ouse, with extensions at Crowborough and Wethersfield. Local opposition persists in several communities as the plan unfolds.
The NPR project has a £45bn funding cap and aims to connect northern cities with new or upgraded rail lines. MPs warn it risks repeating HS2’s failures, with unclear costs, routes and governance. The government maintains a disciplined, phased approach while engaging mayors and Network Rail.
Humphrey Smith, founder and private figure behind the Samuel Smith Old Brewery, has died at 81. The brewery is famed for rigid rules banning mobile phones, sieving its pubs from modern tech, and operating a network of around 200 pubs across the UK. Locals describe him as a private man with strong ties to Tadcaster, where horse-drawn deliveries and a historic brand survive.
Green MPs and unions are pressing for legally binding maximum indoor temperatures amid recurring heatwaves. Legislation would create an independent body to set safe thresholds and detail implementation, with cross-party backing and comparisons to Spain. Government says it will study the issue further.
Rapid, non-invasive endometriosis tests are being rolled out to shorten the nine-year average diagnosis wait. Campaigners and patients welcome the shift after years of dismissals and delays in diagnosis.
Ryan Fox has won the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, finishing ten under. The win makes him New Zealand’s fourth major champion and follows a week marked by fast play and dramatic momentum. He defeated Cameron Young with a final-round surge, while the event featured record attendance and praise for Fox’s pace.
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot is shaping up as a high-stakes showdown. Kalpana has marked a landmark win at Royal Ascot, with Kalpana’s trainer describing it as number one in his career, while Calandagan remains the pre-race favourite. Masquerade Ball and Masquerade Ball are among rivals as the event promises a test of endurance and class.
Labour Prime Minister has convened a Downing Street summit with Tory and Lib Dem leaders to press for cross-party reform of England’s social care system. He has accelerated Baroness Casey’s national care review and will launch a public consultation to shape a National Care Service, arguing reform is urgent to protect the NHS and families.
The former Nara Prison, built in 1908 and designated as a cultural property in 2017, has reopened as the Hoshinoya Nara Prison Hotel. The luxury complex preserves original architectural details while converting cells into guest rooms, attracting international visitors with a star-like wing design and a museum on site.
A makeup artist Ava Gillies (26) died after a two-vehicle crash near Wrelton, North Yorkshire, while Amber Street (from West Sussex) died in a three-vehicle crash near Arundel. North Yorkshire and Sussex police are investigating, with witnesses urged to come forward; several others were injured in the incidents.
A wave of paddleboarding is drawing people to rivers and canals, turning routes into social spaces from Scotland to Yorkshire. Shops and pubs along waterways are redefining leisure travel as clip-ready videos fuel a growing trend.
The prime minister has accelerated plans to make subscription cancellations easier and to curb deceptive discounts as part of a wider cost‑of‑living package. The government is bringing these changes forward to January 2027 and is planning consultations on banning misleading “was” prices.
Rail operators across the UK are adjusting timetables and services in response to an amber heat warning, with temperatures expected to exceed 30C in several regions. Operators warn of reduced services, enforced speed limits, and potential disruption, urging passengers to check journeys before travel.
A solar eclipse has drawn thousands of spectators across the North East and Cumbria, with observers calling the event phenomenal and marking the moment as a rare, shared experience.
UN agencies report detainee cases in Herat and Kabul as the Taliban hold six staff from the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation and two UNAMA employees. The UN calls for access and adherence to immunities as the humanitarian situation worsens and cross-border clashes continue.
A string of tips from York and Newbury racedays shape weekend betting with strong market support for Limestone and Ten Bob Tony, while Bow Echo retirement alters the stakes in Europe’s mile division.
The bank holiday weekend is marked by widespread rail disruption due to a Birmingham power outage affecting CrossCountry’s control centre. Plans for a near-normal service on Monday are in flux as rail routes face cancellations, rail replacement buses are in place, and tickets remain valid across operators amid disruption.
A Sudan-born man with catatonic schizophrenia has been sentenced to 25 years in prison and an indefinite hospital order after pleading guilty to attempted murder in a frenzied attack on a lone woman in March 2024 in Leeds. The attack prompted concerns over safety and mental health care, with the judge noting a sexual element to the assault.
A band of thunderstorms and heavy rain has prompted yellow weather warnings across much of England and Wales. The Met Office warns of disruption to transport and potential flooding, with 81 areas under warning and multiple flood alerts. Homeowners in Perry Barr have already seen flooding, as forecasters anticipate further downpours over the bank holiday weekend.
UK researchers have developed nitinol-based super-elastic cranial springs for severe craniosynostosis, enabling less invasive skull reshaping in children. Rory Potter becomes the first patient to receive the customized springs, with follow-up showing rapid recovery and a reduced need for future surgery. The approach combines CT-guided modelling with bespoke devices at Great Ormond Street Hospital and UCL.
Liverpool city region has begun bringing bus services back under public control, starting in St Helens. Fares stay capped at £2, and the network aims to increase frequency, improve evening and weekend services, and better connect hospitals and rail links.
The government has given English regional mayors the power to charge an overnight visitor levy as a percentage of accommodation costs with no statutory upper limit. Industry groups and major hotel chains have warned the uncapped power will raise prices, reduce demand and cost jobs; mayors say revenue will fund local services and infrastructure from 2028.
A collection of reports shows political leaders and scientists urging rapid, deployable climate solutions as El Niño intensifies extreme weather. The UK’s aid cuts and new energy projects are framed within a push for scalable, community-driven climate action.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a directive redefining what constitutes a prohibited take under the Endangered Species Act, signaling that harm or killing must be intentional to count. The move, echoed across multiple outlets, has sparked lawsuits and warnings from environmental groups.
Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027 names St Cuthbert’s Way, a 62-mile route from Melrose to Lindisfarne, as a top experience. Described as passing through wild uplands and historic sites, the walk is praised for its scenery and accessibility, ending at Holy Island. The recognition follows earlier histories of St Cuthbert and the route’s modern opening in 1996. Scotland’s tourism body welcomes the listing and highlights slow tourism opportunities.