A city at the heart of England’s northwest
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced the triple lock on the state pension will remain until the end of this parliament but from April 2030 will rise each year by the higher of inflation or 2.5%, removing the automatic annual link to earnings. The government says the change will free savings to build a National Care Service; critics warn of pensioner losses and political fallout.
An independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of 114 of 115 Premier League financial-rule breaches covering 2009–18, multiple outlets have reported. Sanctions have not been decided. The club has said the process remains ongoing, will appeal and has told supporters it will defend its position. (07 Oct 2026)
The UK has borrowed £18.3bn in August, the ONS has reported, topping City and OBR forecasts and leaving year‑to‑date borrowing at £77.3bn — £8.1bn above the OBR projection. Rising gilt yields have pushed debt interest to record August levels and are narrowing Chancellor John Healey’s fiscal headroom ahead of the 28 October Budget.
Kevin Sinfield has completed seven ultramarathons in seven days, finishing at Old Trafford ahead of the Super League Grand Final. The challenge has raised over £11m for MND charities since 2020, with support from royals and sporting figures along the route.
Manchester City’s owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group, face a Premier League disciplinary process after breaching financial rules. Prime Minister Burnham has commented, prompting scrutiny of UK-government and local ties to the owners. The case raises questions about future investments and accountability.
The Premier League has found Manchester City owners breached rules by disguising funding through sham contracts. City faces sanctions while the IFR will assess owner suitability. Boris Burnham comments draw scrutiny as stakeholders demand independence from politics, underscoring football’s global impact.
The government has announced plans to transform the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute into a full Ghana Space Agency to coordinate space activity, promote national programmes, and foster research and innovation. Cabinet approval paves the way for a Bill to establish the agency, with legal and operational backing to manage space initiatives.
A gunman has opened fire outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, wounding a police officer; the suspect has died after hospitalisation. Ontarios SIU and Belleville police have opened investigations and police have increased patrols near places of worship. Separately, Reform synagogues in Jerusalem and other countries have reported repeated vandalism and harassment targeting LGBTQ-friendly and non-Orthodox communities.
The government has given English regional mayors the power to charge an overnight visitor levy as a percentage of accommodation costs with no statutory upper limit. Industry groups and major hotel chains have warned the uncapped power will raise prices, reduce demand and cost jobs; mayors say revenue will fund local services and infrastructure from 2028.
Disruptions across UK airspace linked to Prestwick and Swanwick faults have continued to trigger flight cancellations and delays. Airlines call for leadership changes as regulators review the incidents and outline steps to improve resilience.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has ordered an independent review into ongoing air-traffic disruptions blamed on NATS. The investigation will assess the causes, consumer impact and whether renewal plans fix the system, with initial findings due by January and a full report by March 2027.
Publishers highlight growing interest in preloved items, with advice from fashion insiders and readers sharing their favorite finds. The trend underscores sustainability and the evolving fashion economy as more people buy secondhand rather than new.
In Exeter, jurors hear how Alexander Lewis-Ranwell was released from custody twice in 24 hours before killing three elderly men in February 2019. Inquests discuss police handling, mental health care, and custody decisions.
Counter-terrorism police have disrupted an alleged plot to target the Jewish community in Manchester during Yom Kippur. Two men in their 30s have been arrested, with searches in Salford and Liverpool. Police say the investigation is ongoing and heightened security is in place for the High Holy Days.
The UK prime minister has met Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The talks have yielded a cautiously optimistic read on UK-US relations, with Trump praising Burnham as a “natural businessman” while presses over the Chagos Islands and other disputes surface. Burnham is aiming to present a 10-year plan for Britain amid turbulence at home.
A series of personal health journeys—from IVF late in life to surviving childhood cancer and a cancer diagnosis—reveal how individuals recalibrate life choices and pursue bold paths despite medical odds. This report synthesizes experiences from Business Insider UK and BBC Scotland on how people confront fate, fertility, and self-advocacy.
Britain has announced a National Centre for Information Defence to detect, attribute and disrupt AI-enabled disinformation campaigns. The move follows a UN address by Prime Minister Burnham warning of an industrial-scale information assault and calls for closer cooperation with tech platforms and allies. The effort aims to shield the UK from foreign interference and bolster national resilience.
Labour has announced that vocational GCSEs will be introduced alongside compulsory scientific and academic GCSEs, with courses in construction, child development, and creative media production starting from 2029. Ofqual will regulate content and grading to ensure parity with traditional GCSEs, and schools will be encouraged to provide more work experience opportunities to 14‑16-year-olds.
Bruce the red panda has undergone tooth surgery after a drop in appetite; vets removed a problematic tooth under general anaesthetic. The 11-year-old has resumed normal activities and remains part of Edinburgh Zoo’s red panda family, with links to Priya and Roxie in recent years.
A rapid genomic test is being piloted in five UK centres to identify brain-tumour types during surgery, cutting diagnosis times from weeks to hours and enabling earlier treatment and trials for patients.
Across England, new funds are being unveiled to revitalize high streets by supporting community-owned and cooperative businesses. The package includes a derelict buildings fund, a capital for at-risk venues, and support for community ownership to boost local economies. Leaders say the move aims to restore pride and bring life back to town centres.
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul has met Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, the first bilateral talks since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Wadephul has urged Russia to abandon escalation, pressed for a ceasefire and a Black Sea grain deal; Lavrov has said he heard "nothing new."
Avanti West Coast is being brought into public ownership in March as part of a Labour-led plan to take essential rail services into public hands amid ongoing disruption and a push to improve punctuality, capacity and passenger experience.
Britain’s Labour Party conference sees Burnham urging an honest approach to reform, delaying social care plans until the next election while outlining a broader, long-term economic and public-ownership agenda aimed at stabilising costs and growth.
Manchester City has been found guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules stretching from 2009-10 to 2017-18. The independent commission has ruled that the club artificially inflated revenues and reduced costs through sham contracts and disguised funding, with sanctions to be decided at a separate hearing. City denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal.
An independent commission finds Manchester City guilty of serious Premier League financial breaches. The club denies wrongdoing and will appeal. Former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham says he would be concerned to lose City’s Abu Dhabi owners, amid ongoing political commentary; ministers say the process must run its course.
Manchester City has been found in breach by an independent commission, with potential sanctions including fines, points deductions or expulsion from the Premier League. City maintains its innocence and says it will appeal and pursue all legal avenues.
Salam Ahmadyan and Rahman Salehi have been charged in Manchester with preparing to commit terrorist acts related to a plot targeting Jewish sites during Yom Kippur. prosecutors say they were directed by an overseas third party, possibly in Iran, and conducted hostile reconnaissance before their arrest. Authorities say the threat was disrupted but no public danger is ongoing.