US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday took another detour from his high-profile holiday in the UK to visit American forces stationed in the country and praise their "courage". Speaking after taking part in calls with European leaders and US President Donald Trump about the war in Ukraine, Vance said the US troops' presence was essential to helping to end the fighting. You guys are the reason why we can go into a negotiation with strength," Vance said. Vance arrived in the UK on August 8 with his wife and three children, only to be met by protests from residents in the Cotswolds countryside. On Wednesday, Vance reportedly had breakfast with Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigrant Reform UK party, which is topping the current electoral polls.

Lorton Festival will run from tomorrow (Friday, August 15) until Sunday, August 17, at The Wheatsheaf Inn in Low Lorton. The free event will involve ‘live music, great local beers, street food, and a fantastic community atmosphere.’(Image: Lorton Fest) Mark Cockbain, owner of The Wheatsheaf Inn and the Lorton Fest organiser, said: "We absolutely cannot wait to welcome everyone back to The Wheatsheaf for this year's Lorton Fest. READ MORE: Taste of the Sea 'bigger and better' than ever as thousands enjoy the weekend(Image: Lorton Fest) A line-up of local and regional artists is planned across the whole weekend. Sunday will see live music from 11 am with performances from Tom Ellis and Phoenix, among others. (Image: Lorton Fest) There will be various street food vendors on site throughout the weekend and a wide range of local beers and gins.

Read our Privacy noticeThe U.S. and Russia are set to suggest a “West Bank-style” occupation of Ukraine as a way of ending the war, according to The London Times. According to the proposal, Ukraine’s borders would remain officially unchanged, similar to the borders of the West Bank, even as Israel controls the territory. “It’ll just be like Israel occupies the West Bank,” the source told The Times. But it’ll still be Ukraine, because … Ukraine will never give up its sovereignty. Everything else comes after the bloodshed has been halted.”The International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank is illegal.

Vice President JD Vance began his family vacation in England last Friday with a lightning round of carp fishing. On Wednesday morning, it was the turn of Nigel Farage, the leader of the insurgent, anti-immigrant party Reform U.K. He sat down with Mr. Vance, according to an official familiar with the vice president’s schedule, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he said this was a personal trip. Mr. Farage confirmed the meeting, saying in a statement: “Good to catch up with my old friend JD Vance this morning. Everything we discussed remains confidential.”Earlier, the official said, Mr. Vance met Robert Jenrick, a Conservative lawmaker who is viewed a rising force on the right flank of the Conservative Party.

Act now to keep your subscriptionWe've tried to contact you several times as we haven't been able to take payment. You must update your payment details via My Account or by clicking update payment details to keep your subscription.

It was 1744, and the Company was still a trading business, not yet an empire. In this chaos, Clive’s boldness, cunning, and skill for planning found their place.By 1751, the French-backed Chanda Sahib threatened British influence in southern India. After the “Black Hole” incident, where many British captives died, Clive set out to retake the city.On 23 June 1757, at Plassey, Clive faced 50,000 men with only 3,000. But the real battle had been fought in secret, key Nawabi commanders, including Mir Jafar, had already been promised British gold and power. He bought estates, secured a seat in Parliament, and in 1762 was made Baron Clive of Plassey.

Supporting CommunitiesAccording to the company, the typical FASTSIGNS centre ranges between 2,000 and 2,500sq ft. with around 796 FASTSIGNS locations across nine countries. By working closely with our franchisees, we’re able to foster strong connections with customers throughout the UK. Davies highlights people like Melanie Martinez from FASTSIGNS Crawley and Andy Simpson from FASTSIGNS Leeds who have grown alongside the company. FASTSIGNS work with many clients in the education and healthcare sectors meaning that it is necessary it helps those businesses meet environmental goals. Statistics23 – FASTSIGNS has 23 centres nationwide1985 – FASTSIGNS was established by its founders in the USA1995 – The brand entered the UK market£450,000 – Average yearly turnover for centres is £450,000

