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Here’s where you want to be to see the 2026 solar eclipse
The total solar eclipse of 12 August 2026 will offer the best viewing in western Iceland and northern Spain, marking the first total eclipse since 2024. Unlike the 2024 eclipse, which favoured North America, this event’s path of totality crosses Europe, though it coincides with the Perseid meteor shower and lunar perigee, making the moon…
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England’s Agriculture Battles Dual Weather Crisis as Natural Drought Solutions Gain Ground
England’s farming sector faces a compounding crisis after consecutive weather disasters have destabilised production. Winter flooding disrupted planting schedules and delayed crop establishment, whilst ongoing drought co
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At least 72 dead amid mass migrant rush to storm Spanish enclave of Ceuta sparking border crisis
At least 72 migrants have died after an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people, most of them young men, attempted to storm the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, triggering a major humanitarian and diplomatic crisis. The incident has reignited debate over immigration policy across Europe, with Spain deploying its military to the North African territory…
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At the scene of deadly Moscow bomb blast
At least three people have been killed and 21 injured after a homemade bomb exploded at an Italian restaurant in central Moscow, according to Russian state media citing security officials. The blast, which took place at a private event, marks a significant security incident in the Russian capital and comes amid heightened concerns over such…
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Beavers boost drought defences as Burnham eyes new constitution
Beaver-created ponds and wetlands in Devon have remained visibly green during drought conditions that have left much of the surrounding countryside dry. Images from the River Otter catchment highlighted how dams slow and retain water, potentially providing refuge for wildlife, grazing and water for livestock, and reducing rapid runoff when heavy rain follows dry weather.…
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Xbox prices are increasing by up to €200 or £170
Microsoft has confirmed steep price increases for Xbox Series X and Series S consoles in the UK and EU, with some models rising by up to £170 or €200. The hikes, revealed after US pricing was announced in June, are being driven by soaring RAM and storage costs linked to demand from the AI industry,…
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Ukraine says major Russian oil refinery and airfield hit, as Moscow reports eight deaths
Ukraine has carried out overnight strikes deep inside Russia, targeting a major oil refinery and a strategic airfield in the Saratov region, some 600km from the Ukrainian border, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. He described the attacks, which also struck an oil depot in Kaluga and a drone launch site in Bryansk, as “long-range sanctions”…
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Oscar-winning Hollywood actor faces fury from Republicans for ‘dim-witted’ post blaming far-right for ‘benefitting from engineered migrant crisis’
Javier Bardem, the Oscar-winning Spanish actor, has drawn criticism from Republicans after posting on social media suggesting the far-right was benefitting from what he described as an “engineered migrant crisis”. The comments came amid rising tensions in Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa, where fear has grown over the situation involving migrants crossing from…
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‘Wilder was tight-lipped about Hamer future’
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder gave little away about midfielder Gus Hamer’s future after a goalless pre-season friendly at VfL Bochum, amid ongoing speculation linking the 29-year-old with a return to Coventry City. Hamer, entering the final year of his contract, played the full 90 minutes and showed flashes of the form that made him…
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What do you wish you could buy in vending machines?
This piece is a reader-submitted “notes and queries” question from the Guardian’s long-running series, in which readers pose everyday dilemmas for other readers to answer. This particular instalment asks what people wish vending machines sold, prompted by a reader who noted that in Germany you can buy sausages from a machine. It’s a light-hearted consumer…