Author: INDEPENDENT

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThe Government has announced its intention to build a new railway line between Birmingham and Manchester.A previous plan to extend HS2 between the cities was scrapped by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government in October 2023 to save money.The Treasury said it wants a new Birmingham-Manchester rail line but that it would not be “a reinstatement of HS2”.No timescale was provided on when it would be built.Land between Manchester and…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsPeople buying, streaming and renting TV shows and films led the value of the home entertainment market to rise by 10% last year, fuelled by the popularity of Wicked and its sequel, which were both filmed in the UK.Figures released by the British Association for Screen Entertainment (Base) in association with the Official Charts Company reveal that the value of the UK home entertainment sector rose to £5.7…

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture emailGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter The year 2026 finds Broadway in a moment of recalibration. After a record-breaking post-pandemic rebound — with recent seasons driven by Hollywood casting and eye-watering ticket prices — the coming year looks set to strike a different balance. Star power remains, but it’s no longer the sole selling point, as revivals, original works and critically acclaimed transfers jostle for space on an increasingly crowded calendar.That said, celebrity…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsTwo thirds of UK adults believe the next generation will suffer poorer health due to ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and 39% would like to see them banned, a survey suggests.Some 59% of adults believe UPFs are “impossible to avoid” when shopping on a budget, the study for retailer Lakeland found.Two thirds (66%) are worried about their effects on public health and 68% believe the Government should do more to…

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture emailGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter The Washington National Opera has announced it is set to leave the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in the latest significant upheaval since President Donald Trump became involved with the venue.The Kennedy Center, which was recently renamed the Trump Kennedy Center in a potentially illegal move, has been the opera company’s home since 1971.In a statement to The New York Times, the WNO said:…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsNutrition labels on the front of food packaging should be made mandatory in the UK, according to a consumer champion.Which? called on the Government to make the change amid what it described as an “obesity crisis”.A “better approach” is needed to help people make healthier choices, it said.It comes after research by the group found shoppers prefer traffic light labelling, although they said it could be improved with…

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailRetailers suffered a disappointing December as rising bills and food costs kept shoppers at home, figures show.Total UK footfall down was 2.9 per cent year-on-year, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic data.High street visits fell 0.9 per cent and retail park footfall went down by 2.5 per cent. Shopping centres suffered most, with 5.1 per cent fewer Christmas customers year-on-year.The “Golden Quarter” (October-December) saw a 2.2 per cent fall, while UK…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USAmerican oil producer Chevron is in discussions with the US government to expand its operating licence in Venezuela as it aims to increase crude exports to its own refineries and potentially sell to other buyers.These talks unfold as Washington and Caracas advance negotiations to supply up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to the United States. The development also comes as President Donald Trump presses American…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsJournalists at STV are walking out as part of a dispute over changes to news programmes in the north of Scotland.The action comes after the broadcaster announced plans to cut the north edition of its flagship News At 6 programme with the loss of up to 60 jobs.The proposed change will see a single STV News At 6 programme produced and presented from Glasgow – with about 30% of…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsUnions are demanding urgent intervention to address what they describe as a national work-related stress crisis, following new research highlighting widespread concerns among employees. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) revealed its study uncovered significant anxieties regarding the pressure workers are currently enduring.The union body asserted that employers are consistently failing to adequately assess or mitigate the inherent risks of stress faced by their workforce. A comprehensive survey of…