The Latest Breaking News from Britain

Britain’s scorched fields mean a food crisis – and the government is ignoring the one measure that would help

This summer’s extreme weather and wars in Iran and Ukraine have made our need for food stockpiles more pressing than ever, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

The Guardian - UK · Aug 13

UK economy unexpectedly grows by 0.3% in June, ONS says

Britain's economy saw unexpected growth in June, with gross domestic product rising. The economy expanded by 0.4% during the second quarter, exceeding forecasts. Keir Starmer resigned as prime minister amid political uncertainty during this period. New Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to lower business costs and address household expenses. The…

The Economic Times · Aug 13

Moon meets Sun: Millions witness rare solar eclipse as UK sees 90% coverage across Europe

Millions across the UK and Europe turned their eyes to the sky as a rare solar eclipse swept across the region, marking the most dramatic such event in nearly 30 years and turning the evening light noticeably darker in parts of Britain.

The Times of India · Aug 13

Andy Burnham must be brave to tackle burning Britain

THE INDEPENDENT VIEW: Editorial: A vast rethink on how this parched and panting land adapts to future hotter summers and wetter winters must be top of the in-tray for the new PM

The Independent UK · Aug 12

Russian Warship Now Patrols UK Waters, Puting Britain in Missile Range; Royal Navy Struggles To Respond

A Russian frigate is patrolling near Britain as a stretched Royal Navy struggles to shadow it, exposing gaps in UK warships, missiles and air defences.

International Business Times UK · Aug 12

Paramount says CNN sale 'on the table' to resolve California suit over Warner Bros deal

Paramount Skydance is keeping all options open, including selling CNN, to resolve a lawsuit. The company's chief legal officer acknowledged a potential move out of California. Britain has cleared the takeover, leaving California's litigation as the last major obstacle. California and eleven other states seek to block the merger, citing…

The Economic Times · Aug 12

British Man With Dementia Faces Deportation From Sweden Over Post-Brexit Rules After Living There 25 Years

A 74-year-old British man with advanced dementia faces deportation from Sweden after 25 years, despite needing round-the-clock care, as his family fights the post-Brexit ruling.

International Business Times UK · Aug 12

Why has Britain’s grass turned yellow? A plant scientist explains what happens next

Fields, parks and lawns across Europe have turned to straw this summer. Landscapes thousands of years old have been revealed as green outlines against yellow backgrounds, where ancient underground walls and ditches retain enough water to sustain pockets of grass above them. Lawns and parklands have been especially affected because…

The Conversation · Aug 12

Why an 120-year-old warning about reading feels uncomfortably familiar

In 1906, the journalist W.T. Stead warned in A Plea for the Revival of Reading that Britain faced a reading crisis. People, he complained, no longer read books. Instead, they skimmed newspapers on trains, forgot what they had read by lunchtime and increasingly preferred distraction to sustained attention. His proposed…

The Conversation · Aug 12

Is hope back? Why it’s such an important part of Andy Burnham’s big plan

Andy Burnham is embarking on a tour of the UK where he will champion a “ten-year plan to bring back hope”. This has been the language of the early stages of the Burnham premiership – in his first speech in Downing Street, he proclaimed it the moment when “Britain starts…

The Conversation · Aug 12