Author: BBC

The Budget will be take place on Wednesday 26 November, the chancellor has announced.Rachel Reeves confirmed the date that she will outline the government’s taxation and spending plans to pay for things such as hospitals, schools, the military and the police.It comes as the chancellor faces mounting pressure to balance the public finances, while trying to boost economic growth and maintain the confidence of investors on financial markets.Economists have warned tax rises or spending cuts must be made if Reeves is to maintain her borrowing rules, given growth has been sluggish and inflation, the rate at which prices rise, has…

Georgia Levy-CollinsBBC NewsbeatActivisionCall of Duty is one of the world’s most popular video game seriesCall of Duty’s makers have struck a deal to turn the video game into a live-action film. The series, launched in 2003, is one of the most popular in the world and regularly tops the annual best-seller charts on consoles and PC.Publisher Activision has announced it will work with movie studio Paramount to turn the game into a blockbuster “designed to thrill its massive global fan base”.There has been no indication of potential storylines or cast members, but Paramount CEO David Ellison said: “As a lifelong…

Isaac AsheBBC News, DerbyBBCThe trial marks the first time the technology has been used on England’s rail networkTicketless train travel that works by tracking passengers’ locations is being trialled in the East Midlands.The location-based technology will be tested by East Midlands Railway (EMR) from Monday, by up to 1,000 people travelling through Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and the stations in between.The app promises to automatically charge these passengers “the best fare at the end of the day”.Further 1,000-person trials will take place on three services run by rail operator Northern in Yorkshire from the end of September, the Department for Transport…

James CookScotland editor Getty ImagesScotland has seen high numbers of people dying from drug misuse for the last seven years Official figures suggest that Scotland remains the drugs death capital of Europe for the seventh year in a row despite a 13% fall in fatalities.There were 1,017 drug misuse deaths in 2024, down 155 from the previous year.National Records of Scotland said the latest figure was the lowest annual number since 2017. It brings the total in a decade to 10,884.After adjusting for age, there were 191 drug misuse deaths per million people in Scotland in 2024.According to the most…

The price of gold has hit a record high as demand for the precious metal remains strong amid global economic uncertainty.The spot gold price hit $3,508.50 per ounce early on Tuesday, continuing its upwards trend which has seen it rise by nearly a third this year.The precious metal is viewed as a safer asset for investors during times of economic uncertainty, and its price rose earlier this year after US President Donald Trump announced wide ranging tariffs which have upset global trade.Analysts say the price has also been lifted by expectations that the US central bank will cut its key…

Warwick Davis is to reprise his role as Professor Filius Flitwick in the upcoming Harry Potter television series, HBO has confirmed.The Bafta-winning actor played the part of the popular professor in the Harry Potter movie series about the famous wizard, based on the books of JK Rowling.He is the first actor from the Harry Potter film franchise to reprise their role in the upcoming TV series.He also appeared on the big screen as Griphook, a goblin employed at the Gringotts Wizarding Bank, but that role will now be played for TV by Leigh Gill, who starred as Gary Puddles in…

Shares in Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD slid by as much as 8% on Monday after it reported a drop in profit because of a price war in China’s car sector.The carmaker had on Friday reported that its net profit fell to 6.4bn yuan ($900m; £660m) between April and June, down 30% from a year earlier.BYD said in its filing that “increased price competition” among China’s EV brands had impacted the industry.The Shenzhen-based manufacturer is facing an increasingly crowded market, competing against local rivals Nio and XPeng and US carmaker Tesla, which have all slashed prices to draw buyers.The carmaker’s…

Getty ImagesEleven infants died of whooping cough in 2024A baby whose mother was not vaccinated against whooping cough while pregnant has died after contracting the infection, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.The death, which occurred between January and June 2025, is the first fatal case of whooping cough in the UK this year.It follows government warnings about low vaccine uptake, including among children, as well as an increase in vaccine hesitancy. None of the main childhood vaccines in England reached the uptake target of 95% last year, recent data from the health agency showed.Whooping cough is a bacterial…

Debbie JacksonBBC Scotland NewsGetty ImagesFrom 1 September, there will be no more peak fares on ScotRail trainsPeak rail fares have been scrapped on ScotRail trains, meaning passengers will no longer pay higher prices for travelling during busy weekday rush hours.Until now, ScotRail passengers paid different fares at different times of day. The removal of the higher fares means significant savings for customers using services by the Scottish government-owned operator.A rail ticket from Edinburgh to Glasgow will be almost 50% cheaper, with trips between Perth and Dundee a third less than previously.The aim is to get more commuters out of cars…

Noor NanjiCulture reporterBBC/CPL ProductionsDavina McCall hosts new reality dating show Stranded on Honeymoon Island”It was hell.”That’s how David describes his experience of roughing it on a remote tropical beach.”The mosquitoes were just eating us alive,” he says. “I couldn’t stand the amount of flies and the crazy extreme heat.”He also had just one set of clothes to wear.”You just feel nasty, you feel dirty,” the 30-year-old says.He wasn’t describing a boot camp. Instead, he was talking about his time on new BBC dating reality show, Stranded on Honeymoon Island.Hosted by Davina McCall, it’s like a cross between Love Island, Married…