3 h. ago Eight of the best affordable beach holidays, from Crete to the Costa de la Luz

Kick back and dream of summer with our pick of seaside gems, including a stylish Andalucian bolthole and a villa with views of StromboliWild, windswept and wonderfully unspoilt, the Costa de la Luz is the Spanish coastline time forgot; a great swathe of Atlantic drama, fringed with sandy beaches and small seaside villages and resorts. Hotel Madreselva, surrounded by the pine forest, wetlands, dunes and sea cliffs of the Breña y Marismas de Barbate nature reserve, makes a suitably tranquil base, with a palm-shaded courtyard, flame-walled pool area and 18 stylish rooms, all with a private patio. A minute’s walk from the beach at Los Caños de Meca, the hotel is perfect for watersports lovers, as well as exploring this unspoilt corner of Andalucia. The hilltop pueblo blanco of Vejer, a 20-minute drive away, has charm in spades, while Cape Trafalgar, a lighthouse with views over the Strait of Gibraltar, is 10 minutes’ walk along the beach.Doubles from £83 B&B, hotelmadreselva.com Con...

Politics

19 h. ago European country named 'most overlooked' with £43 UK flights

YouTube content creator Suitcase Monkey took a tour of a country he described as the 'best' destination in Europe that has stunning castles and an 'iconic' lake

Economics

22 h. ago Two European countries set to be connected by new £11.4million bridges – making it easier for tourists

TWO popular destinations with Brits will soon be connected by a series of bridges. Three bridges will soon connect Spain and Portugal. The three bridges in Guadiana, Minho and Erges aim to improve connections between the two countries, which will cut travel times as well. The agreement is reported to be worth €13million (£11.4million). Guadiana...

Economics

26 h. ago Charming Surrey country pub named one of UK’s best and is just 30 minutes from London

We checked into this quaint pubs-with-rooms in the picturesque Surrey Hills, now famed for its incredible cuisine as well as its cosy setting

Politics

51 h. ago ‘Golden sands meld into the clear turquoise sea’: readers’ favourite beaches in Europe

Our readers bask in the memory of great beach discoveries, from Latvia to Sicily• Send us a tip on Scandinavia or Finland – the best wins a £200 holiday voucherForty miles east of Palermo, the magnificent Sicilian resort town of Cefalù juts out beneath dramatic cliffs. The town has a perfect half-moon beach of golden sands melding into the gorgeous clear turquoise sea. Medieval lanes of stones in a diamond pattern lead up to a lively square offering great Italian food. It’s fronted by a beautiful Norman cathedral with twin towers and Byzantine mosaics inside.David Innes-Wilkin Continue reading...

Politics

2 d. ago Gorgeous European country named cheapest for British expats — beating Spain and Portugal

A study comparing the cost of living in six European countries found this gorgeous place was the most affordable for British expats, despite higher energy costs

Politics

2 d. ago British diplomat expelled from Russia after ‘baseless’ accusation of being a spy

Moscow’s allegation that unnamed diplomat is affiliated with UK secret service comes ‘out of desperation’, Foreign Office saysA British diplomat has been expelled from Russia over what the UK Foreign Office described as “malicious and baseless accusations” of being a spy.The diplomat, who was not named, had two weeks to leave the country, the Russian foreign ministry said after it received information “regarding the affiliation of a diplomatic employee at the embassy with the British secret service”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago British diplomat expelled from Russia after being accused of being a spy

Moscow alleges unnamed diplomat is affiliated ‘with the British secret service’ as it gives them two weeks to leave A British diplomat has been expelled from Russia after being accused of being a spy.The diplomat, who was not named, has two weeks to leave the country, the Russian foreign ministry said, after it received information “regarding the affiliation of a diplomatic employee at the embassy with the British secret service”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Scotland's 12 best fish and chip shops and takeaways crowned at national awards

The top chippies in the country were named at the recent Fry Awards.

Events

5 d. ago The 12 best fish and chips in Scotland according to national awards

It’s one of the most popular dishes in the country, but which Scottish chippies have been named the best in the UK?

