CATEGORIES

Rise in wages by 5.2% reduces chance of cut in interest rates

UK pay growth accelerated to 5.2% in October, putting pressure on the Bank of England to resist calls for lower interest rates when policymakers meet tomorrow.

Guy Hands property firm sells armed forces housing back to MOD for £6bn

A property company linked to Guy Hands has agreed to sell 36,000 military homes to the Ministry of Defence for almost £6bn, signalling an end to a long-running battle between the billionaire and the government.

Government blames IT scandal on 'arrogant' Post Office bosses

A Post Office led by \"weak and arrogant\" executives who were \"culpably dishonest\" and had a culture of \"contempt\" towards branch operators was primarily responsible for the Horizon IT scandal, the government has said.

Cost of HS2 line may top £80bn, with estimate up 15% in a year

The bill for building the HS2 high-speed railway could pass £80bn at current prices, with estimated costs having risen by 15% since the last parliamentary report just over a year ago.

Thames Water wins first step in deal to secure £3bn lifeline

Thames Water has won court approval to secure a £3bn cash lifeline from some of its biggest creditors.

Night curfew imposed to halt looting as death toll rises on Mayotte

The search for missing people continued yesterday on the French territory of Mayotte, after Cyclone Chido devastated the islands on Saturday before sweeping through south-eastern Africa, where the death toll is climbing in Mozambique and Malawi.

'I'm hitting a wall' Heir's fight to regain Jewish collector's art stolen by the Nazis

German experts have long agreed that Michael Hulton, a San Francisco-based doctor who is the sole surviving heir to an illustrious Jewish art collector forced to flee the Nazis, has a strong case for restitution. But after years of waiting, he's running out of patience and time.

Frontrunner hits out at Greens as German election campaign begins

The frontrunner to be Germany's next leader has pledged to put an end to the bitter infighting that has hobbled the country's politics in recent years, even as he railed against his most likely coalition partners.

Trump attacks 'biased' judge for refusing to overturn conviction

Donald Trump yesterday launched a vitriolic attack on a New York judge who refused to overturn his conviction on a hush money case that made him the first sitting or past US president to be a convicted felon.

Girl, 15, who shot two dead at US school reportedly left manifesto

The 15-year-old girl who police say killed a teacher, a student and wounded six others before taking her own life at a school in Madison, Wisconsin, reportedly left a manifesto that investigators are now reviewing.

A win for Ankara How Erdogan's balancing act has paid off for Turkey

Less than a week after the deposed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow, Turkish officials raised their flag over the embassy in Damascus.

Syria HTS leader says rebel groups to be 'disbanded'

Syria's rebel factions will be \"disbanded\", the head of the group that led the ousting of Bashar al-Assad has pledged, as he seeks to reassure minorities at home and abroad that the country's interim leaders will protect all Syrians, as well as state institutions.

Hopes rise that ceasefire-for-hostages deal in Gaza could be done within days

The pace of talks aimed at securing a ceasefire-for-hostages agreement in Gaza appear to be accelerating, amid claims that a deal may be within reach, perhaps within days.

Removal of low traffic area in London legal, judge finds

Road safety campaigners in east London have lost a high court challenge against the mayor of Tower Hamlets over his decision to remove three low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) in Bethnal Green.

I have not changed my mind over Letby's guilt, insists expert witness

A doctor yesterday said claims that he had changed his mind over the causes of death for three of Lucy Letby's victims were \"unsubstantiated\" and \"inaccurate\".

Young suspects may avoid court under terror laws shake-up

Young terrorism suspects could avoid prosecution if they agree to a diversion scheme under plans to tackle a post-lockdown surge in violent extremism.

Police missed warning signs about far right before riots, report finds

Police intelligence missed clues about dangers posed by the far right before the summer riots that ravaged England, a policing chief has said.

Parliament MPs call for electronic voting in the Commons

The House of Commons should consider moving to electronic voting, a group of more than 60 backbenchers have said, with the current system of filing physically through voting lobbies taking up to a fifth of an MP's working day.

Scotland Yousaf to quit frontline politics at Holyrood elections

Humza Yousaf, Scotland's former first minister, has announced he is to quit frontline politics at the next Scottish elections as he criticised Elon Musk's interference in the US election and his potential role in the next UK election.

Training up UK workers may not cut immigration, Starmer is warned

Keir Starmer's plan to bring down UK net immigration by improving domestic training and skills is not guaranteed to work, the government's independent advisers have concluded.

Avanti West Coast train staff to strike on New Year's Eve

Rail workers on Avanti West Coast will go on strike on New Year's Eve after rejecting a deal designed to resolve an ongoing dispute.

Anonymous winner takes third-largest lottery prize

A UK ticket-holder has become the third biggest national lottery winner after receiving a £177m jackpot.

Theatre review Dazzling, heady musical version of Tolstoy saga is terrific fun

The pithy, one-line character summaries in the opening song of Dave Malloy's compressed musical of War and Peace take some serious creative liberties with Leo Tolstoy's four-volume, 15-book doorstop of a story about love, friendship and life in the Napoleonic wars.

Air pollution linked to greater risk of hospital admission for mental illness

Exposure to air pollution is linked to an increased risk of hospital admission for mental illness, according to the most comprehensive study of its kind.

Doctors' groups urge ban on physician associates seeing patients one-to-one

The NHS should slow or scrap the recruitment of physician associates (PAs), and ban them from seeing patients one-to-one, medical groups have told ministers.

MI5 Agency's 'interference alert' is lawful, judges rule

A lawyer who was accused of improperly trying to influence MPs and peers on behalf of China has lost a legal challenge against MI5, who said nearly three years ago that she was trying to interfere in British democracy.

Audit of UK relations with China delayed until after Reeves Visit

A review of UK-China relations has been delayed until after the chancellor makes her first trip to Beijing next month, the Guardian has learned, amid a row over an alleged spy who befriended Prince Andrew.

Prince Andrew Call for inquiry into 'opaque' finances

Getting information from government departments about the Duke of York's past business dealings is like playing \"whack-a-mole\", a researcher has claimed, as fallout over the alleged Chinese spy controversy continues, with China saying it was an attempt to \"smear\" it.

Historic England Tomb linked to Tintin among newest protected places

listering barnacles! Thundering typhoons! Who knew there was a 300-year-old tomb in Essex linked to Tintin's boozy best friend, Captain Haddock?

Aircraft took off without pilot and flew over North Sea

A small but gutsy aircraft took off by itself from a grass strip north of Newcastle and flew to freedom over the North Sea earlier this year, according to the UK's air accident agency.