News – World and UK

A July inflation figure on which annual rail fare rises have historically been based was 3.6% this year, the Office for National Statistics announced. That was last month’s Retail Prices Index (RPI), which until 2023 was used by Westminster governments to set the cap on annual increases in regulated fares in England. The Department for Transport (DfT) has not revealed whether this will be used to determine changes in the […]

Incidents of sexual harassment against women on British railways have more than doubled since 2021, according to new data. Figures from the British Transport Police Authority’s 2024 annual report showed the number of crimes against women and girls rose from 7,561 in 2021 to 11,357 in 2023. The number of sexual offences jumped 10% over the same period, while sexual harassment reports doubled to 1,908. A separate British Transport Police […]

Workers on Edinburgh’s tram network have backed strike action in a dispute over a lack of toilet breaks. The union Unite said late running services mean drivers are unable to take a break ahead of their next departure, which has led to health issues among members. Unite said 160 staff could strike after a ballot was backed by more than 90% of its members. Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, […]

A Taylor Swift fan who missed seeing the star in Vienna said she has felt “every emotion possible” after she secured tickets for The Eras Tour in London thanks to a fellow fan. Last Wednesday, all three of Swift’s performances at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium were cancelled following the prevention of an allegedly planned terrorist attack. Fans of the superstar, known as Swifties, have been coming together to support those […]

Inflation has risen back above the Bank of England’s 2% target, in the first increase of 2024 after months of steady declines. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rose to 2.2% in July, up from 2% in June. It represents the first time inflation has climbed since December, driven partly by a sharp drop in energy bills last July falling out of the annual […]

Money spent on sports clubs and gyms jumped last month as consumers turned to more affordable ways to enjoy an active summer, data has shown. The start of the school holidays also prompted more trips to indoor entertainment venues in July. Spending on sports clubs soared 38% in July, compared with June, according to Revolut’s consumer data. The total monthly payments were also 16% more than a year ago. The […]

Drought is now the biggest threat to important sites for nature across the UK as the climate changes, a report from The Wildlife Trusts has warned. The report examining the dangers posed to nature reserves cared for by the trusts also points to pollution, invasive species and habitat fragmentation as key current risks to wildlife in woods, peatlands, wetlands, coastal areas and grasslands. Over the next 30 years, Wildlife Trusts […]

The majority of employers do not look for a graduate to have studied at a particular university when hiring, a survey has suggested. Fewer than one in 10 British employers said the type of university which graduates attended was an important factor in the recruitment process, according to a poll by CBI Economics. Employers tend to value a graduate’s skills, the subject they studied, and vocational experience gained during their […]

Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 16 Palestinians, including four women and seven children, and orphaned another four children, Palestinian medical officials said on Tuesday. Ten people were killed in a strike late on Monday on a house near the southern city of Khan Younis, where Israel ordered mass evacuations in recent days, saying it must act against Palestinian militants. Nasser Hospital, where the bodies were brought, said another […]