Author: David Pike

Sara Sharif murder trial latest: Schoolgirl’s head ‘covered with homemade hood’ in weeks before death Sara Sharif’s head was covered with “homemade hoods” made of plastic bags and parcel tape in the weeks before her death, a court has heard on the second day of her murder trial. The Old Bailey also heard on Tuesday that fingerprints allegedly belonging to the 10-year-old’s father, Urfan Sharif, were found on one of the bags and a bit…

Trending News Inspiration Papers News that Matters Impact on your life Good News Watch: Inquiry into Novichok poisoning of Dawn Sturgess begins Pep Guardiola approached over England job but has four other options Vladimir Putin ordered Novichok attack on my life, Salisbury victim Sergei Skripal tells Dawn Sturgess inquiry Afghan special forces to be brought to Britain as minister finally admits troops were employed by UK Previous Next Previous Next CALL TO ACTIVISM @CalltoActivism Read…

A cloudy start for many, with drizzle over the hills. Some bright or sunny spells developing at times through the day. The increasing risk of heavy showery rain in the south and west though the evening. Warm in the south. TONIGHT: Outbreaks of heavy and perhaps thundery rain will push north and eastwards across the UK through the evening and overnight. A mild night to come. Source: Met Office

Many of Tuesday’s papers provide coverage of the latest hint from Chancellor Rachel Reeves that employers’ national insurance contributions could go up in the Budget.

The trial of Urfan Sharif makes several tabloid front pages, as he admitted to police that he had killed his ten-year-old daughter.

Watch: Inquiry into Novichok poisoning of Dawn Sturgess begins Watch as the inquiry into how Dawn Sturgess was fatally poisoned after being exposed to the Russian nerve agent Novichok opened on Monday, 14 October. The British 44-year-old died after being exposed to the chemical weapon which was left in a discarded perfume bottle in Amesbury, Wiltshire, in July 2018. Ms Sturgess’s death came after the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia…

Sadiq Khan puts pressure on Starmer over EU as he insists no reason to be scared of single market return Sadiq Khan has piled pressure on Sir Keir Starmer over the EU single market, saying rejoining it is “something we shouldn’t be scared to talk about”. The prime minister has ruled out a return to the common market, saying he cannot see Britain re-entering the trading agreement in his life time. Sir Keir has also…

Covid vaccine: How to book a jab and who is eligible? The number of people going to hospital with Covid across Britain has risen at an “alarming” rate after a new variant of the virus emerged, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned. UKHSA figures showed the admission rate for patients testing positive for Covid XEC stood at 4.5 per 100,000 people in the week to October 6 – up from 3.7 a week earlier. The North East has seen…

Male artists such as Damien Hirst less of a force after 40, says Tracey Emin Artist, 61, also tells The Louis Theroux Podcast that she likes ‘pomp and ceremony’ of the royal family. Tracey Emin has said that most male artists including her contemporary Damien Hirst are less of a creative “force” after they reach the age of 40. Both Emin and Hirst have been Turner prize nominees, with Hirst winning the prestigious award in…

Vladimir Putin ordered Novichok attack on my life, Salisbury victim Sergei Skripal tells Dawn Sturgess inquiry Salisbury poisoning victim Sergei Skripal believes Vladimir Putin personally ordered the Novichok attack on him and his daughter Yulia, the former spy has told the inquiry into Dawn Sturgess’s death. In a new witness statement made public at the hearing in Salisbury on Monday, Mr Skripal said he believed the Russian president “must have at least given permission for…

Rachel Reeves boosts big business as she caps corporation tax at 25% and woos investment in Britain Rachel Reeves announced her fourth big tax freeze on Monday, pledging to cap corporation tax at 25 per cent for the lifetime of this parliament as she made a bold offer to the world’s largest businesses to invest in Britain. It leaves her with little space to manoeuvre in this month’s Budget, having already promised not to raise…

Afghan special forces to be brought to Britain as minister finally admits troops were employed by UK Hundreds of Afghan special forces soldiers and their family members will be allowed to resettle in the UK after ministers admitted that new evidence has confirmed they were paid by the government. Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, told the Commons on Monday that a Ministry of Defence review, sparked by campaigning MPs and a joint investigation by…

Yvette Cooper jokes husband’s advice was to ‘shake it off’ after Taylor Swift police protection questions Yvette Cooper has joked her husband’s advice was to “shake it off” days after she faced questions over Taylor Swift’s VIP police protection at her London concerts. The home secretary also told journalists at Westminster that “haters gonna hate, hate, hate”. Last week ministers denied claims that a police escort for Ms Swift was the result of “undue influence” from…

Children ‘doom scrolling’ on phones for hours a day causing widespread harm – MP Children who are “doom scrolling” for hours a day on smartphones are at risk of widespread harm, an MP has warned. The equivalent of “seatbelt” legislation is needed for children and their social media use to help them manage addictive content, according to former teacher Josh MacAlister. On Wednesday, the Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington will introduce a Private Member’s…

Unemployed to be given weight-loss jab to help them back into work, government announces Unemployed people will be given weight-loss jabs to assist them back into work in a trial. The UK’s life sciences sector will receive £279 million from drugs giant Eli Lilly, to invest in developing new medicines and ways to deliver treatment. Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of the NHS praised weight-loss drugs as “game-changers” in supporting people to reduce their risk of life-threatening…

King Charles enjoys performance from Elton John at reception for UK’s international investment summit The King joined some of the world’s top chief executives and industry leaders at a reception that capped off the government’s first major summit to woo investors, and enjoyed a performance from Sir Elton John. Some 300 guests attended the exclusive reception at St Paul’s Cathedral on Monday where Charles spoke to a wide group of notable figureheads. Sir Tim Berners-Lee,…

Charities urge Government to target smaller websites under Online Safety Act A group of charities and online safety campaigners have written to the Prime Minister, urging him to ignore advice from Ofcom around which websites to categorise as the most dangerous under the Online Safety Act. The group of campaigners said the regulator’s advice that smaller websites should not be designated Category 1 – the rating which gives Ofcom the greatest scope of powers for…

UK ‘dangerously underprepared’ for future energy crisis and price spikes, experts warn The UK is “dangerously underprepared” and vulnerable to another energy crisis that would see price rises, a group of experts have warned. The Energy Crisis Commission, which includes representatives from Energy UK, Citizens Advice and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said weaknesses in Britain’s energy system have been laid bare – supply, demand and targeted support for the poorest households. The commission was launched…

A pensioner is set to miss out on winter fuel help this year because she is just £3.32 above the weekly threshold for support. Lynne Perry, 69, who lives in Cornwall, says she gets just enough income from her state pension to push her above the £218.15 limit for pension credit, the government’s payment to older people who need extra help with their living costs. Those on pension credit qualify for the annual winter fuel…

UK ‘risks repeat of surging energy bills’ amid continued reliance on gas Energy crisis panel warns country is ‘dangerously unprepared’ and must shift away from gas quickly. Britain is at risk of experiencing a repeat of the sharp increase in energy costs which has fuelled the continuing cost of living crisis because it relies too heavily on gas, according to an expert panel of industry leaders. The Energy Crisis Commission has warned that the UK…