Author: News Desk

Inflation soars back above Bank of England target in sharpest spike for two years Inflation has rebounded back above the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target, driving up the cost of living at an accelerated rate. Having hit a 41-year high of 11.1 per cent in 2022, consumer price inflation (CPI) had dropped to a three year low of 1.7 per cent in September. But the latest Office for National Statistics data, published on Wednesday morning, showed inflation has risen once again in October to hit 2.3 per cent. The Bank of England seeks to control inflation – the…

Cold weather payment checker: How to find if you’re eligible and when to expect money The first cold weather payments of 2024 have been triggered as snow blankets neighbourhoods across the UK and temperatures plunge. Up to 15cm of snow is expected to fall in some parts of the country as the Met Office issues several yellow weather alerts for snow and ice. To help support people during cold snaps like these, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) runs the cold weather payment scheme for qualifying households. This is a one-off payment of £25 that is triggered for every…

Most Muslims feel Islamophobia has become more widespread summer riots A majority of Muslims feel Islamophobia and hate against them has become more widespread since the summer riots, but around half also feel able to be more open about their identity, according to a survey. Tell Mama, a charity monitoring such incidents, said its latest survey indicated that one in two of those asked said they had become more open, mainly through conversations with friends and colleagues, about their Muslim identity after the violence which erupted following the Southport attack. The organisation analysed, as part of the annual No2H8 campaign,…

‘Brexit is hell,’ artists say as report reveals extent of EU exit toll on musicians Leading musicians have warned that “Brexit is hell” as a damning report has revealed the damage of Britain’s departure from the EU on the UK’s music industry. As the number of artists saying Brexit has hit their income rose from 82 per cent to 87 per cent, UK-based songwriter Victoria Canal said “it is expensive logistically and puts pressure on all of us”. And producer Catherine Marks said the UK’s exit from the European bloc has negatively impacted recording budgets and caused increases in costs…

Study reveals where in the UK is best at spotting a fake accent Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailA new study has revealed areas where people can spot someone faking their accent the best.People from Glasgow, Belfast, and the north-east of England are better at telling when someone is faking their accent than people from London and Essex, research suggests.In a study by Cambridge University, people from Belfast proved most able to detect someone imitating their accent, while…

The Guardian reports that the US is “incredibly concerned” about Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy.

The rising tensions between Russia and the West, following Ukraine’s use of US-supplied long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russian territory for the first time, are splashed on the front pages this morning. 

The papers suggest the policy shift from the US president has escalated the situation in the West, and in response, Russian President Vladimir Putin has lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike. Many of the front pages fear a potential nuclear war on the horizon. 

Striking images of yesterday’s farmers’ protests in London find space on the front pages as do reports on the effects of the chancellor’s October Budget. 

Showbiz, the cold snap and sports make up the rest of the stories on the front pages today.

The back pages lead with the news Pep Guardiola has signed a one-year extension to his contract.

HSBC to open London ‘wealth centre’ in effort to draw in premier clients Aimed at those with £100,000 to £2m, service in Mayfair will offer personalised banking and exclusive events HSBC is to launch its first UK “wealth centre” in London’s upmarket Mayfair district, offering more personalised banking services and exclusive events such as wine tastings as part of a drive to win more rich customers. The lender will take up two floors of the 16-storey Smithson Tower at 25 St James’s Street – close to the Ritz Hotel and Fortnum & Mason department store – as part of a…

Irish police, known as Gardaí, have released CCTV images of 99 individuals they want to question about riots that broke out in Dublin nearly a year ago. The unrest followed the stabbing of three children and a school care assistant outside a primary school on November 23, 2023.  

European Union nations are ready to step up military and financial support for Ukraine if the United States scales back its aid, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated on Tuesday. His remarks came during a high-level meeting in Warsaw marking the 1,000th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.