In this issue

February 08, 2023

Race to save survivors in the rubble after earthquakes

Turkey-Syria toll could hit 20,000 as winter hampers efforts

4 mins

Miracle baby born in quake

But mother trapped in collapsed rubble dies during labour

2 mins

Brown: Ofgem boss must resign over meter scandal

Regulator 'failed dismally' to protect debt-ridden customers

4 mins

The poor are being driven into a doom-loop of debt

At this time of reshuffles, the Ofgem regulator, Jonathan Brearley, should consider his position for failing on his responsibilities to energy customers subject to the forced installation of pre-payment meters.

6 mins

Railways not fit for purpose, transport secretary admits

Britain's railways are \"not fit for purpose\" and \"financially unsustainable\", the transport secretary has said.

2 mins

Husband spoke to police about gun licence before murder-suicide of family

Police believe that the husband of Epsom College headteacher Emma Pattison shot his wife and daughter dead just days after they spoke to him on the phone about his gun licence.

2 mins

Temperatures to plummet with warning of high winds

Wintry showers are set to tear through parts of the UK this week as dangerous” winds send temperatures plunging below freezing. Lows of between 2C and 3C are expected overnight in rural areas across the north of England, as well as in some major urban centres.

1 min

'Hurtful' theories by public 'hampering' search for mum

A family friend says 'nothing is making sense' with the case

3 mins

Energy department created as part of mini reshuffle

Rishi Sunak has created a standalone ministry for energy security as he tries to improve economic growth and cut skyhigh bills in the face of disastrous poll ratings.

3 mins

Zahawi's successor has paid his dues but will divide MPs

The Tory chair Greg Hands has served as trade minister but lacks high-level political experience, says Sean O'Grady

4 mins

Controversial red wall MP named Tory deputy chair

Rishi Sunak has made Lee Anderson, the outspoken Tory MP with a long history of controversial comments, as the party's new deputy chair.

2 mins

Raab behaved like monster says former senior colleague

Dominic Raab \"behaved like a monster at times\", a former senior civil servant has claimed in the latest allegation of bullying against the deputy prime minister.

2 mins

BBC chair 'introduction agency' for Johnson loan

The chair of the BBC conceded he acted as a sort of introduction agency” over an 800,000 loan to Boris Johnson but declined to say if he would resign if criticised by an official inquiry.

2 mins

Church of England to talk about gender of almighty

The Church of England is considering whether to stop referring to God as he” after priests asked to be allowed to use genderneutral terms instead. The Church said it would launch a new commission on the matter in the spring to decide whether to propose changes or not.

2 mins

'Antisemitic to his rotten core': Wife of Pink Floyd guitarist hits out at Waters

Pink Floyd lyricist Polly Samson has accused the band's cofounder Roger Waters of being \"antisemitic to your rotten core\", in an online row over Israel and the Ukraine war.

3 mins

Wish you weren't here!

The row between Gilmour and Waters has roared back into life. Ed Power delves into the musicians' decades-long feud

7 mins

'Ukraine is my nation too'

Brijendra Rana has been honoured for his work supplying medicines to troops and civilians. He speaks to Arpan Rai

4 mins

US Navy releases image of Chinese spy balloon debris

New images released by the US Navy show the debris from a destroyed Chinese spy balloon being pulled from the water in the Atlantic Ocean.

1 min

North Korea put on a war footing by Kim Jong-un

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has ordered his military to expand combat exercises and strengthen war preparations during his first appearance in nearly 40 days.

2 mins

Boycott Exxon-Mobil until it pays reparations for past sins

Fossil fuel behemoth Exxon-Mobil is ignoring net zero and planning to sell ever more climate-changing aviation fuel. Thrusting aside the government's international commitments, the \"jet zero\" promises of the aviation industry and the need to develop replacement non-polluting fuels, the company is building a new pipeline from its refinery at Southampton to Heathrow. It is expected to have 140 per cent of the carrying capacity of the one it built in 1972. That's half as much again to reinforce Exxon's contribution to global heating.

3 mins

Channel crossings can be cut by approving asylum cases

In the early days of the Mediterranean migrant crisis, when thousands of people were arriving in Greece and Italy on small boats every day, I never imagined that the people smugglers would one day take the same tactics to the world's busiest shipping lane.

3 mins

The end of a relationship opens the door to a new life

\"I'm not going to let this defeat me,\" says broadcaster Vanessa Feltz, emotionally announcing the end of her 16-year relationship.

3 mins

Afghanistan's brutal winter

Mass unemployment under the Taliban and the rocketing cost of food are leading to starvation, says Pamela Constable

5 mins

Rail reforms could back single-leg ticket pricing

\"The railways, quite frankly, aren't fit for purpose.\" That quote could have come from any opposition politician. \"We have them mired in industrial action, which lets passengers and freight customers down. They're historically unable to deliver major improvements at good value for the taxpayer.\"

2 mins

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