UK inflation eases for first time in five months to 3.6% before crunch budget 19. November 2025 (08:37) Drop in October’s annual rate raises hopes of interest rate cut after Rachel Reeves’s tax and spending statementBusiness live – latest updatesUK inflation fell to 3.6% in October, easing pressure on households and providing a boost for Rachel Reeves as the chancellor prepares for her make-or-break budget next week.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said annual inflation as measured by the consumer prices index cooled for the first time in five months, declining from a peak of 3.8% over July, August and September. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Deathly silent’: two out of three corals in world heritage-listed Ningaloo reef have been killed, scientists confirm 19. November 2025 (08:22) One expert says he is ‘starting to visualise the point where all we have left of corals and reefs is memories’Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter hereAlmost two out of three corals across popular tourism spots at the world heritage-listed Ningaloo reef died after an unprecedented marine heatwave hit the Western Australia region, scientists have said.The areas in Ningaloo’s northern lagoon had undergone a “profound ecological simplification” with coral species that were keystones to the habitat among those killed. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Moscow passes laws to boost defences against Ukrainian strikes 19. November 2025 (08:09) Vladimir Putin authorises the guarding of fuel sites by reservists, internet blackouts and tighter sentencing for acts of sabotageRussia has passed sweeping laws to bolster its defences at home against Ukrainian drone strikes and sabotage operations, reflecting the Kremlin’s expectation of a protracted war with Ukraine.Almost four years into Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine – a full-scale invasion he expected to last only weeks – Moscow is being targeted almost daily by Ukrainian drones striking energy facilities, while Ukrainian operatives have assassinated a number of high-profile Russian military figures deep inside the country. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
