14 h. ago I'm a spa expert: forget the overpriced wellness breaks, these are the best cheap spas in the world, including a £20

Sophie Benge swapped overpriced wellness breaks for the ancient mud and mineral-water therapies of Central Europe.

Economics

22 h. ago Why I swapped overpriced wellness breaks for the soothing spas of Central Europe

Sophie Benge swapped overpriced wellness breaks for the ancient mud and mineral-water therapies of Central Europe.

Politics

35 h. ago EU fines Google nearly €3bn for ‘abusing’ dominant position in ad tech

Regulators ordered the tech giant to end ‘self-preferencing practices’ in advertising services but declined to force saleEuropean Union regulators on Friday hit Google with a €2.95bn ($3.5bn) fine for breaching the bloc’s competition rules by favoring its own digital advertising services, marking the fourth such antitrust penalty for the company as well as a retreat from previous threats to break up the tech giant.The European Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s executive branch and top antitrust enforcer, also ordered the US company to end its “self-preferencing practices” and take steps to stop “conflicts of interest” along the advertising technology supply chain. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago The Guardian view on the dental divide: ministers must brush up their policy as well as children’s teeth | Editorial

Gaps in access to dentists mirror other health inequalities. And ‘golden hellos’ won’t solve the problem on their ownDisadvantaged primary school pupils at the government’s first wave of new breakfast clubs can expect to be trained in toothbrushing, as well as fed. Data showing that a fifth of all five-year-olds in England have experienced tooth decay persuaded ministers to make improved oral health part of the early years and reception class curriculum. But the prevalence of decay is not evenly spread across the country. And research showing how much worse the situation is for children in deprived areas is in line with other findings about widening health inequalities.New analysis from the Local Government Association highlights the differing availability of dental care across council areas – a situation sometimes described as a dental divide. It found no specific correlation between the numbers of NHS dentists and young children with tooth decay. But it adds to a body of...

Politics

5 d. ago If war ever breaks out with this gang of strongmen, we may as well raise the white flag at Dover: BOB SEELY

The souvenir pictures of ramrod-backed world leaders standing alongside each other at international summits are known in the trade as 'family photos'.

Events

5 d. ago Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton met with cheeky comment as they return to Morning Live

BBC Breakfast presenters Jon Kay and Sally Nugent were back on our screens on Monday as well as Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton following a lengthy break from Morning Live

Politics

2 w. ago Mateta sinks Fredrikstad to give Crystal Palace advantage in Conference playoff

Crystal Palace 1-0 FredrikstadPalace begin life without Eze with win over NorwegiansIt might not be the Europa League. But even the absence of Eberechi Eze as he closes in on his £67.5m move to Arsenal could not spoil Crystal Palace’s first taste of European football as they sealed a narrow victory in the first leg of their Conference League playoff.After a summer of uncertainty over which competition they would play in, the last thing that Oliver Glasner would have wanted was to receive a call from Eze on the morning of the game informing the Palace manager that he was not feeling well enough to play. Yet having struggled to break down well-drilled Norwegian side Fredrikstad in the first half in the absence of their talismanic England forward, Jean-Philippe Mateta’s goal calmed Palace’s nerves but they could not find a second that could have proved crucial as they attempt to secure their place in the group stages of Uefa’s third-tier competition. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Mateta gives Crystal Palace advantage over Fredrikstad in Conference playoff

Crystal Palace 1-0 FredrikstadPalace begin life without Eze with win over NorwegiansIt might not be the Europa League. But even the absence of Eberechi Eze as he closes in on his £67.5m move to Arsenal could not spoil Crystal Palace’s first taste of European football as they sealed a victory in the first leg of their Conference League playoff.After a summer of uncertainty over which competition they would play in, the last thing that Oliver Glasner would have wanted was to receive a call from Eze on the morning of the game informing the Palace manager that he was not feeling well enough to play. Yet having struggled to break down well-drilled Norwegian side Fredrikstad in the first half in the absence of their talismanic England forward, Jean-Philippe Mateta’s goal calmed Palace’s nerves, even if they could not find a second that could have proved crucial as Palace attempt to secure their place in the group stages of Uefa’s third-tier competition. Glasner, who led Eintracht Frankfur...

Politics

2 w. ago The Guardian view on food and farming: climate chaos hits crops hard – and that should worry everyone | Editorial

Last year’s floods have been followed by heatwaves. Ministers must throw their weight behind resilient, adaptable agricultureBritish farmers are, of course, not the only people who are suffering from the effects of this summer’s heatwaves. Across Europe and the Middle East, record-breaking temperatures are threatening lives as well as livelihoods. France has experienced its largest wildfire since 1949, while across Europe an estimated 500,000 hectares of land have burned.But farmers are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather, which has a direct impact on crop yields. So reports of a second consecutive year in which food growers in parts of the UK are seeing dramatic falls in production should concern the British public. Access to food is frequently taken for granted in the world’s wealthiest nations. But increased food insecurity is among the dangerous effects of the climate crisis, as well as being worsened by Trump’s tariffs, and geopolitical instability including the war in U...

Events

3 w. ago I went on a wellness break to Ibiza and have one piece of advice for anyone hiking

Think the White Isle is all beach clubs and bikinis? We head north, where you can get your sangria served with a generous side of serenity

Politics

3 w. ago Seals, puffins and sunshine: snorkelling trip to remote British island gives young carers a taste of the sea

Charity gives children a well-earned break from caring responsibilities, hoping that a day’s snorkelling amid the island’s wildlife will help them connect with nature“A seal just swam right by me,” squeals Odin Rawlinson, 14, as he awkwardly clambers back on to the dive boat in his flippers. He had hoped to see a megalodon or a kraken (a mythical sea creature) on his first ever snorkelling trip. But to his surprise, he finds the marine life that actually frequents the waters off Lundy in the Bristol Channel just as enchanting.Odin Rawlinson on the trip to Lundy – the 14-year-old looks after his mother who has kidney failure and has to have regular dialysis sessions in hospital. Continue reading...

Politics