Events

5 d. ago Scots city with country's cheapest pints named 'most fun' beating Glasgow and Edinburgh

This city also boasts the country's cheapest pints at just £4

Politics

5 d. ago Scotland's best places to retire crowned including 'appealing coastal town'

Seven places across the country have been named as top spots for retirees.

Politics

7 d. ago All the axed Ryanair flights to European holiday hotspots in 2026

The budget airline is preparing to stop flights to areas in Germany, France, Portugal and Spain.

Politics

9 d. ago Two oil tankers under US sanctions sailing through Channel towards Russia

Aria and Tia both south of Britain after US-UK seizure of Marinera, deemed to be part of Moscow’s ‘shadow fleet’Two oil tankers under US sanctions are sailing east through the Channel towards Russia, prompting speculation over whether the US and UK would be willing to seize further vessels linked to Moscow.The Aria and the Tia, which has changed its name and country of registration several times, were both travelling south of Britain a day after the Marinera oil tanker was captured in the Atlantic by the US with UK help. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago The underrated Scottish town once named country's 'most dismal' place

It is found just outside of Glasgow.

Politics

1 week ago Trump hits back at Venezuela's new leader and threatens her with a fate WORSE than Maduro's... as he names the next country he has his eyes on

President Trump made a poignant threat toward Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, the interim leader of Venezuela, following the arrest of Nicolas Maduro.

Politics

2 w. ago Googoosh: A Sinful Voice by Googoosh with Tara Dehlavi review – the extraordinary story of an Iranian icon

Her voice soundtracked the 60s and 70s, but the revolution silenced her. The legendary singer finally has her say in this uneven memoirIf you ask any Iranian to name the most important female pop star in our country’s history, they’ll say Googoosh. Nobody else comes close. Over six decades of revolution, suppression and exile, Googoosh has gone from singer to cultural icon, a symbol of a country’s grief for its murdered, imprisoned, and muzzled artists, and a living link between pre-revolutionary Iran and the diaspora.Googoosh was just three years old when she started singing in small halls and cabaret venues where her father worked. By her teens she was a film actor and a fashion icon. In the 60s and 70s, when my mother was a teenager, Googoosh was everywhere: on television, in films, magazines, on the radio. She kept recreating herself – her style, her moves, her hair. (My mother and many of her university classmates copied Googosh’s famous wispy haircut.) For ...

Politics

2 w. ago New Year’s Eve live: world prepares to ring in 2026, as Kiribati becomes the first country to see in the new year

Join our live coverage as we start the 26 hours for the entire globe to enter the new yearAn atoll in the remote Pacific Island nation of Kiribati – Kiritimati – has become the first to usher in the new year (at 10:00 GMT). We will bring you pictures as soon as we get them in.Other parts of Kiribati will be welcoming in the new year over the next few hours.Kiribati -10:00 GMTNew Zealand – 11:00 GMTMost of Australia’s east coast – 13:00 GMTNorth Korea, South Korea and Japan- 15:00 GMTTaiwan, Hong Kong and China – 16:00 GMTThailand – 17:00 GMTIndia and Sri Lanka – 18:30 GMTRussia (Moscow) – 21:00 GMTUkraine – 22:00 GMTGermany, France, Spain, Switzerland and Italy – 23:00 GMTThe UK , Ghana and Portugal– 00:00 GMT Brazil and Argentina – 03:00 GMTThe east coast of the US – 05:00 GMT Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago The Guardian view on adapting to the climate crisis: it demands political honesty about extreme weather | Editorial

Over the holiday period, the Guardian leader column is looking ahead at the themes of 2026. Today we look at how the struggle to adapt to a dangerously warming world has become a test of global justiceThe record-breaking 252mph winds of Hurricane Melissa that devastated Caribbean islands at the end of October were made five times more likely by the climate crisis. Scorching wildfire weather in Spain and Portugal during the summer was made 40 times more likely, while June’s heatwave in England was made 100 times more likely.Attribution science has made one thing clear: global heating is behind today’s extreme weather. That greenhouse gas emissions warmed the planet was understood. What can now be shown is that this warming produces record heatwaves and more violent storms with increasing frequency. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago You can bag one week holiday to Portugal, Cyprus or Spain from just £17 a night

If you’re ready to plan a 2026 escape without blowing the budget, Loveholidays has launched a huge sale.

Economics