Author: INDEPENDENT

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and moreStay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more The highly anticipated stage adaptation of The Hunger Games has been labelled “chaotic” and “messy” by theatregoers after its first preview show on Monday (20 October).The Hunger Games: On Stage opened at the purpose-built 1,200 seater venue, Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre, with US actor John Malkovich playing the villain, President…

Peak inflation means ‘damage already done’ for some familiesTamsin Powell, consumer finance expert at Creditspring, said it might prove a positive for the mid-term – but still a tough situation to deal with in the here and now.“If the Institute for Fiscal Studies’ forecast proves correct and inflation peaks in September, it will offer some hope that price rises may finally begin to ease. But for many UK households the damage has already been done. Living costs remain high, and families are still feeling the squeeze from months of rising prices across transport, food, and other essentials,” she said.“For many…

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 A Broadway strike still looms despite a union representing thousands of actors reaching a tentative new labor agreement with commercial producers over the weekend.Actors’ Equity Association has announced a new three-year agreement for its over 51,000 members, including singers, actors, dancers and stage managers, on issues like health care, scheduling and physical therapy. The tentative agreement will now go to members for ratification.“We’re pleased to have a…

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 emailsWhisky negotiations with the US are about “the hard yards” rather than “one-off photo opportunities”, the Prime Minister has said in a rebuke to First Minister John Swinney.Mr Swinney has made securing a deal to cut whisky tariffs with the US a key part of his premiership in recent months, meeting President Donald Trump on a number of occasions this year in the hopes of reducing the levies.The…

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 emailsGen Z workers are increasingly walking away from banking jobs in pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities or more flexible working, a new survey of senior bosses has found.Most financial firms are taking action in a bid to hold onto their younger members of staff.Nearly half of financial services leaders report an increase in Gen Z employees leaving their organisation over the past year, according to polling by KPMG.This rises 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 It’s the greatest privilege to be asked to do this. But also, woe betide anyone who gets it wrong…” Jessica Swale laughs nervously as she says this. Tom Fletcher is smiling – or is it grimacing? Both creatives boast stellar credentials: Swale is an Olivier Award-winning playwright, filmmaker and director; Fletcher, the frontman of Noughties pop-rock band McFly, a coach on The Voice and a bestselling children’s…

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 emailsThousands of young people in Scotland will benefit from skilled “clean energy jobs”, the UK Government has said, as it launched its plans to “train the next generation of energy workers”.Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the new plan places Scotland “at the very heart of the clean energy revolution”.The Government said Scotland will see up to 60,000 jobs in greener energy by 2030 – a 40,000 increase from…

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 FTSE 100 closed down sharply on Friday, although well above early lows, as investors weighed Thursday’s hefty falls on Wall Street sparked by fears surrounding US regional banks.The FTSE 100 index closed down 81.52 points, 0.9%, at 9,354.57. It had earlier traded as low as 9,276.91.The FTSE 250 ended 208.40 points lower, 1.0%, at 21,782.96 while the AIM All-Share shed 17.24 points, 2.2%, to 772.65.For the week,…

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discountsGet Simon Calder’s Travel emailGet Simon Calder’s Travel emailTransatlantic passengers on Aer Lingus from Manchester will be hit by a four-day cabin crew strike from 30 October to 2 November.Members of the Unite union who crew flights from the northwest hub will walk out in a dispute over pay and allowances. Most or all flights from the northwest hub to New York, Orlando and Barbados are expected to be grounded. The routes are all nonstop to and from Manchester.The 130 cabin crew have rejected a pay rise…

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 emailsRachel Reeves needs to be “bold” when she delivers her Budget or face “groundhog day” with more cuts or tax rises next year, a think tank has warned.The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said it expected the Chancellor would need to find at least £22 billion next month, thanks to rising borrowing costs, weaker growth forecasts and spending commitments made since the spring.That figure would restore the £10…