London

London

Flight EZY2618 jetted off from Hurghada, Egypt, to London Luton Airport on Tuesday, May 19. But the journey soon took a turn when a traveller notified cabin crew that they had a portable charger in use in the hold of the plane. The captain then decided to divert the flight three hours into the trip and landed safely at Rome Fiumicino 20 minutes later.

The British Army has transformed a disused platform at Charing Cross Underground station into a fully operational military command post as part of a major NATO-led exercise simulating a future conflict with Russia. Hundreds of troops have been taking part in what the Army describes as one of the most ambitious military exercises in a generation, under Exercise Arrcade Strike, run by the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). The scenario is set in a fictional 2030 the year that military planners believe the threat from Russia could be at its most serious.

A west London boat club has launched an electric boat as part of efforts to reduce emissions on the River Thames and improve access to the water for under-served communities. The Fulham Reach Boat Club hopes to eventually electrify all of its motorised boats, replacing petrol engines with quieter, zero-emission alternatives. Unlike traditional petrol-powered boats, the electric craft - which was funded by the Port of London Authority (PLA) - produces no engine noise or harmful carbon dioxide emissions.

A large police cordon is in place at Hyde Park Corner in central London after a serious road collision. Grosvenor Place, a major dual carriageway linking Hyde Park Corner with Victoria along the perimeter of Buckingham Palace, remained closed at 19:00 BST on Saturday. About 10 police vehicles were in attendance, with a Lime bike, cement lorry, two cars and a moped parked within the cordon.

One thing unites the British more than anything else. It stands there in plain sight but is rarely spoken about. We may try to hide it; we may not admit it to ourselves; but under the surface, deep down, in the nicest possible way, we are all a little odd. Not in a sinister way, just eccentric, weird, unpredictable and downright wonderful.

That all changed this week-Tuesday, to be exact-when the woman who now goes by Megan Sussex posted 24 never-before-seen photos of their big day, taken by "the wonderful Chris Allerton," across two on Instagram. It's impossible to deny how happy and in love the couple looks.

Each of these newly funded projects are exploring ways for young people to get involved, as well as offering quality apprenticeships and research opportunities for hands on experience, such as research to safeguard endangered sharks in the Thames Estuary. These initiatives show how heritage is empowering the next generation - building confidence, skills and connecting with the heritage that matters to them - from historic places to the natural world. Thanks to National Lottery players, we're supporting ambitious projects that care and value heritage and give young people a voic

Efforts to protect north London’s historic Highgate Cemetery from the effects of climate change have received a 6.7m boost from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust, which owns and manages the cemetery, said the funding would support a wider 19.5m restoration and conservation programme. The five-year scheme forms the first phase of a 25-year masterplan aimed at preserving the cemetery’s heritage while improving public access and community engagement.

More than 400 opened across London, mostly on the streets surrounding Pall Mall, giving rise to its nickname of 'Clubland.' Housed in grand Palladian mansions, they formed the blueprint still associated with private members' clubs today: bars, libraries, billiards rooms, private rooms for gambling, bedrooms for those who required them, and dimly lit corners where London's political and professional classes could make influential connections.

Chelsea in Bloom, which began on Monday 18 May and lasts until Sunday 24 May, with more than 145 shops, restaurants, hotels and businesses across the west London neighbourhood taking part. The 2026 theme is "Out of this World", with installations inspired by space travel, astrology and spiritual symbolism. Highlights include an enormous floral globe on the King's Road created in honour of Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday, and a UFO suspended over Pavilion Road.

Emergency services were first called at about 09:40 BST, with around 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines sent to the scene. So far, 15 people have been led to safety, including six wearing fire escape hoods. Nine people were treated for burns and for the effects of smoke inhalation, the London Ambulance Service said. The cause of the fire is not yet known, and crews remain at the scene working to bring it under control.

Neighbourhoods and homes lie in ruins, yet signs of recovery are visible along the city's roads, with rubble cleared and traffic slowly returning. Despite these signs of normality, refugees and displaced residents, many of whom fled more than three years ago, are returning cautiously, as official statements about life returning to normal often clash with the realities on the ground.

Peter Murphy suffered a serious head injury when his kite spiralled and sent him into the sea wall on Shoeburyness beach in Essex. He was treated at the scene by Essex and Herts Air Ambulance before being taken to hospital in London, having also suffered a pelvic fracture. Murphy, from Hornchurch in east London, said: "It's hard to believe a day that started with me doing one of my favourite activities could take such a turn."

The local people know there is something going on when the internet and phone signal drops dead, they say. If the heavy bombers are flying low, the teachers will pause their school assembly until the thunderous din has passed. The parish council has been briefed on the intricacies of sonic booms. Car insurance is more expensive here as the Americans can't drive and sometimes find themselves on the wrong side of the road.

The lineup stretches across an almost improbable range of reference points, from Victorian astronomy and space photography fresh off the Artemis II mission to British absurdist comedy and Parisian haute couture, and in each case the people behind these builds have done something more ambitious than simply reproduce a recognizable subject. They've found a reason for it to exist in brick form specifically, and that distinction matters.

Originally built as one of the great luxurious Art Deco cinemas of the 1930s, it is still considered by many to be the most spectacular cinema in Britain. In his 1966 guide to London's buildings, the architectural critic Ian Nairn said of it, "miss the Tower of London if you have to, but don't miss this."

The 2026 edition is this coming weekend, the headline event of the two-day Hackney Moves festival. The 13.1-mile stretch goes through the likes of Homerton, Dalston, Haggerston and London Fields, passing by iconic east London green spaces like Hackney Downs and Victoria Park. If you're running in this year's event (or going to cheer someone along), you'll want to know where you need to be and when. Find a guide to all the start times (and how to track runners) below.

Roads around London Fields, Victoria Park, Hackney Downs and Hackney Marshes will all be shut down for the event on Sunday May 17 Warning! East London's roads are going to be teeming with tens of thousands of runners this weekend. The Hackney Half, the capital's largest half marathon event, is back As the name suggests, the race winds 13.1 miles all the way around the Hackney, starting and ending at Hackney Marshes and passing by Hackney Downs, London Fields and Victoria Park.