More infoLocal councillors have voiced their disappointment at the confirmed closure of the Poundland store at Ortongate Shopping Centre in Peterborough. Poundland took over from Wilko in unit 19 at Ortongate Shopping Centre in 2023. The Ortongate store will close on August 24, leaving just Poundland stores in Peterborough at the Hereward Cross Shopping Centre, the Bretton Centre, and the Brotherhood Retail Park. Speaking about the Ortongate Shopping Centre as a whole, Cllr Knight felt the "wrong shops" were going in. Ortongate Shopping Centre was approached for comment.

Act now to keep your subscriptionWe've tried to contact you several times as we haven't been able to take payment. You must update your payment details via My Account or by clicking update payment details to keep your subscription.

'Everything here is great' The Times' glowing review of Wales 'world beating' restaurant sceneTimes columnist and food writer Giles Coren has once again visited Wales to heap praise on our "world-beating restaurant scene." Times columnist and food writer Giles Coren heaped praise on Black Bear Inn in Monmouthshire (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)The Times columnist and food writer Giles Coren has once again visited Wales to sample our "world-beating restaurant scene." Since then, the small venue has garnered huge success and has become one of the best gastropub offerings in Wales. The Shed has won acclaim from Sunday Times writer Giles Coren (Image: Instagram / @theshedporthgain)Article continues belowGiles still had time to revisit the Shed in Porthgain, which is "still going full bongos". To read the full review from Giles Coren, visit The Times website.

The change to rules will make it easier for aspiring home owners to get on the property ladderHOUSE THAT The mortgage lender that lets first-time buyers borrow 5.5 times their income – and you don’t need a huge depositA MAJOR mortgage lender is allowing first-time buyers to borrow up to 5.5 times their income to help them get on the housing ladder. 1 First-time buyers could borrow 5.5 times their income under the change Credit: GettyUnder the new rules, Santander customers earning less than £45,000 will be able to borrow 4.45 times their income. Santander customers earning £100,000 or more can borrow 5.5 times their income on mortgages up to 90% LTV. It comes after mortgage rates fell for millions last week after the Bank of England cut interest rates for the fifth time since 2020. How to get the best deal on a mortgage There are different factors that go into getting the best mortgage rate.

Act now to keep your subscriptionWe've tried to contact you several times as we haven't been able to take payment. You must update your payment details via My Account or by clicking update payment details to keep your subscription.

Due to the increasing interest in air conditioning in the UK, some people might have questions about how much it costs to run. Most UK homes do not have air conditioning (Image: Getty Images)Checkatrade member and air conditioning expert Matthew Powell has provided some answers about what people can expect. How much does air conditioning cost to install? BTU (British thermal unit) is the measurement used to calculate the size of the air conditioning unit needed for a space. How much does air conditioning cost to run in UK homes?

Holidaymakers face delays over the August bank holiday weekend as baggage screeners at Gatwick airport will go on strike. The industrial action, which will affect one of the busiest periods of the summer holiday season, will see around 100 security staff walking out. Trade union Unite, which called the strike, said the strikers were demanding a £1-an-hour pay rise and threatened to “intensify” the walkouts, unless baggage screening company ICTS gave in. Sharon Graham, the Unite general secretary, said: “ICTS has more than enough money to offer these workers a fair pay rise. “All flights out of Gatwick will face disruption during these times,” vowed a Unite spokesman.

They will then be joined by Mr Trump and US vice president JD Vance. The Coalition of the Willing is an international effort to support Ukraine towards a lasting peace, led by the UK, France and Ukraine. The call between European and US leaders comes ahead of the expected meeting between Mr Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. The two leaders are set to meet to discuss the future of the Kremlin’s invasion, without the presence of Mr Zelensky. Speaking during a lengthy press conference on Monday, Mr Trump pledged to “try to get back” some of Ukraine’s “oceanfront property” from Russia.